BJP/RSS led government in Uttar Pradesh passed an order that from now onward Dr Ambedkar’s name in official documents would insert “Ramji”. It is nothing new but BJP/RSS is working on the same ideology of appropriating Dr Ambedkar to show him Brahmin leader.

Ambedkar’s full name Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar does include “Ramji”, which is his father’s name. It’s a tradition in Maharashtra to add father’s name but it is not a necessity or compulsory.

Further, sanghis propagate day and night that ‘oh Ambedkar surname was given by a Brahmin teacher’ as if Brahmin teacher hadn’t changed the surname of Dr Ambedkar wouldn’t have achieved greatness! Another thing, was Brahmin teacher selected under Vyapam merit that he couldn’t write Ambavadekar, the original surname?

Also, as Behan Mayawati pointed out commenting on the Yogi government’s decision, why doesn’t PM Modi’s, Nehru’s or Gandhi’s full name used? BJP is just playing politics on the name of Dr Ambedkar. After making SC/ST Act weak and ending reservation for SC/ST/OBCs, RSS/BJP government is diverting people’s attention with naming and renaming Dalit ideals. It’s just a political gimmick, planning for Dalit votes.

Would adding “Ramji” in the name of Dr Ambedkar bring any change in the lives of Dalits in Uttar Pradesh? Linking Dr Ambedkar’s name with king Ram is an attempt to appropriate but foolishness when Dr Ambedkar had rejected Brahminism/Hinduism from very young age.

There was revolt inside Dr Ambedkar from the young age. When Dr Ambedkar’s father asked young Ambedkar to read Mahabharata and Ramayana, reply clearly shows Dr Ambedkar’s dislike to the Brahminical characters and books, which recounted the greatness of the Brahmins and the Kshatriyas and repeated the stories of the degradation of the Shudras and the Untouchables,

“I do not like Bhishma and Drona, nor Krishna. Bhishma and Drona were hypocrites. They said one thing and did quite the opposite. Krishna believed in fraud. His life is nothing but a series of frauds. Equal dislike I have for Rama. Examine his conduct in the Sarupnakha [=Shurpanakha] episode [and]  in the Vali Sugriva episode, and his beastly behaviour towards Sita.” – Dr Ambedkar [From – Unpublished Preface to The Buddha and His Dhamma, 6th April 1956]

BJP can play petty politics of naming and renaming but Dalits and minority communities have rejected them as we have seen in Gorakhpur and Phulpur bye-elections. The UP government, under the Hindu nationalist Adityanath, is known for its hatred of minorities and Dalits. We will not forget how BJP/RSS government killed many Dalits and Muslims in fake encounters.

[irp]