A Short History of
Untouchables in Indian Army and Role of Dr. Ambedkar
-Bhagwan
Das
(Note: This essay was written
by Bhagwan Das in 2005 on my request. Actually Bhagwan Das proposed to write a
book on Untouchables role in Indian Army and he had collected some material
also but he could not. It was because Bhagwan Das himself had served in Royal
Air Force as Radar Operator and was deployed on Burma border to face Japenese
attack during Second Word War. He motivated the Dalit Youth to join army where
there are lot of vacancies at officer level. Actually Dr. Ambedkar was also in
favour of Dalits joining the army because it has played a very important role
in awakening the Dalits.
He also edited and published a small book
under the name “Untouchable Soldier” which was M.A. assignment of Ardyth
Basham, a Canadian scholar. This book gives details of Mazhbi and Mahar
communities (Untouchable) who were recruited in the Army by the Britishers. These still survive in the Indian army as Sikh
Light Infantry (Sikh L.I.) and Mahar Regiments. I have translated “Untouchable
Soldier) as “Achhoot Sainik” in Hindi and Dalit Today Prakshan, Lucknow is
going to publish it soon. - S.R. Darapuri I.P.S.(Retd.)
I am not going into the
history of the development of armed forces in India. Perhaps in the initial
stages members of the family fought for property, land etc. Later on the
families joined to form regular fighting groups. Bows, arrows, swords, spears,
were used before the arrival of the people from western regions who had
developed gun powder and explosives. With these new weapons some people or
groups of people conquered new lands and created empires.
Army
in India
India
was divided into various linguistic states and regions. Tamil, Telgu,
Kanarrese, Malyalam. Oria, Marathi, Bengali, different dialects of Hindi,
Punjabi, Pushtu etc., were spoken in different parts of India.
India
produced best kind of cloth which was very popular in Northern region, Europe
etc., People from European countries like Britain, France, Porutgal, Spain etc.
came to India mainly to set up markets and import cloth, spices etc. East India Company (British) and similar small
groups of traders set up trading companies and to protect their owners and the
colonies inhabited by them recruited watchmen and trained them to handle guns
and to defend themselves. These forces were hired by some Nawabs and petty
rulers especially in the areas near Bengal, Orissa and Madras. France and Spain
wound up their business early because they could not compete with the British.
Not
many people could come to India from British islands- England, Ireland and
Wales. They had to recruit people of Indian origin, professing Hinduism, Islam
and Christianity. People belonging to lower castes and Untouchables were not
recruited as soldiers in the army of the East India Company. People belonging
to higher castes like Rajputs, Jats etc. were recruited in the Indian army.
Moslems joined in large numbers because the salaries offered by the East India
Company were much higher than that paid by the Hindu and Muslim rulers.
British
formulated the theory of “martial” and non-martial races. Most of the soldiers
were recruited from the so called martial races. British soldiers were paid
higher wages as compared to the Indian soldiers.
Indian
soldiers had many grievances and complaints against the British rulers. There
were Indians belonging to the upper and ambitious castes and classes of Hindus
and Moslems. Somebody started the rumour that the cartridges which began to be supplied
in the middle of nineteenth century were smeared with the fats of the pigs and
cows and had to be removed by holding the cartridge by teeth. Many people
showed resentment and refused to handle the new cartridges. Some British
officers withdrew the cartridges and advised the Indian soldiers to smear the
cartridges with oil of their choice. Revolt in some areas was withdrawn by the
soldiers. But the rumour about the bullets and cartridges being smeared with
animal fat spread very quickly especially in the northern region and resulted
in killing of many British officers, looting their property, killing traders
etc. Who was behind this mutiny, there are different theories and many books
have been written. Some people called the mutiny the “First War of Independence’
and some people called it the revolt of the people and struggle for
independence. Situation was brought under control and the British took severe
action against the rebel soldiers.
SOME
NEW CHANGES
Sikhs
in the Punjab: Ranjit Singh was the most famous ruler who conquered large areas
of Northern India and created the Sikh empire. After his death British made many
rulers their friends and allies. Patiala, Nabha, Kalsia, Kapurthala supported
the British. British recruited Sikhs in the army and they proved to be very
committed and brave soldiers.
UNTOUCHABLES
Leather
workers (Chamars), Sweepers and Scavengers, Butchers (Khatiks) served the
British in the cantonments and performed menial duties. They served under the
army but were not recruited as soldiers. During mutiny owing to the shortage of
soldiers belonging to upper castes British changed their policy and began to
recruit the Chamars and Chuhra as soldiers. They raised Mazhbi-Ramdassia
Regiment and after giving some training sent them to Delhi and Uttar Pradesh to
fight against the rebel soldiers. The British also raised a Mehtar Regiment in
the Hindi belt and they were used not only as soldiers but were also employed
to punish the upper caste soldiers in Uttar Pradesh (Kanpur) and neighbouring
states. After the mutiny these regiments were disbanded but Mazhbi-Ramdassia
regiment was allowed to continue.
After
the mutiny Britsh changed their policy of recruitment and carefully recruited
the people belonging to Sikhs, Muslims etc. In view of the political struggle
launched by the upper caste people especially the trading communities, the
British changed their policy.
During
the First World War (1914-18) against Germany the British again changed their
recruitment policy. People belonging to different castes of Hindus, Muslims,
Sikhs etc., were recruited as soldiers and sent to fight in Europe. Germany was
defeated and European politics underwent a change.
WORLD
WAR II (1939-1946)
British
had introduced some changes in view of the developing political situation in
the country.
Gandhi
was emerging as a powerful political leader. He was promoting Hinduism and also
supporting the fight against ‘communalism’, Germany again started War which
soon spread and affected Britain, France, Belgium and other countries of
Europe. Britain especially some major industrial centres became easy targets of
bombing. Germans did not land in Britain. British shifted some industries to
India. Special arrangements were made for manufacturing war material and training
people.
Dr.
Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Role
Dr.
Ambedkar was appointed as Labour Member in the Viceroy’s Executive Council in
1942. Labour Department did not only deal with problems of Labour, Technical
Training and other departments were also transferred under Labour Department.
Mr. H.C. Prior. ICS was the Secretary; Brig. A.W.H. Rea was the Director,
Technical Training. Khan Bahadur Mushtaq Ahmed Gurmani was the Director
Publicity and Recruitment. Dr. Ambedkar started many new schemes to train the
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes people. Many people were sent to study
and undergo training in U.K. in different branches of Engineering and
technology under the Bevin Training Scheme. After returning to India these young
men held very important posts. Babasaheb also led to the raising of Civil
Pioneer Force and semi-military Forces. He also took special interest in
raising the Mahar Regiment. Thousands of young men were trained as technicians
in the training centre run by the Department of Labour.
Many
regiments and soldiers dealt only with technical jobs. Many people belonging to
Scheduled Castes and Tribes also joined these departments. Some rose to high
positions in the I.E.M.E. and R.E.M.E.
The
Labour Department under the control and guidance of Dr. Ambedkar played a very
important historical role in the secularization of Indian Army. Many people
belonging to these neglected communities also joined Indian Air Force and Royal
Indian Army.
Contribution
of Dr. Ambedkar as Labour Member in the Government of India introduced certain
measures which brought about historical changes in the outlook of the people of
India especially among the down-trodden and backward sections of society.
