IT’S DO OR DIE ON AMBEDKAR UNIVERSITY

Dalits all over India and their co-sufferers will be naturally sad over the Maharashtra Govt.’s outright rejection of their simple demand to rename the Marathwada University after Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, the greatest Indian after the Buddha, the tallest of revolutionaries of independent India. This is their second defeat on an issue that has created history. When the perverted history of this country is going to be re-written this heroic struggle of the dalits over the namanatara (renaming) issue will form its first golden chapter. No doubt the defeat of the Opposition (Janata) leader’s non-official Bill to this effect in the Maharashtra Legislative Council on Sept. 17.82 coming in the wake of the arrest of thousands of agitating dalits, the renewed Hindu violence on them, the heinous role played by Govt., the ruling Congress and almost every political party, particularly the double-game of the RSS, all go to further reinforce the dalit fear that they have no friends. But this is only a temporary defeat. Nay, we must welcome this defeat. Such a Hindu betrayal should enthuse dalits to launch a bigger, longer struggle -a liberation struggle. Had the Hindus immediately accepted the 1978 unanimous resolution of the Maharashtra legislature the whole thing would have been a tame affair. The historic “Marathwada Caste War- with scores of dalits kicked, killed, burnt, raped, their property destroyed – would not have become independent India’s first. biggest and the longest dalit uprising but for this renaming issue. In the more brutal “Gujarat Caste War” of 1981 the Hindu fury was against an economic benefit of “reservations” to dalits. But in Marathwada that is not the case. In the Gujarat case, the Hindus justified the violence as they would be deprived of seats in medical colleges etc. because of reservations. What will the Hindus lose by renaming a university? Any expenditure ? They sim- ply do not like their university named after an Untouchable. Therefore, the Marathwada Caste War will go down in the history as a unique event once for all ex- posing the Hindu “tolerance”, their non- violence etc. In the historic “Long March” that converged at Aurangabad on Dec. 6. 1979, this writer was one among the 40,000 arrested. We have to thank the Hindus for helping us convert this into a dalit struggle for socio-economic justice. We have to thank them for bringing about tremendous unity between dalits. Unity always comes out of struggle. Therefore, we must always welcome struggle. Hindus led by RSS helped sharpen the contradictions. Their war gave us an opportunity to win over a large number of progressive sections among Hindus. More Hindus are with us today than during the 1978 war. Therefore, we have to welcome the latest defeat and turn it into a victory. Every problem has to be converted into an opportunity More problems mean more opportunity to correct ourselves. There fore, here is an opportunity that we must seize, Since the dalit demand to rename the university after Ambedkar is a just demand, supported by every saner section of the society, we can be rest assured that victory will be ours Only thing is dalits with the support of the minorities will have to struggle more, for a better future. Marathwada, particularly Aurangabad, has a sizeable poor Muslim population who if convinced will surely join the dalits. They have not forgotten the bloody communal riots at Aurangabad. Therefore, the enemy of both is common. The renaming issue is nothing but a socio-economic battle of the oppressed against the oppressors. Victory will be ours. It is our birthright We are happy to note that Dr. (Mrs.) Sa- vita Ambedkar, Prof. Arun Kamble, Ramdas Athavale. Dr. Baba Adhav. Sharad Patil and the Dalit Panthers are giving a healthy lead taking the support of all progressives. Many Brahmins are now on our side. However, we have to be guarded. Beware of saboteurs, politicians RSS itself is divided. We welcome Arun Kamble’s announcement that the dalits will not be deterred by the expected defeat of the Bill in the legislature but would raise the agitation to all-India heights without any compromise. Great. Ours not a political demand to be satisfied by petty electoral considerations. Maisaheb’s interview in the Sunday Observer (Sept 12) in this connection is great. The widow of Ambedkar who has jumped into the agitation despite being in her 70s says that “India can’t be democratic as long as caste system exists. All our troubles are because of Mane. Dalits have no position at all in Indian society Brave words. Hinduism is no- thing but caste which can’t coexist with democracy, socialism, secularism. The da- lit fight for Ambedkar University is, there- fore, a fight on behalf of the whole Wretched of the Earth against caste which in turn means a fight for democracy, socialism, secularism. Look, what a holy war is this! The Marathwada syndrome has once again proved that it is not the Govt. that is governing India. In 1978, the Govt. itself moved a resolution in both the Houses of the Legislature which unanimously voted in favour of renaming the university. But it was immediately opposed by the RSS. some communal Brahmins a & the Maratha landed gentry. The Govt. was then over-ruled by the Ruling Class. Thou sands of dalits were hunted down like rabbits. Their wel s poisoned. Countless murdered. Govt got paralysed. Hatred enveloped the air. And that made some dalits demand a separate Dalitastan. The 1978 debacle for the Govt. and the rebuff to the legislature should once for all convince us that the real power lies not with the Govt but with the Ruling Class which can veto anything that goes against it class-caste interests. India’s Ruling Class is above everything. Above law. Above the Constitution. Above the country. Is it not confirmed when the very legislature that once unanimously voted for renaming the University in 1978, goes back upon it on Sept. 17. 1982 and votes against it ? Does it not prove that the Govt, legislature. press, court are all afraid of the Ruling Class ? The renaming demand is not, confined to merely dalits. Many others sympathy, if not support. is secured. But the Ruling Class is opposed to it. That means Dr. Ambedkar’s fear that “majority rule” in Hindu India will turn out to be “majority community rule” has come true. Dalits & minorities will not. therefore, get justice under the existing setup. We have to destroy it taking the support of other co- sufferers. Chief Minister Balasaheb Bho sale, a Maratha, has offered a cunning solution: “The need to take the people of Marathwada along by working for a change of their attitude”. That means until there is change of heart of the “people” dalits will have to wait. But who are these “people”? Does he mean to say the dalits and their host of sympathisers are not people? And only the RSS and Marathas owners of property and privileges who are opposing the dalits are people? Does he mean to say that until the fascists change their heart, the dalits have to wait? Has anybody heard of a tiger changing its heart towards the lamb? Is there any case in history where those with property and privileges have voluntarily surrendered their precious possession? What does Bhosale mean by his proposal for a referendum in Marathwada on this issue? Did the Bihar govt. take a referendum when it renamed Mithila University after the notorious L. N. Mishra ? Was such a procedure adopted when Udaipur University was renamed after Mohanlal Sukhadia? So too when Madurai University was made Kamaraj University ? Why a referendum only when it comes to dalits? Is it because they are considered sub-humans ? is Ambedkar smaller than L. N. Mishra, Kamaraj? Or is it Hindus hate Untouchables ? Dalits will have to discuss all these issues. It is not an issue to be left to Maharashtra dalits alone. We have to launch a virulent all-India agitation. In every town. They have to also ponder over what Mrs. Ambedkar told the Sunday Observer: Dalits never asked for extending reservations. It is because the ruling party wants our votes. It is this which is giving a continuous hold on power. If dalits are not there the Madame will come down tomorrow. “Dalits will have to give serious thought to her warning and stop voting in elections. If dalits. the interest-free vote bank, stop voting. politicians will die a natural death. Hence the significance of namentara demand. It is a Do or Die On Ambedkar University.