The week-long visit to Karnataka of Dr. Savita Ambedkar, the widow of the late Babasaheb, from Jan. 20 became a truly historic event. We were with her throughout the tour and therefore we can say it with authority.
Dalits in thousands gave her a spontaneous welcome. The Govt. treated her as a State guest. Ministers were eager to be photographed with her. There was a mad rush to see her. Barring a couple of elders hardly any Dalit had the opportunity to see Ambedkar. Therefore, when Maisaheb stormed into Karnataka, they saw in her their dear departed leader. The delirious enthusiasm, the warmth of feeling was something that needed to be seen to be believed. And the 70-year-old medical doctor – a Brahmin-turned Buddhist – indeed proved that she was not a mere woman and wife of Ambedkar but a gifted leader by herself. She impressed them with her forthright views fully reflecting the revolutionary philosophy of Ambedkar. She refused to take any rest, accepted every invitation, and promised to come again. Accompanied by Ramdas Athawale, the firebrand Dalit Panther leader from Bombay, she addressed innumerable meetings and also insisted upon visiting Devarasnahalli, 15 miles from Mysore, where 2 Dalits were killed in caste clashes following the Assembly elections. The energy she displayed at her age and the forthright talk she gave made her a place right into the hearts of the Dalits. And they readily accepted her. At Ashoka Puram – the Red Square of the Dalits at Mysore – the entire 25,000 Dalit population including women and children waited for over 3 hours and took her on a two-hour procession on a decorated van round the colony, offering her aarati at every doorstep, garlands, kum kum. It was indeed: she came, she saw, she conquered.
Maisaheb was no Minister, she had no power or wealth. She had nothing to offer. Why then she proved magnetic? A Dalit youth asked us: “Why did she not come out earlier? Will she lead the Dalit liberation struggle?” We conveyed this to her and she said she was ready to lead. Having watched her closely we feel that she meant business. Her visit had a two-fold purpose. To congratulate the people of Karnataka for defeating the oppressive Indira Gandhi regime in the recent Assembly election. Secondly, to bring about a unity between the Dalits, backward classes (OBCs) and other persecuted minorities like Muslims and Christians. As we have been advocating the very same, we assure our support to Maisaheb. It is no wonder that her visit had raised high hopes. The very fact that all sections of Dalits including the Karnataka Dalit Action Committee and the Dalit Sangarsha Samiti had a joint meeting with her, proved her pull.
She was forthright in her criticism of “Mahatma” Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. So also she criticized the anti-national RSS – all of whom were aiming at building a Brahmin Raj. Even the Marxists had no plan to destroy caste. She repeatedly criticised Brahminism, the fascist philosophy that was responsible for India becoming a beggar nation. Her thinking was clear. And nowhere she exhibited any confusion. She appeared dead serious about prorogating Ambedkarism by bringing about a unity between the three non-Aryan natives: Dalits, OBCs and minorities. She held separate meetings with OBC leaders and minorities. She told OBC leaders that the Dalits were willing to join with them despite the atrocities committed by them on Dalits. And therefore, she would fight for the implementation of the Mandal Commission Report. Her meeting with Muslim and Christians was a bigger success. She told them that they had everything to gain by joining with the Dalits. If not, RSS would employ Dalits to attack Muslims. If Dalits were the sufferers, Muslims were the co-sufferers. Both had a common enemy – the Aryan invaders. She also acknowledged the great contribution of Christians to the awakening of Untouchables and tribals. Since Muslims and Christians happened to be better placed in life, it was up to them to embrace the Dalits. Never say namaste, say Jai Bhim. Stop using the Gandhian humbug, Harijan. They would have to study Ambedkarism.
She referred to Meenakshipuram and criticised Indira Gandhi for saying that the mass conversions were induced by Arab dollars. It was only the more affluent Dalits who kicked off Hinduism and the reservations to seek self-respect through Islam. She asked Muslims and Christians not be worried as Dalits would stand by them. Let RSS and Indira Gandhi say anything, they were as much citizens of India as anybody else. There was nothing to fear if they joined with their natural ally, the Dalits. She was happy that Muslims had at last realised the futility of voting for Indira Gandhi. In fact, it was Mrs. Gandhi with her temple going spree and support to anti-cow slaughter campaign, spreading scare among the minorities. We always used to say that Mrs. Gandhi and RSS were the two sides of the same coin. It was Maisaheb’s criticism of the Gandhi film that hit headlines in the press. She called upon Dalits not to permit the screening of this antinational film. How could there be Gandhi without Ambedkar? By ignoring Ambedkar and ridiculing Jinnah, the Gandhi film had hurt the feelings of both Dalits and Muslims. Hence here was an opportunity to launch a join struggle. Come what may we should not allow this publicity puff of the Gandhi family.
We hope the enlightened non-political representatives of these three sections forming over 80% of India’s population would give a serious thought to Maisaheb’s call for unity, and form joint front in different centres based on the ideology of Ambedkar. The matter is urgent. Before the Gandhian Era (20th century) ends & the Ambedkar Era (21st century) begins, we must be ready to take over. We attach the highest importance to this unity. And through the DV we had been repeatedly advocating this. Now that Maisaheb had also blessed our move, we could go with greater speed. The response was no doubt good. However, we must keep out the politicians, including the Marxist brand. We could make use of them. We had to be very careful about RSS and its agents which were ever ready to thwart such a unity. Beware! RSS had started worshiping Ambedkar. Maisaheb had agreed to tour the Southern States to unite the persecuted sections. We hope our readers and representatives of these three sections would offer concrete plans on this. The powerful Dravida Kazagham (Maisheb recalled her meeting Periyar EVR at Madras when Ambedkar was on way to Sri Lanka) could invite Maisaheb to Madras and arrange a joint meeting of the Dalits and OBCs. Since the Tamil Dalits were definite to rally round her, the DK could make use of her leadership to bring about a unity between these two sections perpetually at war with each other. Wherever Maisaheb went, she was told that Dalits were without a leader. True. This was the position in India as a whole. She had to fill up this void. No doubt she was bit late. But better late than never. Being a woman she had the additional attraction to the females – the Dalits among the Dalits. As she was born in high caste (Saraswat Brahmin from Konkan), the heartless Hindus might not be as hostile to her as they were to Ambedkar, an Untouchable. Plus, she had the advantage of being a non-political figure. Being the wife of Ambedkar, she would command the same respect as her late husband. Muslims and Christians were ready to rally round her. The OBCs would not lag behind if she took up their cause through an agitation on Mandal Report. Already, she had the powerful Dalit Panthers to provide her the organisational support. She had a razor-sharp mind and every qualification to take the plunge.
South should be her battle ground. And we assure her our most sincere support. So we have all round sunshine. She has the right philosophy, sincerity, enthusiasm and dedication. Where there is will there is a way. Money is a problem. But we need not worry where there is sincerity. Only thing is she had to go on tour, picking up honest, committed youth. Stir up our stinking social setup and launch the class-caste struggle. There might be some disunity among the Dalits, but unity would come only when there was a struggle. The still waters of the social pool must be disturbed – deliberately. Once the struggle begins, unity will come automatically. Will Maisaheb get ready and go?
