Ankush Uttam Helode “Which donkey’s name is Independence?” “15 August ek sanshayaspad bhagosht ahe!” (Marathi) – Namdeo Dhasal When India was celebrating World Indigenous People’s Day …
Literature of Black Panthers & Dalit Panther: A comparative study
Kundan Kamble Introduction This paper undertakes a comparative study between the Black Power Movement in America and the Dalit Movement in India. The study between these two movements will show the similarities and differences between race in the American context and caste in the Indian context. To bring forward these features I have analyzed …
Black Independence Day
Raja Dhale (In an interview first published in the Marathi journal Khel, Raja Dhale (1940-2019) recounted the history behind his surname ‘Dhale’: soldiers that were historically the standard bearers and advance guards at forts. True to this personal history, Raja Dhale stood at the vanguard of the Dalit consciousness and articulation in Maharashtra in …
A Revolutionary Icon of ‘Anti-Dalitism’ – Leader Raja Dhale
Vruttant Manwatkar It has now been quite a few days since the demise of Raja Dhale, a Revolutionary Leader of the movement of Justice, Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity. His death suddenly brought back a plethora of critical developments in the form of intimate memories associated with him. My pen wouldn’t have forgiven my mind …
Tribute to Raja Dhale: Panther Who Once Set Bhagwad Gita on Fire
Pardeep Attri Born on 30 September 1940, Raja Dhale, one of the founders of the Dalit Panthers, died today (16 July 2019) at his residence in Mumbai. He was 78. His life struggle is as inspiring as that of many other Dalits who struggle and fight against the caste system enshrined upon us by …
A March for Reason
Subodh Minto The month of March in the year 2014, brought India closer to the next general elections, which were due in April and May. The failure of policies of Indian National Congress led UPA II Government raised hopes of the chief opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party, a Hindutva (Brahmanic) force which was trying to …
Delete the Dalit?
Karuppan1 I On December 6, 2016, I stood at the heart of Shivaji Park in Dadar. Walking in the narrow passages between a couple of hundred stalls selling literature and memorabilia, the banner hanging in front of one, unsettled me. ‘Delete the Dalit’, it cried out, at the thousands that streamed past it. Over …
The Dalit Panther’s first leap
Sunil Dighe (Participant of the Dalit Panther movement in the 70s, Sunil Dighe reminisces here about its hopes and failure. The movement would have been 40 today.) Each nation has its share of movements but some movements are such that they compel society to give a thought to their calls and demands. They have …