Social Engineers

 

 

Charan Singh

Udit Raj on how the peasant leader changed politics in the Hindi heartland

Ch. Charan Singh can definitely be termed as a man who engineered change in Indian politics. There is no doubt that Charan Singh was a man of principles and wanted to break the caste barrier in Indian polity. As a chief minister, he abolished the tradition of using surnames. Nevertheless, as he matured, the bitter realities of Indian politics confronted him. It was then that he shed his mask and showed his true colours. He was the man who was the initiator of caste-based politics. It went to the extent that in an election meeting, he swore his lineage to garner votes.

When the name of Babu Jagjivan Ram was being considered for the post of the Prime Minister, it was Charan Singh who shot down the idea, in the process, laying bare his contempt for Dalits. Therefore, one can conclude that though Charan Singh entered politics to break the web of caste, he got entangled in one. Nevertheless, his contribution to Indian politics is unparalleled. His efforts towards the emancipation of the agrarian class and consolidation of land-holdings are worth appreciating. Apart from that, he is also remembered for his role in creating awareness and empowerment amongst the backward class. On the other hand, it is also true that the same approach made him reactionary.

DID YOU KNOW?

He is the man responsible for the rise of peasant power in India’s electoral politics. A Jat leader from Western U.P, Charan Singh transcended his caste identity to forge a coalition of peasants and lower castes that challenged and eventually defeated the monolithic Congress. History will be less kind to him for the manner in which he became the Prime Minister of India with support from the Congress after the Janata Party split and collapsed in 1979.

Udit Raj is a Dalit leader and activist Bhagat Singh

Abani Roy

Bhagat Singh, arguably, has been one of the greatest revolutionaries that India has ever produced. Born in 1907, he came in touch with the Socialist movement during his stint at the National College, Lahore and was introduced to the idea of revolution that Lenin had advocated. Bhagat Singh, despite his tender age, understood that there can be no evil greater than imperialism. It can only be uprooted with the help of an inclusive revolution waged by workers and farmers. His ideological differences with Gandhi ji are blown out of proportion, with most being unaware that Bhagat Singh actively participated in most of the early struggles of the Mahatma. The best example is Non Cooperation Movement. We find his views in opposition to that of Gandhi ji in terms of mass mobilization only in the latter phase of his life. Difference of opinion did not effect the respect Bhagat Singh had for him. Another aspect of the life of Bhagat Singh is his endeavour towards the introduction of socialism in India. He and his comrades were deeply influenced by the Russian Revolution and was of the view that the same model can be applied in India.

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Why does a revolutionary who was hanged by the British for ‘terrorist’ activities find a place in the list of ‘social engineers’? Folklore and mainstream media have focused so much on the hero Bhagat Singh the hero that they often forget he was a deep thinker and reader, who had devoured Marxist tracts in search of answers. He was concerned not just about freedom for India, but also empowerment of oppressed castes and classes.

Abani Roy is a communist leader M.G. Ramachandran

Gnani Sankaran

Maruthur Gopalamenon Ramachandran (MGR) (1917-1987) was an unusual politician. Through the sixties and mid-seventies, he was content to be kingmaker. When Karunanidhi, whom he made chief minister, provoked him by propping up his eldest son M.K.Muthu as a rival in filmdom, MGR joined politics, ousted Karunanidhi and was Tamil Nadu CM from 1977-87. His regime was symbolised by contradictions. Arrack barons funded his politics and he introduced the now nationally prevalent midday meal scheme. He was aware of the immense popularity he enjoyed with the masses, who hoped that he would be their saviour, unlike rhetoric spewing Karunanidhi. Thus, the power that he derived from the people, made him indifferent to democratic norms. He symbolized the anti-corruption anger of the people, while allegedly being corrupt.

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What Periyar started was eventually completed by the movie icon M. G. Ramachandran- the unstoppable rise of the backward castes. Once a close confidant of the current Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, the popular star eventually rebelled against Karunanidhi. His erstwhile companion Jayalalitha still manages to generate controversy in Tamil Nadu.

Gnani is a popular columnist J P Narayan

Chandrashekhar

He was always surrounded in controversy, because of his out of the box solutions. I can vouch for his incomparable foresight. When he proposed that the Naga imbroglio could be solved with talks, he was dubbed a traitor. Later, the government adopted the same measures for a solution. He was the first to demand freedom for Sheikh Abdullah and was again called a traitor. The Congress not only released Abdullah, but also anointed him the Chief Minister of J&K. On Emergency being termed ‘festival of discipline’, he left the Sarvodaya movement and proclaimed total revolution against Indira Gandhi. During this movement he exhorted the military and police to disobey unconstitutional orders, which was misinterpreted. This prompted Indira to proclaim Emergency on June 25, 1975 and that is why Jai Prakash ji was incarcerated. He merely wanted the government to operate within the limits of the law of the land. His statements were misinterpreted and he was always mired in needless controversies.

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He is the man who challenged the might of Indira Gandhi and even brought about her downfall. Some historians blame him also for the events leading to the Emergency.

Chandrasekhar is a former Prime Minister B.R.Ambedkar

Vasant Sathe on the greatest Dalit leader and ideologue of the 20th century.

Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar was a brilliant mind, who was one of the finest brains amongst the leaders of his generation. The fact that he came from a humble and deprived background makes his achievements even more commendable. If you closely look at some of his observations and recommendations that he made while the constitution was being framed, you will notice that he was ahead of his times. Unlike some of his contemporaries, whose exposure to foreign cultures was confined to Britain, Babasaheb Ambedkar had conducted a deep study of the then US system of governance, which is quite different from the Parliamentary system of government followed in Britain. This is precisely why he was in the favour of Presidential form of government. He was of the view that the Presidential system of governance was more inclusive and thus, fit for India. Unfortunately, the framers of the Indian Constitution did not take the far sighted suggestions of Ambedkar seriously and decided in favour of the Parliamentary system for India. The same pragmatism and far sighted vision can be observed in his views regarding the caste system in India. He was of the opinion that ‘Caste’ is a reality and we can not ignore that, like some leaders tried to do so, due to romantic idealism. Therefore, he felt quite strongly that persons belonging to Dalit community, irrespective of his or her religion, should be given the benefit of reservations. In his view, a Dalit was a Dalit, even if he converts to any other religion namely Islam, Christianity or Buddhism. Many years after independence, we can still see that Ambedkar was right on this particular issue. The evil of caste discrimination has infested every religion, although the intensity may vary. It is sad that politicians with vested interests have ignored his observations.

DID YOU KNOW?

Easily the most legendary and tallest Dalit leader of India, Ambedkar was one of the finest brains in modern India. A lawyer, Ambedkar is also considered to be the father of the Indian Constitution. Ambedkar had many run ins with Mahatma Gandhi, even though Gandhi was too patronizing towards ‘Harijans’. Ambedkar was a Minister in independent India’s first Cabinet, resigning subsequently and launched a public campaign for Dalit rights. He converted to Buddhism towards the end of his life.

Vasant Sathe is a senior Congress leader Dattopant Thengadi

Govindacharya

Thengadiji was a man of principles. His uncompromising stand on ideology and issues might have upset some quarters, but he was least perturbed. He was an organizer par excellence, who made Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh the largest trade union in the country.

In 1980, when BJP was founded with the ideology of Gandhian Socialism, Dattopantji was asked by the Sangh to lead the party, but he put forth two conditions: finality of decision should rest with me and I will lead the party for the next 10 years. Nobody agreed. He founded Swadeshi Jagran Manch in 1991 and made it as powerful as the BMS.

In 1998, when the BJP formed the union government, he issued a warning stating that two things can destroy even the strongest of organizations: the cadre becoming comfort loving and the leaders status conscious. Only a person of his integrity could have labeled the then Finance Minister (Arth Mantri) Yashwant Sinha in 1999 as Anarth Mantri (spoiler) and Vajpayee the worst Prime Minister India has ever had, for allowing foreign direct investment in the insurance sector. He said, “it is better to be right and irresponsible, than being wrong and responsible.”

DID YOU KNOW?

Dattopant Thengadi was a labour leader, who fought for rights of workers in India. He also championed the cause of Hindutva. Thengadi frequented courted controversy by attacking liberal economic policies.

Govindacharya is an RSS ideologue Datta Samant

Dada Samant

A popular MBBS doctor with a roaring practice, turned a full time trade union leader, Dr Samant never supported any political party. At one time, Dr. Samant was the uncrowned king of workers of the biggest industrial belt around the city of Mumbai. The media tycoon Ramnath Goenka of the Express group despised his style of leading workers. Goenka had threatened to close down all operations in Mumbai including leading brands like Indian Express and Loksatta when Samant tried to form a union at the Express. Samant was much feared by owners, but revered by the workers . He lead thousands of workers in numerous strikes and agitations, but the legendary textile mill strike that made Dr Datta Samant feature in the Guinness Book of World Records. The strike that started in 1982, was in reality never withdrawn or called off. The textile workers continued to be on strike until the mills became extinct from Mumbai. Books have been written on it. In the initial stage, nearly 2.5 lakh workers participated in it. The then Prime Minister, late Mrs Indira Gandhi, tried to intervene without success. Dr Samant fought parliamentary elections in 1985 from Central Mumbai and won.

Dr Samant’s struggle was sadly ended in bullets that were pumped by gangsters of Chhota Rajan. He was killed outside his Powai residence in the wee hours of 16th Jan. 1997 .That ended 65 years of union activities of the most fire brand leader that industry witnessed in India.

DID YOU KNOW?

Easily the most controversial labour leader of independent India, Datta Samant will always be associated with the notorious textile strike of the 1980s, that marked the death of the textile industry in Mumbai. Datta Samant became a feared union leader in Mumbai and often frightened managements by merely announcing his intention to form a union. Accused of abandoning his textile workers, Samant was gunned down in the 1990s.

Dada Samant is the brother of Datta Samant Phoolan Devi

Seema Parihar

Who made Phoolan Devi the bandit Phoolan Devi? It was the atrocities of society which compelled her to pick up the gun. To kill somebody is wrong, but whatever she did was under the compulsion of the circumstances. Which woman would like to choose to live in the forest? However innocent one maybe, but once one reaches the jungle (amongst the dacoits), one is bound to become like them. I have spent 18 years with the bandits, so I can empathise with the pain of Phoolan. If you really want to know about her, then instead of ravines, you need to go to the villages of Mirzapur and Badohi. In the recently held bye-elections, I was a contestant. During the election campaign, I got a chance to meet the people here. Even today, not only the youngsters and elderly remember her, but they praise her for all the work done during her tenure. Though she was a ferocious bandit, she reposed true faith in democracy and endeavoured to prove that change is possible not by the ‘bullet’, but by the ‘ballot’.

DID YOU KNOW?

Phoolan Devi shot into notoriety in the early 1980s for massacring about 20 Rajput men in a village in Uttar Pradesh; men who had allegedly tortured and gang raped her. Phoolan Devi even won a seat to the Lok Sabha. She was shot dead in New Delhi.

Seema Parihar is a former dacoit EMS Namboodaripad

MGS Narayanan

EMS never parted from his medieval tradition and incorporated it in his style of functioning. For example, he refused to part with his caste name Namboodiripad. He never threw himself into the thick of any violent agitation, though he instigated many and justified many others. His place was always in the party office, leading the struggle through instructions and advice, carefully avoiding confrontation with the police. His daughter was safely educated outside Kerala, while his party paralysed educational institutions through strikes. His sons and daughters got married in the traditional Namboodiri fashion. He cleverly encashed his share of the family property in anticipation of land reforms. He spent or invested a substantial part, and ‘donated’ some for purchase of a press for the party.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Chief Minister of the first democratically elected communist government of the world, EMS launched a series of then revolutionary land reform programmes in 1957.

MGS Narayanan is a noted historian