Take Fatima Sheikh, India’s first Muslim woman teacher. Her life and work alongside Savitribai and Jyotirao Phule embody the very essence of solidarity and resistance. Together, they challenged Brahmanical patriarchy and caste exclusion, striving for an inclusive education system that empowered the most marginalised. Yet there is an ongoing attempt to erase Fatima Sheikh from mainstream history, her legacy buried under layers of casteist and communal erasure. Her erasure is not a mere oversight but a calculated act, one that seeks to deny the very existence of intersectional struggles against oppression.

This politics of erasure is not isolated; it is part of a broader project to sanitise history, neutralise dissent, and normalise inequalities. By excluding figures like Fatima Sheikh, Dalits, Muslims, Adivasis, women, and persons with disabilities are systematically pushed to the margins of public memory and denied their rightful place in the nation’s narrative.

Historical Revisionism: Sanitising the Past for Oppression

The deliberate erasure of figures like Fatima Sheikh reveals a pattern of historical revisionism designed to sustain existing hierarchies. History is manipulated to present reform movements as caste-neutral, male-driven, and Hindu-led, obscuring the intersectional struggles that shaped them. By erasing Fatima Sheikh, the radical solidarity between Dalits, Muslims, and women is invisibilised, and the convenient, dominant narrative of typical prototype reformers as saviours is reinforced.

B.R. Ambedkar, for instance, is sanitised into a token figure, hailed as the architect of the Constitution but stripped of his scathing critique of caste and his revolutionary vision for an egalitarian society. His advocacy for reservations, a lifeline for educational equity, is sidelined even as these policies are viciously attacked today. Ambedkar’s fiery critique of Hinduism’s role in upholding caste oppression is deliberately erased from school curricula and public discourse, making it easier to appropriate him while gutting his radical ideas.

Similarly, the contributions of Muslim freedom fighters like Ashfaqulla Khan and Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan are systematically downplayed to sustain communal stereotypes. Women like Jhalkaribai, the Dalit warrior who fought alongside Rani Lakshmibai, and Begum Rokeya, a Muslim reformer who championed women’s education, are excluded to uphold patriarchal and casteist narratives. Even Adivasi leaders like Birsa Munda, who fought against colonial exploitation and for Adivasi rights, are reduced to hollow symbols, their histories carefully erased to sustain their marginalisation.

But the silence is uneasy most of all when it comes to disabled individuals. Their absence from historical narratives is not just glaring but insidious. It reflects the deeply entrenched ableism in Indian society, which sees disability not as a social issue but as a private affliction to be ignored. This erasure denies disabled people even the most token representation, ensuring they remain outside the frameworks of education, policy, and society itself.

The Violent Silence of Ableism

The absence of discourse on disability in historical narratives is perhaps the most violent form of erasure. It is not just a denial of disabled lives but a refusal to even acknowledge their struggles and contributions. Ableist attitudes perpetuate the idea that disabled people are incapable of agency or participation in society, reinforcing their marginalisation.

Statements like “the deaf and blind do not go to school with others” go unchallenged, as though their exclusion is natural. This systematic exclusion reinforces invisibility of disabled, creating a narrative of othering and leaving a place only at the bottom of the social hierarchy, with no place in history and no claim to justice.

Ableism is a tool of domination, one that intersects with caste, gender, and religion to maintain systems of oppression. By refusing to document the lives and struggles of disabled people, society ensures an easy othering where disabled are invisible, unaccounted for, and unrepresented. This silence is not benign, it is violent.

Education: A Weapon of Exclusion

The erasure of marginalised voices from history is deeply tied to the politics of education. Education is not merely a tool for liberation; it has also been weaponised to exclude. By controlling whose stories are taught, dominant groups perpetuate the myth that Dalits, Muslims, Adivasis, women, and disabled people are undeserving of knowledge, power, or leadership.

This exclusion is evident in the privatisation of education, which transforms a fundamental right into an elitist privilege. Marginalised communities, already struggling under systemic oppression, are locked out of educational spaces, ensuring a continued cycle of poverty and exclusion. Reservation policies, which aim to provide equitable access, are constantly undermined. Their necessity is questioned as the struggles that birthed them are erased from public memory.

For disabled people, the exclusion is even starker. Accessible education systems and infrastructure are virtually non-existent, leaving them reliant on charity rather than rights-based systems. The very idea of education for the disabled is treated as an afterthought, ensuring they remain on the margins, locked out of opportunities for participation in society.

Reclaiming Radical Histories

To resist the politics of erasure, we must reclaim the radical histories of marginalised communities. Fatima Sheikh’s story must be restored not simply as a tribute to her legacy but as a weapon against the narratives that erase the struggles of Dalits, Muslims, Adivasis, women, and disabled people. The histories of Ambedkar, Jhalkaribai, Ashfaqulla Khan, Birsa Munda, and countless others must be told in their entirety, with their radical critiques and intersectional struggles at the forefront.

The absence of disability discourse must also be addressed. Disabled people’s lives and struggles must be documented, acknowledged, and integrated into mainstream narratives. This requires dismantling ableist attitudes and creating systems that recognise disability as a social and political issue, and not a personal battle.

The Politics of Memory and Justice

The politics of historical erasure is not just about the past, it is about controlling the present and foreclosing the future. By denying Fatima Sheikh and others like her their rightful place in history, the ruling elite seeks to sustain a system of exclusion that privileges dominant castes, religions, and abilities.

Fatima Sheikh’s legacy reminds us that education is not a privilege for the few but a right for all. Her work challenges the casteist, communal, patriarchal, and ableist narratives that underpin Indian society, offering a vision of education as a tool for liberation and solidarity. To honour her is to fight against the forces that erase her.

The fight against historical erasure is, ultimately, a fight for justice. It is a fight to ensure that history reflects the struggles and contributions of all communities, and that education becomes a tool to dismantle hierarchies rather than perpetuate them. This fight demands that we challenge the dominant narratives, expose their silences, and reclaim the radical potential of memory to inspire resistance and solidarity. Let us carry forward this fight, with the legacy of all those erased from history as our guide; while it remains important to ask ‘who benefits from these erasures?’

Shirin Akhter is Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Zakir Husain Delhi College, University of Delhi. Sharamisthaa Atreja is Assistant Professor at the Department of Philosophy, University of Delhi. The views are personal.

Courtesy: Newsclick

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They go on to quote Ambedkar that Swami Shraddhanand was the “the greatest and most sincere champion of the Untouchables”. They ignore the fact that that same Swami was involved in Shuddhi, ‘Conversion of Muslims to Hinduism’. This is what annoyed the Muslim clerics.

On this Shuddhi, Ambedkar responded, “If the Hindu society desires to survive, it must think not of adding to its numbers but increasing its solidarity and that means the abolition of caste. The abolition of castes is the real sangathan of the Hindus, and when sangathan is achieved by abolishing castes, shuddhi will be unnecessary.” This was parallel and opposite to Tanzim by Tablighi Jamaat, which was trying to convert Hindus into Islam. Though Shraddhanand later became part of the Indian National Congress, he was also part of Hindu Sangthan, a part of the revitalised Hindu Mahasabha committed to establishing a Hindu Nation.

New constructs are now being floated that Ambedkar and Savarkar are two sides of the same coin. True that Savarkar started the Patit Pavan temple that allows entry of Dalits into temples. As per Babasaheb, this will create a separate temple where only Dalits will visit. “An editorial in the April 12, 1929 issue of “Bahishkrit Bharat” states that Ambedkar had opposed the construction of the Patit Pawan temple from the very beginning. He believed that these temples would later be called temples for the untouchables.” However, Ambedkar did appreciate Savarkar’s efforts. Though he felt they were irrelevant.

These are some points that are being raised by Hindutva ideologues. They go hyper while describing Ambedkar’s relations with Congress. Some of them argue that after the death of Gandhi and Patel, Nehru became authoritarian and ignored the Opposition. BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that Ambedkar resigned from the Nehru cabinet due to “differences” with Nehru on the issue of Article 370, foreign policy and on the condition of SC/STs (Scheduled Castes/Tribes).

The crux of the issue is that the major reason for Ambedkar resigning from the cabinet was his disappointment with the shabby treatment given to the Hindu Code Bill. A huge opposition and meetings against the Bill were organised by RSS. Their volunteers demonstrated in front of Parliament. The peak of this was the massive protest in Ramlila Maidan on December 11, 1949, in which effigies of Ambedkar and Nehru were burnt.

Opposing the Hindu Code Bill, The Organiser (mouthpiece of the RSS), December 7, 1949, wrote: “We oppose the Hindu Code Bill. We oppose it because it is a derogatory measure based on alien and immoral principles. It is not a Hindu Code Bill. It is anything but Hindu.” The result of this aggressive campaign by RSS on the Hindu Code Bill was that it had to be delayed and diluted. This was the painful moment for Babasaheb, that led him to resign.

The question of Manusmriti, the Chaturvarnya, was a crucial part of the differences between Ambedkar and Savarkar to BJP. While on December 25, 1927, Babasaheb burnt the Manusmriti, the second sarsanghchalak of RSS, M.S. Golwalkar went on to write eulogies on Manusmriti.

Savarakar also detailed his support to Chaturvarnya and praised Manusmiriti: “Manusmriti is that scripture which is most worshipable after Vedas for our Hindu Nation and which from ancient times has become the basis of our culture-customs, thought and practice. This book for centuries has codified the spiritual and divine march of our nation. Even today the rules which are followed by crores of Hindus in their lives and practice are based on Manusmriti. Today Manusmriti is Hindu Law. That is fundamental.” And “The worst [thing] about the new Constitution of Bharat is that there is nothing Bharatiya about it… [T]here is no trace of ancient Bharatiya constitutional laws, institutions, nomenclature and phraseology in it”.

The central point of difference that Ambedkar had with the Hindutva ideology is being pushed under the carpet. On October 13, 1935, Ambedkar spoke in a meeting in Yeola near Nasik, dropping a ‘bombshell’ when he said, “I will not die as a person who calls himself a Hindu!” As per him, this religion has no place for liberty, compassion and equality. In the revised edition of his book, Thoughts on Pakistan, he opposed the formation of Islamic Pakistan as that may pave the way for Hindu Raj or Rashtra and that will be a “big calamity” for its people.

As he declared this, there were many pressures on him to embrace Sikhism or Islam. Dr. Moonje from Hindu Mahasabha struck a pact with Ambedkar that if he avoided conversion to Islam, Hindu Mahasabha would not oppose his move. Babasaheb’s own deeper studies led him to choose Buddhism.

Today, the BJP is trying to project that they have “honoured” Babasaheb by erecting his statues, raising an International Museum in his memory and other symbolic things. These are identity-related issues, while the crux of Babasaheb’s values remains undermined. When the Mandal Commission (on reservations) was implemented, the BJP resorted to kamandal (Hindutva) politics. As veteran BJP leader L K Advani was arrested during his Rath Yatra (as a part of kamandal politics), BJP, which was part of the parties supporting V P Singh’s government, withdrew its support and the government fell.

Congress, along with Hindu Mahasabha, opposed Ambedkar in Lok Sabha elections. Yet, it was Congress again that ensured that he was made a Rajya Sabha member. He was made a member of the Interim Government and also Chairman of the drafting committee of the Indian Constitution.

BJP’s anxiety to prove that Ambedkar was part of Hindutva politics is, therefore, a pure concoction to derive legitimacy from the memory of a person who stood totally against their very ideology of a Hindu Nation.

What an irony, that those who stood/stand for a Hindu Nation are today trying to project Ambedkar, who was opposed to Hindu Rashtra and wanted to have democratic, secular republic, as a part of their ideological parivar!

The writer is a human rights activist, who taught at IIT Bombay. The views are personal.

Courtesy: Newsclick

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History of the Hindu Code Bill

Talks about a Hindu Code Bill had emerged since the 1920s itself. The AIWC (All India Women’s Conference) demanded a revision of the Hindu Code to overcome deficits in women’s rights. This was the crucial difference between the reforms of the 19th century which were piloted from above and these, which were reforms actively sought by the women themselves. The AIWC declared a Women’s Legal Disabilities Day in 1934 at the instance of Renuka Ray. The Hindu Women’s Right to Property Act was then tabled by its author G.V. Deshmukh in the Central Legislature.

The same year, the Shariat Application Bill tabled by H.M. Abdullah was passed which gave the daughter a share in property. However, in both the Hindu and Muslim case agricultural land was exempted from the application of the respective bills. This was because agricultural property fell under the ‘jurisdiction of provincial legislation’ while these two Acts of 1937 were Central legislations. (Chitra Sinha, Debating Patriarchy:The Hindu Code Bill Controversy in India 1941–1956, 2012). Why was this the case? Probably, the vote-influencing elite class couldn’t be touched or angered!

However, the demand for codification of Hindu personal law driven by Hindu women did gain legitimacy with the 1937 “Deshmukh Act.” A Hindu Law Committee was appointed on January 25, 1941 headed by B.N. Rao (who went on to become the constitutional advisor of the Constitution’s drafting committee). Other members were- Shri Dwarakanath Mitter, ex-Judge of the Calcutta High Court, Shri R. Gharpure, Principal, Law College, Poona and Rajratna Vasudev Vinayak Joshi, a lawyer from Baroda. The committee appreciated the role of Women’s Associations across the country. The committee suggested two measures in its final report submitted in June 1941. These were largely related to an enlargement of the terms of reference and the need for provincial legislative changes to apply to the Hindu Women’s Right to Property Act in agricultural landed property.

With these suggestions in mind two draft bills on the law of marriage and inheritance were prepared and presented before a joint committee of both the houses. The two bills together came to be known as the draft Hindu Code Bill and were presented before the Legislature to be debated in 1943-44. The Committee was invoked again and began working from 1945 onwards. Dwarkanath Mitter presented a dissenting opinion stating that of the total number of people interviewed for the bill, only 33.4% supported the codification drive [the percentage being even smaller in the “Hindu Heartland” (coined by Gyanesh Kudasia)]. The figures are from the Report of the Hindu Law Committee, 1947.

Maharashtra offered the greatest support in favour of the Code Bill. Dharma Nirnay Mandal (formed at Lonavala in 1936) which was at the forefront went to many places in Maharashtra raising awareness on the codification issue. It brought out several publications including Why Hindu Code, co-authored by T.K. Tope and H.S. Ursekar. The Hindu Code Bill was thereafter referred to the Select Committee in April 1948. The ball was now in Ambedkar’s court.

Views of Ambedkar and Nehru on the Bill

Ambedkar believed the Code Bill to be a vehicle towards reforming Hindu society. He therefore considered the Hindu Code Bill as historic as the Constitution making process. He spoke of the aims and objectives of the bill in the simplest of terms to make it accessible to all. He stated that – “in order to reduce the confusions surrounding Hindu laws and also to make these more equitable and relevant to contemporary Indian society, the Bill seeks to codify the law relating to certain aspects covering marriage, property, succession etc.”

With these essential points in mind, let us now move to see the people who opposed the Bill who have been grouped into categories by Reba Som in her article ‘Jawaharlal Nehru And The Hindu Code: A Victory Of Symbol Over Substance?’(Modern Asian Studies, February 1994).  We shall simultaneously accentuate the contradictions and paradoxes of these people on the issue which exposes their hesitance for reforms and their unwavering commitment to not want women being treated at par with men. These were-

One. Those stalwarts within the Congress who had been arrayed against the likes of Nehru from 1930s onwards. These were represented by Rajendra Prasad who had been unhappy over the issue since the start. Prasad believed that the progressive idea of introducing basic changes in personal law was only the view of a microscopic minority and its imposition on the Hindu community as a whole would have disastrous consequences. When frustrated by Prasad and others in the assembly over the issue of the bill, Nehru told them that the passing of the bill had become a matter of prestige for him. Prasad had drafted a letter in response to this on which he consulted (luckily for him), Vallabhbhai Patel before sending it. Patel counselled him on the benefits of remaining quiet as this would brighten his chances of being elected the first President of India. Prasad thus, kept quiet and got elected the first President. However, once he assumed this constitutional role, his obduracy over the bill continued, sometimes citing procedural lapses on Nehru’s part (for which there was no provision but only convention) and sometimes by terming the efforts at getting the bill passed as anti-democratic. He in fact, even threatened to withhold Presidential assent to the Bill even if it was passed from both the houses. Surprisingly, Prasad was the President when, later, in five parts the Hindu Code Bill was largely passed by Indian Parliament.

Along with the likes of Prasad were Hindu fundamentalists within the Congress like the Deputy Speaker, Ananthasayanam Aiyyangar who was convinced of the soundness of polygamy. This group never made an earnest effort to carry through the reformist agenda Congress propagated. Some among those who were not so opposed to the contents of the Bill were at sixes and sevens because of the fact that the Bill was piloted by Ambedkar, an untouchable. Pattabhi Sitaramayya, a liberal member of the Congress too criticised Ambedkar for his “professional, pedagogic and pontifical attitudes” which will “only alienate attitudes that have almost been reconciled,” records Reba Som.

Two. The Hindu Mahasabha with people like N.C. Chatterjee and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee who opposed the Bill based on the fact that it threatened the very foundation of Hindu religion. The Mahasabha tried to argue that the “Hindu” Code Bill was a communal legislation (only for the Hindus) and instead that a Uniform Civil Code should be introduced in its place. Thus, it becomes clear that it was not out of a progressive reformist zeal that the Mahasabha wanted a Uniform Civil Code but only so that the state power interferes in Muslim affairs as well. Mukherjee argued that the Hindu Code be made optional, an argument similar to what Jinnah made during the passage of the Shariat Application Bill 1937. Mukherjee had been in Nehru’s cabinet and wholeheartedly supported the Code which he was now opposing and therefore, Ambedkar dismissed his remarks as non-worthy of consideration.

Within this category let us add a subcategory of Hindu reactionaries outside the Parliament represented by the RSS. In March 1949 the All-India Anti-Hindu-Code Bill Committee with Swami Karpatriji Maharaj at its head was formed which opposed the Constituent Assembly’s interference in personal laws of Hindus based on Dharma Shastras. (Ramchandra Guha, India after Gandhi, 2008) Alongside this Committee was also a battery of lawyers from various Bar Councils across the country who absolutely condemned the Code Bill. The Committee held several hundred meetings throughout the country opposing the Bill. The All India Hindu Code Bill Virodha Samiti even published a book, Hindu Code Bill: Praman Ki Kasauti Par in Hindi by Swami Karpatriji Maharaj, condemning the government propaganda about the Bill and presenting the Bill in complete opposition to the ideology of Sanatan Dharma. (Chitra Sinha, 2012) This Committee even marched on to the Parliament raising derogatory slogans like “Down with the Code Bill” and “May Nehru Perish.”

Three. The Sikh group represented by men like Sardar Mann and Sardar Hukum Singh inside the Parliament and Master Tara Singh outside it, who resented being clubbed with the Hindus in the broad framework of reform. Tara Singh denounced the introduction of the Hindu Code Bill in the Parliament. This can be found dated 13th December in G. Parthasarathi edited Letters to Chief Ministers Vol.2 1950-1952. Interestingly, after Ambedkar had resigned and not much alteration had been made to the Bill, Sardar Hukum Singh stated that the Bill could now be passed as the objectionable parts had been removed.

Four. Muslims represented by Naziruddin Ahmad from Bengal who argued that the Hindu Code Bill was a bid to end the Mitakshara joint family. This would lead to division of families and property issues. The most baffling part is that despite hailing from Bengal which was the epicentre of Dayabhaga School, Naziruddin Ahmad chose to speak about Mitakshara. Even more fascinating is the fact that provincialism, evoked by Jinnah during the debate on Shariat Application Bill 1937, was ensured among Bengali legislators by the very same Naziruddin Ahmad. Of the scant information on him over the Internet, his appointment as the chief whip by A.K. Fazlul Haq, then Bengal chief minister is surely significant. The same provincialism is found wanting in Naziruddin Ahmad while speaking on the Hindu Code Bill. When he remarked that Hindu families would suffer the same fate as Muslims, he was given a shut up call by Renuka Ray who asked why he was not ready to let the Hindus enjoy the same advantages that the Muslim society enjoys.

Six. Women Parliamentarians, largely the ones who were consistent in their approach and most fully committed to get the Code Bill passed. Even their criticism, expressed through Sucheta Kriplani and Hansa Mehta, was sound and logical based on the fact that the reforms did not go as far as they should have and that they were half-hearted.

Ambedkar’s resignation and his assessment of Nehru

Correspondence between Ambedkar and Nehru on the topic brings out the differences in views as well as approach to the Hindu Code Bill. On August 10, 1951, Ambedkar wrote to Nehru-

“My health is causing a great deal of anxiety to me and to my doctors. They have been pressing that I must allow them a longer period of about a month for continuous treatment and that such treatment cannot now be postponed without giving rise to further complications. I am most anxious that the Hindu Code Bill should be disposed of before I put myself in the hands of my doctors. I would, therefore, like to give the Hindu Code Bill a higher priority by taking it up for debate and consideration on August 16 and finish the matter of by September 1, if the opponents do not practice obstructive tactics. You know I attach the greatest importance to this measure and would be prepared to undergo any strain on my health to get the Bill through.” (Selected Writings of Ambedkar)

Nehru however, knew that the conservatives were too many and quite vehement in their opposition to the Hindu Code Bill. There was now no Patel to ensure the whip in support of the measure. However, Ambedkar did not pay attention to this view and he felt extremely frustrated that Nehru wasn’t able to get the Bill passed.  The fact remains that with the active support of the then President, many members including the chief whip were all firm in their disapproval of the Hindu Code Bill. Nehru could not hurry it through since elections were also round the corner. As Ambedkar sarcastically put it, ‘I have never seen a case of chief whip so disloyal to the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister so loyal to a disloyal whip.’(Reba Som, 1994) Ambedkar was, however, convinced of Nehru’s sincerity, it was only his lack of determination that he criticised.

There were a few more issues (not connected to Nehru directly) over which he resigned. Nehru’s sincerity is reflected in a letter he wrote to the Chief Ministers on October 4, 1951. He stated- “it was obviously a controversial measure and it was not our desire to suppress debate or even to treat this as a strictly party measure necessitating a Whip.” He cites this as the reason for failure to get even parts of the Bill through. He goes on to say, “I have no doubt that a considerable majority in Parliament desired the passage of this bill with minor alterations. But that majority was helpless before a determined minority and we had to confess defeat.  For the moment at least I do not think, however, that all this time on the Hindu code bill has been wasted. It has kept this important subject before the public and made people think about it. It had made it one of the major issues in India and I have little doubt that it will have to be taken up and passed sometime or the other. For my part I am convinced that progress in India must be on all fronts- political, economic and social. Unless this happens we shall get held up.” 

Nehru’s reaction to Ambedkar’s resignation

Frustrated and flabbergasted over the stoicism of conservative elements within the Congress, Dr. Ambedkar rendered his resignation on September 25, 1951. On his resignation, Nehru spoke in the Parliament with a sense of loss. “It is a matter of regret for me, if for no other reason, for the fact that an old colleague should part company in the way he has done today.”

Moreover, Nehru wrote to Ambedkar on September 27, 1951 with mixed feelings of appreciation for Ambedkar’s efforts and determination on his part to get the Bill through sooner or later. He wrote,- “I can quite understand your great disappointment at the fact that the Hindu Code Bill could not be passed in this session and that even the marriage and divorce part of it had ultimately to be postponed. I know very well how hard you have laboured at it and how keenly you have felt about it.” Nehru goes on to state that “I tried my utmost, but the fates and the rules of Parliament were against us.” He promised to keep fighting stoutly, “personally, I shall not give up this fight because I think it is intimately connected with any progress on any front that we desire to make.” 

Conclusion

Eventually, when the Hindu Code Bill was passed in various parts in 1956, Nehru offered his tribute to Ambedkar. He stated that Ambedkar would be remembered above all ‘as a symbol of the revolt against all the oppressive features of Hindu society’. But he “will be remembered also for the great interest he took and the trouble he took over the question of Hindu law reform. I am happy that he saw that reform in a very large measure carried out, perhaps not in the form of that monumental tome that he had himself drafted, but in separate bits.” (Ramchandra Guha, 2008)

The glowing tribute by Nehru to Ambedkar and Ambedkar’s admission of Nehru’s sincerity of efforts says it all. It was not these two but rather “the orthodox of all religions united” (from the title of Jawaharlal Nehru’s Essay) who were pitted against them on the issue of Hindu Code Bill. What’s more concerning is the remark heard from certain quarters of the Parliament after the passage of the Hindu Code Bill. During 1955 and 1956, when the Hindu Code Bill was enacted in fragments, Ambedkar’s absence was cited as a reason for the smooth passage of the Bill. (Chitra Sinha, 2012) Throughout the trajectory of the Hindu Code Bill, Nehru and Ambedkar remained consistent in pushing for reforms. Therefore, this struggle for the Hindu Code Bill and those who opposed it and actually disrespected Ambedkar should be clearly identified. Lest History Forget!

(The author is a PhD Candidate at the department of history, AMU)

[1] Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh formed in 1925

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The ruling dispensation, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), leaders within Parliament and its ideologues outside Parliament, argued that all the ills of society and violation of constitutional values began with Jawaharlal Nehru (amendment to stop hate speech), via Indira Gandhi (the Emergency), via Rajiv Gandhi (the Shah Bano Bill) to Rahul Gandhi (tearing the Bill) have been the violators of the values of Constitution.

BJP leaders and Hindu nationalist ideologues are stating that the Indian Constitution has been based on Western values, a colonial imprint on our society; it is a break from India’s civilisation and culture. They also argue that the Constitution and its application is the appeasement of Muslim minorities for vote bank purposes that has been done by the Congress party.

As we know, the Constitution was the outcome of the values that emerged during the freedom movement. It also kept in mind the long tradition of our civilisation. The understanding of our civilisation is very different for those who participated in the freedom movement, those who stand for its ideology, and those who kept aloof from the anti-colonial movement and bowed to the British rulers.

While the freedom movement saw India as a plural nation with rich diversities, those who stood aloof saw the civilisation as Hindu civilisation. For them, pluralism is a diversion and imposition by the educated, modern leaders.

Even the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) combine forgets that what they call as Hindu civilisation is undermining the contributions of Jainism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and Sikhism to our civilisation. Even the interpretation of Lord Ram, their major icon, is so diverse for Kabir, who saw the Lord as a Universal spirit, for Gandhi, who saw Him as protector of all the people, irrespective of their religion in his famous: Ishawar Allah Tero Naam (Allah and Ishwar are same).

Jawaharlal Nehru saw India, Bharat Mata, in his book, The Discovery of India, as an “ancient palimpsest on which layer upon layer of thought and reverie had been inscribed, and yet no succeeding layer had completely hidden or erased what had been written previously.” With great pride, he recalled the rule of Emperor Ashok, who in many edicts etched on stones, talked of equal treatment for Vedic Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Ajivikas.

This is the core difference between the RSS combine and its ideologues who see India as exclusively Brahmanical Hindu, and those like Gandhi and Nehru, as a country belonging to all the people.

The Indian Constituent Assembly mainly represented the stream that struggled against the British, the national stream, while RSS was a marginal stream sticking to “India as Brahmanical Hindu nation”. This started getting reflected immediately after the draft of the Indian Constitution. B.R Ambedkar and Nehru were cautious and stated  that the implementation of its basic structure should be ensured by those ruling the country.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee of BJP, in 1998, formed the Venkatachaliah Commission to review the Constitution. K.R. Narayanan, the then President of India, aptly remarked: “It is not the Constitution that has failed us; it is we who have failed the Constitution!”

This is so true, particularly after the rule of the Narendra Modi government (2014 onward). It is during this period that though the Constitution has not been changed as such, though many from the RSS camp have expressed their wish to do so, without getting reprimanded from the top leadership. This was most blatantly stated to back up their slogan of ‘400 Paar’ (More than 400 seats in Parliament in the 2024 elections), meaning that ‘we want so many seats so that we can change the Constitution.’

The blatant rise of hate speech, lately most clearly stated by a sitting Judge of Allahabad High Court, Shekhar Kumar Yadav, when participating in a Vishwa Hindu Parishad event, saying: “The country will run as per the wishes of its majority.”

Justice Yadav made the remarks while delivering an address on “Constitutional Necessity of Uniform Civil Code”. “Only what benefits the welfare and happiness of the majority will be accepted,” Yadav said.

Worse than his stating so, has been the statement of BJP’s Yogi Adityanath, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, who supported Yadav’ utterances. Mercifully, the Supreme Court has taken cognizance of Yadav’s communal hate speech. But, who will take cognizance of Yogi supporting him?

Commenting on the current state of affairs, Justice Aspi Chinoy made a very apt comment. He said, “The BJP being the government at the Centre and having an absolute and overwhelming majority in Parliament, sees no need to alter the de jure status of India as a secular country and Constitution. Being in control of the state and its diverse instrumentalities it has been able to achieve its goal of undermining India’s secular constitution and introduce a Hindutva based ethnocracy, even without amending and altering the de jure secular status.”

This sectarianism of the ruling BJP goes back to the time when the draft of Constitution was released. A couple of days’ later, the RSS mouthpiece (unofficial) Organiser stated on November 30, 1949. “The worst [thing] about the new Constitution of Bharat is that there is nothing Bharatiya about it… [T]here is no trace of ancient Bharatiya constitutional laws, institutions, nomenclature and phraseology in it”. Meaning that Manusmriti has been ignored by makers of the Indian Constitution!

The father of Hindu nationalist politics, V D Savarkar, was quoted by Rahul Gandhi while participating in debate, “The worst thing about the Constitution of India is that there is nothing Indian about it. Manusmriti is that scripture which is most worshippable after Vedas for our Hindu nation and from which our ancient times have become the basis for our culture, customs, thought and practice.”

The crux of the matter comes to the surface when we compare the chief of the drafting committee of Indian Constitution, Ambedkar, and one of the RSS sarsanghchalak, K. Sudarshan. Ambedkar burnt the Manusmiriti and drafted the Indian Constitution. The RSS chief went on to label the Indian Constitution as being “based on Western values” and called for the need to draft the Indian Constitution based on the Hindu Holy book!

The writer is a human rights activist, who taught at IIT Bombay. The views are personal.

The post 75 Years Down the Line, Whither Indian Constitution? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Besides, Dalits and Ambedkarites do not set much store by gods and goddesses. The entire premise of Dr Ambedkar’s philosophy was that ‘religion should revolve around the concern for human beings’ and not for the ‘happiness’ of the ‘god’. As Buddha said, human philosophy should concern the welfare of human beings and that was the principle that the Charvakhas had, too. So, Baba Saheb’s real fight was not against either the Congress or BJP but against the Brahmanical Social Order (BSO). It is crucial to understand that there were people who stood firm against privileged caste domination and manipulation and those who supported the BSO within all parties.

In the midst of these pulls and pressures, movements and counter-moves during the struggle for independence, the Constitution making process was itself the single largest effort towards the reconciliation of Indian society with all its contradictions. Babasaheb Ambedkar understood this well, as did the Congress leadership of the time, particularly Nehru.

We all need to understand that Dr Ambedkar and the Congress Party had different paths and opinion but to rebuild India they joined hands. Interestingly Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the leader of Bhartiya Jan Sangh (BJS) was also part of this. They had, amongst them, serious differences but none were so adversarial as to dub each other as anti-national or inferior. They debated issues in Parliament and agreed to frame the Constitution which emerged as one of the finest documents in the modern world, a document moreover that signalled India as one.

Unfortunately, the process of the selective quoting and referencing of events has harmed our polity today. This practice functions in the vacuous public sphere of overall ignorance and lack of grounding of sound democratic principles. How many of those speak today have understood the rich cadences of the Indian national movement?

It is crucial for all us, all of us, not use the events and differences of the time for our political purposes. Congress was an umbrella organisation for all those who fought for India’s freedom. After independence, many of these organisations that were part of the Congress originally, actually formed their own parties and groups. Naturally, they emerged as political rivals too. This should be seen as a healthy development as India, now a free nation needed different checks and balances that came from those in and out of power, those who had varying world views and perspectives. Both Dr Ambedkar and Syama Prasad Mookerjee were part of Jawahar Lal Nehru’s cabinet. Even when Gandhiji was murdered in cold blood on January 30, 1948, Syama Prasad Mookerjee dissociated himself with the Hindu Maha Sabha and remained in the Indian cabinet. None asked him to resign. His resignation came in 1951 after he became President of Bhartiya Jan Sangh (BJS). The resignation was based on the Nehru Liaquat Pact. Nehru, Ambedkar and Mookerjee were members of the same Constituent Assembly and cabinet and I am sure, despite their political differences they must have been acquaintances if not good friends, with a healthy respect for each other. Those were different times.

There are a whole lot of issues which need comprehensive analysis and not selective usage of symbols and facts. Babasaheb was unhappy on the issue of Nehru’s inability to get through the Hindu Code Bill in the Parliament but he knew well that it was not easy for him as many bigwigs from both within the Congress and Jan Sangh were opposed to Hindu Code Bill. The prominent among those who were deadly opposed to the Hindu code bill were Dr Rajendra Prasad, Pattabhi Sitarammaiya, K M Munshi, Purushottam Das Tondon, Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee and various leaders of Jan Sangh, Hindu Mahasabha etc. Sardar Patel though in the middle, leaned towards those who opposed it. So, in terms of ideological unity, it was only Nehru and Ambedkar who wanted this progressive legislation to be passed.

As I said before, all these leaders were both highly knowledgeable and deeply respectful to each other. None questioned the integrity of others but they put forth their political points very powerfully. While Nehru’s credentials as a secular modern progressive nationalist was not ever questioned, Ambedkar and Mookerjee actually were raising the issues of safety of Hindus and other minorities in Pakistan which was not out of the box and was real.

Dr Baba Saheh Ambedkar fought his Lok Sabha elections from North Bombay and Bhandara on two different occasions and lost. That the Congress ensured his defeat is without doubt. As I said, they were political rivals. Who was responsible for making Babasaheb’s secretary stand in elections against him? Nehru? Perhaps, Praful Patel can provide an answer as his father was a powerful leader of the Congress. Perhaps, too many Aambedkarites can provide details about his work. Secondly, in the North Bombay seat, it was not merely the Congress but both the Communist Party of India as well as the Jan Sangh or Hindu Mahasabha that had also actually fielded rival candidates.

There is no doubt that Congress’s history in the subsequent years was in continual denial of Dr Ambedkar’s legacy. One needs also remember that Babasaheb used to call Congress the original Brahmanical party of India but what would he have had to say about the RSS-BJP in today? That the BJP has now replaced the Congress and is the perhaps the main Brahmin Bania party of India? This is the reality.

Now, the remains on who loves Dr Ambedkar and who does not. Who awarded him the Bharat Ratna? Certainly not the BJP. Nor the Congress. The man at the helm who accorded this honour, the Bharat Ratna to Dr Ambedkar was V P Singh, another hero who has been vilified by the Congress and Sanghis together. It is VP Singh who provided the reservation to Neo Buddhists too and got who also installed the prominent portrait of Babasaheb in parliament, got Ambedkar’s books published through the union’s Ambedkar Foundation, declared Babasaheb Jayanti as a national holiday and took several other steps.

Unfortunately, for both the Congress and the BJP –which was then supporting the National Front government headed by VP Singh from outside—decried these measures. Recently, an arrogant Brahmin spokesperson of BJP actually abused VP Singh, terming him Samanti or feudal. Frankly, the only other person who was active those days and did his work on spreading saheb’s thoughts was one of VP’s most trusted colleagues, the late Ram Vilas Paswan.

Let us not debate how big a memorial is now being built for Dr Ambedkar or how much you worship him. My simple question for the political leadership today is this. If you really believe in Dr Ambedkar’s ideology then please implement the Constitution in true spirit. Please undertake land reforms, redistribute land to the most marginalised, ensure free health services, right to education for all, stop the privatisation of our natural resources, implement reservations in true spirit and everywhere.

It is equally important to understand not to confine Dr Ambedkar to merely Constitution making alone because that way you actually see his historical role in critiquing Brahmanical Hinduism. Yes, he critiqued all Brahmanical text, gods and everything. That apart, if we believe his philosophy, then let us respect what he asked his followers at the historical Deekshabhoomi grounds in Nagpur on October 14, 1956, Dhammachakra Pravartan Diwas, in his 22 vows to follow the path of humanism, as defined by Lord Buddha.

In a true sense, if we really care for, value, Dr Ambedkar’s principles, then please stop telling us how you respect Samvidhan or how much land you have allocated to make his statue rather than redistribute land to landless people which has now been forgotten. Ensure free quality education for all and equally free qualitative health care for all.

We need an inclusive governance structure which reflects our diversity where each one of us can express our opinion without any fear or intimidation. Dr Ambedkar’s India will not, simply cannot be the model where regressive religious pontiffs lead us to the path of destruction. It must ensure the path for progressive humanist leaders to take us to the path of enlightenment.

It is time the state ensured welfare measures for the millions of oppressed Dalits, Adivasis Backward classes, from all ethnicities and religious identities and make this integral to our decision-making process.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are the author’s personal views, and do not necessarily represent the views of Sabrangindia

Related:

Sangh Parivar’s tortured bid to appropriate Dr Ambedkar

Iconoclast: Path breaking biography of BR Ambedkar projects his human essence

Ambedkar varsity ‘on brink of collapse’, 32 faculty members resign, 22 embroiled in legal battles

The post Dr BR Ambedkar: How the ongoing tussle between the BJP and Congress is both limited & superficial appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The irony of the Mahayuti government now championing the Constitution through campaigns like “Ghar Ghar Sambhavidhan” is glaring, especially given its own troubling history of undermining constitutional principles. From the very moment of its formation, the government has been marred by constitutional controversies. The Eknath Shinde-led coalition itself came into existence after a dramatic political coup, where defecting legislators bypassed democratic norms, raising serious questions about constitutional propriety. This was followed by a series of actions that further eroded constitutional values—ranging from bulldozer politics that disregarded due process to systematic attacks on dissent, and the selective targeting of marginalised communities. After repeatedly trampling upon the very ethos of the Constitution, it is deeply ironic, and indeed cynical, for this government to now promote itself as a defender of constitutional values. This sudden embrace of constitutional imagery in the run-up to the elections seems more like a strategic ploy to reclaim lost moral ground rather than a genuine commitment to safeguarding the foundational document of Indian democracy.

The expensive price tag of political propaganda

Before we dive into the irony of the advertisement, it is essential to point towards the financial cost of these advertisements, estimated to be upwards of ₹15–25 lakh for full-page placements in high-circulation dailies like Maharashtra Times and Lok Satta, is substantial. For perspective, multiple full-page ads in these leading publications over several days could cost the government crores of rupees. This expenditure begs the question: Why is the state splurging on image-building campaigns when Maharashtra faces urgent fiscal challenges? While these advertisements are a clear attempt to boost the image of the Mahayuti government ahead of elections, what’s often overlooked is who’s footing the bill for this political propaganda: it’s the taxpayer. Public funds—our taxes—are being used to pay for these ads that serve little more than to bolster the political capital of the ruling government.

Maharashtra’s public sector continues to grapple with a host of issues—rural healthcare infrastructure is overstretched, drought-hit farmers continue to demand support, and unemployment rates are rising. Despite these pressing needs, state funds are being diverted toward political advertising, and not just any advertising, but a clear attempt to consolidate votes before the election code of conduct is enforced. The misuse of public money for electioneering feels particularly egregious. Instead of being channelled into improving healthcare, education, or providing meaningful support to drought-affected farmers, taxpayer money is being diverted toward high-cost political advertisements. This blatant misuse of public resources for partisan gain not only raises ethical concerns but also underscores a government that prioritises its electoral fortunes over the actual needs of its citizens.

Take for instance the advertisement featuring Devendra Fadnavis himself. Prominently featuring Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s image, it seeks to position the coalition of Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), National Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as the protector of constitutional values. However, behind the façade lies a government that has, on multiple occasions, shown contempt for the Constitution’s core principles of equality, justice, and fraternity.

The misuse of Ambedkar’s legacy

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar is a figure synonymous with the Indian Constitution, but his image has often, more so in the recent times, been co-opted by political parties for electoral gain. The “Ghar Ghar Sambhavidhan” campaign is an example of this strategic co-optation. At a time when Dalits and those marginalised communities continue to face violence, discrimination, and exploitation, invoking Ambedkar’s legacy without addressing the core issues affecting these communities is an exercise in tokenism.

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s life was dedicated to dismantling the oppressive caste system and fighting for the rights of Dalits and other marginalised communities. However, the Mahayuti government’s invocation of Ambedkar’s image through campaigns like “Ghar Ghar Sambhavidhan” rings hollow when juxtaposed with the escalating violence, discrimination, and land-related exploitation faced by Dalits and Adivasis in Maharashtra. While Ambedkar’s face is splashed across newspaper ads, Maharashtra’s Dalit and Adivasi communities continue to bear the brunt of systematic oppression and neglect under the very government that claims to uphold his ideals.

In March 2020, a brutal case of atrocity against Dalit women had surfaced from Solapur district, wherein a 16-year-old Dalit girl had been gang-raped by 10 men for more than 6 months, underscoring the stark reality of caste-based sexual violence in Maharashtra. The girl’s family faced immense pressure from the perpetrators to withdraw the complaint, while local authorities delayed taking action, sparking protests and demonstrations demanding justice. In August 2023, in Satara, Maharashtra, a Dalit woman had faced public humiliation and assault. Her only “crime” was daring to demand the return of money she was reportedly owed. These cases mirror the growing epidemic of violence against Dalit women in the state, where crimes of rape, assault, and social ostracisation are disturbingly frequent.

In November 2023, on Maharashtra’s Beed, a Tribal woman had been stripped naked by tearing her clothes, molested and beaten for land disputes. The heinous crime had been committed in the presence of police, and those involved included a BJP MLA Suresh Dhas’s wife along with three people.

In October 2023, four Dalit children had been hung from a tree upside down and thrashed for “stealing goats and pigeons” in Srirampur in Ahmednagar district. This deep-rooted casteism is a direct affront to Ambedkar’s fight for land and economic equality, yet the state government has been silent in addressing these ongoing attacks.

Furthermore, across rural Maharashtra, Dalit farmers are facing increasing threats of land grabbing, forced evictions, and illegal occupation of their agricultural lands. As many as 81% of Dalit farmers in Maharashtra were agricultural labourers, who had no land of their own and worked on others’ farmland as opposed to 49% of landless farmers among non-Dalits, according to Census 2011.  Even today, in many cases, state authorities turn a blind eye to these atrocities, failing to protect Dalit farmers’ rights to land and livelihood.

The displacement of Adivasi communities has also surged in recent years. A notable case occurred in the tribal regions of Palghar and Nashik in 2020, where Adivasis were forcibly evicted from their lands to make way for government infrastructure projects. These land grabs were carried out without proper compensation or resettlement, leaving entire communities destitute and without basic means of survival. Adivasis, who have historically been among the most marginalised groups in Indian society, find themselves repeatedly deprived of their constitutional right to land, despite the government’s public commitment to protecting the Constitution.

In Gadchiroli, in 2023, another alarming incident saw forest rights activists, including Adivasi leaders, beaten and detained for protesting the illegal encroachment of their forest lands by private contractors. This blatant disregard for the Forest Rights Act, which guarantees land rights to indigenous communities, reflects the deepening crisis in Maharashtra’s tribal belts. Dr. Ambedkar’s legacy, which emphasised the protection of marginalised communities and their access to land, is being blatantly violated by the state’s development policies, often at the behest of private industrial interests.

Another case that highlights caste violence occurred in February 2022, when a Dalit family in Latur district was attacked and boycotted for entering a local temple. The upper-caste mob severely beat the family members, accusing them of “defiling” the temple, a throwback to the deeply entrenched untouchability practices Ambedkar fought against. Even in September 2024, a Shiv Sena leader, purportedly a close aide of Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, had been booked along with several others for allegedly preventing Dalits from entering a temple. The local police initially refused to register a case, demonstrating how institutionalised caste bias continues to deprive Dalits of their basic rights, even in modern Maharashtra.

The grim reality for Maharashtra’s Dalits and Adivasis stands in stark contrast to the Mahayuti government’s public posture of honouring Ambedkar’s legacy. While the government spends crores on advertisements featuring Ambedkar’s image, the very communities he sought to uplift are being left vulnerable to exploitation, violence, and systemic marginalisation. The deliberate use of Ambedkar’s legacy in electoral campaigns without addressing the state’s failing record on Dalit and Adivasi rights reflects a cynical and opportunistic politics—one that exploits historical symbols for short-term political gain while ignoring the lived realities of the most oppressed sections of society. In this light, the state’s public campaigns appear less as a genuine commitment to constitutional principles and more as a cynical attempt to secure votes from marginalised communities ahead of elections.

Maharashtra, like other BJP-ruled states, has seen a rise in caste-based atrocities and systemic discrimination. In 2022 alone, the state recorded a total of 2276 cases of atrocities against Dalits under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, including heinous cases of violence and rape. Dr. Ambedkar’s vision for social justice is far removed from the reality faced by Dalit communities in Maharashtra today, and the state government’s actions have done little to address these grave injustices.

Trampling upon constitutional values: The reality

While the government speaks of safeguarding the Constitution through its campaigns, its actions paint a different picture. Multiple incidents highlight how the Eknath Shinde-led administration has failed to uphold constitutional values in practice.

Bulldozer justice and lack of due process: Maharashtra has seen instances where the state, like several other BJP-ruled states, has resorted to demolition drives targeting the homes of the accused before trials are even conducted. These extrajudicial actions violate the fundamental right to life and property as enshrined under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. The most notable recent instance of bulldozer being used against Dalits was on June 6, when state authorities razed Jai Bhim Nagar in Powai to the ground. It is essential to note that even though demolitions and evictions are prohibited in the state during monsoons, civic and state authorities collude with developers and builders to carry out these alleged lawless evictions. 

The shrinking space for dissent: In Maharashtra, the crackdown on dissent has been particularly severe, with Adivasi rights activists facing relentless persecution for standing up against state-backed exploitation of their lands and resources. The state’s targeting of activists advocating for tribal rights underscores a broader trend of silencing dissent and crushing resistance from marginalised groups. From the tribal regions of Gadchiroli, where those protesting illegal land acquisitions by private contractors have faced brutal retaliation, including physical violence and arbitrary detention, to Palghar evictions, the state has abused its brutal power against those dissenting against him.

One also cannot forget the infamous Bhima Koregaon case, which is another chilling example of how dissent, especially from Dalit and Adivasi rights activists, has been criminalised in Maharashtra. The case stems from the January 2018 Bhima Koregaon violence, where clashes broke out after Dalits gathered to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon, a symbolic event marking Dalit pride and resistance. However, in the aftermath, several prominent activists—many of whom had a history of defending Adivasi and Dalit rights—were arrested under draconian anti-terror laws, accused of being part of an alleged Maoist conspiracy to incite violence.

Among those targeted were well-known intellectuals and human rights defenders like Sudha Bharadwaj, an Adivasi rights lawyer, and late Father Stan Swamy, an 84-year-old Jesuit priest who had spent decades working to protect Adivasi land rights in Jharkhand and Maharashtra. The Bhima Koregaon case, which was initially about caste-based violence, was quickly transformed into a case about “national security,” with the state using the spectre of Maoism to suppress voices advocating for Dalit and Adivasi rights. The arrests of these activists not only stifled a crucial movement for social justice but also sent a chilling message to those working for the rights of marginalised communities in Maharashtra. It highlighted the shrinking space for dissent, where speaking up against caste violence, land grabs, and state excesses could be framed as a crime.

This pattern of state repression is also visible in the treatment of grassroots activists who oppose large-scale development projects that threaten to displace Adivasi communities from their ancestral lands. The government’s ruthless crackdown on these voices reflects its prioritisation of corporate interests over the rights of indigenous populations, while branding activists as “anti-development” or “urban Naxals” to justify their suppression. One must not forget that only in June 2024, the Maharashtra government tabled the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024 on the penultimate day of just concluded session of the state assembly (Vidhan Sabha). The said bill, introduced by the state’s industries minister Uday Samant, was deemed to be brought in to stop the “proliferation of Urban Naxalism” in the state of Maharashtra.

Political expediency at the cost of governance

In the weeks leading up to the elections, the Eknath Shinde government has also issued a series of populist government orders, many of which appear designed to win votes rather than address long-standing problems. Many “beneficial policies” for the marginalised are being hastily rolling out s to win voter favour before the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) takes effect. In a clear election ploy, CM Eknath Shinde announced the waiving of tolls for light vehicles at all five entry points to Mumbai, effective midnight. This decision comes just days before elections are expected to be declared, aligning with a pattern of voter-friendly initiatives that prioritise political gain over substantive governance.  Notably, the toll waiver affects entry points at Vashi, Airoli, Mulund (LBS Road), Mulund (Eastern Express Highway), and Dahisar, where tolls were recently raised to Rs 45. Critics argue this move is a transparent gimmick to distract from more pressing issues.

Additionally, the Cabinet has approved salary hikes for madrasa teachers and increased the budget of the Maulana Azad Minority Financial Development Corporation from Rs 700 crore to Rs 1,000 crore. The government is also seeking to attract OBC and tribal voters by raising the non-creamy layer income limit for OBCs from Rs 8 lakh to Rs 15 lakh and doubling the guarantee for the Shabari Tribal Finance Corporation from Rs 50 crore to Rs 100 crore.

While these initiatives may appear beneficial, their timing raises concerns about their true intent, suggesting a focus on short-term electoral gains rather than addressing long-standing socio-economic challenges in the state. It is also ironical as the state has dragged its feet on providing meaningful relief for years, this sudden rush of policies ahead of elections reflects poorly on its intentions.

One glaring example of this election-oriented governance is the delay in resolving the long-pending Maratha reservation issue. Although the state government expressed its commitment to resolving the demands of the Maratha community, it has failed to bring about substantial solutions, choosing instead to delay contentious decisions to avoid political backlash. But now, as elections draw near, the same issues that were left on the back burner are being dusted off and used to appease the agitated electorate. This pattern of governance by political expediency is evident, yet the government hopes to manipulate voters by promising last-minute relief.

A gimmick wrapped in Constitutional drapes

The Eknath Shinde-led government’s actions are a masterclass in political posturing. By rolling out expensive, taxpayer-funded advertisements and issuing symbolic government orders in the eleventh hour, the administration is hoping to distract the electorate from its failures and shortcomings. The use of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s image to bolster its claims of constitutional integrity is a cynical move, especially in light of the numerous instances where this very government has undermined the values Ambedkar stood for.

As Maharashtra heads toward its elections, the electorate must critically assess whether these last-minute, high-cost campaigns and symbolic gestures represent genuine governance or if they are merely a well-timed charade designed to retain power. The people of Maharashtra deserve more than gimmicks and propaganda; they deserve a government that truly respects and upholds the Constitution, not just in words but in action.

Related:

Despite legal promises, hate speech prosecutions in Maharashtra remain paralysed

Bombay HC chastens Maharashtra Police for shoddy investigation in cases involving sexual assault against minors and women

Maharashtra: Swift action on protesters, delayed justice for sexual assault against minors, police priorities need to be questioned

Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill tabled in assembly, using the myth of “urban naxals” to supress dissent?

The post Pre-Election Gimmickry, Maharashtra: Mahayuti govt compelled to appropriate INDIA alliance Constitution driven call? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

An excerpt from Ram Puniyani’s latest book, Ambedkar, Hindutva and RSS

As the country came forward to celebrate the 125^th birth Anniversary of Dr. Bhimrao Babasaheb Ambedkar, (14^th April 2016) there was a sort of competition amongst different political and social groups to hold the anniversary programs. While dalit groups have been organizing these programs all through, lately many other organizations have also started organizing programs to honor Babasaheb. There are attempts to appropriate his legacy. Amulya Gopalkrishnan points out, “The most brazen ownership attempt comes from BJP and RSS, whose worldview is exactly what Ambedkar considered his mission to Annihilate.” [1] RSS parivar have been doing it from last quite some time. Their mouth pieces in Organiser (English) and Panchjanya (Hindi) both brought out the special issues praising Babasaheb (2015).

In an interview RSS prachar pramukh (publicity Chief) Manmohan Vaiday said that RSS reverence for Ambedkar is not new. According to him “Babasaheb was never anti Brahmin. He was against all forms of casteism and caste based discrimination.” [2] This statement of Vaidya cleverly hides the fact that Ambedkar was against Brahminism.

Commemorating the 125th birth anniversary of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, PM Narendra Modi (14 April 2016) said that Ambedkar fought against injustice in society and his fight was for equality and dignity. Modi, who paid tributes to the father of the Constitution, said that he was fortunate to grace the occasion at the leader’s birthplace, Mhow, in Madhya Pradesh. [3]

In order to gain larger legitimacy, RSS has been making claims of sorts. One such is that Ambedkar believed in Sangh ideology (Feb 15, 2015). This was stated by RSS Sarsanghchalak, Mohan Bhagwat. Just one year ago on the occasion of Ambedkar’s 124^th anniversary many programs were held by RSS combine giving a pro-Hindutva tilt to ideology of Ambedkar [4].

There cannot be bigger contrast between the ideology of Ambedkar and RSS. Ambedkar was critical of Brahaminical Hinduism, was for Indian Nationalism, Secularism and social justice while the RSS ideology is based on two major pillars. One is the Brahmanic Hinduism and second is the concept of Hindu nationalism, Hindu Rashtra.

Where does Ambedkar stand as for as ideology of Hinduism is concerned? He called Hinduism as Brahminic theology. We understand that Brahminism has been the dominant tendency within Hinduism. He realized that this prevalent version of Hinduism is essentially a caste system, which is the biggest tormentor of untouchables-dalits. Initially he tried to break the shackles of caste system from within the fold of Hinduism. He led the Chavadar Talab movement, Kalaram Mandir agitation. He also went on to burn Manu Smriti, the holy Hindu text saying that it is a symbol of caste and gender hierarchy.

His critique of Brahminism was scathing and in due course he came to the conclusion that he will give up Hinduism. In his book ‘Riddles of Hinduism’ published by Govt. of Maharashtra (1987) he elaborates his understanding about Hinduism. Introducing his book he writes, “The book is an exposition of the beliefs propounded by what might be called Brahminic theology…I want to make people aware that Hindu religion is not Sanatan (eternal)…the second purpose of the book is to draw the attention of Hindu masses to the devices of Brahmins and make them think for themselves how they have been deceived and misguided by Brahmins” [5].

His analysis of Hinduism was deep and incisive. He says Hindusim is “nothing but a mass of superficial, social, political and sanitary rules and regulations, organized around caste…” [6]. Further he states “no matter what the Hindus say Hinduism is a menace to liberty, equality and fraternity. On that count it is incompatible with democracy” (quoted in above). Ambedkar had started moving away from Hinduism in 1935 itself when he had publicly declared that he was not going to die as a Hindu. In 1936, he had attended the Sikh Missionary Conference as he had toyed for some time with the idea of embracing Sikhism. In 1936, Ambedkar also wrote and published Annihilation of Caste, his undelivered presidential address to the Jat-Pat-Todak Mandal Conference at Lahore. At the end of his written address, Ambedkar reiterated his resolve to give up Hinduism. [7]

He said “I have decided for myself. My conversion is sure as anything. My conversion is not for any material gain. There is nothing which I cannot achieve by remaining an Untouchable. My conversion is purely out of my spiritual attitude. The Hindu religion does not appeal to my conscience. It does not appeal to my self-respect. However, your conversion will be both for material as well as for spiritual gains. Some persons mock and laugh at the idea of conversion for material gain. I do not feel hesitant in calling such persons stupid.”[8]

Lord Ram is the major symbol of Cultural Nationalism propounded by RSS. Let’s see what Ambedkar has to say about Lord Ram. For Lord Ram “The life of Sita simply did not count. What counted was his own personal name and fame. He of course does not take the manly course of stopping this gossip, which as a king he could do and which as husband who was convinced of his wife’s innocence he was bound to it.” And further, “For 12 years the boys lived in forest in Ashram of Valmiki not far from Ayodhya where Rama continued to rule. Never once in those 12 years this model Husband and living father cared to inquire what has happened to Sita whether she was alive or dead, …Sita preferred to die rather than return to Ram who had behaved no better than a brute.” The signals to the Dalits in Hindutva cultural Nationalism are more than glaringly obvious as the Lord demonstrates in his own life, “…he was a Shudra named Shambuk who was practicing Tapasya with a view to going to heaven in his own earthly person and without so much as a warning, expostulation or the like addressed to him, cut off his head…”[9].

Ambedkar envisioned ‘annihilation of caste’, which remains unfulfilled despite India getting Independence. Multiple factors have operated in the society due to which caste still remains a major factor in India. In contrast to Ambedkar’s ‘Annihilation of Caste’ the politics of RSS combine says that there should be ‘harmony amongst different castes’ and so they have formed an organization called ‘Samajik Samrasta Manch’ (Social Harmony Forum). Contrasting approach to social issues, Ambedkar and RSS!

Core of RSS political ideology is Hindutva or Hindu nationalism. Ambedkar engaged with this issue in much depth, particularly in his classic book ‘Thoughts on Pakistan’. In this book he deals with the question of Hindu nationalism as represented by Savakar; the progenitor of RSS ideology of Hindu nation; and Jinnah, leading the ideology of Muslim nationalism, Pakistan.  “Strange as it may appear Mr. Savarkar and Mr. Jinnah instead of being opposed to each other on the ‘one nation versus two nations’ issue are in complete agreement about it. Both agree, not only agree but insist that there are two nations in India-one the Muslim nation and the other the Hindu nation.” he continues, “They differ only as regards the terms and conditions on which the two nations should be. Jinnah says India should be cut up into two, Pakistan and Hindustan, the Muslim nation to occupy Pakistan and the Hindu nation to occupy Hindustan. Mr. Savarkar on the other hand insists that, although there are two nations in India, India shall not be divided into two parts, one for the Muslims and the other for Hindus; that the two nations shall dwell in one country and shall live under the mantle of one single constitution: that the constitution shall be such that the Hindu nation will be enabled to occupy a predominant position that is due to it and the Muslim nation to made to live in the position of subordinate co-operation with the Hindu nation.” [10]

He was for composite Indian Nationalism, “Is it not a fact that under the Montague Chelmsford reforms in most provinces, if not in all, the Muslims, the non-Brahmins and Depressed Classes united together and worked for the reforms as members of one team from 1920 to 1937? Here in lay the most fruitful method of achieving communal harmony among Hindus and Muslims and of destroying the danger of Hindu Raj. Mr. Jinnah could have easily pursued this line. Nor was it difficult for Mr. Jinnah to succeed in it.” [11]

He was totally opposed to the concept of Hindu Raj as well. In the section “Must There Be Pakistan” he says, “If Hindu Raj does become a fact, it will, no doubt, be the greatest calamity for this country. No matter what the Hindus say, Hinduism is a menace to the liberty, equality and fraternity. On that account it is incompatible with democracy. Hindu Raj must be prevented at any cost.” [12]

On all associated matters related to affirmative action for weaker sections of society, rights and status of religious minorities their positions are totally contrasting. Even in the matters of the very Constitution of India, Ambedkar was the chairman of its drafting committee while many a sections from RSS stable have called it as anti Hindu and need to bring in Hindu Constitution based on Indian Holy books. When Constituent Assembly had finalised the Constitution (November 26, 1949), the RSS was not happy. It demanded the Manusmriti as the constitution of India. The Organiser, in an editorial on November 30, 1949, complained: “But in our constitution there is no mention of the unique constitutional development in ancient Bharat. Manu’s laws were written long before Lycurgus of Sparta or Solon of Persia. To this day, his laws as enunciated in the Manusmriti excite the admiration of the world and elicit spontaneous obedience and conformity. But to our constitutional pundits, that means nothing”. [13]

This attempt by RSS equating Ambedkar’s ideology with that of its own is like putting wool in the eyes of people. This is aimed to achieve their political goals and to get legitimacy from amongst the sections of people who are deeply wedded to ideological values of Ambedkar.

Foot Notes

1. Amulya GopalKrishnan, Times of India,  Mumbai April 14, 2016
2. Manmohan Vaiday, Interview, Times of India Mumbai April 14, 2016
3. http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/at-ambedkars-birthplace-pm-modi-praises-dalit-icon-says-his-fight-was-for-equality-dignity/1/642882.html
4. http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/mohan-bhagwat-ambedkar-sangh-ideology-rss/1/418998.html
5. B.R. Ambedkar, Riddles of Hinduism, Government of Maharashtra, 1988, Introduction
6. Quoted in Amulya GopalkrishanaQuoted TOI 14 04 2016 Mumbai
7. http://bihar.humanists.net/B.%20R.%20Ambedkar.htm
8. http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/txt_ambedkar_salvation.html
9. B.R. Ambedkar, Riddles of Rama and Krishna, Govt of Maharashtra 1988, Mumbai
10. B.R. Ambedkar, Thoughts on Pakistan, Third section, chapter VII
11. B.R. Ambedkar, Thoughts on Pakistan, P. 359, Government of Maharashtra, Mumbai
12. http://ecumene.org/IIS/csss101.htm
13. http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/ram-madhav-b-r-ambedkar-indian-constitution-no-love-for-ambedkar-2766152/#sthash.n7EF2sYb.dpuf

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The BJP leader, and now poster boy of Hindutva, Sarma wrote a Twitter (X) post on December 26. In his post, he shared verse 44 of chapter 18 of The Bhagavad Gita with a comment that “Lord Krishna has himself described the natural duty of Vaishyas and Shudras”.

A Brahmin by caste, Sarma went on to say that the “natural duty” for Shudras was to serve the upper castes. It appears that Sarma selected a particular verse from The Gita to consolidate upper caste dominance within the state by promoting caste-based occupation.

In Sarma’s X post, a Sanskrit verse was written at the top and its Hindi translation was given below. The summary of the Hindi verse is as follows: the natural duty of Vaishyas is agriculture, trade and animal husbandry, while the natural duty of Shudras is to serve Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas.

It is condemnable that a person, who has taken an oath of allegiance to Ambedkar’s Constitution, has written such objectionable content on his official account. He has not only hurt the sentiments of millions of Bahujans and violated democratic principles but has also gone against the teachings of Babasaheb Ambedkar.

Throughout his life, Babasaheb Ambedkar was opposed to the “division of labourers” because he thought it resulted in the denial of freedom for the non-Brahmin castes. The critiques of Ambedkarite scholars of the caste system are based on a similar logic that the rigidity of caste-based occupation puts individuals in chains and denies them to pursue the profession of their choice.

Ambedkarite scholars further argue that birth-based division of labour not only kills individual talent but also cripples the progress of the nation. On this question, Ambedkar has differences with Gandhi.

On the question of The Bhagavad Gita, whose verse the Assam Chief Minister Sarma often shares on his social media account, Ambedkar differs from caste Hindu leaders. In his uncompleted work Revolution and Counter-Revolution which he was developing in the 1950s, Ambedkar argued that The Bhagavad Gita and Manudharmashastra were written post-Buddhist period.

In the post-Buddhism period, Brahmanism rose and it launched deadly counter-revolutionary attacks on Buddhism. In that context, The Gita, according to Ambedkar, which appeared similar to the teachings of Buddhism, tried to justify the counter-revolution.

In other words, The Gita and its teachings go against the Dalit-Bahujan currents.

Ambedkar was highly critical of the teaching of The Bhagavad Gita in the following words: “The Bhagvad Gita is not a gospel and it can therefore have no message and it is futile to search for one…the Bhagvad Gita is neither a book of religion nor a book of philosophy…What the Bhagvad Gita does is to defend certain dogmas of religion on philosophical grounds”.

According to Ambedkar, The Bhagvad Gita provides not only “justification for war” but also “comes forward to offer a philosophic defense” of four-fold varna (Chaturvarnya). Besides, Babasaheb said that “The Bhagvad Gita, no doubt, mentions that the Chaturvarnya is created by God and therefore sacrosanct” (Cited in Valerian Rodrigues, ed., The Essential Writings of B.R. Ambedkar, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2002, p. 194).

Note, also that Assam Chief Minister and BJP leader Sarma later tried to pacify the public outrage by saying that the problem arose because of “incorrect translation” done by his staff. To escape from taking responsibility, he deleted his Shudra post and wrote on December 28, two days after his original post: “As a routine, I upload one sloka of Bhagavad Gita every morning on my social media handles. To date, I have posted 668 slokas. Recently one of my team members posted a sloka from Chapter 18 verse 44 with an incorrect translation. As soon as I noticed the mistake, I promptly deleted the post. The state of Assam reflects a perfect picture of a casteless society, thanks to the reform movement led by Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva. If the deleted post has offended anyone, I sincerely apologize”.

By blaming his staff and incorrect translation, Sarma tried to escape engaging with the Dalit-Bahujan critiques of The Gita. He seems reluctant to accept the fact that the differences and conflicts are not the outcome of the “wrong” translation but the text itself.

Unlike many upper-caste reformist scholars, Ambedkar was courageous and clear: he brought his criticism of The Gita to the public. Other Hindutva leaders, on the other hand, appear to be treading two contradictory paths.

While their core ideology of a hierarchy-based society has brought them attached to texts like Manu Smriti and its kinds, their vote bank politics has compelled them to show their public admiration for Ambedkar, whose life-long struggle was against the laws of Manu Smriti.

Neither Sarma nor any leader of the RSS is willing to accept the fact that the BJP and the RSS have to choose between Ambedkar’s Constitution and Manu Smriti and similar texts justifying caste-based hierarchy.

Eminent Marxist historian Prof R.S. Sharma (Ancient India) has done a pioneering study on the formation of a four-fold varna system in ancient India. He has shown that the post-Vedic society was based on a birth-based hierarchy where Brahmins were placed at the top and the Shudras, the fourth class, were degraded to the bottom. According to him, the Shudras were not only compelled to serve the top of three Varnas i.e., Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas but also demonized as cruel and thieves.

But after Independence, Ambedkar’s point of view was accepted and the idea of equality was made an essential part of the Fundamental Right. Since the 26th of January, 1950 when the Constitution became the supreme law of the land, our country outlawed birth-based privileges as well as any form of discrimination based on caste.

Next, equal opportunity was made a key feature of the Fundamental Rights in the Constitution. Simply put, all people become equal and the state is prohibited from formulating any law that could discriminate against its citizens based on caste, gender, sex and region.

The framing of the Indian Constitution, based on secular, democratic and republican values, did away with birth-based hierarchical social rules. It was due to the powerful movements of Dalit-Bahujans, whose activists and philosophers rejected Manu Smriti and other Hindu religious texts and accepted values like equality, liberty and fraternity, one of the main pillars of the Indian Constitution. Ambedkar’s critique of The Bhagavad Gita should be seen in this context.

Soon after the Assam Chief Minister’s Twitter post quoting a verse from The Gita, a large number of people condemned him. Fearing that it may cost him dear in the upcoming elections and alienate a large section of the lower caste voters from the BJP, he was forced to suddenly delete his post.

Next, Sarma tendered an apology and blamed the “incorrect” translation. But it does not appear to be just a human mistake. On several occasions, the Hindutva leaders have spoken against Constitutions and praised “reactionary” social practices.

For example, while Sarma has apologised for his remarks on Shudras, he has never shown such a gesture as far as his anti-Muslim statements are concerned. It appears that he does it deliberately as he is aware of the fact that the success of the BJP in the state as well as outside is based on creating and maintaining a communal division between the non-Muslim Assamese populations and “infiltrator-Bangladeshi” Muslims living in Assam.

Such a communal narrative helps divert the public attention from the heart problem in the state. These include the unequal relationship between the Centre and the state. Other challenges include (a) achieving inclusive development, (b) protecting natural resources from being monopolized by the big corporate players and (c) ensuring the rights of the most vulnerable community of the state including Adivasis.

Worse still, the Adivasis and other backward castes remain largely excluded from the administration and public institutions in Assam. From business to culture, cinema and media, Dalits, Adivasis, Backward castes and Muslims remain largely kept out.

After joining the BJP from the Congress, Sarma further marginalised the already marginalised caste leaders from the BJP. He manoeuvred to succeed Sarbananda Sonewal, an Adivasi, as the fifteenth chief minister of the state. His ascendance in the BJP is due to his ability to exploit the upper caste network. Note that the numerically smaller upper castes are ruling the roost in the state, while the majority including Dalits, OBCs, Adivasi Muslims and women are kept excluded.

To maintain his dominance within the party and hide the failure of his government, Himanta Biswa Sarma is fond of airing anti-Muslim remarks. Such an anti-Muslim strategy protects upper-caste interests and pleases the RSS.

Since Sarma knows these fault lines well, he tries to blame Muslims and the Congress for all the problems. His attack on Nehru-Gandhi’s family is utterly distasteful. Nothing is as nasty as his tirade against Muslims.

A few months back, Sarma went on to blame Muslims for the price rise of vegetables. Around the same time, he gave an interview with NDTV and said that he would not “seek Muslim votes”.

It seems that the Muslims of Assam have become “politically untouchables” to him. His attacks on Muslim homes, identity and cultural and religious institutions including madrasas are getting intensified. Such a communal tone which he often uses is distasteful to democratic values.

Worse still, Sarma, in the recently held electoral campaigns in Chhattisgarh, attacked Mohammad Akbar, the only Congress minister, and said that “the land of Mata Kaushalya will get defiled if Akbar isn’t sent off”. Weeks later, he spit venom in another election rally at Khandwa (Madhya Pradesh) and said “Voting for Congress means encouraging the ‘Babars’ in the country”.

Even a quick analysis of Sarma’s speech would reveal that his narrative is not only anti-Muslim but also against Dalit-Bahujan philosophy.

In a democratic polity, no one is above the law.

But it appears that the BJP leader and the Assam Chief Minister Sarma have so far managed to easily walk away after making highly objectionable statements against the marginalized community. That is why many perceive that if half of the objectionable statements that Sarma has made so far were given by a Muslim leader or a Dalit activist, she/he would have been surely languishing in jail Thus, the citizens of the country are right to ask if Himanta Biswa Sarma is above the law.

The rise of Sarma is an example of the rise of Hindu “nationalism”. It appears that the prejudice against the working classes, mostly Dalits, Adivasis and OBCs, is being intensified under the Hindutva regime.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi is never tired of playing the OBC card, the fact remains that under his almost 10-year rule, the position of the dominant sections of society has become further consolidated. For example, the educational, religious, cultural and commercial institutions are still monopolized by the upper castes.

The only positive change has been seen in the domain of politics where some OBC leaders have come to power. The rise of the lower castes in politics has created fear among the upper castes.

The Shudra post of BJP leader Sarma, a Brahmin Chief Minister in a Bahujan-dominated Assam, is an expression of the same Brahminical anxieties.

By invoking The Gita, he wants to tell the lower castes that they should never forget their “natural” duty to serve the upper castes. The promotion of The Gita by the state machinery under the Modi Raj should be seen as the ascendance of Brahminical ideology, which is using the ancient text to curb the rise of plebeians in modern times and weaken Ambedkar’s Constitution.

(Dr Abhay Kumar is a Delhi-based journalist. He has taught political sciences at NCWEB Centres of Delhi University.)

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Debroy’s call for scrapping the existing Constitution reflects the deep-seated historic discomfort of the Hindutva forces with Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution. And Debroy’s statement is in no way his personal opinion. The opposition parties rightly came out to oppose it. Among the first leaders to comment was Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, who said that Debroy’s article “sounded the bugle for junking the Constitution – of which Dr. Ambedkar was a prime architect”. Jayant Chaudhary, Rashtriya Lok Dal president, too, criticised Debroy’s views: “I don’t think the chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister is entitled to express any “personal views”.  Swami Prasad Maurya, the national general secretary of the Samajwadi Party, strongly sought action against those who demanded a new Constitution and supported the idea of a Hindu nation as it amounted to indulging in anti-national acts.

However, the sharpest critique of Debroy’s call was made by Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati. “Bibek Debroy acted beyond his brief, which the central government must take immediate cognizance of and take action so that no one dares talk this way again”, said Mayawati. In her statement, Mayawati rightly said that the call for scrapping the Constitution was “anti-people” and “pro-capitalist” acts, which reflect a “casteist” outlook. In her words: “The Constitution is a guarantee of humanity and egalitarianism for poor, backward and neglected people. Only selfish, narrow-minded and casteist elements dispute such an outlook and seek to turn it into an anti-people and pro-capitalist document. Opposing such an idea is everyone’s responsibility”.

The BJP Government was quick to realise that Debroy’s view had politically backfired. Since the elections are at hand in several states and the united opposition parties are exposing the Narendra Modi Government’s failure to give relief to the people, the BJP Government, therefore, was quick to distance itself from Debroy’s remarks. In a damage-control exercise, the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister stated that the call of having a new Constitution was the “personal” view of Debroy and “in no way do they reflect the views of EAC- PM or the Government of India”.

Bibek Debroy is one of the key ideologues of the Modi Government. He is a big supporter of market fundamentalism and reactionary and conservative Hindu nationalism. He, therefore, is a big opponent of vibrant public sectors, welfare and pro-poor policies. Caste-based reservation, other affirmative actions and minority rights are also anathema to him. This is how he fits into the RSS agenda.

It is true that the RSS sometimes speaks in favour of Swadeshi and spiritualism and opposes materialism and capitalism. But the larger reality is that it has been at the forefront of serving the interests of landlords, big merchants and corporate players.

The reason why the RSS and the BJP have risen to prominence in Indian politics within a short period is the strong backing they receive from dominant (even regressive)  forces. Hindutva ideology– which aims to establish majoritarianism and subordination of the workers, peasants, the lower castes, minorities and women – is often camouflaged as nationalism. In his article, Bibek Debroy also tried indirectly to strike a chord with nationalism by arguing that the Constitution had inherited a “colonial legacy”. As he put it, “Our current Constitution is largely based on the Government of India Act of 1935. In that sense, it is also a colonial legacy”.

It has been a favourite strategy of the RSS/BJP leaders to call anything that does not suit them, “colonial”.

From the Constitution to ideals such as secularism, gender rights and socialism is opposed by employing the charge of being non-Indic. But the RSS is not ready to accept the bigger reality that the foundation of its organisation and its core ideology of majoritarianism and cultural nationalism are what, in actuality, are completely foreign in origin. Several eminent political scientists have drawn parallels between the ideologies of German nationalism and the RSS worldview.

Since the Constitution is based on democratic ideals and its salient features are equality, liberty, fraternity, social justice, gender equality, the welfare state, secularism, pluralism, minority rights, federalism etc., the RSS has often found them impendent in their agenda to establish the complete hegemony of the privileged few. Remember that the large social base of the RSS and Modi is those who are strongly opposed to the rights of marginalized groups and minorities and welfare economics. But the electoral compulsion has restrained them not to come out openly to express their counter-revolutionary agendas. The anti-Constitutional statement of Debroy is a litmus test of the public mood.

History bears witness to the fact that the RSS has often tried to delegitimize the Constitution. When the Constitution was drafted, the Organiser, RSS mouthpiece, turned into a rejectionist mode. Instead of celebrating the democratic and secular Indian Constitution, it began to heap praises on Manusmriti. Remember that Manusmriti, the social code, was burnt by Ambedkar on 25 Dec 1927 at Mahad for promoting inequality. According to Babasaheb, Smriti literature, including Manusmriti, gave legitimacy to the counter-revolution. Moreover, it replaced birth with worth as the criterion for assigning social roles. Soon, it facilitated the downfall of Shudra. Eventually, it resulted in the servitude of Shudra and pushed women to fall into a state of ignominy.

In other words, Ambedkar argued that the servitude of marginalised groups including women was legitimized by Manusmriti. Since the days of Mahad, no other political groups other than the Hindutva forces have defended it. For example, the editorial of the Organiser (November 30, 1949), shamelessly wrote that “in our constitution there is no mention of the unique constitutional development in ancient Bharat. Manu’s laws were written long before Lycurgus of Sparta or Solon of Persia. To this day, his laws as enunciated in the Manusmriti excite the admiration of the world and elicit spontaneous obedience and conformity. But to our constitutional pundits, that means nothing”.

Note the dubious politics of RSS: while it claims to be “the champion” of Babasaheb Ambedkar, its leaders keep praising Manusmriti which Ambedkar opposed all through his life. M.S. Golwalkar, the second Sarsanghchalak of RSS and one of its key ideologues, went on to praise Manusmriti.  In his book Bunch of Thoughts (1966), Golwalkar believed that “Bhagwan Manu and the greatest lawgiver of mankind”. Manusmriti is also known as the Laws of Manu.

Continuing the attack on the Constitution, the VHP, an affiliate of the RSS, passed a resolution in his Dharm Sansad and called the Constitution as anti-Hindu. It, therefore, demanded that the Indian Constitution should be replaced with the one based on Hindu religious texts. 

Worse still, a group of people, who are believed to be anti-reservation, burnt a copy of the Constitution close to Parliament in August 2018. The upper caste lobby, the core of the RSS social base, is also anti-reservationist but because of the electoral calculation, it does not openly speak against it. However, the current RSS Sarsanghchalak has called for a review of the reservation, which aims at giving its core supporters a hint that the RSS is serious about their concerns.

For Ambedkar, reservation (read affirmative action) ensures the representation of marginalised groups in public institutions without which the upper caste policy-makers would serve their own caste interests. Contrary to it, reservation, for the Hindutva forces, is a negative policy that was “imposed” on the country by the secular Congress government. The Hindutva forces would like to end reservation because it facilitates the entry of marginalized groups into policy-making which has been so far the fiefdom of a few privileged castes.

Much before Debroy, the former  Jana Sangh President Deendayal Upadhyay (1916- 1968), in his booklet Rashtra Chintan, raised questions about the Constitution and identified lacunas in it. He said that the Constitution was framed after copying the Government of India Act 1935, a similar argument repeated by Debroy. Moreover, Upadhyay argued that it was based on Western knowledge; it was a bizarre combination of the presidential system of the USA and the parliamentary system of the UK; the lack of feeling of Indian- ness (Bhartiyata) in the Constitution. He also criticised the provision in the Constitution regarding the name of the country and national language.

In 2000, RSS Chief K. S. Sudarshan also raised a question mark over the Constitution.: “We do not accept the concept of minorities at all”. He also added that minorities should accept the “culture” of the majority. Earlier on August 14, 2000, Sudarshan—speaking to journalist Karan Thapar on BBC’s Hard Talk India said that “We do not accept the concept of minorities at all.” Sudarshan further said that the Constitution of India did not reflect the ethos of the people and we should evolve our constitution. As he put it, “The Constitution does not reflect the ethos of the people” and “we should evolve our own Constitution”. When the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government came to power, it called for a review of the Constitution.

Given this, we need to keep vigil against counter-revolutionary attempts.

An earlier version of the article was published in News Trail.

(Dr Abhay Kumar is an independent journalist. He has also taught political science at NCWEB Centres of Delhi University.)

The post A historic discomfort: RSS & Ambedkar’s Constitution appeared first on SabrangIndia.

On 14 April, numerous organisations celebrated the first law minister and Constitution-writer Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar’s 132nd birth anniversary. The celebrations this year perhaps surpassed those held in previous years, for Ambedkar’s contributions to uplift India’s Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, and other disadvantaged communities are increasingly being recognised nationally and abroad. This year, his birth anniversary was celebrated in over 150 countries. Most groups committed to social justice and equality, which oppose birth-based hierarchies and injustices, mark this day with reverence and hope. Often, this celebration takes on a quasi-religious overtone, as rituals are accorded more space than Ambedkar’s values. In this context, the struggle to fulfil the dreams he fought all his life for must be re-launched and sustained.

Other formations, such as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its Hindu nationalist progeny, deeply oppose the annihilation of caste and the principles Ambedkar stood for. Instead, they project the notion of harmony among castes, which does not involve altering the hierarchy inherent in caste. Ambedkar espoused affirmative action for the deprived sections of society. Reservations were initially meant to last for ten years—perhaps Ambedkar and others hoped a decade would be sufficient to root out the malice of caste from Hindu society. However, implementing the reservation policy itself lies in the hands of members of elite castes, and they found ways to circumvent it. That is why discrimination and exclusion based on caste have continued, and ending it remains a prerequisite to the march toward social justice.

The Constitution of India—Ambedkar chaired the committee that drafted it—provided reservations for the Scheduled Castes and Tribes. However, backward classes, a significant constituent of society, did not get recognition or reservations. The Other Backward Classes (OBC) were not a legal category until the Mandal Commission report was implemented in the 1990s.

Further, the last decadal census that considered the caste composition of India was released in 1931. At the time, the proportion of backward classes was 52%, which the Mandal report relied on. It became the basis for ensuring 27% of reservations in the 1990s to the backward classes. These classes were identified based on social and educational backwardness, thus beginning India’s post-independence journey in affirmative action.

But reservations, for any social group, have always been an eyesore to a large section of Indian society. Groups such as “Youth for Equality”, which stood for the abolition of reservations, spread the idea that reservations have allowed undeserving people to find jobs at the cost of “deserving” ones. The social biases around Dalits and OBCs recently culminated in the deaths by suicide of Rohith Vemula and Darshan Solanki. This bias also formed the base of anti-Dalit violence in the 1980s in Ahmedabad and anti-backwards violence in Gujarat in 1985.

In the meantime, the BJP, using its Hindutva plank, floated organisations like the Samajik Samrasta Manch or Social Harmony Forum to reach the most marginalised sections of society. At an ideological level, the Hindu right-wing has made efforts to attribute the ills of the caste system to the “invading” Muslim rulers—the crux of Hindutva. This effort has paid it rich electoral dividends but did not improve the conditions for the poorest and most marginalised sections. One outcome was that the BJP has been able to score many victories for its leaders from constituencies reserved for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

The pracharaks and swayamsevaks of the RSS have pursued what is widely known as social engineering in tribal regions, encouraging Sanskritisation without rights and charitable works without demanding the State recognise the rights of the people who live in these backward and remote regions.

It is no surprise that the BJP and its associates also celebrate Ambedkar anniversary with gusto. Yet they undermine the need for a caste census which can pave the way to modify policies which would benefit the marginalised sections in a real sense.

This background makes Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent speech in Kolar, Karnataka, significant. He has asked for a population census and said the results of affirmative action are not visible in the top bureaucracy in the Union government, as hardly 7% belong to the most marginalised or backward sections. He said the findings of the 2011 caste census, conducted when his party shared power with other constituents of the United Progressive Alliance, must be made public. He said, “The data will provide evidence if OBCs, Dalits, and Adivasis don’t have enough representation in the country’s politics proportionate to their population.” Share in power and representation proportionately to their share in the population is a long-standing slogan and demand from India’s disadvantaged communities.

In contrast, the BJP is trying to dodge the issue. The party did not want a caste census and pleaded in the Supreme Court in 2021 that such a census would be “administratively difficult and cumbersome”. It said it was a “conscious policy decision to exclude such information from the census purview”. Its position has not changed. The real intent of the BJP vis-a-vis social justice becomes apparent when it makes crucial decisions.

During the last nine years, it introduced reservations for the Economically Weaker Section or EWS, a category that dilutes provisions for the non-elite castes and social groups. It is widely understood that the EWS category will help the better-off members of elite caste groups whose income is below a generous Rs 8 lakh a year cut-off. The BJP wants to obfuscate the fact that economic status was never a criterion to provide or deny reservations. Reservations in India are based on historical discrimination (for the Scheduled Castes), geographical remoteness (for the Scheduled Castes), and social and educational backwardness (for the OBCs). But the BJP wants to nullify caste as a category for people wishing to improve their societal position.

Its constructed biases are why the BJP faces the charge that Ambedkar’s principles don’t matter to it. Hindu-nationalist politics could spread widely precisely because it opposed the growing assertion of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and backward sections. Its foundational ideological pronouncements glorified holy tomes and traditions that boost traditional caste and gender hierarchies. A genuine assessment of the population of different marginalised sections is needed to modify our policies and bring society’s uneven and unequal growth on the path of equality.

Numerous and relentless deaths of students from non-elite castes studying in top educational institutions and allegations that caste-based discrimination led to these deaths should awaken us to combat caste-based discrimination. India must strive for a future where the annihilation of caste is the central credo of society.

The author is a human rights activist and taught at IIT Bombay. The views are personal.

Courtesy: Newsclick

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