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Book Review : ‘Hinduism and Nature’ by Nanditha Krishna

Nithesh S
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Book Review : ‘Hinduism and Nature’ by Nanditha Krishna

‘Hinduism and Nature’  is a book that blends spirituality, mythology, and an analysis of environmental awareness that is embedded in Hinduism. Nanditha Krishna, in her book, tries to bring out the close harmony between nature and the Hindu faith. The author quotes verses from Sangam literature, Bhagavad Gita, Vedas and Upanishads to explain the commitment that our forefathers had for the environment. This view presented in the introduction was particularly enlightening:

Hinduism has a cosmic, rather than anthropocentric, view of the world, an ontology sharply different from the Abrahamic religions which believe that ‘God created mankind in his own image'(Genesis 1:27) and ‘let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds  of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on earth’ (Genesis 1:26) Hindu traditions acknowledge that all life forms- humans animals and plants are equal and sacred , and thus appropriately placed to take on contemporary concerns like deforestation, intensive farming of animals , global warming and climate change.

-Nanditha Krishna

The book is filled with stories attached to forests, rivers and mountains across India. While emphasizing on the central role of nature in Sanatan Hindu culture, the author incorporates tribal belief systems and traditions as well in her book.

Nanditha Krishna explains how compassion and respect for animals, plants and our environment is embedded in the Hindu rituals and festivals at appropriate junctures throughout the book. The narrative starts with Rig Vedic people, who worshiped forces of nature like sun, fire, rain and wind. While retaining core values, it is also evident that some evolution has occurred in sacred texts in accordance with changes in material life. This is reflected in post- Vedic texts like Puranas.

In spite of being politically divided, the entire subcontinent was united by Hindu Dharma. From the book, it is evident that the geographical references in Mahabharata and Ramayana were not entirely fictional. When the new capital of Indraprasta was built after burning Khandava forests, a large number of animals and plants were killed. The author remarks that those who built cities over the destroyed forests wanted to take some measures to make amends. The corrective stance was reflected in subsequent religious texts.

Hindu puranas promised incentives to those who plant trees and punishment to those who fell trees. The author quotes Varaha Purana  which says promises that a person who plants a banyan, two pomegranates, five mango trees and ten flowering plants/creepers shall never go to hell. The Agni Purana says that plantation of gardens leads to eradication of sins whereas the Padma Purana warns of punishment in hell for felling a green tree. In the light of rapid deforestation and urbanization in modern India, a strong belief in these puranas could help us combat climate change.

While writing about sacred graves of India, the author is aided by her experience as an environmentalist. She outlines the tribal and Hindu traditions wherein religious sanction has been instrumental in conservation of forests and biodiversity. The author laments the erosion of the faith and urbanization that has led to decline in people’s commitment to conserve these forests. The practice of offering terracotta horses to deities of sacred groves  described in the book in particularly interesting

The mythological story behind each major river, mountain and lake of India is presented lucidly. It is quite clear from the book that the divinity attached to the water bodies because of these mythological stories helped in their conservation. Hinduism smartly blended the larger interest of society by attaching sacred value to rivers, forests and wildlife even though the society had transformed into a more materialistic civilization over the centuries. I was particularly impressed to learn that a King in Cambodia has build Angkor Wat temple inspired by Meru Parvata .

The book explains that the principle of ahimsa (non violence)  was extended to animals as well. Initially Vedas explicitly prohibited killing of animals for food. Later, this message became more implicit as deities like Shiva, Vishnu and other gods became a part of Hindu faith. This was ensured by assigning animals as vehicles to various Hindu deities. The book captures the rationale behind this aspect of Hinduism succinctly. While writing about the sacred value attached to cows, the author clears the air on beef consumption in Vedic society by interpreting the controversial word ‘goghna’ from Panini’s texts. ‘Goghna’ , according to Panini is a ‘receiver of the cow’ and not a ‘killer of the cow’ as translated by leftist historians.

Unfortunately, the boundary of this sacred space, involving rivers, wildlife, lakes and forests around temples is shrinking due to growing population and wants of the people. As the author rightly points out, we have forgotten the art of living in harmony with nature. The author captures the deep reverence that Sanatana Hindu Dharma had for nature convincingly in her book. She also stresses the need to draw lessons from our ancient philosophies and alter our attitudes in order to save the earth

The book is not only informative and seamless in its flow, but also forces the reader to contemplate about the disconnect between ‘modern’ Hindus and nature. It also nudges every reader, irrespective of their religion towards a greener lifestyle and a compassionate attitude towards all living beings.

Ripple up, Ripple down

gbanik
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Ripple up, Ripple down

So now they are saying Ripple is dead. All the running around, trying to buy Ripple is now futile. Really?

What they fail to understand is that Ripple – the “currency” and Ripple – the “technology” are two discrete things.

Satoshi must be turning in his grave looking at his creation being monkeyed around by bunch of “gold digging” idiots. (And don’t tell me he/they can still be alive). Bitcoin had three main objectives as a currency.
1. Maintain a secured ledger
2. Keep transaction fees low
3. ‎Finalize the transition quick.

The core objective was never really to become a trading instrument. Today, it survives as a superior ledger, but is suffering from all old age ailments. CoinMarketCap would disagree, but from a technology standpoint, it is indeed true. It has reached its shell life in terms of its journey as an alternative currency. It can no more compete with the Fiats. It is not cheap on transaction fees, nor quick.

On the other hand, blockchain is the future. In the coming few years, there will not be a field that blockchain will not grace. The concept is so elegant that it will find its way into our daily lives in every sense. Be it IOT, financial transactions (not just interbank like Ripple), real estate, IP/copyrights – there are 200+ real life application areas that are being explored. Though the visibility of the commercial side of blockchain is higher (read ICOs), there is indeed a lot of technology research taking place right now. At the very least, the ICOs are bringing in a lot of funds upto the techie.

Back to the Ripple story. The “currency” Ripple may be considered as just another moolah raking instrument. It has remote connection with the “technology” Ripple and the real-life problem that it is trying to solve – making inter-bank transactions quicker and cheaper. (btw, the role of Ripple is only to cover the transaction fees in the Ripple network). Ripple now has the presence, association and commitment of a few majors in the banking industry. So the technology Ripple is here to stay. At least, they will make sure it stays (shareholders stake).

A closing anecdote. The market that Ripple is trying to enter into is currently monopolized by Swift. So in effect, Ripple’s revenue could become equal to Swift’s current revenue in some time (assuming 100% market share). Maybe a little more owing to the superior transactional capabilities. But where did the current Ripple currency market cap of $100 billion come from? What projections are these? And what is the basis?

Doesn’t matter as long as the market is performing, does it?

Does singing the national anthem mean wearing patriotism on your sleeves?

Krishna Kumar
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Does singing the national anthem mean wearing patriotism on your sleeves?
It’s a season of revisions in the Supreme Court. Just on the heels of its revisionist decision on Art 377, the Supreme Court today has reversed its order of November, 2016 where it had made mandatory for all cinema owners to play the national anthem and for all viewers to sing it before commencement of a movie all across the country. The court came out with this modification following the changed stance of the Centre, which suggested the court to make the singing of national anthem optional at the place of mandatory. A detailed guideline may come up on the matter once a 12-member inter-ministerial group constituted by the government formulates its recommendation on the Insult to National Honour Act, 1971, which may suggest how better we can respect our national symbols.
However, before you rejoice on the end of the so-called ‘patriotic vigilantism’, let me mention that the court made it clear that although playing the national anthem is optional for cinema halls, if the same is chosen to be played then standing and singing the same shall remain mandatory.

To begin with, let’s be straight. If patriotism brews within your heart, it will gush out. It will show up in your looks, body language, gestures and mannerism; no matter whether it’s a school or a cinema, a place doesn’t change the equation. However, if you haven’t got what it takes, you’ll look out for curious excuses. It’s oxymoronic to have patriotism in your heart and not to rise for the national anthem.

At present, the intellectual landscape in India is rife with many such excuses over why one shouldn’t rise and sing national anthem. While listening on a petition of Cinema Association against the 2016 order, Justice Chandrachud had wondered in 2017 – “Why do people have to wear their patriotism on their sleeves…People go to a movie theatre for undiluted entertainment…Society needs that entertainment?” He took the matter a bit farther – “In a movie theatre, people may be in shorts etc. So some one may say people are wearing shorts and showing disrespect to national anthem. Where do we then draw the line on moral policing?”

Of course, India is not a totalitarian state where all the activities of individual’s life would be directed towards the glorification of the state, yet one must appreciate that in a land of staggering diversity like India, certain threads are required to keep us bonded. It’s important to protect, preserve and promote such threads.

The question of singing national anthem is enveloped in the larger debate of freedom of individual versus the intrusive nature of state. Let me phrase the debate precisely – can a modern, progressive state intrude upon an individual’s right to choice through coercive powers? Or more precisely, can the state force a particular notion of patriotism on its subjects and direct them to respect the national symbols as per its whims?

Actually, to many of them, the argument is existential. It’s a part of the larger debate that runs in the society through the broader divide of liberalism versus conservatism. Whether India would promote the progressive values of liberty, freedom and choice or would she eventually drift to totalitarianism? A decisive resolution of this question would settle many subsequent debates.

No nation can survive if it couldn’t enforce certain basic minimum obligations on its citizens. We call it ‘Fundamental Duties’ in our constitution. Respect for one’s national symbols and expecting all citizens to commit to it, is one such fundamental duty, which no citizen can escape. It’s necessary for instilling in the psyche of the society a sense of unity, camaraderie and belongingness.

Now, let’s come to those curious excuses. ‘Is standing up and singing the national anthem is the only way to prove one’s patriotism?’ – many growl on social media.

Well, not the only way, but it’s the most emphatic way. To show your patriotism, you need to commit yourself to many other cherished values of the nation such as, cleaning and ensuring cleanliness of the surroundings, integrity and honesty in public life, respecting public properties, following traffic rules, standing for weaker and disadvantaged sections, respecting and protecting the honour of women in society, desisting from sectarian feelings of cast, sect, regions and many more. Now, count within, how many of these do you carry with you to compensate for seeking exemption from singing the national anthem. Hmmm…maybe, hardly any! You see, singing the national anthem is easiest among the above list to learn patriotism. Proceeding to other values becomes easier.

Being a patriot is not easy. You’ve to commit a lot, sacrifice a lot. It’s not like being a consumerist-hedonist-metrosexual egoist whom no body cares. But, the society cares for the patriot in the same way the patriot cares for society. Moreover, respecting the national symbols is a constitutional act. The fundamental duty under Article 51A(a) mandates that it shall be the duty of every citizens of India to abide by the constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, national flag and the National Anthem.

The next man asks  – ‘WTF this unity? Aren’t we already united?’ No sir. You aren’t. Your unity is shaky and hollow and stands tattered over years of cumulative suspicion and distrust fostered by competing ideologies of identities. But, these national symbols cut through the identities and bring us closer.

Some others lament that forcing something down somebody’s throat even if he or she didn’t like it is unjust. They believe one must act as per one’s feelings and if someone doesn’t feel to sing the anthem from within, the state shouldn’t force.

Why! The state must force it! Patriotism is not born with us. It’s learnt. If you failed to cultivate respect for national symbols in your formative days doesn’t mean you’ll go around disrespecting it. You need to learn it now.

Now, let’s come to the argument – “People go to a movie theatre for undiluted entertainment. Society needs that entertainment.”

Of course, Society needs it. Go and have your undiluted entertainment. But, before that, spare a fleeting 52 seconds to foster a sense of unity with those who are slogging it out in the glaciers, ravines and deserts away from their homes and families to keep India together and to give you the moments of your ‘undiluted entertainment’. Just 52 seconds, even before that entertainment actually begins. After you pass the test of this 52 seconds torture, your entertainment will begin and remain undiluted till the end. Shake your buttocks or roll over the floor laughing without dilution. After all, you’re blessed with 2 legs and a shoulder to carry the burden of uniting with the pride of India. What is missing is a little spirit. Kindle it.

As far wearing the patriotism on our sleeves is concerned, I wonder where people take pride in wearing its arrogance, prejudices, bigotry, egoism and hubris on their sleeves, what harm is there in wearing the lesser evil, patriotism?

Moreover, We shouldn’t miss the larger symbolism of the act. Standing up and singing the song inspires, motivates and teaches others to respect it. Those who detest the idea of standing up for singing the national anthem must have been in the company of someone doing the same, in their childhood days. Orientations are shaped; negatives orientations are shaped more easily. That’s why we must watch our behavior because we’re influencing someone watching us, especially those credulous children. Set a positive example for them. Don’t play a spoiler in their lives.

Yes, when it comes to playing the anthem in cinema halls, it’s prone to misuse. At times, zealots jump to do moral policing by harassing those who carry reservations on it. In a horrible show of ‘patriotism’ in Goa this year, a couple assaulted a writer and an award-winning disability rights activist, Salil Chaturvedi, from behind who didn’t stand up for the national anthem. The couple didn’t realize that he was disabled. There have been few other cases of such violence in cinema halls.

Now, it’s up to the state how to take proper safeguards against misuse of such provisions. Education and sensitization play the key role in making people behave as citizens. There is no point in respecting the national symbols when you’re jumping to take law in your hands. A rowdy can’t be a patriot because he’s dangerous for the society. Such instances lend credence to the fact that the nation is heading towards fascism. Hence, the government must criminalise any act of intimidation or physical violence or any form of vigilantism to enforce patriotic behaviour or else we’ll be losing credibility of being a liberal democracy and society.

In the balance sheet of arguments, it’s good that the Supreme Court has made the playing of the national anthem in cinema halls an optional act. However, whosoever choses to play the same, there’s no harm in getting up, tucking away your drink under the seat and holding those half-munched popcorns in your mouth, for 52 seconds and singing aloud – “Jan Gana Mana…” before a ruffling tricolor on the screen. Mind, the child besides you is watching!

Gurmehar Kaur doesn’t know the meaning of Free Speech

Nithesh S
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Gurmehar Kaur doesn’t know the meaning of Free Speech

In a recent interview about her book ‘Small Acts of Freedom’, the so called ‘free speech activist’ Gurmehar Kaur revealed that she doesn’t know the meaning of freedom of speech and expression. In the beginning of her interview she speaks about her memoir, which is about three generations of strong single women in her family.

Gurmehar claims that she has grown stronger and become more busy after she shot to fame. Right after that , when asked about definition of free speech, she reveals her ignorance about the cause she claims to be fighting for.

The conversation after 5:20 goes like this :

Nidhi: You are a strong proponent of free speech. You get trolled often, even now for blocking people on Twitter , for instance. The criticism is , by them, that you know, that doesn’t exactly hold you up as a champion of free speech. So how do you define free speech and freedom of expression? And what would you say to those who say that your blocking of their voices on Twitter is not representative of that.

Gurmehar: I mean, when I am blocking people on Twitter I am not putting a tape on their mouth. They can still whatever they want to say. I am just closing my own ears . I don’t want to listen to it . I feel that I have the freedom to not listen to what somebody else has to say.

Nidhi: So do you think you are handling Twitter better, that you have a thicker skin?

Gurmehar: Definitely. I don’t think I care at all at anymore. Just last year, somewhere around March, I would still get little flustered, little sad, I would still get these panic attacks every time I saw people trolling me. Now I read it and just roll my eyes. Sometime I don’t even read it, just random troll accounts. I couldn’t care less.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, the definition of free speech is the right to express any opinions without censorship or restraint. Even so called trolls have the right to express their views without being restrained. If the activist is doing something that goes against the basic meaning of free speech, how can she fight for the cause?

When Gurmehar says that she wants to close her ears, she definitely comes across as a typical hypocrite from the liberal gang. Freedom of speech and expression is not about closing your ears. Freedom to ignore views of others is not related to the definition of ‘freedom of speech’.

If she is really the strong and mature person that she claims to be, she wouldn’t have blocked those who are supposedly trolling her with their opinions/criticism. She doesn’t care about free speech anymore. All she cares about is her new book and all the orders it is going to get on Amazon.

If anyone is blocking their critics, they are no longer advocates of free speech. They are totally ignorant about the concept of free speech. In fact they are on their way to manufacture an echo chamber. RIP free speech.

BR Ambedkar burning Manusmriti – why the act was flawed

abhinav
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BR Ambedkar burning Manusmriti – why the act was flawed

Dr Ambedkar gave two big jolts to the 20th century caste-Hindu society. One was leading the mass conversion of his Mahar people to Buddhism in 1956 and the earlier one, in 1927 when he was still Hindu, was the burning of the Manu Smriti.

It started with a peaceful Satyagraha in Mahad in coastal Maharashtra, where the untouchables were denied access to water from a tank. Upper castes filed multiple court cases arguing that the tank was private property and could be restricted. Ambedkar seems to have lost his faith in the system and the upper castes, primarily Brahmins, and began pondering the reasons for their refusal to change.

Dr Ambedkar believed that the ancient Hindu law text Manu Smriti, by bestowing great powers on Brahmins and endorsing the Varna system and other inequalities, created conditions that made untouchability a sad reality of India. In burning Manu Smriti, he was hoping to attack the problem at its source.

Now comes the crucial question, was it a correct assignment of blame?

Across the length and breadth of the country we know that the Hindu society and the Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Lingayat*, Christian, and even Muslim societies that run parallel to it have (or have had) a caste system. Is India’s unique caste system a creation of (or an institution buttressed by) the Manu Smriti?

For example, is it because their Hindu ancestors read Manu Smriti morning, evening and for lunch that the Tamil Nadar Christians refused Tamil Scheduled Caste Christians entry into their churches? Is it because of Manu Smriti that a Bengali washerman doesn’t normally marry a Bengali fisher(wo)man?

I would say, respectfully, NO.

  • Manu Smriti itself doesn’t talk of untouchability, much less endorse it – the object of Babasaheb’s main focus.
  • Manu Smriti’s dictates were freely flouted. For example Manu forbids marriage between close relatives. But in South India and amongst the speakers of Dravidian languages, marriage between cross-cousins and even cross-uncle and niece is known to happen. When his dictates flouted customary law, Manu was not listened to.
  • Almost everybody confounds the Varna system – what Manu talks about – with the Jati system – India’s reality . A washerman’s caste doesn’t marry from a fisherman’s caste or a plumber caste doesn’t marry from a carpenter caste even though all belong to the same Varna. Nor would a Konkanastha historically marry a Sarasvat from the same Varna.
  • How does one explain such phenomenon as all Hindus of Pakistan (outside of a few traders) being scheduled castes? How can Pakistan with no caste Hindus have scheduled castes?
  • Similarly, how can Sri Lanka with no Brahmins among Sinhala Buddhists and a very small number of Brahmins among Tamil Hindus have a caste system?
  • Manu Smriti is revered in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Burma. It forms the basis of Thailand’s traditional law Thammasat. Yet these countries never had India-style caste system. How could they read the same book and not come up with Indian caste system? The answer is the root of the caste system is not in the book.

Much as I admire Dr Ambedkar for his struggles against as an entrenched system, I don’t think it is correct to hold this book responsible for the genesis of the entrenched system. That is because Hindus are simply not a people of the book.

* putting Lingayat separate since their founders were opposed to it

The left liberal delusion

Sanjay Dutta
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The left liberal delusion

The reason this piece is titled the way it has been is because of the delusion that a lot of us live under that the left-wing intelligentsia is somewhat liberal. The coinage of the term ‘Left Liberal’ is ironical considering the fact that the Left is anything but liberal.

If history is anything to go by, the left has been as vicious in their attacks against those holding counter viewpoint and have used their brute force to silence their voices by sheer power in establishment or otherwise.

The countless mass murders in communist ruled states further proves that the left-wing has always crushed the counter viewpoint and has not even hesitated once before killing those having a different ideology or viewpoint.

Back home, the leading left party CPI (M)’s rule in Kerala and West Bengal had a left behind a trail of bodies and bloodshed all in the name of a Utopian revolution.

The left have always had a strong hold over academics in India and to say that they don’t will be a blatant lie. The left enjoyed patronage from the Congress who ruled the country for the major part since independence and the CPI(M) was a major player in the Congress-led UPA government where its prominent leader Somenath Chatterjee even served as the speaker of the Lok Sabha during UPA(I). But they have crushed and jeopardized and even ruined the carriers of those holding a different viewpoint. For the left it is basically my way or the highway.

How can people who idolize and have given god like status to mass murderers like Stalin, Mao, Castro, Guevara,Chavez , Lenin and trust me when I say that the list is long , can even be called a liberal is beyond my understanding and trust me when the left speaks about the current regime being fascist, irony bangs it’s head on an iron rod.

The left-wing intelligentsia all over the world and especially in India have been called out numerous times for their bluff on issues, whataboutery (which I tell you they are the best at) and most importantly hypocrisy.

A Google search tells you that a liberal is someone who is “willing to respect or accept behaviour or opinions different from one’s own; open to new ideas”. The irony here is the left is still stuck in their age-old Utopian revolution which has brought nothing but devastation all around the world and is devoid of new ideas. Forget respecting, they fight tooth and nail to crush and do everything in their power to belittle the opposing viewpoint or ideology.

So the next time you meet a person who holds a leftist don’t even think he is a liberal because he definitely won’t be one.

The Quint committed an act of treason, it must face consequences

Krishna Baalu Iyer
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The Quint committed an act of treason, it must face consequences

What will happen if an errant journalist is not punished timely and duly for his/her eyeball-grabbing fake article on certain sensitive issues of national importance? The result will be ‘business as usual’ for the publishers and editorial team. Added to this scenario, the confidence of the publishers and writers will also be boosted and they will repeat such ‘smear’ without any ‘fear’.

After uploading a highly immoral and unwarranted story on Kulbhushan Jhadav, The Quint had it down with a rejoinder saying ‘Quint is re-checking’ the story when severe outrage erupted on Social Media against the article. Days passed now, they have altogether removed the article, but no ‘regrets’ or no ‘remorse’ forthcoming from The Quint. However considerable damage has already been done, and all the efforts of our Government to save this normal citizen of India Mr Kulbhushan Jhadav, has been severely hurt.

In April 2017 itself, I wrote a piece, presenting a frame by frame analysis of the video, and established the fact that, the purported video confession of Jhadav was, in fact, a foolishly doctored and poorly recorded video clip. Now the issue is, Journalistic ethics, that is, how our own Indian journalists can go like a ‘bull-in-a-china-shop’ manner without an air of accountability and a patriotic fervour? This tendency is more prominently being exhibited by the Left lenient online news portals including the print media.

The liberals may try to defend such articles as part of freedom of the press and part of fundamental journalistic objectives. But in reality, such ‘baseless’ articles on national security issues, if published without proper sources or verification, would simply amount to treason. Even if the article was prepared after sincere research and with solid evidence, the same cannot be published under any events for the simple reason that it would endanger the nation’s security and reputation.

At the outset, there can not be a positive objective in preparing this article on Jhadav. It is neither an issue of corruption, scam, embezzlement of national wealth, revenue, ex-chequer, black money or any related illegal activity concerning Indian citizens. It was a simple case of a sovereign nation’s duty-bound efforts to save its ordinary Citizen, from the death clutches of an enemy country, on enemy soil.

India has been vehemently arguing its case that Kulbhushan Jhadav was not an Indian designated spy under RAW, so a case of treason can be slapped on The Quint, on the same ground that the fake article has since damaged the reputation of RAW and India’s image as well, when our case is still awaiting an outcome in the ICJ. Also for the fact that RAW is not an espionage agency of Government of India like CIA or ISI, but the main objective of RAW is to safeguard the national interest and definitely not for fomenting subversive activities in other nations.

So, The Quint has no case and the Government should register a case against the Editor and the reporter for breaching ‘The Official Secrets Act’ in the interest of our nation’s security and credibility. More than for any other reason, a case is warranted for the reason that such a lackadaisical and indifferent attitude of the left lenient media, should not go unpunished and should not become a precedent in future either. A timely punishment alone will tame the anti-national razing Bull.

Battle of Koregaon : Lessons in unity (Marathi)

perennialcold
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Battle of Koregaon : Lessons in unity (Marathi)

(OpIndia वेबसाइट वर प्रकाशित Battle of Koregaon : Lessons in Unity ह्या इंग्लिश लेखाचा हा मराठी अनुवाद आहे)

हे खरोभर दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण आहे की २०१८ मध्ये भारतामध्ये जातीय कलहाचे दृश्य दिसत आहे. हा जातीय तनाव जर का वेळीच थांबविला नाही तर भयंकर आंतर्गत युद्ध होऊ शकेल. वृत्त माध्यमे आणि जिग्नेश मेवाणी आणि राहुल गांधी सारखे “तरुण” राजकरणी ह्या जातीय तनावाच्या भडक्यात तेल टाकत आहेत.

ही ट्वीट राहुल गांधीने भीमा कोरेगाव हिंसेच्या दिवशी केलेली होती:

अनुवाद: भाजपा आणि रा. स्व. सं. ह्यांची फासिवादी विचारसारणी ही आहे की दलीतांनी समाजाच्या सर्वात खालच्या स्तरावर राहावं. उना, रोहित वेमुला आणि भीमा-कोरेगाव आता (ह्या विचारसरणीच्या) प्रखर विरोधाची चिन्हे आहेत.

सध्याचे वर्तमान राष्ट्रपति (कोविन्द), जे भारताचे सर्वेसर्वा असतात, हे हिंदू असून दलित समाजातले आहेत. (कोविन्द) हे भाजपा\रा.स्व.संघाचे केंद्र शासन असताना राष्ट्रपति झालेले आहेत. हे असूनसुद्धा पंतप्रधान पदाची आशा असलेल्या व्यक्तीने हे असे मिथ्या आणि खोडकर वक्तव्य केले.

नवीन बातम्यांसाठी सतत भुकेल्या असलेल्या भारतातील वृत्तमाध्यमानी हा वाद “दलित विरूढ हिंदू” असा दर्शवून आगील तेल ओतायचे काम केले.

खूप काळापासून भारताचा इतिहास खोटारड्या पणाने प्रस्तुत केला जात आहे, जेणेकरून भारतीय (हिंदू) समजातील (खरोखर उपस्थित असलेल्या किंवा अनुकल्पित) तिढ्याचा फायदा घेता यावा. बहुतांश वेळा आम्ही पहिले आहे की माध्यमे (मीडिया) हे समाजातल्या तिढा आणि वैमनस्य वाढवण्यासाथी उत्प्रेरकाचे कार्य करतात. ही माध्यमे मुख्यत्वाने अत्याचारचे, मग तो खरा असो व खोटा, वृत्त पसरवण्याचे कार्य करतात.  अश्या तथाकथित अत्याचार तमाशाचे प्रसारण करणारे उदाहरन सोशल मीडिया वर आम्ही भीमा कोरेगाव “विजय सोहळ्याचा” दिवशी पहिले.

 मागील काही वर्षात घरभेदी घटक जातीय हिंदू समाजामध्ये जातीय वैमनस्य रुजवायचे किंवा वाढवायचे कार्य करीत आहेत. हे घरभेदी घटक परकीय मदत घेतात आणि स्वतच्या फायद्यासाठी (आर्थिक किंवा राजकीय किंवा धार्मिक) समाजमाध्ये दुष्फळी निर्माण करायचे कार्य करत असतात. तथाकथित आणि विनापुरावा अत्याचाराचे कथन करून हे देशद्रोहि आणि हिंदू विरोधी घटक समाजामध्ये वैर निर्माण करतात. देशी आणि परदेशी माध्यमे तसेश भारतीय इतिहास आणि “दक्षिण एशिया अभ्यास” ह्याचे  “अभ्यासक” हे अश्या विकृत कार्यासाठी हातभार लावताना आढळले आहेत.

हिंदू समजाच्या काही घटकामध्ये अत्याचार झाल्याची भावना रुजवणे हे अश्या समजविद्रोही तत्वांचे एकाच लक्ष्य आहे. अश्या कृत्रिम अत्याचाराची भावना रुजविल्यानंतर हिंदू समाज एकत्रित होऊ शकणार नाही. हेच लोक जातींशीवाय लिंग , धर्म असे निकष वापरुन पण समाजात निरनिराळे गट तयार करायच्या मागे असतात.

भीमा कोरेगाव चे युद्ध हे ब्रिटिश व मराठ्यांमध्ये झालेल्या अनेक युद्धांपैकी झालेल एक युद्ध आहे. पण अचानक हे युद्ध बातम्यामध्ये आहे. हे युद्ध, जे इतिहासताले एक किरकोळ युद्ध आहे, ते असे बातम्यामध्ये का असावे? ह्याचे कारण असे आहे की वर उल्लिखलेले घरभेदी घटक हे सतत अश्या युद्धाच्या शोधत असतात जे मागासलेले लोकांनी (दलित) ब्राहमणांविरुद्ध केले होते. परंतु त्यांना असे कोणतेच युद्ध मिळत नाहि आणि मिळणार सुधा नाही. अशी फक्त एकच घटना आहे जिच्या वस्तुस्थितिला मनासारखा आकार दिल्यानंतर अत्याचार तमाशा करता येतो – म्हणजे एका घटकाला (ब्राह्मण) अत्याचारी ठरवून दुसर्‍या घटकामध्ये (महार/दलित) अत्याचार झाल्याची भावना निर्माण करता येते.

आम्ही पुढे ह्या लेखात दाखवू की कोरेगाव हे युद्ध उच्चवर्णीय (सवर्ण) आणि दलित ह्यांच्यामध्ये नव्हते. इंग्रज लोक हे युद्ध जिंकलेसुद्धा नाहीत. तसेच आम्ही हेसुद्धा दर्शवायचा प्रयत्न करू की “दलित विरूढ सवर्ण” ही दंतकथा , जिथे फक्त दलित हे शोषित आहेत आणि सवर्ण हे अत्याचारी आहेत हा अतिशय खोटा व मिथ्या प्रचार वर्षानुवर्षं केला गेलेला आहे, जेणेकरून हिंदू समाजामध्ये फुट पडता यावी.

आम्ही हा लेख केवळ ह्या लेखाला प्रत्युत्तर म्हणून नाही तर हेसुद्धा दर्शवायला लिहीत आहोत की अत्याचाराचा तमाशा कसं ओळखावा. त्यामुळे हा लेख अश्या सर्व लेखांना जे हा अत्याचाराचा तमाशा दाखवतात त्यांनासुद्धा प्रत्युत्तर आहे !

उल्लेखलेला लेख हा असत्याने सुरुवात करतो.

     भीमा कोरेगावचे स्मारक आणि त्याचा विजयोत्सव हा पेशव्यांवर इंग्रजांच्या सैन्यातील अस्पृश्य सैनिकांच्या विजयाशी जोडलेला आहे.

वस्तुस्थिती ही आहे की युद्ध हे पेशवा आणि ब्रिटिश साम्राज्यामध्ये होते. तसेश ही पण वस्तुस्थिती आहे की पेशवे हे ह्या युद्धामध्ये हरले नव्हते. ह्याचा पुरावा एक ब्रिटिश सैनिक आणि तत्कालीन उल्लेखनीय इतिहासक जेम्स ग्रँट डफ ह्यांनी लिहीलेल्या पुस्तकात मिळतो.

अनुवाद :“जेंव्हा अंधार पडला सेनापति स्तौंटन ह्याने खूप सारे जखमी सैन्य बरोबर घेऊन पुण्याच्या दिशेने सवारी केली. मग त्याने आपली वाट बदलून सेरूर (शिरूर) ला गेला”

चला आपण विसरून जाऊ डफ्फ ह्यांनी लिहिलेले पुस्तक आणि पकडू की ब्रिटिश जिंकले. आम्हाला सांगा..हा विजय ब्रिटीशांच्या ऐवजी दलितांचा कसा होतो? ब्रिटिश सैन्यामध्ये एक तरी महार \ दलित मुख्य पदावर होते का? त्यांना एका तरी दलित सरदारचा नाव सांगता येईल का हो ह्या युद्धात लढला? ह्या प्रश्नांचे उत्तर केवळ नकारात्मक आहे.

ब्रिटीशांनी दलितांना अशी कोणतेही मुख्य स्थान दिले नाही. जर का महार पदसैनिक असलेल्या ब्रिटिश सैन्याचा विजय हा महरांचा विजय आहे तर त्या निकशाने पहिले आणि दुसरे विश्व युद्धं भारतानेच जिंकले की !! एवढेच काय १८५७ च उठाव पण दलितांचा ब्राह्मणावर विजय म्हटलं पाहिजे कारण मजहबी दलित सिख आणि बॉम्बे रेजिमेंट मधील महारांनी ब्राह्मण मंगल पांडे , रानी लक्ष्मी बाई , तात्या टोपे आणि नानासाहेब ह्यांच्यावर विजय मिळवला !!

परंतु काल्पनिक कथा हे आमचे सामर्थ्य नाहीये. त्यामुळे आम्ही वस्तुस्थितिनुसार कोरेगाव युद्ध पाहू. आणि वस्तूस्थिती आहे की ब्रिटिशांनी हे युद्ध जिंकले नाही. ब्रिटिशांनी माघार घेतली होती. ब्रिटीशांनी स्वतः हा विजय आहे असे मानले नव्हते. मार्च १८१९ मध्ये झालेल्या ब्रिटिश संसदेत चर्चेत ब्रिटीशांनी कोरेगावचे असे वर्णन केले आहे:

  शेवटी त्यांनी (पेशव्यांनी) केवळ विनाहानी माघारच भेटली नाही तर त्यांनी आपले जखमी झालेले    सैनिक पण परत नेले.

             “In the end, they secured not only unmolested retreat, they also carried off their wounded”

खरी गोष्ट ही आहे की ब्रिटिश हे आपल्या मोहिमेत सपशेल फेल झाले. ब्रिटीशांनी १ जानेवरी १८१८ ला पेशवा राजधानी (पुणे) जिंकण्यासाठी सैन्य शिरूरवरुन पुण्याकडे नेले होते. पण त्यांची मध्येच कोरेगावत मराठ्यांनी वाट रोखली. हे खरे आहे की ब्रिटिश आणि त्यांचे शिपाई (दलित आणि अन्य) शौर्‍याने लढले आणि त्यांनी मराठ्यांवर खूप आघात केला. पण त्यांना स्वतःला सुधा खूप नुकसान झाल आणि त्यामुळे त्यांना पुण्याची मोहीम रद्द करून शिरूरला परत जाव लागला. [1]

 आणि त्या दलितांनी ज्यांनी ब्रिटीशांसाठी प्राणत्याग केला, त्यांचे ऋण ब्रिटीशांनी कसे फेडले? त्यांनी महरांना ब्रिटिश सैन्यात घेण बंद केल ! हे सांगत की “महार हे लढवये नाहीत परंतु खालच्या जातीचे अस्पृश्य आहेत”.[2]

त्याहून पुढे जाऊन ब्रिटीशांनी भटक्या जाती जमाती आणि पूर्वीचे “अस्पृश्य” ह्यांची “गुन्हा प्रवृत्तीच्या जाती” अशी नोंदणी केली. ह्या समाज घटकांचे सर्व लोक “मूलतः गुन्हा करणारे आहेत” असे सांगून त्यांच्या हालचालींवर नियंत्रण आणण्यात आला. ह्या समाजाच्या सर्व पुरुषांना दर आठवड्यात जवळच्या पोलीस चौकीत जावे लागे.[3] स्टीफन कोहेन ह्यांनी नोंदविले आहे की ब्रिटीशांनी भारत जिंकल्यावर “अस्पृश्य” लोकांना “निरुपयोगी सैनिक” म्हणून हेटाळल आणि सैन्यातून काढून टाकला. तसेच ब्रिटीशांनी तीव्र जातिभेद करत “उच्च जातीतले देखणे पुरुष” सैन्यामध्ये घ्यायला सुरुवात केली.

       “धोब्याला सैन्यामध्ये कशाला घ्यावं, ते कडवट आणि लढवय्ये अश्या पठाणांशी युद्ध करू शकत नाहीत” अस पायोनीअर संपादकात (एक ब्रिटिश मासिक) लिहिण्यात आले होते. ब्रिटीशांच्या मत होते की  “मागासवर्गीय\दलित\अस्पृश्य हे फार मवाळ असतात त्यामुळे ते फक्त चौकीदारि किंवा सैन्याची सेवा करणार्‍या तुकड्या ह्यामध्येच असावे परंतु सैनिक म्हणून खूपच खराब आहेत. शरीराने मोठे , देखणे आणि हुशार सैनिक हे उच्चवर्नियातच आहेत”.

 ब्रिटीशांचा “आर्य वर्ण” आणि “लढाऊ वर्ण” ह्यावर विश्वस असल्याने त्यांनी महारांना नंतर सैन्यात घेणे बंद केले. त्यानंतर महारांनी ब्रिटीशांना पत्र लिहिले ज्याच्यात त्यांनी संगितले की “आम्ही क्षत्रीय आहोत” आणि विनंती केली की आम्हाला (ब्रिटिश) सैन्यात प्रवेश करू द्यावा. हे इथे नमूद करावे लागेल की ब्रिटीशांच्या वेळचे महार हे जिग्नेश मेवानीसारखे अजिबात नवते. आंबेडकरांचे वडील हे स्वतः महार सैनिक होते आणि धार्मिक हिंदु होते. ते सतत रामायण महाभारत वाचायचे. हे खरोखर उपरोधिक आहे की आजचे “दलित” युवा नेते ब्रिटिश आणि त्यांच्या सैन्याचा विजय साजरा करतात.

वर उल्लेखलेल्या लेखात पुढे लिहिला आहे:

“(दलित समाजाने) मोठ्या संख्येने भीमा कोरेगावला जमा होणे आणि कोरेगाव लढाईची आठवण आणि नोंद घेणे हे त्या जातीव्यवस्थेच्या विरोधात आहे , जी व्यवस्था दलितांना सशस्त्र क्रांति करण्यास नकार देते. मनुस्मृती सारख्या पुरातन हिंदू ग्रंथांनी स्पष्ट सांगितले आहे की दलित किंवा मागासवर्गीयांना, शुद्रांना आणि अतीशुद्रांना स्वतः चे रक्षण कार्याचा अधिकार नाही. कोरेगावची आठवण ह्या जांचक अटीला झुगारून देते.

तसेच (कोरेगावची स्मृति) हिंदू राष्ट्रावादाच्या मानसिकतेच्या विरोधात आहे, ज्यामध्ये दलित ह्यांनी खाली मान घालून काम करावे आणि निमूटपणे जातीय अत्याचार आणि जातीव्यवस्था सहन करावी. ह्या प्रकारे कोरेगावचा स्मृति सोहळा साजरा करून दलित ह्या मानसिकतेला ठामपणे “आता अजून नाही” असे म्हणत आहेत. ते सांगत आहेत की “आम्ही ती सशतरा क्रांति साजरी करू जो आमचा इतिहास आहे. उच्चवर्णीयांनी आमचा इतिहास दाबला आहे किंवा आमचा इतिहास विकृत केला आहे कारण आमचा इतिहास हिंदू राष्ट्रावादासाठी सोईस्कर नाहीये. त्यांची इतिहासावरची पकड ठेवण्यासाठी ते आमच्या पर्यायी इतिहासाला नाकरतात”.

तुम्ही नक्कीच ह्या लेखातला “अत्याचार तमाशा” ओळखला असेल. “अत्याचार तमाशा” चे एक प्रमुख चिन्ह असते की हा “तमाशा” भूतकाळातल्या गोष्टी वर्तमानकाळात परावर्तीत करतो. हा लेख, जो २१व्या शतकात लिहिलेला आहे, तो १९व्या शतकात झालेल्या काल्पनिक विजयी घटनेचा, ज्यामध्ये महार सामील होते,  जेणेकरून हा काल्पनिक ब्रिटिश विजय दलित चळवळीचा भाग बनु शकेल .

हा लेख हे पण सांगतो की हिंदू समाजाने दलितांना शस्त्र घेऊ दिले नाहीत किंवा स्वरक्षण करू दिले नाही. पण हा दावा महार स्वतःच खोडून काढतात. सोमवंशी महार , जो महारांमध्ये सर्वात मोठा गट आहे , ते म्हणतात की पांडवांसोबत ते महाभारत लढले होते.[4]

अनुवादन : सर्वात मोठा गट सोमवंशी किंवा चंद्रचे वंशज आहेत. ते म्हणतात की त्यांनी पांडवांसोबत कौरवविरुद्ध महाभारताचे युद्ध केले होते आणि युद्धांनंतर महाराष्ट्रात स्थयिक झाले. सोमवंशी महार हे घोडे पाळतात परंतु बावणे आणि कोसरीय होडे पळत नाहीत. …….बावणे आणि सोमवंशी महार हे एकत्र जेवतात परंतु एकमेकात लग्न करत नाहीत.

जर का दलित \ महार लोकांना शस्त्र घेणे बंदी होते तर ही परंपरा कशी निर्माण झाली?

 हा पुरावा आपण दंतकथा म्हणून नाकारू शकतो, पण हे मान्यच कराव लागेल की शिवाजी महाराजांच्या सैन्यात महार लढले होते [5]. शिवनाक महाराला राजाराम महाराजांनी (शिवाजींचा राजपुत्र) कळंबी गाव भेट म्हणून दिला होत. शिवनाकचा एक नातू होता, ज्याचे नावसुधा शिवनाक महार होत. त्याने १७९५ मध्ये खर्ड्याच्या युद्धात पुरेश्वरम भाऊंचा जीव वाचवला होता. जेव्हा काही लोकांनी शिवनाक महारच्या सैन्यात असण्याला आक्षेप घेतला तेव्हा पेशव्यांचे ब्राह्मण सल्लागार हिरोजी पाटणकर त्यांना म्हणाले होते की युद्ध सुरू असताना जात महत्वाची नसते [6]. नागनाक महाराने वैराटगड मुस्लिमांकडून जिंकून राजाराम महाराजांना दिला. नागनाकाला सातार्‍याचा पाटील करण्यात आला होत [7].

जातींच्या नावाने हिंसाचार घडविण्यार्‍या मिथ्या प्रचाराला हे सर्व पुरावे छेद देतात. त्यामुळे जातींचे लढवय्ये ह्या ऐतिहासिक घटनांविषयी कधीच बोलत नाहीत.

परकीय सत्तेच्या सैन्याने स्वराज्याच्या सैन्याचा (ज्यामध्ये सामान्य जनता सहभागी होती) केलेल्या पराभवाचा जयजयकार कोणत्याही शहाण्या माणसाला आवडणार नाही आणि पटणार नाही. लांछनास्पद हे आहे की ब्रिटिश सैन्यामध्ये महार समुदायाशिवाय आणखीपण बरेच समुदायाचे लोक होते. तसेच ब्रिटिश इतिहासक मेजर डीरोम ह्यांनी लिहिले आहे की पेशवा सैन्यामध्ये बरेच सैनिक खालच्या जातीतले होते. त्याच्यामुळे ब्रिटिश आणि पेशवे दोन्ही सैन्यातील युद्धात मृत्यूमुखी पडलेल्यात, भारतातील बर्‍याच समुदायांचे लोक होते. ह्याचा अर्था असाही होतो की ब्रिटिश सैन्यातील महार हे पेशवा सैन्यातल्या दलितांशी लढले !

हे सर्व पाहता, हे ब्राह्मण विरुद्ध महार हे युद्ध कसे काय होऊ शकते? ब्रिटिश सैन्यातील महारांनी पेशवा सैन्यातल्या भारतीयांना मारल (ज्यामध्ये दलित सुद्धा होते) आणि ही गोष्ट २१व्या शतकातील भारतात साजरी करतात !!

तुम्ही कधी ऐकलं आहे का कुणाला शिवनाक महारचे गौरवगान करताना? असे तुम्हाला सापडणार नाही कारण शिवनाक महारचे गौरवगान केले तर जातीय संघर्ष घडवू इच्छिनार्‍या लोकांच्या पायाखालची वाळू घसरेल.

असा प्रश्न येऊ शकतो की महार हे ब्रिटिश सैन्यात कसे आले?  असे तर नव्हतेच की ब्रिटीशांनी काही सैनिकी प्रशिक्षण देण्यार्‍या संस्था काढल्या होत्या !  महारांची मराठा सैन्याकडून लढायची जुनी परंपरा होती. ज्यामुळे महारांना पेशवा सैन्यामध्ये मोठ्या संखेने घेतले. महारांनी पेशवा सैन्यातील अनुभवाचा वापर केला, युद्धकलेशी अवगत झाले आणि त्यामुळेच ब्रिटिश सैन्यात ते सैनिक म्हणून जाऊ शकले.[8]

अनुवाद : महत्वाचे म्हणजे, महार ह्यांनी त्यांच्या पेशवा सैन्यातून लढायच्या अनुभवाचा फायदा घेतला आणि ब्रिटिश सैन्यात काम करू लागले, छावणी शहरे ही समाजात वरचा स्थान मिळण्यासाठी उपयोगी पडू लागली. अंगभूत कलेच्या अभावापाई गाव सोडून शहराकडे जाणार्‍या पहिल्या गटात महार होते.

   हे इथे नमूद करावे लागेल की महार आणि पेशवा ह्यांचे चांगले संबंध होते. पेशवा माधवरावाने १७७० मध्ये वेठी पद्धत किंवा खालच्या वर्गाकडून जबरदस्ती काम करवून घेण्याची प्रथा बंद केली. सर्व कामांची किम्मत पैशाने होऊ लागली. [9] सर्वात महत्वाचे म्हणजे, ब्रिटीशांनी गुलामगिरी बंद करायच्या ५० वर्षे आधी पेशवाईत वेठी पत्द्धत बंद करण्यात आली.

जेवा माधववरावांचा जन्म झाला होता, तेव्हा पेशवा बालाजी बाजी राव ह्यांनी ३०० हेक्टर करमुक्त जमीन कोळी, रामोशी, महार अश्या “खालच्या जातीच्या” समुदायांना दिली होती. महार आणि इतर “खालच्या जातीच्या” लोकांच्या देखरेखीखाली खूप सारे भिल्ल पहारेदार होते. [10] माधवरावांचे हे सत्कृत्य इतिहासातील पहिले नव्हते. शिवाजी महाराजांच्या वेळेस सुधा त्यांच्या ब्राह्मण सेनापति महाडजि निकांठराव ह्यांनी पुरंदर किल्ल्याची नाईक वतांदरी दोन महारांना दिली होती आणि प्रत्येकाच्या हाताखाली ४० रक्षक दिले होते.[11]

 एक विशेष प्रसंग पेशवाईच्या वेळेस महारांची सामाजिक परिस्थिति कशी होती ते प्रकर्षाने दर्शवतो. १७४८ मध्ये पौडखोर येथील महारांनी जिल्ह्यातील अधिकार्‍याकडे खालील विनंती केली होती:

आमचे इथे एक प्रथा होती की वतनदाई जोशी हे आमच्या महारांच्या लग्नामध्ये पुजारी म्हणून यायचे. इतर जिल्ह्यामध्ये सुद्धा एक ब्राह्मण महारांच्या लग्नामध्ये उपस्थित असतो. परंतु देणी घेण्यावरून आमच्यात आणि जोशी लोकांमध्ये वाद झाला त्यामुळे जोशी लोकांनी आमच्या लग्नात येणे बंद केले आहे. हे असे गेले १५-२० वर्षा झाले सुरू आहे. तरी तुम्ही कृपया इतर जिल्ह्यांचा विचार करून तुम्ही आधी जशी व्यवस्था होती तशी पूर्ववत करावी. [12]

थोडक्यात, पौडखोरीतल्या ब्राह्मण आणि महार ह्यांच्यात वाद झाला होता (पैशावरून) आणि ह्या वादामुळे ब्राह्मण लोकांनी महारांचे लग्नात येणे बंद केले होते. पेशव्यांना ही गोष्ट मुळीच आवडली नाही आणि त्यांनी ब्राह्मणांना पुन्हा महारांच्या लग्नात पुजारी म्हणून जायची आज्ञा दिली शिवाय १० रुपये दंड सुद्धा केला. (संदर्भ : ASS 1-74)

हे काही महारांना वंछित किंवा शोषित करणारे वर्तन नाहीये. ह्यानंतर पण ब्राह्मणांनी खूप विनंती केली तेव्हा एक चौकशी करण्यात आली आणि ब्राह्मणांना इच्छेनुसार महारांच्या लग्नात पुजारी म्हणून न जायची परवानगी मिळाली. तरी ब्राह्मणाना नेहमी महार आणि इतर दलित ह्यांच्या लग्नात जावेच लागायचे.

महारांना काही सामाजिक सोहळ्यात फार महत्वाचे स्थान होते. जेव्हा पंवर राजपूत नारायण देव सण साजरा करायचे तेव्हा महारांना पहिला प्रसाद मिळायचा. [13]

अनुवाद: पंवर राजपूत जेव्हा नारायण देवाचा सण साजरा करतात तेव्हा एका महाराला त्यांच्या घरी बोलावतात आणि त्याला पहिले जेवण देतात त्यानंतरच स्वतः जेवायला लागतात.

शांति सणामध्ये महरांची मुख्य भूमिका होती. ब्रिटीशांचे राज्य असताना 20 महारांना मुस्लिम व्हायचे होते, परंतु त्यांना मशिदीमध्ये प्रवेश नाकारल्यामुळे त्यांनी विचार बदलला. [14]

 जातीची ढाल पुढे करून लढणारे सर्व मागासवर्गीय लोकांना “दलित” म्हणतात आणि लोकांचा असा भ्रम करतात की हिंदु समाज हा दलित आणि अदलीत असा आहे आणि अदलीत लोकांनी दलितांचे शोषण केले. हे धादांत खोटे आहे. ज्याला आपण आज मागासवर्गीय किंवा दलित म्हणतो तेसुद्धा जातिभेद करायचे हे असे अनेक अभ्यासकांनी दाखवून दिले आहे. एक दलित पोटजात सामाजिक पायरीवरील खाली असलेल्या दुसर्‍या पोतजातीच्या लोकांशी भेदभाव करायचे आणि हे सत्य कितीही झाकायचा किंवा नाकारायचा प्रयत्न केला तरी झाकले जाऊ शकत नाही.

हे इथे नमूद करयालपहिजे की महार जातीचे लोक मांग ह्या समुदायाच्या लोकांना (ज्यांना महार खालच्या जातीचे समजतात) त्यांना वाईट वागणूक द्यायचे. महार समुदायाचे लोक मांग आणि भंगी ह्या समुदायाच्या लोकांना दूषित मानत आणि ह्या लोकांकडून अन्न घ्यायचे नाहीत.[15]

एकदा एका मांग समुदायाच्या वराने बैलाऐवजी घोड्यावरून वरात केली तेव्हा महार समाजाने मांग समाजाविरुद्ध तक्रार नोंदविली होती. महार समुदायाच्या मते फक्त महार लोकांनाच घोड्यावर बसून वरात काढण्याचा अधिकार होता आणि मांग समाजाला नाही. महार समुदायाने पेशव्यांना पत्र लिहून मागणी केली होती की मांग वराना घोड्यावर बसून वरात काढण्यास बंदी आणावी आणि मांग समजाच्या वराने बैलावरूनच वरात काढून आनंदी राहाव. [16]

अनुवाद: लग्नाच्या वेळेस महार वर घोड्यावर बसून वरातीत जातो पण मांग समुदायाचा वर फक्त बैलावर बसुनच वरात काढू शकतो. आता मांग समाज त्यांच्या वरातीत घोडे वापरत आहेत त्यामुळे कृपया त्यांना आदेश द्यावा की आधी करत आल्याप्रमाणे त्यांनी वरात बैलावरूनच करावी.

घोडा हा प्रतिष्ठेचे वाहन होता आणि त्यामुळे महारांचे ठाम मत होते की फक्त ते स्वतः ह्या प्रतिष्ठेच्या योग्य होते परंतु मांग नाही. महारांच्या ह्या वर्तनाचा वर्ण किंवा स्मृतिशी काही संबंध नाहीये. कोणतीच स्मृति असे संगत नाही की महार समाजाला मांग समाजवर दर्जा आहे. त्यांच्या पेशव्यांना लिहीलेल्या पत्रात महारांनी कोणत्याही स्मृतिचा संदर्भ दिला नाही परंतु त्यावेळच्या रूढीचा आणि त्यावेळच्या सामाजिक शिडीचा संदर्भ दिला. महारांचे पेशव्यांशी संबंध चांगले असल्याने त्यांची ही मागणी मान्य झाली आणि मांग वरातीत घोड्यावरून वरात निषिद्ध करण्यात आली.

अश्या वागणुकीमुळे मांग समाजाला महार समाजाची खूप चीड होती आणि दोघामंध्ये वैमनस्य होते. इतके वैमनस्य की मांग समुदाय महारांचे कापलेले डोके पाहून आनंदी व्हायचा. ब्रिटिश अधिकार्‍याने लिहिले आहे की “मांग मानसाच्या आयुष्यातला सर्वात अभिमानाचा क्षण म्हणजे जेव्हा तो महार माणसाला फाशी देतो” [17].

परंतु दोन्ही महार आणि मांग हे ब्राह्मणांना नेहमी (धार्मिक) कामे द्यायचे आणि त्यांचा आदर करायचे. दोन्ही  महार आणि मांग हे हिंदू रितींचे पालन करायचे. शांति नावाचा सण सर्व हिंदूंना एकत्रित करायचा. महार, मांग, दलित आणि अन्य हे आपले भेदभाव विसरून एकत्र येऊन हा सण साजरा करायचे.

जातीवादाला परकीय दृष्टीकोणाने पाहीले तर गटवादीपणाकडे दुर्लक्ष होते. ब्रिटीशांनी जातींच्या भिंती आणखीन पक्क्या केल्या आणि गटवादीपणाला खतपाणी घातल. ब्रिटीशांनी आधी महारांना सैन्यात घेतला कारण १९व्या शतकच्या सुरूवातीला ब्रिटिश लोक हे जो येईल त्याला सैन्यात घ्यायला होकार द्यायचे. नंतर ब्रिटीशांनी १८९२ पर्यन्त महारांना सैन्यात घेणं बंद केल होता आणि “देखणे उच्चवर्णीय पुरुष” ह्यांना सैन्यात घेताना प्राधान्य देणे सुरू केला होत. पोस्टाच्या सेवेने महारांना पारंपरिक निरोप पोहचवनाच्या कामापासुन मुकावे लागले. त्यामुळे इतर खालच्या जातींच्या लोकांसारखे त्यांनासुद्धा शहरी भागात स्थलांतरण करावे लागले. अश्या परिस्थितीत ह्या समाजांचे लोक पारंपरिक कारभारात कमी पैशावर काम करणारे मजूर बनले. अकुशल कामे जातीच्या आधारावर द्यायला सुरुवात झाली आणि जातीच्या भिंती कधी नव्हे तश्या पक्क्या झाल्या.

ब्रिटिश कालामध्ये उत्तर भारतातल्या दहन भूमीवर कार्य करणारे डोम समाजाचे लोकच हॉस्पिटल आणि मेडिकल शिक्षनामध्ये शवाघर आणि चिकित्सा विभागात सहायक म्हणून कामास लागले. वस्त्र निर्मितीत पण असेच लोक काम करायला लागले ज्यांना ब्रिटीशांनी “अस्वच्छ” मानल होत. [18]

पेशवाईत ग्रामीण भगत सहजरीत्या कामाचे स्वरूप आणि कामाचा कार्यकाल बदलू शकणारे दलित लोक, ब्रिटिश कालीन भारतीय शहरामध्ये आपल्याच जातीच्या कामात जखडून गेले. [19]

अलेक्झांडर रॉबर्ट्सन सारख्या ब्रिटिश अधिकार्‍यानी असा गैरसमज पसरवला की तत्पूर्वीचा पेशवा काळात दलित लोकांचे आयुष्य खूप वाईट होते आणि त्यांना काहीच संधि नव्हती. स्वतःच्या जाचक सत्तेला “शोषित समाजाचे मुक्तिदार” असे दाखवून ब्रिटिश लोकांनी जाचक सत्तेचे समर्थन केले. परंतु सत्यस्थिति पुर्णपणे वेगळी होती. जिथे एके काली पेशवा माधवराव महारांना मोठी जमीन वतन म्हणून द्यायचे, तिथे नंतर ब्रिटिश पत्रिकांनी ब्रिटिश गृहीणींना केवळ योग्य जातीच्या लोकांनाच घरकामासाठी ठेवा असे सांगितले.

सुरुवातीच्या काळात ब्रिटीशांनी खूप सारी जंगले उध्वस्त केली आणि वनवासी लोकांचे शस्त्र काढून घेऊन त्यांना हाताखाली कामास ठेवले. ही नवीन जमीन शेतीसाठी वापरल्यामुळे धनगर मेंढपाळ इत्यादि पशुपालक समाजाचे खूप नुकसान झाले. ब्रिटिश उद्योगामुळे पारंपरिक कलाकौशल्याची वृद्धी थांबली. ब्रिटिश आधुनिकता आणि रस्ते, रेल्वे , बंदरे ह्यांच्यामुळे अकुशल आणि सोप्याने मिळणार्‍या कामांची मागणी वाढली. ब्रिटीशांनी आधीच्या कालांपेक्षा अधिकाधिक मोठे सैन्याच्या जागा (छावणी) करण्यास आरंभ केला. त्यांना अशा जागेच्या स्वच्छतेसाठी (मलमूत्र निवारण) तसेच चहा मळ्यासाठी स्वस्तात काम करणारे खूप लोक पाहिजे होते. ब्रिटीशांनी त्यांना महार, मांग आणि भंगी समाजातून निवडले. ह्या समाजाच्या लोकांना ब्रिटिश लोक “साफसफाई करणार्‍या जाती” असे म्हणायचे. “स्वच्छ जाती”, “जातीय प्रदूषण” अश्या नवीन कल्पना काढून ब्रिटीशांनी वर सांगितलेल्या कामांसाठी नेहमीच लोक मिळतील हे नक्की केले.

भारतीय संस्कृतीच्या अभ्यासक सूझान बेली ह्यांच्याशी आम्ही सहमत आहोत की आज आपण ज्याला अस्पृश्यता म्हणून ओळखतो ते ब्रिटिश नीतींनी निर्माण केलेली गोष्ट आहे.

अस्पृश्यता ही ब्रिटिश वसाहतीच्या आधुनिकतेचा परिणाम आहे. गिरण्या, बंदर आणि सार्वजनिक बांधकाम विभाग ह्यांनी दिलेल्या नवीन आर्थिक संधि आणि ब्रिटिश आणि ब्रिटिश शिपाई ह्यांच्या तुकड्यांसाठी निर्माण केलेला कामगार गट ह्यांच्यामुळे आधुनिक अस्पृश्यता जन्माला आली. [२०]

मनुला वाईट म्हणून मनुस्मृतीवर प्रत्येक वेळेस दोष देण्यापेक्षा आपण “जातीयतेचे आणि भेदभावाचे ग्रंथ” असे संबोधल्या गेलेल्या स्मृतींचे स्वतः वाचून आकलन केले पाहिजे. जातिभेद असतो आणि आज प्रखररीत्या अस्तीत्वात आहे. आपण सर्वांनी जातिभेद निर्मूलनासाठी कार्य केले पाहिजे. फक्त एकाच समाजाला आणि एकाच स्मृतिला दोष देण्यापेक्षा , आपली नैसर्गिक गटवादी प्रवृत्ती जातीभेदाला किती कारणीभूत होती हे विचारलं पाहिजे. फक्त एकाच समाजाला जातीयतेचा दोष देऊन आपण परत तिच गटवादी प्रवृत्ती पुनर्जीवित करत आहोत आणि जातीमधील वैमनस्य वाढवत आहोत का असाही प्रश्न पडायला हवा.

आपल्या सर्वांना ह्याची जाणीव आणि आकलन झाले पाहिजे आणि आपण ह्याच्या विरोधात उभे राहिले पाहिजे. ह्या वर्षी तुम्ही डोळ्यावरची झापड काढून टाकण्याचा संकल्प घ्या ! स्वार्थी आणि आप्पलपोट्या घटकांना महान सनातन धर्म तोडू देऊ नका. तुम्ही स्वतः शोधा की ज्या गोष्टीच्या नावाने हे घटक नेहमी बोटे मोडतात , ती गोष्ट खरोखर वाईट आहे की त्या गोष्टीच्या वाईटपणाचा दुष्प्रचार करून आपल्याला तोडलं जात आहे.

उठा ! जागे व्हा ! आणि जोपर्यंत तुमचे लक्ष्य साध्य होत नाही तोपर्यंत थांबू नका !!

आम्ही नेहमी दलित बांधवांसोबत आणि विशेषतः महार बांधवांसोबत आहोत. आम्हाला त्यांच्या शौर्याचा अभिमान आहे आणि त्यांना आम्ही त्यांच्या महाभारताच्या पराक्रमाची आठवण करून देऊ ईच्छितो. पण त्यांनी अशा लोकांपासून सावध राहिले पाहिजे जे समाजाची शांतता एकता नष्ट करू इच्छितात.

 

ह्या लेखाच्या शेवटी कठोपनिशाद मधील हा सुविचार

उत्तिष्ठत जाग्रत प्राप्य वरान्निबोधत,
क्षुरासन्न धारा निशिता दुरत्यद्दुर्गम पथ: तत् कवयो वदन्ति|

अर्थ:

उठा! जागे व्हा !! गुरूंकडे जा आणि शिका !!

ज्ञानी लोक सांगतात हा मार्ग तलवारीच्या धारेसारखा आहे .

हा मार्ग चालण्यास कठीण आहे आणि पार करण्यास अवघड आहे  !

 

संदर्भ \ References

[1] Sharaddha Kumbhojkar, Politics, Caste and remembrance of the Raj pp.40

[2] Revival of Buddhism in Modern India Page 81

[3] Bates, Crispin (1995). “Race, Caste and Tribe in Central India: the early origins of Indian anthropometry”. In Robb, Peter. The Concept of Race in South Asia. Delhi: Oxford University Press. p. 227.

[4] The Tribes And Castes Of The Central Provinces Of India Vol IV pp 132.133

[5] Jadunath Sarkar, Shivaji and his Times, P.363

[6] KV Kotawale, politics of the Dalits. 1974 pp 142-145

[7] V.Longer, Forefront for Ever: The History of the Mahar Regiment p.12

[8] Christophe Jaffrelot,  Dr Ambedkar and Untouchability: Analysing and Fighting Caste p.19

[9] GS Sardesai, New History of the Marathas: The expansion of the Maratha power, 1707-1772 p.346

[10] Kotani, CASTE SYSTEM, UNTOUCH ABILITY AND THE DEPRESSED p.70

[11] Ibid P.70

[12] Ibid P.73

[13] The Tribes And Castes Of The Central Provinces Of India Vol IV pp 131

[14] Ibid P.139

[15] Gazetteer of the Bombay presidency 1885 pp.440

[16] 1776. SSRPD VI-816

[17] Gazetteer of the Bombay presidency 1885 pp.443

[18] Susan Bayly, Caste, Society and Politics in India from the Eighteenth Century to the Modern Age pp.226

[19] Ibid pp.226

[20] Ibid pp.226

Rahul Gandhi’s tweet on Bhima Koregaon unrest reveals his evil designs

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Rahul Gandhi’s tweet on Bhima Koregaon unrest reveals his evil designs

This is what Rahul Gandhi tweeted :

This tweet on Bhima Koregaon violence, where a Maratha boy was killed for wearing t-shirt having an image of Shivaji by alleged Dalit activists, is nothing new or surprising. Congress has always divided the nation on the basis of caste and religion for their own political benefit.

They have always used the Dalits and the Muslims as their Vote bank but practically did nothing for these communities on the ground.

To quote a recent example, this party that claims to be the savior and up lifter of the Muslims had done nothing to abolish instant Triple Talaq, a practice that has ruined the lives of many Muslim women. Ironically it was the BJP, which the Congress claims as a Hindu party, that came out is support to abolish this primitive practice.

The Congress party today is at its most vulnerable position than ever before due to a series of big defeats since 2014. Today it rules only 4 states and 1 union territory.

Rahul Gandhi’s tweet on the Maharashtra Violence is nothing but a desperate attempt to gain political mileage by influencing the Dalits and use them as their vote banks. He tried the same in Gujarat as well. He was successful to some extent but was ultimately defeated in the election.

He is just adopting Congress’ age old divisive principle of ‘KHAM’ (Kshatriya, Harijan, Adivasi and Muslim). This tactic was First implemented by Madhav Singh Soloanki (Gujarat Congress leader) and later used extensively by Rahul Gandhi’s father, Mr. Rajiv Gandhi in the 80s.

Since then this theory has been used by the Congress to use these communities as vote bank by inciting and dividing them often by the use of violence. And Rahul Gandhi’s tweet is nothing but a continuation of this very principle of ‘KHAM’.

Interestingly a case has been filed against Jignesh Mevani for inciting Violence in this Bhima Koregaon violence. This is the same so-called ‘Dalit leader’ from Gujarat with whom Mr Rahul Gandhi stitched an alliance and played the Dalit card to win the elections.

Also another person against whom a FIR has been filed along with Mevani is Umar Khalid.

Remember him. ‘Bharat tere tukde honge, Insallah, Insallah’. Yes he is the same person who was booked in relation to The JNU case in 2016. During the JNU incident as well, Rahul Gandhi came in open support for this person who was booked for raising slogans in support in Afzal Guru and destruction of India.

Can you see the link?

From the above incidents it can be easily decoded that this is nothing but a part of well-designed larger strategy by the Congress and some of its allies, to destabilize Maharashtra. This is in line with Patidar Reservation Andolan in Gujarat and Jat Andolan in Haryana. It’s a clear attempt to incite violence and gain political mileage for the upcoming 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections.

Rahul Gaandhi wants the situation to get more violent as this will lead to instability of the Ruling BJP government in Maharashtra, whose CM is coincidentally a Brahman. I am sure the Congress will project some Dalit leaders from this violence in line with Jignesh Mevani, Hardik Patel and Alpesh thakor as they did in Gujarat.

These people are the very persons who have been working hard along with its allies to destabilize India by inciting violence and dividing people on the basis if caste and religion.

These are the same people who question the Indian army on Surgical Strike, the same group who raise slogans in support of India’s destruction and the same people who held secret meetings with Pakistan.

Hence his tweet is nothing but a part of well devised Congress politics of division by caste. The sooner people of Maharashtra, especially the Dalits realize this, the better it will be for the future of Maharashtra and India.

Bhima Koregaon and that ‘necklace’ British got painted for us

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Bhima Koregaon and that ‘necklace’ British got painted for us

A married woman asked a painter to make a portrait of her. Then she thought for a while and asked the painter to make an expensive necklace around her neck. When he asked for the reason, she replied, “If something happens to me, my husband will get married again and when her new wife will see this painting, she will fight with my husband to have this necklace. That will bring relief to my soul.”

Though it’s just a regular husband-wife joke but it also shows a human nature that derives pleasure from others’ miseries. Schadenfreude.

Until 5 days back, no one had heard about Koregaon, a village near to Pune, where thousands of people of Mahar community used to gather every year to give tribute to their ancestors. It is said that – I would like to clarify that I will use “It is said” instead of “History” as despite having so many news channels, news papers, social and digital media, when we are not able to get actual news then it’s sheer stupidity to believe authenticity of history written in books hundreds of years back – after Shivaji’s demise, his son Sambhaji took over Maratha empire but Aurangzeb killed him, cut his body into pieces and threw his body parts.

Except few Aurangzeb cum vote-bank fans, no one has any sort of problem with this story. But controversial part starts with introduction of a Dalit character called Govind Gopal, who’s tomb has been made besides Sambhaji’s tomb, in a village Vadhu Tulapur near to Koregaon. Dalit community claims that Marathas, under fear of Aurangzeb, didn’t dare to cremate Sambhaji’s body so Govind Gopal showed courage and performed his last rites. Marathas find this story insulting and deny the role of Govind Gopal. Only 2-3 days before the annual gathering in Koregaon, some people decorated Govind Gopal’s tomb and put a board claiming his role in history. It irked Marathas and they allegedly vandalized the board as well as decoration. Perfect setting had been made at perfect timing to arrange a communal clash.

Lets have another story. Again “it is said” that a time came when Peshwa took control over Maratha forces but as they were Brahmins so they used to consider lower castes like Mahar as “untouchable”. At the time of British, Baji Rao part 2, the last Peshwa of Marathas, was forced to flee from his empire but in 1818 he thought of trying once again to take his empire back and arranged 28000 soldiers and marched towards Pune. Near to Koregaon, he found a British battalion. Battalion consisted of around 800 soldiers so Baji Rao sent his 2000 soldiers to finish them up and enjoyed the war from a far distance.

British army consisted of soldiers of Maratha, Muslim, Rajput and Mahar communities and Peshwa’s army consisted of soldiers of Maratha, Arab and Dalit communities. Obviously, many people were killed or badly injured and most of them were Indians. Later on when Baji Rao got the news that British are coming with reinforcement, he left the place with his army. After some months, Baji Rao surrendered to British and British thought of making a memorial but then they think bit harder and made a “Victory Pillar” at Koregaon. Obviously they hadn’t won the battle but had become successful in finding a formula to rule the Indians for long time. They engraved names of Mahar soldiers on the pillar and portrayed it like a win of lower caste community over higher caste community.

Before 1st of January 2018, when more than 3 Lakhs people gathered or were organized at Koregaon to commemorate 200th anniversary of battle, explosives had already been placed at Govind Gopal’s tomb so only a spark was required and to do that honor, people like Umar Khalid (Bharat tere tukde honge fame), Dalit/Non-Dalit/It’s complicated Rohit Vemula’s mother and Congress supported MLA Jignesh Mevani were invited, who were completely irrelevant as it used to be an unpolitical gathering but were perfectly relevant as it had been organized as a political one this time. Inflammatory speeches were allegedly given, calling for another battle of Koregaon as CM of Maharashtra is a Brahmin as well.

Few stones were allegedly thrown on the procession of Dalits, where not a single stone was thrown in 200 years despite Marathas were always in majority. An innocent local Maratha boy, who had nothing to do with all this drama, was killed, hundreds of vehicles were burnt by goons in the name of protests, Maharashtra was shut down for whole day and further political attempts are being made to spread this fire across the nation in the name of “Hindu vs Dalit” war.

I don’t know if hell exists or not but if it exists then the souls of British Generals must be feeling proud of their “necklace”, which they had fabricated 200 years back to widen our social divide. After all, we Indians are still keeping their belief, fully intact.

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