Annihilation of Caste: A March Towards Humanity

Abstract

Dr. Ambedkar, one of the greatest national leaders of India, devoted his life for the cause of the establishment of equality in Indian society. For him, religion is a source of power, authority, and social status. Without social efficiency, no permanent progress in the other fields of activity was possible. Therefore, he felt that the need for religious reform should serve as the basis for social reform. He believes in liberty, equality, and fraternity and places social justice above the trio. He intends to say that there should be no discrimination between one community and the other on the ground of caste or creed. For him, the question of social reform that brings in its wake social equality and social justice is of seminal importance and there is no escape from it. What is urgent for the Hindus is a social revolution that aims at the abolition of the caste system.

He opines: “Caste is the monster that crosses your path. You can’t have political reform; you can’t have economic reform, unless you kill this monster.” (Ambedkar 41-42)

In Dr. Ambedkar’s view, the ideal society is the one which is based upon the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity, not only in politico-economic but in social sense also. What is important in public life is the choice of the way of life which people will opt for themselves, that is, freedom in the absolute sense of the word.

For the establishment of this egalitarian society, the annihilation of caste is must. The essay “Annihilation of Caste” is actually a speech to be delivered at the conference as the presidential address but remained undelivered. It throws light on Dr. Babasaheb’s dream of a just and humane society.