Rahul Bhalerao Continued from here. Coming back to the justifications given by the supporters of Gita, one finds that they are merely based on a few ambiguous individual verses scattered around the Gita. They certainly lack the holistic understanding and message that Gita preaches; let alone the interpretations that have evolved in practice since the …
On Reservation Policy for Private Sector
Sukhadeo Thorat (First published in June 2004) Given the range of economic discrimination against marginalised groups like SCs, STs and OBCs the reservation policy for the private sector ought to cover not only employment, but also markets, agricultural land, capital, consumer goods, education, housing, government contracts, etc. Faced with caste related discrimination against and deprivation of marginalised …
What is wrong with Bhagvad Gita?
Rahul Bhalerao Recent controversies, both local and international, have sparked a series of discussions and debates in media and social networks about the Hindu holy book Bhagvad Gita. When the Karnataka Education minister decided to saffronize the education system by proposing Gita teachings to be made compulsory, the left, liberal and secular voices attacked …
Loot of SC/ST funds in last year’s Union Budget
Karthik Navayan A February 2011 press release of the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights Dalit Arthik Adhikar Andolan says: * Once again UPA Denies SCs Rs.Cr. 24,570 in Scheduled caste Plan and STs Rs.Cr. 10530 in Tribal Sub Plan * Together for SCs & STs, allocates only 4.03% for in both Plan and Non-plan budgets *The …
An Egyptian evolution
Kancha Ilaiah (First published in February 2011) The Egyptian revolution, perhaps, would be to the Islamic world what the French Revolution was to the Christian world. The Western intellectual predilection that the Islamic world is trapped in feudal Islamic dictatorships is likely to be disproved with this revolution. In fact, Western thinkers forget that the …
Jotirao Phule: Shetkaryaca Asud (Part 11)
APPENDIX A So-Called True Maratha Just while I was taking up some other work after finishing the second part of Asud, a gentleman with a wide Brahman turban, seating himself upon a bolster in front of me, started intensely inspecting everything around him. I was wondering whether to call this gentleman a Marwari, but he didn’t have three …
Jotirao Phule: Shetkaryaca Asud (Part 10)
Translated by Gail Omvedt and Bharat Patankar Chapter 5 Our suggestions to the Arya Bhat-Brahmans regarding the Shudra farmers and the remedies which the current government should follow: — Before beginning this final chapter, I would like to make some suggestions to the greatly cunning Arya Bhat-Brahmans of the country, with the aim that they should not obstruct …
Jotirao Phule: Shetkaryaca Asud (Part 9)
Translated by Gail Omvedt and Bharat Patankar Well. These days the farmers have to subsist on a bit of leftover bhakri with some red chutney for breakfast; at noon fresh bhakris with some cooked balls of lentils or weak sauce of spiced lentils; at night some jawar or corn granules soaked in clear dal juice; in between, occasionally …
Lynching of Dalits at Jhajjar, Haryana- 2
Report of the Left parties delegation to Duleena, Jhajjar district, Haryana on October 17, 2002, in protest against Dalit lynching atrocity. Following the report of the killings of five dalits, namely Sri Dayachand, Sri Virendra, Sri Tota Ram, Sri Raju and Sri Kailash between 9 and 10pm on October 15, in the police chowki of …