The Union government has taken up a programme of celebrating countrywide the 200th birth anniversary in 2027 of Jyotirao Phule, the social reformer who, with his wife, Savitribai Phule, fought for the rights and the dignity of Dalits and for women, as through widow remarriage. None of Phule’s values, principles and ideals has anything similar to those espoused by the Bharatiya Janata Party or the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the BJP’s ideological source. As a matter of fact, Phule’s anti-caste movement is in direct opposition to the attitude of the RSS-BJP. As a critic of the BJP’s programme pointed out, right-wing forces protested so strongly against the film, Phule, earlier that some scenes, although factually correct, had to be excised. However, the
Dr Ambedkar Foundation, a government body, has instructed Ambedkar Chair professors in 24 universities to plan activities to celebrate the event. One professor has welcomed this, saying that the ideas and the work of the great man should be brought into the academic field. In itself, the BJP’s programme can be of great use to people who know little about Phule’s iconic status. They know more about B.R. Ambedkar, who honoured Phule as his predecessor and teacher.
It is unfortunate that a good programme should be tainted by suspicions about the BJP-led government’s motives. But the BJP’s repeated appropriation of icons of completely different ideology is well-known and is perceived as a strategy to win votes. Ambedkar now has panchteerths — five locations associated with his life and work: did the BJP discover the greatness of Phule later? The Dr Ambedkar Foundation, active in the Phule anniversary programme, is another mark of the government’s apparent concern for the Dalits. Vallabhbhai Patel was propagated to be a greater leader than Jawaharlal Nehru and an enormous statue was built in his honour. Mahatma Gandhi was used as the face of the swachhata campaign. It is a double irony that cleanliness is the only
value Gandhi was celebrated for, and that too, surface cleanliness. Critics are therefore finding the BJP’s glorification of Phule directly related
to electoral gains. Coming before the Bihar elections, this is looking like a canny move. The BJP may be hoping to draw other backward classes votes, particularly in a state where caste consciousness is high. It is also a state that demanded the caste census. Given the timing, the government’s motive is rather evident.