Jagjivan Ram Ji, despite being a Dalit, has been a leader of the whole of
India. Just as he was popular in the Dalit community, he was popular in
the upper caste society. He made his political debut as a Dalit leader, and
his journey to the Nomination of Prime Minister shows his importance in
Indian politics. When Jagjivan Ram Ji was six years old, his father breathed his last and,
on the way, took a promise from his wife that she would arrange
education for Jagjivan Ram Ji. Initially, he had to face many dilemmas due
to a lack of English in his school. But he achieved mastery over English
with hard work and effort and became the most brilliant student.
When he passed middle school and joined the Town School in Arrah in
1992, he started experiencing untouchability. The same school had a
separate drinking water system for the untouchables. He started breaking
the pot of water kept. The school staff got upset due to the frequent
bursting of water pots. Therefore, the school administration decided that
there would be only one arrangement for everyone to drink water. Those
who have objections should make their arrangements. In this way, he
started work against untouchability.
Jagjivan Ramji’s love for books opened up a storehouse of knowledge,
ideas, and discussions for him. He spent an hour every day in the library
studying various subjects. Apart from Bhojpuri, he learned Hindi,
English, and Bengali. Also, he knew Sanskrit, too, like Babasaheb. He read
many books in these languages. Jagjivan Ram Ji scored 100% marks in
Mathematics and Sanskrit in the Matriculation examination and passed it
in the first division.
When Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya Ji came to Arrah, Jagjivan Ji, a good
school student, was asked to deliver a speech on the welcome of Pandit
Madan Mohan Malviya Ji. He was delighted to see Jagjivan ji’s knowledge
and discussions, and he invited Jagjivan Ram Ji to study at Banaras Hindu
University. At the same time, the Christian Mission offered to sponsor his
further studies in Lucknow and America, bear all the expenses, and ask
him to convert to Christianity. On this, his mother, Vasanti Devi Ji,
Advised Jagjivan that changing religion cannot be the answer to this
tyrannical caste system. Following his mother’s advice, he decided to go
to Banaras Hindu University. He faced untouchability at Banaras Hindu
University too. After passing Inter Science from Banaras, he went to
Calcutta to do his B.Sc. As soon as he went to Calcutta, Jagjivan Ram Ji
took out a rally of 35000 workers in Wellington Square in 6 months. After
that, he became his statue on the political stage.
An earthquake struck Bihar in 1934. Jagjivan Ram Ji started his helping
work in North Bihar. Without rest, he threw himself into the arrangement
of clothes, accommodation, medicines for the sufferers. In a camp, he met
Mahatma Gandhi. During his student life, he organized Ravidas
Gathering and Celebrated Ravidas birth Anniversary in many districts of
Calcutta. In 1934, Jagjivan Ram Ji founded the All India Ravidas
Mahasabha. He was also the founder of Khetihar Mazdoor Sabha and the
All India Depressed Classes League. Through these organizations, he
encouraged the Dalit class’s participation in the freedom struggle, and he
also made efforts for all the Dalit leaders to work together.
At the age of 28, Jagjivan Ram became a member of the Legislative
Council of Bihar in 1936. Later he stood as a candidate for the assembly
on behalf of the All-India Depressed Classes League and won the election.
The rest of his comrades also won 14 reserved places. Because of this, he
emerged in the role of the kingmaker of Bihar, and the Congress sent him
an invitation to join the Congress.
Jagjivan Ram Ji remained in the Union Cabinet for 31 years. He served as
the Labor Minister in independent India. At that time, many laws were
passed, such as Industrial Disputes Act, working hours, minimum wages,
provident funds, pensions, bonuses. From 1952 to 1979, He handled
several ministries, including communications, rail, transport, labor,
planning and rehabilitation, food, agriculture, irrigation, and defense, as
a minister.
When there was a famine in the country in 1966, when the food crisis was
going on, he took charge of the agriculture ministry and declared that no
one would die because of hunger. He planned the Green Revolution.
Brought many schemes for the farmers. He paid special attention to the
land laborers and Dalits to get their fundamental rights to the land. In
1957, as Railway Minister, he ordered promotion and reservation for
scheduled castes and tribes.
To put an end to untouchability in the administration of railways, all the
brothers of the Mehtar caste were kept at the railway station to fill pots of
water and give water. People refused to drink water, but Jagjivan Ji didn’t
bother and did not keep another option, and people started drinking
water due to a lack of an alternative.
When the India-Pakistan war at the time of Bangladesh’s liberation in
1971, our Defense Minister was Babu Jagjivan Ram Ji. This war lasted for
13 days; during this time, Jagjivan Ram Ji himself went to the border to
encourage the soldier’s morale. Pakistani General Niazi laid down arms
in front of India on 16 December 1971 in Dhaka and surrendered to India.
It was then that India rose from the defeated mentality of the 1962 China
War. The victory of this war made India proud on the world stage. The
credit for this also goes to Jagjivan Ram Ji.
Babuji was the father of the labor revolution, communication revolution,
rail revolution, and Defense revolution. He dedicated his work to
whatever ministry he got and made that work golden. He became the
party president of the Congress party’s Lok Sabha elections in 1971. At
that time, the party won under his leadership.
The character of Babu Jagjivan Ram Ji gives inspiration for how to move
forward by taking all the society together. His entire work and philosophy
are not covered in this article. An attempt has been made to summarize
his work.
Prajvalant Kavathekar
prajvalant.k@gmail.com
Reference
1) Jagjivan Ram or unka netrutv
2) Caste Challenge in India (1980)
3) Speeches of Jagjivan Ram