Secularism,
as one of the tenants of the Indian polity and society, is currently in news in
the wake of religious conversions as ‘Ghar Vapsi’ initiated by the hardcore
Hindu outfits. The subject is debated thoroughly by the concerned intellectuals
and the society at large from their varied perspectives. I would like to add
yet another aspect to the debate which I call a case study.
There
is an old locality called Bootan Mandi, situated at Nakodar
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| Traditional Drum (Tamak) leading the Gurupurab Shobha Yatra in Bootan Mandi |
Road (now named as
Ambedkar Marg) in Jalandhar. Not many
years before, it was a slum area having a traditional leather market both for raw and
tanned leather. The businessmen and the other residents of Bootan Mandi and
nearby localities like Jalowal Abadi, Bootan Pind, and Sidharth Nagar, Ravidass
Nagar etc. predominantly belong to dalit community of Chamar (Ad-dharmi)
extraction with a population of around 5000-7000. Most of the residents of the
area originally migrated from the nearby villages of Dhanal and Nangal in the
1920s and engaged themselves in the leather business. Some of them, with astute
business sense, like Seth Kishan Dass and Seth Munshi Ram and others, migrated
to Calcutta (Kolkata) and Kanpur and achieved a good measure of success. The
Mandi became a rallying point and centre of success and prosperity with more
and more enterprising people joining hands from the nearby villages. They
spread their wings to other leather markets in Madras (Chennai), Calcutta
(Kolkata), Kanpur, Meerut, Amritsar, Malerkotla, J & K, Ambala etc. Some
Christians from Amritsar and Gurdaspur, Muslims from Madras (Chennai) and Sikhs
(Bawa Skin and Lotus Bawa) came and established themselves in the leather
business. Bootan Mandi became the focal point for political as well as
socio-economic empowerment of dalits of Doaba region of Punjab.
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| Ramesh Chander at a function in Bootan Mandi |
In
politics, people of Bootan Mandi excelled. Seth Kishan Dass became MLA before
independence in 1947, Dr. B. R Ambedkar visited Bootan Mandi and stayed with
Seth Kishan Dass in 1951, Piara Ram Dhanowalia,
who had his leather business in Bootan Mandi, became Minister in the
Punjab Government in 1967, Seth Khushi Ram became Vice President of Jalandhar
Municipal Committee in early 1970s, Surinder Mahey rose to the coveted position
of Mayor of Jalandhar in the early years of the decade of 2010, Avinash
Chander, grandson of Seth Kishan Dass, is currently Chief Parliamentary
Secretary in the Punjab Government. Seth Satpal Mall and Prem Shant are holding
responsible positions in the Congress Party and BSP respectively. Babu Kanshi
Ram of BSP used to stay with Prem Shant during his Jalandhar visits in the
early years of his political career. Personal egos and hunger for positions
played their role and the Mandi got divided politically. Seth Kishan Dass and
Seth Dhanu Ram and others followed Dr. Ambedkar and his political legacy. Seth
Khushi Ram and some more associated themselves with Congress Party. In
subsequent years, BSP stole the lead. Now a days, people are divided and losing
steam and say in the political fortunes of dalits.
As I
said earlier, the Bootan Mandi area did well economically in the post
independence years particularly in the 1970-80s. But in the changing times and
requirements of business etiquettes, the Seths of Bootan Mandi lagged behind.
They could not offer the desired training and matching education to their
children to take care of their traditionally run leather businesses. It is a matter
of regret and is not so gratifying. Nevertheless, the success registered by
Seth Mool Raj and his son Steven Kler, Harish Mahey, Seth Thakur Dass in the leather
business is considerable and appreciable. As a sign of upword social mobility,
some of the prosperous Seths shifted their residences to the nearby posh GTB
Nagar but remained integrated with Bootan Mandi otherwise.
In
the services and educational sphere, Bootan Mandi has a mixed record. The Seths
of the Mandi with prosperous businesses did not pay much attention to the
education of their children. Most of them preferred to engage them in their
traditional leather business without much education. It worked against them in
the changing scenario and lost the lead to outside players in the business. As
regards services, one of the sons of the soil with poor economic background-
that is me (Ramesh Chander), to add it with all humility - could graduate to be
inducted into the coveted Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and rose to become an
Ambassador. Sushil Sheemar is yet another worthy son of Bootan Mandi who
qualified and joined Indian Tele-communications Services (ITS) and is occupying
a senior position as a Director with good prospects. His wife Jaswinder
(Lovely) Sheemar is an Additional Sessions Judge. Pushpa Rani is also a senior
Civil Judge in the judiciary. Seth Mool Raj’s (son of Seth Kishan Dass) family
made a fair contribution in this regard. His daughter Anupam Kler and daughter-in-law
Babita Kler are occupying senior positions in the Punjab Civil Services (PCS).
Two worthy sons of the soil, Sunil Kler and Pawan Kler, sons of Keshava Nand
made it to the PCS as young officers. Some of the educated lot namely Manohar
Mahey, Ram Lal Kainth, Ashok Kler, Jagdish Mahey, Tarsem Mahey, Sita Ram Mahey,
Pradip Madhas, Mohinder Mehta and others could register their mark in the
banking sector. Satpal Mahey and Vinod Kaul made their grading in the insurance
sector with senior positions. Jagdish Mahey who is already a Divisional Manager
in Canara Bank is definitely set to go further up. Mahesh Chander is an
up-coming young man in the education sector, currently teaching at Sant Baba
Bhag Singh Educational Complex. Many young boys and girls of Bootan Mandi and
its periphery are qualified doctors in the health and medicine sector. With all
this, somehow, I have a distinct feeling that given the sound financial
background of the leather businessmen in the area, their share in the coveted
services like IAS, IFS, IPS and other Allied Services is negligible. It
remained an unsatisfactory position.
When
I started writing this piece, I did not intend to touch on many details
mentioned in the preceding paragraphs. Let it be as it came. Now I come to the
captioned theme of pseudo-secularism. Over the years, Bootan Mandi, knowingly
or otherwise, has become a seat and living example of pseudo-secularism. Though
the overwhelming majority of the inhabitants of the area are dalits (Ad-dharmi)
yet it can boast of having a few families of Muslims, Christians and Buddhists
as well. Some Sikhs also have their businesses in the Mandi. There is an old Sikh Gurudwara called Dera
Santpura. The Guru Ravidass Gurudwara has been re-christened as Satguru
Ravidass Dham. Of late, as a short sighted approach to my mind, the newly
floated granth called Amritvani of Ravidassia Dhram of Dera Schkhand Balan, has
been installed in the Dham replacing Gurugranth Sahib. It has fractured the community. Nearby the Dham, there
is a Mosque which was built on the initiative of Seth Satpal Mall and others to
placate their Muslim business partners in Madras (Chennai) and J&K. The
Mosque also runs a Madrassa (school) for the benefit of the Muslim children. There
is yet another site called Guru Ravidass Mandir where the Granth Sahib adorns
the place. This Mandir is sandwiched by the Church and the Budh Vihar to serve
the neo-converts to Christianity and Buddhism. There are a couple of Darghas of
Muslim Pirs in Bootan Mandi apart from individual religious places like the
Dera of Sant Lalji Dass and Sant Bibi Malawi Mandir. I am told that Nirangkari
Satsang Ghar is being opened near Buddh Vihar. All the major political parties
like Congress, BJP, Akali Dal, BSP etc. are active in the area. Some
socio-communal organizations like Guru Ravidass Educational and Charitable
Trust, Vigilant Brotherhood International, Boudh Mahasabha, Dr. Ambedkar
Memorial Trust, Dr. Ambedkar Bhawan Trust, Samta Sainik Dal and outfits
pertaining to Christians and Muslims have their offices and functionaries in
and around the Mandi.
Having
told this long story, now let me conclude by telling why I termed it as
‘Pseudo-Secularism’? Not in the distant past, Bootan Mandi was the nerve Centre
of the dalit community in the region. The Ad-dharam Mandal under the leadership
of Babu Mangoo Ram and the struggle and mission of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar was fully
supported and endorsed by the worthy sons of Bootan Mandi like Seth Kishan Dass,
Seth Sunder Dass, Seth Khushi Ram, Pritam Ramdaspuri, and Seth Dhanu Ram among
others. The mission and philosophy of Guru Ravidass was the guiding force
behind all socio-political and even economic activity. It is a matter of regret that, over the years,
it has gone to the wind. The Mandi is fast losing its space and sheen in
community matters. The economic and business standing is slowly getting eroded.
The in-fighting to safeguard the selfish
interests of the self appointed Karta-Dhartas (leadership) is increasingly
becoming the bane of the community. As
regards the outfits working in the area, I must add, taking the risk of inviting
the wrath of some of my friends, that these organizations are active only to
the extent of photo-opportunities occasionally.
In most of these outfits, vested interests are at work just to claim
some position and recognition in one way or the other. Most of the inhabitants
are dalits to the core including the neo-converts. The social mobility, seen in
the society at large, is missing in the community in Bootan Mandi and its
periphery, in spite of the professed spiritual and social diversity. That is
why I call it pseudo-secularism. The pseudo secularism has not helped or
empowered the society in anyway, rather it has further divided the society. I
write this with a heavy heart being a humble son of the soil.
हर दर्दमंद दिल को रोना मेरा रुला दे
बेहोश जो पडें हैं शायद उने जगा दे !
It
is my humble tribute to Guru Ravidass on his forthcoming Gurupurab in the first
week of February, 2015. The traditional solemnity and reverence in which the
day was once celebrated in Bootan Mandi is fast fading, giving way to hooliganism
and self gratification of the men at the helm of affairs.
There
are problems and difficulties which are to be tackled, if we intend to see that
India remains on rails of development and further progress. Mere rhetoric on
good governance, corruption free polity and economy and also society, casteless
society, social empowerment and communal harmony will not do and deliver.
Something concrete has to be done. The current issues of religious conversion,
the so called Ghar Vapsi, and Hindu Rastra, which divide the society and create
communal tensions, should be avoided. In this regard, it is advisable to read
and consider the warning Dr. B.R. Ambedkar gave in the run up to our
Independence in his book Thoughts on Pakistan or Partition of India. He said,
“If Hindu Raj does become a fact, it will no doubt be the greatest calamity for
this country. No matter what the Hindus say, Hinduism is a menace to liberty,
equality and fraternity. On that account, it is incompatible with democracy.”
