#Ramdev_Insults_Periyar : Lala Ramdev must apologise for his insulting remark on
Periyar

Ramdev calls Periyar and other who spoke of
Moolniwasi philosophy as ‘intellectual terrorists’

A statement made by Ramdev on Periyar is on
the air and is being circulated. He calls Periyar and other who spoke of
Moolniwasi philosophy as ‘intellectual terrorists’. One should not take Ramdev
too seriously as he has got exposed completely and if there was a neutral
government both ED and IT department would have arrested him. He is the man
using religion to promote his products and getting huge tax rebate. The empire
that he has built with the total support of politicians could not progress
because even if you can fool people some time, you can’t do that all the time.

The real issue here is that Ramdev is a clever politician
who play different cards different times.

When UPA was in power, he played Yadav card and would visit
Lalu ji and Mulayam Singh Yadav ji. He remained in their good books for long.
Even after BJP coming to power Ramdev spoke as per his ‘strategy’ not to hurt
the ‘sentiment’ of his own community and its various leaders though none of his
work can ever benefit his community because he is clearly playing in the hands
of those who have exploited people for centuries through their caste
privileges.

Playing his identity politics with in Sangh Parivar was
important for Ramdev to extract the benefit as the Parivar was in need of
powerful Yadav and other OBCs who were solidly behind Lalu Yadav and Mulayam
Singh Yadav. For the Sangh, it was essential to break this unity. Somewhere he
succeeded in many ways. Many felt that at least some one from the OBCs is such
a powerful and successful business magnet. But can someone really say that
Ramdev’s identity really helped OBCs.

This question emerged many times and I had to ask friends
please ask him to support OBC quota or ask the Sangh Parivar to agree for
proportional representation at every sector or even go for a caste census.

Ramdev has abused almost every Dalit Bahujan icon.

He spoke against Dr Ambedkar, he abused Dalits in the past.
He infamous comment: Rahul Gandhi goes to Dalit homes for honeymoon and
picnic’, triggered huge protests all over the country by the Dalits and Dalit
rights activists filed FIR against him. Now, he has again fulminated against
Periyar, the most powerful icons of India who taught us that we can get social
legitimacy and political power even without invoking Gods, religion and
religious practices.

I have said many times and I am reiterating here that north
Indian OBC leadership has not really embraced Periyar and Phule as their icons.
If these two great icons are not promoted and spread across the northern belt,
there would be no understanding of social justice and alliance building with
other Bahujan or non-brahmin parties. For a better understanding between Dalits
and OBCs, it is essential for the OBC leaders of the north India to understand
Dr Ambedkar and follow the strategies and path shown by Periyar and Phule. Like
the huge Ambedkarite intellectual community that we have today which demolish
the Brahmanical myth that they can’t take Ambedkar head on as they are talking
about Periyar, as they know well that Ambedkarite will not tolerate any insult
to Baba Saheb Ambedkar, we don’t have that much of responses here. The Sangh
Parivar knows it, Ramdev knows it and hence they target icons like Periyar
because our response is meek and just not that sentimental and emotional which
can raise a political storm.

All those who believe in social justice must understand that
Periyar was not powerful just because he called Gods creation of stupid and
those who believe in it as barbaric. We are witnessing everything that the
bhoodevtas created in India but more than that understand Periyar’s huge social
reforms in Tamilnadu. The awareness and understanding among the backward
communities in Tamilnadu were remarkable. Periyar analysed the corrupt social
order and responded it socially and politically. North Indian political parties
who represent or claim to represent Dalit-OBCs are not interested in intellectual
inputs as they feel it is useless to speak to them as they can’t get votes.
Rather than starting some though provoking journals they want mouthpieces. Most
of them have no link with social and cultural movements. Most of the so-called
cultural wings are party propaganda machinery which does not go beyond party supremo.
It is important to develop the intellectual movement on the lines of the
philosophy of Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Jyoti Ba Phule, Birsa Munda and EVR
Periyar. Their work and philosophy alone can bring India’s vast Bahujan masses
together. We all celebrate Birsa Munda but how many of us understand the
Adivasi context today. Unless we understand their issues and cultural context,
we won’t be able to get united.

People have given a call for boycott of Patanjali product. Well, most of these products if honestly evaluated by authorities will fail to pass the scrutiny.

If we respect our icons and heroes who emancipated the vast Dalit Bahujan Adivasi masses and enlightened them then people like Ramdev, his products and hidden agenda must be exposed and boycotted. Dravidian parties too must respond to Ramdev’s fulmination against Periyar terming him intellectual terrorist. It is shame and disgraceful for people like Ramdev to speak about Periyar and other Bahujan icons in such a way without fully understanding him. I can bet, if he read Ambedkar and Periyar properly, he too would be benefited and will understand that he is merely a tool in the hands of the powerful people and once they have used him, they will just ignore him to languish in isolation. Ramdev must apologise for his shameless remarks and if does not do that, people who believe in social justice and self-respect, must boycott his products.

Vidya Bhushan Rawat

November 17th, 2019

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