यशवंतराव चव्हाण यांचे समाजकारण : ६४

Socio - Political Change :

When Chavan's leadership was slowly coming forward through Satara Disirict, there were two sections in masses. Non Brahmin leaders were pro-British and almost all were anti­Tilak. There were some moderates who were the followers of T. T. qzgroT
Ranade and Gokhale. There were also pro-British Moderates who lived only in cities and towns. They never earned contact with rural area. Mahatma Gandhi persuaded non-Brahmins to join fight for Swaraj. Gandhi himself was not a Brahmin by birth and was more progressive than Tilak in the fields of social reforms and removal of unsociability, and Gandhi tressed the importance of rural uplift and, therefore, his leadership attracted the masses. Much more credit goes to Mahatma Gandhi who won cofidence of the common people as he was the main instrument of socio-political change.

Karmaveer Shinde was the first leader from masses who was very much impressed by Gandhi till the end of his life. At first, he was the follower of Tilak. But Shinde had to leave Tilak as Tilak was against the education of masses and women and also Tilak was totally against social reformers. Social reformers were moderate in the field of politics; this might be a reason why Tilak was not siding with social reformes. V. R. Shinde was progressive in the fields of social-religious reforms and also politics. Shinde was for non-co-operation movement of Gandhiji and he advised non-Brahmin leaders to join the National Congress of Gandhi and boycott Simon commission. Jedhe and others followed V. R. Shinde. Shinde and then Jedhe went in prison and almost all non-Brahmin leaders became nationalist under the leadership of Gandhi. This was history of socio-political change in Maharashtra. But unfortunately Chavan mentions the name of Maharshi Shinde along with Jedhe. (Krishna Kaath P. No.92). But the credit must be given to Shinde. Chavan has only touched this important point and he is found rather reticent in his Krishna Kaath on this aspect. He did not like Jawalkar as he was abusive to Brahmins but Jawalkar also took part in the non-co-operation movement of Gandhi and went to jail. Even his brother, Ganpatrao who was in Satyashodhak movement, was imprisoned and kept in jail in Vijapur while underground national movement was going on in Satara District. Thus, the whole Satyashodhak, non-Brahmins movement joined the National movement.