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

A multifaceted approach needed to end witch-hunting in Jharkhand and other states
There is a pressing need for a comprehensive national law that criminalizes witch-hunting and ensures strict penalties for perpetrators. Providing communities with proper healthcare...
‘Girls Will Be Girls’ is a poetic journey through adolescence
Director Shuchi Talati’s decision to employ a predominantly female crew results in a perspective that feels authentically feminine without being performatively so, writes Neeraj...
Pro-upper-caste bias warps Left’s sense of history
Remaining in denial about the caste system obfuscates the identity of its victims and leads us to forget their struggles. It also creates a...
Looking back at Indian cinema in 2024 through an anti-caste lens
Together, ‘Thangalaan’, ‘Kottukkaali (The Adamant Girl)’, ‘Blue Star’ and ‘Vaazhai’ signify a transformative moment in Tamil cinema, using the medium to interrogate caste-based discrimination,...
As Jharkhand turns 24, a reason to celebrate and a reality check
Jharkhand stands at a crossroads. The state must strike a balance between preserving its rich cultural heritage and meeting the demands of modernization and...