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Title: MAHATMA GANDHI AND DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR'S VIEWS ON CONVERSION: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
Authors: Malay Mandol
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Malay Mandol Subject: Political Science Assistant Professor, Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata
MLA 8 Mandol, Malay. "MAHATMA GANDHI AND DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR'S VIEWS ON CONVERSION: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, vol. 4, no. 1, Jan. 2019, pp. 165-172, ijsser.org/more2019.php?id=16. Accessed Jan. 2019. APA Mandol, M. (2019, January). MAHATMA GANDHI AND DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR'S VIEWS ON CONVERSION: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS. Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, 4(1), 165-172. Retrieved from ijsser.org/more2019.php?id=16 Chicago Mandol, Malay. "MAHATMA GANDHI AND DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR'S VIEWS ON CONVERSION: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research 4, no. 1 (January 2019), 165-172. Accessed January, 2019. ijsser.org/more2019.php?id=16.
References [1]. Ambedkar, B. R. (1945), Reprinted (2017), What Congress and M.K. Gandhi have done to the Untouchables, Kalpaz Publication, Delhi. [2]. Brown, Judith M (2008), Mahatma Gandhi-The Essential writings, Oxford University Press, New York. [3]. Chatterjee, Margaret (1983), Gandhi's Religious Thought, The Macmillan Press Ltd, London and Baringstoke. [4]. Hardiman, David (2003), Gandhi in His Time and ours, Permanent Black, Delhi. [5]. Iyer, Raghavan (1986), The Moral and Political Writings of Mahatma Gandhi, Vol. 1, Oxford University Press, Oxford. [6]. Jadhav, Narendra (2014), Ambedkar-Awakening India`s Social Conscience, Konarak Publishers, New Delhi. [7]. Mungekar, Bhalchandra (ed)(2017), The Essential Ambedkar, Rupa Publications, New Delhi. [8]. Payne, Robert (1969), The Life and Death of Mahatma Gandhi, Rupa & Co, New Delhi. [9]. Ramesh, Avatthi (ed)(2017), Contemporary Relevance of Ambedkar's Thoughts, Rawat Publication, Jaipur. [10]. Thorat Sukhadeo and Narendra Kumar (ed)(2008), B. R. Ambedkar-Perspective on Social Exclusion and Inclusive Politics, Oxford University Press, New Delhi.
Abstract: Conversion is an age-old process of Indian history of religion. In ancient India individual enjoyed religious freedom. They could change their religious faith in accordance to their belief. With the advent of Buddhism the downtrodden section of Indian people were attracted by the teaching of Lord Buddha. When Islam came in India mainly lower caste people of Hindu society were converted to Islam. During colonial rule the Christian missonaries tried to spread the Christianity. From ancient period to Colonial period, a large number of people left Hinduism to uplift their social status and economic condition. Religion is not only a means of spiritual development but also a way of the upliftment of social condition. There are many reasons of conversion. Maltreatment by one's own religion can oblige one to change his religious faith. Sometime individual may be forced to convert to other religion. But conversion can not solve the problems of communal hatred. Gandhi and Ambedkar struggled to abolish 'untouchability'. Ambedkar wanted to reform Hindu society from within. Finally Ambedkar advised the 'dalits' to leave Hindu religion for the upliftment of the 'dalits'. But Gandhi opposed Ambedkar's views on conversion. Gandhi and Ambedkar viewed religion from different perspectives. So they differed from each other on the question of conversion.

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