Ambedkar: The Revolution Hidden Behind Garlands

It is Ambedkar’s birth anniversary. People from various political parties are lining up to drape garlands over his statues and portraits, striking poses for photographs to project themselves as devotees of his legacy.

Ambedkar

In the eyes of many, he is still viewed merely as a leader of the "cheri" (segregated colonies). But the reality is that he fought against Sanatana Hinduism—a system that persists to this day by dividing people based on caste, creating hierarchies, and segregating living spaces into "Oor" (main village) and "Cheri."

Sanatana Dharma is not just about caste discrimination. It is about portraying and treating women as second-class citizens, as fallen and untouchable. It introduced countless rituals into our daily lives—concerning pregnancy, menstruation, or entering a new house—under the guise of "cleansing impurities." These rituals were strategically designed to create a source of income for Brahmins those who are purohits. This, too, is Sanatana.

To truly oppose this, we must stop inviting Purohits (priestly intermediaries) to our weddings and home events. Inviting a Purohit to conduct your rituals is equivalent to inviting Sanatana directly into the sanctity of your home.

There was a time when Brahmin Purohit would refuse to enter the homes of Scheduled Caste people. Yet today, many from these communities, who have attained degrees and positions of power through the legal rights provided by Ambedkar, are inviting Brahmins to their family functions. By doing so, they are fueling the very Sanatana that oppressed them. This is the ultimate betrayal of Ambedkar.

In this current era where Sanatana holds power, the greatest respect we can pay to Ambedkar is to wipe away the stains of Sanatana that have clung to our personal lives. We must learn at least this much from the disciples of Periyar.

The opposition and eventual eradication of Sanatana was Ambedkar’s lifeblood. Scheduled Caste people cannot abolish Sanatana by speaking of Ambedkar in isolation. they must unite with other caste groups and democratic revolutionary forces to fight hand-in-hand against this system.

However, in this age of rampant opportunism, many within the Scheduled Caste communities are joining hands with the BJP, which is desperate to protect Sanatana. Supporting a candidate in an election just because they belong to one’s own caste, even when they lean toward the BJP, is a betrayal of Ambedkar. This, too, is a form of deep-rooted communalism.

True celebration of Ambedkar is not in the garlands we offer his statues, but in the principles we uphold in our lives.

P.Sekar
Advocate