Malcolm X once said “The white liberal differs from white conservative only in one way: the liberal is more deceitful than conservative. Both want power, but the white liberal is the one who has perfected the art of posing as the Negro’s friend and benefactor.”

In my opinion, it is perfectly apt for describing the Indian liberal class. The only thing you will have to do is to replace ‘white’ with Savarnas and ‘Negro’ with Dalit Bahujans. 

On 15th April, yesterday, just a day ahead of Ambedkar Jayanti ‘The Print’ digital news organisation posted a video RSS idealogue explaining, under the name of the video  ‘Ambedkar’s links with RSS and how their ideologies were similar‘. The video is full of lies and lies and lies. No single reference is given about the ‘facts’ he was explaining. The sole motto of this video is to appropriate Ambedkar, use his image as Hindu Nationalist for their Hindutva agenda. It is to neutralize the radical ideas of Ambedkar.

Read also – Did Dr Ambedkar Really Visit RSS Camp, Pune? Fake Quote Alert!

I see this video as a direct intellectual attack on the very idea of Ambedkar. It is an attempt to defame and deconstruct Ambedkar. Ambedkar, the man who kicked the Hindu religion because it teaches inequality and hatred in its core. Ambedkar who believed and worked all his life for establishing the society which is based on the morals of liberty, equality and fraternity. Ambedkar who embraced the teachings of greatest social reformer in history, the Buddha and became Buddhist. The Ambedkar who said, “The history of India is nothing but a history of the mortal conflict between Buddhism and Brahmanism”. 

The RSS, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the Hindu extremist right-wing militant organisation that never took part in the Indian freedom struggle. The organisation based on the idea of Bramhanwaadi caste supremacy. The organisation that allegedly had a major role in the assassination of M K Gandhi. The organisation that inspires and praises Adolf Hitler for his inhuman treatment towards Jews. The organisation that identifies Indian Muslims, Christians and Communists as their enemies. And now they are trying to appropriate Ambedkar and project him as RSS well-wisher, really? Are you serious? The very fact that these hate-mongers taking Ambedkar’s name for their propaganda is offensive to me.

What worries more me about this propaganda video is this video is uploaded by ‘The Print‘ digital platform which projects itself as liberal. Which talks about code of ethics in their journalism as “committed to journalism that involves a responsible, honest, objective and fair pursuit of facts, without any partisan and political affiliation or allegiance to special interest groups.” I’m okay with liberal organizations providing their spaces for extremist militant Hindu organization to express its opinion. But it is unacceptable to me to see self-proclaimed liberal organization providing its space for spreading lies and propaganda without doing simple fact-checking and not following the first rule of journalism.

Read also – Remembering Babasaheb Ambedkar On His Birth Anniversary

Now let’s talk little about Indian intellectual class. Gian Tu Trung writes in World Economic Forum “As I see it, intellectuals are those who have diverse wisdom and foresight, who apply their intellect and forward-looking visions for the purpose of awakening society. They help to divert the masses from what is unwise and wrong toward what is righteous and the good. No wonder, then, that Vietnamese word for intellectual, “trí thức”, is a combination of “mind” and “awaken”.” 

Now when I’m talking about Indian intellectual class here, I’m primarily talking about the ‘mainstream’, upper-caste/class intellectuals. Because the society we live in today does not appreciate or recognise people from marginalized sections, so-called Dalits, Bahujans, even marginalized women as intellectuals. 

We have seen Ramchandra Guha (historian and a biographer of M K Gandhi) writing articles about comparing Gandhi with Ambedkar. Gandhi who always stood in the way of ‘untouchables’ from getting their fundamental rights. Gandhi who is the man, I believe, who have done injustice to the ‘untouchables’ more than anyone in the history of India. And this Ram Guha will compare a man who was a firm supporter of the caste system to a man who worked hard all his life to annihilate this inhuman oppression system as we call it the caste system. 

Sagarika Ghose (Journalist, author, columnist) will write a book ‘Why I am liberal’ and will praise RSS for its ‘humanitarian work’.

Nidhi Razdan (Anchor, Journalist at NDTV) will invite RSS spokesperson to maintain balance while discussing on the caste system, to listen to the arguments in favour of caste system. 

We have seen Shashi Tharoor (Congress party MP) illustrating the difference between Hindutva and Hinduism. Now, who will go and tell this hypocrite that there is no difference between Hindutva and Hinduism? The Hindu religion which takes its teachings from Vedas, Shastras and Upanishads are the real source of inequality in this society and in Hindu religion. This religious texts are full of immoral principles and teach nothing but hate and inequality. Teaches human gradation system which is based on one’s birth. Now, will you call these people intellectuals?

We live in a society where so-called intellectual class have no morals left in them. They are interested in nothing but profits and selfish career goals. These upper caste intellectuals are morally corrupt people. Most of them don’t deserve to be in their position where they are today. I believe it is sheer caste privilege and little knowledge of the English language, is the reason they are where they are today. I believe society should realise the moral degradation of these so-called liberals, so-called intellectuals. The society should start collectively discarding such ‘intellectuals’ and their opinions should be thrown out in gutter as soon as possible. The society needs to identify the real intellectuals with progressive thought and will inspire us to the righteous and the good. Then only this society have a chance to improve itself and prevent itself from getting moral degradation. 

Read also – UK Rights Organisations Condemn the Imminent Arrest of Prof Dr Anand Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha

The only solution I can think about it now is to show these ‘liberals’ their right place, by exposing their hypocrisy and discarding them. Boycotting them on every forum and on every platform possible. Stop asking them for their platform to publish our work or to raise our voice. Refusing to use their platform. Supporting our own Ambedkarite, Bahujan platforms. Engaging with our intellectuals and their thoughts. Financially supporting them with whatever we can afford. That’s how I see this.

In the end, I want to appeal to ‘The Print’ to the editor Shekhar Gupta to take down that misleading and defaming video about Ambedkar. I want to appeal all Ambedkarites and Bahujans to identify these Bramhanwadi media outlets, Bramhanwaadi people and their agendas. Support Ambedkarite Platforms like Velivada and The Round Table India. Follow them, read them and most importantly READ AMBEDKAR.

Author -Prashant Bhaware
16 April 2020