Abstract

This book traced how untouchability became a political idea of national relevance during the first half of the twentieth century. This event continues to shape the nature of Indian politics today. Several factors were associated with this transformation, such as the growth of Indian mass nationalism and the implementation of colonial constitutional reforms, which expanded and re-designed the Indian electorate. However, this book has argued that Ambedkar was the main character in politicising untouchability. Ambedkar envisioned untouchability beyond religion and social interaction. For Ambedkar, untouchability was not to be abolished through the reform of Hinduism. Inter-caste dinners and opening temples to Dalits were ineffective tools for dismantling caste. Ambedkar saw in untouchability a political problem of the greatest stature that was to be resolved before India became an independent nation. He feared that if untouchability were not addressed before swaraj was consolidated, Dalits would end up in a political limbo where their main oppressors, upper-caste Hindus, would control the whole country. Ambedkar’s main objective was to politicise untouchability at a pan-Indian level. This meant untouchability was to be recognised as a national problem to be resolved by the state. For this to occur, a new political category was to be created. Ambedkar aimed to construct a new political category encapsulating the subjectivity of those who simultaneously were affected by untouchability and did not identify with the nationalist movement led by Congress. Ambedkar used the term ‘Untouchables’, rather than harijan, as a term which could bring together Dalits across India.