The book represents a radical departure from the genre of writings that deal with thought and works of M. K. Gandhi and B. R. Ambedkar, either singly or in a comparative framework, in a discursive manner or historically and chronologically. These two extremely important personalities left a deep and indelible imprint on the content and direction of Indian politics. However, these writings rarely delve deeper to identify the factors and forces that made them so central to politics in India at a crucial historical juncture and yet so apart.
The merit of the book lies in its exploration and exposition of the deeper factors and forces that entered into the formation of their basic philosophy on life and, emanating from it, their political activities. It traces the basic differences in the worldview, belief structure, and their perspectives on man and his world; it demonstrates how this fundamental difference made for their differential approach to the problem of untouchability, in particular, and other pragmatic aspects of man’s existence, in general.
Contents: Preface. Introduction. 1. Strategies of Transformation. 2. Chemistry of Confrontation. 3. Ambedkar’s World. 4. Ambedkar’s Ideals Revisited. 5. Gandhi’s Ideas about Man and His World. 6. World-Views at WarThe Dalit Movement: Rift in the Legacy. 7. Overview. Bibliography.
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