This book is a collection of writings and speeches of M.C. Rajah who was one of the great Dalit leaders of pre-lndependent India. Anyone interested in understanding the history of India's Dalit movement will find this book very valuable. M.C. Rajah was born in a Dalit family of Tamil Nadu in 1883 and till he died in 1943 he was in the forefront of the Dalit's struggle for equality, justice and rights. What is most important about him is that he was the first Dalit leader in the Madras Legislative Council and also the first Dalit leader in the Central Legislative Assembly. His commitment towards the cause of Dalits and particularly his efforts to make provision for education of Dalits drew the attention of the British government and he was conferred the title of Rai Bahadur in 1922. Being influenced by the Non-Brahmin movement in Tamil Nadu M.C. Rajah realized the importance of mobilizing Dalits whose interests in his opinion were not protected by Non-Brahmin leaders. Written in 1925 his book, The Oppressed Hindus, gives an account of the glorious history and tradition of Dalits in Tamil Nadu and the new identity given to them as 'Adi-Dravidas'. M.C. Rajah's representations to the British government, correspondence with Gandhiji and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and his speeches in the provincial and central legislatures for about twenty years provide valuable insights about his struggle for the empowerment of Dalits.
This book is a collection of writings and speeches of M.C. Rajah who was one of the great Dalit leaders of pre-lndependent India. Anyone interested in understanding the history of India's Dalit movement will find this book very valuable. M.C.
Preface; Introduction; Part I: The Oppressed Hindus; Part II:
Representations to the British Government, Speeches and Letters; Memorandum
to the Reforms Enquiry Committee, 1924; Note on the Depressed Classes,
Constitutional Reforms, Report of the Indian Central Committee, 1928-29; M.C.
Rajahs Speech as President of All India Depressed Classes Conference, 1931;
The Depressed Classes Deputation Led by M.C. Rajah to the Viceroy at New
Delhi on 29 March 1933; Rao Bahadur M.C. Rajahs Statement on Change of
Religion; M.C. Rajahs Reply to the Letter Written by B.S. Moonje on 30 June
1936; M.C. Rajahs Correspondence with Gandhi; Speech on Labour by M.C. Rajah,
MLA; Part III: Speeches In Madras Legislative Council, Central Legislative
Assembly and Madras Legislative Assembly, 1921-1939; Discussion on the
Budget, 9 March 1921; Madras Disturbances, 12 October 1921; Motion on
Insertion of a Conscience Clause in the Grant-in-Aid Code, 16 November 1921;
Deletion of Terms Panchama and Paraya from Government Records, 20 January
1922; Discussion on the Budget, 8 March 1922; Demand XXIV; Labour and Allied
Departments, 25 March 1922; A Bill to Provide for the Reorganisation of the
Madras University, 15 November 1922; General Discussion on the Budget for
1923-24, 3 March 1923; Demand XXV; Labour Including Factories, 21 March 1923;
General Discussion on the Budget, 6 March 1925; A Bill to Amend the Madras
City Tenants Protection Act, 24 August 1925; General Discussion on the Budget
for 1926-27, 6 March 1926; Demand on Education, 23 March 1926; General
Discussion on the Budget, Legislative Assembly, 4 March 1927; The Statutory
Commission, 16 February 1928; M.C. Rajah on the Statutory Commission, 18
February 1928; Proceedings of the Round Table Conference in London, 7 March
1931; Representatives of the Depressed Classes,Round Table Conference, 5
September 1932; Motion for Adjournment, 13 September 1932; The Hindu Temple
Entry Disabilities Removal Bill, 24 August 1933; The Untouchability Abolition
Bill, 5 September 1933; Untouchability Abolition Bill, 1 February 1934; Hindu
Temple Entry Disabilities Removal Bill, 23 August 1934; Provincial Excise, 14
September 1937; Bill to Provide for the Removal of Social Disabilities; Among
Certain Classes of Hindus, 29 September 1937; A Bill to Provide for the
Removal of Civil Disabilities Among Certain Classes of Hindus, 17 August
1938; The Malabar Temple Entry Bill, 1938, 2 December 1938; Miscellaneous
Departments, 28 March 1939; Temple Entry Indemnity Bill, 1939, 3 August 1939;
Resolution on the War Situation, 26 October 1939
Swaraj Basu is Professor in History at Indira Gandhi National Open University New Delhi. He is the author of Dynamics of a Caste Movement: The Rajbansis of North Bengal, 1910-1947, and has published articles on caste identity and politics in India.
Lisainfo e-raamatute kohta