Prakash Ambedkar, thinker and grandson of B.R. Ambedkar has said that all that Sangh Parivar wanted was to end the ‘saint culture’ in the country by imposing and spreading the ‘dictatorial’ Vedic culture.
He was delivering a keynote address at the inauguration of May Literary Fest in Vijayapura on Saturday. The literary festival has been joinly organised by Ladayi Prakashana of Gadag, Kavi Prakashana of Kavalakki and Chittara Kala Balaga of Dharwad.
He said: “The term ‘Hindu’ comprises of two cultures – Vedic culture and saint culture. Vedic culture is followed by BJP and RSS, where there is no scope for thinking as it promotes dictatorship. On the other hand, the saint culture has space for even non-believers like Charvaka to thinkers like Periyar Ramaswamy. Here there is peace, acceptance, patience, brotherhood and equality. The Indian Constitution also upholds this culture.”
Mr. Ambedkar said that there was no respect for women in the Vedic culture. “If a woman becomes widow, her head is shaved, whereas in the saint culture there is scope for widow remarriage,” he said.
Civil rights activist Teesta Setalwad emphasised upon the need for amending the existing laws in the country. She said that if amendments were not brought into modify laws like CrPC, IPC and others, then parliamentary democracy would not survive for long in the country.
Thinker Harsh Mander elaborated on the divisive politics being put to use by BJP to create a divide among people. “Seeds of hatred are being sown in order to divide the people of different faiths, which is very difficult to cure. It is not just a political fight but a fight for civilisation,” he said.
