Gandhiji's 'Harijan Campaign' sought to 1. attack caste system as a whole 2. open wells, roads, temples, etc., to Harijans 3. encourage social work among Harijans Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1. The Catalyst: Poona Pact and the Communal Award (1932) (basic)

To understand the shift in the Indian National Movement in the early 1930s, we must first look at the Communal Award of 1932. Following the Round Table Conferences, British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald announced this scheme to grant separate electorates to various minority groups. Crucially, it extended this privilege to the 'Depressed Classes' (now known as Scheduled Castes), treating them as a distinct political entity separate from the Hindu community M. Laxmikanth, Indian Polity, Historical Background, p.7. While this seemed like a step toward empowerment, Mahatma Gandhi viewed it as a British 'divide and rule' tactic designed to permanently split Hindu society and stall the momentum of the independence struggle. Gandhi, who was imprisoned in Yerwada Jail at the time, launched a 'fast unto death' to protest this division. He argued that separate electorates would 'stigmatize' the Depressed Classes and prevent their integration into the social fabric. This led to intense negotiations between Gandhi's representatives and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who initially championed separate electorates as the only way to ensure political voice for the marginalized. The result was the Poona Pact (September 1932), a historic compromise where Ambedkar agreed to give up separate electorates in exchange for a significant increase in reserved seats for the Depressed Classes within the general/joint electorates History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board), Advent of Gandhi and Mass Mobilisation, p.56. Following the Pact, Gandhi's focus shifted dramatically toward social reform. He launched the Harijan Campaign (1932–34) to purify Hinduism from the sin of untouchability. It is vital for your exams to note a specific nuance: Gandhi’s campaign at this stage was targeted at the removal of untouchability and the upliftment of 'Harijans' (Children of God), rather than a total abolition of the caste system itself. He focused on opening temples, roads, and wells, and promoting education and hygiene, while deliberately avoiding more radical social issues like inter-dining or inter-caste marriage to maintain a broad base of support Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 19, p.394.

Feature	Communal Award (Original)	Poona Pact (Modified)
Electoral System	Separate Electorates (only Depressed Classes vote for their reps).	Joint Electorate (everyone votes, but seat is reserved).
Number of Seats	71 seats.	147–148 seats.

Sources: Indian Polity, Historical Background, p.7; History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Advent of Gandhi and Mass Mobilisation, p.56; A Brief History of Modern India (Spectrum), Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences, p.394

2. Gandhi’s Philosophy: Varnasrama vs. Untouchability (intermediate)

To understand Gandhi’s social reforms, we must first look at his foundation: Truth and Non-violence. Gandhi was primarily a man of religion, and he viewed every social issue through the lens of dharma or moral duty Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Nationalist Response in the Wake of World War II, p.428. When it came to the social hierarchy of India, Gandhi made a crucial, though often debated, distinction between the Varnashram system (the traditional four-fold division of society) and the practice of Untouchability. While he saw the former as a functional, non-competitive division of labor that could make society complementary, he viewed untouchability as a "sin," a "poison," and a "leprosy" that had no place in Hinduism Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences, p.395. During his intense Harijan Campaign (1932–1934), Gandhi’s strategy was focused and pragmatic. He did not initially call for the total annihilation of the caste system, as B.R. Ambedkar did. Instead, he argued that untouchability was a product of the notions of 'high and low' rather than the caste system itself. His campaign focused on opening public resources—such as temples, wells, and roads—to the depressed classes, whom he renamed 'Harijans' (Children of God). He deliberately chose not to mix this movement with radical social reforms like inter-dining or inter-caste marriage. He felt these were private social matters and that focusing on them would distract from the urgent, singular goal of removing the specific disabilities faced by Harijans Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences, p.394.

Concept	Gandhi’s Perspective
Varnasrama	A functional division of society; not inherently sinful if purged of hierarchy.
Untouchability	A "hideous deformation" of Hinduism; must be abolished to save the religion.
Method of Reform	Internal purification of Hindus, education, hygiene, and temple entry.

Gandhi’s approach was essentially a moral appeal to the conscience of upper-caste Hindus. He argued that if the Shastras (scriptures) sanctioned untouchability, they should be ignored as they would then be contrary to human dignity and truth Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences, p.394. Through the Harijan Sevak Sangh, he worked toward the social upliftment of the depressed classes, emphasizing education and hygiene while demanding that caste Hindus do penance for the centuries of oppression they had inflicted.

Sources: A Brief History of Modern India, Nationalist Response in the Wake of World War II, p.428; A Brief History of Modern India, Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences, p.394; A Brief History of Modern India, Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences, p.395

3. Institutionalizing Reform: The Harijan Sevak Sangh (basic)

After the Poona Pact of 1932, Mahatma Gandhi shifted his focus from active political agitation to a deep-rooted social mission. He believed that for India to be truly free, it had to cleanse itself of the "sin" of untouchability. To institutionalize this effort, he set up the All India Anti-Untouchability League in September 1932, which was later renamed the Harijan Sevak Sangh. To spread his message, he also started a weekly journal titled Harijan in January 1933 Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 19, p.393.

Gandhi’s strategy during this period was very specific. He distinguished between the abolition of untouchability and the total destruction of the caste system. At this stage, he did not want to overwhelm the campaign by demanding inter-caste marriage or inter-dining, as he felt these were matters of individual choice. Instead, he focused on a two-pronged approach:

• External Reform: Persuading caste Hindus to open public facilities like wells, roads, and temples to the Depressed Classes (whom he called 'Harijans' or Children of God) Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 19, p.394.
• Internal Reform: Encouraging Harijans to improve their own social conditions through education, better hygiene, and giving up practices like consuming liquor or eating carrion Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 19, p.395.

To fund and popularize this movement, Gandhi embarked on a massive Harijan Tour between November 1933 and July 1934. He traveled nearly 20,000 km across India, facing both support and occasionally fierce opposition from orthodox elements. This tour was a masterclass in mass mobilization, as it took the message of social equality directly to the rural heartlands of India Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 19, p.393.

Sources: A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 19: Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences, p.393; A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 19: Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences, p.394; A Brief History of Modern India, Chapter 19: Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences, p.395

4. Related Movements: Temple Entry and Civil Rights (intermediate)

While the struggle for Swaraj (self-rule) was intensifying on the political front, a parallel battle was being fought for social justice. The Temple Entry Movement was not merely about religious access; it was a profound assertion of civil rights. In Kerala, the SNDP Yogam, founded by Sri Narayana Guru, laid the groundwork by demanding access to public schools, government recruitment, and the right to use public roads and temples History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Towards Modernity, p.303. This spirit culminated in the Vaikom Satyagraha (1924), where leaders like K.P. Kesava Menon and later Gandhiji himself sought to open the roads surrounding the Vaikom temple to all communities, effectively turning a local religious issue into a national civil rights campaign Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.), A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements, p.227. Following the suspension of the Civil Disobedience Movement, Gandhiji shifted his primary focus to the Harijan Campaign (1932–34). It is a vital conceptual distinction for any aspirant that during this campaign, Gandhiji aimed specifically at the removal of untouchability rather than a total, immediate abolition of the caste system itself Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.), Chapter 19, p.394. He believed that by removing the 'stain' of untouchability, the social fabric could be purified without necessarily dismantling the entire Varna structure at that moment. He established the Harijan Sevak Sangh and undertook an all-India tour to collect the 'Harijan Fund,' emphasizing internal reforms like hygiene, education, and the abandonment of liquor among the depressed classes Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.), Chapter 19, p.395. The pressure from these grassroots movements led by figures like K. Kelappan (at Guruvayur) and Potti Sriramulu (in Madras) eventually forced the hand of the princely states and provincial governments Politics in India since Independence, NCERT Class XII, Challenges of Nation Building, p.21. These efforts bore fruit when the Maharaja of Travancore issued the historic 1936 proclamation throwing open all government-controlled temples, followed by similar steps in Madras under C. Rajagopalachari in 1938 Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.), A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements, p.227.

Sources: History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Towards Modernity, p.303; Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.), A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements, p.227; Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.), Chapter 19: Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences, p.394-395; Politics in India since Independence, NCERT Class XII (2025 ed.), Challenges of Nation Building, p.21

5. Competing Visions: Ambedkar’s 'Annihilation of Caste' (exam-level)

To truly understand the Indian national movement, one must grasp the profound intellectual debate between Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar regarding the caste system. While both leaders were committed to the welfare of the 'Depressed Classes,' their diagnoses of the problem—and consequently their prescriptions for the cure—were worlds apart. Ambedkar’s seminal work, Annihilation of Caste, argued that untouchability was not a standalone social evil but a direct product of the caste system itself. He believed that as long as the Varna system existed, hierarchy and untouchability would persist. Therefore, he called for a total 'annihilation' of the structure, even if it meant denouncing the religious scriptures (Shastras) that he felt sanctioned such inequality Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). Chapter 19, p.397.

In contrast, Gandhi adopted a reformist approach. During his Harijan Campaign (1932–34), he made a sharp distinction between the 'ideal' Varna system and the 'perverted' practice of untouchability. Gandhi argued that the Varnashram system was originally a non-hierarchical, complementary division of labor with no concept of 'high' or 'low.' To Gandhi, untouchability was a 'sin' and a 'stain' on Hinduism that needed to be purged through a change of heart among Savarnas (upper castes) and social upliftment of the 'Harijans' (children of God) Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). Chapter 19, p.395. He focused on opening temples and wells, emphasizing education and hygiene, rather than dismantling the entire social fabric.

The differences also extended into the political realm. Ambedkar was a proponent of constitutionalism and parliamentary democracy, viewing 'mass democracy' as a tool for the oppressed to exert pressure on the state for their rights. Gandhi, however, was skeptical of the parliamentary system, fearing it would lead to a domination of leaders over the masses. He preferred Gram Swaraj (village self-rule) and emphasized moral discipline over rigid political structures Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). Chapter 19, p.396.

Feature	Ambedkar's Vision	Gandhi's Vision
Core Objective	Total annihilation of the caste system.	Reform of Hinduism by removing untouchability.
View on Scriptures	Denounced scriptures as the source of inequality.	Defended Varna as a spiritual/functional concept.
Method	Political rights, legal safeguards, and conversion.	Social reform, 'change of heart,' and internal upliftment.

Sources: Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM., Chapter 19: Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences, p.395-397

6. Tactics of the Harijan Campaign (1932–1934) (exam-level)

After the Poona Pact of 1932, Mahatma Gandhi shifted his focus from direct political agitation against the British to a profound internal reform of Hindu society. His Harijan Campaign (1932–1934) was a 'purification' movement aimed at removing the practice of untouchability, which he called a 'canker' eating away at Hinduism. Strategically, Gandhi chose a middle path: he launched a scathing attack on the practice of untouchability while carefully avoiding a total frontal assault on the Caste System (Varnashrama) itself at this stage. By making this distinction, he sought to win over the hearts of moderate 'Caste Hindus' without alienating them through more radical demands like compulsory inter-dining or inter-caste marriage Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. Chapter 19, p. 394.

The campaign's tactics were two-pronged, focusing on both the 'oppressor' and the 'oppressed':

• For Caste Hindus: He called for 'penance' and a 'change of heart,' arguing that Hinduism would die if untouchability lived. He organized the Harijan Sevak Sangh (originally the All India Anti-Untouchability League) and conducted a massive 20,000 km Harijan Tour to collect funds and sensitize the public Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. Chapter 19, p. 393.
• For Harijans: He emphasized 'internal reform,' encouraging the community to adopt better hygiene, seek education, and abandon practices like consuming liquor or eating carrion. This was designed to empower the community from within while they fought for the right to use public wells, roads, and temples Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. Chapter 19, p. 394.

Area of Focus	Specific Tactics & Activities
Institutional Support	Formation of the Harijan Sevak Sangh and the weekly journal Harijan.
Mass Mobilization	The 1933-34 All-India Tour to propagate the removal of disabilities.
Social Integration	Plea to throw open temples, wells, and schools to the depressed classes.
Limit of Campaign	Focus on untouchability removal rather than the abolition of Caste or inter-dining.

Sources: Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM., Chapter 19: Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences, p.393; Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM., Chapter 19: Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences, p.394; Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM., Chapter 19: Civil Disobedience Movement and Round Table Conferences, p.395

7. Solving the Original PYQ (exam-level)

This question tests your ability to distinguish between Gandhiji's immediate social reform goals and a total systemic overhaul. Having learned about the aftermath of the Poona Pact (1932), you know that Gandhi shifted his focus from political agitation to the moral purification of Hindu society. As explained in Rajiv Ahir's A Brief History of Modern India, the Harijan Campaign was a specific, targeted movement. While it's tempting to think Gandhi wanted to dismantle every social structure, he initially made a sharp distinction between the Varnashrama system (which he viewed as a functional division of labor) and the 'sin' of untouchability, which he sought to eradicate completely.

To arrive at the correct answer, evaluate the practical actions Gandhi took during his 1932–1934 tour. Statement 2 is correct because the campaign focused on removing the social disabilities faced by the depressed classes, specifically their access to public amenities like wells and temples. Statement 3 is also correct as Gandhi emphasized internal reform through the Harijan Sevak Sangh, encouraging education, hygiene, and the abandonment of liquor. By validating these two pillars of his work, we find that the correct answer is (B) 2 and 3.

The trap here lies in Statement 1, a classic UPSC strategy of using a broad, totalizing claim. During this specific period, Gandhi did not attack the caste system as a whole; he actually avoided radical issues like inter-caste dining or marriage to prevent alienating the orthodox Hindus he hoped to convert through persuasion. He believed that if untouchability were removed, the harmful aspects of the caste system would naturally crumble. Because Statement 1 is historically inaccurate for this specific campaign, options (A) and (C) must be eliminated, leaving you with the nuanced, reformist focus of the movement.