History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c97.16

v7.c97.16

In 1927 at the time of the Ganapati festival in Bombay, a *mela* (party of worshippers) of the Mahar caste (held untouchable) approached the authorities of the Brāhmanasabhā for permission to come for *darśan* of the image installed by the Sabhā and stated that they would be content if they were allowed to come as near the image as Parsis, Christians and Moslems would be allowed to do. I was then Chairman of the Managing Committee and called a meeting of the Committee to decide whether the request should be granted. In the Committee the voting was exactly half for and half against. I had to give a casting vote for granting permission, since I was of the opinion that the request was a very modest one and in view of the changing times should be acceded to. A suit was filed in the Bombay High Court by certain orthodox people against the Brāhmanasabhā, against myself as Chairman of the Managing Committee and the Secretary for a temporary injunction restraining us from bringing the Mahar Mela inside the building where the image was and for a declaration that the Sabhā through its office-bearers had no right to do what had not been previously done. It must be said to the credit of the members of the Sabhā that in a meeting of the general body of members my action was supported by a very large majority There was great excitement and it was feared that violence might result The High Court refused to grant a temporary injunction and later the suit was withdrawn by the members seeking legal relief Our Constitution has abolished untouchability but that was in 1950 and this excitement arose in 1927