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| Karamyogi-Babu Jagjivan Ram Ji | | (Remembering, Babu Jagjivan Ram Ji on his108th Birth anniversary falling on5th April2014) | | Hemraj Phonsa | 7/5/2015 11:55:57 PM |
| Babu Jagjivan Ram was one of the brightest stars of
Indian political leadership horizon. By dint of his excel
lent qualities of head & heart, he carried with distinction all the responsibilities assigned to him as political leader, parliamentarian, social reformer, administrator, Indian Union Minister, Labour & Dalit leader. He was true follower of Mahatma Gandhi. The upsurge in East Pakistan against the West Pakistan suppression resulted in great influx of refugees to India, which in turn became main cause of Bangladesh liberation war. As Defense Minister of Indian Union, Babu Jagjivan Ram was the main architect to win 1971 Bangladesh War resulting in carving out Independent Sovereign Bangladesh from Pakistan subjugation. This was perhaps the only war in Indian History of many centuries when India captured alive over 90,000 enemy soldiers including high ranking commanders and successfully defaced the enemy country. He was not cowed down by the presence of American 7th fleet of war ships in the area for strategic support to Pakistan. Although his chances of becoming Prime minister Of Indian Union were blocked four times yet he did not loose heart and continued to serve his country. He lending a helping hand to the disadvantaged class peoples.
Babu Jagjivan Ram was born on 5th April 1908 in village Chandra Distt. Arrah in Bihar state. His father Shobha Ram and mother Basanti Devi were agriculture labourers & belonged to "Untouchable" caste namely Asprisya ( chamar). It seems that the name Jagjivan has been drawn from the verse of Guru Ravidas " Prabhuji Sangat Saran Tihari, Jagjivan Murari" Babu ji as he was affectionately addressed by his followers was born in lowest of low castes of Hindu Religion. Upper Caste Hindus take pride in saying that they belong to the oldest religion of the world, but do not feel sorry for their religion being full of prejudices, social and religious discriminations, contradictory customs and religious dogmas, birth related low & high status, superstitions, blocking all routs of progress and decent living for their Hindu untouchable brethren. The Manusmiriti, code of Hindu laws, codified all privileges for Brahmins or twice born (A Brahmin was Himself God) and all abuses for untouchables. Although Shudras observed all Hindu Religious ceremonies on births, marriages, deaths etc, but were forced to live in filth, & squalor without any right to complain or to come out of man made hell. Forced labour was their fate.
In these circumstances life was supposed to be difficult for the new born Jagjivan. However he was lucky that before his birth social war to break religious shackles of prejudice against Dalits had been started in different parts of India by saints & social reformers like Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Mata savitribhai Phule (Father & Mother of Hindu women Education in India), Chhaterpati Sahuji Maharaj of Kohlapur, Narayan Guru, Parriyar E.V. Ramaswami, Guru Ghasidas, Gadge Ji Maharaj, Soami Daya Nanad Saraswati , Raja Ram Mohan Rai ,Subedar Ramji Sakhpal Ambedkar and others.
Young Jagjivan Ram was admitted in a village primary school in January 1914 on Basant Panchami day. Unfortunately Sobha Ram expired when Jagjivan Ram was only Six years old and the responsibility of bringing him up was shouldered by his brother Sant Lal Ji. On passing primary school examination Jagjivan ram was admitted in Aggarwal Middle School in 1920. Jagjivan Ram was married as per customs at the tender age of eight. Jagjivan Ram, a sharp & intelligent student took great interest in his studies. He developed great interest in general studies as well. The Ramayana Epic was his favorite; besides this he read other famous books. He was also a regular News paper reader. In 1922 he joined Arrah Town High School. During schooling young Jagjivan had to face caste prejudices and indignities like taking water from a separately kept earthen pitcher for untouchables. He used to revolt and broke the pitcher many times. Although poverty ridden Jagjivan Ram never applied for scholarship granted on the basis of Untouchability, as in those days there was no provision of scholarship for Dalit students. Babu Jagjivan Ram completed his Intermediate in science from Banaras University. Due to display of good qualities in young Jagjivan Ram , Pt. Madan Mohan Malviya took interests in him when Pandit Malviyaji visited Arrah in1926. In 1931 Babu Jagjivan Ram passed his B .Sc degree from Calcutta (Now Kolkata) University. During his Calcutta stay Babu Ji earned nearness to Subash Chander Bose. Neta ji Subash Chandra Bose took notice of him at Kolkata, when in 1928 he organised a Mazdoor Rally at Wellington Square, in which approximately 50,000 people participated.
In 1932 at 24 years of age Babu jumped into National Movement for freedom of Harijans under Harijan Mukti Sang. During this period Babu Ji was uniting untouchables of Kanpur, Kanshi & Calcutta and convincing them to take part in freedom struggle. On 3rd Feb.1928 Babu ji along with his large number of followers boycotted the Simon commission. In 1935, Babu Ji contributed to the establishment of the 'All-India Depressed Classes League', an organisation dedicated to attaining equality for untouchables Babu Jagjivan Ram came in contact of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in 1927. Although Babu Ji was a stanch follower of Gandhi Ji . Gandhi Ji was a stanch Snatin Hindu ,non compromising for the liberation of Dalits from clutches of Hindus by any logic, but Babu Ji did not compromised with the interests of his Dalit followers, so when Gandhi Ji went on Fast unto death on grant of separate Electorate to Untouchables, Babu Ji opposed Gandhi ' s move.
While addressing all India Scheduled Caste Elected Representatives from all States, along with Pt. Jawaharlal Lal Nehru (first prime minister Of India) at Nagpur in 1952 Babu Ji said" The rights granted by Constitution Of India to SC/ ST and other weaker sections are being ignored &suppressed, because upper caste Hindus has not transformed their look out & mental thinking in line with changed circumstances.
Hindu Samaj was sitting on a dump of explosive, which when exploded shall bring disaster. The Harijans as then untouchables were called have been brought to a situation, worst of which is perhaps impossible. Harijan title for untouchable was coined by Mahata Gandhi and it was opposed by untouchable leaders and public. Babu Jagjivan Ram pleaded for Dalit ( earlier called Untouchables) unity "As they had nothing to loose than their chains". There after a close watch was kept on Babu Ji on the instance of Pt Jawaharlal Lal Nehru . Babu Ji was eased out of Government under KAMRAJ PLAN.
Babu Ji followed principals of Guru Ravidas Ji, his Religious Guru, and started celebrations of Ravidas Jyantis. Through out his life Babu Ji worked on the ideal of Golden verse of Guru Ravidas " I wish to have a rule, where every body irrespective of his/ her caste affiliation is fed well" Babu Ji 's love for his poor but progressive peoples can be gauged from the following one of many such instances.
Babu Parmanand (Ex. Governor of Haryana), during his studies wrote to Babu Jagjivan Ram for financial help and got Rs 400/by money order which is to day more that Rs100000/ as per present rates. In 1933 his first wife died and he was again married second time to Inderani Devi in 1934. Babu Ji was elected member of Bihar Vidhan Parishad in 1934, and he continuously kept wining as Member of Parliament (1946 to1986) from Bihar right up to 1984, two years before his death. He was elected from Sasaram parliament constituency in Bihar. His uninterrupted representation in the Parliament from 1936 to 1986 is a world record. During freedom struggle Babu Ji was arrested a number of times & was jailed for one year in 1940. Babu Ji adorned the high Offices of Minister for Labour, Communication Railways, Defense, Agriculture, Dy Prime Minister and successfully brought Green Revolution with bumper crops, labour laws of equal pay for equal work both for men& women, Nationalization of Air Transport and liberation of Bangladesh. He was an able administrator and a shrewd politician. When Indra Gandhi became Prime Minister Babu ji was given the most fearful Agriculture Ministry portfolio, as the country then was in the grip of swear draught and shortage of food grains. Babu ji gave the slogan of Green Revolution and put pressure on traders to bring out hidden grains from their godowns, Babu Ji' administrative skills succeeded like success.
On division in Congress party Indra Gandhi made Babu Ji her shield and nominated him as Congress President and won Parliamentary elections. Babu Ji was against transfer of political power on the basis of family backgrounds and resisted the ways of Sanjay Gandhi. Indra Gandhi declared state of Emergency in India which was disliked by Babu ji and he was put under undeclared house arrest. Babu Ji resigned from Central Cabinet on 2nd February 1977 and formed a new party "Congress For democracy", so he paved way for formation of Janta Dal Government after Emergency. Here too Babu Ji was deceived by the group of Upper Caste Hindus & his legitimate right of becoming Prime Minister was sabotaged.
Although both Dr. Ambedkar & Babu Jagjivan Ram suffered stigma of Untouchability but their ways of confronting it were different. Dr. Ambedkar was radical in thinking and announced that Hinduism was immune to reforms and its ways opposed to democratic norms but Babu Ji was polite and believed that rendering financial, educational, employment support to Dalits shall loose their slavery bonds and pave way for their over all material progress. So he worked for their welfare day and night and got implemented to the extent possible, the rules framed for welfare of deprived sections of society.
But they never confronted with each other on this account. Dr. Ambedkar wanted to break the saddles of casteism by all means, whereas Babu ji remained in the Hindu fold and tried for the upliftment of downtrodden by effectively getting implemented the rules framed for the betterment of the Scheduled castes and other disadvantageous people resulting in their financial status. But the Hindus never changed and the statue of Sampunanand inaugurated by Babu Ji at Kanshi was subsequently washed with cow urine, and Ganga water by caste Hindus, claiming that the Stone statue was polluted by the touch of Babu Ji an untouchable. At Jammu in 1968 while addressing largely attended delegation session of Depressed Classes League, at Prade Ground Babu Ji said " Roti Aur Betti Brabri May Milti Hai , Bradri May Nahi ( bread & relations are possible between persons of in equal financial status and not in equal caste status)" This spoke volumes of the wisdom in the speaker' mind and a guidance to all weaker sections of society to get united to fight for their rights untidily forgetting their numerous caste affiliations.
After the unfortunate sudden death of his only son Suresh Kumar Babu's heart was broken and he landed into many physical & mental problems. Under theses unfortunate circumstances finally this able son of the soil breathed his last on 6th July 1986 at 10 am leaving behind his widow Inderani Devi and daughter Meera Kumar (formar Lok Saba Speaker ) Babu Ji shall be long remembered as practical source of light & guidance for the suppressed. To propagate his ideologies, the 'Babu Jagjivan Ram National Foundation', has been set up by Ministry of Social Justice, Govt. of India in Delhi. |
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