சுய மரியாதை உள்ள எந்த சாக்கியனும் இந்து கோயில்களுக்குள் நுழைய மாட்டான் - அண்ணல் அம்பேத்கர் சொல்லுகிறார.

சுய மரியாதை உள்ள எந்த சாக்கியனும் இந்து கோயில்களுக்குள் நுழைய மாட்டான் - அண்ணல் அம்பேத்கர் சொல்லுகிறார.

If you rather be a Hindu than a gentleman, then shut the doors and damn yourself for I don’t care to come. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar 


1934, காந்தி சுப்பராயன் கோயில் நுழைவு போராட்டதிற்கு துணை நிற்கும்படி பாபாசாகேப் டாக்டர் அம்பேத்கருக்கு ஒரு கோரிக்கை அனுப்பினார். அதை அண்ணல் மறுத்தோடு இலலமல் கோயில் நுழைவு போரராட்டம் சாக்கிய மக்களுக்கு ஏன் அவசியம் இல்லை என்று எழுதியதின் ஒரு பகுதி.

Do the Depressed Classes desire Temple Entry or do they not ? This main question is viewed by the Depressed Classes by two points of view. One is the materialistic point of view. Starting from it, the Depressed Classes think that the surest way of elevation lies in education, higher employment and better ways of earning a living. Once they become well placed in the scale of social life, they would become respectable the religious outlook of the orthodox towards them is sure to undergo change, and even if it didn’t happen, it can do no injury to their material interest. Proceeding on these lines the Depressed Classes say that they will not spend their resources on such an empty things as Temple Entry. There is another reason why they do not care to fight for it. Their argument is the argument of self-respect.

Not very long ago there used to be boards on club doors and other social resorts maintained by Europeans in India, which said “Dogs and Indians” are not allowed. The temples of Hindus carry similar boards today, the only difference is that the boards on the Hindu temples practically say : “All Hindus and all animals including gods are admitted, only Untouchables are not admitted”. The situation in both cases is of parity. But Hindus never begged for admission in those places form which the Europeans in their arrogance had excluded them. Why should an Untouchable beg for admission in a place from which he has been excluded by the the arrogance of the Hindus? This is the reason of the Depressed Class man who is interested in material welfare. He is prepared to say the Hindus, “to open or not to open your temples is a question for you to consider and not for me to agitate. If you think, it is bad manners not to respect the sacredness of human personality, open your temple and be a gentleman. If you rather be a Hindu than a gentleman, then shut the doors and damn yourself for I don’t care to come.”  (Volume-XVII. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Writing and Speeches)