Speakers praise Ambedkar’s struggle for equal rights
Say there is need to end caste system for a balanced society
PHOTO COURTESY: www.etpb.gov.pk
LAHORE:
Evacuee Trust Property Board Chairperson Saddiqul Farooq has said that Ambedkar was an economist, jurist, social reformist and a politician. He struggled for a classless society till his last breath.
He expressed these views while addressing an international seminar on Ambedkar’s Mission of Annihilation of Caste and Present Situation. The event was organised by the Sir Ganga Ram Heritage Foundation (SGRHF) and Centre for South Asian Studies in collaboration with Department of Political Science at Al Raazi Hall on Thursday.
Indian human rights activists Manjula Pradeep from Ahmedabad, Dr Paramod Kumar, Manisha Mashal and Punjab University Faculty of Arts and Humanities Dean Prof Dr Iqbal Chawla, Director CSAS Prof Dr Ambreen Javed, faculty members and a large number of students were present on the occasion.
While highlighting the provision of equal rights in Islam, Farooq said that before the advent of Islam, women were buried alive however our beloved Prophet preached the message of equality. “His life is an enlightened example of provision of equal rights to all,” he added.
He said that Hazrat Bilal (RA) was treated reverently by our four Caliphs after he accepted Islam. He said that in Islam all the people were treated equally. In his concluding remarks, he said that the Buddhist, who were considered the most peaceful community, were butchering the Rohingya Muslims brutally, while in Iraq, Afghanistan and in Kashmir, people were ferociously being killed. He appreciated the efforts of Sir Ganga Ram, who worked for humanity despite different religion.
Manjula Pradeep said that caste system was a sensitive South Asian problem. She said, “It did not have any scientific basis and has destroyed the public sense of charity and freedom of speech.”
She added that caste system had destroyed the democratic ideals of the state, space for dialogue and debate and created a sense of hatred in the society. She said the roots of categorisation on the basis of caste, class, gender, and colour were very firm.
She mentioned Baba Sahib quoting, “Caste system was not the division of the labour but the division of labourers”. She said Hindu society was structurally divided and fragmented as a purely Hinduist nation and it was no longer a secular state.
Similarly, Dr Paramod Kumar emphasised the phenomenon of marginalisation of society on the basis of the caste system. He accentuated that it was the need of the hour to raise voice against it. He echoed the same fact that caste system killed public spirit of unity, charity and freedom of opinion.
He maintained it had become the ritualistic paradigm of structured Hindu society.
“Ambedkar gave radical and futuristic ideas of liberty, fraternity and equality to make the society much better. The youth should take the duty to change the world radically following the ideas of Ambedkar,” he added.
Manisha Mashal, another human rights activist in India, said that Dalit condition in India was worse especially Dalit women were considered inferior.
She said that Baba Sahib gave Dalits the rights of freedom of education and speech. “Regretfully, today in India, Dalits are the worst victims of violence. They have been beaten and flogged and the women are sexually molested with impunity,” she pointed out.
She said, “We will have to fight for the rights of the Dalits altogether till the justice is attained.”
Prof Iqbal Chawla said that there was no caste system in Hinduism in ancient times.
The basis of superiority was by profession and then the four castes came into being, he said. “Shudras were deemed inferior that are now Dalits. We have to fight for our rights collectively,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 26th, 2018.
Evacuee Trust Property Board Chairperson Saddiqul Farooq has said that Ambedkar was an economist, jurist, social reformist and a politician. He struggled for a classless society till his last breath.
He expressed these views while addressing an international seminar on Ambedkar’s Mission of Annihilation of Caste and Present Situation. The event was organised by the Sir Ganga Ram Heritage Foundation (SGRHF) and Centre for South Asian Studies in collaboration with Department of Political Science at Al Raazi Hall on Thursday.
Indian human rights activists Manjula Pradeep from Ahmedabad, Dr Paramod Kumar, Manisha Mashal and Punjab University Faculty of Arts and Humanities Dean Prof Dr Iqbal Chawla, Director CSAS Prof Dr Ambreen Javed, faculty members and a large number of students were present on the occasion.
While highlighting the provision of equal rights in Islam, Farooq said that before the advent of Islam, women were buried alive however our beloved Prophet preached the message of equality. “His life is an enlightened example of provision of equal rights to all,” he added.
He said that Hazrat Bilal (RA) was treated reverently by our four Caliphs after he accepted Islam. He said that in Islam all the people were treated equally. In his concluding remarks, he said that the Buddhist, who were considered the most peaceful community, were butchering the Rohingya Muslims brutally, while in Iraq, Afghanistan and in Kashmir, people were ferociously being killed. He appreciated the efforts of Sir Ganga Ram, who worked for humanity despite different religion.
Manjula Pradeep said that caste system was a sensitive South Asian problem. She said, “It did not have any scientific basis and has destroyed the public sense of charity and freedom of speech.”
She added that caste system had destroyed the democratic ideals of the state, space for dialogue and debate and created a sense of hatred in the society. She said the roots of categorisation on the basis of caste, class, gender, and colour were very firm.
She mentioned Baba Sahib quoting, “Caste system was not the division of the labour but the division of labourers”. She said Hindu society was structurally divided and fragmented as a purely Hinduist nation and it was no longer a secular state.
Similarly, Dr Paramod Kumar emphasised the phenomenon of marginalisation of society on the basis of the caste system. He accentuated that it was the need of the hour to raise voice against it. He echoed the same fact that caste system killed public spirit of unity, charity and freedom of opinion.
He maintained it had become the ritualistic paradigm of structured Hindu society.
“Ambedkar gave radical and futuristic ideas of liberty, fraternity and equality to make the society much better. The youth should take the duty to change the world radically following the ideas of Ambedkar,” he added.
Manisha Mashal, another human rights activist in India, said that Dalit condition in India was worse especially Dalit women were considered inferior.
She said that Baba Sahib gave Dalits the rights of freedom of education and speech. “Regretfully, today in India, Dalits are the worst victims of violence. They have been beaten and flogged and the women are sexually molested with impunity,” she pointed out.
She said, “We will have to fight for the rights of the Dalits altogether till the justice is attained.”
Prof Iqbal Chawla said that there was no caste system in Hinduism in ancient times.
The basis of superiority was by profession and then the four castes came into being, he said. “Shudras were deemed inferior that are now Dalits. We have to fight for our rights collectively,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 26th, 2018.