ASHISH KUMAR, M.PHIL STUDENT, R.NO.131 – SUTLEJ HOSTEL, JNU, NEW DELHI -110057
Mahatma Phule and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who challenged the Brahmins to make Dalits conscious about their rights against age-old caste slavery, are some of the most neglected historical personalities. Compared to other upper caste “reformers” the two hardly find their due space in contemporary or historical discourses. Even the school textbooks do not give, except in some passing remarks, any space to such important historical figures and to their contribution to the Indian society. But lot of praise is given to bogus Hindu “reformers”. Mahatma Phule sought a complete change in the social structure.
Root cause of oppression: Attempts of Vidyasagar to gain social acceptance for widow remarriage completely failed towards the end of 19th century. Vivekananda who considered Vedanta as a fully rational system and Dayanand Saraswati who gave the call “Back to the Vedas” played crucial role in the spread of communal tensions in the society. Phule and Dr. Ambedkar were different from all other social reformers, even though like many of them they too advocated Western education to all irrespective of caste, gender and class differences.
What makes the difference is their total rejection of Brahminism which is the root cause of all societal oppressions and exploitations. That is why the Brahmin rulers condemned them and tried to erase their memory.
Bogus Brahmin literature: Born in a Mali (gardener) caste (OBC) in Maharashtra, Phule wrote the Gulamgiri (Slavery, 1873), a critical examination of the Brahminical system as well as his challenge to it. Though his writings might appear to be crude to many because it does not conform to their bogus “high class” literary standards, but it was powerful enough to test the puranic myths with the tool of reason and proved their falsity. He denounced their “sacred scriptures” used to keep the masses in ignorance. In the Gulamgiri, he questions the very myths that uphold the origin of the four varnas from different parts of Brahma’s body.
He said the Brahmins:
“Wanted to exploit the labour of the shudras and atishudras to sustain not only their own luxurious life- style but also that of their future generations. To achieve this devious goal, they created the fraudulent rigmarole of the caste system and wrote several books to legitimize the caste system”. (Ibid p.45).
Manusmriti burnt: He attacked Brahminism but never hesitated to help even a Brahmin if he or she needed the help. He opened schools for girls from all communities including Brahmins and for shudras, ati- shudras. He provided place in his own house for Brahmin widows, discarded due to their illegitimate pregnancies for a safe and secret delivery of the child. He wrote letters to the British Govt. highlighting women’s inhuman social position and supporting the education for women and widow marriage. (ibid: 191-7).
The British Govt. introduced Western education in English language. This again helped the upper castes. Higher official positions went to Brahmins. He criticised the government for helping Brahmins to monopolise the higher offices.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s fight against Brahminism was much more revolutionary. He not only questioned their “holy scriptures” but even burnt the inhuman Manusmriti. He denounced the varnashrama dharma (caste system), of which Gandhi was a great defender.
Poona Pact: Dr. Ambedkar became the bitterest critic of Gandhi because he came in the way of the Untouchables’ demand for “separate electorate” which would have recognised them as a separate element.
The British Govt. accepted Dr. Ambedkar demand against which Gandhi played his trick of “fast unto death”. Finally, Gandhi was able to force Dr. Ambedkar to sign the notorious “Poona Pact” which forced Dalits to become part of Hindu.
Dr. Ambedkar demanded the “annihilation of caste system”, rather than reforming it. But Gandhi wanted mere reform, not revolution. All this proved Gandhi was an advocate of Brahminism and that is why Hindus carry him on their head.
Yet, we must also remember that it was the Brahmins, who derived the maximum benefit from Gandhi who made them the “rulers of India” but finally killed their own “Father of the Nation” and distributed sweets to celebrate the murder.
When the United Nations itself declared the caste system as racism and even Nepal accepted it, India’s upper caste govt. refused because caste, according to it, is an internal issue.
Gandhi’s Ram Rajya: Despite thousands of claims of success, the idea of nationalism propagated by Gandhi had failed to address the real grievances of SC/ST/BCs because his support to Hinduism is the foundation stone of the Ram Rajya.
At a time when Muslims are being projected as anti- national, when millions of people are facing brutal repression by Indian forces in central India (Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal etc.) and when the entire machinery of the government is serving the corporates and multinationals, it becomes crucially important for us to go back and remember Jotirao Phule and Dr. Ambedkar who fought against the exploitative and oppressive Brahminical structure of Indian society, thereby questioning the very idea of nationalism that is founded upon the victimization of its own people.
