The Irreconcilable Ideological Chasm Between Ambedkar And Hindutva | MarginSpeak

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while speaking in the Rajya Sabha on the Constitution바카라�s 75th anniversary, remarked, 바카라�Abhi ek fashion ho gaya hai바카라�Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. Itna naam agar bhagwan ka lete to saat janmon tak swarg mil jata바카라� [It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar바카라�If they took God바카라�s name so many times, they would have secured heaven for seven births]. To trivialise the invocation of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar바카라�s name바카라�central to the discourse on the Constitution and justice바카라�is a disservice not only to Ambedkar바카라�s legacy but also to the people of India who revere him.

Such a remark reveals a deeper contempt and disdain for Ambedkar바카라�s pivotal role in shaping modern India. Shah바카라�s claim that his statement was distorted by the Congress바카라�a frequent scapegoat for the Bharatiya Janata Party바카라�s missteps바카라�rings hollow. Similarly, his counter-accusation branding the Congress as 바카라�anti-Ambedkar, anti-Constitution, and anti-reservation바카라� is unconvincing and reeks of political deflection. Nothing can adequately explain why a seasoned strategist like Shah would risk alienating India바카라�s 225 million Dalits, who regard Ambedkar as their foremost icon.

The answer lies in an inadvertent reveal of the Sangh바카라�s ideological antipathy toward Ambedkar. Despite their calculated attempts to co-opt his legacy for electoral gains, the ideological chasm between Ambedkar바카라�s egalitarian vision and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh바카라�s-BJP바카라�s Hindutva worldview remains irreconcilable. Shah바카라�s remark was an unintentional yet telling leak of the suppressed animosity that many within the Sangh harbour against Ambedkar바카라�s critique of caste and Hindutva. If chanting Ambedkar바카라�s name has indeed become a 바카라�fashion바카라� as Shah claimed, the BJP itself has embraced this 바카라�fad바카라� more than any other party. Their invocation of Ambedkar is an electoral necessity, not an ideological alignment, driven by the importance of Dalit votes for their political dominance. However, such slip-ups expose the fragile facade of their claimed reverence for Ambedkar and risk undoing the BJP바카라�s carefully crafted outreach to Dalit communities.

Irreconcilable Contradictions

The ideological and philosophical differences between Ambedkar and the RSS are stark. These encompass multiple areas ranging from caste, religion and nationalism to constitutional values. Ambedkar was a fierce critic of the caste system and believed it to be the foundation of Hindu society바카라�s inequality. He advocated for its complete annihilation and embraced Buddhism to reject Hindu orthodoxy. The RSS, in contrast, has historically upheld the Varna system as an organising principle of society. In his book, Bunch of Thoughts, M.S. Golwalkar glorified ancient Hindu social structures, viewing the caste system as integral to India바카라�s cultural identity. While Ambedkar sought to destroy caste, the RSS views it as a feature to be 바카라�reformed바카라� but not annihilated.

Ambedkar rejected Hindu nationalism, viewing Hinduism as inherently discriminatory against marginalised communities. He believed in an inclusive, secular nation where all religions were treated equally. He said, 바카라�The assertion by the Hindus that India is their country is untenable바카라�India belongs to all Indians who reside in it.바카라� The RSS, in contrast, promotes Hindu Rashtra바카라�a vision of India as a Hindu nation, with Hindu culture as its foundation. This vision is exclusionary to minorities and Dalits, often sidelining their struggles. Ambedkar led mass conversions of Dalits to Buddhism, des­cribing Hinduism as a religion that perpetuates caste oppression. He famously said, 바카라�I was born a Hindu, but I will not die a Hindu.바카라� The RSS opposes conversions from Hinduism and has been involved in reconversion drives (Ghar Wapsi), pressuring Dalits and others to return to Hinduism. The contradiction is glaring: Ambedkar바카라�s embrace of Buddhism as liberation versus the RSS바카라�s insistence on retaining Dalits within the Hindu fold.

As the principal architect of the Indian Constitution, Ambedkar championed individual rights, secularism and social justice. He was a firm believer in democracy as a means of achieving equality. The RSS, on the other hand, has shown ambivalence toward the Constitution, at times advocating for a reorientation towards Hindu scriptures like the Manusmriti. Golwalkar expressed scepticism of Western-style democracy. Ambedkar바카라�s faith in the Constitution as a transformative tool versus the RSS바카라�s preference for a cultural-nationalist framework marks the contradiction.

Ambedkar championed gender equality, drafting the Hindu Code Bill to reform Hindu personal laws, including inheritance rights for women. He said, 바카라�I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved.바카라� The RSS바카라�s vision of women is rooted in traditional roles as caretakers and mothers, emphasising subservience and domesticity. Ambedkar바카라�s push for gender equality versus the RSS바카라�s conservative view of gender roles.

Ambedkar envisioned Dalits as a separate political and social identity, advocating for self-respect, education and political assertion. He said, 바카라�Political power is the key to all social progress.바카라� The RSS seeks to subsume Dalit identity within a unified Hindu identity, undermining Ambedkarite calls for independent Dalit assertion. The contradiction is stark: Ambedkar바카라�s insistence on Dalit empowerment versus the RSS바카라�s attempt to dilute Dalit identity in Hindu nationalism.

The Dalit icon famously burned the Manusmriti, denouncing it as the foundation of caste-based oppression. He said, 바카라�Manusmriti is a symbol of injustice and inequality.바카라� The RSS reveres the Manusmriti as an ancient Hindu text, sometimes praising its guidelines for societal organisation.

Ambedkar was a proponent of state-led economic redistribution and believed in policies to uplift marginalised communities. He said, 바카라�Without economic and social liberty, political liberty has no meaning.바카라� The RSS leans toward free-market policies that prioritise traditional hierarchies, often sidelining Ambedkar바카라�s vision of redistributive justice. The contradiction is evident between Ambedkar바카라�s socialist ideals versus the RSS바카라�s preference for traditional economic structures.

Education was central to Ambedkar바카라�s philosophy for emancipation. He urged Dalits to 바카라�Educate, Agitate, Organise바카라�. The RSS, on the other hand, promotes education rooted in Hindu traditions, often sidelining critical caste discussions in curricula. Ambedkar바카라�s secular, egalitarian approach to education directly contradicts the RSS바카라�s religious and nationalist approach.

These contradictions highlight the fundamental incompatibility between Ambedkarite thought and the RSS바카라�s Hindutva ideology, exposing the opportunistic nature of the latter바카라�s co-option of Ambedkar바카라�s legacy for political gains.

History of Ambedkar바카라�s Co-option

In view of these fundamental contradictions, the RSS largely neglected Ambedkar and his movement during its formative years. A significant shift occurred under the leadership of Balasaheb Deoras, who succeeded Golwalkar as sarsanghchalak. Deoras adopted a strategic outreach approach to broaden the RSS바카라�s appeal, aiming to co-opt icons from diverse communities. It was during this period that Ambedkar was incorporated into the RSS pantheon as pratahsmaraniya (to be remembered at daybreak).

To attract lower-caste groups, the RSS launched the Samajik Samarasata Manch (Social Harmony Platform), emphasising social harmony over caste annihilation. A slew of publications emerged, attempting to reinterpret Ambedkar in saffron hues and portray him as being aligned with RSS leaders. The main source for these portrayals was Dattopant Thengadi, an RSS pracharak, who wrote a book titled Dr Ambedkar aur Samajik Kranti Ki Yatra (Lokhit Prakashan, Lucknow). In it, he makes sweeping claims about Ambedkar바카라�s alleged closeness to himself and other RSS leaders. Interestingly, Ambedkar바카라�s voluminous writings and speeches as well as recollections by his biographers and associates, make no mention of either Thengadi or any of the episodes he refers to, raising questions about the credibility of these assertions.

Alleged Connections Between Ambedkar and the RSS

It is often claimed that Ambedkar visited RSS training camps바카라�such as one in Pune바카라�in 1939, where he supposedly met the RSS founder K.B. Hedgewar, and admired the discipline and caste-free environment among RSS volunteers. Another claim suggests he visited an RSS shakha in Dapoli in 1935. These narratives rely primarily on oral testimonies from RSS members and lack corroboration from any other sources. RSS sources allege that in September 1949, Golwalkar met Ambedkar in Delhi to thank him for his supposed role in lifting the ban on the RSS that was imposed after Mahatma Gandhi바카라�s assassination. While the meeting is documented, there is no credible evidence supporting the claim that Ambedkar played a pivotal role in lifting the ban. Ambedkar바카라�s records are silent on the specifics of their discussion, making it unlikely that such a significant contribution would have gone un-noted.

Another claim often made by RSS-affiliated sources is that Ambedkar praised the discipline and caste-free environment within the RSS ranks. Yet, there is no mention of such praise in Ambedkar바카라�s writings or speeches. Given his scathing critique of Hindu orthodoxy and casteism, it is implausible that he would have lauded the RSS without documenting such a significant departure in his extensive body of work.

The RSS바카라�s claims about Ambedkar바카라�s admiration for its principles or his connections with its leaders appear to be part of a broader strategy to co-opt Ambedkar바카라�s legacy. These narratives lack substantiation in documented history and are at odds with Ambedkar바카라�s steadfast critique of caste and his rejection of Hindu orthodoxy, which form the bedrock of his ideology.

BJP바카라�s Ambedkar Devotion

The BJP, led by the theatrically adept Narendra Modi, has gone overboard in showcasing its devotion and allegiance to Babasaheb Ambedkar. It has established grand memorials such as the Dr Ambedkar International Centre (DAIC) in Delhi, the Ambedkar Memorial in London, and the Ambedkar National Memorial in Delhi. It has institutionalised the grand celebration of Ambedkar Jayanti as Samrasta Divas (Harmony Day), among other initiatives, swiftly outcompeting all other political parties in appropriating Ambedkar바카라�s legacy. This calculated strategy has paid off handsomely in terms of Dalit votes, with the BJP securing a greater number of reserved seats than the combined tally of all other parties. However, the BJP바카라�s track record in trampling upon Ambedkar바카라�s values, principles and ideals remains unmatched. The proverbial temple of the Constitution that Ambedkar envisioned has been reduced to a mere facade under its governance, with democracy lying wounded, struggling for survival.

(Views expressed are personal)

Anand Teltumbde is an Indian scholar, writer and human rights activist