AMBEDKAR BROUHAHA Both houses of Parliament were rocked because of a cartoon of Dalit icon B.R.Ambedkar by famous cartoonist Shankar in the 1950s, reproduced around 6 years back in a NCERT textbook. The offending cartoon, Mayawati expounded "made not only Parliament but the whole country unhappy". Political parties alleged the depiction insulted Ambedkar .The cartoon depicts Jawaharlal Nehru with a whip chasing Ambedkar, also with a whip, who is seated on a snail representing the Constitution. Explanation is also given inm the book for urgency in expediting the work. Both Nehru and Ambedkar had no objection when the cartoon was made public. Kapil Sibil now had to apologize to the nation in parliament, and order removal the objectionable sketch. My mind converts the snail as parliament and politicians clinging onto it, given in the book regarding urgency of finalizing the Constitution. Both Nehru and Ambedkar had no objection to this cartoon at the time it was made public! It was politically expedient whilst Nehru is replaced with the citizen ( like Anna Hazare)with the whip! Speaking on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of parliament, the PM called for introspection on functioning of parliament "which has created a sense of frustration and disillusionment among the people". Both houses passed an unanimous resolution to uphold the dignity and sanctity of Parliament, which like the "sense of House" regarding the Lok Pal bill, is for public consumption, and not meant to be followed. Rushing into the well and shouting is the norm followed the very next day!
In Goa Speaker Arlekar is reported to have said Ambedkar was a true Hindu reformist. How come, when Ambedkar said that he could not help being born a Hindu, but assured that he would not die a Hindu and he split the dalit from Hindu society and with thousands of his supporters converted to Buddhism! Politicization of history is reprehensible and may even be dangerous!
