Gandhi’s moral authority made his word effectively unanswerable to many Hindus.

Evidence

In Appendix II, I have printed my views in reply to the articles of Mr Gandhi collected in Appendix I. Besides Mr Gandhi, many others have adversely criticised my views as expressed in my speech. But I have felt that in taking notice of such adverse comments, I should limit myself to Mr Gandhi. This I have done not because what he has said is so weighty as to deserve a reply, but because to many a Hindu he is an oracle, so great that when he opens his lips it is expected that the argument must close and no dog must bark. — Ambedkar, B R, Annihilation of Caste_ The Annotated…, 753

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the reader’s prior understanding of charismatic authority and how reformist argument must contend with sanctified opposition — parallels debates around religious gatekeepers in other reform contexts.
• QUESTION: Worth chasing: how exactly did Gandhi’s dismissal of the original 1936 speech shape the public reception versus the internal caste critique?