Speakers at the May Literary Meet felt that the need of the hour should be a focus on the ideas of Baba Saheb Ambedkar as it had solutions to the problems of the country.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the meet on Saturday, Tamil writer Madivannan and Kannada writer Aravind Malagatti emphasised the need to see the country’s problems through the spectacles of B.R. Ambedkar.
Quoting one of his poems, Mr. Malagatti said: “I want see India through the spectacles of Ambedkar and the stick of Mahatma Gandhi to guard the country’s border.”
In his speech, Mr. Madivannan contended that Mahatma Gandhi was not progressive enough as he had termed inter-dining not a progressive activity. He referred to various instances, wherein, he said, Gandhiji failed to take the side of Dalits and opposed Ambedkar.
He alleged that ‘savarna’ Marxists did not allow Dalit intellectuals to put forward their views and failed to treat them as equals.
Presiding over the session, Mr. Malagatti questioned the rationale behind ‘sanyasis’ becoming head of states and religious institutions controlling democracy. Referring to the recent instances of attack by right-wing activists he said it was sad that the value of human life had become even less than that of flesh and blood of cattle.
Writer K. Neela emphasised the need to disseminate the message of Ambedkar, Basavanna and other social reformers making use of the occasion of their birth anniversaries.
