Pragmatic
views of Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh
In the twentieth century, there have
been sea changes in the country due to the vision and work of pragmatic leader
in the country. Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh was a pragmatic leader who devotes his
entire life for the sake of downtrodden, peasants, and farmers and have not
peoples. Well known philosopher Karl Marx remarked that “Many
philosophers interpret the world in many ways. But the question is how to
change it.” The philosopher who changed the world is recognized as
pragmatic Philosopher and Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh is one of the pragmatic Philosophers
of the country.
Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh worked in the
field of education, agriculture, Social reformer, member of constituent
assembly, Union Agriculture Minister and on various national and International
Organizations. In the present paper attempts have been made to emphasize the
pragmatic views of Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh in the fields in which he worked and
change the situation.
1. Pragmatic Views of Dr.Panjabrao
Deshmukh:
1.1 Elimination of castes and Religions
from Governments records
Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh while speaking on
the resolution of ‘elimination of caste and religion from the government
records’ in constituent assembly on 17 Feb.1948
strongly opposed the resolution .He said that elimination of this poison
(caste) from Hindu society is essential .He also agreed caste considerations
are badly and are bad to the society. But he objects the way and potency and
efficacy of the remedy suggested in the resolution. He elaborated his example
of inter-caste marriage in 1927 and the dominance of caste in the society. He
strongly opposed the resolution because the resolution was merely for non
consideration of the caste factor for services. He pointed out that the services
in India were occupied by upper caste and they do not allow others to enter in
it. So Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh opposed this resolution and appealed to make
society with social justice having no discrimination of caste, religion and gender.
Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh suggested that education system will eradicate the poison
of caste in the society and will promote the inter caste marriages in the
society. This is the rational and pragmatic view of Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh in
eradicating the caste in society.
1.2 Welfare of Peasants and farmers
In the era of globalization, India is
facing the problem of farmer suicides. In spite of many packages, committees,
suicides of farmers do not stopped. The reason behind this failure is lack of
vision of government. Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh while speaking on the welfare of
peasants and farmers ,strongly appealed to establish welfare board for farmers
on the line of social welfare board which will take care of farmers education,
health and sanitation. He regrets that drafting committee of the constitution
has not considered the problems of peasants and farmers in the country. He
wrote a letter to Dr. Rajendra Prasad , Chairman of the Constitution Committee
on 12 March 1948 to address the issues of farmers and lack of representation of
farmers on the Constitution committee. He pointed out that the constituent assembly
is dominated by non kisan and in constituent assembly the interest of poor
peasants and labourers who are the real
masses of the India hardly get any place. the views of Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh
are Straightforward and pragmatic.
As a Union minister of Agriculture
,Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh made a revolution in agriculture by introducing world
agriculture technology to Indian farmers Community. He believed on exchange of
technology and organized world agriculture exhibition at Delhi. Eisenhower ,the
U.S. President visited India for inaugurating the world agriculture exhibition
on 11th Dec 1959. Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh published circular letters
of his ministry to update all the state and union Ministers, Department about
agriculture development and advancement. Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh took every efforts for welfare of peasants
and farmers in the country. His commitments with rural peoples were strong and
tried to uplift the rural people from heavy darkness of backwardness.
1.3 Education as a means of Social
Change:
Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh not only founded
Shri Shivaji Education society but also made the provision on primary education
by increasing the local cess by 50% in one deep which could embark on extensive
program of compulsory education in the rural areas . Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh
considered the education as a means of social change. On the occasion of Silver
Jubilee of Shri Shivaji education society in presence of Dr.S.Radhakrishanan
,Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh declared his mission of education as follow. “Let
other Universities devote their moneys and energies to production of only
supermen .Let my Universities and Lokvidyapitha
strive to make useful, patriotic men and women out of ignorance
,filth,poverty and misery in the heavy darkness of India”. The vision of Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh was to
uplift the rural masses from heavy darkness of backwardness through the
education. The view of Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh was of inclusive development and
pragmatic.
Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh founded
Lokvidyapith on 30 Dec.1950 which was inaugurated by then President
Hon.Dr.Rajendra Prasad. While giving the fact of education in India,
Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh quote the statement of Lenin who mentioned that in
1913,about four fifth of all children and young people in Russia are deprived
of education. Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh pointed out that the situation of education
in India in1950 was as in Russia in 1913. So he emphasized the need of
Lokvidyapitha who will cater the needs of all the sections of the society. In
his speech, Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh said ‘Workers educational Association ‘of
England was a model worthy of imitation to us. The Workers educational associational
Association of England is bigger than any Universities in Great Britain.
Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh was a pragmatic
philosopher who established platform of education for the welfare of large
masses irrespective caste, creed, religion, sex and any other discrimination.
1.4 Views on taking loan from IMF
In the era of globalization our
governments tried to enhance the foreign investment for development in the
country. This is one kind of imperialism and our dependency of foreign
investment. In 1949 while speaking on the resolution ‘Financing reconstruction
and development projects in India’ ,Dr.Panjabraoo Deshmukh alert the house
about the interest of IMF and controlling of U.S. on I.M.F. He recommended
using the Sterling credit of the country in the bank of England and in the
world. He also recommended generating the funds within the country and
minimizing the dependency of country on U.S. In this speech Dr. Deshmukh oppose
this resolution and suggested many solutions for development projects. This
economic views of Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh were socialist and against the
imperialism of World Bank.
1.5 As a social reformer
Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh was progressive and
pragmatic social reformers who took the initiatives for opening Amba Devi
Temple for untouchables and compel the trusty to allow untouchables in temple.
The reason behind this movement was not only open the temple for untouchables
but also to give the equal rights to deprived section of the society. Likewise
Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh started Shradhanand Hostel which was accessed by all the
sections of the society. The work of Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh was toward humanity
and welfare of downtrodden people.
1.6 On Hindu Endowment Bill:
Dr.PanjabraoDeshmukh
was a scholar and worked on “Origin and Development of religion in Vedic
Literature” for Doctoral degree in Oxford University. He realized that more
property was inactive in Temple which was owned by many trust. He initiated to
utilize this asset for social cause and prepared a resolution as “Hindu
Endowment Bill”. This bill was very revolutionary but the house did not passed
it. Now after 80 years of these initiatives of Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh, we are
the witness of massive assets in temple for e.g in Tamilnadu, asset own by
Satya Sai Baba Trust. The people in India again demanding the nationalization
of this asset for social cause. This is the success of pragmatic vision of
Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh.
1.7 On Parliamentary Democracy
Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh warned on
accepting parliamentary democracy. On speaking on draft constitution, Dr.Panjabrao
Deshmukh said, parliamentary democracy is essentially meant for maintaining the
status quo. It is not meant to bring about radical change from the existing
state of affairs. Further he said, he would not be surprised if this
constitution does not last long, because it does not answer the aspiration of
the man in the street at the present time.
He observed that the principles of
equality, liberty and fraternity adopted in constitution will lost their
significance in two hundred years. Under these phrases it has been possible for
various countries to maintain the upper layers where they were and to exploit
the lower ranks to their hearts’ content. He warned there will have to be some
sort of rebellion or revolution if we do not get proper representatives to run
the government with this constitution.
Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh was President of
District council of Amravati, Member in Berar Council, Member of Constituent
assembly, Union Minister of Agriculture. At international level he leads Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and worked for welfare of farmers in the
world. He established Bharat Krishak Samaj and Shri Shivaji Education Society
in the field of agriculture and education. These two organizations played an
important role in the welfare of peasants and farmers in the region. The work
of Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh was at Local to global level and from education to
Agriculture and from Religion to making of the constitution of India.
Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh worked with pragmatic vision to change the Indian society
from heavy backwardness into progressive, scientific and rational society.
Reference:
Londhe S.R. ed. (1960) : Dr.P.S.Deshmukh’s Selected
Speeches.
Valmiki Choudhari (1987): Dr.Rajendra Prasad
Correspondence and selected documents .Allied, New Delhi, Vol.No.8, page
no.141-143
