Ambedkarite Students of Mumbai
“The Social Smuggling process started from the post-Gupta period of fifth century AD and continues to operate even today. Till British colonialism came to India the completely caste controlled business was only in the hands of the Banias. Even the British did not touched the caste centered business from the villages upwards, including the ritual economy around Hindu temples.” ~ Prof Kancha Ilaiah
We Ambedkarite students from Mumbai strongly condemn the attacks and threat on the life of Prof. Kancha Ilaiah, a highly respected intellectual and scholar of non-Aryan, pre-vedic knowledge. It is because of his scholarship as one of the greatest scholars on the pre-Vedic, non-Hindu ideology that resisted the Aryan assault that he is being targeted by the Hindu supremacists. His claim of being a part of the Dalit-Bahujan community is established in his work “Why I am not a Hindu” which resisted Hindu caste tradition, the communities which the Brahmanical forces are trying to forcefully assimilate into Hindu fold since 19th century. His exposure of the Brahmanical conspiracy is the reason for these attacks.
His recent powerful book titled “Samajika Smugglurlu Komatollu” (Vaishysas are Social Smugglers) has unsettled and angered the Arya-Vyasas (Bania/trader) community which after the publication of the book has burned it in parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and is pressuring the state governments to ban it. On September 23rd, Prof. Ilaiah narrowly missed a murderous attack by the Arya-Vysya as they attacked his car. The Arya Vaishyas claims to be non-violent on one hand, and on the other hand threatens to publicly hang Prof. Ilaiah. As of now, he has forced himself into a self-imposed house arrest till October 4th.
We Ambedkarite students from various universities and colleges in Mumbai stand with the Prof. Kancha Ilaiah and condemn the anti-democratic attack by the Arya-Vysya communities. Prof. Ilaiah’s scholarship has always played a role in challenging the Brahmanical social order and will continue to inspire many Ambedkarite students. We also condemn the muted response of the mainstream media and activists who have not spoken enough to condemn these attacks. We demand that the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh state governments provide security and safety for Prof. Ilaiah to do his important work.
Jai Bhim!
Endorsements
Swapnil Gedam, MPhil, IIT –Bombay
Disha K R Mphil TISS
Rahul Jabhulkar PhD (Sociology), IIT – Bombay
Raju Chalwadi, PhD (Sociology), IIT – Bombay
Fathima R F, M A (Women’s Studies), TISS-Mumbai
Shraddha, MA Women’s Studies, TISS Mumbai
Shreya, MA Women’s Studies, TISS Mumbai
Pratikshya Priyadarshini, MA (Women’s Studies), TISS – Mumbai
Amrita, MA WS, TISS, Mumbai
Titas, MA in Women’s Studies, TISS Mumbai
Malavika, women’s studies, TISS, Mumbai
Kaveri, MA Women’s Studies, TISS-Mumbai
Aanchal, MA Women’s Studies, TISS-Mumbai
Yashwant Zagade, PhD, TISS-Mumbai
Ashirwad Wakade, MA Education, TISS-Mumbai
Amritha Mohankumar, MPhil Women’s S
Ajmal Khan, PhD, TISS-Mumbai
Sreejith Murali, PhD Sociology, HSS, IIT-B
Reema, PhD, HSS, IIT-B
Akshay Sawant, MPhil, HSS, IIT-B
Devesh Khatarkar, MPhil, HSS, IIT-B
Sunija M V Phd scholar TISS Mumbai
Gaurav Bansal Mphil Scholar Mumbai
Kursheed Akbar Phd TISS Mumbai
Suchishree Chatterjee IITB Mphil Mumbai
Satish Kumar Mphil IIT BMumbai
Kishore Roy Mphil IIT B Mumbai
Sourabh Wade Mphil IIT B
Maitrreyee Shukla IIIT B Mumbai
Atul Anand Independent Researcher
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