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Six Harsh Statements Ambedkar Made On Indian Values And Culture

Six Harsh Statements Ambedkar Made On Indian Values And Culture
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Speaking in the Lok Sabha in the two-day long special sitting of parliament to discuss commitment to the constitution as part of the 125th birth anniversary celebrations of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that Ambedkar created a "binding force" for India by being the architect of the country's constitution.

"BR Ambedkar had to go through condemnation, insult and barbs, but he controlled his emotion and put forth and took an objective view for India. He never said how he was being ignored and insulted in India. He said I will stay in India and keeping India's values and culture in mind, I will strengthen the country," Singh said.

Here however are six instances, when Ambedkar vehemently took on some of these values and criticized Mahatma Gandhi, caste, varna and Hinduism and the divisions it entrenched. Though much has changed since the time Ambedkar discoursed on these, sectarian intolerance and caste atrocities are still extant in India.

1.

I know that the Hindus are sick of me. I know that I am not a persona grata with them. Knowing all this I have deliberately kept myself away from them. I have no desire to inflict myself upon them. I have been giving expression to my views from my own platform. This has already caused a great deal of heartburning and irritation. I have no desire to ascend the platform of the Hindus to do within their sight what I have been doing within their hearing. If I am here it is because of your choice and not because of my wish.

2.

Hindu society as such does not exist. It is only a collection of castes. Each caste is conscious of its existence. Its survival is the be all and end all of its existence. Castes do not even form a federation. A caste has no feeling that it is affiliated to other castes except when there is a Hindu-Muslim riot.

3.

The ancestors of the present-day English fought on one side or the other in the wars of the Roses and the Cromwellian War. But the decendents of those who fought on the one side do not bear any animosity— any grudge against the descendents of those who fought on the other side. The feud is forgotten. But the present-day non-Brahmins cannot forgive the present-day Brahmins for the insult their ancestors gave to Shivaji. The present-day Kayasthas will not forgive the present-day Brahmins for the infamy cast upon their forefathers by the forefathers of the latter. To what is this difference due ? Obviously to the Caste System. The existence of Caste and Caste Consciousness has served to keep the memory of past feuds between castes green and has prevented solidarity.

4.

Caste has killed public spirit. Caste has destroyed the sense of public charity. Caste has made public opinion impossible. A Hindu's public is his caste. His responsibility is only to his caste. His loyalty is restricted only to his caste. Virtue has become caste-ridden and morality has become, caste-bound. There is no sympathy to the deserving. There is no appreciation of the meritorious. There is no charity to the needy. Suffering as such calls for no response. There is charity but it begins with the caste and ends with the caste.

5.

The Mahatma's view of Varna not only makes nonsense of the Vedic Varna but it makes it an abominable thing. Varna and Caste are two very different concepts.

6.

In so far as he (Gandhi) does think, to me he really appears to be prostituting his intelligence to find reasons for supporting this archaic social structure of the Hindus. He is the most influential apologist of it and therefore the worst enemy of the Hindus.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.