Who among the following organised the All India Scheduled Castes Federation as a political platform for Dalits?

Introduction / Context:
The All India Scheduled Castes Federation was an important political organisation in pre independence and early post independence India that sought to represent the interests of Dalits and Scheduled Castes. It was associated with a major leader of the Dalit movement who also played a key role in drafting the Constitution of India. This question checks whether learners can correctly identify that leader.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Four prominent social and political leaders are listed as options: Jyotiba Phule, Periyar, B. R. Ambedkar and M. K. Karunanidhi.
• The question asks who organised the All India Scheduled Castes Federation.
• We assume basic awareness of major leaders of the anti caste and social justice movements.

Concept / Approach:
B. R. Ambedkar was a leading voice for the rights of Dalits and Scheduled Castes. He founded and led several organisations and political parties, including the All India Scheduled Castes Federation. Jyotiba Phule and Periyar were also important social reformers, but they were associated with different organisations and earlier phases of the movement. M. K. Karunanidhi was a prominent Dravidian leader and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, not the organiser of this specific federation. By matching these leaders with the correct organisations, we identify the right answer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that B. R. Ambedkar, a principal architect of the Constitution and a major Dalit leader, formed the All India Scheduled Castes Federation in the 1940s as a political platform to represent Scheduled Caste interests. Step 2: Understand that Jyotiba Phule was an earlier nineteenth century reformer who founded the Satyashodhak Samaj and worked for the uplift of lower castes and women, but did not organise the All India Scheduled Castes Federation. Step 3: Recognise that Periyar E. V. Ramasamy led the Self Respect Movement and the Dravidian movement in the south, and while he fought caste oppression, he did not head this particular federation. Step 4: Note that M. K. Karunanidhi was a later Dravidian political leader and Chief Minister, again associated with different parties, mainly the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, not with the All India Scheduled Castes Federation. Step 5: Therefore the correct answer is B. R. Ambedkar.

Verification / Alternative check:
Learners may recall that after differences with the Congress, Ambedkar wanted an independent political voice for Dalits and formed the All India Scheduled Castes Federation, which later influenced other Dalit oriented parties. History textbooks and biographies of Ambedkar consistently mention this organisation in his political career timeline. Comparing this information with the biographies of Phule, Periyar and Karunanidhi confirms that they had their own separate organisations but not this particular federation.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Jyotiba Phule worked mainly in the late nineteenth century and focused on educational and social reform through Satyashodhak Samaj, not the All India Scheduled Castes Federation.
• Periyar led the Self Respect and Dravidian movements and formed the Dravidar Kazhagam, not this federation.
• M. K. Karunanidhi was a leader of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and served as Chief Minister, but did not organise the All India Scheduled Castes Federation.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent pitfall is to associate any Dalit related organisation with Ambedkar without checking the exact name and period, or conversely to confuse south Indian social reformers with north and western based Dalit movements. Another issue is failing to distinguish between social reform societies and political federations. Aspirants should map each major leader to their key organisations to avoid such confusion.

Final Answer:
B. R. Ambedkar