Gandhi and Ambedkar - the Same Goal, But Different Approaches
The work of both, Mahatma Gandhi and Bhimrao Ambedkar depicted social reformation in India. They both worked towards reforming India; however both of them had different approaches to do so. Ambedkar was born into a family of untouchables and even though he achieved degrees from the most renowned universities around the world, the stigma of untouchability never left him alone. Due to which he had the constant urge to challenge the caste and politics of Indian society. The following paper will talk about the underlying differences between the approaches of both these charismatic leaders who worked towards reforming the caste system and politics of India but both had their own ways to achieve this goal. Ambedkar and Gandhi both approached the question of caste and politics in a contrasting way and this paper will further look at how both their approaches were very distinct from each other. For example, Gandhi’s efforts were mostly spiritual and religious while Ambedkar’s efforts were more political and legal in character. This is just one difference in the approaches but as you read further this paper will be covering more differences.
As mentioned above, Ambedkar belonged to the untouchables. However, Gandhi was born in the upper caste. Gandhi did not face the discrimination that Ambedkar did and hence could not relate to the way Ambedkar thought. Due to the difference in the way both of them had been brought up, it is not ironic to see them both think differently. In 1932, the British agreed to let the untouchables have their own separate electorates. This made Ambedkar very happy and he was adamant on this agreement to become a reality. However, Gandhi did not agree to this agreement and decided to publicly declare a fast unto death and Ambedkar had to compromise and he signed a pact to save the life of Gandhi. This already shows how both these stalwarts thought of the same issue in a very different way. For Gandhi, untouchability was one of the many issues encircling Indian society but for Ambedkar it was the only issue that needed to be dealt with. It can be seen that both wanted reform and wanted to see change but again with very distinct ideologies and principles.
The difference between the ideologies of Gandhi and Ambedkar is also seen at the Second Round Table Conference. Here Ambedkar talked about the need for political power while for Gandhi the problem of untouchability was the problem of the collective Hindu self. Gandhi also lacked to treat Ambedkar with respect at a meeting that was held before the conference which was one reason why there was a clash at the conference which led to the conference not ending on a good note. However, this conference was the first time where a clash between the ideologies of both Gandhi and Ambedkar was put at the forefront. Gandhi also made claims saying ‘Those who speak of political rights of untouchables do not know their India’. This shows that Gandhi did not want to declare the untouchables as a minority officially. He did want to give the untouchables their rights but he did not want them to be declared a minority in the country and that is why he did not agree to having separate electorates while for Ambedkar separate electorates were very important and were his main concern in all the meetings that he attended.
Gandhi also at one instance said that he believed in himself to be the leader of the untouchables and he believed he was the best fit because he had lived within the untouchables. However Ambedkar did not believe that it was the best idea to let Gandhi lead the group of untouchables because even though Gandhi recognized untouchability as an issue in Indian society but he could not relate to the untouchables since he had not been subjected to the prejudice that an untouchable would go through. Ambedkar found Gandhi’s condescension towards the untouchables, and his claim to speak for them, a manipulative strategy to keep them fighting on behalf of their upper caste oppressors. Another clash also came about where if the Indians should unite first to fight for freedom against the British as Gandhi believed or should they first render justice to one another before asking the British as Ambedkar believed. This was another fundamental clash between the two important personalities.
Ambedkar thought that Hinduism was not the best religion for a country struck with poverty like India. This is because Hinduism introduced the caste system that divided the population into four different groups starting from the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras and the Dalits. The untouchables or the lower castes were made to believe that they were born with this fate of their own and they could never come out of it. Ambedkar believed this was not true and and was not the right thing being taught and that is why he believed that he had to stand up for the right of the untouchables so that the rest of them in the future do not have to go through the struggles that Ambedkar went through his whole life. However, Gandhi saw the caste system as very different. He believed that each religion was fair and enough for its followers. There could be a difference in opinion but there was no need for any type of alteration in one’s own religion. However as mentioned above Ambedkar did not very much agree with what Hinduism had to offer to its followers and he found more peace and solace in Buddhism.
Gandhi had a unified and universal vision and he thought for the whole Indian community. Ambedkar too, thought of the whole community but he was closer to his people that were the untouchables and hence gave them more importance and priority. Ambedkar wanted separate electorates, separate development, separate policies and parties for the untouchables because he believed that if there were to be universal policies for both the upper and lower castes then the lower castes would continue facing the discrimination that they have always been facing and would fail to get any sort of representation. However, Gandhi had something very different in his mind. He supported a unified approach for the people of the country instead of any independent approaches.
Gandhi also believed in aiding and uplifting the Harijans: untouchables and to create policies that would help the untouchables survive in society and also treating them as an equal part of the community. Even though, this is what Ambedkar also wanted but he believed in a different way of achieving this equality and respect for his people. He believed that any policy for these people should be made by themselves and not people from the upper castes. This was because if they thought and planned for themselves they would be independent and would not have to depend on the upper caste people in order to get representation and equality that they deserve. We see this difference in ideologies in the Poona Pact where Ambedkar that the Harijans would create their own leadership. This notice went against the Congress and Mahatma Gandhi’s views.
The fundamental clash, as mentioned above where Ambedkar believed that dealing with social democracy and getting representation for the Dalits was more important than freedom from the British. He was tolerant when it came to foreign rule but Gandhi wanted Swaraj or as it is known as self rule and wanted to get rid of foreign domination as soon as possible. He did not see the problem of untouchability with as much concern as Ambedkar which again portrays a difference in the way that Gandhi and Ambedkar both looked at caste and politics of the same country.
Throughout, the paper talked about the underlying differences between both the prominent figures. However there are some similarities between the two as well. Even though to each their own approach to look at the same issue on hand but they had some characteristics in common. Both of them were patriots. They both worked towards the unity of the country and its people and they believed that there should be a common sense of nationality and unity based on that nationality. There was to be no such thing as “I am a Hindu or I am a Sikh” but instead “I am an Indian”.
They both wanted to work towards the betterment of the society and they both wanted to uplift the living of the poor which again is another thing common between Gandhi and Ambedkar. They had different approaches to work towards the betterment of their people but their ultimate goal was the same and they were both equally influential and active in Indian society at their time. They both recognized the problems of the Dalits and worked towards the liberation of the lower caste. Gandhi and Ambedkar also challenged the already existing systems even though Gandhi did it on a social and moral basis while Ambedkar took a more political approach.
Regardless of the similarities the differences in nature between both the leaders were significant. Gandhi saw untouchability as a sin while Ambedkar saw it as a denial of rights for the people who were oppressed. Their goal was the same to work for the betterment of the people and the country but they both approached caste and politics in a very different way. This was because of the different households that they were brought up in, where Gandhi belonged to the upper caste while Ambedkar belonged to the untouchables and hence, was faced with discrimination and prejudice and that is why could relate to the struggles of the Dalits more than Gandhi could. Even after the differences in their approaches, both of them proved to be equally important and charismatic leaders in the face of history.
