Author – Sunny Tawar

‘JAI BHIM’ movie was released on 2nd November 2021 which was directed by T .J. Gnanavel and the main lead role of an advocate done by the actor Suriya. The movie begins with the primitive Irula tribe in Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu, their habitats, workings, and life in the village which is related to their survival. The next part comes when there is a matter of concern between the police administration and lawyers of Madras High Court. The protest is going on and other several aspects are being done on the ground. A short fight of conversation was held between the police and lawyers. The lawyer here who leads the protest is an advocate Chandru, a former justice K.Chandru of Madras High Court. He was a student activist and turned into a full-time member of the Communist Party after becoming a lawyer. So, we can say that Chandru was a communist lawyer.

The movie is completely based on the custodial death of a tribal person and the torture they face in the police custody even though they haven’t done anything wrong. The fundamental rights and social justice also prevail in the movie at the end. But the issue with the movie is that the name ‘JAIBHIM’ was adopted for the movie from what perspective? There are generally two scenes in the movie where Dr. Ambedkar has been presented. One is the case, where Chandru is asking his fellow that “important leaders like Gandhi and Nehru are here. How come to Ambedkar alone is not here?” and the other one is when a short speech of Dr. Ambedkar regarding the abolition of Untouchability is being played along with the background music.

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Other than that you will not be able to see any other scene where Dr. Ambedkar has been shown completely and in an efficient manner. Then a question comes to mind why ‘JAIBHIM’ name has been adopted by the director for the movie? You will see a scene where Communist red flags have been shown by Chandru in the protest and other scenes where social activists who are related to Communist Party are meeting the administration and doing several protests in the tribal village as well.

Now, let me take you towards Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Writings and Speeches, Vol. 03, Chapter-18-‘Buddha or Karl Marx’, Page No. 461-462. Dr. Ambedkar clearly rejects the theory of communism for a nation and suggested adopting the path of Buddha because Buddha’s path does have ‘Fraternity, Liberty and Equality as compared to the communist one which can’t give all.

“The Russians are proud of their Communism. But they forget that the wonder of all wonders is that the Buddha established Communism so far as the Sangh was concerned without dictatorship. It may be that it was communism on a very small scale but it was communism without dictatorship a miracle which Lenin failed to do. The Buddha’s method was different. His method was to change the mind of man: to alter his disposition: so that whatever man does, he does it voluntarily without the use of force or compulsion. His main means to alter the disposition of men was his Dhamma and the constant preaching of his Dhamma. The Buddha’s way was not to force people to do what they did not like to do although it was good for them. His way was to alter the disposition of men so that they would do voluntarily what they would not otherwise to do. It has been claimed that the Communist Dictatorship in Russia has wonderful achievements to its credit. There can be no denial of it. That is why I say that a Russian Dictatorship would be good for all backward countries. But this is no argument for permanent Dictatorship. Humanity does not only want economic values, it also wants spiritual values to be retained. Permanent Dictatorship has paid no attention to spiritual values and does not seem to intend to. Carlyle called Political Economy a Pig Philosophy. Carlyle was of course wrong. For man needs material comforts. But the Communist Philosophy seems to be equally wrong for the aim of their philosophy seems to be fatten pigs as though men are no better than pigs. Man must grow materially as well as spiritually. Society has been aiming to lay a new foundation was summarised by the French Revolution in three words, Fraternity, Liberty, and Equality. The French Revolution was welcomed because of this slogan. It failed to produce equality. We welcome the Russian Revolution because it aims to produce equality. But it cannot be too much emphasized that in producing equality society cannot afford to sacrifice fraternity or liberty. Equality will be of no value without fraternity or liberty. It seems that the three can coexist only if one follows the way of the Buddha. Communism can give one but not all.”

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Another scene in the movie where the portraits ‘Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Periyar E Ramasamy, and Karl Marx’ are being shown together on the wall. It creates a contradiction in the thoughts as well. This is the only scene where Dr. Ambedkar has been shown for just 2 seconds. Other than that you will not be able to see Dr. Ambedkar in the whole movie. So, what’s the point of using ‘JAIBHIM’ as the name of the movie? Where are the idols of Dr. Ambedkar? Where is Mahatma Jyotibha Phule? Where is Saint Kabir? Where is Mata Ramabai? Where is Savitribai Phule? The fact is that the influence might have been created in the audience so that more people may watch the movie, especially from North India as well. As JAIBHIM is the word that gives us more pride, self-respect, dignity, and a way of life as well. In my words, it is generally an appropriation of Communist thoughts by through the name ‘JAIBHIM’ which has nothing to do with Dr. Ambedkar’s writings and speeches.

At last, it is the story of a communist lawyer who fought for the fundamental rights of tribals and gives them justice through the judicial processes. That’s it.

We can’t be an ‘Ambedkarite’ and ‘Communist’ simultaneously.

About Author –  Assistant Professor, Member (SC/ST Cell) Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology
Central University of Haryana