Arundhati Roy - The Debate On The Gandhi Myth - Frontlines of Revolutionary Struggle

1/28/2015
ArundhatiRoy:TheDebateontheGandhiMyth|FrontlinesofRevolutionaryStruggle
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GandhiMyth
PostedonOctober25,2014byreed
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CEBRASPO
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Group
Confederation
ofWorkers
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Countercurre
nts
Democratic
Students
broughtfurthernational
centralizationofthestates
brutalrepressionagainst
oppressedpeoples,tribals,
dalits,democraticand
revolutionaryactivists.And
the2014ModiIndiapersona
furtherdisguisestheofficial
nationalcultureHindutva
excluvist,casteist,and
xenophobicbyhypocritically
andpretentiouslyclaiminga
humanitarian,peaceful,and
moralcharmorcharisma
byfurtherinvokinga
mythologizedGandhiasthe
FatherofIndianNational
Identity.Inchallengingthis
mythology,ArundhatiRoyhas
providedanimportant
counternarrative,andhas
comeundervitriolicattack
fromThePowersThatBe.See
thefollowingvideointerview
byLauraFlanders,andthe
magazineinterviewbyLeena
Chandran,fordetailsonthe
struggleforclarityandtruth
aboutMahatmaGandhi.
Frontlinesed.]
Chhattisgarh
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DebunkingtheGandhi
Myth:ArundhatiRoy
nepalNPA
Obama
occupywall
OnTheLauraFlandersShow:
street
2/34
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Union,JNU
Electronic
Intifada
HaitiAction
Committee
Author/activistArundhatiRoy
ontheAnnihilationof
Caste,B.R.Ambedkarand
theWesternmythof
MahatmaGandhi
Operation
GreenHunt
oscargrant
Palestine
philippines
Indian
policepolice
Solidarity
brutalitypolice
(Swedish)
killingpolice
Indian
killings
Vanguard
political
International
prisoner
Campaign
Political
against
Prisoners
Forced
politics
Displacement
Prachanda
andSEZs
protest
International
protests
Campaign
racial
againstWar
profiling
onthePeople
inIndia
racism
(ICAWPI)
International
Campaignfor
Freedomfor
resistance
Hiddeninplainsight
Kasama
MalcolmX
Grassroots
Movement
Maoist
Revolution
Navigating
solidarity
SouthAfrica
Wednesday17September2014
AllPolitical
Prisoners
repression
Syriatorture
turkey
byLeenaChandran,
ManoramaOnline
UCPNMUK
UNundefined
USwar
InJuly,ArundhatiRoyprovoked
crimes
outragefrommanyquartersby
whistleblower
statingthatthegenerallyaccepted
WikiLeaks
imageofMahatmaGandhiwasa
zionism
lie.SpeakingattheUniversityof
theStorm
3/34
1/28/2015
Recent
Posts
New
Kerala,Thiruvananthapuram,she
Democracy
alsocalledforinstitutionsbearing
Brazil
hisnametoberenamed.The
PanAfrican
Bookerprizewinningauthors
TheCharlie
Voicesfor
commentsrekindledalongrunning
HebdoWhite
Freedomand
historicalargumentoverGandhis
PowerRally
Justice
viewsoncasteandcatapultedhot
inParis
Philippine
debateinKeralamedia.Inthis
France:A
Revolution
exclusiveinterviewArundhatiRoy
Message
Proletarian
tellsLeenaChandranwhyshewill
From
FlagNews
notbechangingherviewson
theDisposses
CPofGreece
Gandhi.
sed
(ml)
TheGandhicontroversyisa
India:Maoists
Sanhati
belatedone,Ifeel.Itshouldhave
toprotest
Spring
takenplaceearlierthisyearhad
Obamavisit
Thunder
peoplecloselyreadTheDoctor
WhiteHouse
WeeklyNews
andtheSaintsoonafterits
ordersCastro
Updateonthe
publication.Infact,whatyou
regimeto
Americas
saidintheAyyankalimemorial
release
World
lectureatDepartmentofHistory,
MORE
People's
KeralaUniversity,
politicalprison
Resistance
Thiruvananthapuramisnotas
ers
Movement
inflammableastheideasyou
Hollywoods
(Britain)
shareinTheDoctorandthe
political
Saint
deafness:
WhatCosby,
IwouldntgosofarastocallThe
Selmaand
DoctorandtheSaintinflammable,
Hebdoreveal
thoughofcourseithasgenerateda
aboutwhite
fairamountofcontroversyfrom
liberalconscio
manyquarters,evensome
usness
unexpectedones.Thatstobe
FromBrazilto
January
expected,becauseitsvexed
Ferguson,
2015(5)
territory.Yesitdoesquestion
Black
December
conventionalwaysofthinking,
LivesMatter
Postings
by
Month
4/34
1/28/2015
2014(18)
mostlybyquotingfromthelesser
WhenAre
November
knownwritingsofGandhi.Itwas
Violent
2014(23)
writtenasanintroductionto
ProtestsJustif
October
AmbedkarsAnnihilationofCaste.
ied?
2014(49)
Ambedkarsviewschallengethe
70Years:
September
establishedorderinprofoundand
Justice
2014(43)
radicalways.Thecontroversy
Delayedis
August
aroundGandhisviewsonraceand
JusticeDenie
2014(11)
castestartedlongbeforeIwrote
July2014(7)
TheDoctorandtheSaint.You
1999:Onthe
June
couldsaythatitstartedwiththe
Killingof
2014(14)
AmbedkarGandhidebate.Ithas
Amadou
May
beendebatedforyearsintheworld
DiallobyNew
2014(26)
ofDalitpoliticsbutthathasbeen
YorkPolice
March
carefullyandsuccessfullykeptout
Mexicoand
2014(2)
oftheestablishmentdiscourse.The
USactions
December
mayhemintheKeralamediapost
link
2013(8)
myAyyankaliMemorialLectureis
Ayotzinapa,
November
justnoisyposturingbysomepeople
Ferguson,Ga
2013(5)
whocouldntbebotheredtoread
rner
October
AmbedkarsAnnihilationofCaste,
United
2013(21)
orTheDoctorandtheSaint,or
Nations
September
anythingmuchelse.Noteventhe
Peacekeeper
2013(11)
worksofGandhiwhotheyareso
SoldiersFire
August
keentodefend.Therearemany
onProtestors
2013(18)
vestedinterestsinvolvedinthis
inHaiti
July2013(29)
debate.Itmaybetoomuchto
ModiTaking
June
expectthemtochange.Butthe
Operation
2013(74)
youngwillchangetheirviews.For
GreenHuntto
May
sure.
theWestern
2013(24)
Ghats:
April
Mostofyourcriticsshoutthe
Bulldozer
2013(61)
questionWhatdoesArundhati
Development
March
knowaboutourGandhiji?What
andDisplace
2013(29)
righthasshegot?Well,youcite
ment
5/34
1/28/2015
February
himprofoundlybuthowvast,
Deathby
2013(64)
howdeep,haveyouprobedthe
Police
January
entireoeuvreoftheman?What
inAmerica
2013(17)
wasthetypeofresearchyou
TheBlack
December
tookupon?Canyouelaborate
PanthersHad
2012(37)
howyouwentaboutlearning
theRightIdea
November
Ambedkarandunlearning
Solidarity
2012(76)
Gandhi?
Statement
October
fromHong
2012(85)
OurGandhiji?Andwhoisthis
KongtoBlack
September
Arundhati?Somesortofextra
Communities
2012(36)
terrestrialwithaseparatesetof
intheUS
August
rightsfromthosewhoown
From
2012(63)
Gandhi?Wouldtheysayour
Fergusonto
July2012(56)
Ambedkarthosesamepeople?
NewYorkto
June
Unlikely.Letmesaythis:The
Palestine,
2012(42)
DoctorandtheSaintisnotabout
Solidaritywith
May
theentireoevreofeitherGandhior
the
2012(70)
Ambedkar.ItsabouttheAmbedkar
Resistanceto
April
Gandhidebate.Ispentmonths
RacistOppres
2012(69)
researchingandreading,the
sion
March
writingsofAmbedkarandGandhi
Santa,
2012(74)
beforeIwroteit.Istartedwith
Privilege,
February
GandhisrebuttaltoAnnihilationof
andGoodnes
2012(53)
Castein1936,andfollowedthe
January
threadofhispronouncementson
IGrewUpin
2012(73)
casteandraceallthewaybackto
Guantanamo:
December
histimeinSouthAfrica.(Ihave
NowThatYou
2011(88)
spentsometimeinSouthAfrica.)I
HaveHeard
November
wasshockedatwhatIwasreading,
MyStory,You
2011(82)
andevenmoreshockedathow
Cannot
October
successfullytheseverydisturbing
TurnAway
2011(115)
aspectsofGandhihadpassed
TheSystem
September
undertheradarofpublicand
ThatFailed
2011(110)
establishmentintellectualscrutiny.
EricGarner
6/34
1/28/2015
August
Irealizedveryquicklythattheonly
andMichael
2011(92)
waytodowhatIwantedtodowas
BrownCannot
July2011(80)
touseGandhisownwordsas
BeReformed
June
muchaspossibletokeepmy
Israel:The
2011(66)
commentsandanalysistoa
Jewish
May
minimum.Ofcoursethishasmeant
Exclusivist
2011(77)
thatitsalong,almostbooklength
State,
April
introduction.Allofitinpretty
RunningOut
2011(61)
sensitiveterritory.Sotheresbeen
of
March
everykindofreaction,fromagreat
BorrowedTim
2011(66)
embraceandagreatdealoflove,
February
toanger,notalwaysalong
India:Two
2011(102)
predictablelines.Somehave
killed,15
January
criticizedthefactthatIhavewritten
escapein
2011(95)
moreaboutGandhithanAmbedkar.
Jharkhandjail
December
Thatsavalidpoint,butmyown
break
2010(130)
reasoningisthatunlesswedefuse
India:Jailed
November
thedensesmokescreenGandhiput
Maoiststogo
2010(188)
uptoinordertoobscure
ononeday
October
Ambedkarsclarity,wellstillbe
hungerstrike
2010(255)
gropingaroundinthedark.That
Chandled
September
wasAmbedkarslogictoo,when,of
dissident
2010(204)
allthecriticismhereceived
Maoistgroup
August
forAnnihilationofCaste,hechose
officiallyforms
2010(150)
toreplytoGandhis.Inevitably,
CPNMaoist
July
someofthecontroversythathas
Whyblacks
2010(139)
beengeneratedaroundthebookis
areurginga
June
aboutme,personally,my
Black
2010(154)
intentions,mymotivationsand
Fridayboycott
May
politicalsympathies,mycaste,my
Athletes
2010(140)
homeaddressandnotwhatIve
takingastand
April
written,whichisapity,thoughits
against
2010(98)
entirelypredictableandIhave
policekillings
March
grownusedtothatsortofthing.Im
Greece:
2010(424)
aprettyeasytargetbeingwell
BrutalPolice
7/34
1/28/2015
knowncutsbothways,itgivesme
Repressionof
aswellasmycriticstraction.The
aDetermined
royaltiesfrommybooksmakeme
Skouries
reasonablywelloffand
MineProtest
economicallyindependentsohow
Resistingthe
dareIwriteaboutinequality?Iam
WarAgainst
notagoodwoman,Iamnotseen
theBlackand
tohavesufferedintherightways,I
BrownUnderc
havenotvoluntarilyembracedalife
lass
ofsacrificeinanyoftheprescribed
Ferguson
formatssowhatgivesmethe
ProtestersIn
righttowritethethingsIdo?
BostonStop
Fortunately,Imnotlookingfora
OutsideJail,
moralcharactercertificatefrom
ChantBlack
anybody.Readerscanchooseto
LivesMatter
readandintellectuallyengagewith
Fergusonis
whatIvewritten,ornot.Therestis
Familiarto
noise.
IndigenousAu
stralians
S.Anand,theeditorof
SouthAfrica:
AmbedkarsAnnihilationof
MINERS
Caste,requestedyouforan
SHOT
introductiontenyearsback.You
DOWN(traile
agreedandbegantheresearch
r)
andreading.Wasitthenthatyou
startedtoreconsiderthe
contributionsoftheGreatSoul?
Ambedkarhasdeepenedmy
understandingandinformedmy
thinkinginprofoundandcritical
ways.Hegivesustoolswithwhich
tounderstandandanalyzethe
societyinwhichwelivehewasa
radicalthinker,andafearlessone.
8/34
1/28/2015
ForhimtohavetakenonGandhiin
thewayhedidattheheightof
Gandhisfameandinfluenceis
phenomenal.Hewroteagreatdeal
aboutGandhiandtheCongress
becausetheysoughttothwarthim
insuchdeviousandcomplicated
ways.ReadingAmbedkarcertainly
mademeunlearntheclichsabout
Gandhithatmanyofusgrewup
with.Rightnowthough,
Ambedkarslegacyisingrave
danger.AnnihilationofCastewasa
scholarlydenunciationofHinduism.
Ambedkarwantedhispeopleto
renounceHinduism.Buttoday,
DalitsarebeingHinduizedand
Sanskritizedatapace.Thisnew
governmentwouldbeAmbedkars
nightmare.AnewShuddhi
movementthepurificationofthe
impuretoreturntheimpureto
theHindufoldhasbeen
announced.TheRSSChiefhas
declaredthatallIndiansare
Hindus.Itsallverydisturbing.
DidMaryRoy,youriconoclastic
motherinfluenceyouinanyway
inreconsideringGandhi?Iask
thisinparticularbecauseitis
alwaysprettyhardtochange
whatwewereschooledin.
9/34
1/28/2015
Myiconoclasticmotherhasalways
beenagreatadmirerofGandhi.So
sheplayednoroleinthewritingof
TheDoctorandtheSaint.Speaking
formyself,beforeIdidthereadingI
havenowdone,IthoughtGandhi
wasacunning,butconsummate
andimaginativepolitician.Two
thingsabouthimalwaysbothered
medeeplyhisattitudetowomen
andsexwhichdeservesa
separatebookinitselfandhis
callingDalitsharijans,whichI
founduglyandpatronizing.
ButdoesthatmeanGandhi
disappointedyoutotally?Isnt
thereevenasinglequalityyou
appreciateinGandhi?
Gandhiwasafascinatingcharacter
whocapturedthepublic
imaginationinhisownlifetimeand
stillseemstomesmerizepeople.I
dontthinkreadersofTheDoctor
andtheSaintwillcomeaway
thinkingitisanuncritical,worshipful
hagiographyofAmbedkaranda
relentlesscondemnationofGandhi.
Incredibly,insomequartersIve
actuallybeenattackedforpraising
Gandhithoughtheytoodont
seemtohavereadthebook.They
sayIvecalledGandhiaSaint,
missingtheironyIintended,also
10/34
1/28/2015
missingthefactthatAmbedkar
oftensarcasticallyreferredto
GandhiasaSaint.Thenthereare
somefolksnotjustDalitsmind
you,afewBrahminstoowho
believethatanonDalitsimplydoes
nothavetherighttowritean
introductiontoanAmbedkartextat
all.Theyseeitasaprivilegedcaste
personsappropriationof
Ambedkar.Butonthewhole,to
takealongview,thisdebate,all
theseaccusationsandinsinuations,
eventheoutburstthathappenedin
Kerala,thethreatsofarrest,the
processionsthoughsometimesits
prettyhurtful,isaultimatelyagood
thing.Allofushavebeenmarinated
insomanythousandsofyearsof
institutionalizedprejudice.Ithasto
beexorcized,andthatprocesswill
notbepretty.Noneofusispure,
noneofusisperfect,notextcanbe
whollyrightorabovecriticism.The
choicebeforeusistoreachoutto
eachotherinimperfectpolitical
solidarityortoisolateourselves
fromeachotherinourseparate
bombshelters,curledupinself
constructednotionsof
unsurpassablerighteousness.
Interestingtonotethatyouhave
notsparedSwamiVivekananda
aswell.InTheDoctorandthe
11/34
1/28/2015
Saint,youcitehiswords
discouragingthereligious
conversionoftheuntouchables.
But,isntitanoutofthecontext
citation?
Itisnot.WhatSwamiVivekananda
saidwasverymuchpartofthe
politicsofprivilegedcasteanxiety
overdemographythatbegan
aroundthen.Itwasthegenesisof
whatweknowtodayasHindutva.
Buthowfeasibleisittocompare
GandhiandAyyankali,theleader
oftheuntouchablesinKerala,
dependingontheir
contributions?Thelatterswork
andinfluencewasaregional
phenomenon.
Whynotcomparethem?Whyis
thatsosacrilegious?Ayyankali
foughtfortherightsofPulaya
childrentoattendschool,asfar
backas1904,heledthefirst
agriculturalworkersstrikeanda
successfuloneatthatbeforethe
RussianRevolution.Duringthose
yearsGandhiinSouthAfricawas
makingthemostoffensive
statementsaboutBlackAfricans
andsubordinatedcasteIndian
workers.InTrivandrumIspoke
abouthowGandhibelievedinthe
12/34
1/28/2015
castesystem.Iquotedan
extraordinaryessayhewrotein
1936calledTheIdealBhangiin
whichheelucidatedhisviewson
themeritsofancestraland
hereditaryoccupations.Personally,
Ithinkthatisagraveformof
violence.Isaidweshouldthink
aboutwhichofthetwokindsof
peopleweshouldbenamingour
universitiesafter.Isthatwrong?
SaintoftheStatusQuo,the
mostfamousIndian,themost
consummatepoliticianthe
modernworldhaseverknown
youhaveputtheMahatmahood
inquestion.Butisnttherea
processofrefinementwhenwe
closelywatchhowGandhi
evolvedoverthedecades?Do
youwanttosayallthatwasa
granddeception?Citinghis
wordsfromtheearlylife,theless
greatsoul,isagraveinjustice,
yourcriticspointout.
Thesequestionsthatmycriticsput
tomearequestionsthatIputto
myselfbeforeIwrotewhatIwrote.
DidGandhichange?Didhe
evolve?Didherenouncehisviews
(anddeeds)oncaste?Toaddress
thisissueIhavequotedhiswritings
andspeechesoverthespanofhis
13/34
1/28/2015
entireadultlifefromhisarrivalin
SouthAfricaintheearly1890sright
upuntilhewasanoldmanin1946.
EveninmytalkattheTrivandrum
UniversityIquotedhimin1894and
then40yearslaterin1936when
wroteTheIdealBhangihewas
nearly70yearsoldatthetime.
Thenextaccusationisthatthe
quotesaretakenoutofcontext.Id
liketoknowinwhatcontextdoes
itbecomeacceptabletocallBlack
Africansbestialsavagesand
subordinatecasteIndianworkers
congenitalliarswhosemoral
facultieshavecollapsed?Inwhat
contextisitacceptabletosaythat
scavengersshouldremain
scavengersforgenerationsto
come?
IsGandhiagranddeceptionyou
ask?AllGandhiswritingsare
compiledandavailabletothe
public.Theyhavenotbeenedited
ordoctored.Sotheresno
deceptiononthatfront.Butyes,
therehasbeenagreatdealof
dishonestyinhowthelegacyof
Gandhihasbeenpackagedand
passeddownforpublic
consumptionsinwhathasbeen
highlightedandwhathasbeen
hiddenliesdisturbing,and
14/34
1/28/2015
deliberatelydishonestpolitics.
ThethirddefenseisthatGandhi
wasamanofhistimesandthat
wecannotgraftourcontemporary
understandingofpoliticalandsocial
justiceontosomeonewholived
morethanacenturyago.Ihave
addressedthistooinTheDoctor
andtheSaint,andhavedirected
readerstotheworkofpeoplelike
PanditaRamabai,JotibaPhuleand
SavitribaiPhulewhowereGandhis
predecessors,nottomention
Periyar,Ayyankali,ShriNarayana
Guruaswellashiscontemporaries
inothercountries.
OnJanuary14,1937Gandhi
visitedVenganur,
Thiruvananthapuram,tomeet
Ayyankali,theleaderofthe
untouchablePulayas,famously
knownasthePulayaKing.He
alsohadabriefexchangewitha
groupofuntouchableyouths.
Oneofthemwas
K.R.Velayudhan,theelder
brotherofK.R.Narayanan,the
firstDalitPresidentofIndia.
VelayudhanaskedGandhiwhat
designationhewouldgivethe
PulayasintheSwaraj.Gandhi
repliedthathewouldappointa
HarijanasthefirstPresidentof
15/34
1/28/2015
India.
Gandhiwasalwayscomfortable
patronizingharijansandgiving
themfreeadvice.In1936ina
famousconversationwitha
ReverendJohnMott,inwhichhe
wasobjectingtotheReverends
missionaryworkamongharijans
GandhisaidWouldyouDrMott,
preachthegospeltoacow?Well,
someoftheseuntouchablesare
worsethancowsinunderstanding.
Imeantheycannomore
distinguishbetweenrelativemerits
ofIslam,HinduismandChristianity
thanacow
Eventodaypeopleseemquite
comfortableaboutGandhicalling
AyyankaliaPulayaKing.Similarly,
DrAmbedkarisoftencalledthe
LeaderoftheUntouchables,but
whatifAyyankaliorAmbedkar,or
anybodyelse,eventoday,called
GandhiaBaniaMahatma?There
wouldbeprocessionsandpolice
cases.
AsforthestoryofGandhisviews
anddeedsonthereal,andnot
merelysymbolicpolitical
representationofDalits,ofDalits
16/34
1/28/2015
choosingtheirownrepresentatives
pleasereadAnnihilationofCaste
aswellastheaccountofthefirst
facetofaceconfrontationbetween
GandhiandAmbedkaratthe
SecondRoundTableConference.
Whenhewas25andareporter
withTheTimesofIndia,K.R.
NarayananmetGandhiin
Bombay.Hehadaquestionfor
Gandhi:WheninEnglandIam
askedabouttheUntouchability
issueinIndia,shouldIreplyasa
HarijanorshouldIreplyasan
Indian?AndGandhiwasquick
toanswer:Whenabroad,you
willsaythatitisaninternal
matterforustosolveoncethe
BritishleaveIndia
ThatwaswhyGandhiwasso
againstAmbedkarbecausehe
refusedtokeepquietaboutthe
castequestionuntilafter
Independence.Thatwaswhattheir
greatconfrontationattheRound
TableConferencewasabout.Also
themomentpeopleinpowersay
itsaninternalmatterwemust
takeitasanominoussign.The
nextmoveistoblameoutsiders
forallpoliticalunrest.Thentheytell
uswhoareoutsidersandwhoare
insiders,whoisarealIndianand
17/34
1/28/2015
whoisnot,whoisarealHindu
whoisnot,whoisarealMuslim,
whoisnot,andbeforeyouknowit
religiousandculturalnationalism
andeveryotherkindofbigotryis
sittingonyourdoorsteplikea
snarlingapparition,askingtobelet
in.
AshishNandysIntimateenemy:
LossandRecoveryofSelfunder
Colonialismislistedinthe
bibliographytoTheDoctorand
theSaint.Inarecentinterview
withaMalayalamweekly,hehas
disagreedwithyouropinionon
Gandhi.Hereswhathesaid:
Arundhatiismyfriend.Shesa
goodwriter.ButIdonttakeher
commentsseriously.Sheonce
describedtheNaxalitesas
GandhianswithGuns.Letssee
ifshellchangeheropinionon
Gandhiornot.Gandhitriedto
makethecastesystem
somethingbasedonworkand
duty.Hehadarealisticattitude
towardspracticeslike
untouchability.Gandhihas
attractedalotofcriticism.Butit
isabsurdtosaythathisactions
werepartofaconspiracy
Ihopeyouarequotinghim
correctly,Ifindithardtobelievehe
18/34
1/28/2015
saidallthis,eventhoughsomeof
thethingshesaidaboutDalitsat
theJaipurFestivalwerehardto
believetoo.AshishNandyisa
seniorprofessorandapublic
intellectualofsomestanding,solet
menotquibbleabouthis
patronizingtone,orthefactthathe
doesnotseemtohavereadwhat
Ivewritten,butfeelsfreeto
commentonitanyway.(He
bestowedasimilarfavoron
NayantaraSehgalathertherecent
launchofhernewbook.)Assuming
hedidsayallthis,letsjustlookat
somefacts.
First:IhavenevercalledNaxalites
GandhianswithGuns.Imnotthat
stupid.ThatwasanOutlookcopy
editorsphotocaption.Iwould
expecttheeruditeprofessortodo
methefavorofcheckingmytext
carefully,inthiscasemyessay
WalkingwiththeComradesbefore
makingsuchaloosecomment.
Second:Gandhididnottryto
makethecastesystembasedon
workanddutythecastesystem,
whichprecededGandhibyafew
thousandyearswasasystem
basedonworkandduty.It
assignedpeoplehereditary
occupationsandfittedthemintoa
19/34
1/28/2015
hierarchicalsystemofdutiesand
entitlements.Thisiswhatthewhole
struggleagainstcasteisallabout!
Third:Imnotsurewhatarealistic
attitudetowardspracticeslike
Untouchabilitymeans.Seriously
whatdoesitmean?
Fourth:IhaveneversaidGandhis
actionswerepartofaconspiracy.
Fifth:NoIwillnotbechangingmy
opinionaboutGandhi.
Bytheway,whydopeoplesay
Shesagreatwriterandthengo
ontoattributethemoststupid
commentsthatIhavenevermade
tome?Isitamanthing,Iwonder?
Firstofall,inthiscaseitdoesnt
reallymatterwhetherImagreat
writeroragreatfool.Whynotdeal
withthecontentofwhatIhave
written?Orifthatistoomuchofan
effort,whynotjustdealwiththe
thingsGandhisaid?Refutethem,
denythem,arguewiththem.SayI
inventedthem.SayTheCollected
WorksofMahatmaGandhiisa
forgery.Howaboutthatasalineof
defense?
20/34
1/28/2015
M.G.S.Narayanan,thefamous
historianwroteanarticle
criticizingyourviews:
Arundhatisstatureasagood
novelistdoesntmakeherfitfor
commentingonhistoryor
politics...Shemighthave
thoughtthebestwaytoplease
Dr.B.R.Ambedkar,Ayyankaliand
theMarxistsistoinsultthe
FatherofourNation.
IlovetheideathathethinksIm
tryingtopleasepeopleitsa
wholenewme!Butfromhis
understandingofhistoryM.G.S
Narayananshouldknowthatits
virtuallyimpossibletoplease
AmbedkaritesandMarxistsatthe
sametime.Anyway,herewego
againArundhatisstatusasa
goodnovelistdoesnotgiveherthe
rightto..!Backtothesubjectof
ArundhatiRoysRightsandDuties.
Manthing?Orisitaninsidious
manifestationofcaste?Whatare
thesubjectsthatgood(female)
novelistscancommentupon?No
history,nopolitics,thenwhat?Baby
fashion?Skincare?Istherealist?
Aregood(female)novelistsatleast
allowedtoquotetheFatherofthe
Nation?Ordoweneedtoapplyin
triplicateforthat?Mustweuse
selectedquotescertifiedbywell
21/34
1/28/2015
knownhistorians?
AsforquotingGandhi,Shashi
Tharoorwhilespeakingatata
YouthCongressSeminarin
Thiruvananthapurampointedout
thatthewordsGandhiused
belongedtothatparticulartime
inhistoryandonecannot
criticizehimontheirbasis.He
addedthatGandhisviewsstand
suitableforthe21stcenturyand
hismessagesareexactlyofthe
sortfortweeting.Healsostated
thatthecontroversialanti
Gandhicommentsaretheresult
ofyourmisunderstandingofthe
greatman.
Ah,poormeconfused,unableto
comprehendthings,gettingitall
wrongmaybeIneedcoaching
classes?LookIhavenotmade
controversialantiGandhi
comments.IhavequotedGandhi
sayingsomeextremely
controversialthings.IfShashi
Tharoor,aMemberofParliament
andawellknownwriter,believes
thatGandhisdeedsand
statementscallingAfricanblacks
kaffirsandsavages,partnering
withtheBritishintheircolonialwars
inSouthAfrica,andsayingthat
untouchableshaveless
22/34
1/28/2015
intelligencethancowswere
acceptableduringGandhistime,
andalsostandsuitableforthe21st
century,thenitsaysalotabout
Tharoorhimself.Abouthisviewson
casteandrace,andabouthis
knowledgeofhistoryaboutwhat
otherpeopleinIndiaweredoing,
sayingandwritingwaybefore
Gandhiwasevenborn.
VeteranMalayalampoetand
activistSugathakumaritoo
lashedoutatyoufor
commentingthatthegenerally
acceptedpublicimageofGandhi
wasallalie.Sheaccusedyouof
beingscornfulofGandhiandthe
wordMahatma.
AsforSugathaKumarisanguish
letmesaythatalieisnotjustwhat
youchoosetotell,butalsowhat
youchoosetoleaveoutinthe
telling.ThereasonIsaidthatthe
Gandhiweareservedupinour
textbooksisalie,isbecausevery
disturbingthingsabouthislifeand
timesandwritingsareleftoutofthe
narrative.Thereisapatternanda
politicstotheselectionstowhatis
leftoutandwhatiskeptinthat
falsifiesthingsinseriousways.
Theinabilitytofaceupto,letalone
23/34
1/28/2015
dealwiththeseaspectsofGandhi
areshowinghisdefendersupina
verysadlight.Itseemstomethatit
istheywhoareguiltyofwhatthey
accusemeofofnotreading
Gandhi.Andiftheyhaveindeed
readhim,thenthingsareeven
moredirethanIthought.TheIdeal
Bhangievenifyouwantto
interpretitinsomeconvolutedway
thatabsolvesGandhiofprejudices
thathehimselfwashappyto
publiclyembracewasjustone
pieceofwritinginapolitical
trajectorythatspannedmorethan
halfacentury.Gandhisviewsand
deedsonthesubjectofcaste
remainedconsistent.Iamnot
scornfuloftheseviews,no.
Scornfulisalightweightand
inaccurateadjectivetodescribe
whatIfeelaboutthem.
M.N.Karassery,literarycritic
andformerProfessorat
UniversityofCalicutshared
someinterestingobservationsin
anarticlesupportingyou:
Amidstthesecrazy
controversies,thereliesthe
repeatedaffirmationthatGandhi
issacred.Butpoliticalleaders
shouldnotethefactthatthereis
nothingcalledsacredinthis
land.Thereshouldntbe.Here,
24/34
1/28/2015
everythingissecular.The
constitutionstatesthatour
countryissecular.Ifthereis
somethingsacredthathinders
freedomofexpression,its
againstourconstitution.
Onefeelssuchprofoundgratitude
forsanity.Andclarity.Butthatsthe
wonderfulthingaboutthiscountry.
Despitethecrazybigotryand
prejudice,therewillalwaysbe
somepeoplewhostanduptoit.In
Keralamanyhave,includingthe
HistoryDepartmentofKerala
Universitywhoinvitedmeinthe
firstplace.
WhenE.M.S.Nampoothirippad,
theMarxisttheoristandformer
ChiefMinisterofKeralacriticised
Gandhiforhisreligious
fundamentalism,O.V.Vijayan,
thefamouswriterandpolitical
cartoonist,wroteinresponse
thatGandhiwasaliberation
theologist.
Gandhiwasbynomeansa
liberationtheologist.Bynomeans.
Gandhi,however,holdsa
stunningstatureamidstthe
AfricanBlacks.Haveyouranti
Gandhicommentscreatedany
25/34
1/28/2015
internationalresponses?
Itsamysterythatheshouldbe
admiredsomuchbypeoplehe
oftendescribedinveryunfortunate
ways.TheDoctorandtheSainthas
notbeenyetbeenpublished
outsideofIndia.
InTheDoctorandtheSaintyou
mentionthatGandhidissuaded
GeorgeJosephfromintervening
intheinternalmatterofthe
HindusduringtheVaikom
Satyagraha.Hewasnotallowed
togoonahungerstrike.
Interestingtonotethecomments
ofGopalkrishnaGandhi,
Gandhisgrandsonandsonof
DevadasGandhiandLakshmi
Gandhi,whohaswritten
prolificallyonhisgrandfather:
ButinVaikomhedisfavored
Josephoranyonestarvingasa
methodofprotest.Why?The
cluetohisseemingcontradiction
overtheforegoingoffoodasa
weaponlies,Ithink,inthe
differencebetweenahunger
strikeandafastandoverthe
likelydenouementtosuch
proceedings.Ahungerstrikeisa
pressuretactic,plainandsimple,
amoraljuniortoafast.Andsuch
evenifithasstrength,itlacks
26/34
1/28/2015
stature.Whereasafastwithall
itsingredientsofatonement,self
purification,andcompletenon
violenceinthought,wordand
deed,isadifferentorderof
persuasiontoberesortedtoonly
byanadept,andthen,directed
notatAuthorityalone,but
equallyatSociety.Gandhiwasto
dissuadeKelappan,likewise,
later.(KeralaandGandhi.Indian
LiteratureJuly/August2012.)
Gandhididnothesitatetousehis
HungerStrike/Fasttothe
Death_whateveryouwanttocallit
intheYerawadaprisonasa
pressuretacticinthemostcoercive
andunfairwaypossible.Public
pressureandthefearthatthe
Untouchablecommunitywouldface
greatviolenceifhedidnotrelent
andwasheldresponsiblefor
GandhisdeathforcedAmbedkarto
signthePoonaPact.Ramsay
McDonaldscommunalawardthat
gaveDalitstherighttoformtheir
ownelectoratesomethingthat
Ambedkarhadfoughtforyearsfor
wasrescinded.Ambedkarlater
calledthefastAfoulandfilthyact.
Thisisnottheplacetogointoitin
detailaboutitbutDalitsarestill
sufferingtheeffectofthePoona
Pact.AskMayawatiaboutthat.
27/34
1/28/2015
ThePrimeMinisterwill
inauguratetheAyyankalibirth
anniversarycelebrationsinNew
DelhionSep8.Willhecomment
onyourcontroversialspeechin
Thiruvananthapuram,Iwonder.
IcantsaythatImstayingupnights
worryingaboutit..
Whyisitthatpeoplegomad
whenyoutalkabouttheDalits?I
remembertherewasthesame
kindofuproarfollowingyour
commentsontheDelhigang
rape.Youwereinvitingattention
toheinous,unknowncrimesthat
Dalitwomenaresubjectedto.
Youllhavetoaskthem!Idont
know.Butheresafact:in2012,the
yearoftheDelhigangrapefor
somereasonmostpeopleforgetto
mentionthatthegirlwasmurdered
too,asthoughthatisjustaminor
detailaccordingtotheNCRB,
morethan1500Dalitwomenwere
rapedbytouchablemen.Thisis
nottosaythattheprotestswerenot
important,theydidgiveusamore
stringentlawagainstrape.Butwe
needsomeperspectivedontwe?
HundredsofMuslimwomenwere
rapedinGujaratin2002,butwere
supposedtomoveonfromthere
28/34
1/28/2015
right?Yougetshouteddownifyou
talkaboutthat,orthemassrapeof
Kashmiriwomenbythearmyin
KunanPoshpora..
Yourconcernforthesocalled
Untouchablesisasublimeback
scoreofTheGodofSmall
Thingsaswell.
Iwouldnotcallitconcernforthe
socalledUntouchables.Well
leavethatsortofmissionary
emotiontoGandhians.TheGodof
SmallThingsis,amongother
things,aboutthesicknessofour
society.Whenitcomestocaste,it
isthesocalleduppercastes,the
Mammachis,BabyKochammas
andComradePillaiswhoweshould
beconcernedabout.Theyarethe
sickones,notVelutha.Heborethe
brunt,inaterrible,tragicway,of
theirsickness.
Beingawriter,beingsomebody
whodoesntgowiththetide,
raisingissuesthatveryfewdare
toraise,beingatthe
tempestuouscentreofhot
political,environmental
issues/controversiesHow
muchriskinessdoyouattribute
toyourlife?Arentyourdear
ones,includingyourmother,
29/34
1/28/2015
worriedaboutyoursafety?
Peopleinthiscountryarefighting
tougherbattlesandtakinggreater
risksthanIam.Acrimeis
committedagainstaDalitevery16
minutes.In2012,650Dalitswere
murderedincasteatrocities.There
arethousandsofMuslimslivingin
refugeecampsaswespeak,while
killersintheirtensofthousands
holdmahasabhasbrandishingaxes
andswordsandpromisingmore
violence.Imtalkingof
MuzzaffarnagarinUP.Peopleare
beingmurderedinKashmir,in
Manipur.Alloverthecountry
thousandsareinjail,including
closefriendsofmine.Asformy
motherworryingshesnotthat
sortofmother.Sheisabosslady.
Inthecoldhoursofblind
idolatry,youhaveboldlylita
waysidefireforthosewhoare
disappointedwithcertain
aspectsofGandhi.Whatsthe
greateroutcomeyouexpectout
ofit?Howdoyouwantthis
debatetoproducepositive
outcome?
Theoutcomecanonlybepositive.
Uncoveringacoveruporatleast
pointingtothingsthathavebeen
30/34
1/28/2015
hiddeninplainsightcanonlybea
goodthing,evenifitsalittlepainful
atfirst.Butletmemakethis
absolutelyclear:Ididnotlightthe
fire.Thecreditforthatgoesto
manymanypeople.Imjustoneof
them.
AnandGokani,greatgrandsonof
Gandhicommentedthatyou
wouldrepentandregretin
futureformakingsuchawrong
statementonGandhiji,who
believedinequality.Hereis
whathesaid:Roymadesucha
sweepingstatementtoappease
somebody.Itisheropinionon
Gandhiandshehastherightto
doit.Buteveryonewhohasread
booksonGandhiknowsthetruth
abouthim.Shemaybeawriter
andactivist,butbeyondthat,
makingsweepingstatementson
Gandhiwhoisaninternational
figureisnotgood.Thatswhy
criticismwasraisedagainsther
statementfromvarious
corners.
Shemaybeawriterandactivist
butBut,butbutbut.Ivepeered
intothecrystalbowlanddonotsee
repentanceandregretaboutthison
myhorizonLookGandhiismore
thanjustafamilyheirloom.Heis
31/34
1/28/2015
theoneofthemainbuildingblocks
ofthefoundationoftheideaof
Indiaitself.Gandhismhasbecome
anindustryitinvolvesmajor
stakes,includingmoney,realestate
andpoliticalandacademic
institutions.Critiquingitcannotbe
donecarelessly.Butthecathas
beenclawingitswayoutofthebag
forsometimeitsontheloose
now,runningthroughthealley
ways.Therewillbekittenssoon,
andkittenskittens(grandkittens).
Theywillnotgobackinthebag.
Thestorysout.Thepolicecant
help.Northeprisons.Nor
politiciansthreats.Itwillbealittle
hardforawhile,buteventually,it
willbegoodforusall.Alittle
honestyneverharmedanybodyin
thelongrun.
Source:
http://english.manoramaonline.com
/news/features/gandhiismore
thanjustafamilyheirloom
arundhatiroy.html
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Arundhati Roy - The Debate On The Gandhi Myth - Frontlines of Revolutionary Struggle

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