ANNIHILATION OF

CASTE
WITH A REPLY TO MAHATMA GANDHI
GROUP 9

The unbearable content: Denunciation of Hinduism

Undelivered speech written by B.R. Ambedkar in 1936 for annual conference of a Hindu
reformist group Jat Pak Todak Mandal on ill effects of caste in Hindu society
Invitation to speak withdrawn due to unbearable content with criticism of Hindu sacred texts
Mahatma Gandhis articles A Vindication of Caste bashed the committee for depriving the
public of the opportunity but criticized Ambedkars views
Ambedkar replied to Gandhis comments in the second edition Annihilation of Caste: With a
reply to Mahatma Gandhi

The speech broadly highlighted

The caste system has ruined the Hindus
Reorganization of the Hindu society on the basis of Chaturvarnya /Caste system is impossible
Reorganization on a religious basis which recognizes Liberty, Equality & Fraternity is needed

Sense of religious sanctity behind caste and varna must be destroyed which is possible only by
discarding the divine authority of the shastras

Ambedkar invited by Jat Pak Todak Mandal

Mr. Sant Ram, the secretary of the Mandal invited Dr. Ambedkar to share his new formula- It
is not possible to break caste without annihilating the religious notions on which it is built

Committee instead on having him as the President of Annual conference; few dissociations

Ambedkar had apprehensions about association with the Mandal but consistently appealed

Dispute arose over printing in Lahore vs Bombay ; sent Mr. Har Bhagwan to discuss the matter
personally

Mr. Har Bhagwan to Dr. Ambedkar

Mr. Sant Ram pleased with the address
Usage of the word Veda is contentious, please revisit
Include a disclaimer of address as a personal view and Mandal shares no responsibility
Send copies of the address for publication

Ambedkar asked to limit the address

Mr. Har Bhagwan to Dr. Ambedkar

Drop the subject of change of religion and reduce the length
Remove the unnecessarily attack on morality and reasonableness of Vedas
Leave the pointless mention of technical side of religion
Make it more effective by mentioning yourself as the willing to lead destruction of caste
system if Hindus are willing

Dr. Ambedkar to Mr. Har Bhagwan

Asks for the conference to be cancelled; cannot compromise on my principles
Blame ill founded; Mr. Sant Ram was aware of my stand
Extended the address to complete my argument and extension of the draft
You are entitled to disagreement but cannot refrain me from discussing my view
Asked by Mandal to elaborate for clarity, hence making it lengthy
I am not responsible for the assumption made by Mandal of me suspending my views
Decision process at Mandal unclear; find a new president

1.

Why am I here?

13. Caste destroys public spirit, public opinion, and public charity

2.

Why social reform is necessary for political reform

14. My ideal: a society based on Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity

3.

Why social reform is necessary for economic reform

4.

Caste is not just a division of labour, it is a division of

labourers

15. The Arya Samajists' "Chaturvarnya" retains the old bad caste
labels

5.

Caste cannot preserve a nonexistent "racial purity"

6.

Caste prevents Hindus from forming a real society or

nation

7.

The worst feature of the Caste System is an anti-social

spirit

19. Caste among Hindus is not the same as "caste" among nonHindus

8.

Caste prevents the uplift and incorporation of the

aboriginal tribes

20.

The real key to destroying Caste is rejection of the Shastras

21.

Internal reform of the Caste System is virtually impossible

The higher castes have conspired to keep the lower

castes down

22.

No reformers, and no appeals to reason, have so far succeeded

9.

10. Caste prevents Hinduism from being a missionary

religion
11. Caste deprives Hindus of mutual help, trust, and fellowfeeling
12. Caste is a powerful weapon for preventing all reform

16. "Chaturvarnya" would face impossible difficulties in practice

17. "Chaturvarnya" would be the most vicious system for the
Shudras
18. "Chaturvarnya" is nothing new; it is as old as the Vedas

23. Destroying Caste would not destroy the true principles of

Religion
24. A true priesthood should be based on qualification, not
heredity
25. If Hindu Society is to progress, its traditions must be able to
evolve
26. The struggle is yours; I have now decided to leave the Hindu
fold

Part I : Why am I here?

Selection as president must have displeased ordinary religiously minded Hindus

Questioned the authority of Mahatma and Shastras
Shastras do not permit a Hindu to accept anyone as a Guru merely because he is well versed
Why would they select an Antyaja ( untouchable) to address the Savarnas
Accepted against my will and will of other untouchables Here because of your choice
Cause of social reform appealing and I can help
Only here to place my views and help you in problem solving

Part II : The path of social reform

Social conference founded along with National congress to focus on social efficiency

Led to formation of two wings and Social conference vanished due to the hostility

Congress ( Mr. Bonnerjis speech) believes that political &social reform are independent

Other side of story needs a voice- Condition of untouchables from under Peshwa rule to rules for Balais today
indicates that the oppression has continued

Incident at Kavitha (education of untouchables), Zanu (usage of metal pots), Chakwara (ghee)

Case for social reform:

One class is not fit to rule another class as is no one country fit to rule another

Reform of Hindu family (chid marriage, widow remarriage) vs. Reform of Hindu Society (caste system)

Social conference addresses only the former as it personally affects them; hence they lost

Why is political power diversified ? To take note of the social organisation

Historic examples (Europe, Arab, Rome and Ireland) indicate social and religious revolutions preceded
political reforms and political leaders cannot ignore the social issues

Why social reform is necessary for political reform

For political reform to be successful should it be preceded by social reform?
Reform of Hindu Family
Deals with issues such as child marriage, enforced widowhood etc.
Reform Of Hindu Society
Deals with restructuring and reconstruction of Hindu Society
Abolition of caste system
Southern Ireland Vs. Ulster
Catholics Vs. Protestants

Why social reform is necessary for economic reform

Socialist View
Man is an economic creature
Property is the only source of power
Why do penniless saints hold such a sway over common men?
Plebian Consul and the Oracle of Delphi
Shows the power that religion holds over men.

Caste is not just a division of labour, it is a division of labourers

One of the defenses of caste system is that it is a division of labour.
Caste system is a division of labourer.
Not spontaneous, based on social status of parents
Does not allow readjustment of occupation
One of the reasons for unemployment

Part III: Caste system and its different elements

No caste is pure in hindu society and caste system is social division of same race

A social system which embodies arrogance and selfishness but not eugenics

Hindu society is a myth and hindu is itself a foreign name

Caste system prevented the hindus from becoming a society with a unified life and a consciousness of its own
being

Anti-social spirit is the worst feature of hindus caste system and each caste lives for its selfish ideal

Aboriginal tribes are not civilized and those people who followed pursuits being classified as criminals

Caste is his precious possession and protecting it overrides the development of humanity

Higher-caste hindus prevented the lower-castes from rising to the cultural level of the higher castes

With caste system, hindus has been more cruel than Mohammedan

Hindu religion was once a missionary religion but not today because of no accommodation for converts

Sanghatan To remove from the mind of the hindu that timidity and cowardice which so painfully make him
off from mohammaden sand Sikhs

Part III: Caste system and its different elements (Contd.)

Hindu society is so indifferent and this indifferentism is the result of caste system which had made sanghatan
and shudhi impossible
Caste system act as powerful weapon for persecuting the reforms and killing all reforms
Caste has destroyed public charity, public opinion and public spirit
Hindus committed treason against their country in the interest of their caste
His ideal society is based on Liberty, Equality and Fraternity
Fraternity is democracy an attitude of respect and reverence towards fellow-men
Mans power dependent upon
Physical heredity
Social inheritance or endowment
On his own efforts
The Arya Samajists' "Chaturvarnya" retains the old bad caste labels

Chaturvarnya would face impossible difficulties in practice

Is it possible to reduce 4000 castes which are based on birth to 4 castes based on worth?

Very similar to Platonic ideal social structure.

How to maintain Chaturvarnya, if at all was established?

How to classify women?

Chaturvarnya would be most vicious system for Shudras

Interdependence of one class on another class
Arya samajists conception: relationship between different classes is that of ward and guardian
What if a particular class exploits Shudras?
In practice it would be relation of masters and slaves.
Why there isnt any social revolution by lower classes of Hindus in India?
Chaturvarnya is nothing new; it is as old as the Vedas
Many instances of rivalry between Brahmins and Khastriyas could be found in Hindu scared texts.
How Chaturvarnya could be a ideal Hindu society?

Caste among Hindus is not same as caste among non-hindus

No organic filaments present in Hindus.
Idea of excommunication is foreign among Non-Hindus.
Religion compels the Hindus to treat isolation and segregation of castes as a virtue.
Hinduism has been able to maintain its supremacy even when other religions have been trying to coerce them
with their views. Prof. S. Radhakrishna in his Hindu view of life.
Quality of survival is what matters not survival itself.
The real key to destroy caste is to reject Shastras
How to abolish caste? Is it by fusion of sub-castes? Or by inter-caste dinners?
Real remedy is by inter-caste marriages. Jat-Pat-Todak Mandal has adopted this line of attack.
Caste is not a physical barrier. It is a notion. And it is taught by the Shastras.
The real remedy is to destroy the beliefs in the Shastras.

Will Brahmins come forward to lead the movement against

caste?
Attitude of hostility shown by Brahmins towards this question
Breakup of caste system is bound to adversely affect the Brahmin caste
In a society intellectual class is the one who can foresee and lead. Brahmins form
the intellectual class of Hindus
Hindus are taught that Brahmins are Bhudevas (Gods on earth)
In caste system, communities are placed in graded order one over the other in
social status

Are Hindus free to follow reason?

Rationalism as a tool for interpreting Vedas and Smritis is condemned.
Punishment for this is ex-communication
Caste and Varna are matters which are dealt with by Vedas and Smritis and hence
rationality cannot be applied to them
Hindus break caste on certain occasions , but endeavor to maintain for rest of lives
- Shastras direct to maintain caste as far as possible and to undergo praynschitia
when he cannot
- Caste has been given a perpetual lease of life and have smothered reflective
thought

Reforms
Religion must be a matter of Principles and not a matter of rules
Treating sacred books as authoritative must by law cease
Priesthood should be abolished
Number of priests should be limited by law
Priest should be a servant of state and should be subjected to disciplinary action
Entitlement to Priesthood only if he passes examination conducted by the state

Things Hindus must do

They must examine their religion and then morality in terms of their survival value

They must consider whether they should conserve the whole of their social
heritage or select what is helpful and transmit to future generations

They must consider whether they must not cease to worship the past as supplying
its ideals

They must consider that nothing is fixed, nothing is sanatan

Harijan, July 11, 1936: Reply by Mahatma

Dr. Ambedkar is a challenge to Hinduism.
He has talked about the scriptures based on which Savarna
Hindus have not conducted properly against untouchables.
He is the most uncompromising aspect in the disgust of what
is said by many leaders due to the ill treatment which many
of Harijans are exposed.
According to Gandhi, Savarnas have to correct their belief
and their conduct.

Harijan, July 18, 1936

Mentions that not all the text in scriptures can be accepted as the
word of God quoting to the texts which Dr. Ambedkar has referred to.
The saints are best interpreter as compared to the learned ones.
Varna and Ashram have nothing to do with Caste.
Varna: Teaches us to earn our living following ancestral calling which
defines our duties.
There is nothing in the law of Varna that supports belief in
untouchability.
According to Gandhi, Dr. Ambedkar has quoted unauthentic texts and
based on the standards applied every religion will fail.
Religion has to be judged by its best and not the worst specimens.

Varna and Caste

According to Shri Sant Ramji,
the problem was that Dr. Ambedar wanted this to be his last
speech as Hindu.
Difference between Caste and Varnas can not be understood
by common people and they treat it as same.
Use of Shastras can not help for removal of untouchability
and cast.
Gandhi reiterates that if Mandal is rejecting Shastras then it
is no different from what Dr. Ambedkar is saying.

A reply to Mahatma
The speech was meant to provoke the Hindus to think and take

stock of their position.

Mahatma has missed the issues raised in my speech.
Caste has ruined Hindus
Reorganization of Hindu Society on the basis of

Chaturvarnya is harmful and impossible

Hindu Society should be reorganized on religious basis and

in order to do so Caste and Varna must be destroyed by

discarding Shastras.

Review of the points made by Mahatma

Texts cited are not authentic.

Shastras should be interpreted by Saints and not by

learned.

What if they are interpreted differently by saints? As masses

only takes what is given to them and they have been told to
engage in Caste and Untouchability as a religious duty.

With regards to Saints their teachings have been

ineffective
Firstly, because they never opposed caste system, infact they
were not concerned with the struggle between men, but the
relationship between man and God.
Secondly, Saint might break cate but common man must not,
thus masses have different view of Shastras as compared to
saints.

Religions to be judged by its best specimen

Does this dispose the matter? Why the worst specimen are
too large?

There can be two possibility for this

Firstly, either the worst are morally uneducable and are incapable of
approaching to religious ideal.

Secondly, Religious ideals are wrong and the best have became the
best by doing wrong.

He says that even Mahatma would agree that the second

seems more logical.

Change to a good man

Hindu society can not be made tolerable without any

fundamental change if people change their behavior towards
lower cast.

In case any one is dealing with their fellows its either superior
or inferior but cant be equal.

Hindus can not treat people of other cast equally, thus there can
be a better or worse Hindu but GOOD HINDU is not possible.

Dr. Ambedkar says that instead of demolishing my arguments on

Varna and Caste he is giving his own views.

Mahatma himself does not follows

himself
Due to ideals being too high and unattainable or by hypocrisy.

Mahatmas ancestor moved away from trading and he himself choose

law, his son married a Brahmin's daughter and worked at newspaper
magnet.

He compares Mahatma to Carlyle who spoke of the subject first and then
thought about it.

Why a man must be tied to his ancestral calling? Even though it is not to
his capabilities, liking, logically correct.

Raises motives of Brahmins who have continued to serve as priest, but to

Mahatma they are the carrier of spiritual treasurers, but how much is it
correct if they are willing to worship any other god for their benefits?

Every one wants social stability but no one wants static

relationships or adjustment at the sacrifice of social justice.

Dr. Ambedkar says that earlier Mahatma not only believed in

all the Hindu scriptures but also in caste. But it is good he
understands that caste is harmful for society. He also talks
about the change of view as his sons marriage outside caste.

But has he really changed? According to Vedic conception

Varna is calling of ones natural aptitude where as Mahatmas
conception is that of ancestral calling.

Some writers have done justice to Vedic theory which states

that Varna determines worth and Caste determines birth.

He says that based on the two responses of Mahatma one can

say that he doesnt completely disregard Varna as Hinduism.
(How can you disregard Caste and then use Varna and caste
as convertible terms).

There is a two way stand which Mahatma is taking as a saint

and as a political leader.

Standards of Comparison

Yes they are high but they are right and the most appropriate I know.

I may live in a imperfect world but not in a society which cherishes

wrong ideals.

Hindu society needs regeneration immediately, and this cant be

done by current Hindu leaders as they believe in ideals of past. He
refers Hindu masses to be heedless.

People who can think and act are dishonest or indifferent.

Wandering between two worlds, one dead, the other powerless to

be born are the words of Matthew Arnold for Hindus.

Thank you