Short Note on Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha
Dr. Ambedkar founded the Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha on 20th July 1924 with an aim to spread the culture of education among the depressed classes. Bahishkrit means ‘Exterio’ or ‘out caste’. For the betterment of the interests of such people; the sabha started a hostel at Sholapur in January 1925. It was basically for the high school students whose expenses of on clothing, stationary & boarding were to be born by the sabha itself. The Sholapur municipality was kind enough to sanction a grant of Rs. 401 for the maintenance of the hostel. The Sabha also established an institution to inculcate a liking for learning and knowledge and a love for social service into the minds of the students of the depressed classes. The students soon started conducting a monthly magazine called Vidya Vilas. In addition, a free reading room in Bombay and Mahar Hockey Club was also started for recreation. The motto of the Sabha was “educate, agitate and organize”. Ambedkar classified all these objectives.
On behalf of the Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha, Dr. Ambedkar submitted a memorandum to the Simon Commission demanding joint electorates with reservation of seats for depressed classes in legislatures and opposed the principle of nomination. Then on question of framing a constitution for India the British govt. convened a Round Table Conference in London in 1930 for which Dr. Ambedkar was also invited. There he served on almost all the sub committees including Minority sub-Committee, appointed by the conference. Dr. Ambedkar prepared a draft of the declaration of Fundamental rights safeguarding the cultural, religious and economic rights of the untouchables. He also prepared a Scheme of Political Safeguards for the Protection of Depressed classes in the Future Constitution of Self governing India and submitted it to the minorities subcommittee. To Dr. Ambedkar, the Round Table Conference laid the foundation of self Government of India and proved to be a successful so far as the rights of the depressed classes were concerned.