The Bits and Pieces – As I Please

 

The Bits and Pieces – As I Please

Mala Ke Teen Moti – I heard of a pamphlet issued by Pritam Ramdaspuri, a staunch Ambedkarite and a poet of standing and also one of my fellow BootanMandians but could not lay my hand to read it. Now my friend and a fellow BootanMandian, Ram Lal Dass has reissued - Mala Ke Teen Moti with his commentary as a critique and he thoughtfully sent me a copy of it. Mala Ke Teen Moti was first issued by Ambedkar Study Circle in December, 1980. Ram Lal Dass who has edited the piece  informed that Pritam Ramdasspuri was a

scholar of Urdu and Persian and knew the English language fairly as well. One of his Persian laced Nazam on Babasaheb Ambedkar which he had the honour to recite in front of the icon at a public rally on October 27, 1951 at Bootan Mandi in Jalandhar, as given and explained by Ram Lal Dass, was Pritam Ramdasspuri’s excellent recital in reverence to the leader – Hindostan Ko Hasti-e-Ambedkar Pe Naaz Hai. It is a sample to assess the acumen of Pritam Ramdasspuri Sahib as a literary person. I considered Ram Lal a hardcore zeolot, if not irrational, Buddhist (no offence is intended as Ram Lal is one of my close friends) but his assertions in the commentary made on the Mala Ke Teen Moti have set the position in its perspective. Pritam Ramdasspuri was an intellectual with a wide open approach to address the community matters. His thesis in Mala Ke Teen Moti is appreciable as he tended to reconcile the differing views of dalits on Babasaheb’s conversation to Buddhism. Some of the self seekers, with a view to save their own positions on both the sides (both followers of Guru Ravidass and neo-Buddhists), adopted rigid positions which are detrimental to the much needed unity not only among dalits but also societal fraternity visualized in the constitution of India. Mala Ke Teen Moti was an attempt to bridge the gap and provide cohesion and also momentum to the caravan of Babaseb Ambedkar by bringing Tathagat Budh, Satguru Ravidass and Babsaheb Dr. Ambedkar on one page, keeping with the crux of their thought and philosophy of bring about Equality, Liberty, Justice and Fraternity in the society. Ram Lal Dass has rightly concluded his analytical commentary by saying; Babasaheb revived Buddhism with a view to reform the society of the ills of the main-stream Hinduism and ‘One of the branches of Boddhism (Bodhibriksh) flourished in India as ‘Sant Sampardhya’ (Bhakti Movement) in which Guru Ravidass shined like the Sun. The crux of the teaching and path of all the three great personalities – Gautama Buddha, Guru Ravidass and Babasaheb Ambedkar was service of the humanity particularly of the depressed and oppressed segments of the society’. Let us hope the message of Pritam Ramdasspuri is understood in its right perspective and the oppressed and depressed that is dalits get united, sooner the better, to realize the lofty ideals of establishing a casteless society and equitable world order at large. By following Mala Ke Teen Moti, we can get and realize true freedom in the year of 75^th anniversary of India’s independence. Guru Ravidass rightly said in his Vani:

पराधीन का दीन क्या ? पराधीन बेदीन;

रविदास पराधीन को; सब ही समझे हीन।

 

Dalits of Punjab - a Divided House – Much has been written and more remains in the pipeline about the role, weight-age and importance of dalits in the politics, particularly electoral politics, of India. The position has come full circle of the affect and efficacy of the salient feature of populous and functional democracy – ‘One vote - one value’ as enshrined in the constitution of India. But the intended and desired dividend of this cardinal principle has been negated both by the vested machinations to keep dalits subjugated

and also by the gullibility of dalits themselves to fall prey to these machinations. It is true not only for Punjab alone but for the entire, caste ridden, country and the society at large in spite of the ‘empowering’ provisions of ‘reservations’ etc. But I will focus on Punjab alone in view of the forthcoming assembly elections likely to be held early next year, 2022.

Punjab has about 35% share in the Punjab demographic count of total population of about 3 crorers. It may be surprising to note that in the last 7 decades after the first general election held in 1952, no Scheduled Caste could become the Chief Minister of Punjab till recently in September, 2021 when Charanjit Singh Channi was cosmetically made the first CM that too by fluke to make some

CM Charanjit Singh at Dera Sachkhand BNallan

brownie points by the Congress Party in the wake of internal feuds to occupy the hot seat of power in Chandigarh by the Upper caste Hindus or Sikhs. Ambedkar’s vision to gain access to the corridors of power for dalits by constitutional and democratic means and Kanshi Ram’s pragmatic approach to demand a due share in the power structures under the doctrine of ‘Jis Ki Jitni Sankhya Bhari; Untni Uski Hissedari’ are getting roots, it seems, and ground situation is changing accordingly, slowly but steadily. All political parties are falling on each other to encash the cheques of power on the dalit vote bank – Congress Party has shown the way by appointing  Charanjit Singh Channi as CM though for a limited period in the run up to elections early in a few months time, SAD and BSP have joined hands with the promise to have a dalit as the Deputy CM, AAP too which already has a dalit,  Harpal Singh Cheema as Leader of the Opposition, will appoint a dalit as a Deputy CM, BJP has already announced that, if they come to power, they will have a dalit as CM. Let us watch what stance the newly floated party, Punjab Lok Congress of Captain Amrinder Singh, takes on the issue.  The scenario is changing and it must change as visualized by our leaders. Ghalib said, “Rang Layegi Hamari Fakamasti Ek Din”.

The disturbing factor is disunity and blurred vision of the current dalit leadership and political players. The opponents, let us be candid,  the proponent of status quo are exploiting the situation by practicing the Kautilya Neeti – Sham, Daam, Dand, Bhed -  to negate the dictum of ‘One Vote : One Value’ and engage dalits in the structures of power as equal partners. But the dictates of ‘real-politic’ may not permit it to happen. Dalits ought to do it themselves by getting united and standing up for their due presence in the corridors of power. We should not be oblivious of the fact that it is easier said than done. Punjab has 34 reserved seats in the 117 strong Assembly but they don’t have any voice as they are fragmented on party lines. No clear answer to address this question appears to be in sight as long as the political reservation is in place. It is a knotty issue. Political reservation has lost its purpose, to my mind. It may be abolished. The country, both the upper castes and dalits, would know as to where do they stand and where have we reached in bringing about social, economic and political cohesion in the society as stipulated in the constitution. Accordingly, political strategies would be made to meet the challenges of the future. The situation has come to such a pass that BSP, a party said to be of dalits with 35% share in the population, is playing a second fiddle to Akali Dal in Punjab. New political outfits claiming to be the flag bearers of Babasaheb Ambedkar and Manyawar Kanshi Ram, like Azad Samaj Party of Chandra Shekhar Azad among others, are further compounding the confusion. Dalits are a divided lot as Ad-dharmis, Buddhists, Mahazabis, Kabirpanthis, Balmikis even on spiritual and religious front. The situation has further resulted in more divisive tendencies by the influence of Ravidassia/Ad-dharmi/Chamar (this terminology has been used to explain the point and not for any other reason or motivation) spiritual Deras, Satsang Beas, Nirankaris, Insaan - Ram-Rahim-Singh, to name a few, where the core of their following comes from dalit communities.  It suits the main stream parties like Congress, Akalis and BJP to keep dalits divided. Obviously, these political parties and established social and cultural organizations, like RSS and SGPC, are under no pressure to re-visit the issue. Unfortunately, in-spite of much needed awakening, dalit leadership and the general masses are still blissfully silent. It is a real problem which is required to be addressed head-on to meet the challenges of the future. In this regard, the dalit civil society, intellectuals, academicians, community activists, students and the spiritual Deras, to my mind, need to come forward, act and deliver to unite dalits under one umbrella, the umbrella of Babasaheb Ambedkar, seek and solicit the cooperation of liberal elements in the main stream of the society to snatch reins of power from the vested interests in a true democratic spirit – One Vote: One Value. I am reminded of a poetic expression which I heard as a young student in 1960s:

 ਮੇਰੀ ਗੱਲ  ਸੁਣ  ਅਛੂਤ ਭਰਾਬਾ ਬੇ; ਇਕ ਦਰ  ਦਾ ਹੋਕੇ ਬਹਿਜਾ।