Should this be posted on de Roover's blog? Manufacturing episteme is an important function for any ideology, particularly in the process of being institutionalised. It's in this context; one has to ask the question who is Jakob de Roover? A Belgian academic, who claims specialisation and interest in India, working with the University of Ghent. Reading his opinions along with his biography, would remind one of the well-meaning Indologists of the yore – claiming epistemological expertise with no reference to the experience of the human beings that's sought to be represented. Now, if one takes a harder look, de Roover works with S. N. Balagangadhara, and most of the former's writings have either echoed his mentor or praised him. One only needs to look at the wiki entry for Balagangadhara, it seems to have been written up by this ardent discipleship and contains cross-references therein. Then, de Roover belongs to a different breed of Indologist, but nonetheless with the same amount of scantiness of respect for the human population that he theorises on. In short, he plays the same academic game that he claims to abhor and wants to thrust a point of view from the ringside without adequate grounding!!! He betrays this in another article on *Does Europe have a Civilising Mission in India?, * arguing vehemently against the representation made by Dalit groups before the European Parliament.
Now, having said as much, the purpose of this write up is to rebut the pernicious and obnoxious thesis put forward by de Roover drawing parallels between anti-Brahminism with anti-Semitism in his piece *The Parallel Between anti-Brahminism and anti-Semitism. *At the first glance, the piece reveals an opinionated mind that has done its homework and has worked on stereo-types and generalisation to build a thesis and sell it. I am at a loss how anyone can write such a piece without any reference to Zionism. This lack of reference plays into the same trick conjured by the State of Israel of claiming victimhood to prevalent anti-Semitism to legitimise genocide of Palestinians. This comparison also is an insult to the victims of the Nazi perpetrated anti-Semitic genocide, given that the symbols of the Nazi ideology were borrowed wholesale from Brahminical sources – in case of doubts refer to the Swastika. The next thing that's striking about the article is a complete lack of understanding of the caste system in South Asia and how it defines lives in the geo-cultural region. Further, perhaps de Roover does not understand any of the terms he uses from Brahminism to Semitism to Social Sciences The piece is excruciatingly painful in trying to portray the true fact that Brahmins are a minority in India like the Jews in Europe, where the similarity begins and ends. In attempting this portrayal, the article betrays its lack of homework on what Brahminism is and how it operates. Let me start with a caveat that de Roover glosses over, that brahminism is not about Brahmins alone, it is about a social system that is so pervasive that it engulfed even Christianity and Islam that came to the sub-continent much before the colonising influences with its strict hegemonies. If the European colonising episteme did help in pointing out the unfairness of the hierarchy, well and good. In that sense, Brahminism of course, as de Roover points out is not a religion in the sense of the Judaic faith. What is amazing about the opinion is that while discussing an ideology that affects around one and a half billion people in the South Asian region, there seems to have been little effort made to look at sources or methodologies that have worked on the phenomenon called Brahminism. The piece evidently glosses over numerous studies that have shirked off what de Roover claims as western epistemology – as non-understnding of caste – to arrive at Brahminism. I assume, that Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and his ilk might be contrary to the position that de Roover is trying to propagate, but he could have at least sought the academic support of people like Dipankar Gupta, whose ideological positions in international fora strongly resemble de Roover's. Or, do studies that emanate from the sub-continent too frivolous for any research on "Indology"? Further, de Roover and his ilk promoting a meritorious Indology seem as far removed from the reality that India is. To start with, throughout the history of the sub-continent, there have been no reported incidents of violence against Brahmins, while, the worst victims of Brahminism, Dalits are the subject of overt and subtle violence on a day to day basis as can be seen if de Roover reads even mainstream Indian newspapers daily. Of course, there have been instances of retaliatory violence on the part Dalits, but those almost always have been directed against the immediate oppressive castes and in the Indian context, most often, these are the dominant middle castes and not Brahmins. Further, if de Roover was interested in serious research on the issue, the fact that it was a party which claims its roots to the Bahujan (plebeian castes) that first reached out for an alliance with the Brahmins to a resounding electoral victory in Uttar Pradesh, an effort that none of the Brahminical parties have made from the BJP to the Congress to the mainstream left, proving that the fight against Brahminism is a fight against an oppressive ideology and not a fight against people born in the Brahmin community Last, but not the least, in a globalised world, I wonder, how de Roover can claim epistemological purity in any analysis and further, where does he find his claim to be authoritative about the subject that he writes about given the major gaps in research. It is not just ill-advised, but pernicious throwing questions on the intentions of de Roover, to even attempt the comparison he has made On 09/07/2008, C.K. Vishwanath <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > 1. The Parallel between anti-Brahminism and > anti-S<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/message/11014;_ylc=X3oDMTJzcGlzNjFzBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE1BGdycElkAzEzMzU5MzQ3BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA2NDMwOQRtc2dJZAMxMTAxNARzZWMDZG1zZwRzbGsDdm1zZwRzdGltZQMxMjE1NTM2NjEz>emitism > > <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/message/11014;_ylc=X3oDMTJzcGlzNjFzBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE1BGdycElkAzEzMzU5MzQ3BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA2NDMwOQRtc2dJZAMxMTAxNARzZWMDZG1zZwRzbGsDdm1zZwRzdGltZQMxMjE1NTM2NjEz> > Posted > by > Thursday, July 03, 2008 > The Parallel between anti-Brahminism and anti-Semitism > > To be against "Brahminism" is part and parcel of the political > correctness of progressive scholars in twenty-first- century India, > much like being against Muslims is part of the message of their > Hindutva colleagues. ... > > by Jakob De Roover > > Social science debate in India has been hijacked by the struggle > between secularism and Hindutva for decades now. Usually the Sangh > Parivar is blamed for this turn of events. However, it could well be > argued that the Hindutva ideologues simply adopted the stance of the > secularists. Perhaps the best illustration is the case of > anti-Brahminism. > > To be against "Brahminism" is part and parcel of the political > correctness of progressive scholars in twenty-first- century India, > much like being against Muslims is part of the message of their > Hindutva colleagues. This indicates that something is very wrong with > the Indian academic debate. Promotion of animosity towards a religious > tradition or its followers is not acceptable today, but it becomes > truly perverse when the intelligentsia endorses it. > > In Europe, it took horrendous events to put an end to the propaganda > of anti-Semitism, which had penetrated the media and intelligentsia. > It required decades of incessant campaigning before anti-Semitism was > relegated to the realm of intellectual and political bankruptcy. In > India, anti-Brahminism is still the proud slogan of many political > parties and the credential of the radical intellectual. > > Some may find this parallel between anti-Brahminism and anti-Semitism > ill-advised. Nevertheless, it has strong grounds. > > First, there are striking similarities between the stereotypes about > Brahmins in India and those about Jews in the West. Jews have been > described as devious connivers, who would do anything for personal > gain. They were said to be secretive and untrustworthy, manipulating > politics and the economy. In India, Brahmins are all too often > characterised in the same way. > > Second, the stereotypes about the Jews were part of a larger story > about a historical conspiracy in which they had supposedly exploited > European societies. To this day, the stories about a Jewish conspiracy > against humanity prevail. The anti-Brahminical stories sound much the > same, but have the Brahmins plotting against the oppressed classes in > Indian society. > > In both cases, historians have claimed to produce "evidence" that > cannot be considered so by any standard. Typical of the ideologues of > anti-Brahminism is the addition of ad hoc ploys whenever their stories > are challenged by facts. When it is pointed out that the Brahmins have > not been all that powerful in most parts of the country, or that they > were poor in many regions, one reverts to the image of the Brahmin > manipulating kings and politicians behind the scene. We cannot find > empirical evidence, it is said, because of the secretive way in which > Brahminism works. > > Third, both in anti-Semitic Europe and anti-Brahminical India, this > goes together with the interpretation of contemporary events in terms > of these stories. One does not really analyse social tragedies and > injustices, but approaches them as confirmations of the ideological > stories. All that goes wrong in society is blamed on the minority in > question. Violence against Muslims? It must be the "Brahmins" of the > Sangh Parivar. Opposition against Christian missionaries and the > approval of anti-conversion laws? "Ah, the Brahmins fear that > Christianity will empower the lower castes." Members of a scheduled > caste are killed? "The Brahmin wants to show the Dalit his true place > in the caste hierarchy." An OBC member loses his job; a lower caste > girl is raped? "The upper castes must be behind it." So the story > goes. > > This leads to a fourth parallel: in both cases, resentment against the > minority in question is systematically created and reinforced among > the majority. > > The Jews were accused of sucking all riches out of European societies. > In the decades before the second World War, more and more people began > to believe that it was time "to take back what was rightfully theirs." > In India also, movements have come into being that want to set right > "the historical injustices of Brahminical oppression." Some have even > begun to call upon their followers to "exterminate the Brahmins." > > In Europe, state policies were implemented that expressed the > discrimination against Jews. For a very long time, they could not hold > certain jobs and participate in many social and economic activities. > In India, one seems to be going this way with policies that claim to > correct "the historical exploitation by the upper castes." It is > becoming increasingly difficult for Brahmins to get access to certain > jobs. In both cases, these policies have been justified in terms of a > flawed ideological story that passes for social science. > > The fifth parallel is that both anti-Semitism and anti-Brahminism have > deep roots in Christian theology. In the case of Judaism, its > continuing vitality as a tradition was a threat to Christianity' s > claim to be the fulfilment of the Jewish prophecies about the Messiah. > The refusal of Jews to join the religion of Christ (the true Messiah, > according to Christians) was seen as an unacceptable denial of the > truth of Christianity. Saint Augustine even wrote that the Jews had to > continue to exist, but only to show that Christians had not fabricated > the prophesies about Christ and to confirm that some would not follow > Christ and be damned for it. > > The contemporary stereotypes about Brahmins and the story about > Brahminism also originate in Christian theology. They reproduce > Protestant images of the priests of false religion. When European > missionaries and merchants began to travel to India in great numbers, > they held two certainties that came from Christian theology: false > religion would exist in India; and false religion revolved around evil > priests who had fabricated all kinds of laws, doctrines and rites in > order to bully the innocent believers into submission. In this way, > the priests of the devil abused religion for worldly goals. The > European story about Brahminism and the caste system simply reproduced > this Protestant image of false religion. The colonials identified the > Brahmins as the priests and Brahminism as the foundation of false > religion in India. This is how the dominant image of "the Hindu > religion" came into being. > > The sixth parallel lies in the fact that Christian theology penetrated > and shaped the "secular" discourse about Judaism and Brahminism. The > theological criticism became part of common sense and was reproduced > as scientific truth. In India, this continues unto this day. Social > scientists still talk about "Brahminism" as the worst thing that ever > happened to humanity. > > Perhaps the most tragic similarity is that some members of the > minority community have internalised these stories about themselves. > Some Jews began to believe that they were to blame for what happened > during the Holocaust; many educated Brahmins now feel that they are > guilty of historical atrocities against other groups. In some cases, > this has led to a kind of identity crisis in which they vilify > "Brahminism" in English-language academic debate, but continue their > traditions. In other cases, the desire to "defend" these same > traditions has inspired Brahmins to aggressively support Hindutva. > > In twentieth-century Europe, we have seen how dangerous anti-Semitism > was and what consequences it could have in society. Tragically, > unimaginable suffering was needed before it was relegated to the realm > of unacceptable positions. In India, anti-Brahminism was adopted from > Protestant missionaries by colonial scholars who then passed it on to > the secularists and Dalit intellectuals. They created the climate which > allowed the Sangh Parivar to continue hijacking the social sciences > for petty political purposes. > > The question that India has to raise in the twenty-first century is > this: Do we need bloodshed, before we will realise that the > reproduction of anti-Brahminism is as harmful as anti-Muslim > propaganda? What is needed to realise that the Hindutva movement has > simply taken its cue from the secularists? Do we need a new victory of > fascism, before we will admit that pernicious ideologies should not be > sold as social science? > > > > Visit Your Group > <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste;_ylc=X3oDMTJmOTI5cXNnBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE1BGdycElkAzEzMzU5MzQ3BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA2NDMwOQRzZWMDdnRsBHNsawN2Z2hwBHN0aW1lAzEyMTU1MzY2MTM-> > Need traffic? > > Drive > customers<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=13odrs2t2/M=493064.12016308.12445700.8674578/D=groups/S=1705064309:NC/Y=YAHOO/EXP=1215543814/L=/B=cmxQAELaX9s-/J=1215536614151727/A=3848644/R=0/SIG=131l83flq/*http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/arp/srchv2.php?o=US2006&cmp=Yahoo&ctv=Groups5&s=Y&s2=&s3=&b=50> > > With search ads > > on Yahoo! > 10 Day Club > > on Yahoo! > Groups<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=13o4fauun/M=493064.12016283.12445687.8674578/D=groups/S=1705064309:NC/Y=YAHOO/EXP=1215543814/L=/B=c2xQAELaX9s-/J=1215536614151727/A=5202316/R=0/SIG=11aijbghb/*http://new.groups.yahoo.com/allbrangroup> > > Share the benefits > > of a high fiber diet. > Y! Groups blog > > the best > source<http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=13o5irv16/M=493064.12016258.12582637.8674578/D=groups/S=1705064309:NC/Y=YAHOO/EXP=1215543814/L=/B=dGxQAELaX9s-/J=1215536614151727/A=5191955/R=0/SIG=112mhte3e/*http://www.ygroupsblog.com/blog/> > > for the latest > > scoop on Groups. > Need to Reply? > > Click one of the "Reply" links to respond to a specific message in the > Daily Digest. > > > > > > > > > -- Bobby Kunhu http://community.eldis.org/myshkin/Blog/ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
