Ghazipur Mein Christopher Caudwell, written by senior journalist and commentator Urmilesh, has been in the news. The book, in which Urmilesh has shared his reminiscences, is notable for its eminently readable comments on contemporary issues, ranging from how Dalitbahujans are treated in the institutions of higher learning to the two-faced literary world. He puts the leftists in the dock and raises pointed questions on the socialists. In an interview with Nawal Kishore Kumar, Hindi Editor, Forward Press, Urmilesh talks about the book and more. Excerpts:
You say in your book that even institutions like the JNU are not free from casteist discrimination and that you too were its victim. At the time, did the political parties and backward caste or Dalit leaders intervene in such situations?
I remember no such instance. As far as I can remember, they did speak up if any student or group of students from South India faced any injustice or were wronged. Once in a while, some Dalit leaders also intervened. But I cannot recall any intervention on the part of the OBC leaders. When I was a student, the recommendations of the Mandal Commission were yet to be implemented.
