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8/12/2019 Arundhati Roy Tilts Towards Gandhi Prof. K. Y. Ratnam
1/5
http://roundtableindia.co.in/index.php?
option=com_content&view=article&id=7325%3Aarundhatiro!tilt"toward"
#andhi&catid=$2&temid=$5
Arundhati (o! tilt" toward" )andhi: *ro+. ,. -. (atnam
A report on the special discussion on 'Politics of Publication and Introductory
Paradoxes'held on 28th March, 2014, in University of Hyderabad
S Swaroop Sirapangi
Dr B R Ambedkar Students' Association (ASA), University of Hyderabad organized a
secia! discussion over "avayana's !atest vo!ume, 'Anni#i!ation of $aste% e Annotated
$ritica! dition', #ic# a!so inc!udes an introduction by Arund#ati Roy entit!ed as 'e
Doctor and t#e Saint'e origina! te*t of Ambedkar'sAnnihilation of Casteis annotated by Anand S of
"avayana and is receded by Arund#ati Roy's introduction is te*t #as created a !ot of
stir among t#e da!it+da!itba#u-an inte!!ectua!s and t#e debate #as been continuing in
various forms on t#e ays and modes of resentation of t#is vo!ume, esecia!!y over t#e
internet on Ambedkarite sites !ike Round Table India, and in socia! media forums !ike
facebookcom and on some ot#er 'mainstream' e!ectronic media sites too Against
t#is background, t#e resent initiative of ASA s#ou!d be understood as a sort of
continuation of suc# debates .er#as, t#is cou!d be t#e first organized attemt to
de!iberate uon t#e contents of t#is vo!ume by t#e da!itba#u-an inte!!ectua!s, in a sace
ot#er t#an socia! or on!ine+e!ectronic media//
e inaugura! !aunc#es of t#is vo!ume ere #e!d at De!#i and 0umbai and t#oug#
anot#er event as suosed to be #e!d recent!y at Hyderabad, it got cance!!ed at t#e
!ast moment 1t as intense!y rumored t#at one of t#e rime reasons be#ind t#is
cance!!ation at Hyderabad as due to t#reats from some of t#e da!itba#u-an grous
toards t#is vo!ume's content, #ic# is seen as negative from various vantage oints
But in due course of time, it as roved t#at a!! suc# rumors of t#reats ere not
genuine, and ere er#as intentiona!!y sread by some regressive e!ements it#
vested interests, #o is#ed to ortray t#e da!itba#u-an criti2ue in a negative !ig#tASA at University of Hyderabad #as taken t#is initiative toards a constructive
de!iberation uon t#e content of t#e vo!ume by inviting a fe rominent da!itba#u-an
inte!!ectua!s from Hyderabad itse!f
e forma! articu!ars of t#is secia! discussion as re!eased by ASA can be observed from
t#e fo!!oing re!eased oster%
http://roundtableindia.co.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7325%3Aarundhati-roy-tilts-towards-gandhi&catid=129&Itemid=195http://roundtableindia.co.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7325%3Aarundhati-roy-tilts-towards-gandhi&catid=129&Itemid=195http://roundtableindia.co.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7325%3Aarundhati-roy-tilts-towards-gandhi&catid=129&Itemid=195http://roundtableindia.co.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7325%3Aarundhati-roy-tilts-towards-gandhi&catid=129&Itemid=195http://roundtableindia.co.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7325%3Aarundhati-roy-tilts-towards-gandhi&catid=129&Itemid=195http://roundtableindia.co.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7325%3Aarundhati-roy-tilts-towards-gandhi&catid=129&Itemid=1958/12/2019 Arundhati Roy Tilts Towards Gandhi Prof. K. Y. Ratnam
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e first erson to oen t#e discussion as Dr 3 4 Ratnam He sa t#e te*t bot# in
ositive and negative s#ades, and made ob-ections to t#e negative s#ades, and
areciated some ositive asects His rime ob-ection+s arose from t#e comarison
beteen Ambedkar and 5and#i 6 by treating t#e former as a i!d 'cactus grove' and t#e
!atter as a 's#ining at#', 2uite in oosite ays//He attemted to comare bot# S Anand and Arund#ati Roy's vies, as e*ressed in t#e
vo!ume's 'introduction' and 'conc!usion', resective!y He ointed out t#at in t#e
conc!usion it as mentioned t#at 'Annihilation of Castecan on!y be ossib!e #en
Ambedkar's riting+s is taken serious!y' But, in t#e introduction, Arund#ati Roy raises
t#e 2uestion% 'can caste be anni#i!ated7'
e annotatedAnnihilation of Castesection is to be considered as t#e main te*t of t#e
vo!ume, #i!e Arund#ati Roy's introduction to t#eAnnihilation of Casteunder t#e tit!e
'e Doctor and t#e Saint' is vieed as a subte*t He found fundamenta! rob!em+s it#
t#e subte*t of Arund#ati Roy, t#oug# due to time constraints #e as unab!e to en!ist fu!!
detai!s at !engt# He found t#at t#e subte*t ritten by Roy, does not match the main
text,Annihilation of Casteby Babasa#eb
Arund#ati Roy's introduction is a very 'current' te*t, dea!ing it# very current issues
suc# as t#e vio!ence across t#e country as ref!ected in t#e 3#air!an-i vio!ence against t#e
Da!its, unem!oyment, t#e monoo!y over ea!t# of t#e nation by t#e dominant castes,
t#eir contro! over t#e media etc 5iven t#at conte*t, #en caste ervades 1ndian society
Roy asks, has caste been annihilated !as it been annhilated or does it continue to be
there "he tries to sa# e$en the emer%ence of &"', and its rule in states li(e )ttar
'radesh could not attempt to annihilate caste*
8/12/2019 Arundhati Roy Tilts Towards Gandhi Prof. K. Y. Ratnam
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Reading Arund#ati Roy's introduction, he felt that it +as some+hat tilted to+ards the
"aint, the sainthood of -andhi, +hile outri%htl# sa#in% that the .octor failed*
e subtit!es given to different arts of t#e introduction are a!so revea!ing, in #is vie
8#i!e riting on 5and#i, t#e tit!e 's#ining at#' is used, and #en riting on Ambedkar
s#e tit!es t#e section 'cactus grove' 9urt#er, #e said, #i!e 2uestioning 'can caste beanni#i!ated7', s#e says Ambedkar's estern ideas are a setback "o -andhi is more
rele$ant, t#at is #at s#e ants to convey, #e fe!t
8#i!e coming to t#e Adivasis and Untouc#ab!es t#e issues of eco!ogy, big dams etc,
are a!! vieed it#in t#e 5and#ian frameork #ereas Ambedkar's vies are not taken
into serious consideration 1n t#e constitution formation, Ambedkar gave a !ot of
imortance to Da!its and tribes, #e reca!!ed
He #ig#!ig#ted #o t#e 'Saint' #o stood against industria!ization, urbanization,
modernity, etc, as, arado*ica!!y, suorted by industria!ists ti!! #is deat#/ Ho #e as
!ooked after by t#e industria!ists of t#e day !ike Bir!as, etc//
But, on t#e ot#er #and, t#oug# Ambedkar stood for suc# t#ings genuine!y, #e as not
e*tended any atronage// 9urt#er, #e observed t#at in a ay, t#e aut#or (Arund#ati
Roy) attemted, or tries to ro-ect t#at Ambedkar's estern ideas ose rob!ems, #i!e
5and#i's ideas #ave deve!oed re!evance, in t#e contemorary 1ndian discourse//
1n #is oinion, bot# Anand and Arund#ati Roy ti!ted toards 5and#i: t#ey referred to
Ambedkar's !imitations, #i!e t#ey raised 5and#i But #e fe!t t#at even t#oug# s#e did
not criticise Ambedkar and even raised #im, but s#e as carefu! in #er use of ords, in
comarison it# 5and#i #o as more straig#tforard in #is criticism of Ambedkar ;n
t#e #o!e #e observed t#at t#e 'Saint#ood c#aracter of 5and#i' as not ref!ected in t#e
introduction, t#oug# it got #ig#!ig#ted in t#e tit!e of t#e vo!ume He denounced 5and#ias !acking any saint!y c#aracter, by ointing toards some of #is most gruesome
mistakes !ike #is oosition to Ambedkar ideo!ogica!!y, #is osition toards omen, #is
activities and c#aracteristic ositions in Sout# Africa !ike #is demand for searate
access to ub!ic !aces for 1ndians in Sout# Africa #i!e denying searate e!etorates to
t#e Da!its in 1ndia ese are 2uestions t#at are not attemted to be reso!ved in t#e
introduction
e second erson to s#are #is vies as .rof 3anc#a 1!aia# He started #is ta!k by
2uestioning t#e audience #et#er anyone of t#em as for against t#is book, esecia!!y
by attemting to en2uire as t#ere anyone from t#e audience #o attemted to
rotest against t#is book, #en it as sc#edu!ed to be inaugurated in Hyderabad,
recent!y7
B $#andras#ekar Rao, facu!ty, Deartment of .o!itica! Science, University of Hyderabad
interfered in t#is dia!ogue from t#e audience and observed t#at someone !ike Arund#ati
Roy as not re2uired to introduce Ambedkar and everyone knos aboutAnnihilation of
Caste's content by #eart// .rof 3anc#a 1!aia# initiated #is discourse on t#is issue by
taking inference from $#andras#ekar's oint and observed #is vies from academic
met#odo!ogica! vantage oints
He reco!!ected #is readings of t#e Ho!y Bib!e and
8/12/2019 Arundhati Roy Tilts Towards Gandhi Prof. K. Y. Ratnam
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certain!y benefit a serious sc#o!ar// But, ondered #et#er any misannotation #as
taken !ace to t#is vo!ume or not 9or #im, even after !ooking at t#e socia! background of
Anand (Bra#min) t#ere is not#ing rong if #e annotated t#is te*t
But t#en, #e ent on to ut forard #is ot#er met#odo!ogica! observations, !ike%
a) "o introduction s#ou!d be !engt#ier t#an t#e book,b) e resent introduction, of t#is muc# !engt#, is not re2uired, and
c) 5iving a different tit!e to t#e subte*t, t#e introduction, is a!so a met#odo!ogica!
rob!em (ie e Doctor and t#e Saint)
He found a rimary rob!ematic mismatc# beteen t#e 'tit!e and t#e introduction' and
ent on to argue t#at t#ere is a mismatc# beteen t#e actua! te*t of Ambedkar's
'Anni#i!ation of $aste' as annotated by Anand and Arund#ati Roy's introduction tit!ed as
't#e Doctor and t#e Saint' "o, he ad$ocated the separation of Anands annotations and
Arundhatis introduction 9or #im,Arundhatis introduction should be brou%ht out as a
separate $olume,for #ic# t#ere i!! not be a rob!em from #is side//
e !ast erson to address t#e audience as senior !ayer Bo--a arakam, #o is a!so
e!! knon in And#ra .rades# for #is reub!ication and distribution of 'Anni#i!ation of
$aste' at a very reasonab!e rice, !ong ago 1n fact, Bo--a arakam as a!so suosed
to be c#airing t#e Hyderabad session of t#e book's !aunc# some days ago, #ic# got
cance!!ed
arakam observed t#at t#oug# ersons !ike Anand and Arund#ati Roy (rimari!y
referring to t#e !atter) #ave every rig#t to criticize Ambedkar and+or 5and#i, t#ey cannot
do suc# a t#ing by c#oosing to rite a 'reface' to a vo!ume !ikeAnnihilation of
Caste//us, in one ay or t#e ot#er #e ent a!ong it# .rof 3anc#a 1!aia#'s !ine of
argument, and in fact, in t#e end, ent on to oen!y a!ign it# 1!aia#'s side and oinedt#at the t+o texts of Anand and Arundhati should be separated*
!e raised serious obections o$er the understandin% and presentation of Arundhati Ro#
on Ambed(ar, Ambed(ars Anni#i!ation of $asteand Ambed(ars total en%a%ement +ith
the caste discourseand re!ated 2uestions $aste, in #is oinion cannot be understood
mere!y by reading, but it s#ou!d be rimari!y e*erienced
'rior to Ambed(ar there +ere no intellectuals +ho raised their $oice for annihilation of
caste, thou%h there +ere intellectuals +ho +ere for remo$al of untouchabilit# orand for
remo$al of caste distinctions bet+een or amon% different castes but not for
annihilation//3 "o, the uniueness of Ambed(ar lies in his uest for Anni#i!ation of
$aste, +hich Arundhati failed to understand effecti$el#*
He a!so took very serious e*cetion to Anand's osture in t#is entire discourse, from t#e
oint of !ack of ackno!edgement of t#e revious versions of t#is te*t in circu!ation in
various forms and in various 1ndian !anguages, etc 8it#out suc# attemts of
ackno!edgment, he is proectin% this boo( as the first attempt to+ards introduction of
Ambed(ars Anni#i!aton of $aste//
!e obser$ed that it seems as if throu%h the publication of this $olume Ambed(ar +as
sou%ht to be minimi5edunderminedcritici5ed b# hi%hli%htin% -andhi in an undue
manner* !e 2uestions, #y 5and#i s#ou!d be broug#t into t#is discourse7 1n #is vie,
Ambedkar and+or #isAnnihilation of Castecou!d #ave been direct!y introduced it#out
any reference to 5and#i
8/12/2019 Arundhati Roy Tilts Towards Gandhi Prof. K. Y. Ratnam
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A!! t#e seakers oosed any ban on t#e book, but .rof 1!aia# and Bo--a arakam fe!t
t#e introduction s#ou!d be searated from t#e book
=
'lease also read other articles on the same issue6
Between Savior and Seller: Critiquing Preface Politics% by Praveena Thaali
A Glass Menagerie for the BahujansAnnihilation of Caste and Gandhis
!ards:by "a#es Michaeland A$sha% Patha$
Stig#ati&ing 'alits( )ro# the !adas to the !e*% by +ilesh ,u#ar!ithout Arundhati -o% and Gandhi( the *oo$ had its own value% Bojja
Thara$a#
Caste in the +a#e of Christ: An angr% note on the S%rian Christian Caste%by +idhin Sho*hana
The +ot.So./nti#ate 0ne#%: The 1oss and 0rasure of the Self 2nder Casteis#%by Gee /#aan Se##alar
)launting no*le intentions( nurturing caste privileges% by Asha ,owtalThe 3uestion of )ree Speech% by 4ai*hav !asni$
Arundhati -o% replies to 'alit Ca#eraAn 5pen 1etter to Ms6 Arundhati -o%% by 'alit Ca#era
4edic Chants for the 78st Centur%Arundhati -o%s /ntroduction to A#*ed$ar: /nside one Misog%nistic 9
enopho*ic 'alits #ind% by Anoop ,u#ar
The "udge( the "ur% and the Goddess% by A$sha% Patha$-esisting a #essiah% by Anoop ,u#ar
An /ntroduction to Anoop ,u#ars ;Misog%nistic and enopho*ic -ants;%
by 4ina% Bhat
===
S Swaroop Sirapangiis a 'h*.*, 'olitical "cience Research "cholar at )ni$ersit# of
!#derabad* 7mail [email protected]
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protected]