ABSTRACT
After forming the Bahishkrut Hitkarini Sabha on 20 July 1924 as a vehicle to launch the movement, Babasaheb Ambedkar was in search for an appropriate issue. At this time a request came from Mahad for presiding over a conference of the Untouchables in Konkan. There was a deliberate attempt to get some progressive people from the non-Dalit communities to the Mahad conference but eventually only two names materialized. One was Bapusaheb Sahasrabuddhe, who belonged to Agarkari Brahman caste and the other was Bhai Chitre, belonging to a caste called Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu. By 4 pm, the Vireshwar theatre, the venue of the conference, was filled to the brim with people. As they sat with their lathis, their faces shone with grim determination. At about 5 Dr Ambedkar, along with Chitre, Sahasrabuddhe and some other prominent leaders, were conducted into the theatre, 3,000 lathis went up greeting him.
