Vidrohi writer Satyavan Namdeo Suryawanshi (Marathi)

JmdHw$gm~mhoaMm {¼ñVr g_mO, H$m{_b nmaIo

gwJmdm àH$meZ, nwUo

16) {dÐmohr gm{hpË`H$, g§nmXH$ gË`dmZ gy`©d§er§

Amnë`m H$V¥©ËdmZo _amR>r gm{hË`mV Am{U g_mOOrdZmV Amnë`m nmD$bIwUm _mJo R>odUmè`m {¼ñVr gm{hpË`H$m§_Ü`o \$mXa Wm°_g ñQ>r\$Ýg, {dë`_ H°$ar, ~m~m nX_ZOr, n§{S>Vm a_m~mB©, aoìh. Zmam`U dm_Z {Q>iH$, aoìh. ZriH§$R>emór Jmoao dJ¡a|Mm g_mdoe hmoVmo. `m ì`º$s¨Mr na§nam gË`dmZ Zm_Xod gy`©d§etZr {dgmì`m eVH$mÀ`m CÎmamYm©V AJXr g_W©[aË`m nwT>o Mmb{dbr. gd©gmYmaU {¼ñVr g_mOmÀ`m {ZpîH«$`, em§VVm{à` Am{U Hw$R>ë`mhr à{VHy$b n[apñWVrV PJS>m Z H$aVm OwidyZ KoÊ`mÀ`m _mZ{gH$Voer {dg§JV Ago gy`©d§er§Mo ~§S>Imoa, AmH«$_H$ e¡brMo ì`º$s_Ëd hmoVo. {d{dY àg§Jr dmXJ«ñV R>aVrb Aem ^y{_H$m KoD$Z Ë`m§Zr Amnbo doJionU {gÜX Ho$bo. gy`©d§erÀ`m boIUrMm, dH¥$ËdmMm Am{U Ë`m§À`m ~hþ{dY T>§Jm§À`m ì`{º$_ËdmMm _amR>r X{bV {¼ñVr g_mOmVrb Vê$U {nT>rda \$ma _moR>m à^md nS>bm. AmO `m g_mOmVrb {d{dY joÌm§V H$m`©aV AgUmè`m AZoH$ ì`º$s gy`©d§etMo ho F$U AJXr _moH$ù`mnUo _mÝ` H$aVmV.

gy`©d§etMo 'AJm Oo H$pënbo Zmhr' ho AmË_M[aÌ gZ 1975 gmbr à{gÜX Pmbo. _amR>r gm{hË`mVrb X{bV AmË_H$WZm§À`m _m{bHo$Vrb ho n{hboM AmË_H$WZ åhUmdo bmJob. AmnU {¼ñVr Agbmo Var nydm©l_rMo _hma OmVrVrb Agë`m_wio C?d{U©` Amnë`mbm _hma åhUyZM dmJ{dbo OmV Agm VH«$marMm gya gy`©d§etZr `m AmË_M[aÌmV bmdbm Amho Ago S>m° dmgwXod _wbmQ>o `m§Zr 'X{bVm§Mr AmË_H$WZo' `m nwñVH$mV åhQ>bo Amho. gy`©d§etÀ`m AmË_M[aÌmZ§Va VrZ dfmªZr åhUOo 1978 À`m {S>g|~amV X`m ndma `m§Mo '~bwV§' Am{U 1979 À`m OmZodmarV à. B©. gmoZH$m§~io `m§Mo 'AmR>dUtMo njr' hr AmË_H$WZo à{gÜX Pmbr. 1

gy`©d§etÀ`m gm{hpË`H$ H$ma{H©$XrMm gwê$dmVrMm H$mi _w§~B©V Jobm, `mM H$mimV Ë`m§À`m nwñVH$m§Zm amÁ` Am{U H|$Ð gaH$maMr nm[aVmofHo$ {_imbr. _mÌ X{bV {¼ñVr g_mOmV Am{U ~hþg§»` g_mOmV Ë`m§Mo VoO Viny bmJbo Vo Ë`m§Zr 'AmnU' gmám{hH$mÀ`m g§nmXH$nXmMr Pyb MT>{dë`mZ§Va Am{U Amnë`m Img e¡brV H$sV©Zo gmXa gwê$ Ho$br Voìhm. 'AmnU' gmám{hH$mÀ`m _mÜ`_mVyZ Ë`m§À`m boIUrMr Am{U H$sV©ZmÀ`m _mÜ`_mVyZ Ë`m§À`m dmUrMr VmH$X Voìhm gdm©À`m bjmV Ambr. `oeyg§{K`m§V\}$ Mmb{dbo OmUmao ho gmám{hH$ 1970À`m gw_mamg Ë`mH$mimVrb 'gmo~V', 'ñdamÁ`' '_m{_©H$' , '{ddoH$' Aem _amR>rVrb àñWm{nV {Z`VH$m{bH$m§er ñnYm© H$aV hmoVo ho {deof. `m_mJo gy`©d§erMr YmaXma boIUr Am{U g§nmX{H$` H$m¡eë` H$maUr^yV hmoVo ho {ZpíMV. 'AmnU'Zo H$_mdbobr bmoH${à`Vm Ë`mZ§Va Hw$R>ë`mhr {¼ñVr {Z`VH$m{bH$mbm {_idVm Ambr Zmhr.

EH$ XeH$mhÿZ H$_r H$mi Am`wî` bm^boë`m 'AmnU' gmám{hH$mMo gd© A§H$ nwÊ`mVrb 'ñZohgXZ' `m `oeyg§Kr` g§ñWoÀ`m J«§Wmb`mV B{Vhmgg§emoYH$m§gmR>r OnyZ R>odÊ`mV Ambo Amho. gy`©d§er§Mo g§nmXH$s` H$m¡eë`, {dÛÎmm Am{U X{bV d Cno{jV g_mOKQ>H$m§{déÜX Pmboë`m AÝ`m`m{dê$ÜX bT>Umar Ë`m§Mr AmH$_«H$ boIUr OmUyZ KoÊ`mgmR>r ho A§H$ MmiyZ nmhm`bmM hdo.

'_wÔB© bmI ~wam Mmho Vmo Š`m hmoVm ho/ dhr hmoVm h¡ Omo _§Owao IwXm hmoVm h¡/'' hm eoa ~«rXdmŠ` åhUyZ AJXr R>iH$nUo {_adUmè`m 'AmnU' gmám{hH$mZo X{bV {¼ñVr g_mOmÀ`m Vê$U _§S>irda \$ma _moR>m à^md Q>mH$bm. 'AmnU' _Ü`o 'Zma~m {bìhVmo`' `m gXam{edm` 'ho amï´>m, _mÂ`m amï´>m' `mgma»`m Ii~i _mOdUmè`m AZoH$ boI_m{bH$m Ë`m§Zr {b{hë`m. `mn¡H$s AZoH$ {bImUm_wio Ë`m§Zm g_mOmVrb H$mhr JQ>m§À`m àjmo^mbm Vmo§S> Úmdo bmJbo. hm àjmo^ EH$Xm AJXr J§^ra Wamda nmohmoMbm Voìhm Va Ë`m§Zm nmo{bg H$moR>S>rVhr EH$XmoZ {Xdg Kmbmdo bmJbo hmoVo.

~m~m nX_ZOr `m§À`mà_mUoM g. Zm. gy`©d§er ho ~hþàgd gm{hpË`H$ hmoVo.gm{hË`, nÌH$m[aVm, dH¥$Ëd, AÜ`mËå`, X{bV gm{hË` Am{U gm_m{OH$ Midi `m_Ü`o gy`©d§er `m§Zr \$ma _moR>o `moJXmZ Ho$bo. _amR>r {¼ñVr gm{hË` g§_obZmMo Am{U X{bV {¼ñVr gm{hË` g§_obZmMo AÜ`jnX Ë`m_wio Ë`m§À`mH$S>o AJXr MmbVM Ambo. nwÊ`mV 1972 gmbr ^aboë`m _amR>r {¼ñVr gm{hË` g§_obZmÀ`m Amnë`m AÜ`jr` ^mfUmV gy`©d§etZr {¼ñVr g_mOmZo BVa X{bV KQ>H$m§er, Aëng§»` g_mOmer EH$s H$amdr Agm Ë`mdoir AË`§V H«$m§VrH$maH$ dmQ>Umam {dMma _m§S>bm. Ë`mZ§Va OdiOdi XmoZ XeH$m§Zr aoìh AaqdX nr. {Z_©i `m§Zr X{bV {¼ñVr g_mOmMo Am§~oS>H$ar Midirer ZmVo OwidyZ ho ho {dMma àË`jmV AmUbo. gy`©d§erà_UoM AaqdX {Z_©i ho _amR>r X{bV {¼ñVr g_mOmVrb EH$ _hÎdmMo ì`º$s_Ëd. gy`©d§er Am{U {Z_©i `m XmoKm§Zrhr _amR>r X{bV {¼ñVr g_mOmbm _hmamï´>mVrb nwamoJm_r Am{U X{bV MidirV AmUÊ`mMo EH$ AË`§V _hÎdmMo H$m`© Ho$bo. Ë`mÀ`m `m à`ËZmbm AmO _moR>çm à_mUmV `e Amë`mMo {XgV Amho.

{Z_©i ~aoM df} _hmamï´>m~mhoa hmoVo. Ë`mH$mimV 'AmnU' Mo g§nmXH$ `m ZmË`mZo g_mOmV ^aS>ë`m OmUmè`m AZoH$ Xwb©{jV KQ>H$m§Mo, X{bV Am{U Aëng§»` g_mOmÀ`m àíZm§Zm gy`©d§etZr dmMm \$moS>br hmoVr. _hmamï´>mV naVë`mZ§Va {Z_©i `m§Zr ãb°H$ {W`m°bm°OrÀ`m YVuda X{bV {b~aoeZ {W`m°bm°OrMm (X{bV _wº$s B©ídakmZ) àgma gwê$ Ho$bm. {Z_©i `m§Zr gwê$ Ho$boë`m ñdV§Ì _amR>r X{bV {¼ñVr gm{hË` g§_obZmMo gy`©d§er Xwgao AÜ`j hmoVo. XwX¡dmZo {Z_©i `m§Zm _hmamï´>mV Amnbo H$m`© H$aÊ`mg \$ma H$_r H$mi bm^bm. X{bV {¼ñVr Midi _hmamï´>mV Mm§Jbo _yi Yê$ bmJbr AZ 1995 gmbr {Z_©i `m§Mo {ZYZ Pmbo. X{bV {¼ñVr MidirMm EH$ _moR>m AmYmaM Zm{hgm Pmbm. Ë`mZ§Va nmM dfmªZ§Va gy`©d§etMohr {ZYZ Pmbo.

gy`©d§etZr _moR>çm à_mUmV b{bV gm{hË`mMr {Z{_©Vr Ho$br. Am{W©H$ H$maUm_wio 'AmnU' ~§X nS>bm Am{U gy`©d§etÀ`m hmVmVrb EH$ _moR>o Aó Jobo. `m gmám{hH$mMo ApñVËd g§në`m_wio g§nyU© _amR>r {¼ñVr g_mOmMo _moR>o ZwH$gmZ Pmbo. `mMo H$maU `m {Z`VH$m{bH$m_wio `m g_mOmÀ`m à~moYZmgmR>r Am{U gm{hË`mgmR>r EH$ _moR>o ì`mgnrR> {_imbo hmoVo. 'AmnU'Mo àH$meZ nwT>rb µH$mhr H$mi Mmby am{hbo AgVo Va X{bV {¼ñVr g_mOmÀ`m dmQ>Mmbrg àoaUm {_imbr AgVr Am{U `m g_mOmÀ`m AmOÀ`m Am{W©H$, gm_m{OH$ Am{U amOH$s` pñWVr_Ü`o Iyn àJVr Pmbr AgVr..

gy`©d§etZr `m gmám{hH$mVyZ X{bV {¼ñVr g_mOmVrb AZoH$ boIH$m§Zm CÎmoOZ {Xbo. Amnë`m boIH$m§Zm _mZYZ XoUmao gy`©d§er Ë`mH$mimVrb EH$ AndmXmË_H$ g§nmXH$ hmoVo. AmOgwÜXm AZoH$ {Z`VH$m{bHo$ hr àWm nmiV Zmhr. _r emioV {eH$V AgVmZm gy`©d§etZr _wbm§gmR>r Agboë`m gXamV _mÂ`m XmoZ bKwH$Wm à{gÜX Ho$ë`m hmoË`m Am{U Ë`m~Ôb àË`oH$ doir nmM ê$n`m§Mo _mZYZ _bm _ZrAm°S>©aZo nmR>dyZ {Xbo `mMo _bm AOyZhr Aàyn dmQ>Vo. _mÂ`m nÌH$m[aVoMr AàË`j gwê$dmV Aem àH$mao 'AmnU' nmgyZ Pmbr. _mÂ`mà_mUoM AZoH$ {¼ñVr boIH$ `m~m~VrV gy`©d§er§Mo H$m`_ F$Ur AmhoV.

'AmnU' gmám{hH$mVyZ gy`©d§etÀ`m {dMmam§Mr, {dÛÎmoMr Am{U ~§S>Imoa àd¥ÎmrMr _bm AmoiI Pmbr hmoVr.

_mÌ `m AmXaUr` ì`º$sbm ì`{º$JV[aË`m _bm H$Yrhr ^oQ>Vm Ambo Zmhr dm Ë`m§À`m Ë`m JmOboë`m H$sV©ZmMm EH$Xmhr AZw^d KoVm Ambo Zmhr `mMr _bm Zoho_rM I§V dmQ>Vo. embo` {ejUmZ§Va _mPo dmñVì` _hmamï´>m~mhoa Jmoì`mV Voam df} hmoVo ho Ë`m_mJMo EH$ H$maU. Ë`m§À`m {ZYZmnydu EH$ df© AmYr nwÊ`mV Ë`m§Mm gËH$ma Pmbm Voìhm Ë`m§Mo AJXr n{hë`m§XmM Xe©Z KoÊ`mMm `moJ Ambm. _mÌ ~mV_r XoÊ`mgmR>r _bm d¥ÎmnÌmÀ`m H$m`m©b`mV Vm~S>Vmo~ Om`Mo Agë`mZo Ë`m§À`mer ~mobÊ`mMr g§Yr {_imbr Zmhr. Ë`m{Xder Ë`m§Mm _w¸$m_ nwÊ`mVM 'ñZohgXZ'bm hmoVm Am{U Xwgè`m {Xder Vo Zm{eH$bm naVbo. _mÌ ho _bm Z§Va H$imbo Voìhm Ë`m§À`mer g§dmX H$aÊ`mMr EH$ _moR>r g§Yr _r J_mdbr `mMo _bm Iyn hr dmB©Q> dmQ>bo. Ë`mZ§Va bdH$aM Ë`m§À`m {ZYZmMr ~mV_r 'Q>mBåg Am°\$ B§{S>`m'V àH$m{eV H$aÊ`mMm _mÂ`mda àg§J Ambm.

'AmnU' ~§X nS>ë`mZ§Vahr gy`©d§etZr Amnbr boIUr Imbr R>odbr Zmhr. Ë`mZ§Va Ë`m§Zr AZoH$ nwñVHo$ Ë`m§Zr {b{hbr. _hmamï´>mÀ`m {d{dY ^mJm§V H°$Wmo{bH$ Am{U àmoQ>oñQ>§Q> n§{W`m§gmR>r H$sV©Zo Ho$br. {¼ñVr g_mOmÀ`m AZoH$ g^mg§_obZm§V Ë`m§Mr EH$ à_wI ì`º$s åhUyZ CnpñWVr Agm`MrM. X{bV {¼ñVr g_mOmZohr Amnë`m `m Á`oð> gm{hpË`H$mMm ^anya _mZgÝ_mZ Ho$bm. {¼ñVr gm{hË` g§_obZmMo XmoZXm Am{U X{bV {¼ñVr gm{hË` g§_obZmMo EH$Xm Ë`m§Zr AÜ`jnX ^yf{dbo. {¼ñVr g_mOmVrb H°$Wmo{bH$ Am{U àmoQ>oñQ>§Q> `m XmoZ n§{W`m§_Ü`o _Zmo{_bZ OwidÊ`mMo _hÎdmMo H$m_ Ë`m§Zr Ho$bo. `m XmoÝhrhr n§{W`m§_Ü`o Ë`m§Zm AmXamMo ñWmZ {_imbo hmoVo. Am`wî`mÀ`m AIoarg Ë`m§Mr aoìh AaqdX {Z_©i, àm {dbmg dmK, Cfm dmK `m§À`mgma»`m X{bV MidirVrb ZoË`m§~amo~a OdirH$ {Z_m©U Pmbr hmoVr.

gy`©d§erZr OdiOdi XmoZeo nwñVHo$ {b{hbr. Ë`m_Ü`o H$mX§~è`m, d¡Mm[aH$ {bImU, AmÜ`mpË_H$ nwñVHo$, AmË_M[aÌ, M[aÌo, g§emoYZna {bImU dJ¡ao§Mm g_mdoe hmoVmo.2 Ë`m{edm` 'AmnU' Am{U BVa {d{dY {Z`VH$m{bµH$m§V Ë`m§Zr _moR>çm à_mUmV {b{hbo. 'AmnU' gmám{hH$mV 'Zma~m {bìhVmo`' `m gXamVyZ Cno{jV X{bV g_mOmVrb AZoH$ ì`{º${MÌo Ë`m§Zr a§J{dbr. g_mOmVrb {d{dY Cno{jV ì`º$s¨da {bImU H$ê$Z AmnUM X{bV gm{hË`mMr gwê$dmV Ho$br Agm gy`©d§erMm Xmdm hmoVm, _mÌ ho lo` Amnë`mbm {Xbo OmV Zmhr `mMr I§V Ë`m§Zr AZoH$Xm ì`º$ Ho$br hmoVr.3 Ë`m§À`m `m Xmì`mV {H$VnV VÏ` Amho ho _amR>r gm{hË`mÀ`m Aä`mgH$m§Zr nmhm`bm hdo.

gy`©d§etÀ`m g_J« gm{hË`mMo _yë`_mnZ Am{U g_rjm AmOn`ªV Pmbobo Zmhr. Vgo Pmë`mg `m gm{hpË`H$mMo loð>Ëd Z¸$sM {gÜX hmoB©b. Ho$ed grVmam_ H$èhmS>H$a `m§Zr ~m~m nX_ZOr `m§À`mda nrEMS>r nXdrgmR>r à~§Y {bhÿZ EH$ ì`º$s Am{U gm{hpË`H$ åhUyZ nX_ZOr `m§Mo _yë`_mnZ Ho$bo. AemMàH$mao gy`©d§erÀ`m gm{hË`mdahr nrEMS>rgmR>r à~§Y {b{hÊ`mgmR>r Hw$UrVar nwT>o `m`bm hdo.

g§X^©:

1) S>m° Eb. dm`. Am¡Ma_b, 'Am§~oS>H$ar Midi Am{U h¡Xam~mX g§ñWmZmVrb X{bV _wº$s g§J«m_', àH$meH$: Cfm dmK, gwJmdm àH$meZ, 861/1, gXm{ed noR>, nwUo- 411 030 (àW_md¥Îmr 1997) (nmZ 25 Vo 27)

2) AZ§V bú_U Omoer (g§nmXH$), '_amR>r gmañdV; ( {ÛVr` I§S>), AZ_mob àH$meZ, 683, ~wYdma noR>, nwUo 411 002 (1992), (nmZo 508 Vo 510)

3) gwZrb í`m_gw§Xa AmT>md, 'Y_© {¼ñVmMm, {dMma gm{hË`mMm - eVH$mVrb {¼ñVr gm{hË` g§_obZmÜ`jr` ^mfUo d Ë`mdarb g_rjm', (nmZo 319 Am{U 320)

Jai Bhim Jai Khrist Unity of Dalit Christians and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar followers

‘Dalit Christians: Right to Reservations’

By Camil parkhe
Publisher: Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, New Delhi

ISBN 9788172149796




18. Solidarity of Jai Bhim and Jai Khrist
Unity of Dalit Christians and Dr Ambedkar followers


Renowned Marathi Christian poet Shahu Dagdoba Ujagare, had in 1929 dedicated his poetry entitled Nave Anjan to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar who fought against untouchability.1 It was the first conscious move on the part of a dalit Christian to establish and maintain close ties between the dalit Christians and the Ambedkarite movement.

Delivering the presidential address at the fifth Marathi Khristi Sahitya Sammelan held at De Nobili College in Pune in 1972, Satyavan Namdeo Suryawanshi, editor of Marathi weekly Aapan had strongly advocated that the dalits Christians should unite with other dalits and minority communities in the State. His ideology is important even today.

Suryawanshi gave the call for uniting all dalit forces at a time when the dalit movement in the State had just started making its presence felt. The established Marathi litterateurs and majority of the society had not recognised this separate rebellious ideology till then. Suryawanshi’s call came at a time when even the dalit community itself had not realised the potential of the movement. Significantly, Suryawanshi at that time was editor of a weekly, which was run by the Jesuits.

Suryawanshi enjoys a special place in Marathi literature and also in the dalit movement in Maharashtra. In the 1970s, a series of autobiographies by dalit writers created a major upheaval in Marathi literary circles as well as in the society. The autobiography of Suryawanshi – ‘Aga Je Kalpile Nahi’ (‘I had never even imagined this’) published in 1975, was the front-runner of these autobiographies. Suryawanshi had stated in this book that in his childhood, despite being a Christian, he was always treated by the high caste Hindus as a Mahar, an untouchable caste.

Unfortunately, Suryawanshi’s autobiography remained neglected for quite some time due to lack of effective marketing system. Veteran dalit writer and poet Daya Pawar’s autobiography ‘Baluta’ and P. E. Sonkamble’s autobiography ‘Athavaniche Pakshi’ were published subsequently in 1978 2 and became landmarks in Marathi literature.

In his presidential address at the Khristi sahitya sammelan, Suryawanshi had said, “In today’s democracy, a handful of Christians have absolutely no value. Even in a democratic set up, the government’s facilities and rights cannot be distributed evenly to all because every community thinks for itself and lives by protecting its own interests. Everyone is trying hard to gain a major share of cream for one’s own community, and gets maximum benefits with the help of majority votes in democracy. Due to this ‘Might is right ‘ situation, the sweet fruits of democracy are being enjoyed by majority communities and at the same time our poor community is merely watching it in bewilderment. All the minority communities also face a similar situation. However hard we may try and get our community organised and united, we would never be the rulers!. We would never be able to acquire the power to rule. If a dalit Christian writer is shrewd, intellectual and practical, he will realise mere uniting the Christian community would not yield any major benefits for the society. In a democratic set up, some social benefits can be secured only if the people are able to cause some kinds of nuisance to the government or the rulers, if they can cause terror or pose challenges on the basis of their solidarity. A handful and peace-loving Christians can never pose such challenges. Therefore, why should we waste our strength and intellect in running after mirage of securing and protecting welfare and interests of the Christian community?

Instead, let us mingle and be a part of the crowd of those who are helpless, dalit, distressed, ignored, weak and exploited. Let us share their misfortune, their pain, let us wipe out their tears, and while protecting their welfare, and while pleading for them, let us protect our welfare as well. Our interests and welfare are no different from them, nay, without them, we do not have any existence!

Sometimes, referring to my Aapan weekly, some of my friends ask me, ‘’You take up issues of Muslims, Buddhists, Harijans and tribals in your weekly very enthusiastically. But in comparison, you are less enthusiastic while fighting for the Christians’ issues, why is it so? Who will protect our interest? Who will fight for us Christians? Who will plead for us?’’ I reply to my friends, “Our interests are not different from the interests of the sad, exploited and the dalits. One who pleads for these people also pleads for the Christians. Because, I perceive Lord Jesus in every sad person. If some one is making a false and unjust propaganda against the Muslims, he is doing the same against the Christ and defaming Him. If Buddhist women are stripped, I feel my sisters Martha and Maria have been molested.3

Christians as well as some others from my native town Shrirampur were astonished when they saw a photograph of Dr. Ambedkar prominently placed at the local Catholic parish priest’s office. Most of the people are under the impression that they should keep themselves away from the Ambedkarite movement if they are Christians. Marathi writer Avinash Dolas has described this mentality of dalit Christians in following words: “Members of this community find themselves in a fix. On one hand , they looked at Christ for the heavenly abode and on the other hand, there was Dr Ambedkar who could solve their worldly problems and help them to lead life on this earth. The dalit Christian community was caught in a dilemma. Will they, as Christians, be able to march on the streets, shouting slogans of Jai Bhim? Can they, even after remaining true Christians, become Ambedkarites and return the salute of Jai Bhim of the Amberkarite brigade? 4

It was Rev. Arvind Nirmal who succeeded in solving the predicament faced by the dalit Christians in Maharashtra. Rev Nirmal, an authority on Christian theology, declared that the dalit Christians can retain their umbilical cord with the Ambedkarite movement while still practicing Christianity. Rev Nirmal who is credited with bringing in the dalit Christian liberation movement in Maharashtra motivated many dalit Christian writers and social activists to be a part of the Ambedkarite movement.

Rev Nirmal was a student of Milind College, one of the institutions founded by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. He had the fortune to see Dr. Ambedkar from a very close quarter. While in Chennai, he started Christian Dalit Liberation Movement (CDML) . He has edited a book, entitled ‘Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, a centenary tribute’.

One of the major contribution of Rev Nirmal is starting the tradition of holding separate dalit Christians’ sahitya sammelans, Until his death in 1995, he took the initiative to hold the annual sammelans for consecutive four years. Until Rev Nirmal established this rebellious path in literary circle, the dalit Christians considered themselves as a part of the `main stream’ literary circles although their existence was not even acknowledged there. Rev Nirmal himself presided over the first and third dalit Christian sahitya sammelans held at Ahmednagar in 1991 and at Lonavala in1994. The presidents of other sahitya sammelans were S N Suryawanshi (Jalna, 1993), Devdatta Husale (Ahmednagar 1995), Bishop Pradeep Kamble (Pune 2001) and Rev Subhash Chandorikar (Sangamner 2004).

On behalf of ‘ Sugava’ magazine of Vilas Wagh and Usha Wagh, and also on behalf of ‘Christian Dalit Liberation Movement’ (CDML), a seminar was organised in Aurangabad some fifteen years ago. Along with Shantaram Pandere, Sharad Patil and Avinash Dolas literary personalities and leaders from Christian community like, Rev. Nirmal, Anil Dahivadkar, Sunil Adhav also had participated. 5 The organiser Rev. Nirmal had tried to take Marathi Christian community to Dr. Ambedkar’s movement through this seminar.

After the death of Rev Nirmal, Dr Gilbert G Londhe, Rev Chandorikar and Vasant Mhaske have kept up dalit Christians’ movement in Maharashtra alive.

Well-known Marathi author Devdatta Husale has succeeded well in maintaining the ties between dalit Christians and the Ambedkarite movement. Well known for rural literature, Husale has commented on the situation of the dalit Christians often in a terse manner.

Delivering the presidential address of the 19th Marathi sahitya sammelan, at Ahmednagar in 2001, Husale said, “Instead of praying ten times and living in constant fear, the dalit Christians should just erect a memorial ( of Dr Ambedkar) and then not a single organisation will ever have the courage to challenge the Christian locality. In any case, do we not attend birth and death anniversaries of people who have never come to the rescue of Christians? We will definitely have the solid backing of our own Buddhist brothers if we give them call at any time. If we participate in Dr Ambedkar’s birth anniversary celebrations and if the Buddhists attend the Christmas celebrations, the unity of the two communities will have the desired effect.“

The large number of dalit Christians from Marathwada region, from Pune, Nashik, Jalna, Latur and Ahmednagar districts and the migrants to Bombay should serve as a natural vote bank to various factions of the Republican Party of India (RPI) and its alliances. The dalits in Maharashtra originating from the same castes, roots and after living together for ages in villages have now got divided into three religions, Hindu dalits, neo Buddhists and the dalit Christians. Fortunately, they have never got separated geographically and psychologically. It is a fact that the neo-Buddhists have progressed more than the dalit Christians due to the availability of reservations and other concessions.

The social and political leaders of both these communities have not realised that the interests of the people would be served better if these communities remained united politically. These leaders are yet to realise that their social, economical, educational and political problems may have a common answer in spite of their different religious streams, as the root of these communities is one and the same.

During my first meeting with Vilas Wagh of Sugava Publication, he asked me whether I was in any way connected to the movement of the dalit community. Wagh, who is a prominent leader of the dalit movement in Maharashtra, said. “Dalit Christians must maintain strong ties with the Ambedkarite movement,’’ adding “though the two communities follow different religions, their original root and community is the same, their problems also are similar. Therefore, the two communities must stay together in their struggle.” .

Dalit Christians belonging to the older generations greet each other, saying ‘Jai Khrist.’ People from the Ambedkarite movement have the tradition of greeting each other with the ‘Jai Bhim’ slogan. When a dalit Christian participates in Ambedkarite movement, it cannot be considered as being disloyal to his religion. Therefore, he may well greet a fellow dalit from the Ambedkarite movement with salutation, ‘Jai Bhim’.



References:



1.Sunil Adhav –‘Dharma Khristacha, Vichar Sahityacha- Shatakateel Khristi Sahitya Sammelanadhyakshiya Bhashane Va Tyavareel Samiksha’ (page 409)

2.Dr. Vasudeo Mulate ’Dalitanchi Atmakathane : Sankalpana Va Swaroop’, Swaroop Prakashan, ‘Akshar’, 858, Sahyadri nagar,n-5(south) CIDCO, Aurangabad,431003, 2nd edition April2003(pages 25, 26)

3.Sunil Adhav – Dharma Khristacha, Vichar Sahityacha- Shatakateel Khristi Sahitya Sammelanadhyakshiya Bhashane Va Tyavareel Samiksha (page187)

4.Avinash Dolas, ‘Ambedkari Chalval : Parivartanache Sandarbh, Sugava Prakashan, Pune, first edition 1995 (page 47)

5.Avinash Dolas, As above (page 45)

6.Sunil Adhav – Dharma Khristacha, Vichar Sahityacha- Shatakateel Khristi Sahitya Sammelanadhyakshiya Bhashane Va Tyavareel Samiksha’ (page 410)

7.As above (page 344)