Shri Guru Ravi Dass sabha Bahu Fort, Jammu observed 37th death anniversary of Sant Ram B.A. and martyredom day of RajniBala.

Shri Guru Ravi Dass sabha Bahu Fort, Jammu observed 37th death anniversary of Sant Ram B.A. and martyredom day of Rajni
Bala. Rich tributes were paid to both the personalities irrespective of caste, creed and colour.
While addressing the gathering Sham lal Basson, general secretary of sabha said that late Sh. Sant Ram B.A was on born
14th Feb 1887 at Purani Bassi of district Hoshiarpur in Punjab. He was one of those great personalities who devoted their entire
lives to the cause of building a casteless and classless society. He came from kumhar (Prajapati) caste and was one of most
talked about writers of his time. Sant Ram passed B.A from Lahore college during 1909. Sant Ram was a krantikari writer
journalist, editor, great social reformer, educationalist, founder of Jaat Paat Todak Mandal and was a associate of Dr. B.R.
Ambedkar Periyar E.V. Ramaswami Naikar and Rahul Sankrityayan.
Sant Ram wrote more than hundred Books and booklets. Hamara Samaj book was published in 1948 which is an eye
opener for all of us even today. Sant Ram ji became Arya Samaji at young age. However the organisation that brought him fame
as an Arya Samaji was Jaat Paat Todak Mandal which he had founded in 1922. The same mandal had invited Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
to deliver the presidential address at its annual convention at Lahore in 1936. Many members of mandal wanted to edit the
speech . But Dr. Ambedkar refused to edit and ultimetely mandal postponed the convention. Later Dr. B.R. Ambedkar published
the speech as a book and thus came into being one of the most famous books, Annihilation of caste. While paying tributes to
shaheed Rajni Bala, Basson said that promises made by hon’ble Lieutenaut Governor at the house of Rajni Bala have not been
fulfilled till date.
Sh. F.C Satia state president All India backward classes fedration addressed the gathering. He said that articles of Sant
Ram B.A. published in magazines like chaand, Sudha and Sarswati sparked big debates. He launched a magazine tittled kranti in
urdu. He was editor of Bharatiya, a magazine of Jalandhar college for women and vishwa Jyoti published by Vishveshvaranand
vedic sansthan Lahore. He used to say ” Chala Jaoonga chhod kar is ashiyane ko, wafayein tab yaad aayegeen meri is zamane
ko” ( After I have left my this abode for good, the world will remember my dedication.)
Prof Kali Dass General Secretary of All India backward classes union said that Sant Ram B.A, an eminent anti-caste
ideologue, is fondly remembered for his unwavering opposition to the caste-system in its entirety. Despite being born into
kumhar family, a socially disadvantage community in the Hoshiyarpur district of Punjab, Sant Ram was fortunate enough to
belong to a relatively affluent family that shielded him from the shifling grip of cast-based discrimination.
G.R.Dofara said that late Sh. Sant Ram B.A who lived for 101 years, was a vetran Hindi writer and a radical caste social
reformer from Punjab, He said that Sant Ram B.A wrote more than hundred books and booklets. Some of his book like “Hamara
Samaj, Mere Jeevan ke Anubhav, Hamari Yah JaaT Paat, Alberuni ka Bharat, Lok Vijay, Hamara Bacche are worth reading, Sant
Ram B.A was awarded at state and national level for these books with cash . He further said that Sant Ram was greatly
impressed the intellectual Prowess of Ambedkar and believed that his views were crucial in addressing the caste system.
Those who paid heastfelt tributes included Sh. C.L Bamal (Rets) IGP, F.C.Satia, G.R Dafara, M.R. Bangotra, K.K. Fotra,
Bansi lal Choudhary, Prof Kali Dass, Darshan lal, Joginder Kumar, Er. Manga Ram, Vijay Kumar, Moti Ram, Rangesh Chander,
Kuldeep Raj (Fouji), Shashi kumar, Puram chand, Hans Raj, Parshotam Thapa, Veena Bakshi, Dr. Buti Ram, Madam Krishna.