AMBEDKAR MELA AT RANDHAWA MASANDAN JALLANDHAR

Ramesh Chander, Ambassador (IFS Rtd.)

It was a great event to pay tributes to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Educational and Welfare Trust, Randhawa Masandan, a prominent and progressive village in the periphery of Jalandhar, celebrated the birth anniversary (April 14) on April 26, 2015 and organized a grand Missionary Mela and a seminar on the life and mission of the great leader. It may not be out of place to assume that the motivation behind this well organized function must be the great community activist and missionary poet and lyricist Rattu Randhawa who is a native of the village. Ram Murti Mal, a retired Telecom Divisional Engineer, one of the leading organizers and his associates, did a good job and must be complimented and appreciated as it requires a lot of planning and effort.

My brother Paramjit Mahey who himself is quite active in such community matters persuaded me to join him at the function. I turned out to be a good experience. Not only did the organizers honour and recognize me but also gave me an opportunity to speak and pay my humble tributes to Babasaheb Ambedkar. It was an honour which I fully relished with gratefulness. My friend Dr. Gian Chand Kaul was the Chief Guest and rightly so. The function was attended by many intellectuals and community leaders namely Advocate S.L. Virdi, Engineer Jaswant Rai, Prof. Kuldeep Sodhi, Assistant Registrar Sandeep Mehmi, SDO Raghubir Singh among others. All the speakers spoke with conviction and paid glowing tributes to Dr. Ambedkar.

The second aspect of the function was even more praiseworthy and commendable. The cream of Dalit writers, poets and lyricists of Punjab and also some established and up-coming missionary singers and performers regaled the dedicated audience with their poems, songs and compositions. It must be a rare occasion where the likes of Rattu Randhawa, Chan Goryanwala, Sohan Sehjal, Madan Jallandhari among others might have graced the occasion at one go. Similarly, it must be a special opportunity to see and listen to the singers of the first genre on one stage. They were, inter alia, Joginder Dukhia, Surinder Laddi, Dalvinder Dyalpuri, Roop Lal Dhir, Ginni Mahi, Prem Lata, Dalbir Haripuria, Bhottu Shah and many more. Some of the known Punjabi comedians led by Bhottu Shah provided the much needed comic relief with their jokes and comedy in the hot and sultry weather.

The book “Mann Ki Katiyae Mael”, anthology of religions, written by Mal Singh and the Special issues of Ambedkar Times and Desh Doaba, periodicals published from California (USA) by Prem Kumar Chumber (were also released at the function. ( A young Ambedkarite, Pawan Kumar Mahi and his father-in-law Mr. Baldev Raj Bolina and Mr. Kewal Bolina, Mr. Bachan Bolina and Vikash Ahir from Sacramento (California) sent these copies of special issues of “Ambedkar Times” & “Desh Doaba” weekly newspapers through his father Mr. Surinder Kumar Mahi. They also sponsored one page of Desh Doaba for  information out of India & encouraging the organizing committee of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Educational & Welfare Trust, Randhawa Masandan (Jalandhar) Punjab, India. (Editor: Prem K. Chumber)

It is gratifying to say that there is no regret. I enjoyed the programme fully. The underlying current of the speeches and poetic renditions were that of Dalit unity to meet the challenges of the future. It will be a big tribute to the memory of the great leader Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.

Posted on www.ambedkartimes.com April 27, 2015

Reminiscences and Remembrances of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Book Review by: Ramesh Chander, Ambassador (IFS Rtd.)

The other day, October 14, I visited Ambedkar Bhawan in Jalandhar for a function to observe the day Dr. Ambedkar embraced Buddhism in 1956. The function, regrettably, turned out to be a damp squib. The only consolation was that in the process, I could pick up two old books on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar – Reminiscences and Remembrances of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Last Few Years of Dr. Ambedkar, written/compiled/edited by his trusted and dedicated aide Nanak Chand Rattu. I have finished reading the former.

The book is basically a compilation of reminiscences and remembrances of a few colleagues and associates of Dr. Ambedkar. In fact, I am somewhat disappointed as the book could not fill the gap of information on the personal likes and dislikes and also the day to day living of the greatest son of India in the contemporary times. Some interesting aspects of Dr. Ambedkar’s personality have come to light in the reminiscences under the chapter ‘Lofty Ideas and Integrity of Character’. The written exchanges between Dr. Sharda Kabir and Babasaheb Ambedkar before their marriage are not only interesting and informative but also dwell on the fact that Ambedkar was as human as any simple and ordinary man could be. Dr. Ambedkar was a man of morals and integrity. He did not accept the proposal that Dr. Sharda Kabir who was looking after his health may accompany and stay with him in Delhi. Dr. Ambedkar wrote to her and said, “You were perhaps disappointed when I declined to accept your services as a nurse to accompany me to Delhi and stay there for a month. But my whole position in public life is built upon my reputation as a man of character and unsullied morals. If my enemies are afraid of me and respect me it is because of this. I can never be a party to damage it in any way.” Later, they got married and Dr. Sharda Kabir became Dr. Savita Ambedkar. Dr. Ambedkar informed much about himself in one of his letters to Dr. Sharda Kabir. It makes an interesting reading. He said, “I am a difficult man. Ordinarily, I am quiet as water and humble as grass. But when I get into temper, I am ungovernable and unmanageable. I am a man of silence. There is charge against me that I don’t speak to women i.e. other women. But I don’t even speak to men unless they are my intimates. I am a man of moods. At times I am very serious. At times I am full of humour. I am no gay person; pleasures of life do not attract me. My companions have to bear the burden of my austerity and asceticism. My books have been my companions; they are dearer to me than my wife and children. Morally, I am intractable and do not tolerate any lapses from strict rules of morals.” The letter further reveals how simple but straight a person Dr. Ambedkar was in his personal approach to family life. He wrote, “I have recounted these facts about myself to give you some idea of what a difficult customer you have to deal with. Evidently you are not worried about all this. You perhaps think that as any scratching and biting cats and dogs come together so in the same way we too by scratching and biting shall come together. I wish you all success. While asking for some details of her personal history, at the same time Dr. Ambedkar informed her, “I like art and have a great sense of aesthetics. I do not like ugly things. Dr. Ambedkar believed in youth of the country. While speaking at D.A.V. College in Jalandhar in October, 1951, he said, “I am really very glad to talk to students. A great lot of the future of this country must necessarily depend on students of this country. Students are the intelligent part of the community and they can shape the public opinion.”

In the second part of the book i.e. the remembrances, U.R. Rao of Thacker & Company, the publishers of Dr. Ambedkar’s books, has made candid observations under the heading ‘Dr. Ambedkar I knew’ about the great man and his love for books. He wrote about the ‘genial humour and urbanity of the man.’ and Dr. Ambedkar’s liking for good fountain pens, particularly of outsize shapes. Polonius (a senior IAS Kartar Singh) wrote about some of the likes and dislikes of Babasaheb. Books (reading, writing and collecting) was an ‘all-absorbing passion’ for Dr. Ambedkar. He liked gardening and dogs. As regards dislikes, Dr. Ambedkar disliked ‘political vagabonds’ of the community and treachery of his own followers and associates. Polonius quoted Dr. Ambedkar, “one can fight ones adversaries in a straight battle but it is difficult to deal with the traitors in one’s own camp.” Polonius further wrote that Dr. Ambedkar had a mind and transparent actions as “in public life I will not do a thing which I cannot defend publically.” Yet another trusted aide of Dr. Ambedkar, Sohan Lal Shastri, in his remembrances informed that Dr. Ambedkar did not like intoxicants and was a frugal eater of ordinary meal of bajra roti, rice and some fish. Another interesting entry in the remembrances is that of M.O. Mathai, PS to PM Jawaharlal Nehru and is titled ‘A victim of obscurantism and barbarous intolerance’. Mathai informed that Dr. Ambedkar was not happy that Shankaracharya, ‘a desecrated expert at logic’ drove away Buddhism from India. He was of the view that Buddha was the greatest soul India ever produced. He also said that the greatest man India produced in recent centuries was not Gandhi but Swami Vivekananda. It is a known fact that Mahatma Gandhi was Dr. Ambedkar’s adversary but it is surprising to know that he recognized and appreciated Swami Vivekananda. Many people may not know of this. Some of the remembrances of Nanak Chand Rattu, the author of the book, reveal the state of mind of Dr. Ambedkar in the twilight years of his life. His health was failing. His eye sight was diminishing. He was a lonely man in the hanging political and social scenario in the country. He was up-set and angry with his own followers and associates. Rattu confirmed that Dr. Ambedkar was worried and perturbed in the last years of his life. He used to weep alone. There was no one who could give him solace. Rattu saw him weeping many a times and with courage asked him the reason. Babasaheb did not answer. But one day (July, 1956) he broke down and confessed everything to his trusted aide, as recorded by Nanak Chand Rattu himself, “You people do not know what is troubling me and what makes me so sad. The first worry to my mind is that I have not been able to fulfill my life’s mission. I wanted to see my people as a governing class, sharing the political power in terms of equality with other communities……Whatever I have been able to achieve is being enjoyed by the educated few, who with their deceitful performance, have proved to be a worthless lot, with no sympathy with their downtrodden brethren. They have surpassed my imagination. They live for themselves for their personal gains. Rattu recorded that Dr. Ambedkar was worried about the books he was writing and was very much eager to complete them with his dwindling physical conditions. He was concerned and worried about the line of leadership of his movement after him. Dr. Ambedkar lamented and told Rattu, “My lieutenants, in whom I had full faith and confidence to run the movement, are fighting among themselves for leadership and power. Both, Rattu and Babasaheb were weeping. Babasaheb consoled Rattu and said, “Take courage, don’t get up-set, life is to come to an end one day or the other.” The climax was yet to come as probably the last message to his followers. Rattu recorded that after a little pause and wiping his tears, Dr. Ambedkar said,” Tell my people, Nanak Chand, that whatever I have been able to achieve for them, I have done it single handedly, passing through crushing miseries and endless troubles in the midst of abuses hurled at me from all sides, fighting with my opponents all my life as also with a handful of my own people who deceived me for their selfish ends. But I will continue to serve my country and any down trodden people till my end. With great difficulty, I have brought the caravan where it is seen today. Let the caravan march on and further on, despite the hurdles, pitfalls and difficulties that may come its way. They must rise to the occasion, if they want to live an honourable and respectful life. If my people are not able to take the caravan ahead, they should leave it and must not, under any circumstances allow the caravan to go back.” Dr. Ambedkar further said, ‘This is my message probably the last message in all my seriousness which I am sure will not go unheeded. Go and tell them, go and tell them, go and tell them.” He repeated thrice.

As I said above that the book disappointed me as I expected more from Nanak Chand Rattu who worked with Dr. Ambedkar not only as his office aide but also as a dedicated follower for a long time from 1940 to 1956, a crucial period in the life and mission of his master. It seems that the publishers have also not paid much attention to the project. Nonetheless, some of the real aspects of the life of the greatest son of India which were hitherto unknown have come to light through the pages of the book of Nanak Chand Rattu. As regards the message, it has gone unheeded, unfortunately. The educated segments of the community and its leaders certainly owe an answer not only to Dr. Ambedkar but also to the suffering masses of the country.
 (Posted on www.ambedkartimes.com November 16, 2014)

The Legacy of Sahib Kanshi Ram Ji Ramesh Chander (Ambassador, IFS Rtd.)

Today, October 9, is the death anniversary of Babu Kanshi Ram (March, 1934-October, 2006), the Mesiah of Dalits after Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in the contemporary times. Babu Kanshi Ram was an ordinary man in the formative years of his life and career. After education in Punjab, he joined one of the defense research laboratories   and started his professional career as a scientist. He did not have any political leanings to begin with. The discriminatory and Manuwadi  working environment at the work place motivated and attracted Kanshi Ram to Ambedkar’s mission and philosophy. He resigned his well-placed job and joined fulltime public life to integrate and organize the Bahujan Samaj (as against the minority Brahminical order).

Kanshi Ram’s first priority was to engage and streamline the Government and organized sector employees. In December, 1978, He floated Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation (BAMCEF) for the purpose. It was a success and he could establish himself in the educated and well-to-do employees belonging to dalit and backward communities. He marched further on his chartered course and established Dalit Shoshit Samaj Samiti (DS4) in December, 1981. With the experience, he graduated and initiated a full fledged political party named Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in April, 1984. Kanshi Ram worked hard with unprecedented zeal. In no time, BSP became a force to reckon with. I recall the famous columnist and journalist, M.J. Akbar observed in one of his articles in the late 80s that ‘He (Kanshi Ram) has arrived but is yet to reach’. He did reach, not at the goal during his life time, but certainly near the goal. Kanshi Ram’s untimely demise changed the entire scenario.  His followers like Mayawati showed some promise under Kanshi Ram’s leadership to begin with. The Dalit masses extended the desired support and understanding but, it appears, that the inheritors of Kanshi Ram’s legacy are unable to sustain the situation.

Coming to the legacy of Kanshi Ram, it will be in order to know his views on some of the vital issues. The things will become clear. He dedicated himself totally to the cause he espoused. He stood for socio-economic change as against the status quo supported by the current political and social order. Kanshi Ram proved himself a game changer. He told his followers to become self-reliant and retaliate against oppression. He taught his followers “Ek Eent Ka Jawab, Do Pathar (for one brick respond with two stones) otherwise they were not his followers. Kanshi Ram wanted for the Dalit masses their share in the political and economic structures as a matter of right and not magnanimity of the upper castes. The potent force behind this agenda of Kanshi Ram was his total dedication and self-sacrifice. Before he ushered himself to the tortuous journey, Kanshi Ram vowed “I will never get married. I will never acquire any property. I will never visit my home. I will devote and dedicate my life to achieve the goals of Phule-Ambedkar movement.” He stood by the vows he took throughout his life. He never cared for is personal comforts. This total involvement and dedication of Kanshi Ram made him dear to the suffering and oppressed masses. He could establish and register his presence in the political and social spheres of life. He became a living legend. His political outfit, BSP became a strong cadre based political party by its own right. Thus, Kanshi Ram proved himself a powerful leader with vision. His legacy is relevant and important and will remain so in the years to come till a just and equitable social order is established.
Let us watch and see. The situation is taking a different turn. The opponents of Kanshi Ram in the major political parties like Congress and the BJP are willing to own Kanshi Ram on account of his following and political weight on one hand and his political heirs like Mayawati (no second name comes to my mind) are losing their steam and relevance, of late. The followers of Kanshi Ram are getting disgruntled and tired. It is a sad and bad commentary on the legacy of Kanshi Ram.
www.ambedkartimes.com Posted on October 9, 2014

Sant Rama Nand Dera Ballan (Ramesh Chander, Ambassador, IFS Rtd.)

Today, May 25 is the death anniversary of Sant Ramanand of Dera Ballan in Jalandhar. He succumbed to the mindless shoot-out by some fanatic militants on May 24, 2009 in a Guru Ravidass Gurudwara in Vienna (Austria). Sant Ramanand adorned an important position in the Dera Ballan hierarchy. With his concerted efforts and increasing acceptability in the followers of the Dera, Sant Ramanand had become a known personality not only in Punjab but also abroad particularly in the dalit community at large. His immense contribution to the progress and development of Dera Ballan was duly recognized and appreciated by the successive Sants who headed the Dera. Sant Ramanand was much respected in the dalit community for his great zeal in making the community alive and vibrant not only spiritually, with the teachings and philosophy of Guru Ravidasss, but also socially and educationally. He was a preacher and Parcharak of standing with a large and dedicated following.  I am writing this as a tribute to the memory of Sant Ramanand on his Shaheedi Day.

The aftermath of Sant Ramanand’s shaheedi was tragic and violent. The followers of Dera Ballan and the community in general stood up spontaneously. It was felt that the Sikhs were jealous and not happy with the visible progress and forthcoming standing of dalits. These developments generated avoidable friction between the dalits and fundamentalist Sikhs. The further actions of Dera Ballan in floating “Ravidassia Dharam” and launching their religious Granth “Amritvani” aggravated the situation and adversely affected the social fabric of society. The dalit community was further divided. Meanwhile, the vested interests both in the religious realm and also politics worked overtime to take advantage of the situation. Dera Ballan suffered the crisis of genuine and effective leadership. The community is harping in the dark. It seems the sacrifice of Sant Ramanad has gone waste. The current scenario in which the community is condemned to rest was not the vision of Sant Ramanand. Dera Ballan with its very potent following and the community at large should consider and think to set the house in order. It will be a big tribute to the memory of Sant Ramanand.

Posted on www.ambedkartimes.com on May 25, 2014

BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR – A TRIBUTE

India is witnessing the dance of democracy in the run up to the parliamentary elections. It is just a co-incident that Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s birth anniversary (April 14) falls in the months of parliamentary elections (April –May) for the last so many years. Every time one thinks or writes about the functioning of parliamentary democracy in India, it is natural to remember Dr. Ambedkar.  During the debates of the Constituent Assembly and subsequently in his wide spread interaction with the intelligential and the public, Dr. Ambedkar spoke about the future of parliamentary democracy in India. It is gratifying to note that the views of Dr. Ambedkar on the subject are as relevant today as these were before.  If the political parties, the politicians and the common voters during the elections, the festival of democracy, take note and consider the views and advice of the father of the Indian constitution seriously, the outcome and the resultant product in the form of a good parliament and also government will of course be befitting to the needs of the country. It will be a correct and wholesome tribute to Babasaheb Ambedkar.

“A democratic form of government presupposes democratic form of society”, said Dr. Ambedkar. It is a matter of regret and concern that the Indian society at large is still dogmatic and stratified on the basis of caste and religion. Criminalisation of politics in India is yet another bane of parliamentary democracy. Dr. Ambedkar’s views on the qualifications of the MPs stipulate that ‘Education can hardly be the sole qualification for membership of parliament. If I may use the words of Buddha, he said that man requires two things. One is ‘Gyan’ and the other is ‘Sheel’. Gyan without Sheel is very dangerous. It must be accompanied by Sheel by which we mean character, moral courage, ability to be independent of any kind of temptations, truthful to ones ideals. I am very keen to see that no member enters this august assembly who does not possess ‘Sheel’ in adequate degree’.  Dr. Ambedkar was against the use of money power and funds raised from unscrupulous sources. While speaking to the students of DAV College in Jalandhar on the future of parliamentary democracy in 1952, Babasaheb Ambedkar referring to the problem said,

 “I would like to refer to the Mahabharat. During the battle between the Pandvas and the Kaurvas, Bhishma and Drona were on the side of the Kaurvas. The Pandvas were in the right and the Kaurvas were in the wrong. Bhishma admitted this. When somebody asked Bhishma as to why he was supporting the Kaurvas if he found the Pandvas to be in the right. Bhishma replied in the memorable sentence. I must be loyal to the salt if I eat the food of the Kaurvas. I must take their side even if they might be in the wrong”.   

Dr. Ambedkar said a lot more on the subject. If we Indians take note of only a few of these views, things will change for the better. As a tribute to Babasaheb Ambedkar on his birth anniversary, I endorse Arundhati Roy, “We need Ambedkar – now urgently”.
हज़ारों साल नर्गिस अपनी बेनूरी पे रोती है;
बड़ी मुश्किल से होता है चमन में दीदावर पैदा !ently”

Today, December 6, is the death anniversary (Parinirvan Diwas) of Babasaheb B.R. Ambedkar (April 14, 1891 – December 6, 1956), the greatest son of India in contemporary times. It is a matter of gratification to note that as time passes, the relevance of Ambedkar becomes more pronounced both in the realm of India as a nation and also Indians as a society. He was a visionary in the true sense. Ambedkar may have been an iconic dalit leader but he belongs to the whole nation rather than just the dalits.

I would like to bring one point of Dr. Ambedkar’s thinking into focus. The political life in India is increasingly getting dirty and criminalized. It is a matter of concern and worry to all.  Ambedkar while commenting on the qualifications of a Member of Parliament said “The education can hardly be the sole qualification for membership of parliament. If I may use the words of Buddha he said that man required two things, one is Gyan and the other is Sheel. Gyan without Sheel is very dangerous. It must be accompanied by Sheel by which we mean character, moral courage, ability to be independent of any kind of temptation and truthful to ones ideals. I am very keen to see that no member enters this august assembly who does not possess Sheel in an adequate degree” One may easily see the relevance of Ambedkar in the light of present day’s requirement of cleansing politics in India. Our social and political activists like Anna Hazare should take some clue from Ambedkar’s thoughts in spearheading their struggle for a clean administration.

India is yet to pay its debt of gratitude to Babasaheb Ambedkar in full measure. Some of the foreign organizations have started doing so. According to media reports, which did not get much attention in India, recently Columbia University of the USA, in celebrating its 250th anniversary,  has issued a list of 100 personalities worldwide who were the alumni of the University and made their mark in shaping the destiny of millions  in their own countries and otherwise. The name of Ambedkar tops the list and rightly so. Dr. Ambedkar studied at Columbia University from 1913-1915. It is a great tribute to India and its greatest son.
(Ramesh Chander)
Posted on December 6, 2013

BUDDHA PURNIMA Ramesh Chander (Ambassador, IFS Rtd.)

Today, May 25, is Buddha Purnima – the birthday, nirvana (enlightenment) and parinirvana (death) of Gautam Budh, an apostle of peace and well-being. I congratulate my fellow citizens on the occasion and extend greetings and all the best wishes for peace and harmony in the years to come. It is a matter of co-incident and gratification that my daughter Vaishali was born on May 25 on the Budh Purnima day in 1975. We named her Vaishali, the capital city of the State of Maghda which was said to be the first democratic state in the Buddhist tradition. Today is her birth anniversary and has fallen on the auspicious Budh Purnima. May Lord Buddha bless her with all happiness and prosperity? I don’t believe in rituals as preached by Gautam Budh. I do believe in three basic things propounded by him to salvage our lives – Let us company the wise (Buddham), Let us do right (Dhamma) and Let us be social (Sangha). I think it is more than enough. I don’t know what I am but I am a Buddhist by mind. It is for sure.

Buddham saranam gachchhaami
Dhammam saranam gachchhaami
Sangham saranam gachchhaami

Posted on www.ambedkartimes.com May 25, 2013

Guru Ravidass Gurudwara built sometime in 1930s, where Satguru Ravidass Dham now stands, was a prominent place in the history of dalit community in the area. It was a magnificent building of the time. The Bootan Mandi’s prominents under the stewardship of Seth Khushi Ram and supported by others including Seth Mathra Dass, Seth Kartar Chand, Seth Mool Raj, with a view to provide primary education facilities to the children of Bootan Mandi and the adjoining localities, established a primary school at the Gurudwara premises sometime in early 1950s.Later the school was handed over to the Government but maintenance and upkeep of the building remained the responsibility of the Gurudwara Management. I remember in the mid 1960s, when I was actively involved in the community matters as an up coming young man, we under took the major renovation of the Gurudwara under the leadership of Hardial Banger, Manohar Mahey, Sat Paul Mahey, Prem Shant, Hans Raj Banchi, Darshan Bodhi and many more. Pritam Ramdaspuri, Seth Durga Dass, inter alia, stood by us as seniors and supporters. We even started a small library and a reading room at the premises. I recall, how with great efforts, we could manage to get 5 daily papers free of cost from the Jalandhar Municipal Committee through the Committee Member from Bhargo Camp Bhagat Budda Mal. A Young man whose was Chaman Lal, if I remember correctly, was a great help in the day to day affairs of the library particularly its upkeep. Along with these allied activities, the Gurudwara premises were the venue of Gurpurab celebrations every successive year. For almost a week before the Guru Ravidass Gurpurab, the place will become the centre of spiritual discourse and recital of Gurubani in the Hazuri (presence) of Shri Guru Granth Sahib under the hands of Swami Lalji Dass and his dedicated followers. Our finances used to be small and meager but personal devotion of all dedicated young men involved in the process kept us going. The hard work of the young band of dedicated workers made the activities and events under the banner Guru Ravidass Youth Club increasing established and recognized by the society at large. I recall my submission of annual report of the Club in writing at the Gurpurab Kavi Darbar in 1969 as General Secretary of the Club. Prem Shant was a great help in the matter. We started publishing a souvenir ‘Guru Sandesh’ on the Gurupurab. We got printed greeting cards and sold to wish each other on the Gurupurab. We used to motivate the daily newspapers of Jalandhar and supply the requisite material to them for the Special Supplements on the occasion. We tried our every best to enlarge the scope and relevance of the Shobha Yatra (called Jalloos earlier) by engaging the public at large and decorate the entire route of the Yatra which was not an easy task in the 1960s. To cut the story short, let me say with satisfaction that things were put on rail in the right direction. I left the scene in March 1970 in pursuit of my career and bread and butter. Our successors along with some of my old associates did a good job in the following years but could not keep the tempo of the activities. The procedural content like the annual report, souvenir, and special supplements became things of the past. It was not good for the system and the institution. It is a matter of regret. A dedicated team under the leadership of Seth Ram Lal Mahey, I was told, contributed a great deal particularly in constructing new buildings for the primary and high schools in the vicinity of the Gurudwara (now Dham) and handed over these buildings to the Government. Frankly I did not like it. It would have been better, to my mind, if we run the schools as private institutions like many other communities do and provide not only quality education to our children at affordable costs but also inculcate the mission and philosophy of the great Guru Ravidass in the minds of coming generations. We have certainly arrived but were yet to reach our destination.

With the blessings of Guru Ravidass Ji and sheer hard work of some of the young men of Bootan Mandi like Seth Sat Paul, Surinder Mahey, Hussan Mahey, Kamal Mahey, Harish Mahey, with their seniors like Seth Ram Paul Mahey, Ram Saran Mahey, Seth Bhagwan Dass around, progressed and established themselves in their leather business. The finances of the social and community activities improved considerably. They floated yet another outfit, to replace the erstwhile Club, in the name of Guru Ravidass Welfare Society in the early 1980s. The name was further changed around early 1990s, in view of the educational aspects particularly the schools mentioned earlier. The Society was converted into Guru Ravidass Educational and Charitable Trust, the current parent body of the Satguru Ravidass Dham, so far so good. The community got economic and financial muscle on one hand and political strength on the other. Surinder Mahey, a young man of Bootan Mandi, became the Mayor of Jalandhar city in around 2002. It was a big attainment and rightly so. While doing a good job as the Mayor of Jalandhar, Surinder Mahey also paid little more and focused attention to the development and improvement of Bootan Mandi which was a slum area. He planned and developed a good park and named it after Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. He took yet another important work in his hands that is the construction of Satguru Ravidass Dham at the site of the historic Gurudwara under the aegis of Satguru Ravidass Dham Management Committee. It was, of course, an ambitious but prestigious project which needed huge investments. Bootan Mandi being the hub of community activities, everybody, I understand, appreciated and joined hands to do the project. The young entrepreneurs of Bootan Mandi rallied around Surinder Mahey for the completion of the Dham including generous support from the dalit community living in foreign lands. My brothers, Krishan Lal and Parmjit, humbly but fully engaged and identified themselves these activities. Parmjit remained for a longtime one of the Trustees and Member of the Guru Ravidass Educational and Charitable Trust and Satguru Ravidass Dham Management Committee and also the General Secretary of the Trust for a couple of terms. With the due financial and political support under the leadership of Surinder Mahey, the Dham project progressed satisfactorily for a few years. Obviously, authority entails responsibility. The power tends to inflate ego. In the process, as I understand Surinder Mahey, may be unintentionally, ruffled feathers of some of his associates and kith and kin in the extended family. As his term as Mayor of the city came to close in around 2008, the opponents who were lying low, started exerting themselves with or without reason. Some of them started opposing and confronting the authority of Surinder to settle their personal scores pertaining to family matters most of the time. The spoils office came to surface and over took the situation. Those who enjoyed the power when Surinder Mahey was the Mayor started drifting away for personal reasons. With the support of political rivals of Surinder Mahey, the so called aggrieved faction hijacked the agenda for their limited purposes. It was unfortunate for the Dham project, progress of which is almost stalled by now. Unfortunately, things have gone from bad to worse under the current Management of the Dham. Nobody is ready to see reason. The saner sense is missing holding the whole community to ransom. I am absolutely pained to write this. It is rightly said: ???????? ???? ??,????? ??????? ??? !

I am around for the last two years and this Gurpurab is the third successive year of witnessing a sorry state of affairs. We are a divided lot. I was told that Shri Avinash Chander, Chief Parliamentary Secretary of Punjab who also belonged to Bootan Manditried to bring the barring factions of Surinder Mahey and Seth Sat Paul Mall together to celebrate the Gurpurab to begin with and revive the neglected Dham project in due course. Surinder Mahey, I understand, was willing to come down in the larger interest of the Dham and the community but Seth Paul Mall could not gather courage and bring along his close associates to agree to some sort of settlement and compromise. The sincere approach is lacking, I feel. The leaders are more interested in settling their personal scores totally ignoring the common agenda of the community. The status quo ante, with displaced egos, stands to the detriment of the community interests. Some so called ‘Well Wishers’ wrote to me an anonymous letter and urged me to refrain from associating myself with Surinder Mahey. It is their assumed notion that I along with my brothers tend to support Surinder Mahey as against the wishes of the other faction. This assumption is baseless and ill founded. I refute it vehemently. I along with my brothers stand for the community and the Dham and not with any faction who so ever they may be. Let me make it clear. The ‘Well Wishers” also wrote that I should do something to bridge the gap between the two groups. With a view to register my sincerity of purpose, I immediately got in touch with prominent and eminent members of both the groups and suggested my ideas of bringing them along and strengthening the hands of Shri Avinash Chander in his efforts towards unity. But I am sorry to say with a heavy heart that my friends in Seth Sat Paul group did not respond positively and tried to downplay the issue and friends in the other group were at least open to sitting on the table and coming together with dignity and respect. It is a hopeless situation. The high pedestal of Bootan Mandi is slipping from under its feet. Some of the short sighted sons of Bootan Mandi itself are responsible for this situation which is unfortunate and unacceptable. May Guru Ravidass help us and show light.
I close with a poetic expression–
? ???????? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ???,
??????? ????? ???? ???????? ??? ???????!
Posted on www.ambedkartimes.com (February 24, 2013)

AMBEDKAR BHAWAN AT AMBEDKAR MARG AJALANDHAR – ORAL HISTORY By Ramesh Chander (Ambassador, IFS Rtd.) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, you may be surprised to know, was not as acceptable even in the late 60s as he is today. The Congress Party and its opposition to Ambedkar were vehement and telling. But at the same time Dr. Ambedkar’s influence among the dalits was taking roots slowly but steadily in Punjab. Republican Party was at the vanguard under the leadership of Duni Chand Shahpuri, Piara Ram Dhanowali, Charan Dass Nidhadak, Lahori Ram Balley and others. The Bheem Patrika edited by Lahori Ram Balley was the mouth piece of the Republican Party and the followers of Ambedkar. The finances were scarce and tight. No Government patronage was available to the name and memory of Ambedkar. Ambedkar’s followers under the flag of Republican Party planned and brought up the idea of Ambedkar Bhawan at Nakodar Road, Jalandhar in the early 60s.

A fairly good plot of land situated between Abadpura and Bootan Mandi, the localities which are mostly inhabited by dalits, were purchased. It is a co-incident that it is located at the large chunk of open land where Dr. Ambedkar addressed a mammoth public meeting in October 1952. The promoters could not get enough financial back up and the project remained a piece of land only till the early70s. But the name of Ambedkar has its latent force. A follower of Ambedkar and a resident of Abadpura whose name, if I remember correctly, was Ram Prakash, died under detention in a strong agitation of the Republican Party against the Congress Government in 1964. It was decided to cremate him at the plot of land acquired for the Ambedkar Bhawan. The place became a venue of regular public meetings and get-togethers of the followers of Ambedkar particularly the functions arranged by the Republican Party. I personally heard, in my younger days, the national leaders of the Party like Dadasaheb B.K. Gaikwad, B.D. Khobragade, B.P. Maurya and others speaking at the venue on different occasions. But the health of the project was not very healthy.

In the mid 80s, fortunately, some new dedicated seniorretired officers like G.S. Bal, R.C. Paul, Surinder Ajnat, Nasib Chand and many more, came forward and associated themselves with Ambedkar Bhawan under the aegis of Ambedkar Mission society and Ambedkar Bhawan Trust. Lahori Ram Balley provided them all help and continues till today actively engaged with the project. The second lot of dedicated followers of Ambedkar like G.C. Kaul, Tarsem Sagar, Ram Lal Jassi, Barkha Ram, and Chanan Ram took over and successfully tried to raise the much needed funds to build a reasonably good building by involving various political personalities including PM Inder Gujral and others. It was a right approach as such projectsrequired support of the establishment in addition to the public. It is matter of gratification to note that now there is fairly good and functional building and facilities at the venue. Ambedkar Bhawan could become a nerve centre of the community activities and also for the mission and philosophy of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.

Over the last one year, I attended two impressive functions at the Bhawan to pay tributes to the memory of Dr. Ambedkar on December 6, 2011 and December 6, 2012 on the Parinirvan Diwas ( death anniversary of Dr. Ambedkar respectively. At the first function, MPMohinder Singh Kaypee provided a good sum of grant for the project out of the MP; s fund. It was an appreciable gesture. More needs to be done. This year on December 6, renowned scholar Kancha Illiaha was the chief guest and lead speaker. He spoke with conviction and paid glowing tributes to Dr. Ambedkar, the greatest son of India since independence. Lahori Ram Balley and R.P.S. Pawar who is the current chairman of the Ambedkar Bhawan Trust, inter alia, spoke at the function which was fairly well attended. Ambedkar deserves wider recognition which is coming but slowly in the caste ridden and discriminatory social order.

I wish the Ambedkar Bhawan Trust all success in the years to come.
Posted on www.ambedkartimes.com (December 14, 2012

SAHIB KANSHI RAM – A TRIBUTE Ramesh Chander Ambassador (Rtd. IFS)

Today, October 9, is the death anniversary of Babu Kanshi Ram (March 1934-October 2006) who was also addressed with respect as “Manyavar” by his followers and rightly so. Babu Kanshi Ram was a great leader of the dalits and other backward and weaker sections of the society after Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. He carried forward the Mission of Joytiba Phule and Ambedkar with great zeal and resultant success. In fact, to my mind, it was Kanshi Ram who could generate and provide a mass base for the dalit movement and aspirations in the contemporary India. He succeeded in encouraging and motivating the dalit youth to stand up and ask for their rightful space and position in the political, economic and social establishments of the polity, economy and society of the country. He fought for total transformation as against the status quo of the political and social forces at the helm of the affairs. Babu Kanshi Ran in one of his interviews to the media in the early years of his political career said” To my mind, all parties represent the forces of status quo. For us, politics is the politics of transformation. The existing parties are the reason for the status quo. That is why there has been no upward mobility for the backward communities”.

In the early years of his life, Babu Kanshi Ram was a scientist working with a Government scientific laboratory in Kirkee. Some routine cases of upper-caste high handedness cajoled the sensitive mind of Kanshi Ram. He studied Ambedkar’s writings and embarked upon a mission for the empowerment of the dalits and other backward classes as equal partners in the political and economic structures of the country. Kanshi Ram launched his first organization called BAMCEF (Backward (SC, ST, OBC) and Minority Communities' Employees' Federation) on December 6, 1978: Three years later, on December 6 1981, he founded another organization called DS-4 (Dalit Shoshit Samaj Sangharsh Samiti) and on April 14, 1984, i Kanshi Ram finally formed a political party named Bahujan Samaj Party. Babu Kanshi Ram was a visionary. He was an astute political strategist and a communicator par excellence.

Kanshi Ram disapproved the current dalit leadership and termed them as Chamhascreated by the Poona Pact of 1932 signed between Mahtma Gandhi and Dr. Ambedkar. He criticized the Poona Pact as it took away separate electorates offered in the communal award of PM Ramsey MacDonald which, according to Kanshi Ram, was a political blunder and tactful defeat of dalits by the Manuwadi forces.

Kanshi Ram’s political vision and his success are clearly visible in the emerging India. BSP is one of the leading political parties of the country. His follower Kumari Mayawati occupied the coveted position of the Chief Minister of UP for four terms. The party has an impressive strength in the Parliament and the UP Legislature. BSP is a political force to be reckoned with. Dalits are getting assertive for their rights and dues. It is all due to the relentless struggle of Babu Kanshi Ram. The contours of the Indian political and social order are changing. I am reminded of Kanshi Ram’s thinking when he said “I tell my followers Ek Eet Ka Jawab, Do Pathron Se (you must retaliate for one brick with two stones), otherwise you are not my followers”.
(Posted on www.ambedkartimes.com, October 08, 2012)

SHRI SADHU RAM HEER OF DERA SACHKHAND BALLAN

I have been writing about the contemporary dalit heroes in my blog. Let me carry forward the series with yet another hero, Shri Sadhu Ram Heer, Former Chief Engineer and Head of Jalandhar Doordarshan and currently Chief Aide of the Dera Sachkhand Ballan. I heard about Heer Sahib but as of now did not have the chance to meet and know him. It should not be an obstacle and would like to write and recognize him. The immediate provocation to do so was the 53rdanniversary of Doordarshan which was observed yesterday September 14 with a poetic symposium (Kavi-Darbar) on DD Jalandhar at which S.R. Heer was the Chief Guest. I could learn more about Heer Sahib from the introduction given by the Master of Ceremonies and also the speech of the Director of DD Jalandhar. Both of them spoke highly of S.R. Heer and informed that his contribution to DD, not only in Amritsar and Jalandhar in the initial years of its operations but also its overall performance and success, was immense and appreciable. S.R. Heer was a pillar of strength of DD Jalandhar in making it number one station. It was duly recognized by the Government and rewarded. Heer Sahib spoke with conviction in his brief but impressive speech and said that the original mandate of DD was to ‘educate, inform and entertain’ which was the correct agenda and vision of the national TV network in spite of increasing commercialization and competition from the private TV channels. I did not know much about Heer Sahib till the Kabi-Darbar of September 14. The stock of S.R. Heer in my mind and estimation has gone up. I salute him as the worthy son of India and hero of the community.

I am told that S.R. Heer is a simple man of spiritual orientation. His post retirement association and engagement with Dera Schkhand Ballan and its activities is well established and recognized. I understand Heer Sahib is the main spokesman and the chief aide of the Dera and various trusts and other socio-religious and educational outfits run and managed by the Dera. As such, Dera being the hub of soico-religious upliftment of the community at large, contribution of Heer Sahib is praiseworthy and shall be commended. I take this opportunity to wish Heer Sahib good health and further success and prosperity.
Posted on www.ambedkartimes.com , September 25, 2012

THE DALIT CHETNA - A Point of View

The Prakash Utsav (Birth Anniversary) of Guru Ravidass Ji fell on February 7 which was celebrated by the followers of the great Guru with gaiety and solemnity. The celebrations continue depending on the time and schedule of the various organizations to pay homage and tributes to Guru Ravidass Ji. In other words, the dalit Chetna is getting demonstrated. The dalit followers and rightly gladly so are interested increasingly in associating themselves with the Guru who was the fore-bearer of the flag of revolt and change against the uncivilized and inhuman treatment of the poor masses of the lower strata of the society. I would like to mention about the two such events and celebrations in which I
participated.

The Social Awareness Forum of Punjab held its Annual Family Day function at Phagwara on February 25. The Day was dedicated to the memory of Guru Ravidass Ji. I was the Guest Speaker at the function on the theme ‘Relevance of the Sant Andolan in the present scenario ‘. It was a well organized and well attended function which was presided over by the President of the Social Awareness Forum Jagdish Chander Virdi, Engineer at one of the Punjab Government Departments at Ludhiana and the Chief Guest at the function was Sodhi Mall, Additional Director of Factories in the Government of Punjab. I found both Jagdish Virdi and Sodhi Mall gentlemen to the core and amicable personalities fully involved in the community matters while delivering positively at their respective important Government positions which they are holding. Being a faceless diplomat throughout my career, I don’t know whether I could do justice to the theme of the speech but I enjoyed my presence and inter action at the function. It turned out to be some fresh air in the routine of such functions. The present members of the Forum introduced themselves with their families. The introduction set the mood and direction of the function. The audience comprised of ‘ who is who “ of the dalit community in and around Phagwara which included doctors, engineers, bankers, teachers, retired senior officers, businessmen, recognized state and nation level players and young and upcoming students. Both President of the Forum Virdi and Chief Guest Mall spoke informally and briefly unlike the general trend of sticking to the mike. The young students were honored with souvenirs by the Forum like in the previous years. I was informed that the Social Awareness Forum apart from providing the glue and platform to the educated sections of the community to get-together is also providing medical and financial help to the needy. The second session of the event was informal and enjoyable from the cultural point of view. The young lady artist besides singing the spiritual and devotional numbers also did well in providing a good cultural interlude. Col. Shankar Singh and Dr. Balkar Chand recited poetry and entertained the audience. It was a good change from the routine format of the function. The flow of snacks throughout the function was unhindered and the dinner was good with warm hospitality by the organizers. I must say that the function was a success and helped in generating much needed awareness and fresh air - a healthy trend. My congratulations to the Social Awareness Forum. We need more such organizations.

The second function I attended was the one organized by the Guru Ravidass Sabha of Deol Nagar in Jalandhar on February 26 to celebrate the Gurpurab of the great Guru. It was a good and clean function with the Kirtan darbar of high rendition and a well prepared Langar. I could see and feel the air of harmony and brotherhood flowing freely among the residents of Doel Nagar without any superfluous feeling of caste and creed. The Jaikaras of JO BOLE SO NIHAL and JO BOLE SO NIRBHAY succeeded in clearing the air. It was the real tribute to the memory of Guru Ravidass Ji. My congratulations and thanks to President of the Sabha Malkiat Singh and other organizers who very kindly provided me an opportunity to speak and pay my humble tribute to the great Guru Ravidass Ji. The dalit Chetna is emerging and shall find a due space and place in the society at large.
Prem Chumber Posted on March 13, 2012