“On January 26, 1950, we are going to enter into a life of contradiction. In politics, we will have equality and in social and economic life we will have inequality...We must remove this contradiction at the earliest moment or else those who suffer from inequality will blow up the structure of political democracy which this assembly has so laboriously built up”.
These historic words of Ambedkar in the Constituent Assembly spoke for all the poor of the country and Dalits in particular. What he had said 50 years ago, will hold good as India goes into the second millennium. He had also been prophetic in his assertion that persistent inequality will spell the demise of political democracy itself.
The thoughts of Ambedkar are most relevant today and his analysis of the Indian society needs to be understood by all those who are deeply concerned with the destiny of the people here. He has laid bare the inequities of this society and the theology which has been its driving force. His critique of this theology popularly known as Manuvada, professed by the upper castes of the land, must be known to all who cherish the democratic ethos.
Ambedkar characterised this society driven by caste as graded inequality because caste is an integral part of it. He found this caste-bound society bereft of social conscience and remarked on its moralistic unconcernedness.
Ambedkar’s rhetorical question, “A population which is hide-bound by caste, which flouts equality of status, which is infected by ancient prejudices and is dominated by notions of gradations in life. A population which thinks some are high, that some are low, can it be expected to have the right notions even to discharge bare justice?”
He made a fine distinction between class and caste, terming the former as non-social and the latter as anti-social.
Ambedkar pointed out the devastating impact of caste on the Dalit community, which showed itself in the most obnoxious practice of untouchability. He said, “Dalits - not that they have large property to protect from confiscation. But they have their very persons confiscated. The socio-religious disabilities have dehumanised the untouchable and their interests at stake are the interests of humanity”.
Apartheid of South Africa pales into insignificance beside untouchability and Ambedkar had to caution its practitioners thus, “To observe untouchability is a risk as dangerous as to bear live coals on their tongues”.
That this shameless practice should be prevalent even to this day is a crying shame. Ambedkar described the most sacred book of the Manuvadis as neither a book on religion nor a treatise on philosophy, but a mere justification for war based on the spurious logic which holds killing a body does not amount to killing the soul because the soul is immortal! Hence there is neither regret nor remorse over killing.
What was most damning about caste according to him was that it is an impediment to nationalism because caste loyalty over-rules all else. A society that had denied social intercourse, office or property is doomed; it is as though creation of caste was the end and aim of Manuvada. It is well to bear in mind that forces representing Manuvada constitute 5 to 10% of Indian populations; but these are entrenched in the body politic in all positions of power and wealth. They are found in the administration including the forces of law and order, the judiciary, industry and business and political parties.
Caste is so ingrained in the Indian ethos that even the Christian, Sikh and either communities totally opposed to caste, have become its victims, what is worse even the backward castes and Dalits have not been immune,
Manuvada has trained these communities too. To define Manuvada, inequality is built into the structure; its faith in violence is borne out in the alleged mortality of the body and the immortality of the soul. This inequality is extended to all women who are looked down upon as cattle.
Then there is the macho stance, distorted model of masculinity that promotes militarisation of society, a culture of violence and aggressive communalised nationalism.
Muslims have to confront this aggressive Manuvada, red in teeth and claw and seek allies amongst all those who feel threatened by this neo-fascism. This pernicious theology target the most backward classes and Dalits, seeking to use them as cannon fodder in genocidal war against minorities but eventually dominates them imposing its hegemony over the rest of society. The tribals and other minorities are targeted too.
Muslims therefore must be an inalienable part of the vanguard combating the forces of Manuvada by making common cause with all the victims of these fascist forces. The ultimate objective is to set up a casteless society wedded to social justice, a democratic structure that assures all a place in the sun. The thoughts of Ambedkar will enable all those forces standing for life and hope to carry the battle against the forces of evil and destruction to a triumphant end.
By Hasan Mansur, a civil liberties activist and former professor of English
(source: http://www.islamicvoice.com)
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