Quest for Equality in Hindu Society and Ambedkar’s Religious Conversion: A Social Justice Perspective

The proposed paper explores “how quest for equality and equal human dignity for Dalits (depressed classes of India) in the Hindu society motivated Dr. B.R. Ambedkar to look for an alternative religion and eventually his conversion to Buddhism?” I argue that like Kant, Ambedkar believed in equality and equal moral worth of individuals. Both Kant and Ambedkar was highly optimist in realizing an egalitarian society but Ambedkar, departing from most of Western liberals, argued that grounding ideals of egalitarianism in a Casteist society like India would not be possible without realizing fraternity among Hindus (hierarchized individuals based on purity and pollution). Depressed classes (most polluted) were considered ‘untouchable’ by the high Caste Hindu and were kept lowest in the Caste hierarchy. Having refuted this caste hierarchy based on the division of labour Ambedkar tried his best to address and annihilate this ‘graded inequality’ through publishing journals like Mooknayak, Bahishkrit Bharat, writing text like “annihilation of Caste” and activism since Mahad Satyagraha (movements for equal rights for depressed classes to drink water from public tank), temple entry movements, provisions of separate electorate for depressed classes, etc. and finally in 1935 at Yeola Conference, Ambedkar announced his decision to change his religion. He said, “I had the misfortune of being born with stigma of an Untouchable. However, it is not my fault; but I will not die a Hindu, for this is in my power.” Ambedkar knew only provisions of social justice in terms of rights and justice would serve the purpose of realizing equality in Indian society and liberate depressed classes from stigma of untouchability and when he became the chairman of the Drafting Committee for Indian constitution, he did it very consciously. I argue that as Kant talks about enlightenment to pull us out of dogmatic slumber, Ambedkar also talks of a liberation theology for depressed classes (later known as Dalits) to live a dignified life. And for Ambedkar, conversion to Buddhism (as it believes in egalitarian principles) is a way out for Dalits and finally in 1956 he adopted Buddhism.