RSS decision to introduce change may pay political dividends

RSS decision to introduce change may pay political dividends

Reporters Name | CAMIL PARKHE | Wednesday, 6 January 2016 AT 11:58 AM IST

    

http://www.sakaaltimes.com/NewsDetails.aspx?NewsId=5733046440956678253&SectionId=4861338933482912746&SectionName=Blog&NewsTitle=RSS%20decision%20to%20introduce%20change%20may%20pay%20political%20dividends

blog, RSS, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, media, Pune, Camil Parkhe

The nine-decade-old Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has shown some signs of changes in the recent past. For a long time, the functioning of this organisation was shrouded in mystery. The common people or even the mediapersons were never familiar with this body’s office-bearers or senior functionaries as it was their policy to shun the media and thus they deliberately kept themselves away from the limelight. It was almost a taboo for the RSS functionaries to brief the media on their activities. This had an adverse impact on the image of the voluntary body. It had encouraged rival organisations like those affiliated to the leftist ideologies or the so-called secular forces to treat the RSS like an ‘untouchable’ body. The RSS was banned post assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and during the Emergency period and even now some or the other bodies repeat the demand to impose a ban on it. But now RSS is showing signs that it may be changing.

The RSS has for the first time shown some signs of opening up when its leaders along with its Parivar bodies had joined hands with the socialist and various other centrist parties to form the Janata Party after the Emergency. The honeymoon, however, was short lived with the socialist leaders raising the bogey of ‘dual membership’ of the erstwhile Jan Sangh members, leading to the first break-up of the Janata Party.

After that, the RSS had returned to its shell and continued consolidating its base among the masses.

In the recent few years however, breaking from its traditions, the RSS has been holding media briefings. It has also been conducting workshops for mediapersons and others to dispel the myths, apprehensions and fears related to this organisation. The mega event hosted by the RSS at Marunje near Hinjewadi recently was another manifestation of the transformation of this organisation.

The apex body of the Sangh Parivar has always professed to be an all-inclusive Hindu organisation, representing all sections within the Hindu community. The RSS has now decided to expand its base in the areas and among the communities which used to treat it like an anathema. To achieve its objective, the RSS is shedding some of its old baggage in order to be more receptive to majority sections of the Hindu community. For the past few decades it has been making conscious efforts to remove the tag of being a party of the Brahmins.

The organisation has long back welcomed dalit icon and the architect of Indian Constitution Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar in the list of persons most venerable. This was indeed to eliminate any kind of apprehension the dalits may have had towards the RSS. It has been doing so without compromising on its hardline Hindutva ideology. It is an heartening sign that this cadre-based organisation is in the process of a makeover to win the hearts of a large section of society.

The conscious decision to undergo transformation in its structure, mindset and openness to the society  may be paying rich dividends. Those who are now being exposed to the functioning of this organisation are normally left in awe about the discipline of the RSS cadre, their organisational capabilities and dedication to their mission in various fields. Transparency in its functioning and an all-inclusive policy will indeed help the organisation in reaching out to larger sections of society and earn their goodwill and also dispel any kind of misgivings.

Disclaimer: The opinion expressed within this blog is personal opinion of the author. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the blog do not reflect the views of Sakal and Sakal does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

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)

Dalit status did not end with conversion to Christianity

Dalit Christians: Right to reservations
Camil Parkhe

Published by:
Indian Society for Promotion of Christian Knowledge
New Delhi


Dalit status did not end with conversion to Christianity
Casteism is unique to Indian culture. Even if a person does not believe in caste, there is no escaping it. An Indian is known by his/her caste and sub-caste. Marriages and other social interactions are based upon caste considerations.
Even the communists who proclaim themselves as atheists or agnostics could not shed caste, much to their own discomfort. Late socialist leader and former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Nanasaheb (N G) Gorey often said that he was a Brahmin by ‘accident’. But society refused to accept his plea and the caste identity prevailed.
Veteran Marathi poet Rev Narayan Waman Tilak, social reformer and nationalist Pandita Ramabai and Rev Nilkanthshastri ‘Nehemiah’ Gore were all prominent Marathi Christians who made valuable contributions in their chosen fields. Ironically, the society in Maharashtra remembers them as Chitpawans, a sub caste of Brahmins, who converted to Christianity.
Thus in the eyes of the society, caste and sub caste of an individual cannot be erased even after giving up Hinduism and embracing Christianity. The stranglehold of caste on the Indian mind is best captured in the Marathi proverb Jaat Naahi Ti Jaat (What cannot be cast off is caste).
One’s parents and place of birth cannot be changed. The same applies to one’s caste too. One cannot help it. Christians who belong to the erstwhile untouchable castes in the Hindu social structure experience this everyday.
Who are the dalits ?
There are many definitions of the term ‘dalit’, all of which apply to the dalit Christians who formerly belonged to the Hindu untouchable castes in Maharashtra. Therefore, these dalit Christians can stake their claim to reservations and other concessions granted under the Indian Constitution to all members of the erstwhile untouchable communities in the country. .
Dr. Shankarrao Kharat, former Vice Chancellor of Marathwada University, while discussing the concept of dalits had said: “The term dalit includes castes which as per the Hindu religion and culture were considered as ‘untouchables’. The term also includes erstwhile ex-criminal tribes and the tribals (adivasis) who live in jungles and ravines like wild animals, away from human civilsation.1
“Since these people were kept far away from the Hindu culture permanently, they remained culturally backward. From the Hindu cultural point of view, the social and economic levels of all these castes and tribes are almost similar. Their woes more or less are the same. High caste culture has intertwined them in a single entity. All of them share a similar predicament. They have been kept away from villages and communities for generations. The slavery of these castes and tribes is social, economic and also cultural, therefore the term dalit includes all these neglected classes of castes and tribes.2
Pragat Padavidhar Sanghatana (Progressive Graduates Association), a Pune-based organisation, had launched an intensive movement in the 1970s to demand reservations and other facilities for dalit Christians in Maharashtra. The Government of Maharashtra included the dalit Christians in the State in Other Backward Caste (OBC) category in 1978. The entire credit of this goes to the movement launched by the young dalit Christians inspired by Fr Matthew Lederle, Fr Leo Desai and Fr Christopher Shelke.
The Progressive Graduates Association had published a book ‘Upekshit Khristi Samaj’ (Neglected Christian Community) to press the demand for reservations to dalit Christians. Even after embracing Christianity, these members of former Hindu untouchable communities could not get rid of the stigma attached to their existence, described in the book as follows:3
‘’There is a proverb in Marathi ‘ Gao tethe Maharwada’ (meaning ‘wherever there is a village, there is a colony of Mahars’). The colonies of the Mahars and Mangs (two predominant castes of untouchables) continue to be referred to as Maharwada and Mangwada even after these persons have become Christians. Conversion to Christianity has not changed the way their colonies are referred to, just as mere conversion has not brought any changes in their social or financial status. Their standard of living, language, foot habits and culture remain the same as other family members and relatives who have either continued to be Hindu Mahars or Mangs or have embraced Buddhism. All of them are erstwhile untouchables. Notwithstanding the conversions, in rural areas the upper caste people even today refer to the dalit Christians by their erstwhile caste names and call them as Mahars or Mangs.
Many Christian Mahars and Mangs were and still are dependent on uppercaste families of their villages. They are compelled to perform low-level tasks in their villages. Till the last decade, the dalit Christians would carry out degrading tasks like disposing off dead cattle. The untouchables, who also included Christians, went door to door and ate whatever food was thrown at them. While walking on village roads, they had to carry their footwear in hands, which had to be locked behind their backs, while the mandatory earthen pots hung around their necks to serve as spittoons. Their touch and shadow was considered inauspicious and they were prohibited from drawing water from public wells. They had to walk all the way to the lower end of the river to fill water. The dalit Christians’ dwelt with other untouchables, and took isolated roads, away from the main approaches used by upper castes, for moving around the village. Due to their very low social status, all the avenues of economic progress and prosperity remain closed to the dalit Christians. There is absolutely no distinction at all between other erstwhile untouchables and dalit Christians. The only difference is while the other dalits like dalit Hindus, neo-Buddhists and dalit Sikhs have been granted reservations and various other concessions by the Government of India, the dalit Christians have been denied the same till date. The government and the society have many misconceptions about the dalit Christian community, which is the primary reason for this community having remained neglected for several years. ‘’
‘‘Conversion has not changed the conditions of the dalits’’
Dr. Kharat
Dr. Shankarrao Kharat has discussed in his Marathi book ‘ Dalit Wangmay Prerana wa Pravrutti’ that there is no change in the conditions of the dalits even after their conversion to Buddhism. Dr. Kharat says, “During Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s movement of conversion, millions of untouchables gave up Hinduism and embraced Buddhism. These Buddhists are not Hindus by religion anymore. They are neo-Buddhists. Although they are now neo-Buddhists, they have been exploited for centuries by rich classes and high caste people. Therefore they have remained economically backward. They live in poor conditions. Secondly, the high caste people continue to look down upon them socially. Therefore, the neo-Buddhists are compelled to continue their fight for freedom from high caste attitudes. 4
The state of people converted into Buddhism, as described by Dr. Kharat, holds true for all those who have been converted from untouchable communities into Christianity or Sikhism. Similarly, if the untouchables embrace Islam or any other religion, the argument will still be applicable to them. Conversion to Buddhism, Sikhism or Christianity has not brought any changes in the conditions of the untouchables except the change in their religion. Hence, all these erstwhile untouchables, irrespective of their present religion, have natural right to reservations and other concessions. No logic or principle of natural justice can deny dalit Christians the right to reservations.
The condition of the erstwhile untouchables who got converted to Buddhism, along with Dr Ambedkar, did not change after conversion. Therefore in 1960, the government of Maharashtra decided to extend reservations and other concessions to the neo-Buddhists. In 1990, the V. P. Singh government took a decision to extend reservations and other concessions to neo-Buddhists across the country. Dalit Sikhs were granted reservations and other concessions at the national level as early as 1956. The decisions of the Government of Maharashtra and the Government of India to extend reservations to these non-Hindu dalits were in conformity with the principle of natural justice. However, this principle of natural justice has not been applied to the dalit Christians in Maharashtra, or at the national level.
In some southern and northern Indian States, however, various concessions have been extended to dalit and tribal Christians on par with dalits belonging to other religions.
One of the reasons for not extending the reservations and other concessions to dalit Christians is that the very concept of ‘dalit Christians’ was not acceptable to governments. Fortunately, a gradual change in the attitude of the governments is being observed during the past few years. Due to the intensive struggle by dalit Christian groups, some south Indian States have recognised the dalit Christians and extended various concessions to them. In north India, the tribal Christians do get benefits of reservations and other concessions even after their conversion to Christianity. The former Speaker of Lok Sabha P. A. Sangma and former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Ajit Jogi are tribal Christians. Unlike the dalit Christians in Maharashtra, the tribal Christians in north India and the northeastern States, are well organised, united and well aware of their rights. These tribal Christians of northeast do not tolerate any kind of injustice meted out to them in the name of their religion.
Even the Maharashtra government has acknowledged the social and economic backwardness of the dalit Christians. The people from the erstwhile untouchable Hindu communities who embraced Christianity are now included in the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) category. The government has thus accepted that the dalit Christians are erstwhile untouchables. But why have they been included in the OBC category and not the Scheduled Castes (SCs) category like the untouchable communities, which converted to either Buddhism or Sikhism?
The denial of reservations and concessions to the dalit Christians in the country is a grave injustice to this community. The issue raised by the dalit Christians is: “If erstwhile untouchables get converted to Buddhism or Sikhism, their right to reservation and other concessions remains intact. Then, why the same logic or principle is not extended to the dalit Christians”.
The Supreme Court of India posed the same question to the Central government during the hearing of a public interest litigation seeking inclusion of the dalit Christians among the Scheduled Castes to secure reservations for this community. The Central government has not responded so far and the case is pending. However, the movement for reservations and other concessions for dalit Christians, which has been going on for the last four decades, is gaining momentum.
References:
Dr. Shankarrao Kharat. ‘Dalit Wangmay: Prerana Ani Pravrutti’ Publisher- Inamdar Bandhu Prakashan, 637, Sadashiv Peth, Pune- 411 030, First edition 1978, (Page 16).
As above (Page 17,18).
‘Upekshit Khristi Samaj’ Samajhit Mala 1, Authors- On behalf of ‘Pragat Padvidhar Sanghatana’ – Antony Salve, Pratap Pandit, Sonyabapu Waghmare, and Joseph D. Adhav. Publisher – Fr Julius D’Souza (S J), Marg Prakashan, Thomas Stevens Nivas, 2008, St Vincent Marg, Pune –411 001, First edition 1979. (Pages 15,16).
Dr. Shankarrao Kharat, ‘Dalit Wangmay: Prerana Ani Pravrutti’ (Page 18).