e n

Jotirao Phule fought Brahmanism on the ground all his life

It is difficult to think of another person who fought so hard and so consistently against Brahmanism for the sake of the dignity and the rights of the Shudras, Atishudras and women. Even today, when the inequality spawned by capitalism and globalization has made life so difficult for the poor, the Dalits and the Adivasis, Phule’s convictions continue to guide the Indian Dalit and feminist movements, writes Sujata Parmita

Special on the birth anniversary of Jotirao Phule (11 April 1827 – 29 November 1890)

Mahatma Phule, the great fighter for social justice in the British era, has pride of place among Indian social revolutionaries. It was due to his struggle against the atrocities perpetrated on the Shudras, Atishudras and women that after thousands of years, the condition of these sections improved and the British government promulgated new laws for their betterment. Jotirao realized that the caste system was the scourge of Indian society and that Brahmanism was at its root. Phule relentlessly struck at this root of the problem. Consequently, his name figures prominently in the history of the movement for societal transformation. Dr Ambedkar considered Phule his guru and made Phule’s social philosophy the foundation of his movement. 

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE: Jotirao Phule fought Brahmanism on the ground all his life

About The Author

Sujata Parmita

Sujata Parmita (20 March 1955 - 6 June 2021) was a well-known feminist thinker and an Ambedkarite critic. She was a graduate of the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune

Related Articles

Jagdeo Prasad wanted to forge a national confederation representing the exploited classes
‘DMK has been formed in Madras, Shoshit Dal in Bihar and Rashtriya Shoshit Sangh in Uttar Pradesh to secure freedom from the upper-caste imperialists....
Prof Vikram Harijan: I learnt early in life what it means to be a Chamar
‘I was born under the shadow of a caste system and tradition in which I was considered not a human, but an animal. Humans...
What Marxist-Ambedkarite-Periyarite environmentalism would look like
Advocate Vetriselvan, associated with the anti-nuclear Koodankulam struggle, talks about Periyar’s thinking on the alienating and stifling effect of caste, religion and nationalism on...
Film ‘Origin’ effectively conveys the lived experiences of discrimination and oppression
Unlike many Indian filmmakers who resort to the convenient excuse of ‘unavailable suitable actors’ to justify casting ‘upper-caste’ actors in Dalit roles, Ava DuVernay...
Karpoori Thakur: When the chief minister offered to give a feudal lord a shave
Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur was known for his simplicity. He is remembered for granting reservations to the backward classes in Bihar. But do you...