[Buddha-l] India: dalits and tribals in thousands head to Mumbaifor conversion to Buddhism

[Blumenthal, James]

Joanna wrote,

>Gandhi, a Hindu, tried 
>to overcome this lowest liability by impressing on his followers that if
>they
>wanted to stay at his ashram, they must clean their own toilets--yet he 
>never got involved in a movement per se to end social untouchability as 
>did Ambedkar, who came from a dalit caste and started the conversions
>to Buddhism movement. 

>Joanna

True, in fact, Gandhi was not considered by Ambedkar to be a friend of untouchables.  They parted ways and never really reconciled when at one of the planning meetings for a future independent Indian government, Ambedkar (author of the Indian constitution) argued that untouchables, like Muslims, should have reserved seats in the legislature to insure the protection of their rights.  Gandhi began one his infamous fasts to prevent this from happening.  His view was that they were Hindus and already represented.  Gandhi was trying to keep India unified and prevent the inevitable factionalization of the people.  Ambedkar saw the caste system as a larger enemy of the untouchables than the Brittish had ever been.  Gandhi eventually gave up his fast and they came to a compromise, but their friendship never healed over this one.

Jim Blumenthal


James Blumenthal, Associate Professor
Department of Philosophy
Oregon State University
102-A Hovland Hall
Corvallis, OR 97331
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