While questions are being asked about the policies and principles of the world’s greatest icons, the relevance of Babasaheb is growing by the day. The Bahujan youth of the country are keen to tread the path shown by Babasaheb. This has found expression not only individually but also collectively.
In Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad district, adjoining the national capital Delhi, Ambedkarite youth have started a new tradition of celebrating birthdays collectively. Every week, a function is held to celebrate the birthdays of friends that fell in the week. They have also decided to gift copies of Jati Ka Vinash, a Hindi translation of Babasaheb’s classic Annihilation of Caste and the Hindi translation of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels’ Communist Manifesto to the birthday boys. Jati Ka Vinash has been published by Forward Press Books.
Jati Ka Vinash, a must-read for freeing society of hypocrisy
Nanhelal, who recently celebrated his birthday along with his friends at Ambedkar Park in Navyug Market, Ghaziabad, said that Babasaheb had issued a call to educate, organize and agitate. Gaurav Pradhan, Gajendra, Prasenjit, Umesh, Anil and Mohit were among the other birthday boys. We are educated and now we are getting organized to wage a battle for our social, political and economic rights.
Nanhelal said that the varna system of Hindu religion was the biggest impediment in building a better society. The caste hierarchy is based on the Varna system. He said that the Bahujans would not get their rights until the caste system is annihilated.
Click here to buy Jati Ka Vinash online
Why did they choose the translation of Annihilation of Caste published by Forward Press Books? “It is easy to understand and includes all references needed to understand the beliefs and thoughts of Babasaheb,” Nanhelal said. “That is why, we have decided to gift the book to our friends on their birthdays.” He said that they are a group of around 250 youths who keep in touch with each other through social media. Till now, he said, they used to hold functions to mark occasions associated with their heroes. But now they have decided to hold collective celebrations of their birthdays.
Gajendra said they have started gifting Jati Ka Vinash and Communist Manifesto to their friends to help them understand Indian society in its entirety and equip them with the art and science of changing it. At the end of each of these birthday functions, they take an oath to break the chains of caste. “Tod do, tod do jati ki bediyan tod do, vakt ab maang raha bharpoor zor”, is their slogan.
Forward Press also publishes books on Bahujan issues. Forward Press Books sheds light on the widespread problems as well as the finer aspects of Bahujan (Dalit, OBC, Adivasi, Nomadic, Pasmanda) society, culture, literature and politics. Contact us for a list of FP Books’ titles and to order. Mobile: +917827427311, Email: info@forwardmagazine.in)
The titles from Forward Press Books are also available on Kindle and these e-books cost less than their print versions. Browse and buy:
The Case for Bahujan Literature
Dalit Panthers: An Authoritative History
