Ambedkar’s Appropriation by Hindutva Ideology An E-Digest Compiled by Ram Puniyani (For Private Circulation) Center for Study of Society and Secularism & All India Secular Forum 602 & 603, New Silver Star, Behind BEST Bus Depot, Santacruz (E), Mumbai: - 400 055. E-mail: [email protected], www.csss-isla.com Page | 1 E-Digest - Ambedkar’s Appropriation by Hindutva Ideology Preface Many a debates are raging in various circles related to Ambedkar’s ideology. On one hand the RSS combine has been very active to prove that RSS ideology is close to Ambedkar’s ideology. In this direction RSS mouth pieces Organizer (English) and Panchjanya (Hindi) brought out special supplements on the occasion of anniversary of Ambedkar, praising him. This is very surprising as RSS is for Hindu nation while Ambedkar has pointed out that Hindu Raj will be the biggest calamity for dalits. The second debate is about Ambedkar-Gandhi. This came to forefront with Arundhati Roy’s introduction to Ambedkar’s ‘Annihilation of Caste’ published by Navayana. In her introduction ‘Doctor and the Saint’ Roy is critical of Gandhi’s various ideas. This digest brings together some of the essays and articles by various scholars-activists on the theme. Hope this will help us clarify the underlying issues. Ram Puniyani (All India Secular Forum) Mumbai June 2015 Page | 2 E-Digest - Ambedkar’s Appropriation by Hindutva Ideology Contents Page No. Section A Ambedkar’s Legacy and RSS Combine 1. Idolatry versus Ideology 05 By Divya Trivedi 2. Top RSS leader misquotes Ambedkar on Untouchability 09 By Vikas Pathak 3. RSS going the whole hog in appropriating Ambedkar 10 By Piyush Srivastava 4. RSS rewrites history: Dalits ‘created’ by invaders 11 By D.K. Singh Section B Ambedkar: Indian Nationalism versus Hindu Nationalism 5. Legacy of Dr.B.R. Ambedkar stands irreconcilably 13 opposed to Hindutva By B. Sivaraman 6. Deconstructing Ambedkar 19 By Anand Teltumde 7. The Highjacking of Babasaheb 22 By Shamsul Islam 8. Whose Raj is it anyway 25 By Shamsul Islam 9. Ambedkar and RSS 27 By Ram Puniyani 10. Ambedkar Ideology: Religion, Nationalism and Indian 28 Constitution By Ram Puniyani Page | 3 E-Digest - Ambedkar’s Appropriation by Hindutva Ideology 11. Claiming Ambedkar, Trashing the Constitution 31 By Praful Bidwai Section C Ambedkar - Gandhi Debate 12. The Ambedkar Gandhi Debate: Reply to Arundhati Roy 33 By Rajmohan Gandhi 13. They were rivals, but with the same mission 51 By Ramachandra Guha 14. Sea of Lies – Response to Arundhati Roy 53 15. Comments by Niloufer Bhagwat 58 Section D Interviews 16. Time to reinterpret his contribution – Interview with 59 Prof. Bhalachandra Munkegar By T.K. Rajalakshmi 17. Dalits are not definitely a block, and there is an intellectual 64 Blossom – Interview with Kancha Ilaiah By Ajmal Khan and Anish 18. The RSS won’t be able to internalize Ambedkar – Interview 71 With Raosaheb Kasbe By Makrand Gadgil Page | 4 E-Digest - Ambedkar’s Appropriation by Hindutva Ideology Section A Ambedkar's Legacy and RSS Combine Manvender Vashist/PTI. Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the ceremony to lay the foundation stone of the Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi on April 14.) 1. Idolatry vs Ideology The RSS-BJP’s enthusiasm to celebrate Ambedkar’s birth anniversary is seen as a key aspect of the Hindutva group’s social outreach agenda targeting Dalits for political ends. By DIVYA TRIVEDI (Frontline) POLITICAL parties, especially the Bharatiya Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party Janata Party and the Congress, are falling over leader Arvind Kejriwal demanded a each other to claim the legacy of B.R. “permanent” holiday on April 14, Ambedkar’s Ambedkar. While the two major parties are birthday. Kejriwal tweeted: “Salute to Baba planning round-the-year celebrations for the Saheb Ambedkar. Let’s try to implement the 125th birth anniversary of Ambedkar, with an Constitution in letter n spirit. That wud be best eye on the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh homage to him.” and Bihar, regional parties are not far behind. Page | 5 E-Digest - Ambedkar’s Appropriation by Hindutva Ideology The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh’s (RSS) that Hinduism is a political ideology of the mouthpieces Panchajanya and Organiser are same character as the fascist or Nazi ideology coming out with collectors’ editions on and is thoroughly anti-democratic. If Hinduism Ambedkar. Large hoardings announcing the is let loose—which is what Hindu majority publication of the special issues dot the skyline means—it will prove a menace to the growth of of the national capital. others who are outside Hinduism and are opposed to Hinduism. This is not the point of Dalit ideologues, however, view the rush to view of Muslims alone. It is also the point of claim Babasaheb’s legacy with mild view of the Depressed Classes and also of the amusement. Political observers describe the non-Brahmins.” (Writings & Speeches, Volume BJP’s moves to appropriate Ambedkar as a key 17, Part One; Dr B.R. Ambedkar and his aspect of its social outreach agenda wooing Egalitarian Revolution—Struggle for Human Dalits across India. Uday Chandra, a Rights; Dr Ambedkar Foundation, Ministry of postdoctoral fellow at Max Planck Institute for Social Justice and Empowerment, Government the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity, of India). said: “In the last general election, the proportion of Dalits voting for the BJP rose to 24 per cent Ambedkar renounced Hinduism and gave a call from 11 per cent in 2009 [Suhas Palshikar and to Dalits to join Buddhism. His words, “I was K.C. Suri in Economic & Political Weekly]. born a Hindu, but will not die a Hindu”, have While this is a sharp increase, we should gained popularity. He said, “Some people think recognise that this trend in Dalit voting patterns that religion is not essential to society. I do not is far from irreversible. Moreover, three hold this view. I consider the foundation of quarters of Dalits did not in fact vote for Modi religion to be essential to the life and practices and the BJP. Hence, the need for an outreach of society. At the root of the Hindu social programme with its promise as well as pitfalls.” system lies Dharma as prescribed in Manusmriti. Such being the case, I do not think He said that mere symbolism would not it possible to abolish inequality in the Hindu increase the BJP’s vote share. “The BJP will be society unless the existing foundation of the accused now of mere symbolism if Dalits do Smriti religion is removed and a better one laid not benefit substantively or materially from the in its place. I, however, despair of the Hindu current regime’s policies,” he said. society being able to reconstruct on such a better foundation.” Besides, it appears that neither of the major political parties has read or understood Ambedkar was also opposed to Mahatma Ambedkar, who made his views on Hinduism Gandhi’s views on the uplift of untouchables and the Congress clear in his lifetime. His within the fold of Hinduism. The exchanges intellectual and political project was dedicated between Gandhi and Ambedkar over the issue to the annihilation of caste and he believed that of untouchability are in the public domain. Had it could not happen within the fold of the RSS and the Congress read Ambedkar’s Hinduism, which has an inherently oppressive writings, they would not be making such claims hierarchical structure. During the transfer of to his legacy. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), power from the British to the people of India the original inheritor of Babasaheb’s legacy by and when Partition was a looming possibility, virtue of the extensive work done by its leader Ambedkar had said, “The Congress cannot Kanshi Ram among Dalits, restricted itself to expect any sane person who knows anything attacking the attempts by other parties to claim about conditions in India to agree to the Ambedkar’s legacy. BSP supremo Mayawati government of the country being placed in the said, “Other parties do a drama of celebrating hands of the Hindu majority, simply because it Dr Ambedkar’s anniversary in a grand manner, is a majority. The Congress chooses to forget but they never bothered to give him the due Page | 6 E-Digest - Ambedkar’s Appropriation by Hindutva Ideology respect in his lifetime. They are propagating Bill, socialise banks and lands and redistribute that Dr Ambedkar supported the RSS for its land among the people. “Will the BJP dare to work among Dalits. Had it been so, Dr do this?” she asked. Ambedkar would never have gone and accepted Buddhism, which professes equality and peace Tactics of co-option for all. During elections, the BJP calls every caste Hindu, and after the elections are over, it It is political pressure that is compelling these only works for the rich and privileged castes.” parties to reach out to the S.Cs and B.Cs and they are using the “outreach programme” to In Uttar Pradesh and elsewhere, upper-caste reconvert large sections of the populace. Until BJP leaders ate food in Dalit homes. Earlier this and unless any party dares to question the year, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat called upon Hindu religious perspective on society, it will the cadre to picnic and share food with the only be misquoting Ambedkar. “Mohan “lower castes”. The sociologist Sujatha Bhagwat is only worshipping the idol of Surepally said, “but after all, they ate only daal Ambedkar but breaking his ideology. Indian at these homes, and not beef!” Beef is a major democracy has successfully failed to take source of affordable protein for the lower castes forward the agenda of social revolutionaries and a ban on the slaughter of the cow and such as Phule, Ambedkar and Jagjivan Ram,” consumption of beef is the BJP’s important said Sujatha Surepally.