Thinker and author Shiv Sundar, Prof R K Hudagi, Arjun Bhadre, Dattatreya Ikkalakhi, Shivasundara, Vishwanath Koranneshwara Swamiji, Mallikarjuna Kranti and others release a book-- ‘Constitution and Sanatanavada’ at Kannada Bhavan in Kalaburagi on Monday.
Credit: DH Photo
Kalaburagi: Thinker and author Shiv Sundar said that the Constitution of India has been facing danger from the followers of Sanatana Dharma, who are misleading dalits.
Addressing a one-day workshop on ‘Anti-Constitution move of communalists’ and release of a book, ‘Constitution and Sanatanavada’, at Kannada Bhavan here on Monday, he said that these conspirators are not aware of the values, including the thoughts of eradicating inequality and women slavery, advocated by Dr B R Ambedkar.
Accusing the central BJP government of hatching a conspiracy to change the Constitution by trying to get more than 400 seats in Lok Sabha in the previous elections, he said that the party had secured 36% vote share and failed to get an additional 5% vote share to execute its plan. The BJP failed to get a clear majority as dalits in Uttar Pradesh voted against the party by realising its plot, he said.
“Our Constitution is facing a threat from the BJP, RSS and even opposition parties. The Hindutva ideology has spread everywhere, including the legislature, the executive and the judiciary.
“All opposition parties have lost the moral strength to say what the ruling party is doing wrong. The Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case exemplifies what the judiciary has become in recent times. The Supreme Court had accepted that there was no Ram temple under the Babri Masjid and that the demolition of the mosque was wrong. It had succumbed to the pressure of the majority represented by Sangh Parivar”, he charged.
Slams Hindu Mahasabha
Stating that Hindu Mahasabha was more anxious than the Congress about dalits deserting Hindu religion, he said that Jogendra Nath Mandal played a pivotal role in securing Ambedkar’s election to the Constituent Assembly. But, Mandal had to face physical attack from Hindu Mahasabha, he added.
“Mahasabha leaders have been trying to spread false information about Dr Ambedkar, the Constitution and history to mislead the people. Thus, they are making attempts to change the Constitution by projecting themselves as its staunch followers. Therefore, the people should be more cautious about such elements. It is like King Dhritarashtra attempting to kill Bhima by embracing him after the Kurukshetra war to take revenge for the death of his son Duryodhana in the epic Mahabharata”, he explained.
Speaking on the occasion, writer Prof R K Hudagi said that Dr Ambedkar was a great visionary who had sensed the danger to the Constitution in future while writing it. Condemning the nine-day Bharatiya Samskruti Utsav (Indian Cultural Festival) held at Sedam recently, he said that the festival was a complete failure as it reflected communalism, religious extremism and fundamentalism, which are dangerous to the nation.
“Let the leaders of Sanatana Dharma publicly burn the Manusmriti and oppose it if they have respect for Dr Ambedkar. They should condemn Savarkar, Madhav Sadashivrao Golwalkar and other RSS leaders. But, they cannot fool us as dalits have become more vigilant”, he said.
Dalit Sangharsh Samiti State convenor Arjun Bhadre, Dattatreya Ikkalakhi, Shivasundara, Vishwanath Koranneshwara Swamiji, Mallikarjuna Kranti and others were present on the occasion.