Harishchandra Sukhdeve “… When these Mahar ‘untouchable’ folk coming from Sanatan Hindu majority villages go back to their villages now after embracing Buddhism at Nagpur will they be considered ‘touchables’ only because they have now embraced Buddhism? It is impossible.” This is a quote from his article published on 30 October, …
100 Years of the Mangaon Conference for the Rights of the Untouchables
Somnath Waghmare In 1920, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, aged 29, had just returned to India after completing his M.A and PhD at the University of Columbia in the USA. He began dialogues and meetings with the Dalit community for social rights. Mangaon is a village 20 kilometers away from Kolhapur city in Maharashtra, which was …
The Myth of Tolerant India
Raju Chalwadi The Idea of a Tolerant India is socially constructed by the upper castes and the ruling elites. History demonstrates that those who upheld such idea were most intolerant in their action and thought. The debate on intolerance which started with the Dadri mob lynching now seems to be losing discourse in the …
The Apatheism of the Buddha and Babasaheb’s decision to convert to Buddhism
Suresh Ravichandran ~ According to this doctrine (Patit Samutpad – Dependent Origination), the question whether God exists or does not exist is not the main question. Nor is the question whether God created the universe the real question. The real question is how did the creator create the world. The justification for the belief …
Ek Hota Jija: Once lived a man called Jija
Nilesh Kumar “If you can’t be the master of your landlord, it is alright, Stop being their slaves.” ~ Eknath Awad The world has seen numerous social movements on a range of issues. The culture of resistance is part of the everyday life of most of the oppressed communities in the world, as is …
The eternal relevance of Dr. Ambedkar and his philosophy
Sirra Gagarin “Time is infinite and the earth is vast. There will be born a man who will appreciate what I say” (Bhavabhuti) is the hope expressed by Babasaheb Ambedkar referring to his mission and philosophy. In India primordial loyalties are too strong to recognise the intrinsic worth of an individual unless s/he belongs …
Ambedkar’s long neglected philosophy of education
Upendra Sonpimple and Amritha Mohankumar Amplifying ignored voices through education: Drawing lines with Ambedkar Abstract Education deals with philosophy- from its pedagogy to its impact on individuals and members of society. While individuals and communities carry their identities, in social and educational spheres the pedagogy of oppression also had its roots in education, where …
African Americans Call for End to Oppression of Dalits
On January 15, 2014, in commemoration of the 85th birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., several prominent African American Legacy Families, descendants of those whom directly experienced unspeakable degradation and brutality during the dark days of American slavery, will voice their own concern and empathy, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., for those families …
Blood under Saffron: In Search of Justice
‘Under your fascist skySlowly pants the terrified dalit ghetto.’* Raju Solanki (Raju Solanki is an activist and poet based in Gujarat. These are a few of his notes on Gujarat, the state of Dalits, minorities and other marginalized sections under the Modi regime. They provide keen insights into how ‘Moditva’ works and its …