Dear Editor,
In the midst of great euphoria and glorification of Dalit icon B.R Ambedkar, currently on display, on the occasion of his 125th Birth Anniversary, it may seem foolhardy to raise a few awkward questions on some unhappy aspects of his career, like his blind hatred for the faith he was born into.
Sadly, Ambedkar did not accept the claims of the Hindu Dharamshastras, including the Rig Veda, that did not sanction any caste hierarchy by birth in Varnashram, nor any discrimination. In fact, the transmigration from one caste to another was the order of the day. The evils of caste divisions crept into a degenerated society much later, fuelled by certain vested interests.
Freedom-fighters like Mahatma Gandhi were opposed to casteism; the idea of a casteless and egalitarian society was incorporated in the Constitution under Ambedkar’s leadership.
M Ratan
Via-e-mail
