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Jayantibhai Manani: A full-time pracharak of anti-brahmanism

He was always on the move, meeting people from across the political spectrum – BJP, RSS, Congress, BSP and so on – and trying to forge a unity between OBCs, SCs, STs and minorities. He was magnanimous, and while he made it a point to share his thoughts, he wanted to understand other points of view too – even if they were diametrically opposite to his. Arjun Patel remembers his friend and colleague

Arjun Patel September 13, 2018
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On hearing about the sudden demise of Jayantibhai Manani, I was rendered voiceless. Devendranath Patel and I remained in my cabin for hours, remembering the great qualities he espoused and putting off the difficult task that awaited us – of informing his wellwishers that he was no more.

The beginning of a formidable association

Personally, I lost one of my dearest friends and my ideological guide. I first met him in a function organized by BAMCEF in Gujarat in the 1990s. BAMCEF had become active among the SC/STs, OBCs and Minorities. Those days, the Mandal Commission was the hot topic.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE: Jayantibhai Manani: A full-time pracharak of anti-brahmanism

 

About The Author

Arjun Patel

Arjun Patel retired as professor at the Centre for Social Studies, Surat. Apart from being an academic, he is also a social activist. He has been active in the Bahujan Movement since the 1990s and was the editor of ‘Bahujan Navjagruti’. He has published many books and booklets in Gujarati. Prominent among them are ‘Social Movement in India: From Charvak to Kanshi Ram’, ‘Dalit Exodus in Gujarat’, ‘Reservation: Arguments, Counter Arguments and Conspiracies’, ‘Dalit Identity: Origin, Formulation and Development’, ‘Caste in Changing Society: A Study of Koli Community’, ‘Kanshi Ram’s Politics of Transformation of the Social System’, ‘On the Election Result’, ‘On the Indian Constitution’, ‘Politics of Communal Riots’, ‘On the Creamy Layer’, ‘On Social Justice’, ‘On Women’s Reservation’, and ‘Bahujan Movement: Problems & Challenges’. He has also published hundreds of articles in Gujarati Phule-Ambedkarite journals. Prof Patel is a recipient of the Bahujan Nayak Manyawar Kanshi Ram Samman.

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