Page 78 - SST Class 08

need to abolish the hierarchical, graded, birth- untouchability and made it a part of his
based caste structure as a prelude to build a new
egalitarian social order. In other words, he
wanted to lay a sound socio-cultural base, before
raising a strong structure of free polity and
prosperous economy.
It was in this context that the Self-Respect
Movement was founded by Periyar in Tamil
Nadu in 1925. It carried on a vigorous and
ceaseless propaganda against ridiculous and
harmful superstitions. Traditions, customs and
habits. He wanted to dispel the ignorance of the
people and make them enlightened. He exhorted
them to take steps to change institutions and
values that led to meaningless divisions and
unjust discrimination. He advised them to
change according to the requirements of the
changing times and keep pace with modern
conditions. In 1970, Periyar was given an award
UNESCO. The citation hailed him as the
“Prophet of the New Age, the Socrates of South-
East Asia, the Father of Social Reform
Movement, the Arch Enemy of Ignorance,
Superstitions, Meaningless Customs and Base
Manners”. Periyar passed away on December
24, 1973.
MAHATMA GANDHI
Popularly known as “Bapu” in India, the Father
of Nation, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was
born on 2nd of October 1869, in Porbandar, in
the Gujarat state of India.
His contribution to the Independence Movement
in British ruled India is unmatched. It makes him
the preeminent leader in the Indian history.
His major weapon against the Empirical British
Regime was non-violent and civil disobedience.
The 20th century witnessed tremendous
change in breaking the caste-barriers and the
movement for eradication of untouchability
gained momentum. Mahatma Gandhi took this
up and campaigned against the practice of
Social Science-8
programme for the attainment of political inde-
pendence. He named his journal Harijan and
started the Harijan Sevak Sangh. He appealed to
all to strive for the eradication of untouchability.
Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhi took a vow in 1946 that he would bless
only those Hindu marriages in which one mem-
ber of the couple, but not the other, had been
born an “untouchable” or else inter-religious
marriages. He even publicly proclaimed that in
his Sevagram Ashram he would celebrate only
those marriages where one of the spouses came
from the untouchable community.
Gandhi’s life was rooted in India’s religious
tradition with its emphasis on a passionate search
for truth, a profound reverence for life, the ideal
of non-attachment and the readiness to sacrifice
all for the knowledge of God. He is rightfully
called the “Father of the Nation”.
B. R. AMBEDKAR
Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, popularly known
as Babasaheb Ambedkar, was a jurist, social
reformer and politician. He is also known as the
Father of Indian Constitution, a well-known
politician and an eminent jurist. His efforts to
eradicate social evils like untouchablity and caste
restrictions were remarkable. Throughout his life,
he fought for the rights of the dalits and other
socially backward classes. Ambedkar was
appointed as India’s first Law Minister in the
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