By Asma Khan for TwoCircles.net
Sholapur: “My brothers, you should understand, Muslims of this land have not snatched away any rights from you. It is the high caste people which have tortured and exploited the Bahujan samaj [Dalits] since last 5000 years.” Mr.Praveen Gaikwad , the state president of Sambhaji Brigade was speaking In a seminar series, in Sholapur, the industrial town of the western state of Maharashtra.
He helped elaborate many current issues in a new and refreshing perspective. This seminar series has been organized by more than twenty local institutions of Sholapur, which include ,Maratha Seva Sangh ,Jamat e Islami Hind, Samata Parishad, BAMCEF, Sambhaji Brigade ,Budh Seva Sangh ,MPJ,Phule Shahu Ambedkar Vichar Manch, Iqra Foundation and Chattrapti Shivaji Foundation, to name a few, who have come under the umbrella name of Samvichar Sabha.
This seminar series began on 28 November, on the day Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Smruti Divas and will continue till 6 of December, the Mahanirvan Divas of Baba Saheb Ambedkar the organizers at Samvichar Sabha , Solapur, stated. Mr. Praveen Gaikwad spoke about how the movement started by Mahatma Jyotiba Phule has been distorted and is perceived today as an entity which only works against the Brahmins. He said, there is a strong need to understand the real game played by a few communal forces which pose a danger to society’s peace and harmony.
He called upon people to understand this game of divide and rule and stressed the need for unity among the minority community and the Bahujans. He elaborated on how history books only talk about Shaista Khan ‘s cut fingers and Afzal Khan ,when it comes to describing Shivaji Maharaj’s Maratha rule of Maharashtra; this he added was done to give an impression that Muslims bad. He reminded his audience that Bahujans/Dalits were used as pawns by the communal forces to get right their own selfish agenda. He also talked about how persecution of the marginalized should stop. In the second lecture of the series .Ms.Dr.Pratima Pardeshi, from Pune, spoke at length about the distortion of various Indian legends and how every year 25 December is celebrated by them as Manu Smruti Dahan Divas which also serves as women’s freedom day for them. She raised questions about the validity of many rituals performed by the masses in the name of religion and appreciated how women of this country have preserved the legend of Bali Raja , closer to their hearts, despite efforts to malign his name by what she calls the high caste historians . Significantly she also put forward the thought that harassment of Muslims must be stopped in the name of terrorism and how the Bahujans must help in the cause . Her statement was received with huge applause.
The unity among all the marginalized sections of the Indian society, both the speakers stressed, would help make India the super power soon. In both the lectures there was frequent mention of Bhandarkar museum incident that took place a few years ago, in Pune. Interestingly, the Marathi newspapers of today did not carry some important observations made by the two speakers.
As the lone Muslim woman among the audience, I came out of the auditorium, with moist eyes and a big hope, that peace and harmony can be brought about if we the Indian masses join hands together for the cause of justice for a peaceful and prosperous India.