Question

Who amongst the following said that, "The upper castes had no right to their land because in reality, the land belonged to indigenous people, the so-called low castes"?
1. Shri Narayan Guru
2. Haridas Thakur
3. Ghasidass
4. Jyotirao Phule

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 4 : Jyotirao Phule

One of the most vocal amongst the “low-caste” leaders was Jyotirao Phule.

• Born in 1827, he studied in schools set up by Christian missionaries.
• On growing up he developed his own ideas about the injustices of caste society.
• He set out to attack the Brahmans’ claim that they were superior to others since they were Aryans.
• Phule argued that the Aryans were foreigners, who came from outside the subcontinent, and defeated and subjugated the true children of the country – those who had lived here from before the coming of the Aryans.
• As the Aryans established their dominance, they began looking at the defeated population as inferior, as low-caste people.
• According to Phule, the “upper” castes had no right to their land and power: in reality, the land belonged to indigenous people, the so-called low castes.
• Phule claimed that before Aryan rule there existed a golden age when warrior-peasants tilled the land and ruled the Maratha countryside in just and fairways.
• He proposed that Shudras (labouring castes) and Ati Shudras (untouchables) should unite to challenge caste discrimination.
• The Satyashodhak Samaj, an association Phule founded, propagated caste equality.

Thus, we can say that Jyotirao Phule said that, "The upper castes had no right to their land because in reality, the land belonged to indigenous people, the so-called low castes".