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print versionPeoples Voice on September 26, 2017
While it is nobody’s suggestion that India was a tolerant land some three years back and suddenly has developed the intolerance but none can deny the fact that the goons threatening intellectuals and activists have certainly become more arrogant and encouraged by the absolute ‘disinterest’ shown by those in power. In the past few years we have lost number of persons for the cause of human rights and secularism and probe have reached nowhere even though links with organisations associated with Hindutva groups have been reported in the media. Activists are being threatened; intimidated and street goons have taken it upon themselves to provide the justice. Where the person is a bit powerful, cases are filed against him in the court while goons are let loose to physically intimidate him.
Kancha Illaiah is a well-known Bahujan philosopher who has been actively critiquing the Brahmanical social order and its injustices meted out to the Dalits-OBCs and Adivasis. Should he not be allowed to do this under the garb that it ‘hurt’ the community sentiments. It is not the question of any outsider writing a critique but a person from the community historically denied right. The only difference this time was that his new book that has come out is about the Vaishya community which is basically a trading community. Normally the Brahmins are the target but this time the Vaishyas ( Banias) have taken it to themselves and have been protesting against Illaih for his writing against them. The main contention of the community is that they have been called ‘social smugglers’ by Kancha Illaih in his book. One of the Member of Parliament from Telugu Desam Party T G Venkatesh has reportedly threatened to kill him and asked for his hanging. Yesterday, his vehicle was attacked and a prompt action by his driver could save his life. So shocked was Prof Kancha Illaiah that he felt deeply isolated and decided to confine to his home for the next one week. It is sad that an intellectual at this stage is facing so much of threat of physical violence and no assurances from the authorities for his safety. Now the issue is being deliberately being politicized to create a Hindutva frenzy in the state so that corrupt politicians can reap the benefit of the emotional blackmailing of people. This is the new India where the brahmanical Hinduism will come through violent means. No criticism would be allowed or countered through a fair critique. It is not that Kancha Illaiah wrote it for the first time. His thought provoking books are there in open and should be welcomed. One can disagree with him and for that we have enormous avenues to not merely protest peacefully but also wrote counter argument to denounce but that is not happening.
With so much of media and publishing world in hand these power elite are still fearful of a few who critique them. We are informed that Gandhi was a Bania. None deny that. We are not here asking anyone to be unhappy where they are born. None come here with a fixed birth record except in the brahmanical system where your caste and occupation are fixed with your birth. That is what we call caste based varnashram dharma and it must be rejected. We cannot hide the fact that caste system and caste discrimination are the biggest obstacle in the development of this country. In fact the caste system remains our biggest hurdle in national unity and integration. The caste system creates prejudices in the minds of people and limits your mobility beyond your own castes. Once you confine yourself within your castes, everything outside it looks as suspect and dangerous. Can we have a united India with so many thousands of caste and each considering it superior to other? Critiquing India’s notorious caste system is nothing wrong but will ultimately help India get stronger and united. Even then if he has said anything academically or factually wrong then there are options before the people to go the court or even write rejoinder through engaging in a democratic debate. Huge number of upper caste dominate our media, academia, intelligentsia and they can write a counter critique of Kancha Illaiah but the abdominal street protests that we are witnessing in Andhra and Telangana are merely for the political purpose and need to be unconditionally condemned.
The videos of protest using innocent children to urinate in public on the photograph of Kancha Illaiah is nothing except the sick mindset of the people who are using children to reap the rich harvest of hatred during the election. It is deeply despicable and condemnable. Why children should be used in a debate which is academic debate. And even if they are used, is the best way to use their ‘creativity’. Is this not an imposition of male supremacy as we find no girls or women in the protest? Kancha Illaiah has not killed anyone, nor is he spreading hatred against particular communities or people, he has not threatened anyone but used the only way, to speak up through his writings against what he and many like him consider historic wrong. Isn’t it his right to question and speak up against the social injustice that prevailed for centuries in our society?
Isn’t it for Indians to ponder as why one community is in business or knowledge while other is purely for cleaning human excreta? Is this not a reservation which has existed in this filthy society where a few protested but those enjoyed kept quiet? When this hegemony is challenged then the question of merit is raised as if all those in the Dalal Street in Mumbai are the most meritorious people? Caste system is nothing but hidden apartheid and you cannot hide from the fact that it need to go and should be demolished as Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar as well as many others like him, had wanted.
What is more disturbing is that the failure of the two state governments of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to provide him protection and action against those threatening him. The way political protests have been launched against him is clear indication of the local politicians who are being encouraged by their respective parties to intimidate a scholar through street goondaism. The two chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telanagana are the same who refused to speak up against institutional murder of Rohith Vemula. Even when the entire country stood up for Rohith’s cause, the two upper caste governments actually were determined to treat him as a ‘non dalit’, a deliberate ploy to divide people on caste lines and deviate from the real issue of the prevailing caste prejudices in their system. The Member of Parliament of Telugu Desham party has openly threatened to kill him but there is no action from the chief minister Chandra Babu Naidu. The goons are openly attacking him and monitoring his physical movement but the two chief ministers remain shamelessly silent on the issue.
Another appalling thing is the conspicuous silence of intellectuals and political parties as Kancha has himself said. This is a very disturbing fact. We know he has been a critique of brahmanical system in our political parties and intelligentsia including the left and this is not for the first time any intellectual spoke about the left and other political organisations. It was a critique of Dr Ambedakr, Phule, Periyar and many others who follow their path yet over the years. There are people who acknowledge their faults and happily engage in a fruitful discussion on the issue which is a welcome sign.
This is the period of a great crisis among us. Those who are targeting Mr Kancha Illaiah, know it well that there are wide differences among the non Hindutva groups of people. This is not merely the problems of the left forces but also of the Ambedkarites and Bahujan forces. It is not the time to get into digging history and then taking a stand. In my opinion every Ambedkarite or a true intellectual of any variety left or socialist or freethinker will always defend an individual’s right to freedom of expression and engage in democratic debates. Moreover, it is not a street brawl that he has engaged in but a purely academic work which can and should only be countered through academic exercise or democratic protests. The pain is that we have not heard intellectuals, academic taking any stand on it particularly outside Andhra and Telangana except for some individual responses on social media. It is good that the Congress Party has issued a very strong statement in the media as their spokesperson Randeep Singh Surejewallah demanded action the threatening Member of Parliament and protection to Mr Kancha Illaiah. This is certainly a positive sign and we appreciate it.
India is fast becoming a mob republic where power elite has developed various ways to not only intimidate you but put you in deep distress to the strength of physical hurt or elimination. The mobs are being encouraged to take law in their hands and they have the fullest backing through the PR agents who can easily convert a wrong into right and the vice versa but then these should be the finest hours for all of us who are fighting against the subjugation and discrimination as it is the right time to see the truth, our stand and our attitude. We need to develop the culture of debate and discussion as that is the only way to save us as a society and as a nation. Once people start taking law in their hand and deciding to judge everyone in the street we will have none to blame but on to us. It is better to learn from the experiences of others. People in Sudan, Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and elsewhere know well the importance of democracy where in the name of identities and national interests people have killed each other. India survived as a democracy and fared well because despite all our weaknesses, we promoted ideas through constructive debates. We agreed to disagree. If you don’t like Mr Kancha Illaiah or any one like him, don’t read him, switch off your TV or if you are reasonable enough then counter him ideologically and argumentatively through various mediums. Each one of have various options including social media and it should be used to strengthen the debates but don’t fall prey to the political goons who are only using sentiments to spread hatred and promote their political interest. Prof Kancha Illaiah must be provided all the security that he needs as well as those threatening to kill him must be prosecuted.
