Anoop Kumar ‘I have an open mind, though not an empty mind. A person with an open mind is always the subject of congratulations. While this may be so, it must, at the same time, be realized that an open mind may also be an empty mind and that such an open mind, if it …
Response to ‘Notion Of Freedom And Reality Of Unfreedom’ by Anand Teltumbde
Vaibhav Wasnik [The article ‘Notion of Freedom And Reality Of Unfreedom’ by Anand Teltumbde can be found here. Vaibhav’s response expresses a belief in electoral democracy and the transformative potential of the Indian constitution. Round Table India shall continue to welcome all shades of Dalit and Bahujan opinion] The article by Mr Teltumbde starts off with …
Food fascism
Kancha Ilaiah After the beef festival in Osmania University, Hyderabad, on April 15 — in which 1,500-2,000 students belonging to SC/ST/OBC communities and some faculty members participated — was attacked by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activists, food culture has become an issue of national debate. The ABVP and …
Dalits must embrace a Metanarrative
Comments on Oxford India Anthology of Tamil Dalit Writing (Part II) Continued from here. P. Dayanandan (Paper presented on 10th April, 2012 on the occasion of the release of the Oxford India Anthology of Tamil Dalit Writing) • In this Anthology M. C. Rajah makes reference to the claim that ‘disabilities of ‘untouchables’ spring from deep-rooted …
Buddhism as a social, democratic doctrine: a liberation ideology
Karthik Navayan In 1935, while addressing the Yeola Conversion Conference, Dr. BR Ambedkar declared ‘I am born a Hindu. I couldn’t help it, but I solemnly assure you that I will not die a Hindu’. He said: ‘Hindu civilsation.. is a diabolical contrivance to suppress and enslave humanity’. It was created by Brahminical parasites to …
Freedom, dignity, happiness, or simply, life!
Comments on Oxford India Anthology of Tamil Dalit Writing (Part I) P. Dayanandan (Paper presented on 10th April, 2012 on the occasion of the release of the Oxford India Anthology of Tamil Dalit Writing) • I congratulate Ravikumar, Azhagarsan and Mini for bringing Dalit thoughts to English language readers at large. A quick look at Ravi’s …
The open eyed Buddha and Dr. Ambedkar
(Excerpt from a recent article by Dr. Yashwant Manohar in the Marathi daily ‘Sakal’. Thanks, Gouri Patwardhan, for the translation– Round Table India) Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar had a special interest in painting. He loved seeing paintings and really wanted to be able to draw well. He learned to draw from B R Madilagekar. He bought …
The caste cauldron of Maharashtra (Part II)
(Report first published in November 2003) Continued from here. Violence against Dalits in Marathwada A Report by the Fact Finding Team comprising Dr. Anand Teltumbde, Akram Siddiqui, Subodh More, Hashim Mohamma November 2003 Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights (CPDR), Mumbai 2. Murti incident Murti is a relatively bigger village with a population of about …
Dr Ambedkar and Engaged Buddhism
Dr. Bhalchandra Mungekar Introduction It must be mentioned in the beginning that, though Dr Ambedkar took oath in Yeola (in District Nasik of Maharashtra) in 1935 that, though ‘he was born a Hindu, he would not die a Hindu’, and he fulfilled his mission after nearly 21 years, by formally embracing Buddhism on 14th October, …