HARIJAN SEVAK’ CONFERENCE RESOLUTIONS, June 4/7, 1939

[Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav]

Prof. Dr. Yogendra Yadav

Gandhian Scholar

Gandhi Research Foundation, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

Contact No. – 09415777229, 094055338

E-mail- [e-mail];[e-mail]

 

 

HARIJAN SEVAK’ CONFERENCE RESOLUTIONS, June 4/7, 1939

 

 

 

1. This Conference of Harijan sevak resolves that Harijan sevak should not visit those temples which Harijans are not allowed to enter. It should be clearly understood that Harijan sevak are not to enter such temples, not only for the purpose of worship but also for sight-seeing, provided that this rule is not intended to come in the way of doing service to Harijans. Similarly Harijan sevak are not to attend public meetings which are not open to Harijans.

2. The Western and Central India Harijan Sevak’ Conference held at Poona very much appreciates the organization of Harijan welfare work in Holkar State as explained by Prof. R. K. Yardye, Hon. Secretary of the Indore H. S. S., but considers that the grant of Rs. 7,000 is too low for the purpose and therefore requests His Highness the Maharaja Holkar and his Government to raise the grant considerably to enable the work to be organized efficiently. This Conference is also of the opinion that the object of the State regarding Harijan emancipation will be better served by the appointment of a special officer, as is done in Bombay, Mysore, Travancore and Cochin, to look after Harijan interests.

3. The report of the Harijan Sevak Sangh, Gwalior State, submitted by the Secretary to this Conference, shows that the cause of Harijans suffers on account of the utter lack of practical support by the Government of Gwalior. Considering the views of His Highness the Maharaja Saheb as expressed repeatedly in his public speeches, it is most regrettable that such indifference should exist. This Conference respectfully draws the attention of the Administration and the Ruler of the Gwalior State to the necessity of taking an active part in the work of the amelioration of the conditions of Harijans, as well as the removal of untouchability. For this purpose this conference requests the appointment of a special officer or that of a Committee with an annual grant of a substantial sum of money in the annual budget. This Conference is also of opinion that a public declaration of the State policy granting civic rights to Harijans for the use of public wells, tanks, temples, conveyances and schools should be issued forthwith.

4. The universal disinclination to do physical work, particularly work involving the handling of dirt, is one of the causes that are responsible for the custom of untouchability. For example, scavenging, flaying of dead cattle, tanning, leather work, barber’s work and similar duties are regarded as causing pollution. Similarly personal service and hospitality rendered to a member of a so-called lower caste is forbidden.

To achieve total eradication of untouchability, it is necessary to remove as early as possible this false feeling of detestation towards socially beneficial occupations. This Conference therefore appeals to all Harijan sevaks and persons interested in the cause of Harijan uplift that they should feel no hesitation in doing with their own hands the aforesaid duties and thereby demonstrate to the world that they involve no indignity or pollution. These Conference further appeals to all Hindu sisters and brothers to remain absolutely certain that no individual loses his caste by virtue of personal service of any description. Bearing this religious principle in mind they should extend to guests of whatsoever caste coming under their roof the same cordial hospitality that they render to their own caste people. One need not have a guilty conscience in rendering service to such guests.

A growing tendency is to be noticed among self-respecting Harijans to abandon their hereditary occupations because these are socially despised. Although this Conference does not regard any honest occupation as low, it fully appreciates the feelings of Harijans and declares that they have every right to give up these occupations if they so choose and that it would be unjust on the part of caste Hindus to coerce them into doing such tasks.

5. With a view to remove untouchability and bring about a speedy uplift of Harijans, this Conference requests all Provincial Boards of the H.S.S. concerned to take necessary steps in order that elementary education is made free and compulsory at least for Harijan children in those places where there are already schools of a District School Board or a Municipal School Board.

6. This Conference takes this opportunity to point out to the managers of

Harijan students’ hostels of the H.S.S. that segregation is not the object of conducting Harijan hostels, and that therefore an endeavour should be made to secure the admission of Harijan boys and girls of all Harijan sub-castes and also of a few caste Hindu boys and girls in the Harijan hostels, provided that no monetary burden is thrown on the resources of the Sangh in respect of caste-Hindu pupils.

7. This Conference is of opinion that it is necessary to afford legal protection to Harijans who are subjected to social boycott on account of their enjoying a common civic right, and recommends to the Bombay Government, as a measure of partial protection, that the Government should undertake, along with other legislation contemplated by Government, suitable legislation to provide that refusal on the part of a shopkeeper or a regular dealer in articles which are necessaries of life, to sell such articles to a Harijan or his servants or his family dependants as an item of social boycott on the ground of such Harijans trying to enjoy or having enjoyed any common civic rights, should be made a punishable offence.

8. It is resolved by this Conference that the various Provincial Boards should request the Municipalities in their jurisdiction to start welfare work for their Harijan employees on the lines of the Bombay Municipal Corporation, and the Municipalities may be requested to use at least the Fine Funds for this purpose. The line of work can be suggested on the following fundamental points: recreational, educational, social, economical. And the welfare work will also include the work of a labour officer, i. e., to receive complaints about the working conditions of the employees and to redress them.

9. This Conference urges the Provincial Boards and the Local Committee of the H.S.S. to make concerted and special efforts for securing to Harijans the enjoyment of civic rights in respect of wells, hotels, etc.

10. This Conference is of opinion that the Government of Bombay should take necessary steps to provide for free studentships to all deserving Harijan students in the secondary grant-in-aid schools in the Bombay Presidency as soon as possible.

11. Whereas in various Harijan localities, there are no grocery shops and the Harijans have to purchase corn and other provisions from shops belonging to other people at a very high price, this Conference requests the Harijan Sevak Sanghs to endeavour to open such shops on a co-operative basis in those villages where the Harijan population is sufficiently numerous.

12. This Conference requests all Harijan sevak that they should try their best to enlist active co-operation of women workers in the cause of service to Harijans.

13. Whereas it has been found by experience that in multi-member constituencies for legislatures and local bodies where seats are reserved for Harijans, votes are not, as a rule, mutually given by caste-Hindu voters and Harijan voters, and whereas it is necessary with a view to foster brotherly feelings and to fulfil the real purpose of the Poona Pact that the votes should be mutually given, this Conference calls upon all caste-Hindu voters to exercise at least one vote in favour of Harijan candidates, and Harijan voters to exercise at least one vote in favour of caste-Hindu candidates. This Conference is further of opinion that the distributive system of voting is better suited than the cumulative system to achieve the end in view.