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March 23, 1910 - October 12, 1967 Guest Editors : Anand Kumar and Kurban Ali 12 JANATA, April 17, 2011

Darling of Indian Revolution

Abbas Ali

Dr.Rammanohar Lohia was a Subhash Chandra Bose when I was Political. He called upon the people towering and radiant personality. POW of the Japanese in 1942 in to donate one hour a day to nation’s I saw him for the first time in Singapore. During Second World reconstruction and gave a Talisman: 1948 at my native place Khurja. War Communists changed their line ‘have spade in your hand, utilize He came there soon after the and supported Britain and its allies. power of the ballot and be ready formation of Socialist Party at I got disheartened and distanced for civil disobedience against any Nasik for the election campaign myself from the Communist injustice’. Dr Lohia once said that of Prof. Raghukul Tilak, who was ideology. When country achieved in his opinion “there are five major contesting a by-election from the independence and we were released aims of Indian politics: Equality, Khurja Assembly seat at that time. by the British Government, I came in Democracy, Decentralization of Actually this election was caused contact with Dr Lohia and liked his powers, Ahimsa and Socialism”. by the resignation of Prof. Tilak, views and ideology and became his He started many movements related an associate of Acharya Narendra disciple. This association remained to removal of poverty, abolishment Deva. When Acharyaji resigned for almost twenty years till his death. of caste system and gender bias, from the Congress party and from removal of English, fixing prices of the membership of Uttar Pradesh Lohia was a multi-faceted essential commodities, saving the Assembly, along with his twelve personality. He was a true nationalist Himalayas and for the Confedration colleagues, Prof.Tilak also resigned. who fought for the liberation of of India and Pakistan. His most Dr Lohia addressed a public meeting this country under the leadership of important contribution was, in my at NREC College Grounds and Mahatma Gandhi. Although he was opinion, launching a movement for spoke at length for more than an not always supportive of Gandhiji making a just society based on the hour. He explained the political and had severe differences on the principle of equality and his seven situation of that time especially the issue of his supporting war and his ideas of revolution called ‘Sapt- circumstances of the aftermath of the views on Socialist ideology, he was Kranti’. assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. one of the most darling disciples of His speech impressed me very much Gandhiji. He propounded the strategy of and I decided to join the Socialist Non-Congressism and erased this Party at that very moment. During Dr Lohia played a significant role misconception in the mind of the my student life I was a member of in the Indian politics and society. masses that Congress party cannot the Students Federation, the student He was a thinker, a philosopher be removed from the power through wing of Communist Party of India. who understood India well - after ballot. With this strategy Congress Prof. K M Ashraf, a Communist Gandhiji. It was he who compelled party was defeated in nine states leader who was a member of CSP the ruling Congress party led by Pt. during the 1967 General elections also at that time was my mentor Nehru in 1955, to adopt Socialism and SVD’s governments were at Aligarh Muslim University as the main policy of Congress party formed. Non-Congressism provided and on his stimulation, I joined and later on his daughter Indira a unique opportunity to the down- the British Army. Com. Ashraf Gandhi included the word Socialism trodden and weaker sections of the had the opinion that our country in the preamble of the Constitution. society to be a part of the government cannot achieve independence by He was a great champion of the and define their own destiny. It Gandhiji’s approach and can be poor, backwards, Dalits, women, was due to Lohia’s politics that liberated through an army revolt minorities and other weaker sections Mandal Commission was formed only. With this in mind, I joined of the society. He fought for the in 1979 which recommended 27 INA under the leadership of Netaji Justice, whether Social, Economic or percent reservation to the backward JANATA, April 17, 2011 13

classes of the country in government jobs. It was implemented in 1990 A Visionary With Pratibha and Sahas by the VP Singh government. Dr Lohia fought for decentralization Krishna Nath of powers, “Chaukhamba Raj”, to strengthen Panchayati Raj and equal It is hard for me to just crystallize today? India of the 21st century opportunities for the woman. He was the memories of Dr. Rammanohar is in a flux. It is in a constant a man of principles. On the issue Lohia into a few words. But there movement. It is a kind of universal of the police firing by his own PSP is certainly an image of the union flux that we are in and there is an Government in Travancore-Cochin of two: pratibha and sahas, (a great aspect of it at the international (now Kerala State) he demanded vision and a courage to insist on it). level. At the international level the resignation of his own party his idea of a world government government led by Pattom Thanu It seems to me that out of many responsible to a world parliament Pillai. When PSP didn’t approve contributions he made, the one of (it’s just not the assembly of the his move, he resigned from the post keeping the worlds of dissent alive nations or the United Nations of General Secretary and demanded and pursuing civil disobedience but a world government) elected an open debate in the party. This both against the imperial colonial from people of the world (not that issue boiled up and resulted in his rule and in a free state could be coordinated in the committee of expulsion from the party but he considered as a great contribution. the governments of the world) that never compromised on his political He also demolished the one family would be a universal framework. line. rule in India and conquered the It is not globalisation which is in difficult course of democracy. In my opinion Dr Lohia was fact Americanisation. It is different These could be his other major the most pragmatic leader and a altogether. At the national level, it contributions. far-sighted visionary. His thoughts, is his quest for freedom, equality ideas, views and political theories and democracy. Politics is the wheel of are very relevant today. He taught impermanence. Nothing stays We must not just stick to the poor and common man of this permanently here, especially in memorials or rituals as the custom country to fight for their rights India. But he prepared the ground about the birth centenaries. We through democratic means. He for a change, a total change. The have to keep the word and vision fought for a just society, for social non-Congress politics of 1967 of Dr. Lohia alive by protecting justice, equality, secularism and for paved the way for Total Revolution the torch of ideas and dreams as democratic socialism. He coined a which was worked by his eminent it is associated with our ancient slogan ‘Sansopa ney bandhi gaaanth, colleague Jayaprakash Narayan, sages and seers. He received it Pichde pawain main sau main saath” which came about in 1977. It again from the freedom fighters under (Sixty percent reservation for the did not stay long as the vision of the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi backward-Dalits, minorities and the total revolution did not come and passed on to his generation women of any caste, in legislatures to logical conclusion. and the youth of his time. Now we and Government jobs).We are have to actively pursue the ideals still fighting for the thirty three What are the most relevant promoted by him and presented to percent reservation for the Women legacies of the vision of Dr. Lohia the generations to come. in legislatures! He wrote “Non-Congressism is not In a way Patwari has changed but the In the last editorial of his monthly delivering goods as much as was Collector remains the same. But the journal “Jan” of August-September expected from it and somewhere biggest success of this experiment is 1967, Doctor Lohia appraised his it indulged in itself. One of the that now people think that even the strategy of Non-Congressism and the reasons of its failure is the Central Congress can be removed from the performance of SVD Governments. government led by Congress party. (Continued on Page 22) 14 JANATA, April 17, 2011

My Date With Lohia

Mastram Kapoor

I remember, I started looking for Drawing a wire from a nearby house, Kasturba Gandhi Road) where a hero at a small age of, perhaps, an electric bulb was hung over the Constitution Club was then situated under ten. My first attraction was table with some temporary device. and where I once or twice saw Lohia, to legendry hero Hanuman who The audience was sitting on the sipping tea at a footpath tea-stall and helped me to win over my fears ground, in pitch dark evening. Lohia talking to his friends and admirers. of ghost which I was told, was spoke for an hour and half. He neither It was like Boswell following Dr. lurking in every dark place in spoke about the circumstances Johnson; though I cannot claim to the village. Later, it was Swami under which he left the party, nor be a Boswell to Dr. Lohia, which Dayanand whose message that all he exhorted the audience in the privilege must go to Harris Wofford, are equal by birth and it is foolish to style of a demagogue. He quietly who (in Lohia’s words) could call discriminate between persons on the and unemotionally analysed the him ‘Son of a Bitch and could also basis of castes, attracted me. After present conditions of the country bring a cup of coffee from a half entering high school, I with some and explained that the essence of mile way’. My guilt was also caused of my school-mates, was attracted socialism was to fight poverty and by the fact that I had not read any to freedom fighters, especially of the inequality. What impressed me most book written by him then. Lohia Quit India Movement. The names of was that he was speaking to the used to be generally surrounded Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, audience of thirty or forty people but by writers and artists in the coffee- Subhash Chandra Bose, Jayaprakash that didn’t bother him and he spoke house and although I had become a Narayan and Dr. Rammanohar Lohia as if he was addressing a packed hall. writer of some sort by 1961, having were often discussed those days, but The impact I got at the meeting was published three books, for children these names were like distant stars strengthened by my friend Ramlal and several short stories and articles for us. Shukla’s deep devotion to Dr. Lohia. in the well-known magazines and Whenever, we met he described to newspapers, I was hesitant to meet My first introduction to Lohia me some new and stimulating aspect Dr. Lohia without having read any was in dismal and disappointing of Lohia’s life. In fact, this was the of his books. conditions. When Lohia was only input I received about Lohia, expelled from the Praja Socialist till I moved to Delhi in 1961 and On transfer from government Party in 1955, some mill-workers had occasions to attend his public service in Mumbai, I had joined in Kurla, Mumbai (where I was meetings and see him from close Central Hindi Directorate, in Delhi, residing those days) organized a distance. where I met a fan of Dr. Lohia, who meeting which was to be addressed gave me some booklets written by Lohia. A friend of mine, Ramlal This business of seeing someone by Lohia, priced at few paise or Shukla, who was a mill-worker, from close distance without being annas. I had never expected any one virtually dragged me to the meeting. seen by him or her in return, has its in government service, admiring I was disillusioned with Jawaharlal own ramifications like following the Lohia because I had found by then Nehru soon after the Independence trail of beautiful girls, without being that most of the people belonging but had not found my new ideal seen in return and consequently to the educated class and also in and so Ramlal Shukla, who was a without being hauled up for stalking. government service were either Lohia-fan, was very eager to take I did it with a guilty mind and the Nehruites or RSSites. Ramtap me to the meeting. The meeting was same sense of guilt I experienced Pandey who gave me the books arranged in a school play-ground. A when I followed Lohia to the coffee- written by Lohia, was a wonderful chair and a small table were placed house or simply waited on the man. He was not only an admirer of on the ground which served as stage. footpath of Curzon Road (now Dr. Lohia, but also his devotee, like JANATA, April 17, 2011 15

Ramlal Shukla of Bombay. Later seven crore people’, unnerved to such an extent that they issued on another scholar joined Hindi Nehru government and after passing ‘fatwa’ against Lohia that he should Directorate, who was a committed away of Jawaharlal Nehru, on not be allowed to enter India alive. Lohiaite. His name was Vinay May 27, 1964, the Congress Party Kumar, who later joined Delhi started losing fast its popular base. This attitude of Indian newspapers, University and them became a This, combined with opposition especially of the foreign language, full-fledged political leader in the unity fostered by Lohia’s Non- as well as total neglect of Lohia’s Socialist Party. Tragically he died at Congressism, brought the downfall writings by the Universities and early age and we lost a real socialist of Congress in the general election Libraries, during Nehru’s regime intellectual. of 1967 and it lost power in several and after, made me very sad at times. states and hegemonic power in the This prompted me to compile, edit In the wake of Chinese invasion Centre. When Nehru died, Lohia and publish the Collected Works of on India’s northern borders, a was in the USA under arrest for Dr. Lohia in Hindi and English, as meeting of opposition parties was offering satyagrah against racial the last purpose of my life, so that held at Theatre Communication discrimination in a Mississippi the future generations may restart Building ground (on which now restaurant. He issued the following the upsurge from where it was halted stands LIC building and Theatre press statement on May 28, 1964 by Lohia’s untimely and unfortunate Communication building being from Jackson, Mississippi, USA; death. Of course, I was enabled to do replaced by Palika Bazar). This this work after my long association meeting was addressed by all “I sorrow over the death of India’s with Madhu Limaye, Dr. Hari opposition leaders such as Acharya Prime Minister and the Congress Dev Sharma, Ladli Mohan Nigam, Kripalani, Dr. Lohia, Atal Bihari Party’s most outstanding leader. I Janeshwar Mishra, Pratap Satoskar Vajpayee, AK Gopalan etc. With grieve over the passing away of a etc. in whom I saw Lohia reflected Nehru government under attack from man, who led us with sensitive charm as the cow-herd maids saw Krishna all side due to its miserable failure when we were young and he had at reflected in Udhava and whose during Chinese invasion, Lohia drew least the manner of a revolutionary. association imparted me the required the attention of the middle classes My thought goes out to his daughter training to do this work. It never for and even the English newspapers who must be stricken with grief. I a moment occurred to me that I was which were cold to Lohia’s views, wish to tell her that I share her grief doing this work for some reward started giving ample space to him. in whatever measure, for memories or as an obligation to someone. I His election to Lok Sabha in a however much they are erased, always took it as love’s labour. bye-election in 1963 was hailed as leave their shadow. To those who are challenge to Nehru’s popularity. His grieving, I say, overcome your grief Moreover, I had an impression entry in Lok Sabha was described by trying to unshackle the arrested that Lohia’s writings like Socrates’ by some newspapers (which were revolution. I have delayed speaking dialogues, had the quality of sudden quite averse to him), as ‘bull in on premier’s death, for when news and unexpected explosion of new China Shop’, or a rowdy element first came I was already involved in thought, a kind of new revelation, in gentlemen’s gathering, but since an area of injustice and decided to every time these were read and so he set the Lok Sabha afire with go through with the involvement in I wanted to read all his writings. his original ideas and hard-hitting memory of the warrior until 1946”. That is why when Pankaj Sharma, speeches, all these newspapers were proprietor of Anamika Publishers compelled to assiduously translate So prejudiced were the Indian expressed his desire to publish the his Hindi speeches into English journalists, beholden to Nehru, Collected Works of Dr. Lohia., I and give them maximum space. towards Lohia that this heart-felt gladly accepted the offer. His bouts with Jawaharlal Nehru condolence was not published in in the Lok Sabha on his China the Indian newspapers. Instead a By the time Dr. Lohia was policy as well as during the famous distorted statement was published admitted in Wellingdon Hospital debate of three annas and twenty which infuriated Congressmen (Continued on Page 25) 16 JANATA, April 17, 2011

Evolutionary Socialism and The Twenty First Centuary

Bhagwat Prasad

The renowned Prof. S. H. Alatas may make perspectival errors. A who “will at least have tried to in his inauguration lecture in scholar, having the Marxist or an remove weapons of fear and hatred Multiversity’s Penang-II conference aggressive religious perspective from their own armory.” Lohia made a good speech on ‘The captive cannot do justice to the ancient criticizes modern civilization as Mind’, particularly in the context of rationalistic, atheistic, materialistic it is based on poverty, hatred and the knowledge available amongst the culture of India which Kautilya in war. People who study humanity scholars of the erstwhile colonial ‘Arthasastra’ calls ‘Anwikshiki’ through the recorded blood-soaked, countries. He referred to “…. this Leading historians and philosophers exploitation- stamped history of tendency of our people to imitate the of India have ignored the evidence the last 5000 years, forget that the thinking of the West and the ideas contained in the three important advent of Homo sapiens was an introduced by the colonial powers.” books: ‘Arthasastra’, ‘the writings of event preceded by 3.7 millions years Megasthenes’ and ‘the Mahabharata of mainly a monkey-type of non- In the third world Gandhi and (including the Gita)’. Our modern violent gatherer community. Human Lohia were original thinkers. No and post-modern ideas of human mind grew from 500 CC to about wonder, they were sidelined by progress and development have been 1500 CC within this period. The the mainstream thinkers who were falsified by the latest research in the shrinking of the human brain shows either the votaries of capitalism, field of science. To quote from the that we are going in the opposite communism, a semitized Hinduism article ‘Humans becoming more direction to the nature’s process of or an aggressive Islam. To quote Stupid over Time, Finds Study’ evolution. Writes Fritjof Capra in Prof. Alatas, “……in the university (The New Indian Express, 3.01.2011 his book ‘The Hidden Connections’. of Amsterdam, I remember being page-11), “Over the past 20,000 “The design principles of our future continuously bombarded with the years, the average brain of the human social institutions must be consistent idea of neutrality and the theory of male brain has decreased from 1500 with the principles of organization relativity in social sciences. There is C.C. to 1300CC The female brain that nature has evolved (deep no such thing as objectivity without has shrunk by the same proportion, ecology) to sustain the web of life. morality. Research must be based on the Daily Mail quoted a report in A unified conceptual framework for objectivity, but it cannot be without ‘Discovery’ magazine”. Among the understanding of material and morality….If a cancer expert studies the few thinkers who question the social structures will be essential cancer cells objectively, he does not modern civilizational ideas, Lohia for this task.” Capra and scientists bring his private bias into the study. is a prominent one. In his essay ‘A like Damasio rightly denounce the But having done that, he has to ask Philosophical Hypothesis’ he writes, idea of the mind-body separation himself the question – does he want “…….those who adhere to God, in Descartes’ philosophy. European to promote cancer? The answer demon or closed philosophies, be science and philosophy could not is - no”. they Adam Smith or Karl Max, and shake up Descartes’ shadow for a adhere to them in a rigid classical long time. The idea of mind-body Every country in the world style, become fanatical and have wholeness is expressed by Lohia has its unique geographical and exclusive faith in their own mistaken in his quest for the integration of historical features. Traditions and notions…….. I wish for our country economic aims (equality in the field cultures differ. Even in the fields to have an experimental frame of of basic necessities) and general of history and culture, scholars mind”. Lohia wants revolutionaries aims (like democracy, freedom JANATA, April 17, 2011 17

and fraternity) for the whole of influence the structures. This human beings do not differ much humanity. To quote Lohia, “the structuration theory of A Giddens is from the Chimpanzees. (The genetic foregoing, examination of general cyclic like natural cycles. Habermass difference is only 1.6 percent). and economic aims reveals that belonged to Frankfurt school and they have both their autonomous was influenced by Marxism. He A Chimpanzee-like-brain-having existence, but that a doctrine of called his theory the theory of animal grew to a developed-brain- their integration is possible.” (The communicative action. There is having (more than three times that Doctrinal Foundation of Socialism). the external world of facts and of a Chimpanzee) hair-less ape F. Capra has a systemic view of life objects. There is also the inner during more than 3.7 million years which no one can dispute; but when world of Hermeneutics or the world of its sojourn on this earth. About there is a search for a solution, he of meaning. Habermass says that 40 to 50,000 year back (in the falters. He presents the ideas of right action refers to factual truth upper Paleolithic or late Stone-Age Anthony Giddens and Habermass in the material world, to moral period), Homo sapiens invented as integrationist theories. Nature rightness in the social world and killer apparatus that made him a uses the process of autopoesis to sincerity in the inner world. successful hunter. Human brain (Self-generation) in its web or Both the theorists deal mostly with stopped growing in this period. As net-like process. People as agents abstractions. In the words of Lohia violence and cruelty increased in the draw upon social structures for there is no corresponding concrete human world, this was sure to happen their actions and behaviours and by action which enables humanity to because that part of the human brain their contemplation and activities rise to higher levels. Genetically (the pre-frontal cortex) which grew My Image of Dr. Lohia Rajinder Sachar My image of Dr. Lohia is very like the uppers caste people in death, the socialist movement failed personal. He was very friendly and society. According to him, that will to deliver his vision. warm in his behaviour. Though we be the most dangerous thing if our He has a vision of four pillars were very junior party workers he (backward) caste leaders do not state. He always believed that didn’t differentiate between him correct it. He has also contributed decentralisation of power is the only and us. We used to go for coffee towards preferential positions for way of development at grassroots. in the evening after having critical marginalised communities. He According to him, empowerment discussions on socialism and on believes that Muslims, women and of the common man is essential other different issues of politics and the lower castes people should be failing which true socialism can’t society. given preferential positions in every be achieved. He criticised socialism sphere of social life. Only then our For me, his major contribution is at the top. He talked about the country will lead towards socialism. about the relation between socialism mechanisation of agriculture but and the caste system of Indian where the peasants have equal His major contribution towards society. He compares caste and participation so they must not feel Indian politics is defeat of the class together and according to alienated from this process. him in India we can not think of Congress in the general elections class without taking into account of 1967. Congress monopoly was He never believed in statues and caste. His writings on casteism and broken because of his political memorials for anybody. I think leaders of backward classes are ideals and courage. He advocated spreading his ideas and messages extraordinary. He warned leaders that democratisation of politics is much more important than any of the backward classes about their cannot happen without breaking the rituals since he was strong believer behaviour as they were behaving Congress monopoly. But after his in unity of Kathni and Karni. 18 JANATA, April 17, 2011

in size, consisted of neurons (nerve- elements are freely taking part in Lohia conclusively proved that cells) which were connected with the process of evolution (covering criticism will be ineffective by sociability and control of violence. millions of years). They agree that remaining at the abstract level Every revolution based on violence there is no central controller and unless criticism concretized in the fails because the values needed order evolves out of the free activity form of Satyagraha. Lohia’s idea of in sustaining the ideal societies of every entity. In the words of Stuart Satyagraha becomes relevant in the dreamt of by revolutionary thinkers Kaufman, Professor of Biochemistry, context of what Noam Chomsky are womanly virtues (values) that Pennsylvania University, “…… the says about modern societies. “In were prevalent during the long research program was to find order the advanced industrial societies gathering phase of humanity’s for free. As it happens, I found it. the problem (tension with regard existence on this earth. Even a non- And it’s profound.” Prof. Brian to the locus of power) is typically violent revolution is sure to fail in Godwin says, “… everything in approached by a variety of measures a world where war preparations New Biology changes. Instead of the to deprive democratic political are common and greed dictates the metaphors of conflict, competition, structures of substantive content, progress of a nation – state. In such selfish genes, climbing peaks of while leaving them formally intact. a country, there is no likelihood of fitness landscapes; what you get is A larger part of this task is assumed a truly socialist society coming into evolution as a dance.” Collective by ideological institutions that being. The tragedy of humanity total freedom is another name for channel thought and attitudes within started with the hunter society of non-violence. That the gatherers’ acceptable bounds, deflecting any males gradually overwhelming society and also the hunter’s society potential challenge to established the previous society of gatherers in the first phase of its existence privilege and authority before it (females), thus bringing into being were free from violence and greed can take form and gather strength a strictly patriarchal society. Among is confirmed from the study of …. My personal feeling is that the few thinkers of the world whose primitive societies as found out citizens of democratic societies views tally with the values of a by anthropologists. Human mind’s should undertake a course of self- gathering society the foremost are decline started when women were defense to protect themselves from Gandhi, Lohia and Einstein. Lohia’s subdued completely through violence manipulation and control, and to lay stress on spade, vote and prison and patriarchy reigned supreme in the basis for meaningful democracy. are the appropriate steps which, modern advanced societies. In spite (Necessary Illusions). if implemented with sincerity and of living in a patriarchal society, determination by the millions will, Lohia never accepted women as the Gradually evolutionary scientists by emphasizing the values of a second sex, and went ahead of his are realizing that forces of nature gatherer’s society, solve many of the mentor Gandhi in honoring the so- work to preserve the entire living problems of the suffering humanity. called fallen women who lived by world as a whole. Where there is Women are likely to play a leading selling their bodies. danger of a species dying through role in movements based on spade, internal violence, nature’s defense vote and prison. Non-violence in action, the mechanism controls it. Two principle of Satyagraha, reached wolves fighting each other do not In the present war-preparing great heights in Gandhi’s able bring it to the finish. The weaker world, no single country can afford disciple Lohia’s writings and actions. party understands its danger and to accept non-violence as its creed The eye reddening at the sight of meekly surrenders to the stronger. by disbanding its army, navy and air any injustice and the heart moved Immediately the stronger wolf force. Nature cannot be partial to any by sympathy, combine in the act of ceases its struggle and allows species and the evolution process Satyagraha which is the true spirit its opponent to depart in peace. as a whole as simulated in super- of democracy. All leading thinkers (Constance Lorenz). As man has computers by eminent scientists of democracy agree that criticism become the worst predator in nature of Santa Fe fame, indicate that all is the essence of democracy. and exterminates other species JANATA, April 17, 2011 19

cruelly, nature’s defense mechanism does not separate humans from and flora of India which nourished becomes active in taking away the nature and recognizes the intrinsic the most leisured class of females power of the human brain thus values of all living beings, could and males was highly conducive making man more stupid or more provide an ideal, philosophical and to contemplation and compassion. self-destructive as ages pass. even spiritual context for the new Archeologists show surprise when scientific paradigm. Today, twenty they study the artifacts and weapons The bell of human extinction years later, I (still) hold this view”. of pre-Vedic India. Writes the is ringing loud and clear. Climate Capra’s rooted views are those of a Harvard-trained famous geneticist change is menacing human survival. gatherer society. Very few countries, Spencer Wells in his famous book There is little chance of humanity philosophies or religions forbade its ‘The Journey of Man’, “ … India taking appropriate steps to halt it. inhabitants or adherents to shun meat is unusual, since there is very little The danger of war or preparation for eating and stop any sort of cruelty to evidence of the upper Paleolithic war is devastating human resources animals. The worldviews of every there … at least there are abundant and as long as group-selfishness country are important; amongst them tools from the earlier periods”. masquerades as patriotism or god- are those that can provide humanity The upper Paleolithic age was devotion, disaster threatens the the right path to life and happiness. the earliest age of great hunters human species. “…he (Habermass) points out that because of the abundance of killer people’s interpretations always rely apparatus among these hunters in Lohia’s tiny essay ‘ Fundamentals on a number of implicit assumptions this age. Human mind’s innovative of a World Mind’ is a seminal one that that are embedded in history and tendencies and skills thus led to guides an internationalist. Very few tradition ….. social scientist should the first great violation of nature’s thinkers have written a better piece evaluate different traditions critically, design. Man’s journey of killership on the bankruptcy of human thought identify ideological distortions and continued relentlessly from this age. in the 20th century, “….thinking uncover their connections with All the animals other than men were has ceased to be creative. Ideas are power relations. Emancipations subjected to cruel exploitation and designed and tested for their value to take place whenever people are slaughter. Men ‘too’ shared the same one or other of the two power blocs. able to overcome past restrictors fate in later periods. … The question of all questions that resulted from distorted stridently urging an answer is communication” (The Hidden There is abundant literary and which shall serve what; shall idea Connection). The whole of humanity archeological evidence to prove that serve force or force, idea?.... both suffers from distortions of its ideas Mahenjodaro Harappa civilization (capitalism and communism) are because of its hunter mentality. was an egalitarian, atheistic, kingless doctrines of political and economic Emancipation from it is needed, civilization which was free of centralization, of technical and so that instead of power relations wars. The availability of fruits in organizational efficiency…..” governing human communicative abundance in India come out in actions, humanity gets guided by Max Muller’s essay ‘Indian view Lohia was an ardent votary of sharing and caring relations that of life’. “Bhartrihari says,” “ There a world government. He wrote, prevailed during its million years of is fruit on the trees in every forest, “Peace can come only via a world existence in a matricentric (woman- which everyone who like may pluck government…. All those who centric) gatherer society. without trouble. There is cool and desire a world government must sweet water in a river in the pure aspire to achieve a worldview of Buddha, Gandhi, Lohia and JP rivers here and there.” equality and against class, caste or are all products of a culture that regional inequalities.” Evolutionary was unique in the world. India had No hunter’s society can produce Scientist F. Capra wrote, “….I the only gatherers’ society in the a philosophy of praxis like the also argued that the philosophical world which produced advanced Yoga where the primary values are school of deep ecology, which city civilizations. The rich fauna nonviolence and non-acquisition 20 JANATA, April 17, 2011

of money or materials. Yoga was a what the geneticists say. Human and the knowledge of public health discovery of the womenfolk, who evolution took the right evolutionary and measures that made city life had equal rights with males even in road in Pre-Vedic India. Monogamy pleasant and free from diseases the field of sex. So geneticists stress in later families was also because were given importance by the then the fecund Draupadi phenomenon of female preference for it; but elites of society, the Yoginis and is India. We, the Indians, are the occasional sexual freedom was Yogis (called Gymno-sophists by the descendents of a few females, each prevalent in society. Greek travelers to India). impregnated by a number of males. There is ample literary evidence of Here, in India, not more and In Killer societies, hunters became female sexual freedom available in more powerful killer weapons but warriors whose war-leaders or chiefs the Mahabharata which supports a healing science like the Ayurveda morphed into kings. The concepts of Unusual Thinker R. M. Pal In this brief note I’ll refer to two/ out by his talk with Dr. Ramaswamy 3. Another remarkable thing three incidents that, according to me, Naicker Periyar. Dr. Lohia went all that Dr. Lohia did was in the AICC make Dr. Lohia an unusual political the way to a Madras hospital, where session which met to support the thinker in Indian history. According Mr. Naicker was being treated, to Congress Working Committee to me Dr. Lohia’s name will be meet him. Their talks have been resolution to partition India for the written in golden letters because of published in Dr. Lohia’s book on sake of achieving independence his efforts to achieve these things: caste. from Britain. Dr. Lohia, along with another Congress member 1. Dr. Lohia’s attempt to bring 2. As I have written elsewhere, from Sindh, vehemently opposed round Dr. Ambedkar into his fold there are a number of points in Dr. the resolution. All the so-called with a view to making him an Lohia’s book on caste with which Gandhian members/leaders of all-India leader and dislodge the Gandhi might not have agreed. I’m Gandhi’s Congress accepted the Gandhi-Nehru dynasty rule. In an admirer of Dr. Lohia for two resolution. this context I refer to a letter that reasons: his views on caste and his Dr. Lohia wrote to his friend and efforts to abolish dynasty rule with 4. Dr. Lohia wanted to colleague, Mr. Madhu Limaye, ‘You a view to cleaning up governance. reconstruct the Indian polity through can well understand my sorrow at This is particularly important in parliamentary reform of democracy. Dr. Ambedkar’s sudden death has today’s context where each party is Jayaprakash Narayan thought that been and is personal. It had always bent on perpetuating dynastic rule. true and genuine democracy could been my ambition to draw him into Had Dr. Lohia been alive today, not be achieved through delegation our fold. That moment seemed to he would have forged an alliance of power. Therefore power must be approaching. Dr. Ambedkar was of the Shudra leaders, the OBC be given to the people through to me a great man in Indian politics representatives like Nitish Kumar panchayats. and apart from Gandhiji, no caste and Lalu Prasad Yadav in Bihar, Some noteworthy books by and Hindu leader came up to his stature. Mulayam Singh Yadav in UP, all about Dr. Lohia are: This fact has always given me of whom were products of the JP 1. On Caste solace and confidence that the caste movement, with Mayawati, the 2. The Guilty Men of Pakistan system of Hinduism could one day Dalit leader, to create an alliance of 3. Dr. Lohia’s US Tour (An be destroyed.’ the most oppressed classes in India incident of note is that Dr. Lohia, at and thus present a challenge to that This fact, that is Lohia’s earnest the risk of being prosecuted, insisted representative of dynastic rule, the endeavour to abolish caste, is borned on visiting a restaurant where non- Congress party. whites were not permitted.) JANATA, April 17, 2011 21

an all-powerful super king led to the Generations of historians and philosophy of Anwikshiki by an conception of God whose favourite philosophers in India and abroad, inferior philosophy. Lohia wrote courtiers were the priests. In hunter the flag bearers of hunter society that the separation of SREYA from societies, warriors and priests were philosophy and culture of the Greeks PREYA was wrong. Lohia’s stress the elite. and other Europeans and Americans, on SAMA (equality at the level of failed to understand the pre-Vedic mind also) and his unique experience No king or super-kings (God or culture of a gatherers’ society. of Samadhi in Lahore jail (when time Gods) evolved among the Yoginis The key word used in Buddhism stood still) speaks of his intuitive and Yogis. In Mohenjodara Harappa and Jainism, Mahabharata, preference for pre-Vedic Indian civilization, no such phenomenon Samkhya, Yoga and Lokayat was culture whose cultural progenies took place. The Yoginis and Yogis SUKHA which precisely meant are Budhisim, Jainism and the other occupied the highest place in society the pleasure principle of nature. philosophies preached by thinkers (as available from the writings Nature’s ‘pleasure principle’ got like P. Katyayana, A. Kesha Kambali of Megasthenes). Max Muller associated with ‘hedonism’ because and others of their ilk. About Gandhi, writes, “The greatest conqueror of European thinking was deaf to the Romaine Rolland wrote “…. There antiquity (Alexander) stood in silent true meaning of ‘SUKHA’. Had can be no genius of action, no leader, wonderment before the Gymno- our historians and philosophers who does not incarnate the instincts sophists, regretting that he could studied sincerely at least one book of his race, satisfy the need of the not communicate with them …..” of the Buddha ( Dhammapada ) and hour and requite the yearning of (Indian View of Life). read the Bhagawad Gita in the light the world”. The same words can be Evolution used ‘the pleasure of ‘Dhammapada’ and excluded used for Lohia. The word ‘Sukha’ is principle’ to direct all the living beings the Gita’s massive scholarly central to ancient Indian culture and in the planet earth. Sigmund Freud violence-justifying and Brahminic its discussion is particularly relevant made a great mistake in putting the interpolations, (Kosambi), there in these calamitous nature-defying reality principle above the pleasure would have been no necessity for days. principle. Today’s science falsifies them to ignore Kautilya’s emphasis Freud’s idea and proves that the on ‘Anwikshiki’ in Arthasastra and Human brain has three layers. culprit is not nature but culture. The Megasthenes’ emphatic declaration There is the reptilian brain which knowledge of the absence of killer that Gymno-sophists had the highest finds pleasure in indolence (examine apparatus in the upper Paleolithic rank in India among the seven the life of a crocodile or a Python). age in India and the lack of war categories of people who lived in The second layer or the mammalian weapons and domesticated animals India. Nature abhors the limitless brain finds pleasure in incessant in Mahenjodaro Harappa culture cruelty and predation of humans activity sometimes leading to are the discoveries of archeology. leading to total extermination of limitless violence. The third layer Modern science establishes that other species. Pre-Vedic India, or the pre-frontal cortex, almost we are genetically programmed to by making non-violence and half of the total brain, restrains have a brain that accepts rationality. APARIGRAHA (minimizing one’s the violent tendencies in the other Scientist Antonio Damasio M.D., wants) the supreme values, actually parts of the brain and leads to Ph.D., the writer of the famous book followed the dictates of nature. increase of sociability. India’s ‘Descartes’ Error’, examines in the Samkhya philosophy expresses these laboratory the brain of a person Since the Upanishads are the tendencies as the three GUNAS. ‘Not called Elliot who had a big tumour philosophies of the hunters (the extended indolence, or incessant is his right frontal lobe and comes nomadic Aryans), their stress urge to work but ‘Sukha’ is the to the conclusion that emotion and on SREYA ( the good ), against primary nature-given quality of the rational decision making are twins in PREYA (the pleasant) is nothing pre-frontal cortex (SATWA GUNA). the same areas of the human brain. unusual or unexpected. The Discontent or mental tension occurs Upanishadic seers replaced the when human actions that lead to 22 JANATA, April 17, 2011

‘SUKHA’ are not indulged in by because it robotized and brutalized develop humanly.” Articles 62 and the man/woman. Explaining Sukha, the workers. Meszarios stressed the 70 of the Venezuelan constitution Gita says, “The knowledge that all elementary triangle of socialism : empower people at the lowest level to living beings are one, though they a) Social ownership of production, build self-managing institutions and lead different lives in this world is b) Social production organized co-operatives. Really autonomous known as Satwik knowledge.” (The by workers , c). Production for power-wielding basic organizations Gita-18 -20). Love of all living communal needs. called communal councils (generally beings must direct every action of consisting of 200 to 400 families in a Satwik being . The contentment Lohia’s stress on small units of urban areas and fifty to one hundred that lends special charm to the face production satisfied almost all the families in rural areas) dotted all the of a Buddha, Mahavira or Samkara aims of these great thinkers of Latin regions of Venezuela. The ideas of is rarely found in the faces of leading America. Lohia was a fighter for Gandhi and Lohia have found a new Western philosophers. Scientist the equal rights of the oppressed home in Latin American countries. Amitabh Chakravarthy in an article people of the whole world and was Leaders are giving a call to learn published in the Radical Humanist imprisoned in several countries from indigenous communities the (February-2011) establishes the fact because he defied the unequal ways to communal solidarity and that modern science has discovered laws prevalent in them. Marta local empowerment. This new dawn that human goodness is a gift of Harnecker denounced Vanguardism’, of 21st century socialism can be nature. Next in importance to the ‘Verticalism’, ‘authoritarianism’, enriched if the socialists of India and evolutionary approach which guided excessive centralism and opposed a the Latin American countries interact the pre-Vedic gatherers’ India, and ‘narrow workerist view of socialism’. with each other. Gandhi, J.P and whose legacy was milked by Gandhi Lohia believed in decentralized Lohia’s ideas will undoubtedly help and Lohia, there is the humanistic power and economy. He concretized in the sprouting of healthy shoots realistic approach of Latin America his ideas in advocating the formation of socialism in the lands of Bolivar, which is scaling great heights in the of maximum power-wielding village Chavez, Castro and Marcos. A great search for a new variety of humane councils as the basic foundational thinker, Labowitz says, “Every Twenty First Century socialism. part of the Chaukhamba (four- society has its unique characteristics pillared) scheme of economic and - its unique histories, traditions At the close of the world social political entities. Harnecker aimed (including religious and indigenous Forum -2005, Chavez declared , at building a society that makes the ones), its mythologies, its heroes “We have to reinvent socialism”. full development of human beings who have struggled for a better He called it the socialism of the possible. Lohia’s seven-legged world, and the particular capacities 21st century. Bolivar, Rodriguez and revolution (Sapta–Kranti) is the best that people have developed in the Zamora, Meszarios and Harnecker way to develop the full potential of process of struggle”. The only were some of the thinkers whose every human being. country in the world which can ideas gifted Marxian socialism develop evolutionary socialism is new dimensions. Chavez often Kropotkin wrote to Lenin in 1920, India. Evolutionary socialism only quoted them. Zamora had said, “…. Without an organization from can harness the pleasure principle “Free elections, free land and free below of the peasants and workers of nature (Sukha) and thus stem men, horror to the oligarchy”. themselves, it is impossible to build the shrinkage of the human brain Bolivar called equality ‘the law of a new life”. The USSR did not follow and the ecological devastations that laws’. He fought for the rights of this advice, but Chavez followed it threaten humanity. Values which the indigenous people. His fights to the letter. Thus writes Harnecker developed among the matricentric led to the abolition of slavery in “Participation, protagonism in all gatherers which led to the formation Latin America much earlier than spaces, is that which allows human of the love-dominated (non-violent) the U.S. Rodriguez denounced beings to grow and increase their humane societies, can only save division of labour in industries self-confidence, that is to say, to mankind from sure destruction. JANATA, April 17, 2011 23

India had heroes like Mahavir, heirs of the most important Yogic all the post- Vedic philosophies of Buddha, Gandhi and Gymno-sophist values). India was, though other-worldly, still philosophers who had developed culturally attached to the Brahminic Yogic YAMA values and worked India’s rich legacy still awaits rituals (The Gita- 18th canto). It for the welfare of all living beings. deep exploration by the thinkers hypocritically approved violence Vedic India was a hunter’s land and historians of the world. This using the plea that renouncing the and the lavishly ritualistic caste- Anwikhikian legacy alone can fruit of karma is equivalent to karma- untouchability-ridden India of the teach humanity the developed lessness (The Gita). It justified the Gupta age (the age of puranas) has not evolutionary path of nature. Many caste system and untouchability. The much to contribute to evolutionary of Latin America’s indigenous hunter society thinkers invented it socialism. If evolutionary socialism people can guide us initially because to displace SUKHA. They debased (ANWIKSHIKI) dies in the land of their communities evolved naturally. Sukha by throwing the patriarchal its birth, it will be the worst calamity But pre-Vedic India, free from the dust of ignominy on its matricentric that endangers the existence of all the evils of the caste system and that value of equal sexual freedom species on this earth. Anthropology philosophical aberration called enjoyed by women (Charbak). tells us that in Amazonian lands, ‘karmic rebirth’ proved that the Lohia always welcomed matricentric communities still exist which give supreme ideal ‘SUKHA’ was based values. He vehemently denounced supreme importance to relationship. on the twins: universal love for all untouchability and the caste system. “…….towards the end of achieving living beings and tranquility of mind. He was this-worldly and never health, wealth and safety, Amazonian The action or karma-transcending bothered about Moksha. people aim to master not nature, but MOKSHA ideal which haunted as many as possible of their personal relationships with other beings, human or otherwise, in the world.” (Continued from Page 12) (Rapport and Overing). power. This is remarkable and now Lohia is immortal. Future people have an urge for change. But generations would find it difficult Yogis and Yoginis, having plenty it has no direction. In Non-Congress to believe that such a person too of leisure (The Original Affluent governments there are seven or lived in this world, who did not Society by M. Shahlin) developed eight parties or thoughts”. In the own any property or didn’t have an the techniques of various types of same editorial Lohia says that “this iota of selfishness. He will remain meditations which enhanced their urge of change in the common man in the hearts of the poor of this creative mental powers, giving them should not be allowed to be dried country. He once said that “I have the capacity to have full control over down. If this happens then all will be nothing to give to the people of their negative emotions. They had over. Those who become ministers, this country, except the fact that the only loving attitude towards all living have no concern for common man. poor and common people of India, beings. They had perfectly tranquil Even the ordinary member of the believe that I belong to them and I minds which nothing could disturb. politics has become silent spectator. am their voice”. He called himself They developed all the qualities He wants to be associated with big ‘Kujaat Gandhivadi’. No institution, that make man /woman a uniquely leaders or ministers. He doesn’t want academy or a political party can creative individual and also an to be independent and have no desire claim to be the sole heir apparent intensely social being. The Buddha to be learning anything. Back-biting, of Lohia. He lives in the hearts and was such a personality. Mahavir was flattery has become the routine of minds of the masses and whenever another. There were many lesser ordinary worker; he wants to live the history of social justice, civil personalities whom history did not with it. Status quo has become the liberty and dignity of mankind will take into consideration (Gandhi, motto of Indian politics. Everybody be written, Dr Rammanohar Lohia J.P. and Lohia did not practice wants to become something. This is will be remembered in golden letters. meditation but still were the worthy a very bad omen for the country”. 24 JANATA, April 17, 2011

Remarkable Socialist Leader

Sumit Chakravartty

The two-year programme, which yoke. However, Dr Lohia was a time (that is, in 1936) when it was was undertaken in 2009 to observe endowed with a brilliant mind, a Nehru who appointed Dr Lohia, then Dr Rammanohar Lohia’s birth rare foresight and an exceptional just 26 years in age, the secretary centenary, is drawing to a close resolve to break the status quo by of the foreign affairs wing of the as we approach March 23, 2011, fighting the Establishment through Indian National Congress. That was the day that marks his 101st birth militant mass actions which alone, also the time when Panditji used to anniversary. In these two years, I he was convinced, would eventually describe Rammanohar as the “rising am certain, the life and activities lead to the goal of socialism. And on star” in Indian politics. But the two of that remarkable socialist leader this issue of breaking the status quo drifted apart when Dr Lohia found (who left an indelible imprint on he was literally uncompromising. Nehru not being true to what he the Indian political scene in both the As the noted journalist C.N. Chitta had declared in his early years, and pre-independence period and the two Ranjan wrote in his tribute to Dr this became increasingly evident in decades following independence, Lohia following the latter’s passing the post-independence era. On Dr that is, till his untimely demise in October 1967: Lohia’s release from prison in June on October 12, 1967) have been 1946 Nehru had offered him the propagated throughout the country in “We can afford to forget the Congress’ General Secretaryship but order to ensure the revival of a vibrant passing aspects of Lohia’s life, he refused to accept the post due to democratic socialist movement but we cannot do without his his serious differences on several which is the imperative need of the discontent with the inadequacies questions relating to the functioning hour in the present environment of of the Left, his anger at the of Congress leaders in power as also market fundamentalism developed continuing poverty and suffering the Congress organisation. Yet there by the policies of liberalisation, of the millions twenty years after was nothing personal in his sharp, privatisation and globalisation the attainment of independence, and at times vehement, criticism of originating from the structural his uncompromising struggle Nehru. As he himself explained in a reforms programme formulated by against the Establishment which piece in Mainstream within a couple the Washington Consensus. symbolises the pernicious of weeks of the weekly’s launch in philosophy of the status quo.” September 1962: How do we remember Dr Lohia (Mainstream, October 21, 1967) today? From his early youth he was “Some people have tried to twist a staunch fighter for the cause of Thus, Dr Lohia was indeed quite the purpose of this pinpointing India’s freedom and devoted his different from the others. on the Prime Minister’s expenses entire life for the upliftment of the as a move on my part to deny teeming millions. But then there were Much has been written about him, particularly in his old age, countless others of the same mould Dr Lohia’s troubled relations the comforts needed for him to who had plunged headlong into the with Jawaharlal Nehru. He was carry out his duties as Prime independence movement spurred by undoubtedly dauntless in lashing out Minister. Far be it for me to the clarion call of Mahatma Gandhi, at the first PM of independent India deny him any of the normal the real revolutionary in this nation primarily because he found the hero comforts in life. In fact, I have having moved the millions for the of his youth had failed to live up to been raising this question of the emancipation of the motherland his expectations. (Lohiaji himself Prime Minister’s expenditure as through non-violent mass struggles had disclosed this in as many words part of our campaign to achieve aimed at overthrowing the foreign on one occasion.) And yet there was good planning, right taxation, JANATA, April 17, 2011 25

and just pricing. With such 1937-48 are too well known to A man of action, he led powerful luxury expenditure, it would be bear repetition. Gandhiji had deep mass movements all through his impossible for India to achieve affection for him. Once, when he life. He fought against Portugal’s these.” was imprisoned, the Father of the colonial rule in Goa (1964), for Nation spontaneously said: “I cannot restoration of democracy in Nepal Thereafter he added: sit still when I see Rammanohar (1946, 1949), for establishment of a “On a rough estimate, I believe Lohia and Jayaprakash Narayan State Assembly in Manipur (1955) that Rs 2000 crores are being in jail. I do not know braver and besides leading numerous mass spent annually as super luxury straighter men than them.” This was struggles on the various demands of expenditure by the upper classes evidence of the unalloyed love the the peasantry and toiling people. He of India, numbering around 50 Mahatma had for both. And it also was arrested in Arunachal Pradesh lakhs. This sum of money cold provided a measure of his trust in for protesting against the ban on be easily transferred to planning them. Through their deeds both of entry without permit there (1958, or to reduction of indirect them proved that they were indeed 1959). In the USA, he was detained taxation on essential articles or worthy of his trust. in 1964 when he protested against the abolition of land revenue on racial discrimination; ultimately the uneconomic holdings, as also Dr Lohia’s legendary exploits State Department was compelled for the achievement of a price during the ‘Quit India’ movement to apologise to him, but in reply policy for essential articles that elevated him to the stature of a he asked them to apologise to the would fix sale price at no more national figure of eminence. He Statue of Liberty instead. Such was than one-and-a-half times the was arrested in May 1944 after 21 Dr Rammanohar Lohia. cost price. When I try to take months of clandestine activities and away Rs 2000 crores from India’s lodged in Lahore Jail where he was A firm believer in grassroots upper classes, I might mention subjected to inhuman torture. But democracy, he waged a concerted that Rs 3000 crores will still be incarceration in prison could not struggle against an unequal world left with them to spend as they shatter him or dampen his spirits. order and propounded the theory like.” (Mainstream, September While he was in prison he lost his of Sapta Kranti (seven revolutions) 15, 1962) father but even then he refused envisaging male-female equality, to come out on parole. Here one elimination of discrimination based Hence it was a matter of principle, notices the best streak of a principled on colour, and end to caste-based not a personal issue for Dr Lohia. freedom fighter. This was again inequality, liquidation of colonialism Here again he stood out among witnessed in August 1954 when the and establishment of a world others. PSP Government of Travancore- parliament, fight against inequality The figures mentioned above are Cochin headed by Pattom Thanu generated by private capital and for actually peanuts when set against Pillai fired on unarmed people growth of capital through planning, the statistics available today. One resulting in some deaths; Dr Lohia, struggle against armaments, mass wonders what Dr Lohia would who was then the General Secretary civil disobedience. have commented on witnessing the of the party and was behind bars in emergence of 54 largest billionaires UP for having participated in a mass Dr Lohia fought the second, third of the world in India on the one side movement there, strongly urged the and fourth general elections from and the number of people below the State Government to resign on moral UP, the third one in 1962 against poverty line growing by leaps and grounds, but when the request to Nehru from Phulpur. He lost in bounds with every passing day in that effect was rejected by Thanu 1957 and 1962 but came to the Lok this country on the other. Pillai he instantly resigned from the Sabha by winning a by-election from party post upholding principle over Farrukhabad. In 1967 he was re- Dr Lohia’s close association politics. elected to Parliament from Kannauj. with Mahatma Gandhi in the years 26 JANATA, April 17, 2011

Even today, after more than 44 sense of the word and far from being That is the intensely human Dr years, one distinctly remembers his the run-of-the-mill politician. In the Rammanohar Lohia for you, a man absorbing speeches in the Lok Sabha brief span of 57 years before his life who could endear himself to one and in 1966—even now one can hear was suddenly cut short, Dr Lohia all by his extraordinary qualities and his inimitable voice in Parliament played such a vitally important role who left such a profound impress hurling sharp and acerbic attacks in our political and social life! upon our nation as a whole. on PM Indira Gandhi especially during the acrimonious debate Let me conclude this tribute with (Continued on Page 14) on the devaluation of the rupee. what Dr Lohia told two journalists, (now Rammanohar Lohia Hospital) Every word was measured and his Ravindranath and Ayub Syed, while on 28th September, 1967 for a minor unequivocal pronouncements, full giving a recorded interview to operation of prostate, I had dispelled of wit and substance, were listened them just before the fourth general all my hesitations and fears (due to to with rapt attention by all sides of elections in 1967, that is, precisely my being in government service) the House—he commanded a kind of 44 years ago. Asked to describe the and decided to see Dr. Lohia, and respect from friends and foes alike most thrilling moment in his political also had written a letter to him. I few have been able to claim since life, he briefly paused and then, with hoped to meet him when he would be his demise. a far-away look in his eyes, said: discharged from the hospital within two-three days. But this hope was Dr Lohia led several mass “There have been innumerable never fulfilled. movements and was jailed on thrills. I don’t know; in a certain numerous occasions in both pre- and sense I am a somewhat immature Everyday I would go to Wellingdon post-independence India. He was an person, more of an adolescent Hospital and join the people in uncompromising and indomitable than an old person because every the lawn outside, waiting for the fighter who could not be suppressed situation appears to me to be a good news of Dr. Lohia’s recovery. by either force or coercion. fantastically novel situation. I am The lawn was always crowded slightly nervous, still so, before by his well-wishers and admirers, His espousal of several causes, making a speech, an ordinary including rehriwalla, rickshaw- like the one of giving Hindi the speech—and I must have spoken pullers, hotel waiters, writers, status of national language while thousands of times—but then journalists, teachers, politician and strengthening the regional languages each speech has an occasion and leaders. When someone came out, for the benefit of the poor and I like each speech to conform to people looked at his face and tried the marginalised, evoked mixed that new occasion. Therefore, to read what was written on it. On reactions. But his arguments were there is a novelty in it. But 11th October, in the evening I saw always logical and factual. then if you ask me straight off, Madhu Limaye coming out. His well, there were Goas, there face was so tense that it indicated He wanted to keep equidistance were Nepals, there were those something terrible. He drove fast in from both capitalism and various peasant marches. Also his jeep. By my side, Hindi writer communism but towards the end of actions during the Independence Shrikant Verma was standing wiping his life he expressed a strong desire movement, of course…. During out his tears. I knew the unexpected has happen. for Left unity in the country. the 1942 rebellion days, there were occasions when I turned to I came home. Children were not at Lenin had once described stone—whether out of a firmness home. Wife was busy in the kitchen. Bukharin as the “darling of the of resolve or paralysis of my Finding myself alone I broke down. Soviet revolution”. Dr Lohia can faculties, it is not for me to decide. justifiably be characterised as the I don’t remember whether I wept Oh yes, there have been thrills and before, on someone’s death. “darling of the Indian revolution”. too many of them.” (Mainstream, He was essentially human in every October 21, 1967) JANATA, April 17, 2011 27

Dr. Ram Mammanohar Lohia's Contributions to Civil Liberty

B. Sudershan Reddy

At the very outset, let me state violence and repression? mere valorization and hagiographic that it is with utmost humility that I speeches. It is precisely in these have accepted this task of delivering As I began to think of what I times of apparent noise, through an this brief speech in this conference should speak, about Dr. Lohia, I overload of information, the over- on Dr. Rammanohar Lohia and Civil remembered an anecdote about arching conception that we, i.e.", Liberties. It can only be with utmost him. In one of the elections that India and Indians, have arrived, and humility that one could possibly he contested, post-independence, turning a blind eye to the vast hordes make an approach to one of the he was approached by leaders of a who were not even afforded the makers of modern India, to use the particular community, asking him to chance to begin, let alone “arrive", phrase of a recent book - after all, deliver an election speech at a place that one needs to draw sustenance how does one seek to encapsulate the of worship, assuring him that such from the lives and works of great life, and works of a person like Dr. an act would get him a lot of votes men and women of history. Lohia, who in the course of his life from that particular community. wrote prodigiously; as a young man, Dr. Lohia refused, and he lost the I will humbly submit that one of barely in his twenties, led a protest election very narrowly. His refusal the keys to the thought and life of against the representation of India by was founded on the value that a Dr. Lohia is his lifelong struggle Maharaja of Bikaner, at the League space for worship, so intimately against the “Monotonic Mind”. Of of Nations in Geneva; formed the connected with the inner spiritual course everybody agrees that he foreign affairs department in the All core of human existence, could used that expression in ths context India Congress Committee; helped not be used as a space for political of “big machine" technology and lay the foundation of the Congress propaganda. Fiercely independent, it then seems logically simple to Socialist Party; was imprisoned and and never wavering from a concern conceive the political, economy tortured by the British; and in a free for ethical implications of an action, suggested by Dr. Lohia as one India founded the Socialist Party and prioritizing the pursuit of the with E.F. Schumaker's “Small is and indeed the humanistic socialist good of the broader society, within Beautiful" and with the search for movement in India? Where does one the framework of social justice, Dr. alternate technologies that enchance begin to comprehend the vision, the Lohia was indeed forever the “top- rather than eviscerate, role of labour mind and the integrity of a person class scholar, civilized gentleman, in production. That would be a who throughout his life worked liberal" and a person of “high moral correct conception, but essentially without respite and with only the character". In these times of cynical an incomplete conception. After all remit of an unyielding conscience, and debased polity, the realism of Dr, Lohia also argued and fought for to bridge the rich-poor divide, power grabbing and its retention at the empowerment, and capabilities fought against the horrors of caste all costs, and of rabid promotion of enhancement of the downtrodden, and gender inequality, warned us of extreme “I, Me and Mine” culture, Can any one claim that Dr. Lohia for the dangers of the big machine, not one cannot but help asking on instance would have disapproved of merely as a technological artifact but recollecting that great man: Jinhe the use of internet by womenfolk in as a social machine, and above all naaz hai llind par who kahaan hai? a village in India to direct their men the conditions of endemic inequality Kahaan hai?" folk to trading centers where they that perpetuates oppression of the would be able to get higher price for many by the few, generation after Yet, I would not suggest that the life their milk? In many instances, that generation, and lead to cycles of of Dr. Lohia is to be remembered for comment of Dr. Lohia has been to Text of the Speech Delivered by Justice Reddy on March 17, 2011 at Indian Law Institute New Delhi 28 JANATA, April 17, 2011

taken to imply a blind anti-science us to the adverse consequences, over - the social machine of the elite and anti-technology stance on his even impending massive human comprising of, in Dr, Lohia's terms, part, and often misused in the more tragedies, because we have denied those who possess at least two of notorious politics by lesser men of the possibility of fallibility of the three attributes, viz., knowledge, recent times. I believe that we need our assumptions, and denied the wealth and felicity of speech in the a more nuanced, and a more detailed possibility of alternate conceptions. language of power. This in turn seeks appreciation of Dr. Lohia’s work, to to create a collective monotonic go beyond the trivial, and contextual The philosopher, John Gray, mind, numb in its ethical value extensions. points to a fundamental cleavage structures, dead to innate human in liberalism. On the one hand empathy, uncaring of the suffering It is Dr. Lohia’s fear of liberalism posits that there is one of fellow human beings, infantile Monotonic Logic and Mind, and objective truth, which through in its demands on the social matrix, its consequences for the society and exercise of rational thought, that is and blind to the impending doom of especially for of the dis-empowered, both comprehendible and also upon social conflagration. coupled with his dictum that moral which consensus ought to be arrived reasoning minus action would be at. On the other hand, liberalism also History is littered with examples like a sentence without a verb, that posits the view that toleration of of social orderings and ideologies, drove him to be one of the more different beliefs, experiences, views, that had promoted, and in turn been ardent advocates of civil liberties and needs, and empathy for those sustained, by such minds. The rise of and also be an agent provocateur who are deprived or left behind, is fascism and the emergence of Nazi throughout his life. In his thought, sine qua non for social stability, an Germany are but particular instances, and in his actions, he was forever indicia that justice prevails and the and arguably among the more gory guided by the epistemic principles path to progress. The danger of the ones. The singular aspect of German of Non-Monotonic logic, or rather a former view is that it is easy for us Nazi regime, we must remember, group of philosophical frameworks to come to the erroneous belief that was that ordinary folks, like you that encapsulate inferences. -i.e. the "truth” we have arrived at is the and I, had turned a blind eyen to where reasoning is expected to absolute truth. Consequently, it is the rising tide of intolerance and lead to tentative conclusions from easy to conclude that those who do inhumanity. People who otherwise everyday life, reserving the right to not agree with us are the "others"', were capable of ordinary countries, change those inferences in light of the evil, the “disorderly" elements, and indeed even great empathy new information. The times that he the anti-progress luddites, and the for one another, had given into grew up and lived in, and in which anti-development anti-nationalists. xenophobia, based on the singular he led a life of civil disobedience, Having conceived the "other" as belief that nothing overrides the were marked by extreme and irrational, it would but he a logical redemption of their national pride, visceral horrors that were visited step to tyranny: elimination of voices and development of the economy upon mankind by Imperialism, of dissent. On the other hand, with the that projects their might abroad were Colonialism, Fascism, Capitalism, other view also we have problems: of to be the overriding goals, Further, and yes, even Marxist-Leninism. argument for the sake of arguments, they also believed that the path to In a certain sense, they were all the of every argument being posited such a goal was one, and anyone products of Monotonic Logic, a pure as the right argument, and hence, and who advocated an alternate deductive schema of conception, denial of possibility of any action. vision or path was to be treated as in which observable phenomenon The consequence is immediate: immediately suspect - and indeed could be explained from a-priori in the din of a million mutinies, even to be eliminated - all debate, definitions of nature that hold the voices of cynical pragmatism, and conceptions of the alternate universally and without exception. often called realism, advocate the modes of social organization, were The danger of such conceptions, is loot and plunder of dis - embodied, eliminated. A cultural blindness was that every consequence, howsoever de-socialized and de-humanized created that failed even to perceive horrific, could be rationalized away individuals, for whom the society the holocaust - because the people as being inevitable. Such a mind has become but a market: a market being exterminated were made to and logic, at the individual and of values, of ideas, liberties and be the others, and hence s stumbling at the level of collectives, blinds rights. Again, the big machine takes block for the uni-dimensional JANATA, April 17, 2011 29

national goal popularized by arrive at deducible inferences kind, or of the capitalist kind, his the Nazi party. Indeed, we must from the broad swath of human greatest worry was about sustaining remember that democratic elections experiences, as a mode of guidance the feasibility of arguing for change, brought the Nazis to power, and for immediate action, with a without resort to violence. In this it was popular support that kept deliberately constructed appreciation regard, Dr. Lohia's thought and life, Nazis in power. Democracy, by of epistemic uncertainties, and and more particularly his conception itself, cannot be the arbiter of truh, fostering of monotonic mind sets by of the virtuous life, epitomizes what and always necessarily conducive the big state to be experimental facts, Paulo Freire, the eminent educationist to promotion of human welfare, that forever made him alive to the from Brazil, as articulated as the Preservation of alternate voices, the possibility of oppression. Hence for search for a humanized condition. ones that question both ihe goal and him civil liberties were never about In every struggle for freedom from the means, are vital for survival o mere textual promises, but about an oppression, the quest for equality understanding what is humane and actual existential necessity, far the could and often does degenerate inhumane, individuals, the groups and the nation into an equal opportunity for the itself. For him, civil liberties were oppressed to oppress the oppressor Dr. Lohia was a student of human the essential foundations on which in his or her turn. The dehumanized history - or more specifically, of the social stability, and a constructive condition of oppression, thereby struggle of humanity against the and progressive democracy could gets perpetuated. While violent monotonic minds of the elite that be constructed. I would dare say that agitations may be indicia of a social normalizes the indifference of rulers Dr. Lohia's thought and life are early dialogue that has gone horribly to the plight of the disempowered, precursors to the kind of deliberative wrong, one need to appreciate two and debasement of Civil Liberties. and capability enhancing, facts. One, people normally do not It is best to recall Dr. Lohia's own democracy that Dr. Amartya Sen take to violence if the society, and words in this regard: “The concept has been espousing for the past three the state, had allowed the expression of civil an outcome of the struggle decades. It pays to quote Dr' Lohia of dissent within the framework of that the citizen has eternally waged himself in extenso: Civit liberties diligently guarded civil liberties, against his State. Throughout history, comparatively smoothen society’s which act as the safety valves. the state and it’s laws have given rise march towards progress. Society Second, the expression of violence to manifold types of abuses …… The is being eternally pulled between cannot be met with unlawful and wrath of the state fell on the citizen reaction and progress….In this unconstrained violence of the state who tried to be critical. He suffered pull, the state has more often been - for that will surely breed more long and solitary confinements, quite controlled by forces of stangnation resistance and violence. Dr. Lohia often death, and his most precious and reaction..... Lest the State should was actually alive to this, and in possessions were snatched away turn into terrible obstruction to his book ‘The struggle for Civil from him. He, therefore stood in the progress and continually block it by Liberties’ he cites Senator Borah: “ need of basis of safety from where its repression, its supreme authority Repression is not only the enemy of he could launch attacks on the over the citizens stands in need of free government, but it is the breeder abuses and evils of the times…… description and curtailment… In of revolution'. It is the enemy of If a resistance of Civil Liberties this manner orderly social progress progress and human happiness. And prevails resistance to oppression becomes possible and society is not above all, it is neither a test of error is not attended with “frightful continually faced with the choice nor of truth." consequences” between tyranny and revolution. The concept of civil liberties is thus Over the past few decades we It is such a historical conception essentially a liberal concept which have seen as a systematic demolition that animated the thoughts and acts as a shock absorber of the cruel of the legitimacy, and validity, of actions of Dr. Lohia. His was a impact between state tyranny and civil liberties in many countries. nationalism that was based on an of mass revolts." We, I would submit, in this country the specificity of India's conditions, are no exceptions to this rule. the particular needs, and the Given Dr. Lohia's justifiable fear Even as neo-liberal economic particular problems. Nevertheless, of the monotonic mind, and its social thought took its evil roots again, his was an open mind that could ordering, whether of the Marxist as Washington consensus, and as 30 JANATA, April 17, 2011

necessary structural reforms in India, to wonder why the masses appear state of affairs for the common man, it systematically built a monotonic to be disconnected with the woes disempowered and disembodied by mind, ideology and culture. A knee of the elite, I think we would do an establishment that dances to the jerk nationalism that condemns well to recollect Dr. Lohia's words: tune of the elite segments. any expression of dissent as anti- "The special front of civil liberties national and anti-development has maintains the backbone of the Many years ago I visited the systematically been built into our people, The spirit of opposition holocaust memorial in Boston, and popular discourse. Every expression against injustice is kept intact. The what was engraved on that memorial of dissent has at some point or the individual gets strength from the has remained etched in my mind other, and more often than not, been knowledge that his resistance to Quoting Martin Nimoeller it savs: portrayed in our popular culture and police or executive oppression will elite discourses as a potential threat awaken common interest. Again, They came first for the to a development that is conceived such a common interest serves Communists, as billion dollar homes for the one to convulse the conscience of the and I didn’t speak up because I or two, and shining towers of glass people against encroachment of wasn 't a Communist. for the few, even as hundreds of their liberties. The people are taught Then they came for the Jews, millions are dispossessed of their to he vigilant so that they clear the and I didn’t speak up because I land and livelihoods, of their water road to progress " wasn’t a Jew. and clean air, of their social roots Then they came for the trade and the informal sector swells with In this regard I would be remiss unionists, hundreds of millions of displaced, not to contrast the wisdom of such and I didn’t speak up because I dispossessed and dehumanized thoughts and vision, against the wasn’t a trade unionist humanity. And when that humanity reported observations of some Then they came for the Catholics, expresses its dissent, because the persons holding high constitutional and / didn’t speak up because I political process no longer properly positions about protests by people was a Protestant encompasses its demands, the elite against various repressive measures Then they came for me^ culture, in reaction, immediately undertaken by the State. Some of and by that time no one was left asks for restoration of order, by these protesters have been likened to speak up. use of extreme state repression, so to "private armies” and thugs in that they can go back to their ever such observations. It has also been We are an increasingly young thinner TV's, a culture of glitz, and reported, by one eminent journalist, country - most of our population fads that define lifestyles, Dr. Lohia that one former judge of a High comprises of those below thirty. recognized the need for assiduous Court who visited a troubled spot, And most of those youngsters, while protection of civil liberties because for verifying for himself about the becoming increasingly aware of the they, in his words, lay "bare political actual conditions on the ground, was differences in life's opportunities for and social abuses which are the detained for five days, by the local a vast majority and those for whom fountainhead of all suppression..... police, and not produced before a life seems to be a well paved road to An enquiry into a case of violation judge within 24 hours as mandated glass mansions, are also becoming of civil liberties is simultaneously by the law. Let us not be blind to increasingly disenchanted with both an enquiry into the particular abuse the extent to which civil liberties the political culture of calculated against which the individual had can be systematically violated by connivance, and popular culture fought and for which the wrath of the establishment, to pander to the of indifference. The avenues for the State and other interests had desire for order amongst the elite, expression of dissent are increasingly descended upon him.” Even as rather than conducting an enquiry becoming narrower or non-existent. some of us recoil from the electronic into the violation of civil liberties Even the media, that so often claims media orchestrated demonstrations as simultaneously an enquiry into unbridled freedom of expression for of the elite at the Taj, in which the social and economic causes itself, has taken to the extraordinary T-Shirts with messages such as “ No that have led the people to turn to step of self imposed censorship so Taxation without Protection", while protests. If even a former High Court that the people at large remain in the equal horror in Victoria terminus judge is not afforded the protection the dark about the seriousness, and is ignored, and many people start of civil liberties, we can imagine the legitimacy, of the deprivation and JANATA, April 17, 2011 31

disempowerment that drive social Dr. Lohia answered that question, hai, yahi haiai." unrest in many parts of India. It Trust the people. Build their would appear that the monotonic capabilities to question and to Minds. And we will have a mind that Dr. Lohia has warned us participate in debate. Build bridges country full of such people. And we against, may have become a tragic of empathy and genuine dialogue, would be able to say; reality for those of us who still care demolish the walls of inequality, and about constitutional values and of elite centric cultures and I "Jinhe naaz hai Hind, woh yahi hai, prospects. yahi haiai." "Jinhe naaz hai Hind, woh yahi In conclusion, let me say this: civil liberties are not some textual symbols on parchments to be discarded for maintenance of A Questioner stability in the society so that we can escape into our Manidevellian Jaswant Singh modes of conspicuous consumption They are the basic, and essential foundations of social progress, and On this birth centenary year of a great Indian - Rammanohar Lohia - how hence of social stability. The life, do we observe it? Is it just a ritualized day that we observe? A proforma, and the works, of Dr. Lohia should routinised gesture empty of content, or is it the substance of what Lohia always serve as a reminder of that stood for that inspires us? fact Dr. Lohia is also very famous tor having initiated the Teen Anna, Globally, birthdays and centenaries are mostly observed to remember Pandra Anna debate, following a those that have left behind an imprint on succeeding generations. That is question in the Parliament about why it is important to remember not so much the personality as his /her the cost per clay of the office of qualities, attributes and contributions to the society, the people and the the Prime Minister. That was not nation that the deceased has left behind. Stone memorials, a newer form some trivialized or petty attempt of ‘murti pooja’, idol worship, would, to my mind, be most inappropriate at denigrating another maker of for a person like Lohia. Equally so, making out of stone memorials etc. modern India. That was an attempt to point out the fact that a culture which That is why it is important to remember how essential Lohiaji and his does not promote a spirit of humility, thought remains in our nation’s life today. Principally, as a questioner; but. only of propaganda initiated a prompter; a guide; an original thinker, an iconoclast, a debunker of consensus, could spew out statistics that hide the prevalence of misery humbug and falsities like family succession in a democracy. That is why Dr. Lohia was able to point out the Lohia could, therefore, be nothing else but a true socialist. And that is what fact that the Panning Commission we ought to reflect upon: how to rediscover the relevance of ‘Socialism hides the fact that if over 70 percent in today’s world’. What does the word really mean, what is the essence of of Indians daily per capita income this political thought? was indeed Teen Annah, and that Prime Minister Nehru's demurral That is why the best way for us to remember Dr. Lohia is to not venerate that per capita income was pandarh or ‘personality worship’ him. Let us attempt to revive the qualities of Annah was a statistical fallacy - independent thought and spirit that he truly represented: of moral courage where the high income of the few in our country’s public life today, of the equality of all human beings; of had driven the average up. Such free thought, free speech, free expression. people are the need of the day, in all walks of our lives. As for honouring his memory, I would recommend instituting an annual essay prize – in any Indian language – of “Lohia the person; the politician; "Jinhe naaz hai Hind par, Wo the message”, for students but only, of the age group of 17 to 19. kahaan hai , kahaan hai? JANATA, April 24, 2011 9

March 23, 1910 - October 12, 1967 Guest Editors : Anand Kumar and Qurban Ali 10 JANATA, April 24, 2011

Relevance in Today’s India: An Overview

Devdutt

Dr. Lohia was not only an eminent Manipuris in North-East India and Science and technology political leader but also a scholar, a against the repression of Bengalese writer, and a thinker. He wrote and and Pathans in Pakistan in 1953. He Pt. Nehru perceived science and spoke about language, concepts campaigned against attempts of the technology as a tool of economic of equality and freedom, foreign USA to dominate India. development. Although several policy, history, aesthetics, caste in institutions of basic scientific India, Indian women, Indian farmer, Today, Lohia’s thinking is research were set up the primary and the need for perpetual civil relevant in regard to US-India thrust was on application of science disobedience and mass struggles relations, socialism in India, the and technology for economic for transforming society. He also role of opposition political parties development. Dr. Lohia pointed at wrote on international relations and in Indian democracy, flaws in the basic flaws in the official policy on racial discrimination, Communism, Indian polity and the prevailing science and technology, he said: Gandhi and Marx, crisis of modern political culture, anti-people role of civilization, non-violence, etc. the dominant middle classes in India nwljs ns'kksa esa tgka foKku dh rjDdh gqbZ Above all, Dr. Lohia contributed and the official policy of science and gS] ogka igys oSKkfud] fQj vkStkj] fQj to the development of democratic technology policy of government. bekjr jgh gSA gekjs ns'k esa igys bekjr] socialist thought and the socialist fQj vkStkj fQj oSKkfudA oSKkfud ds fnekx movement in India at a stage of India-US relation D;k lksp jgs\ mlds fnekx esa rks flQZ dwM+k history when civilizational values Hkjk gSA vktdy ftrus oSKkfud gSa] tkurs and socio-economic conditions A worrisome feature of India’s gSa mudh D;k bPNk jgrh gS\ vius cki dks rks os pqu ugha ldrs] dksbZ ugha pqu ldrk] were not conducive for the birth foreign policy today is it’s pro- of socialism. Some of Lohia's ysfdu de ls de vius llqj dks rks pqu Americanism. The 2008 India- ldrs gSaA vxj ,slk cf<+;k llqj pqu fy;k important writings are: Wheel of US agreement regarding peaceful History, Will to Power, Guilty Men tk,] ftldk ljdkj ij dqN vlj gks rks uses of atomic energy was a loud of Partition, Marx, Gandhi and fQj foKku dh oSlh gh rjDdh gks tk,xhA announcement of India’s well Socialism, Foreign Policy, Kranti Ke [kkst djus dh t:jr ugha] lkjk ekeyk oSls planned strategic tilt towards USA. Liye Sanghtan, Rama and Krishna, gh Bhd gks tk,xkA The Government of India was Valmiki and Vashishtha. unusually keen to allow nuclear Socialist ideas in modern India Dr. Lohia, participated intensely energy industries in India and to in the national movement from early offer concessions and facilities to It may be recalled, in India the 1930s to 1947. He is also remembered US investors to set up nuclear power words ‘socialist’ and ‘communist’ for his pro- peoples struggles in plants. Even in cultural field the were first used in the writings of independent India. He went to jail US culture is penetrating the life of Indian intellectuals and activists in thirteen times. He engaged himself ruling middle classes and the power the nineteenth century e.g., Bankim in the satyagrah campaign in 1951 elect. In these circumstances Dr. Chandra Chaterjjee, Rabindranath against Portuguese rule in Goa, Lohia’s perception of US and India Tagore, Aurobindo Ghose and Swami and was arrested thrice and put in relations is particularly relevant. He Vivekananda. Even less known Portuguese jail. He campaigned in was the first political leader at the people and some journalists were 1949 against the Chinese occupation national level to caution the people attracted to socialism, for example, of Tibet. And against Rajshahi in of India about the consequences of in 1971, a resident of Calcutta Nepal. Dr. Lohia raised his voice intimate strategic relationship with wrote a letter to the First Socialist against atrocities against Nagas and USA. International, asking for “powers JANATA, April 24, 2011 11

to start its section in India”. In May to the cult of violence. As regards the Socialist Party depleted substantially. 1874, Sasipada Bandyopadhyay Indian National Congress, Jawaharlal Jayaprakash Narayan became a started an illustrated monthly Nehru, after his return from Europe jeevan dani and joined Vinoba's "Bharat-Sramajibi" (Indian Toilers). after 1927, played an important role Bhoodan Movement. Achyut In 1900, Satis Chandra Mukerjee, in encouraging Congress youth to Patwardhan became a theosophist; the editor of a famous magazine think about socialism. In fact, it was N.G. Ranga joined the peasant mentioned in one of his articles, at the Lahore Congress in 1929 that movement. Asoka Mehta joined Engels’ State of Working Classes in he declared himself to be a socialist the Congress and propounded the England in 1844, Reference to Marx and a republican. theory of "compulsions of backward for perhaps the first time in the media economy". Acharya Narendra Dev was made in Amrita Bazar Patrika It is in the above mentioned who was inclined towards Budhism, in 1903. An essay on the history circumstances at the beginning died in mid-fifties. of the socialist doctrine written of the thirties, many a young by Prof. Ram Dev, an ardent Arya man, undergoing imprisonment in It is clear that only Dr. Samajist, was published in Vedic different jails, became critical of the Rammanohar Lohia stuck to the Magazine in 1909. The Modern Congress leadership and the way it socialist movement in India and led Review published in 1910 Naginlal was conducting the national struggle. it up to 1967 and made substantial They were not satisfied with the H. Setalved’s article on ‘Socialism contribution to the formulation Karachi Resolution on Fundamental and Social Movement’ and in March of philosophy and polices of Rights. They wanted to go beyond 1912, appeared Dr. Har Dayal’s the Congress Socialist Party. it and felt that “a redefinition of “Karl Marx a Modern Rishi.” The For example, as president of the [Congress] objectives and revision first biography of Marx in an Indian Congress Socialist Party he devoted of its methods” was necessary to language was published by K. the entire presidential address to the make Swaraj meaningful to the Ramkrishna Pillai in Malayalam. In doctrinal foundations of socialism. It masses. October 1916, Ambalal Patil wrote was during Lohia’s presidentship of an article on Marx in Navajivan Ane In 1934 thirty-two young men the CSP that the word “Congress” Satya, a Gujarati, magazine. formed an All India Congress was removed from the party’s name. Socialist Party (CSP). The prominent Parliamentary politics The Russian Revolution of among them were Acharya Narendra 1917 made a profound impact Deva, Sampoornanand, Jayaprakash on India. S.A. Dange, in spite of Narayan, Rammanohar Lohia, Dr. Dr. Lohia was initially opposed paucity of material, published the Abdul Alim, N.G. Ranga, Faridul to the Constituent Assembly. book, Gandhi vs. Lenin in 1921. Haq Ansari, Minoo Masani, N.G. But he and the Socialist Party It gives “elementary principles of Goray, Kamla Shanker Pandya, actively participated in the system the movement in Russia”. In the Achyut Patwardhan, Iswherlal of governance envisaged in the following year, he brought out a Desai, Saurabh ( Soli ) Batliwala, Constitution both in the state's weekly called The Socialist. Prof. Abdul Bari, Purshottam assemblies and in the Parliament. Tricumdas, Dr. K.B. Menon and The objective was two-fold (a) if The Communist Party of India Asoka Mehta. During the period possible, to come to power at the was formed in 1925. It is recorded 1934-47, the socialists in India centre and in the states (b) to act that the British Government, as a concentrated on national struggle. as an opposition party singly, or in matter policy, allowed books on After independence, the socialists cooperation with other opposition Marxism to the revolutionaries who emerged as an opposition force in parties in the legislatures because the were arrested in connection with Indian politics. But organizationally Indian parliament was characterized the Kanpur and Meerut Conspiracy they suffered from divisions. by one-party dominance. Dr. Lohia cases. It is believed that the British formulated a seven-year strategy to rulers thought that the revolutionary It is noteworthy that by mid- oust the Congress from the position ideology might serve as an antidote 1950s the ranks of leaders of the of pre-dominance. He propounded 12 JANATA, April 24, 2011

the policy of non-Congressesism and anti-Congressism in order to build a A Strong and Compassionate two-party system in India. Man Against Orthodoxy Dr. Lohia entered Parliament in 1963 in the third Lok Sabha; Yogendra Yadav he activated the opposition parties in parliament, to act as a watch My enduring image of Lohia is tend to focus on an ephemeral dog of the nation’s and people’s a sketch done by M.F Hussein - my consequence like the defeat of interests and to question the flawed favorite sketch of Rammanohar Congress in the 1960s or the rise policies of the Government. In the Lohia. He comes across in all his of OBC politics in North India. parliament he also focused attention intensity and irreverence. He is We should focus instead on the on the conditions of the poor and the man who could stand against least visible impact on the idea of the marginalized. For example, in any orthodoxy, who could speak India. Lohia contributed to a long 1963, the Lok Sabha was virtually truth to power, who could think term process of democratization shaken by the debate which Dr. big and get in deep humanness and and radicalization. He may have Lohia initiated on the desirability tenderness. His gaze is firm yet helped to revive civilizational spending 2500 rupees a day on compassionate. self-confidence of India. But it Nehru as P.M. in a country where is too early to be sure of such an a majority of the people lived on To my mind Lohia represents a assessment. three annas (less then one quarter fusion of two political traditions of a rupee) per day. Nehru defended dominating 21st century India. The In order to search for the most this expenditure and quoted India's first tradition that of Swaraj was the relevant aspect of his legacy we Planning Commission statistics to dominant current of the nationalist need to look beyond many time- show that the daily average income movement but did not have a strong context specific positions that was more than 15 annas (a little presence in post-independence Lohia took. We should look at his under a rupee per day). But Doctor India except in a distorted form of theoretical architecture; focus on Lohia insisted on having a special Hindu nationalism of the Sangh some of the fundamental principles debate, in which he captivated the Parivar. The second tradition that that he outlined. Above all we members of Parliament to such of Samata had multiple expressions an extent that many members of from democratic socialism, should try to understand Lohia’s parliament gave up their time to Dr. communism and Marxism to methodology. To my mind Lohia’s Lohia to present his case. Phule-Ambedkar tradition and the vision of a forward looking model, feminist movement. Lohia was a modernity that does not look Further, the views of Dr. Lohia are perhaps the only political thinker to the West for authentication is relevant in respect of the following to successfully bring these two Lohia’s most enduring idea. issues which have been a subject of traditions together. In doing so he widespread public debate in recent transformed the received legacy of It is easier to say what should not times. (i) The functioning of Lok socialist thought. Lohia’s attempt be done: no statues, no buildings, Sabha and the cost involved (ii) to go beyond the Eurocentric model no memorial. All this would not India-Pakistan relations and India- of socialism makes him perhaps be in keeping with the iconoclastic China relations; (iii) lektokn ds fy, one of the most original socialist person that Lohia was. Lohia jktuSfrd vkSj lIrØkafr dk la?kVu (iv) thinkers of the 20th century. would have liked for generations to oa'kokn in politics (v) the present come to read his ideas and to critic national crisis which is reminiscent It is too early to assess the full them relentlessly. He would have of a similar crisis during the life-time range of his impact on social, wanted idealist youth to take to of Lohia. political and intellectual life of revolutionary politics. That would (Continued on Page 21) the country. Unfortunately we be the best way to honor him. JANATA, April 24, 2011 13

The Quit India Movement

J. Raghavendhar Rao

The anti-imperialist struggle and children courted arrest in the offices of British administration or against the British started in 1920, midst of violent attack of lathies damaging them, 3). They developed under the leadership of Mahatma and bullets. From among those, who a plan of blowing of those trains Gandhi. He introduced the new were arrested many were brutally which carried the British arms methodology of non-violence and tortured and maimed. and ammunitions used against the non-cooperation into the framework freedom fighters. of the struggle. The freedom fighters There was no second line of were largely scared of the might leadership left to carry on the anti- Dr. Lohia was a very good and power of the British, namely, imperialist struggle. The plan of the visionary of foreign policy and he its modern arms, weapons and British was to crush the movement was appointed as the secretary of bullets. They were trapped by the with an iron hand; to some extent, foreign policy department of the fear of injury and death but the they have succeeded, to begin with. Indian National Congress by Pandit salt Satyagraha of Dandi march, But soon this was proved false Nehru in 1934. With his vast erudition a major step in non-cooperation with the entry of valiant socialist he related the freedom struggle of movement was led by Gandhiji as leaders like Dr. Rammanohar Lohia, India with the struggles of other a forlorn soldier with tremendous Jayaprakash Narayan, Aruna Asaf Ali nations. He was not an isolationist success. The masses were a witness Achut Patwardhan and others. They but believed in Universalist view of to the fearless march of Gandhi formed their underground network the freedom struggle. Thanks to his which emboldened them to become and united all the underground teachers Prof. Onken, he had a good fearless. freedom fighters to keep the struggle grounding in history and could relate alive and the flag flying. the past with the present and future. After this, the major event which About the Indian freedom struggle, turns out as a landmark in the Dr. Lohia used the Congress he said: "India has been the subject freedom struggle is the "Quit India" Freedom Radio and made fiery of world history during the last 150 movement. On 8th August, 1942, the speeches to awaken the fire and years. Free India must not remain Indian National Congress passed a enthusiasm of the masses. He also merely a subject of world history", resolution almost late in the evening wrote booklets and edited bulletins it must become its creator. and called on the British "to Quit about the national struggle and India", once for all. They were provided a proper direction to the The underground movement was no longer prepared to support the freedom movement which otherwise an interval between 1942 arrests British war against Fascism. All the would have been like a boat without of leaders and the open politics of top national leaders like Mahatma rudder. negotiations in 1944. Dr. Lohia led Gandhi, Sadar Patel, Jawaharlal the underground movement from 9th Nehru and Azaad were arrested on The socialist fighters led by Dr. August, 1942 to 28th May, 1944. He the morning of 9th August, 1942. Lohia and Jayaprakash Narayan managed to escape the clutches of Vinoba Bhave was the first to court developed a programme of British police and intelligence with arrest. sharpening the struggle in terms of great skill and courage. As stated mobilization as well as the realization earlier, he operated the Congress Gandhiji gave a stirring call for of the objective of freedom, 1) They Freedom Radio from underground the masses of India to participate first concentrated on destroying with the help of other friends and in the movement with a "do or die" the system of communication and spread the idea of revolution for slogan. The response was enormous. paralyzing the administration, 2). 94 days from 13th August to 14th The unarmed men, women, youth They planned for either seizing the November, 1942. Dr. Lohia was 14 JANATA, April 24, 2011

a dauntless speaker and a selfless changed places and also changed While staying in Bombay on fighter. He burnt with freedom and faces. In Bombay, he was dressed up 19th May, 1944, Dr. Lohia was kindled the fire of emancipation in in Pyjama, Sherwani with a cap while caught and arrested in a flat located youth and students as well as the in Calcutta he was immaculately in a building in Babulnath road in government employees and the dressed in western attire. These were Bombay. Thus, the adventurous and police of the British administration. the tactics needed to escape the gaze courageous saga of underground life In his speeches and writings he of the British spys and police. came to a halt. attacked the arrogance of the British and their strategy of terror. For Dr. Lohia came to know that He was kept in Bombay jail for sometime, he propagated on the Jayaprakash Narayan was in Nepal one month and later was transferred radio from Calcutta. continuing his underground activity. to Lahore fort which is now in a part Then he went to Nepal and met him of Pakistan. The Lahore fort was Many people from different in a camp where the youth were notorious for its methods of cruelty parts of India participated in the being imparted training in the use of and torture. Dr. Lohia was subjected freedom struggle with great gusto fire arms. He was very much excited to third degree methods and new and dedication to his astonishment; by the activity but it was against his methods of torture were tried on his he found the communists and their credo of non-violence. body to extract information from him party overnight changing their stand about the underground movement. towards the British. Earlier, they After some time, the Nepal He used to be taken from the prison were calling it as an 'Imperialist government at the instance of the to Jailor's office with "hand cuffs" War' but under the inspiration British, ordered their police to arrest around and used to be ordered, to sit and guidance of Moscow, they Lohia, Jayaprakash Narayan and in a chair for hours together and ask changed their terminology and others. Having arrested, the Nepal him the same question "where are called it a "People's War". This was police lodged them at Hanuman your comrades?", "tell us, we will shocking and traumatic and Dr. Nagar camp 70 miles away from the be nice to you". After long hours of Lohia was forced to have a second main base camp. The guerilla wing questioning Dr. Lohia used to get look at the doctrine of Marxism of the freedom fighters known as tired and sleepy. Immediately the itself because he suspected that "Azaad Dasta" decided to liberate chair used to be kicked out and he there was something lacking in the Lohia and JP. They came in the early was forced to be awake, although fundamentals of Marxist ideology. hours at Hanuman Nagar and burnt against his will. The sleepless torture During this period, he wrote a the huts; they also heavily fired in initially started with 3 days but later long but unfinished treatise tilted the air in all directions. This created savagely inflicted for more than 30 "Economics after Marx". In this, confusion in the Nepal's police as days on him. Dr. Lohia felt lonely, he came up with the formulation of they thought that a large number of despondent and helpless. He told the twin origins of capitalism and armed men had attacked them. They the Jailor and his constables that he imperialism/colonialism. were demoralized and could not stop was prepared to tell everything about the operation of setting Dr. Lohia himself but did not know about the During this period, an underground and JP free. After travelling few days other freedom fighters and comrades publication called "Do or Die" was Dr. Lohia reached Calcutta safely. in arms. But the Britishers were not started with his inspiration. Dr. prepared to believe his version and Lohia wrote profusely on the future The British government was continued the torture. economy of India, decentralization chagrinned with this development of power and the power-operated and was furious about the escape of During this period, Dr. Lohia tried spinning wheel etc. He cautioned the Dr. Lohia from the clutches of Nepal to inform the central government leaders that India should not become police. They announced big prize and its under¬secretary Mr. Arthur a 'slave' to the 'machine'. money on the head of Lohia and Anderson at Delhi, but the Punjab for providing information leading police suppressed the information In his underground life, Lohia to his arrest. from reaching the higher authorities. JANATA, April 24, 2011 15

Lohia wrote a detailed account of his torture but it never came A Rare Leader to the light of the people as the information was 'killed' by the N.Rajaram Punjab government in collusion with the Federal government. I personally did not get to meet forward his vision and ideas to bring In December 1944, he was Dr. Lohia. My image of him was about changes in the social sphere. allowed to file a Habeas Corpus constructed by my reading of The following ideas of his are petition in the High Court. He added his works and speeches and by still relevant and perhaps need to be an addendum to his petition but it was anecdotes about his persona which reinvented’ and made ‘relevant’ to heard in camera preventing the press people shared while I was studying the 21st century. His conceptions of from highlighting the information in Delhi University and later at JNU. ‘equality’ and visions of ‘humanism’ to the people of India. The petition, The image of Dr. Lohia that comes are still relevant especially given however, was dismissed by the local to my mind is of an intellectual the looming environmental crisis, as well as the federal court. visionary who could take the best of Indian and western ideas (like and growing inequality we in India Dr. Lohia vividly remembered his explanation of the distinction of and our planet seems to be facing. the days of his torture in Lahore caste and class) to analyse reality Further Dr. Lohia was a leader Fort and said that the suffering was and put forth an alternative to the who practised what he preached painful and intense; it was a "Stodgy problems faced by India. He was an and preached what he practised, Situation" through which he passed extraordinary humanist, who seemed whether in his personal life or public and became further stubborn in his to have the ability to view reality life. Ethical Leaders of his kind are resolve to keep the 'information' from angles which hitherto had not becoming a rare breed in India today. about the movement 'close to his been thought of. Lastly, his emphasis on the need to breast'. In a letter to Prof. Harold have concepts and categories which J. Laski, he described the suffering The assessment of the contribution emerge from the cultural context of and torture in detail exposing the of Dr. Lohia needs an in-depth India for people to make sense is barbarous character of the British critical study and analysis; and I still relevant; and this is a challenge police and administration. have not made such a study as yet. we still face.

After a long duration of anguish Dr. Lohia’s impact is seen in the A few things could be considered and isolation he was set free at the events that have unfolded in the last to honour the ideas and contributions intervention of Mahatma Gandhi. four decades after his passing away. of Dr. Rammanohar Lohia for the When Gandhi heard about Dr. Lohia, During the last four decades, the coming times: he was moved and tears rolled off power of his political ideas has borne a) DIGITAL ACCESS: A digital his cheeks. He had a great regard fruit. Various strata of Indian society access of his works would enable his and love for his fearless conduct especially the oppressed castes, have ideas to reach further; and this would and spotless integrity. In a press been able to mobilize themselves enable activists and scholars to have conference he said: "Whenever I find into a formidable political power access to them. A digital web site is Dr. Lohia and Jayaprakash Narayan group so much so that now in needed where all his works could be in prison, I feel very sorry, for I have northern India, power has shifted to made available. hardly known straighter and braver them. Today, the emergence of great men than they". leaders belonging to Dalits and OBCs in northern states owes to the power b ) S C H O L A R S H I P S : Scholarships for those working Coming out of prison later Lohia of his ideas. But unfortunately, on his ideas. This could be for wrote an account of this torture that many of these leaders while riding the crest of the transformation in (Continued on Page 28) the political sphere have not carried (Continued on Page 21) 16 JANATA, April 24, 2011

Equality between Men and Women

Ranjana Kumari

Dr Lohia presented equality “Woman is undoubtedly among the movement, Dr Lohia contribution between men and women as a most exploited sections of humanity, has been in his capacity to raise the central part of his socialism and together with poorest and lowliest concern for women into a political wider philosophy. If these could of men. She may try to forget her doctrine. be reduced to one idea, it would be condition with love or trinkets and equality. For him, it was the central her charitable generosity. But ugly He was also crucial in linking ethical principle around which the practices of society and certain gender inequality to other challenges entire complex of the theory and dark recesses of the soul have both such as caste discrimination and practice of socialism revolved. combined to turn woman into a therefore ensuring it remained an sphere where socialism is most important part of the collective His ideas of equality between men needed. If socialism and democracy struggle for progress. Overall and women were linked to wider are a battle for equality, they are cut making the issue of segregation of inequalities he saw within society. out specially as creeds of women.” women a major issue was a very He believed that discrimination important input from Dr Lohia as based on sex was inescapably linked In presenting the actual condition it helped contextualize the post- to discrimination based on caste, of women Dr Lohia said that of all colonial challenges before Indian and together they were seen as the the injustices plaguing the earth, the society and Indian women. cause of much suffering and of the foremost were those arising out of depriving of all positive motivation. inequality between the sexes. He Dr Lohia’s impact can also be He wrote, “I am convinced that two argued that while most of humanity seen in how it helps us understand segregations of caste and women suffers from one inequality, one half the persistent problems that remain are primarily responsible for this of it is weighed down further. with us and what can be done decline of spirit. These segregations to eradicate them. By insisting have enough power to kill all In this centenary year we must that equality, poverty and gender capacity for adventure and joy”. not forget how relevant Dr Lohia problems remained interlinked, he remains today and how many of his recognized the complexity of the Dr Lohia maintained that the arguments and ideas were ahead of problems faced by society, and how hierarchy of caste and gender his time. His views on the position of any solutions cannot only address discrimination stemmed from the women and gender equality not only one issue if they are to be successful. same ideological perspective. He recognized the terrible state that so argued that history showed that in many women find themselves in By considering the segregations India the process of segregation but also presented hugely ambitious of caste and gender as primarily along these lines had taken place goals for the equality of all. At both responsible for the decline in spirit at the same time, and that the times he remained realistic in what of Indian people and society, Dr principle that operated in these two was needed, but optimistic in what Lohia made the emancipation of forms of segregation were the same. could be achieved. women completely crucial to social Therefore the agitation he envisioned development and nation building. to end caste discrimination would For social development invariably represent voices against and nation building He said that gender inequality is gender discrimination as well. the most difficult barrier towards While he was not the first to raise progressing to an egalitarian social Dr Lohia had no illusions about the question of gender equality, system. He refused to see the removal the status of women in our society: nor was it new to the national of poverty through economic JANATA, April 24, 2011 17

modernization as automatically with only women in mind. Dr Lohia discussed Draupadi meaning that such inequality would in his famous essay “Draupadi or disappear. Women’s emancipation He also wrote on the situation Savitri”. He maintained that “It was also crucial and necessary as of single women, whom he did not is very much possible that these “poverty and the two segregation perceive as odd members outside of two women are imagined. There of caste and sex thrive upon each normal society. He wrote that women is also the possibility that they did other’s worms”. did not need a social relationship to exist in reality.” Dr Lohia never make them complete, and that single described Draupadi as a goddess. He Modern Feminism and Lohia women were “probably no more humanized the character, and never unhappy than very married women”. tried to thrust divinity upon her. When compared to modern He also insisted that no personality feminism, it is important to Dr Lohia also held views was to be accepted and venerated remember that for Lohia, like regarding how women are treated as a perfect or unquestionable ideal. Gandhi, the process, the tools and that relate to modern feminist Her character was to be considered the ethics of transformation were as thinking around possession and only as a starting point of a wider important as the change itself. While women as communities. He found discussion. his own most important contribution that the conventional image and lay more in his capacity to raise the identity of women was basically The foremost point of comparison concern for women to a political perceived as physical, and that her and contrast between Savitri and doctrine, there is little doubt that ‘purity’ was the embodiment of the Draupadi was embedded in their he was honest in pursuing solutions dignity of the social unit to which social roles as wives, in conformity to the layers of difficulties that she belonged. As such, she becomes with the social institution of made social equality for women so property and not human. marriage. Dr Lohia criticized the elusive. tendency to sensationalize the Sita and Draupadi debate by those who perceived Lohia was in many respects Draupadi primarily as the wife of modern in his desire to look at the Lohia used various mythological five husbands. new questions of submissiveness, characters such as Sita, Savitri, marriage and motherhood among Draupadi in his discussions, often For Dr Lohia, Savitri and women. He made arguments about going beyond their mythological Draupadi were not opposites or the right of women to divorce roles and representing categories or two contrasting role models. He and remarry in the 1950s, and symbols of social roles and values. felt that if chastity and fidelity supported making birth control Using mythological terrain was an were highlighted and upheld as facilities available to all regardless attempt by Dr Lohia to find a more female virtues at the cost of other of maritial status. He also raised permanent way out of the old bias accomplishments, it is difficult to issues regarding female sexuality against women in Indian society. view this as ideal. before most. It was in mythology that countless behavioral and moral touchstones Dr Lohia wrote that with the He spoke on modern topics such had been created and nurtured. exception of Krishna, “Draupadi is as monogamy and supported the perhaps the one woman of myth or right of women to control their own Dr Lohia had praise for Savitri and history in the wide world, who was relationships. “Don’t mistake me as Sita, but the important intervention wiser and wittier than all the men valorizing a woman who has more that he made was that loyalty and of her time.” There are numerous than one lover,” he said. “But I am chastity were important but only episodes in which Draupadi’s condemned to search for equality.” as a single aspect of a woman’s wisdom is seen as being revealed Lohia did not accept the position personality. There were 20 other and she refused to be defined only that the ideal of faithfulness and desirable virtues to be developed by her social relationship to men. undying loyalty had been created and appreciated. By also refusing to name all her 18 JANATA, April 24, 2011

relationships, she represented a the ideal of womanhood could not be Unfortunately his views on degree of social emancipation built on a single virtue of fidelity and discrimination based on race and and equality that was close to chastity. As such we must reject any skin cover also continue to be Dr Lohia’s vision of socialism. character or figure that represents relevant. Dr Lohia felt great concern “Krishna and Krishna (Draupadi) only one dimension and does not over the fate of women who suffered are the two heroes of Mahabharat, reflect the complex nature of women greater oppression because of the of equal merit, companions without or men. color of their skin. He maintained a shadow of conflict”, he said. that women should not be considered By emphasizing only good inferior on the basis of skin color and He also emphasized the qualities in relation to men and their that “the color of the skin is certainly importance of the color of her skin. role as wives, Dr Lohia believed that no criterion of beauty.” That she was the opposite of the women’s full potential could not conventional “fair” beauty was be met and as such equality would In spite of the fact that most used by Dr Lohia to suggest that be unachievable. Women, as equal of political followers failed to such skin-deep considerations – in members of society, should aim for understand his idea on women’s life, values, priorities, knowledge, the same complex mix and range of emancipation Dr Lohia’s views relationships, etc. – do not lay any virtues and attributes that men do. remain as relevant as ever as lasting foundations in society, least he maintained that it was the of all that of a socialist civilization. Relevant aspects of his legacy responsibility of all men and women “The accepted tyranny of color to work for progress. The idea that can be seen in its most accentuated Many aspects of Dr Lohia’s we all have a responsibility towards forms. All the world suffer, this legacy remain relevant today. Some contributing to progress can be tyranny of skin’s color …The found within his work: “Women have argued that both his economic distance between dark and fair and have to be conscious and aware to agenda and his consistent and between rich and poor is covered feel and realize at every step of their uncompromising advocacy of gender by innumerable intermediate points life that they are builders of their justice are being almost forgotten. so that the restoration of a valid nation and peaceful world.” While the feminist strand of thinking aesthetic judgment has become as has strengthened in Indian academia, difficult as that of a proper economic Dr Lohia wrote on the importance of moral standard.” Dr Lohia’s thoughts have been of what might be called practicalities largely forgotten. in ensuring progress towards gender However, the canonization of equality, and to carry forward his any mythical, social or historical His thoughts and arguments vision it is crucial that they are personality was absolutely counter on issues relating to gender and not over looked. He identified key to Dr Lohia’s vision of a socialist sexuality have remained highly areas in the life of Indian women society. Although Draupadi relevant. He argued that sexual that needed immediate attention, fulfilled many of the expectations ethics based on the bondage of including the slavery of the kitchen, of women as equal members of women ultimately created all sorts the hypocrisy involved in sex and society, Dr Lohia did not accept her of perversion, and that only a frank, marriage. He also underlined the unconditionally. He used flaws in free and clear approach to sex can need to make use of the institution her character to reiterate his belief engender healthy ethics. He also of marriage to overcome caste and that no halo should be assigned to maintained that it is a mistaken gender discrimination by promoting anybody. notion to think of the women as inter-caste marriages and offering merely a machine for producing government jobs to only such couples “I have great regard for Savitri but children. He wrote on abortion, untill there was real change. Clearly only in one respect” he said. “But a sterilization, birth control and the such issues still remain important woman is not confined to one virtue. concept of ‘promiscuity’, all of in the modern struggle for gender There are 20 others.” He argued that which remain very relevant today. equality and so continuing to carry JANATA, April 24, 2011 19

on campaigning on these is crucial Yogendra Yadav Understanding Lohia’s Political to carrying on Dr Lohia’s approach. Sociology: Intersectionality of From Economic & Political Caste, Class, Gender and Language, Taking real action to work Weekly, November 27, 2010, Vol xlv Anand Kumar towards equality was obviously seen no 48, Draupadi or Savitri: Lohia’s as important by Dr Lohia, and this Feminist Reading of Mythology, Economic & Political Weekly, included reservation and quotas for Kumkum Yadav November 27, 2010, Vol xlv no women in government. Participation 48, Draupadi or Savitri: Lohia’s was seen as crucial, and involvement From Economic & Political Feminist Reading of Mythology, in the decision-making processes at Weekly, October 2, 2010, Vol xlv Kumkum Yadav the domestic and public levels was no 40, On Remembering Lohia, seen as the most important indicator Yogendra Yadav Economic & Political Weekly, of women’s empowerment. In order November 27, 2010, Vol xlv no to carry on Dr Lohia’s vision and Lohia, Notes and Comments, Vol 48, Draupadi or Savitri: Lohia’s approach, it is vital that we do not 1, 1972: 32. Feminist Reading of Mythology, lose sight of the importance that he Kumkum Yadav placed on this issue. Rammanohar Lohia, Women, Harijans and Muslims, Vol. 2, No. Economic & Political Weekly, Overall efforts to make Dr 8, March 1958 October 2, 2010, Vol xlv no 40, Lohia’s ideas and programs popular On Remembering Lohia, Yogendra beyond the centenary program Economic & Political Weekly, Yadav should focus on the continued November 27, 2010, Vol xlv no relevancy that his ideas and work 48, Draupadi or Savitri: Lohia’s N.C. Mehrotra, Lohia—A Study, have. Despite progress in many Feminist Reading of Mythology, Atma Ram & Sons, Delhi, 1978, areas, many of the problems that Kumkum Yadav p. 182. Dr Lohia encountered are still with us. If we are to continue to make Economic & Political Weekly, Mankind, February 1960, p. 56. progress we must remember the October 2, 2010, Vol xlv no 40, huge importance that he placed on Understanding Lohia’s Political Rammanohar Lohia, Interval equality, recognize the importance Sociology: Intersectionality of during Politices, Beauty and Skin of history and mythology in Caste, Class, Gender and Language, Colour, Hyderabad, R.M.L. Samata formulating perceptions regarding Anand Kumar Vidyalaya, pp. 138-39. gender and take real steps to helping achieve equality. While these may Economic & Political Weekly, Mainstream, Vol XLVIII, No include reservation, increased October 2, 2010, Vol xlv no 40, 13, March 20, 2010, Lohia and resources for marginalized women Understanding Lohia’s Political Empowerment of Women, Radha or making new efforts to ensure Sociology: Intersectionality of Ojha, economic equality, it is clear from Caste, Class, Gender and Language, the legacy of Dr Lohia that we must Anand Kumar From Economic & Political take real, concrete and practical Weekly, October 2, 2010, Vol xlv no steps to achieve our goals. Economic & Political Weekly, 40, Understanding Lohia’s Political November 27, 2010, Vol xlv no Sociology: Intersectionality of Note: I am thankful to Donald 48, Draupadi or Savitri: Lohia’s Caste, Class, Gender and Language, Graham for his help in this article. Feminist Reading of Mythology, Anand Kumar Kumkum Yadav From Economic & Political Rammanohar Lohia, Caste Weekly, October 2, 2010, Vol xlv Economic & Political Weekly, System, Hyderabad, RML Samata no 40, On Remembering Lohia, October 2, 2010, Vol xlv no 40, Vidyalaya, 1986, pp. 102-105. 20 JANATA, April 24, 2011

Socialist Ideologue

N R Mohanty

I was drawn to Rammanohar any variant of Fabian Socialism will capitalism and communism have Lohia's writings as a student activist work in a country like India. their own integrations and whatever at JNU. I did my graduation at disasters they might yet heap on Berhampur town in Orissa which A chance meeting with Dr Anand mankind, they are at least logical was then a citadel of communist Kumar, a former president of JNU monsters. Unless socialism is able politics; the CPI was the major students’ union, who was schooled to disintegrate the premises on political force and its student wing, in the Lohiaite ideology as a student which capitalism and communism the AISF, was the most influential leader in BHU, drew us to the are founded and arrange instead student group. But like most other writings of Lohia. The socialist its own harmony of economic and campuses, the student politics in ideologue provided answers to general aims, it would continue to be Khallikote College in Berhampur many of the questions that troubled an illogical doctrine that refuses to lacked the democratic culture. us then. But we realised that after come of age... To explore once again Violence was the order of the day. Lohia's death, many of his followers the economic and the general aims had largely abandoned the doctrinal of society and integrate them into a JNU presented an alternative foundation of the Indian variant harmony should be a high endeavour culture, though the communist of socialism laid by him, in their of the socialist doctrine." groups dominated the students' cold pursuit of power. That is why, union there. I was a leftist at heart, we chose to create an autonomous Lohia's exploration led to the but, despite strong persuasion by student group called Students for following conclusion: “Communism the communist student groups, I did Democratic Socialism rather than alters only the capitalist relations of not want to be a part of them. My align with the student wing of any production and seeks to reproduce experience with their violent means of the political parties that claimed its forces; socialism must alter in Orissa may have been a factor, to inherit Lohia's legacy. them both. This is no rejection of but, I was more disillusioned with the machine, but it is a rejection their political discourse in JNU. Lohia clearly distinguished of the situation in which the heavy They emphasised the significance of himself from Fabianism in creating machine, and its counterpart, the the democratic culture in India, but an alternative ideological framework Leviathan state, predominates". justified the mass killings abroad in for socialist politics, alternative to the name of ideology. The double both capitalism and communism. As Lohia argued that in Europe, standard was evident he wrote, "Socialism should cease to capitalism had built a reservoir of live on borrowed breath. Too long productive wealth, which socialism Some of us, left-leaning idealists, has it borrowed from communism its could distribute. But socialism in were in a dilemma; our social economic aims and from capitalism the rest of the world must build science training convinced us that (or the liberal age) its economic and the reservoir before it goes on to untramelled capitalism would create general aim. An acute disharmony distribute. There lay the difference an island of prosperity in the ocean has resulted.... This grafting of in the challenges before the Indian of poverty. But communism was no one on the other is full of peril socialists. panacea for those who value their to the future of socialism, for it freedom. We were attracted to the encourages the disastrous belief that While expounding on this doctrine of Fabian Socialism that economic democracy prevails under challenge, Lohia wrote: “Where married the goals of communism communism and political democracy such a productive apparatus has yet to the democratic underpinnings of under capitalism and all that needs to be created, socialism needs to capitalism, but we were not sure if to be done is to join them....Both be drastic and in order to be that, JANATA, April 24, 2011 21 it cannot always adhere to the slow basis for galvanising the voters. He advocating violence as the justifiable processes of constitutionalism. called out his followers to embrace means in exceptional circumstances? While European socialists have Spade, Vote and Prison as the He spelled out the objectives of class earned lasting credit for their refusal cornerstone of socialist action.” struggle. But how was socialist class to misuse power of government struggle to be carried out? Was it to defeat their opponents illegally Lohia gave us the answers we likely to lead to insurrectionary and for their faith that to lose were looking for, but some doubts activity? These were some of the democratically is better than to win persisted. What did he mean when questions which kept troubling me dictatorially and set up a model of he said that “socialism cannot then. But I am sure, Lohia had the constitutional action when socialism always adhere to the slow processes answer to these questions. in office, socialism in opposition of constitutionalism”? Was he must often contend with ways of (Contd from page 12) struggle. The processes of persuasion LFky cuk jgs gSa] ;g “kgj tYn gh ftank yksxksa There are two more areas of and law-making are not always ds ctk, eqnksZ dk “kgj cu tk,xkA jk’Vª ftruk relevance of Lohia's thinking. First, available or timely; to them must be Hkh xjhc gks] thfor ;k e`r ljdkjh vknfe;ksa ij the following statement of Lohia added the methods of class struggle, mruk gh vf/kd[kpZ gksA Hkfo’; dh ihfM+;ksa dks bu on the character of the present particularly in the underdeveloped ewfrZ;ksa] laxzgkyk;ksa vkSj pcwrjksa ls cgqr rsth ls generations of youth: izfr"Bk izkIr djus gVuk iM+sxk lewpk fgUnqLrku dhpM+ dk rkykc gS areas. Class struggle hastens the dh bPNk] 'k=q u cukus dh bPNk] dqN cM+k O;fDr destruction of capitalism, without ftlesa dgha&dgha dey mx vk, gSa] dqN txgksa ij cuus dh bPNk] e`nqHkk"kh] uez fdUrq pkykd rFkk v¸;k'kh ds vk/kqfudre rjhds ds lfpoky;] gokbZ which two-thirds of the world cannot izcU/k&dq'ky cuus dh bPNk lEHko gks rks dqN u even make the first move.” vìs] gksVy] flusek?kj vkSj egy cuk, x, gSa vkSj djus fdUrq in ij cus jgus. Second, his mudk bLrseky mlh rjg ds cus&Bus yksx&yqxkbZ To assure his followers that he perception of the role of civil society djrs gSaA ysfdu dqy vkcknh ds ,d gtkjosa fgLls was not getting into the trap of the in an era which emphasises only ls Hkh mldk dksbZ ljksdkj ugha gSA cM+h jktuhfr communist logic, Lohia said: “there the role of state and private sectors. ns'k ds dwM+s dks cqgkjrh gS vkSj NksVh jktuhfr are two kinds of class struggle, one He recommended the following eksgYys ds dwM+s dksA items for a programme for people’s that destroys capitalism in one of nke cka/kks] flapkbZ Lo;e~ lsok] vaxzsth its aspects (private property) but actions: These observations on the culture gVkvks] tkr rksM+ks] fgUnq&eqlyeku ,drk] of Indian polity are still relevant and reinforces it in another (capitalist Hkkjr&ikfdLrku eS=h] Hkkjr cpkvks technology). This is the class could be a basis of reviewing the struggle that the communists functioning of democracy in India Political culture vouch for. Socialism must devise and remove its aberrations. forms of struggle and organisation Several commentators have (Contd from page 15) which destroy capitalism in both examined the weaknesses of specific academics, media professionals, its aspects. Decentralisation of both institutions of democracy, viz, activists working for the oppressed the productive technology and the judiciary, executive and legislature and marginalized, students from political power should be the motto and less attention has been given other countries, and so on. of socialism.” to the overall “political culture” of India. Dr. Lohia focused attention c) EXHIBITION site: A special How do we achieve it? There on the political culture of India after place in Delhi which could exhibit has always been a binary view: 1947. For example, fgUnqLrku dh xkM+h his life in photos (or audios and electioneering or insurrectionary csgrk'kk c<+rh tk jgh gS] fdlh xïs dh rjQ ;k videos) for younger people to visit, activity; Ballot vs Bullet. It is a false fdlh pëku ls pdukpwj gksusA bl xkM+h dks pykus come to know and learn. dichotomy, Lohia said: “The task is dh ftu ij ftEesokjh gS] mUgksaus bls pykuk NksM+ d) AWARD: An annual or a bi- the organisation of the people’s will. fn;k gSA xkM+h vius vki c<+rh tk jgh gSA eSa Hkh annual Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Lohia ruled out the option of bullet bl xkM+h esa cSBk gwaA ;g csrgk'kk c<+rh tk jgh gSA Award to any person in the world, or the insurrection, but emphasised blds ckjs esa eSa flQZ ,d gh dke dj ldrk gwa fd who works for the improvement of that seeking vote for a programme fpYykÅa vkSj dgwa fd jksdksA ;g fganqLrku bruk the lives of the marginalized people per se would not do. Constructive cseryc gks x;k gS fd rdZ ls bls pykus ds fy, especially in developing countries. action around vital issues and active vki rS;kj ugha gSaA ;gka foLQksV gksuk pkfg,+ ftl This award may be given by the resistance to injustice must be the xfr ls ge yksx vius iz/kku eaf=;ksa ds fy, lekf/k President of India. 22 JANATA, April 24, 2011

Relevance in Nepali Political Crisis

Uddhab Pd. Pyakurel

As the political situation in Nepal movement, the then king Tribhuvan by drafting a new constitution. has been in turmoil for a long time, started violating the mandate of Why? What were the major deficits some scholars used to say that Nepal the movement, agreements and in Nepal and Nepali leadership on is in a permanent transition . Even constitutional provisions. Later in account of which the democracy 60 years after the end of the Rana 1959, the King agreed to hold general struggle did not succeed? It failed to hereditary prime ministerial system elections for parliament, only after institutionalize the achievements of in 1951, the political situation has strong pressure by the political the various successful and historical neither been stable nor has improved. parties. The election had paved movements. Weak, vision-less and In fact, the Nepali democracy the way for formation of the first inefficient delivery systems of the struggle gathered momentum from elected government in the country. subsequent governments formed the 1940s, especially after four The king, however, dismissed the after the revolutions, "unnecessary" Nepali youths were sentenced to government on December 15, 1960 dependency over external powers, death by hanging, by the government after one-and-a-half years of its especially India, and lack of clarity in 1942, as they were involved in formation, and imposed partyless of political parties about how to deal protesting against the Ranas. It can political system - Panchayat - with the issues of minorities and be said that the movement in Nepal claiming that he (the king) is the deprivations, are the major faultiness was inspired by the anti-British source of the constitution, and of Nepali political parties which movement already going on in India. sovereignty also belonged to him. directly and indirectly weakened The Nepalese, especially those who Nepali people once again threw out them at local level. Lohia was the were in India as students, were the the authoritarian Panchayat regime one who sensed the likely failure of key factors which led the anti-Rana through their continued struggle Nepali leadership in consolidating movement. Formation of Nepali followed by the successful Jana democracy. The following section Congress (NC) and adoption of a Andolan II in 1990, and restored discusses some of Lohia's thoughts strategy of the armed revolution to the democratic set-up. However, this which are not only directly related overthrow the Rana regime at its struggle could not be sustained for to the crisis that is being faced by Bairgania (India) Conference of long as it was challenged by both Nepal, but are also very relevant to September 26-27, 1950 were the extremists - the extreme left (the deepening democracy in the country. two bold decisions which helped and Maoist), and the extreme right (the inspired the Nepalese to strengthen royalists). Again, people came out Political Transition the movement. Later, the revolution on the streets to protest against the and Delivery System was supported not only by the then violent and authoritarian activities King Tribhuvan, but also by Indian of both the extreme mists in 2006; In fact, Lohia was the one who and Burmese socialists, as the former and succeeded in a democracy engaged himself with the struggle put the throne to risk and went into struggle by winning over all the of Nepali democracy since he met exile in India; and the latter fought threats - the institution of monarchy, B. P. Koirala for the first time in as comrades-in-arms physically too. the political parties, the Maoists, 1946. According to Lohia, they had and the international community. a very close relationship, as if they The anti-Rana revolution However, though Nepal witnessed were two colleagues of the same successfully ended on February a historical political transformation party, or two brothers of the same 18, 1951. It was followed by a after 2006, it is yet to overcome family. He was one of few Indians tripartite agreement that led Nepal the political crisis. In fact, there who were imprisoned in Nepal on the path to democratization. But are still challenges ahead before during Nepal’s democracy struggle. after two years of the successful ending the ongoing political transit Along with his close association, he JANATA, April 24, 2011 23

had given a couple of suggestions 1960, it introduced various people- the institutionalization process to Koirala, which according to oriented socio-economic reforms, of democracy, has also been Lohia, could help in consolidating including land reforms. However, squarely related to the failure of the democracy in a society like Nepal. the NC government led by Koirala interim government to introduce The three major suggestions given was thrown out. and implement the people-centric by Lohia were : distribution of land, programs suggested by Lohia. start campaigns to hold the election In fact, Lohia should be recalled of the constituent assembly, and for aptly saying that every program Nepal-India Relations fight against nepotism. Lohia was would be possible if it is introduced of the view that socio-economic just after the revolution is over. It was Lohia who could sense the reforms, such as land distribution And, that has been the missing link real tendency of Nepali leadership or land reform, would be possible of Nepali democracy struggle time in terms of Indo-Nepal relations. He only if undertaken immediately. He and again. One could easily argue once stated that leaders of India’s said these could not be achieved if that if the interim governments neighbouring countries often visit the issues were delayed after the - in 1990 and in 2006 - formed people like him if they are not in revolution. With this objective, Lohia just after the revolutions (people’s power. When they are in power, kept suggesting to Koirala to start movement) were over, introduced they stop being in touch with Indian land distribution and campaigns for pro-people socio-economic policies people who helped them in their constituent assembly election right and programs, it would have been a democracy struggles, and they after the NC controlled Biratnagar, different situation than at present. confine their contacts only to the and came into power in 1950-51. In fact, such a program could have Indian government. What Lohia said But Lohia was dissapointed with helped the common people to own about the behaviour leadership in the Nepali leadership, especially the system, and thus it was the best neighborhood in the past, is still valid B.P. Koirala when NC joined way in deepeening democracy at after 60 years. Also, it is witnessed in the interim government in 1951 local level. It was fortunate that the later days that Nepal's relations just after the revolution against the same NC party could lead two with India have been somehow Rana oligarchy, and Lohia saw major mass movements in Nepal confined to the level of bureaucracy no indication of implementing after 1960 – led by the NC leaders in India. And, unfortunately, it is the programs suggested by him. K.P. Bhattarai in 1990, and G.P. not due to India but due to Nepali Perhaps Lohia mistakenly read the Koirala in 2006, and the interim political leadership's choice to avoid tripartite agreement of 1951 and governments after the movements. having a dialogue with their Indian blamed B.P. Koirala only for not And it was unfortunate that both counterparts . taking initiative for implementing the governments could not come the progressive programs such as up with the programs which could Even today, Indian civil society land reforms. This is because NC, encourage commoners to support blames the Nepali political parties though it mobilized Nepali people the changed situation, and weaken and leaders for using their Indian and defeated the autocratic Rana anti-democracy elements in the counterparts merely as a ladder to regime, it did not have more say in country. Rather, it eventually led capture power in Kathmandu. Once the interim government since it was to instability and misgovernance they are in power, they prefer not to one of the three coalition partners as the democratic set-up after the maintain such relations. The trend of the cabinet without the prime revolution was coparable to 'old has created severe problems in ministership. And, it time and again wine in a new bottle'. The country respect of Nepal-India relations also, witnessed that the other two coalition has time and again faced difficulty in as it results in misunderstandings partners - the royalists and Ranas - saving even the essential democratic among the political forces, including jointly opposed it, when the NC rights, due to non-implementation civil society of two countries . Nepal proposed to go for people-oriented of socio-ecomonic programs, should understand that it is the programs . And when the NC came which created frustration among political parties which could help into power with two-thirds majority people. And, today's anxiety over in consolidating the achievements in the firstly elected parliament in whether the contry can complete of democratic struggles. They also 24 JANATA, April 24, 2011

need to understand the limitations of However, he was aware of the “On the day that marriage bureaucracy; unlike political parties various limitations of affirmative between Sudra and Dvija is and their leaders, it has nothing to do action for the emancipation of Dalits designated as a qualification, with any radical/progressive agenda. from caste-based social order. That among others, for recruitment to It is only an institution to run the is why he came up with a conclusion the administration and the armed system. Here, we Nepalese should that no reform is possible unless the forces and refusal to interdine as a learn from Lohia that Nepal should problem of caste is tackled. “It is positive disqualification, the war on be able to differentiate between certain that without first tackling this caste will begin in earn.” people-to-people relations and problem [caste], no reconstruction government-to-governmnt relations, of the country is possible, not to His other proposal was Jati-Todo and should not think of using one say anything about the advent of (break caste barriers) campaign, against the other, but engage with socialism”, Lohia mentions in a which included not wearing the both on the issue of deepening letter to a Sudra, in March 1953. sacred thread and dropping caste democracy in the country and region names. According to him, inter- – the South Asia. In fact, both Ambedkar and Lohia caste marriages and inter-dinning shared a common approach to would be the first and foremost step On Minorities and Caste dealing with caste related issues. for the purpose of annihilating the They were both very keen to caste system. Nepal's major problem today eradicate the evils of caste system so is how to handle the issues that that caste-based prejudice could be To conclude, Nepal has to have been raised by minorities and eliminated and other social reform first handle its disparities with socially excluded groups. Lohia's programs could be implemented comprehensive packages, and a ideas on minorities and caste should systematically On the one hand, “strong political will” to strengthen be useful to Nepal today. He not they both were together in regard the democracy in the country. Since only talked about the issues of to advocating one or other model of there are different marginalized religious minorities, but also strove the reservation policy. At the same groups with different scales of for the cause of social equality time, they were convinced that such marginalities, Nepal has to come up for women. Regarding women's with policies and programs to tackle oppression, Lohia not only touches a policy, in a long-rum, would not all the problems on priority basis upon the issue of representation be helpful for the depressed classes . Dalits, as the most marginalized and participation, but also discusses to overcome caste-based atrocities groups, should be given priority about how to compensate them for and prejudices. With this objective, to bring them in the mainstream the work they perform in the kitchen. Ambedkar published the essay by removing all hurdles. For that, He states: titled ‘Annihilation of Caste’, in which he defined caste similar to Lohia's thought to introduce parallel “The women's problem is a monster, and said that you “turn programs such as Jati-Todo to undoubtedly difficult. Her slavery to in any direction you like, caste is annihilate the caste from the society, the kitchen is an abomination, and the the monster that crosses your path. and affirmative action programs to stove that smokes horribly. She must You cannot have political reform; bring the marginalized section in be given a reasonable time-table for you cannot have economic reform; the mainstream, would be a path- food and also a chimney that spirals unless you kill this monster ”. breaking step for Nepal. Then only the smoke away. She must indeed the caste-based prejudices and take part in the agitations against On the other hand, Lohia caste-based marginalization could under-feeding and unemployment.” repeatedly advocated a proposal be wiped out. Secondly, pro-people to enhance the trend of inter-caste policies and programs such as Lohia was of the view that marriages. He was of the view that land reform should be immidiately affirmative action programs were the government should provide jobs introduced to stop frustration of essential to bring the excluded only to those who marry out of caste. people towards new but democratic communities in the mainstream. He states: regime. JANATA, April 24, 2011 25

References : Uddhab Pd. Pyakurel, "The Vision of the Jana Andolan II for a future of Nepal" in B.C. Upreti (ed.), State and Democracy in Nepal. (Delhi: Kalinga Publications, 2011).

Rammanohar Lohia, Samajbadi Andolan Ka Itihash (History of Socialist Struggle), Hyderabad: Ram With Manohar Lohia Samata Nyas. 1993. p. 38 (in Hindi).

For details, see Uddhab Pyakurel Best " Some Reflections of Nepal-India Relations in the Context of Nepali Nationalism," Think India Quarterly, Compliments Volume 13, Number 4, October- December 2010. pp.305-318.

Rammanohar Lohia, The Caste System. Hyderabad: Navahind, from 1964. p. 5.

Rammanohar Lohia, The Caste System. Hyderabad: Navahind, 1964.

“Annihilation of Caste” is the speech prepared by Ambedkar for the Annual Conference of the Jat-Pat-Todak Mandal of Lahore A but not delivered owing to the cancellation of the Conference by the Reception Committee on the ground that the views expressed in Well the Speech – linking caste to the Hindu religious tenets and calling for their destruction if caste is to be eradicated - would be unbearable to Wishers the Conference.

B.R. Ambedkar, Annihilation of Caste. New Delhi: Critical Quest, 2007. p. 14.

Rammanohar Lohia, The Caste System. Hyderabad: Navahind, 1964. p. 4. 26 JANATA, April 24, 2011

Relevance of Dr. Lohia’s Approach

Prafulla Samantara

1. What is your image of Dr. Lohia? have been a principle tradition and 4. What is the most relevant aspect political morality that the democratic of his ideas and programmes for the Dr. Lohia is a true Gandian governments would not have dared India of 21st Century? beyond Gandhiji’s vision of politics. to kill their own children. Really Gandhiji is worshipped as the highest Dr. Lohia was a great humanist The most relevant aspect of moralist in public life whereas Dr. politician with statesmanship. his ideals and politics is to resist Lohia is regarded as the most sincere injustice, inequality, exploitation political moralist. To understand Even what independent India’s through democratic resistance. He Mahatma’s mission of humanity government under prime ministership lived as a rebel till his death. Now and his Hind Swaraj one has to read of Jawaharlal Nehru could not do majority of the people of our country between the lines of dynamics of Dr. the dynamic leadership of Lohia’s are being deprived of their right to Rammanohar Lohia’s socialism in contribution could liberate Goa and life and livelihood, right to food, Indian culture of unity in diversity. made the integral part of India. right to education and health as fundamental right under a socialist, Dr. Lohia was an ardent socialist He proved himself as a selfless democratic, sovereign republic. and nationalist being an advocate leader having no property, not even Global capitalism is threat to our of world citizenship as a champion a bank account. Everything was for polity in which the mainstream of universal humanity and freedom. the service of his motherland. Dr. political parties have become part Lohia’s interpretation of history and parcel of corporate world. 2. What is your assessment of the has a new dimension. Draupadi of contribution of Dr. Lohia? Mahabharat was his ideal woman Dr. Lohia’s politics of social rebel to bring gender equality. Change can build a road to alternative His contributions are mani-fold. political force by the people’s His unique leadership on caste 3. What is your view about the movements to replace the present system as the root cause of poverty impact of Dr. Lohia on Indian process of development which is the and exploitation was a lighting politics and society? weapon of global imperialism. Dr. candle in Indian politics. What he Lohia’s philosophy of small machine believed, he strived to implement. Dr. Lohia’s politics of social and little technology can make He never tolerated any compromise change and equality has long-run labour skilled and efficient for mass on mother language as the medium impact even after his death. In the production. Today the global capital of education and administration parliamentary democracy there with big technology is threat to and casteless society. As the party was monopoly of the Congress natural resources which are primary General Secretary he advised his Party rule. What he experimented sources of livelihood of millions Kerala Government of his party led in 1967, was realized in 1977 when of marginalized people. Therefore, by Tharu Pilai to resign after people dictatorship of Indira Gandhi was Dr. Lohia’s synthesis of Gandhiji’s were killed by police firing. At that defeated and monopoly of one-party village economy of self-reliance time he was in Uttar Pradesh jail. rule was broken. His advocacy for and Swaraj is the need of time to But his party didn’t listen to him. weaker sections in caste hierarchy be the guiding principle of people’s He was firm that no government was again and again endorsed by movements against displacement in has right to take life of any citizen. Mandal Commission which was our country. If the socialist party could have partly implemented by V.P. Singh accepted his advice, there would government in 1990. (Continued on Page 30) JANATA, April 24, 2011 27

“This was A Man”

Deepak Verma

It is a sad fact that many of our emulation and our present-day a common voice (by the formation greatest freedom fighters, who political leaders would be well of the Praja Socialist Party) and his pioneered the freedom struggle advised to take a leaf out of his book eagerness to embrace the induction in India, could not bask in the in this regard. of the country’s intellectual youth glory of their success, when we into the political system speaks finally achieved Independence in The following lines, from William volumes about his resourcefulness. 1947. Consequently, only a tiny Shakespeare’s timeless play, Julius In fact, his devotion to the Socialist segment of the statesmen, who were Caesar, have been mentioned in a principle is remarkable, considering instrumental in shaping the future similar context in respect of leaders the fact that he was willing to defy of our country in the immediate of great stature, and it is equally the Congress as well as his own aftermath of our Independence, applicable to Dr. Lohia as well. party, the Praja Socialist Party, later comprised of those who had actively “He only, in a general honest on, when he felt that they were not as taken part in the freedom struggle. thought sincere in delivering public service In that short list, Dr. Rammanohar And common good to all, made as they had promised. Lohia’s name stands out as being one one of them. It is a tragic truth that many of our of the greatest Parliamentarians we His life was gentle, and the socialist parties today have resorted have ever witnessed, or are likely to elements to discriminating people on the basis witness in future. So mix'd in him that Nature might of their caste and religion instead of stand up The pre-Independence Gandhian focusing on the larger public good. And say to all the world This was façade of Dr. Lohia is rather well- The common excuse given for this a man!” known. Being an erudite scholar, is that some communities need more well-versed with contemporary As mentioned hereinabove, Dr. State assistance than others. While political ideology, Dr. Lohia played Lohia is renowned for his significant that may be true in some sense, a significant role in popularizing contributions to the upliftment of Dr. Lohia showed that ‘integrated Gandhi’s teachings through his Indian society. It is indeed no mere development’ is quite possible in writings and essays. He also had a coincidence that one of Delhi’s (and a socialist set-up, and that anyway, great capacity for thinking ahead of in fact, the nation’s) most famous no true socialist State ignores the his time, which is evident not only public hospitals is named after Dr. welfare of a particular class of its from his writings but also from Lohia, because the fundamental own citizens. It is high time that our the manner in which he exhorted principle upon which the hospital present-day leaders wake up and the nascent Indian Parliament to discharges its basic functions is based accept the fact that the nation can formulate sweeping policies for the on the same ideal of selfless public become a global superpower, only social and economic development service that Dr. Lohia advocated in if it develops as a whole, and not in of the nation. his writings and speeches. bits and pieces.

Dr. Lohia is well-regarded as It is hard to do complete justice With the turn of the Millennium, one of India’s greatest progressive to the full extent of Dr. Lohia’s our nation’s economic goals have socialists, but even that description contributions to Indian society in been sharply influenced by capitalist reveals only a limited aspect of such a short space, such was the thought. I do not wish to launch his character – his expertise and degree of his towering influence over into a full-fledged debate about the contributions, both as a leading Indian politics and governance in the benefits and perils of following such member of the pre-Independence country. His efforts to emancipate a philosophy, but suffice to say that Congress as well as a Parliamentian the poor and the downtrodden, to the so-called development policy subsequently is one worthy of unite farmers so that they may have of the Government is increasingly 28 JANATA, April 24, 2011

marginalizing the poorest of the people and enable them to raise their (Contd from page 15) poor. Having been a Judge for a long voice against draconian State policy. time now, I have witnessed myriad he suffered and how he put up with cases where scarce and precious (2) Resolving disputes through it with no comrades around him. In public wealth is squandered by a non-violent means. Understandably, an article, "a different experiment reckless few. Constitutionally, we there are a significant number of in Yoga" he stated that at a certain are supposed to be a ‘Socialist’ State, people who criticize the Government point of time even intense suffering but the ground reality is entirely for being a ‘soft State’, for not being becomes "ecstasy" and he might different. Indeed, it is very likely strong enough to tackle terrorism, have achieved the "Nirvikalpa that had he been alive today, Dr. violence brought about by separatist Samadhi", the stage where the thin Lohia would have looked askance at and communal elements etc. by line between pleasure and pain replying in kind. In this context, if our shift from being a welfare State, vanishes and the self in its totality one were to tread in the footsteps devoted to the cause of the poor, becomes one! to being a lukewarm entity which advocated by Dr. Lohia, who was a strong believer in the Gandhian has shut its eyes to its basic duties, What we have narrated about Dr. and where lives of individuals are concept of ‘non-violence’, the only Lohia's participation in the "Quit relentlessly cast aside by an elite, way to achieve a permanent solution still in the quest for power and is to address these problems from India Movement" is only "a tip of control. A lot of our present day a conciliatory angle and go to the the ice burg". In fact many events problems have arisen because we heart of the matter. Admittedly, and achievements of his life in did not heed the wiser words of this is not an Utopian world, where this movement have not been fully visionaries such as Dr. Lohia. disturbing elements can be brought recorded and passed on to posterity. to order simply by reaching out to Yet from the small snippets of the A distinction must be made them – so it may take a long time narrative any nationalist Indian between a Socialist like Dr. Lohia and we may have to endure much would feel that Dr. Lohia carried on one hand, and those who preach human suffering before lasting on the freedom struggle during socialism with blinkered eyes. peace can be achieved. Nevertheless, Unlike many of his contemporaries, the quit India movement with wherever there is an opportunity to incredible courage, selfless sacrifice (especially amongst the Communists) heal and move on, we should grasp and immense suffering. In fact Dr. Lohia was not averse to it immediately. the creation of wealth, and the he emerges as a fiery speaker and establishment of basic infrastructure Thus, the best way in which fearless organizer who inspired – all he wanted was that such public we can show our gratitude to Dr. the countless men, women, and wealth and such infrastructure Lohia for his stellar contribution to youth of India to keep the lamp should be utilized for public good the nation, is simply by respecting of the freedom struggle burning as a whole. In this way he was a and following his words. It is and endlessly moving towards the progressive thinker, and he rightly not necessary that we agree with crescendo! In fact, we are all now emphasized on the need to promote him entirely on any aspect, but witness to the great signature of economic progress simultaneously nonetheless, all his opinions, merit Dr. Lohia and his comrades on the with the removal of social evils and thoughtful consideration. Sometimes luminous pages of the history of the orthodox obstructions. the best ideas and solutions come "Quit India" movement. While the world has undoubtedly from a synthesis of two opposite undergone a great transformation viewpoints. At any rate, decisive action is the only way we can The lesson for us to draw is this since his times, some of Dr. Lohia’s that we should fight for the freedom ideas are still as relevant today as move forward as a society, and such decisive measures can be of the poor, deprived and exploited they were in his day. These are as people of India with integrity, follows: implemented in the broadest sense only if we heed the words of those fearlessness and dedication and (1) Promoting education. like Dr. Lohia who helped forge the usher in a society of equality and Education alone will empower destiny of this great land. brotherhood! JANATA, April 24, 2011 29

Fiery Crusader

G. G. Parikh

The vision of Dr. Lohia that I wish done to fight injustice. And India is a simple question; growth for to cherish is that of a fiery crusader much more unjust than it was when whom. But only a rare socialist against injustice, wherever it existed Dr. Lohia was alive. is at the forefront of these protest and in whatever form it existed, and movements. What is required, if who did not just reveal or expose The country today is much Dr. Lohia is to be followed, is that it to his followers, colleagues or different, the world too. Capitalism socialists, young or aged, have to countrymen, but acted to protest has changed, perceptibly, for worst, be on the forefront of the protest non-violently. He did it without fear but even worse is that this change movements. And they should also for life or comfort, but often even for the worse has been accepted give a theatrical underpinning to without fear of reprobation of his by a large section of the society the protests, without making this colleagues and followers. everywhere, if not as good, at least as intellectual activity a substitute for something which has to be suffered action. Both have to go together. If socialists in this country, as there is no alternative. Even some And one more thing is required Congress socialist brand of socialists, socialists have succumbed to this and that is to bring on a common whom elsewhere I have called Indian fallacy. In Europe, socialists have platform all socialists, even those socialists to distinguish them from started talking of more humane who are tainted, if they are tainted those socialists in India who imbibed kind of neo-liberalism, and in India, for their dubious political strategies, more of Marx than of Gandhiji and many socialists have started seeking but not for their moral turpitude. had little understanding of Indian comfort in whatever ‘good’ work And the common platform should reality, and also those of European they are doing, often this good work not be interpreted as spatial but an variety who could not, even with is running an institution in memory intellectual platform, a philosophical some effort, shed their imperialist of a freedom fighter or a socialist and programmatic platform. This is leanings, get somehow excited by stalwart, a socialist magazine, an the need of the hour. What socialists this aspect of Dr. Lohia, this country, institution that builds character, even of all hues should remember is that even when it is at its Nadir, will be socialist character, a trade union or the socialist stalwarts definitely a better place for the poor, for the a co-operative, forgetting that these succeeded in inspiring the Indian victims of so called development, were for socialists, instruments for youth of those days to believe in for the deprived, for the have-nots, creating a socialist society. While all equality, social and economic, in to live in, and be a juster society as this is good, what is needed today communal harmony, in democracy visualized by the freedom fighters is a commitment to fight injustice, and socialism being two sides of including socialists who were all a pro-active civil resistance risking the same coin, in seeking power for Congressmen, and as enshrined jail or worse. transformation and not for power largely in the constitution that free itself and in unity of means and ends. India gave to itself. If this happens, In India, as in many parts of the And it is this grounding, even if and those who wish to carry forward world, victims of current model of some of the followers have strayed, his legacy have to make it happen, development, which can largely be is the best material for a socialist his followers, who are not in power described as government sponsored transformation. in any state or are not with one or private corporate sector led growth, the other political formation, even are protesting, protesting to protect And Dr. Lohia’s emphasis on if old and ailing, will leave their their lands, their livelihoods, their decentralization in polity as well homes and take to streets and set an habitats, their water and other natural as economy, should lead us, the example to the younger generation resources and are questioning the socialists who are still there, to a of socialists for what needs to be very concept of growth by asking paradigm shift in developmental 30 JANATA, April 24, 2011

thinking. The elite and city based of abundance so that the preferential those of his followers, who are capital intensive and employment treatment will become redundant. opposing the reservation for women sparing paradigm of development If supply is more than demand, in the name of justice to lower has to be replaced by a development all distortions which Dr. Lohia castes, abandon their opposition model where villages, commonmen feared while advocating preferential and work for a polity, economy and their technologies matter and treatment, will disappear. And his and society which has so many where employment becomes the inclusion of women of all castes for opportunities that reservation itself yardstick of growth. If these ideas, preferential treatment should make will be unnecessary. derived from a reflection on his thinking as well as on the thinking of his mentor Gandhiji is pursued, the A Tribute other world will certainly become Subhash C. Kashyap possible. 1. An intellectual giant 3. I wish it was much more and And while all this will be a tribute nothing short of a genius, an he was allowed to live longer. to him and a way of remembering accomplished parliamentarian him, one more thing should be done. with a keen sense of wit and 4. His Gandhian emphasis Having emphasized the paramount humour, a selfless and fearless on decentralization, social need to protest against injustice as fighter, a life-long bachelor and justice and massive employment Dr. Lohia and most of his colleagues a colourful personality, a brilliant generating small scale enterprises did in those early post-independence and engaging conversationalist, a and development of appropriate days, it is time to look at many of his man with strong likes and dislikes, technologies and new small unit other ideas and pursue them. a person with a vision, along machines to serve their needs. with Nehru, J.P. and Narendra His passionate advocacy that Deo, Dr. Lohia was among the 5. Recapturing Lohia’s “spirit state shall not kill the unarmed most endearing leaders I had the of constructive militancy” and protestors which got side-tracked pleasure of knowing somewhat reinvent the nation-wide neo- because of the manner in which closely. socialist movement on lines of it was presented, needs to be “permanent Civil Disobedience” made an absolute principle of the 2. His greatest contribution against the prevailing menace of socialist governments and the trigger was that of giving a new Four corruption. happiness of all states, not only Pillar political philosophy, the in India but elsewhere, has to be concept of a total revolution On a more modest and practical condemned and opposed. His idea - social and economic - and a plane, as a tribute to the intellectual of forming a confederation of the perspective of ‘Economics After par excellence, a prestigious Dr. Indian sub-continent has to be Marx’ and of equal irrelevance Lohia Memorial Lecture by an taken out of the stable and made of Capitalism and Communism. outstanding personality may be an active ingredient of socialist Dr. Lohia also created a bunch of organised each year. programme. And his search for committed young leaders. social justice which led him to advocate preferential treatment (Continued on Page 26) to the deprived castes within the 5. What should be done to honour politics which would be free from party organization, should be taken the contributions and memories of corporate and communal forces. Let to mean composite leadership and Dr. Lohia? us build new roads to reach youths abandoning of the positions of power and students through Lohia’s new by the upper caste leadership in the In honour of Dr. Lohia’s memory, ideas of socialism for casteless and organizational set up and it should we as followers of his ideology classless society; where equality and also result in a search for an economy should strive for an alternative freedom can co-exist. JANATA, April 24, 2011 31

Contributors 1. Abbas Ali - Freedom fighter and senior socialist leader. Was Secretary of Dr. Lohia's Samyukta Socialist Party in 1967 and Member of U.P. Legislative Council in 1978 -84. 2. Rajinder Sachchar - Former Chief Justice, High Court of Delhi. Former President, Peoples Union for Civil Liberties. Joined socialist movement in Punjab in 1949. 3. Mastram Kapur - Creative writer and socialist thinker. Edited collected Works of Dr. Rammanohar Lohia in Hindi and English ( Bth in 9 volumes). 4. Krishna Nath - Thinker and writer. Editor, Parisamvad. Joined socialsit movement in student days in 1949 at Varanasi. One of the founder members of the Lohia team at Hyderabad ( 1956-60). 5. R. M. Pal - Radical humanist thinker and civil rights movement leader. Former Editor of Radical humanist and Vice President of Peoples Union Of Civil Liberties. 6. Devdutt - Senior Journalist. Founder Editor - Point of View ( New Delhi). 7. Jaswant Singh - Member of Lok Sabha. Former MInister of Defence and Finance in the Union Cabinet. 8. Subhash C. Kashyap - Author and Constitutional Expert. Foremr Secretary General of Lok Sabha. 9. B. Sudarshan Reddy - Justice, Supreme Court of India. 10. Deepak Verma - Justice, Supreme Court of India. 11. Bhagawat Prasad - Political thinker and writer. Long association with the Gandhian and socialist movements in disha. 12. Raghavendra Rao - Senior sociologist. Worked for a long number of years at Osmania University, Hyderabad. 13. Sumit Chakravarty - Journalist. Editor, Mainstream ( englsih Weekly from New delhi). 14. N. Rajaram - Sociologist. Dean, Faculty of social Sciences, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhi Nagar. 15. Nandana Reddy - Poet and writer. Close bonds with Dr. Lohia and his movements since childhood. (Her article 'Women, Socialism and Liberation' was published in Janata dated March 6, 2011 to mark the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day). 16. Ranjana Kumari - Political scientist and activist. Director, Center for Social Research. Deep family association with socialist movement. 17. Prafulla Samantra - Social activist. President, Lokshakti Abhiyan, Odisha. Long association with peoples movements since 1970s. 18. Yogendra Yadav - Political Scientist. Editor, Samayik Varta. Senior Fellow, Centre for Study of Developing Societies, New Delhi. 19. N. R. Mohanty - Media Expert. Ex-President, JNU Students Union( 1983).Jagaran Institute of Media & Mass Communication, NOEDA. 20. Udhab Pd. Pyakurel - Social Activist and Nepali writer. Research Scholar, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

Prof. Anand Kumar and Qurban Ali have done an excellent job of putting together material for the special issue of Janata to coincide with the conclusion of the Dr. Rammanohar Lohia’s birth centenary programme at a short notice. Unfortunately due to certain constraints and difficulties we could not bring out the special number in time and in one volume. However we will bring out a special edition, as a sort of collector’s item, containing all the material in one volume shortly. This edition will be priced at Rs.60 /- per copy. Those who wish to have this special edition should send the amount by M.O., Demand Draft or cheque payable at Mumbai in favor of Janata Trust at D-15, Ganesh Prasad, Naushir Bharucha Marg, Mumbai 400 007. We wish to record our special thanks to Sarada Prasann Das and Pankaj Sharma for giving their assistance and valuable time to the guest editors for collecting the material for the special issue. – G.G.Parikh Publisher