Harish Parihar
Transcript of his speech on 14th of April, 2017 at IIT, Roorkee, on the birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar
Most of the aspects like economics, women empowerment, anthropology have already been spoken of by now.
Coming to some different aspect I would like to say that Babasaheb was a great journalist. After coming back from USA in 1917, he started a newspaper called “Mooknayak” (The leader of Silent) in 1920. He kept on writing all his life. He has 17 Volumes, he has writings and speeches. This is his contribution to journalism.
On 25th of December 1927 in Maharashtra, he burnt the “Manusmriti”. That evening he said: “this is equivalent to the French Revolution”. Last year, I had written an article about this and had sent to a newspaper for publishing. The newspaper editor told me he doesn’t agree how this is related to the French Revolution.
I told him: “100 years back, the untouchables were required to carry an earthen pot hung around their neck wherever they went—for holding their spit, and today the same people have neckties on their necks. Isn’t that (similar to) the French Revolution?”
In 1937, Babasaheb formed the Independent Labour Party (ILP) and in 1942, he became the Minister of Labour. He reduced the working hours from erstwhile 12-14 to 8 hours a day.
Since time is less let me move on.
There is this vicious conspiracy to destroy the legacy of Babasaheb Ambedkar. Let me quote an example. Arundhati Roy came up with the annotated version of the book “Annihilation of Caste”. Ok. That’s too far off. Let me talk something closer to IIT, Roorkee.
Babasaheb considered Kabir as his 3rd Guru. Kabir and Ravidas were his icons. They have a lot of literature about destroying caste. Kabir and Ravidas were both atheists. But I am sad about a few things.
On 10th of Jan, 2017 in IIT, Roorkee, there was a Yagya done in the name of Ravidas on his Birthday. This is a conspiracy to destroy literature/thinking of our icons.
One more incident I would like to share. Just few days back, it was told that Babasaheb Ambedkar and Vivekanand laid the path of Samarsata (harmony, equality). These two individuals never had the same ideology. So if both are being spoken of in the same vein about Samarsata, this is a vicious conspiracy to destroy Ambedkar. (Applause)
3 days back, there was another program in Roorkee called “Samarsata in Kabir and Vedas.” I want to ask that “That person (Kabir) who had rejected the inequality in the system, in the Brahminical system, how can Samarsata be kept with Kabir and Vedas together”. This is a very dangerous thing to do.
I won’t say more. I would just like to equate words of Babasaheb “We need to create a society based on the principles of Liberty-Equality-Fraternity and Social Justice and build the Nation”.
Thank you. Jai Bhim.
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Harish Parihar is pursuing his bachelor’s in technology in IIT Roorkee, and is also a social activist.
Translated by Vinay Shende
