Karunanidhi using Dalit card to duck 2G spectrum scam: Ramakrishnan

"My definition of democracy is - A form and a method of Government whereby revolutionary changes in the social life are brought about without bloodshed. That is the real test. It is perhaps the severest test. But when you are judging the quality of the material you must put it to the severest test". Babasaheb Dr.B.R.Ambedkar

“Dalits are facing discrimination in many parts of the State”
“Irregularities in allocation of plots and flats under State's discretionary quota”

Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary G. Ramakrishnan on Friday alleged that Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, who was not able to address the problems of ordinary Dalits, was using the “Dalit card” to duck the 2G spectrum scam.
Addressing a public meeting here, Mr. Ramakrishnan, who had visited the flood-affected districts such as Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam, said the Dalits had been displaced and were living in schools after recent rain ravaged their settlements.

“They are groping in the dark, not knowing from where the next meal will come. There are Dalits facing discrimination in many parts of the States. In places such as Uthapuram their entry is prevented. The Chief Minister who is not able to address these issues, is using the Dalit card to protect former Minister A. Raja,” he said.

He asked why the Chief Minister was objecting to a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) if he was convinced that there were no irregularities in the allocation of 2G spectrum.
On Karunanidhi's speeches
Recalling Mr. Karunanidhi's speeches made in the wake of spectrum scam, Mr. Ramakrishnan said that though the Communists appreciated his talents as writer and speaker, he would not succeed in protecting Mr. Raja by utilising his skills.
‘BJP too can't take pride'

He said the Bharatiya Janata Party too could not take any pride when it came to clean image in politics, because its Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa was facing charges over allocation of lands in Karnataka.
CPI (M) North Chennai district secretary T.K. Shanmugam said the Chief Minister's family was fully controlling the film world, that no theatre in the city was ready to screen the Tamil version of the film ‘Ambedkar' as it would not generate any revenue.

Probe sought
In a separate statement, Mr. Ramakrishnan sought a probe into the alleged irregularities in the allocation of TNHB plots and flats under government discretionary quota.
“Many allottees are wealthy people who already own houses in their name. There are also irregularities in fixing the price,” Mr. Ramakrishnan alleged. Source: The Hindu dt 11.12.10

Our Views 
                     district secretary T.K. Shanmugam statement is true if the readers considers the following facts.
1.The DMG Govt has given full freedom to the theatre owners to fix the ticket price ,subsequently the Govt threatened to withdraw the facility so as to bring them under their control.  The ticket price fixed at exorbitant rate ,the theatre owner able to collect their amount with in a week of release of film,


2. Once all the Theatre coming into their control their family fully involved in film business they brought pirated CD law which is effectively controlled by law enforcing authority (pl note that Tamil nadu Chief minister is in charge police Dept).

3. Consider the fact of Actor Vijay episode, he also unable to release his movie 'Kavalan'.

Krishnasamy slams Karunanidhi's stand

"What struck me most was that my community still continues to accept a position of humiliation only because caste Hindus persist in dominating over them. You must rely on your own strength, shake off the notion that you are in any way inferior to any community".Babasaheb Dr.B.R.Ambedkar

Puthiya Tamizhagam leader K. Krishnasamy on Tuesday took exception to Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi's argument that A. Raja was forced to quit the Union Cabinet because he was a Dalit.

“Spectrum scam involves multinational companies and corporate houses. Mr Raja was heading the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. What does being a Dalit have to do with the scam,” he asked while talking to reporters.

Accusing the Chief Minister of insulting the oppressed sections of society by unnecessarily giving a “Dalit twist” to the scam, Dr. Krishnasamy also questioned the claim that a single person could not have appropriated such a huge amount of money.

“Does the Chief Minister mean that more people are involved in the scam,” he asked and added that only a probe by Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) would bring out the truth. Dr. Krishnasamy came down on the DMK government for its “failure” to prevent flooding of Chennai and neighbouring areas. He said that the government should start distributing relief amounts immediately after assessing the situation and the exercise should not go beyond December-end. “In January begins the election year. So the government should not be allowed to distribute money after December,” he said.

Dr. Krishnasamy said his party would organise blood donation camps on December 15 to mark the 13th anniversary of the party.

Source: The Hindu dt 08.12.2010 

எது தேசியப் பிரச்சனை?

"Untouchability shuts all doors of opportunities for betterment in life for Untouchables. It does not offer an Untouchable any opportunity to move freely in society; it compels him to live in dungeons and seclusion; it prevents him from educating himself and following a profession of his choice".

Babasaheb Dr.B.R.Ambedkar

ஊழல், ஒரு முக்கியப் பிரச்சனையாக விவாதிக்கப்படுகிறது. ஊடகங்கள் நாள்தோறும் இதை தலைப்புச் செய்தியாக்குகின்றன. இருப்பினும், இவை ஊழலைத் தடுக்கவில்லை! ஆள் - பணம் - சூழலுக்கேற்ற விகிதாச்சாரத்தில் தான் ஏற்றத்தாழ்வு இருக்கிறதே தவிர, ஒட்டுமொத்த இந்தியாவே ஊழல்மயமாகி இருக்கிறது. அது அரசியல்மயமாகியும், அதுவே இந்தியர்களின் பண்பாடாகவும் மாறியிருக்கிறது. அதனால்தான் இந்நாட்டின் தலையாய சமூகப் பிரச்சனைகள் எல்லாம் பின்னுக்குத் தள்ளப்பட்டு, அதன் வெளிப்பாடான ஊழல் மட்டுமே தேசியப் பிரச்சனையாக்கப்பட்டிருக்கிறது.




உலகிலேயே மிக மோசமான மனித உரிமை மீறல் ஒன்று இருக்குமானால், அது மனிதனின் கழிவுகளை சகமனிதன் கையால் அள்ளி, தலையில் சுமக்கும் கொடுமையாகத்தான் இருக்க முடியும். அதைவிட மோசமானது, அதை ஒரு குறிப்பிட்ட சாதியில் பிறந்தவர்களே செய்ய வேண்டும் என்று கட்டாயப்படுத்துவது! இன்றளவும் இந்தியாவில் 3 லட்சம் பேர் கையால் மலமள்ளும் வேலையை செய்ய நிர்பந்திக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர். ஆனால் இக்கொடுமை, என்றாவது ஒரு நாள் தேசிய ஊடகங்களில் தலைப்புச் செய்தியாகி இருக்கிறதா?



அமெரிக்க அதிபரை வரவேற்க இந்தியா தயாராகிக் கொண்டிருந்த தருணத்தில், 20 மாநிலங்களிலிருந்து வந்த நூற்றுக்கணக்கான மக்கள், கையால் மலமள்ளுவதை முற்றாக ஒழிக்க உறுதியேற்று - ஒரு மாதமாக நடத்தி வந்த பேரணியை நவம்பர் 1, 2010 அன்று தலைநகர் தில்லியில் நிறைவு செய்தனர். ஏற்கனவே இத்தொழிலில் ஈடுபட்டிருந்த பெண்கள் அதை உதறிவிட்டு, பெருந்திரளாக இப்பேரணியில் பங்கேற்றனர். அவர்கள் முன்வைத்த முழக்கங்கள் : “எங்களுக்கு மாண்புமிக்க வாழ்க்கை வேண்டும்’ - “கையால் மலமள்ளுவதை முற்றாக ஒழிக்க வேண்டும்’ - “இத்தனை ஆண்டுகளாக எங்கள் மீது இதைத் திணித்த அரசும், சமூகமும் மன்னிப்பு கேட்க வேண்டும்.’ அவர்கள் கூலி உயர்வு கேட்கவில்லை; பணிமூப்பு கேட்கவில்லை; கையுறையும் காலுறையும் கேட்கவில்லை. அவர்கள் கேட்பது சுயமரியாதை, மானமுள்ள வாழ்வு.



ஒரு அருந்ததிராயின் கருத்துச் சுதந்திரத்திற்காகப் போராட, இங்கே காஷ்மீர் முதல் கன்னியாகுமரிவரை - இயக்கங்கள், ஊடகங்கள், மனித உரிமையாளர்கள் நிறைந்திருக்கிறார்கள். ஆனால், குரலற்ற இம்மக்களுக்காகப் பேசவும், போராடவும் அவர்களைத் தவிர யார் இருக்கிறார்கள்? கையால் மலமள்ளும் தொழிலை ஒழிப்பதற்காக உருவாக்கப்பட்ட "சபாய் கரம்சாரி அந்தோலன்' என்ற அமைப்பின் ஒருங்கிணைப்பாளர் பெசவாடா வில்சனின் ஒருங்கிணைப்பில்தான், சமூக மாற்றத்திற்கான இத்தேசியப் பேரணி நடைபெற்றது. அரசிடம் மறுவாழ்வுக்கான உதவியைக் கோரும் முன்பாக, தங்கள் அளவில் இதிலிருந்து விடுபடுவதுதான் இப்பேரணியின் நோக்கம். சாதி - தீண்டாமை என்பதை, அதனால் பாதிக்கப்படும் மக்களின் பிரச்சனையாக மட்டும்தான் சமூகம் பார்க்கிறது. ஆனால், இது ஒட்டுமொத்த சமூகத்தின் மீது படிந்துள்ள கறை என்பது உணரப்படவில்லை. பொது சமூகத்திற்கான பிரச்சனையாக இது மாற்றப்படும்போதுதான் சமூக மாற்றம் சாத்தியமாகும்.



தன் சொந்த நாட்டில் உள்ள 25 கோடி மக்களை அடிமைகளாகவும், தீண்டத்தகாதவர்களாகவும் வைத்துக் கொண்டு, அய்.நா. அவையின் பாதுகாப்பு குழுவில் நிரந்தர உறுப்பினராவதற்கும் - தன்னை ஒரு வல்லரசாகக் காட்டிக் கொள்வதற்கும் இந்திய அரசு கூச்சப்பட வேண்டும். அரியானா மாநிலத்தின் அம்பாலா நகராட்சியில் காலம் முழுக்க மலமள்ளி வந்த 60 தலித்துகள், தாங்கள் மலமள்ளுவதற்குப் பயன்படுத்திய கூடையை, மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர் அலுவலகத்தின் முன்பு எரித்தனர். மறுவாழ்வு திட்டம் என்ற பெயரில், உலர் கழிப்பிடங்களை துடைப்பத்தால் பெருக்கி, அள்ளும் வேலை அவர்களுக்கு அளிக்கப்பட்டதைக் கண்டித்துதான் இதைச் செய்தனர். ஆனால், இவர்களைப் பணி இடைநீக்கம் செய்த மாவட்ட நிர்வாகம் சொன்ன காரணம் என்ன தெரியுமா? “அவர்கள் ஒழுங்காக வேலை செய்யவில்லை; சோம்பேறித்தனமாக இருந்ததால் தண்டிக்கப்பட்டனர்.’ சட்டம் தடை செய்துள்ள இந்த வேலையை செய்ய மறுத்ததற்கு, வெட்கங்கெட்ட அரசு கொடுத்துள்ள தண்டனை இது!



கையால் மலமள்ளும் பணியை கோடி ரூபாய் கொடுத்தாலும், வேறு சாதியினர் செய்ய முன்வருவார்களா? ஆனால், கையால் மலமள்ளுதல் உள்ளிட்ட பல்வேறு உடலுழைப்பை, காலங்காலமாக செய்து வரும் தலித் மக்களை, இந்து சமூகம் வெவ்வேறு வழிகளில் குற்றவாளியாக்குகிறது. இந்நாட்டைத் தங்கள் உழைப்பால், சமூகத் தொண்டால் முன்னேற்றவே தலித்துகள் தன்னலமற்று போராடுகின்றனர். பிறப்பு என்ற விபத்தின் அடிப்படையினாலான ஏற்றத்தாழ்வுகளை அகற்றி, சமூகத்தை அனைத்து நிலைகளிலும் ஜனநாயகப்படுத்துவதையே தலித்துகள் தங்கள் லட்சியமாகக் கொண்டுள்ளனர்.  தலித் முரசு ஆசிரியர் குழு
நன்றி கீற்று வலைதளம்






Nadn

The Dalits of India

pays their glowing tributes

to the Messiah of the oppressed ,

the exploited and the neglected ,and

the Architect of the Indian Constitution.

Bharat Ratna Parampujya

Babasaheb Dr.B.R.Ambedkar

On his

“54 th Parinirvana Divas”

(14 th April,1891-06 Decmber,1956)

                                                                                                   

A Visual Feast - different from Caste ridden media's Cartoon



See No Human right Violation      Speak No against Violation and   Hear No against the

against SC/STs                                    rights of SC/STs                                       Violation of  human rights
                                                                                                    &rights of SC/STs

Three Pillars of Democracy have never opened their Eyes,Ears and Mouth against
Human right violation and rights of SC/STs. It is now more than 63 years of independence
a judge in Allahabad High court washed the Chamber occupied by SC judge,
the Government of India and states have never bothered diversion of schedule caste
 sub plan /Tribal sub plan funds meant for SC/STs Welfare and implementation
of reservation order in the recruitment of Government /public sector under taking and
Private sectors. The Politician/political parties neither open their mouth against the human
right violation on SC/STs nor in support of rights of SC/STs either in the Central 
 parliament/State Assembly or in public.


The Fourth Pillar of Democracy itself indulged in insulting Dalits by reporting the caste name
 of Schedule caste in its report.(please see the next article). The media washed its hands by publishing
 the PTI,UTI and PIB reports without suggesting any remedial measure on atrocities committed against
the Dalits . The Indian media is nothing but desk top publication. It never ventured into investigation
journalism on dalits cause,as it was always wants to protect the interest of caste Hindus . A typical example
for this ,the projection of the false mahathma and supporter of Indian caste system Mr.Gandhi as a
National icon of India and in order to hide the works of Babasaheb Dr.B.R.Ambedkar to the Indian
society particularly SC/STs. The Media has never criticised the derogatory use of caste Name of dalits
 in the movies by the comedian ( The word 'Chandalan' used freely )


No media has investigated the misuse of SC/ST welfare funds,atrocities against SC/ST and under
 representation of SC/STs in Government Service /public/private sector under taking. The reasons
for this type of attitude from media is mainly due to its affinity towards caste Hindus, Every media
occupied by caste Hindus right from Chief Editor to reporters ,there is no representation from SC/STs
 in the media ,The media enjoying so many concession from the Government,getting easy money throught
  advt of central, state ,public sector and privat companies  and  easy access to prime minister to Top executives
 of Government but they are reluctant to bring to the notice of government  and to the public the plights of dalits in
the hands of caste Hindus.











       

  

















The Times of India Daily ,Chennai Edition has used Schedule caste name in derogatory manner in its report

(Word History: The word pariah, which can be used for anyone who is a social outcast, independent of social position, recalls a much more rigid social system, which made only certain people pariahs. The caste system of India placed pariahs, also known as Untouchables, very low in society. The word pariah, which we have extended in meaning, came into English from Tamil pa aiyar, the plural of pa aiyan, the caste name, which literally means "(hereditary) drummer" and comes from the word pa ai, the name of a drum used at certain festivals. The word is first recorded in English in 1613. Its use in English and its extension in meaning probably owe much to the long period of British rule in India.Source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pariah.)


Times of India shows its true  face of casteism –The media coverage  on atrocities and human right violation against SC/STs appeared in their Daily are not in the interest of social justice or for national interest , it is nothing but  eyewash ,to deceit and uprising dalits against caste Hindus and caste ridden media .  Times of India has joined the bandwagon of Subramania swamy ,who insulted the LTTE leader captain  Prabhakaran by calling him  as ' international Pariah'.


The News Item appeared in the daily 

Jairam’s Cancun Gambit:To turn dealmaker or the Pariah
Nitin Sethi
TNN

New Delhi: Environment minister Jairam Ramesh looks set to make a bold deviation from the country’s formal stance on climate change talks to suggest that developing countries should agree upfront to a detailed plan for international scrutiny of their mitigation actions without waiting for developed countries to reveal their hand.

While the developing countries have, as part of the grand bargain at Copenhagen talks, accepted the idea of international scrutiny, they want to delay its operationalisation till the developed countries have revealed how far they are willing to go to accept emission targets for themselves and to fulfil their promise to give US $90 billion immediately and US $100 billion every year starting 2020 for a global effort. Ramesh, on his way to Cancun to join leaders from around the world to break the logjam in climate change negotiations, is likely to suggest that developing countries should revisit their strategy.

It is a gambit. Developing countries, especially the emerging economies grouped as BASIC, have so far been staunchly opposed to the idea.

CLIMATE CHANGE

Ramesh’s idea may take India closer to top nations



New Delhi: Environment minister Jairam Ramesh, on his way to Cancun for climate change negotiations, is likely to suggest that developing countries revisit their strategy.

Developing countries, especially the emerging economies grouped as BASIC, have so far been staunchly opposed to the idea. A failure carries the risk of India becoming a suspect in the camp. Domestically, climate change talks have been a sensitive issue, with a strong risk of attempts at flexibility getting dubbed as sellout.

Conversely, the idea has the potential of pitchforking India into the role of bridgemaker.

It could also move India closer to the developed world, especially the US, which has demanded that key developing economies elaborate how they shall get ‘international consultation and analysis (ICA)’ done of their mitigation actions, whether funded internationally or domestically.

As of now, Ramesh faces heavy odds, with developing countries firm that they should wait to see whether developed countries keep their part of the Copenhagen bargain. The failure of developed countries to provide $30 billion annually to the poorest countries starting 2010 has only validated their tough stance. China, Brazil and South Africa have told India not to be proactive.

BASIC as well as G77 are likely to go into a huddle on this in Cancun in the coming days.

Ramesh has differed from the approach since April 2010 when he, at the request of US climate change envoy Todd Stern, took the first step towards giving details upfront on “international consultation” and to the US-backed Major Economies Forum--The Times of India Dated 03-12-2010 –Chennai Edition.


Readers can protest by sending e mail to the following e mail address of Times of India.
 timeschennai@timesgroup.com

Babasaheb Dr.B.R.Ambedkar Movie-in Tamil will be released tomorrow(03.12.2010) in Leading Theatre of Tamil Nadu: Inox,Baby Albert and Mayajal

PVR-9.00 pm, Mayajal-11-30 am,Albert11-15 am, AGS Royal-11.00 am

Storyline
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar (2000)

A portrait of the one of our greatest social reformer of our times - Ambedkar. The film documents the period between 1901 and 1956. The film delves more into Ambedkar's life as a reformer, while his personal life is sort of skimmed over. Ambedkar who is the first graduate of his community, the untouchables, is an unassuming young man. All he is concerned about, even when he goes to New York for further studies is that he's here to study, not get involved in political issues and rallies. His exchanges with Afro-Americans, his teachers who support Human Rights and the inclusion of the 14th Amendment in the US Constitution granting rights to African-Americans however rouse the reformer in him. While India is fighting against the British rule on the political level spear-headed by Mahatma Gandhi, Ambedkar wages a social battle against the Upper Caste Hindus. Ambedkar and Gandhi clash in their ideologies. Yet Gandhi admires Ambedkar and it is on his insistence that Ambedkar is made the first Law Minister in Prime Minister, Nehru's rule. The film ends on the note of salvation - where Ambedkar gives millions of untouchables an alternate religion where they find dignity, compassion and equality. He publicly renounces Hinduism and adopts Buddhism. Written by Sujit R. Varma

Director: Jabbar Patel  Writers: Daya Pawar, Arun Sadhu, and 1 more credit » Stars:Mammootty, Sonali Kulkarni and Mohan Gokhale

Cast

Credited cast:
	Mammootty	...	Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar
	Sonali Kulkarni	...	Ramabai Ambedkar
	Mohan Gokhale	...	Mahatma Gandhi
	Mrinal Kulkarni	...	Dr. Kabir
	Alisa Bosschaert
	Ma Jivan Mary	...	Rosa Epstein
	Tirlok Malik	...	Lala Lajpatrai
	Govind Namdeo
	Anjan Srivastav
	Rahul Solapurkar
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
	Luan Bexheti	...	Friend of Ambedkar
	Stacie Kellie	...	Patron
	Pramod Kumar	...	Narsingh Rao

Genres:

Biography | History

Parents Guide:

Add content advisory for parents »

Details

Country:

India

Language:

Hindi /Tamil /English

Release Date:

15 December 2000 (India) See more »

Filming Locations:

Columbia University - Broadway & 116th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA See more »

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Company Credits

Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

MOVIEmeter:

No change in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro

Fun Facts

Connections

Follows Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar (1991) See more »

User Reviews 

Masterpiece

16 November 2006 | by shrialluri (India) – See all my reviews

It is a masterpiece from Dr. Jabber Patel whose passion and patience in bringing such a biopic is commendable. It falls in the genre of Richard Attenborough's Gandhi. I enjoyed it very much. The encounter of titans of Indian freedom struggle, Gandhi and Ambedkar is shown with great craft and intensity. Kudos to Mammooty for his action as Ambedkar. The restraint with inner turmoil shown by Mammooty puts him one among the great actors we have worldwide.

Since it is a biographical film, the clichés of commercial film do not apply. Some of the dialogues may be uncomfortable to audiences. But that is what Dr. Ambedkar is as depicted by director. The nature of issue in the context is very sensitive and obviously it creates controversy which makes the film important.
Review by : IMDB.  For further details click  the following link.
www.imdb.com/title/tt0270321/

Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar-Movie Preview

Better late than never!

So it’s finally hitting the screens next week. Jabbar Patel’s much-awaited movie, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, for which Mammootty bagged the best actor award, last year, is being released at long last...

“THE film’s making, right from conception to creation has, for me, been an experience in itself. Recreating the life of one of the greatest visionaries in Indian history has been an experience of a lifetime,” says Jabbar Patel.

The film evolved from the documentary film he made on the life of Dr Ambedkar for Films Division in 1989. Shooting for this documentary was also done part in the US and the UK and mainly in India when Patel met people who were in actual contact with Dr Ambedkar. “The incidents related to me by these people, their fond memories of the learned visionary were so touching and exciting that I thought, the only true tribute to the great man would be a lifesize sketch of Dr Ambedkar on the silver screen.”

The recreation of the period in India and abroad as well, was a huge task. Institutes like the Columbia University New York and the London School of Economics where Dr Ambedkar studied, lent support and the shoots were done free of cost.

The ordeal of recreation did not limit itself to just the architecture or the period but it went as far as the actor who had to live the role of Ambedkar. The search for the actor did not limit itself to India but was also carried out on the other side of the Atlantic. But finally it was the face and the talent of the Southern superstar, Mammootty that presented itself.

The choice of Mammootty to play the role of Ambedkar was so appropriate that hundreds of untouchables or Dalits who would come to take part in shootings would be so emotionally moved that they would come to Mammootty with devotion in their hearts and tears in their eyes.

AMBEDKARSPEAK

**** “A Swaraj, where there are no fundamental rights guaranteed for the depressed classes, will not be a Swaraj for us. It will be a new slavery.”
**** “The decision to launch the Quit India Movement in the wake of an emergency like the world war is irresponsible and unintelligent.
*** “Don’t call Gandhi a saint. He is a seasoned politician. When everything else fails, Gandhi will resort to intrigue.”
**** “Don’t fall under Gandhi’s spell, he’s not God... Mahatmas have come and Mahatmas have gone but untouchables have remained untouchables.”
**** “Our salvation lies in political power, not pilgrimages and fasts. Do not use the weapon of fast so often. Your life is precious and the country needs you.”

The technicians working for the film had an ambition. They wanted to achieve technical excellence, a film that was made on international standards and that would stand the test of an international audience. And so the style of production was lavish.

The film is significant in that, though the ethos is Indian, it has an universal appeal. After all, political and social disparity is a feature of civilisations all over the world. The basic aim of the social revolution is to uphold the meaning of humanity in its true sense.

The film spans between the years 1901-1956, and takes us through 60 years, two world wars, and three countries — India, USA and Britain. Both a personal portrait, as well as a record of the times, it is above all one man’s fight against the tyranny of Hindu orthodoxy, against tradition, against Indian political heroes and saints such as Mahatma Gandhi, who were more interested in political reforms than social reforms. Dr Ambedkar walked a lonely path: he never once strayed from it, even though in the process he became the most hated man in Hindu India.

Born in an ‘untouchable’ family at a time when untouchables were forbidden education, Ambedkar bore many insults and humiliations at the hands of his fellow students and became the first graduate of his community. Later, while studying at Columbia University, New York, Ambedkar was able to rid himself of the stigma of untouchability and breathe the air of freedom. But at the same time living next to Harlem he could equate the fate of his people with that of the Afro-Americans.

A select few have already seen the film in special screenings and have appreciated it to a great extent. These include people from the field of art, literature, law and politics. And their reactions have been favourable. Some representing the common stratum of society have also previewed the film and their reactions have been touching and overwhelming, especially those who were contemporaries of Dr Ambedkar.

Though they belonged to the same religion, untouchables were treated worse than the lowliest animals by the upper castes. Sanctified by religion and centuries of tradition, high caste Hindus considered themselves polluted if they came into contact with an untouchable. Though they worshiped the same God they could not enter the temples. All public services including the police and the military were closed to them. They were permitted only to follow their hereditary occupations of scavenging, street sweeping, skinning and tanning animal hides.

Gandhi appealed to Hindus for a change of heart. On the other hand Ambedkar wanted political rights. Gandhi saw untouchables as an indivisible part of Hindu society. Ambedkar, disgusted with Hinduism saw the depressed classes as separate. Gandhi thought once the British left, India would right itself.

Ambedkar was not willing to take the chance. “Don’t call Gandhi a saint. He is a seasoned politician. When everything else fails, Gandhi will resort to intrigue. Don’t fall under his spell, he’s not God... Mahatmas have come and Mahatmas have gone but untouchables have remained untouchables,” Ambedkar warned his people.

This confrontation with Gandhi, which made Ambedkar the most hated man in India, was resolved with Indian Independence when Gandhi insisted Ambedkar to be inducted into the first cabinet. Even though they had been on opposite side of the fence, Gandhi respected his former adversary. Thus Ambedkar became India’s first law minister under Prime Minister Nehru and it fell upon him to draft India’s Constitution. Throughout his life Ambedkar’s endeavours to reform Hindu society had borne stubborn resistance and he had been on a life long search for a religion, a moral social order that would not sanctify the exploitation of man by man. His search led him to Buddhism, which he regarded as rational and egalitarian. On 14th October 1956 Ambedkar renounced Hinduism and embraced Buddhism. Millions of untouchables followed him, threw away their Hindu idols, embraced en masses this new religion. This perhaps was the biggest social revolution witnessed by the subcontinent in a millennia. Though this story is particular to India, it is also universal. While Dr Ambedkar was rooted in India, he also had an international outlook. There will always be people like him who struggle to better the lot of the exploited, the downtrodden, and the forgotten. His was the universal fight of the underdog, to gain his people a rightful place in the sun.

http://www.expressindia.com/screen/20001124/fpreview.htm
November 24, 2000