Bapu was casteist, says Arundathi
Author and Man Booker prize winner Arundhati Roy, who has consistently castigated Mahatma Gandhi for his `çasteist' tendencies, went a step further on Thursday , saying it was high time institutions named after the Father of the Nation be rechristened. She said it could begin with renaming universities, a not-so-subtle reference to Mahatma Gandhi University , one of Kerala's leading varsities. Roy made this observation while delivering the Mahatma Ayyankali address -in commemoration of the state's renowned dalit leader -at Kerala University here.Roy cited an 1936 essay by Gandhi, `The Ideal Bhangi', in which he advises manual scavengers to convert urine and night soil into manure, as proof of Gandhi's patronising attitude towards Harijans and how it helped reinforce caste hierarchies.
Refuting Roy , J M Rahim, coordinator for Centre for Gandhian Studies, drew attention to Gandhi's autobiogrphy `My Experiments with Truth' where he narrates how he once had a bitter fight with his wife Kasturba as he wanted her to clean an open latrine, refusing to allow a Bhangi to do it.
“When his wife protested he did the job himself,'' Rahim said.
Making a connection to BJP's `casteist' politics, Roy recalled that Narendra Modi too had not long ago said that Balmikhis (Bhanghis) had been doing scavenging work for centuries for the happiness of society and in the process they (Bhangis) were spiritually cleansed.
Rahim contended that Gandhi's actions often reflected the man better than his words. “To quote Gandhi out of context and say that he is castiest is not only superficial but also shows that Roy has not understood Gandhi's philosophy . In South Africa, for instance, a Tamil dalit family afflicted with leprosy stayed in his ashram much to the chagrin of the inmates,'' Rahim said.
In her lecture, Roy also claimed that while in South Africa Gandhi had branded black prisoners `kafirs' who were uncivilized, liars and had no moral scruples. Dr M S John, professor and director of School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies at Mahatma Gandhi University said it was a mistake to view Gandhi as someone who emerged fully formed.
“The early Gandhi was not a radical personality . He evolved. The comment that he made about black prisoners is due to his own experience of threat of sodomy by inmates while he was in jail,'' he said.
“Gandhi knew the culture and roots of India in all its depth and it is unfortunate that a person like Arundhati Roy makes this statement for cheap publicity,'' said poet and activist Sugathakumari.
Source: The Times of India dt 18-7-14
Refuting Roy , J M Rahim, coordinator for Centre for Gandhian Studies, drew attention to Gandhi's autobiogrphy `My Experiments with Truth' where he narrates how he once had a bitter fight with his wife Kasturba as he wanted her to clean an open latrine, refusing to allow a Bhangi to do it.
“When his wife protested he did the job himself,'' Rahim said.
Making a connection to BJP's `casteist' politics, Roy recalled that Narendra Modi too had not long ago said that Balmikhis (Bhanghis) had been doing scavenging work for centuries for the happiness of society and in the process they (Bhangis) were spiritually cleansed.
Rahim contended that Gandhi's actions often reflected the man better than his words. “To quote Gandhi out of context and say that he is castiest is not only superficial but also shows that Roy has not understood Gandhi's philosophy . In South Africa, for instance, a Tamil dalit family afflicted with leprosy stayed in his ashram much to the chagrin of the inmates,'' Rahim said.
In her lecture, Roy also claimed that while in South Africa Gandhi had branded black prisoners `kafirs' who were uncivilized, liars and had no moral scruples. Dr M S John, professor and director of School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies at Mahatma Gandhi University said it was a mistake to view Gandhi as someone who emerged fully formed.
“The early Gandhi was not a radical personality . He evolved. The comment that he made about black prisoners is due to his own experience of threat of sodomy by inmates while he was in jail,'' he said.
“Gandhi knew the culture and roots of India in all its depth and it is unfortunate that a person like Arundhati Roy makes this statement for cheap publicity,'' said poet and activist Sugathakumari.
Source: The Times of India dt 18-7-14
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