Buffalo Nationalism: A Critique of Spiritual Fascism PDF
Preview Buffalo Nationalism: A Critique of Spiritual Fascism
Buffalo Nationalism Kancha Ilaiah Also by the author WHY I AM NOT A HINDU: A Sudra Critique of Hindutva Philosophy, Culture and Political Economy GOD AS POLITICAL PHILOSOPHER: Buddha’s Challenge to Brahminism BUFFALO NATIONALISM A Critique of Spiritual Fascism KANCHA ILAIAH BUFFALO NATIONALISM: A Critique of Spiritual Fascism was first published in January 2004 by SAMYA, an imprint of Bhatkal and Sen 16 Southern Avenue, Kolkata 700 026 © 2004 Samya ISBN 81-85604-69-X All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the publisher. Distributed by Popular Prakashan Pvt Ltd. Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata Typesetting and design by Compuset International 85 Park St, Kolkata 700 016 and printed by Webimpressions (India) Pvt Ltd 34/2 Beadon St, Kolkata 700 006 Published by Mandira Sen for SAMYA, An imprint of Bhatkal and Sen, 16 Southern Avenue, Kolkata 700 026 To all those who have suffered apartheid, untouchability, casteism, patriarchy and brutal atrocities because of spiritual fascism. To all those who fought, wrote and dedicated themselves for their liberation. Liberation in this world is more important than salvation in heaven. Contents Cover Also by the author Title Page Copyright Dedication Acknowledgements Introduction PART 1 On Communal Violence 1 Ayodhya: What Stake Do OBCs Have? 2 Consequences of the Call for Epic War 3 Dalit, OBC and Muslim Relations 4 The Rise of Modi PART 2 On Clash of Civilizations 5 A Case of Slipping Morality 6 A Lesson to Be Learnt 7 The Invisible Country 8 Heroes Who Made the World Rock and Roll PART 3 On Social Justice 9 A Paradigm Shift 10 Attacks on Ambedkar 11 The Bard Whose Song Is His Weapon 12 Countering the Counter-Revolution 13 Hindutva and the War-Loving Self 14 Spiritual Fascism and Civil Society 15 Freedom Unattained PART 4 On Caste 16 The Buffalo’s Unholy Milk 17 Durban, Caste and Indian Democracy 18 Secularism: The Predicament of OBCs 19 Caste and Women’s Sexuality 20 Caste Shadows in London 21 Caste in a New Mould PART 5 On the Right to Religion 22 Hinduism and the Right to Religion 23 Reject the Oppressor 24 Religion and Democracy 25 Spiritual Democracy 26 Where Should the Reform Begin? PART 6 On Electoral Politics 27 Sonia, Swadeshi and Videshi 28 The End of Dalit Ideology? 29 Major Priorities PART 7 On Culture 30 Cow and Culture 31 Cows, Buffaloes and Nationalism 32 Hinduism and Capitalist Ethics 33 The Buddha Smiles in Afghanistan PART 8 On Globalization 34 Cultural Globalization 35 Dalits and Globalization 36 Death Wish? PART 9 On Education 37 A Lesson from African English 38 Caste, Clinton and the IT Revolution 39 Through Books, Ships and Sea 40 Blacks, Science and National Pride 41 Education and the Dignity of Labour 42 Reservations: Experience as Framework of Debate Index Back Cover Acknowledgements My thanks are due to many institutions, organizations and individuals, who have helped and encouraged me in the course of writing these articles for many newspapers and journals in India. But for the willingness of many editors who allowed me to write, that too in a manner that I wanted to write, which often went against their papers’ policy, many of these pieces would not have been written at all. Of course, such writing was/is being allowed or asked for because there is a new readership that has emerged from the social womb of DalitBahujans that wants to see its own image in contemporary media. A writer’s role in a social movement is to reflect its newly made up face and see whether it changes the market value of the mirror itself. But for the positive encouragement of socially sensitive editors like Malini Parthasarathy of The Hindu, A. T. Jayanti of the Deccan Chronicle and my journalist friends like R. Akhileswari, the editor K. N. Shantha Kumar and associate editor A. V. Namboodiri, all of the Deccan Herald—perhaps the only OBC-controlled English newspaper—I would not have written these articles. 1 thank them for their support. The late Krishna Raj, editor of the Economic and Political Weekly encouraged my contributions. I deeply regret his untimely death. Sumit Chakravartty of Mainstream also published my writings. I have indeed been fortunate in my association with both these distinguished journals. The journey of my writing continues. Sometimes some papers close their doors while other new ones open theirs. These encounters of pain and pleasure within the world of the media are part of a writer’s life. When a writer challenges the world of the press owner’s caste and class, these problems increase. Rejection of articles, abusive attacks from the anti-Dalit-Bahujan readers follow. If a newspaper publishes my article, I enjoy seeing and reading it like a child enjoys playing with a doll that its own hands have made. I have also received irrevocable rejections. Each has made me stronger rather than weaker. I am thankful to those editorial staff who edited my articles in these newspapers and journals as they improved their readability. I also thank those who rejected my articles as this strengthened my nerve. After my book Why I am Not a Hindu: A Sudra Critique of Hindutva Philosophy, Culture and Political Economy was published in 1996 (Samya),
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