‘Muslims can demolish Rushdie intellectually’

February 7, 2012

udit_raj_FebTHERE WAS a flashpoint in 1997 when sections of Arun Shourie’s Worshipping False Gods called Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar a British stooge. Instead of unleashing violent mobs on the street, the Dalit community reacted in a surprising way. The offending book was countered by a few 100 written works big and small. Dalit leader Udit Raj, 54, tells Karuna John how a volatile controversy was successfully doused by debate.

EDITED EXCERPTS FROM AN INTERVIEW

Why are we always easily offended?

There are a number of factors. We aren’t mature enough to appreciate different thoughts and ideas. Second, there is too much competition for power, name and respect. Sometimes, by opposing even a right cause, a person gets an identity. The media too gives importance to anything that seems controversial or spicy. The Dalit community is sensitive too as there is an identity crisis. For instance, once someone said Dr Ambedkar loved dogs. Even that was opposed by Dalit groups.

Dalits too want caste names to be banned…

If a Brahmin is not offended by being called a Brahmin, then why should a Khatik or Chamar be offended if they are addressed so? There is intolerance among Dalits. Some feel offended by the surnames they are given. They have found alternatives to those caste names. Call them Dhobi and they are offended. Historically, these terms connoted that they are lower castes. These words are banned, only if they are used to humiliate or lower the position of a person. Not so if these are used to describe someone, say in a play or poetry.

Does banning the use of a word or name change anything?

No. The scavenging community prefers to be known as the Balmiki community now but their position in society remains the same. Call them Bhangi and they’ll retaliate, call them Balmiki and they won’t mind. It reminds them of the roots that they want to forget.

There are self-appointed leaders who claim offence on behalf of the entire community.

It’s not necessary that only an elected person has a right to react. Mayawati rose to great heights when she opposed the word Harijan. She said, “Agar hum Harijanki aulad hain, to Gandhi kya shaitan ki aulad the (if we are the children of Harijans, was Gandhi the devil’s child?)” Till the 1980s, Dalits were happy to be called Harijan but later on the same word became derogatory. It was a word that stood for illegitimate children of Hindu priests living in temples.

Who had called for the ban on community names?

The communities themselves. The Balmikis did not want to be called Bhangis, same with Chamars, Pasi, Dhobi and Khatiks. We have not called for a ban. Tulsidas’Ramayan puts Dalit women in the same category as animals and idiots. People don’t like it but we can’t say that it’s not tolerated.

No one demanded a ‘ban’?

The issue has been raised. I think Muslims should answer Rushdie in the same way. They should write [books explaining] how he is wrong. There have been half-a-dozen movies on Jesus Christ showing him in different ways, including his sexuality, but Christians have not asked for a ban. They have written back saying it’s wrong. Even if Rushdie has written a wrong thing, the intellectual Muslims should write back and disprove him. Then Islam will be respected even more.

The Dalit community has had to face defamatory writing too?

Yes, Arun Shourie wrote a book, Worshipping False Gods, in which he said Dr Ambedkar was a stooge of the British, a sycophant who was also corrupt. We fought Shourie back in the same style and wrote that this is wrong. Muslims should react in the same way.

Was that seen as a sign of weakness?

No. We replied intellectually. Writings should be replied by writing. Shourie lost respect and was boycotted. I told the BJP leaders that if Dalits went away from the party, it was largely because of his book. Yet we did not ask for a ban. It was an occasion to react for us. It was a great contribution to the Dalit community as more and more Dalits began reading about Ambedkar’s life. Similarly, the Muslims should say that it is Rushdie who is the Satan. Banning results in curiosity, not just in Muslims but in other communities as well. If he was countered by intellectual writing then Rushdie would not have found a place anywhere in the world. They should demolish him intellectually, demolish his theory.

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Agencies
August 5,2020

Ayodhya, Aug 5: After laying the foundation stone for the Ram temple in Ayodhya on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the 'bhoomi pujan' event as an "emotional moment" for the entire country and added that "every heart is illuminated today".

"Every heart is illuminated; it is an emotional moment for the entire country... A long wait ends today... A grand temple will now be built for our Ram Lalla who had been living under a tent for many years," said Prime Minister Modi at foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Ram temple.

"With the construction of this temple, not only history is being made, but is being repeated. 

The way boatmen to tribals helped Lord Ram, the way children helped Lord Krishna lift Govardhan mountain, similarly, with everyone's efforts temple construction will be completed," he added.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Modi conducted 'bhoomi pujan' for the construction work of Ram temple.

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Agencies
February 8,2020

New Delhi, Feb 8: A 26-year-old woman sub-inspector (SI) of the Delhi Police was shot dead near Rohini East Metro station on Friday night, officials said.

The SI, Preeti Ahlawat, was posted in Patparganj Industrial Area Police Station, police said.

A call about the incident was received around 9.30 pm, they said, adding she received gunshot wounds on her head.

"We have identified the suspects and CCTV footage of the area has been collected," said SD Mishra, Additional Commissioner of Police (Rohini).

Three empty cartridges were found from the spot, the officer said, adding a case has been registered and a probe is on.

Personal enmity is suspected to be the reason behind the killing, the officer said.

Ahlawat joined the Delhi Police in 2018.

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News Network
March 3,2020

New Delhi, Mar 3: A day after two new cases of novel coronavirus that included one from Delhi were reported, the Health Ministry on Tuesday said six cases with "high-viral load" were detected during sample testing in Agra and these people have been kept in isolation. The six people had come in contact with a 45-year-old patient from Delhi, whose case came to light on Monday, and they include his family members.

According to government sources, the man, who is a resident of Mayur Vihar, had visited them in Agra.

The six have been kept in isolation at Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi and their samples are being sent to NIV, Pune for confirmation.

Contact tracing of the people who came in contact with the six is simultaneously being done through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP) network, the ministry said in a statement.

Sources said the patient from Mayur Vihar was shifted to a quarantine ward at Safdarjung Hospital on Sunday night.

His other family members have been asked to stay alert and look out for symptoms. One accountant, who came in contact with the man and some of his family members, was also quarantined, they said.

India on Monday reported two new cases of the novel coronavirus, one from Delhi and another one from Hyderabad. The government has stepped up its efforts to detect and check the infection which has killed 2,912 people in China.

On Monday, Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma had said that an Italian tourist tested positive for coronavirus in Jaipur.

The first sample collected from him on February 29 tested negative but his condition deteriorated, so a second sample was collected which tested positive on Monday, the minister said, adding, "Since there is a variation in the reports, the samples have been sent to the NIV, Pune for testing".

India had earlier reported three cases from Kerala, including two medical students from Wuhan in China, the epicentre of the deadly novel coronavirus. They had self-reported on their return to the country and tested positive for the infection. They were discharged from hospitals last month following recovery.

The infected person from Delhi had travelled to Italy, while the other patient who tested positive for the COVID-19 infection is from Telangana and had recently travelled to Dubai.

Both the patients had self-reported after they developed symptoms.

"They tested positive. They are stable and being closely monitored," ministry said on Monday.

The government has asked people to avoid non-essential travel to Iran, Italy, South Korea and Singapore and said India was in discussions with authorities in Iran and Italy, two countries badly affected by the infection, to evacuate Indians there.

The novel coronavirus or COVID-19, which originated in China, has spread to over 60 countries.

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