Apr 19, 2024
Apr 19, 2024
Am I an upper caste or an untouchable?
Sharankumar Limbale (1956-) is an author, poet, Dalit-activist and literary critic. He is the author of 44 books in Marathi. Sharankumar Limbale is best known for his autobiographical novel Akkarmashi. The English translation of the autobiography is published by the OUP with the title The Outcaste (Translated by Santosh Bhoomkar). His critical work Towards an Aesthetics of Dalit Literature (2004) is considered as a signal work on Dalit literature in India. No study on Dalit literature is complete without reference to this seminal book. His works are translated in Hindi, English, Malayalam, Tamil, Kananda, Punjabi, Gujarati and in many other Indian regional languages. He is almost a household name in India. Critics, students and scholars read his books and ideas with keen interest. Sharankumar Limbale is almost a mentor for many writers and critics from different regions of India. For me personally, he is a trendsetter of a genre which is synonymous with Dalit vision and consciousness. It’s an Indian social reality and no one can ever deny its context. Sharankumar Limbale gives us parameters to read this corpus within Indian models and contexts.
Here he speaks, in conversation with Jaydeep Sarangi.
JS: Hello! Who are the writers inspired you in your formative days?
Sharan: My formative age is very complicated. In my school days I was inspired by Hindu religious texts. In my high school days I was inspired by text book literature. In my college days I was inspired by the so called main-stream literature. At this age, I was following old foolish tradition. In my young days I came in contact with Dalit movement. And my whole vision is radically changed. Dr. Ambedkar’s thought and his movement inspired me and my whole generation to rebel against discrimination. This thought leads us a new way which compel and reshape us in new manner. We became angered and stormy. In my early days I was very religious but in my youth days I became rebellion. Without movement and ideology I could not write. Our ideology is anti-caste. The caste system is inhuman which divided humans on basis of discrimination. Because of the movement and thought of Dr. Ambedkar we realize our exploitation and slavery. This consciousness is charged me in my formative age. This is Dalit Consciousness. Ambedkar is my real hero who inspired me and form me in right direction.
JS: Do you consider Dalit writing as the ‘corpus of pain and suffering’?
Sharan: No…..no….this is a half-truth. In the first stage of Dalit literature there is “corpus of pain and suffering”. In this stage cry is main theme. In 1960’s the main tone was pain. Dalit writers were writing about their suffering and asking to world at large about humanity. We are human being. Our blood and your blood is red. Why you are destroying us? Mostly these writers were old age. When the young writers were started to write, they straightway started to reject this brutal social system. In this stage pain became secondary and problem became the bullet. The rejection became main tone of Dalit literature. In third stage we started to revolt against the injustice. The rebellion mood became important tone of our expression. So Dalit literature is not only corpus of pain and suffering, but it is revolt against inhumanity.
JS: Who are the leading Dalit writers in your state?
Sharan: There are thousands of Dalit writes. There is a mass movement of writing for oppressed people. The main names are Baburao Bagul, Annabhau Sathe, Namdeo Dasal, Daya Pawar, Laxman Mane, Arjun Dangale,Yashavant Manohar, Gangadhar Pantavane,Laxman Gaikwad and so many.
JS: Who are Dalit’s? What according to you is Dalit literature?
Sharan: Dalit means socially discriminated and exploited people. These are downtrodden. Dalits are not in one religion, in one state, in one nation, in one language and in one culture. There are Hindu Dalits, Sikh Dalits, Muslim Dalits, Christen Dalits and Boudh-Dalits. Dalit are spread all over country and beyond country. Within India scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and adivasis are Dalits as well as Muslim, Christen, Sikh Dalits are also Dalits. Dalits are within India, in south Asia, in U.K., in USA, in Caribbean countries. I think Dalits are not only Indians but they are multilateral, multinational, multi-cultured and multicolored. Dalit literature is literature of oppressed. But we are not marginalized or subaltern. We are originals.
JS: Can your writing be called ‘literature’ instead of ‘Dalit literature’?
Sharan: No … No it will harm my identity. I am an Indian Dalit writer. Writer is only writer. He is committed to his writings. I am writer of people. I am committed to my movement. I am writer plus activist. My writing is literature as well as weapon against atrocities against Dalits. My writing is a movement of human rights. We should differentiate literature from Dalit literature. Dalit literature is a literature of movement. It stands for democracy, equality, fraternity and freedom. Man is holy and more important than heaven, religion and nation. Dalit literature is a literature of emancipation of Dalits. It defends human values. Dalit literature is different from other literature because of its language, its ideology, its goal, its objective, its pain and pangs.
JS: Is there a deliberate political ideology when we attach the tag ‘Dalit”?
Sharan: Yes. There is deliberate political ideology. Dalit literature is a political document of Dalit race. In democracy everything is political. Temple is political. Religion is political. We want to become main voice of this democracy. Dalit writer is building new and beautiful India. Our literature is our holy and beautiful dream. It is a dream for freedom , total freedom.
JS: How do you read the story, “Mother” by Baburao Bagul?
Sharan: The Mother of Baburao Bagul and the mother of Gorky are the same women who inspires us. They are brave.
JS: Can a non-Dalit person write Dalit literature?
Sharan: This is a foolish question which is asked to us again and again. How one can prohibit writing? It is constitutional right of every Indian. Our complaint is that the writer cannot defame and damage Dalits. In age-old literature Dalit are not heroes. They are only servants. Dalit are pictured as crooked, ugly and brainless. Some writers are writing about Dalits sympathetically and showing mercy. I hate pity. We want our rights .No one can deny us from our rights.
JS: Why did you start writing?
Sharan: For freedom, fraternity and justice.
JS: Would you please mention your works?
Sharan: I have written 44 books in Marathi. My major works are translated in Hindi, English, Malayalam, Tamil, Kananda, Punjabi, Gujarati and in other Indian regional languages.
JS: Your autobiography?
Sharan: The Outcaste: Akkarmashi is published by Oxford University Press, India and USA. Sharan is the protagonist.
JS: Are you familiar with Bengali Dalit writers?
Sharan: Yes. I read. Some of them really engage me. Translations into other Indian languages will help a lot.
JS: The Outcaste is the emotionally autobiography of a half-caste growing up in the Mahar community, and the anguish and pains he suffers from not belonging fully to it. Would you please share thoughts on your autobiographical novel Akkarmashi?
Sharan: Akkarmashi is not a novel. It is my life story. It is available in Hindi, English, Kannanda, Gujarati, Malayam, Tamil, Punjabi, Telegu etc.
JS: Dalit literature is militant in texture. Do you subscribe to this view?
Sharan: Militancy is the main feature of this literature. Thousands of years Dalits were slave and polite. They were harassed. Dalit cannot drink water on the river bank of high caste; Dalit cannot enter in the temple of high caste. Dalit cannot cremate their dead bodies in the burial ground of high caste. The touch, the voice and the shadow of Dalits is treated impure by high castes. To protest, to reject, to revolt against all odds the militancy is necessary. Militancy is the face of this literature. Without militancy we cannot shock, threat and alert the mind and attitude of high caste.
JS: Can Dalit literature be branded as proletariat literature?
Sharan: Dalit literature is a literature of Dalits.
JS: What is the main theme(s) in your writing?
Sharan: Only Dalit themes. Dalits have been oppressed and socially subjugated.
JS: Do you write for a select reader?
Sharan: No never. I am writing for all. It is not my duty to talk against inhuman caste system. It is everybody’s duty to talk against injustice. It is not private and limited task of Dalit writer to fight against cruelty. It is necessary to unite and struggle for all. We cannot divide the movement of justice. I am writing for Dalits. It is true. It is again and most true that I am writing for every reader irrelevant of his caste, creed and race.
JS: What is the future of Dalit literature in India?
Sharan: Very bright. Whenever there is discrimination, there would be struggle. And the struggle is the form of Dalit literature. We write for the sunrise somewhere.
JS: Is there a message in your works?
Sharan: Yes. My every word is message: for struggle and for freedom.
JS: Any immediate wish?
Sharan: I am working on one novel. The title is Sanatan.
JS: Thank you! You are the source of inspiration for generations! I remain grateful to you. Never let your pen dry! Advance wishes for Sanatan!
Date of the interview: 28th September 2013, Saturday.
(This interview is a part of my longstanding close contact with Mr. Sharankumar Limbale and my engagement with many noble souls who follow Sharanji’s works and ideas.)
29-Sep-2013
More by : Prof. Jaydeep Sarangi
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1)only Mahars or Buddhists as they call themselves. In the entire Maharashtra, the Mahars become the target of the Savarna Maratha as they are the most assertive and politically organized peopleThey coloured them as per their convenience. The Sonia Gandhi sponsored fact finding team of the Congress came out with its report that saw one of the goriest incidents as a clash between two anti-social elements. It rightly met with indignation and condemnation by the Dalit organizations. Maratha Mahasangh openly called these incidents as fake and demanded annulment of Atrocity Act itself Bhutegaon has 75 % Savarna Maratha population. It has 14 households belonging to Buddhists, 18 households to Matangs, and one household each to Bhoi (fisherman), Muslim and Kumbhar (potter) communities. Savarna Maratha community owns most of the land in this village. Dalits are landless labourers, few owning small pieces of fallow (gayaran) land. They depend upon the Savarna landlords for farm jobs for their livelihood. A male farm labourer gets Rs. 40 per day and in the cropping season it is raised to Rs. 50; the female labourer gets Rs. 15-20 as daily wages. In the cotton picking season, the wages are based on piece rate of Re. 1 per Kg.' . Over the years, rigidity of tradition appears to have loosened but not to the extent where its contours are not visible Untouchability is still practiced in its quintessential form. upper caste Bhutekars lived. It was not accessible to lower castes. When the government installed 12 hand pumps, none of them were put up in the Dalit colony. Datta and Vitthal Bhutekars and gets into physical fight with them. Several people of Bhutekar rush to the spot and start beating Dilip and Lata. Dilip fights back but Lata gets badly beaten. Some one kicks her in the stomach and she falls unconscious. Ramesh and Nanda who witness the incident desperately plead with the Bhutekars to stop the fight. At around 5 pm, the entire Bhutekar mob of some 20 people with sticks and axes reach Dilip Shedge’s house. Dilip’s mother shuts him up inside the hut and blocks the door. One Shyam Bhutekar climbs on the top of the hut for entering through the roof and in the process gets his leg broken. The crowd pushes Shantabai aside and around 13 persons thrust into the house and start beating Dilip with sticks. Others hold back Ramesh and other family members. Dilip’s mother and sister rush for saving Dilip and get themselves badly beaten. Soon they drag Dilip out of the hut into the courtyard. Ramesh Bhutekar, the most educated person in Bhutegaon, who is a professor in a college in Jalana, pours kerosene on him and sets him ablaze. Dilip’s mother and sister rush to save him and also get burnt. Shiwaji, who belonged to an OBC caste, enthusiastically narrated how casteism is observed in Bhutegaon. He said that there was virtually no transaction between the Dalits and the Marathas. Organizations like Akhil Bharatiya Chhava and Maratha Mahasangh have taken processions and did demonstrations claiming that the incident was fake. They are trying to project that Dilip had Aids and hence he got himself burnt. Ramesh Bhutekar, who is a professor in a Jalana college, was in forefront in beating up Dilip and he distinguished himself in inhumanity, by pouring kerosene over Dilip and setting him ablaze. The source of his temerity can well be found in his traditional caste-positioning in the village as well as in contemporary political patronage (He is said to have support of a NCP bigwig Shri Tope of Jalana in whose college he is a professor). 2) MURTI INCIDENT-The incident happened on July 9, 2003 as a result of a clash between two minor girls- Kalpana Ankush Thorat belonging to Matang community and Ayodhhya Sandipan Surashe belonging to Sawarna community, Kalpana was abused in the caste name- ‘Mangate majale’. On the other side on the complaint of Sandipan Surashe Police had registered the crime against Baban Aadhave, Santosh Aadhave, Laxman Aadhave and Janabai Aadhave under IPC Art. 324, 504, 506, and 34. According to the police, there is no caste issue in this incident. Probably, the same can be said of any other incident. 3) SONNA KHOTA- On that fateful day, the daughter of Dadarao Dongre went to fetch water from a tanker in the morning at about 9 or 10 am. At that time, she was asked by some youth from the Savarna community to go away. They said that they got polluted with the Dalit presence and hence she should come after they finish. Seema went home and reported the matter to all. The Dongre family was quite enraged by this incident. Nothing however happened until that afternoon. The three major incidents dealt with above may appear as discrete incidents but they are not. In the context of time and space they are a veritable part of a pattern of violence created by a series of incidents that have happened and are still happening all over Marathwada. A perfunctory survey of news appearing in only one Aurangabad newspaper for a limited period can testify to this fact: • There was a clash between Dalits and Savarnas Maratha at Chaturwadi in Ambajogai taluka on the issue of fallow (Gayaran) land on July 11, 2003. Savarnas burnt down huts of Nagnath Kamble and other Dalits. When Nagnath Kamble sat on fast unto death along with his family, the Police have recorded the crime against Ramkisan Limbaji Pawar, Shivaji Ramkisan Pawar, Mahadu Ramkisan Pawar and Rajebhau Narayan Khandekar under the Atrocity Act. (Saptahik Maharashtra, 18 July, 2003) • June 10, 2003: At Anvi Bangal village of Badnapur Taluka a Dalit family in the clash on the issue of water. One Sanjay Gangadhar Bhosle, a Savarna Maratha person threw away the vessel of Ranjanabai Dattatraya Patole, a Matang woman and abused her. Many people from Bhosale family came running to the spot and started beating Matang people. Police intervened and arrested the accused. • June 22, 2003: At Karadgaon in the Dhansawangi Taluka, a clash broke out between the Dalits and Savarnas. • May 21, 2003: At Matmal in Lonar taluka on the border of Vidarbh-Marathwada a Dalit bridegroom was paraded in the village with his shoes on his head for the crime of entering the Hanuman Temple. The Savarnas Maratha abused the Dalits in the caste name- ‘Mharade majalet’, beat up bridegroom’s mother till she fell unconscious and humiliated Taterao Lahane to the extent that he has threatened self immolation if the Savarna criminals are not punished. (Saptahik Maharashtra, dated June 9, 2003, Report by Narendra Lanjewar- Mandir Batawale: Nawardevachi Dhind, p. 35) • July 23, 2003: The Savarnas Maratha have imposed collective boycott on the Dalits in Asola (lakh) village in Aundha Nagnath taluka and stopped giving them water. Balu Rangnath Karhale and Jagannath Nana Karhale belonging to Savarna caste beat a Dalit youth named Baban Bhagorao Nangre severely and threatened him of dire consequences if the matter was reported to Police. Baban however reported the matter to Kurunda Police Station on July 25, 2003. Enraged by this act, the Savarnas have imposed the social boycott on Dalits that included stopping the supply of drinking water. • A Dalit woman was beaten, her house was devastated and she as dragged and humiliated by the Savarna people at Moregaon in Selu taluka of Parabhani district on the issue of polluting their pots at the public water tap. (Dainik Mahanayak, Aurangabad, 11.06.03) • June 23, 2003: Just 4 Km from Bhutegaon, at Karandgaonwadi, a clash between one Narayan Lahane of Buddhist community and Dattu Mitkari of a Savarna caste on the issue of a pathway between farms, culminated in death of a Savarna person and serious injury to the three Dalit persons. • July 20, 2003: Savarna attack a Dalit- Madhav Male at Shahapur in Deglur Taluka with public declaration because Male refused to give his Gayaran land for building Mahadev temple. 4)INCROCHMENT OF DALIT PROPERTY BY MARATHA Much of the land in Block Number 132 belonged to the Kedar household, a large landowning upper caste (Maratha).the Kedar household attached itself to the Nationalist Congress Party NCP.Apparently, the Kedars believed that their social prestige was lowered by the Dalit ownership of the plot in their midst. Bharat Raout confronted some of the Kedars and asked them to stop driving through their plot.then Raout was greeted with a flurry of abuse, including the use of caste names. (You Chambhar, what business do you have in farming? Your caste is to work with animal skin). (You Chambhars appear to be enjoying [cultivation]. We will see how you Chambhars cultivate this land).Then Bharat insisted on filing the case under the Atrocities Act. But the Head Constable at the police station refused and told him: “All that cannot be done. You do not know what the Atrocities Act is. Thisincident does not fall under its purview.” Angry over Dhondiba’s victory in the court of the Taluk Judicial Magistrate (First Class), members of the Kedar household came inwith wooden poles and began to hit Hirabai and Bharat. Hirabai was hit on the backof her head, leaving her bleeding. Bharat was beaten up by more than one person forover 10 minutes, and suffered a fracture of his left arm and bruises all over his body. 5)DALIT YOUTH EYE GOUGED-the Sategaon village in Nanded,20 houses are of the dalit Matang community, 25 houses of the dalit Buddhist community and most other houses of the upper caste Maratha community. Pramila Jadhav comes from Maratha and dalit Matang boy Chandrakant Gaikwad were secretly in love for the last five years.Family members of Pramila Using a knife and nails, they gouged out one eye of Chandrakant and Milind. Then Both the boys were taken to the hospital in an unconscious state. 6)DALIT BOY HANG IN AFFIRES CASE-, Nitin Aage, had been allegedly killed by a group of Maratha men for daring to speak to an upper-caste girl. In school when he was allegedly taken out by three Maratha men, beaten in the school premises, dragged across to the nearby highway road and eventually taken to an abandoned area where they smeared him with burning embers and hung him from a tree, to make it look like a suicide.“That school is well-known in the area because its committee members include NCP [Nationalist Congress Party] leaders like Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar and Supriya Sule,” said Shyam Sonar, a member of the Republican Panthers organisation. “The Golekars the accused themselves are part of the administration of the institute, so it is not surprising that they are being protected.”The Golekar family, according to the report, is closely associated with the NCP and enjoys a lot of “economic and socio-political clout” in Kharda village. While Nitin Aage’s father is a landless labourer in a stone-crushing mill, the Golekars own more than 500 acres of land and a number of businesses.When the fact finding team members spoke to the local Dalit activists, they said that many of the accused persons have close associations with Rashtrawadi Congress Party ( NCP ). 7)DALLIT ATTACK AND KILLED BY MARATHA-On 25 April, Umesh Agale, who belonged to the Matang caste (a Dalit caste), was stabbed to death in a field close to Deopur village in Kannad block of district Aurangabad. Agale was suspected of having a love affair with a girl from a dominant caste. The accused Kailash Kaje, Pandurang Ghuge, Sagar Ghuge and Ganesh Pawar. On the fateful day, the accused, who are from the Maratha community, called Agale out of his house and led him to the fields where he was later killed. 8)DALLIT ATTACK AND KILLED BY MARATHA- In the Jalna district, Nanegaon Dalit sarpanch Manoj Kasab was assaulted on April 3, 2014 by former sarpanch Ganesh Chavan, and ten others, and after battling for his life for around a month, he succumbed to his injuries. Chavan disliked Kasab immensely because he became the sarpanch through the reservation quota three years ago and it was a caste-based case of revenge killing. 9)DALLIT ATTACK AND KILLED BY MARATHA-, Nitin Aghe belonging to the Mahar caste, out of his school, and paraded him through the village before attacking him with sticks and rods. He was later strangled to death with a rope and then hanged from a tree. While the police initially registered a case of accidental death, investigations later revealed that Nitin had been killed. The police then registered a case of murder and arrested two men — the girl's brother Sachin Golekar (21) and one Sheshrao Yeole (42). A minor boy, Aakash Surve was also detained. 22-year-old Manik Udaage, a Dalit Budddhist, was killed on 1 May by the Marathas for celebrating Ambedkar Jayanti on 14 April this year.the Maratha community in the Chikhali village of Pune district were opposed to the organisation and the subsequent celebrations. The accused Santosh Bate (38), Sagar Khandale (23), Nilesh Tate (26) and Vishal Nemane (27) abducted Udaage from his house and took him to the stone mine in Moshi where they crushed his head with a big stone. 10)DALLIT ATTACK AND KILLED BY MARATHA-another attack on Dalits in Adoli village of Washim district of Vidarbha region on 15 April, four children and 14 others were severely injured in stone pelting by the Marathas. The injured were part of a peaceful rally marking Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s birth anniversary. Following the attack, the Washim police arrested 34 persons. 11)DALLIT ATTACK BY MARATHA-, Dalit sarpanch Datta Haribhau Kamble, 48, of Umra village in Parbhani district, who is battling for life after being set upon and attacked by upper-caste Marathas, has learnt this the hard way.– Hanumant Kolhe, Dayanand Kolhe, Mahadu Kolhe, Bhimrao Kolhe, Manikrao Kolhe – under the Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989 along with several other sections of the IPC for the life-threatening assault,Mahadu Kolhe, one of those involved in the attack. Instead he said, "Until two generations ago these Matangs didn't dare to look us in the eye and talk. 12) DALLIT WHO OSTRACISED BY MARATHA-in Ansurda village near Osmanabad,have been ostracised by the villagers, majority of whom are from the Maratha community.these Dalit families in the village of 1,500 people are not allowed to fetch water from the community well, the grocers refuse to sell them even the day-to-day items, and they are being forced to travel to Osmanabad. where songs dedicated to Dr Ambedkar were played on the loudspeaker. One of the Dalits, Nishikant Humbe, 40, said that a few youngsters objected to the songs, and demanded that songs dedicated to Chhatrapati Shivaji be played instead. "We have been residing in this village for decades and didn't want trouble. We immediately played songs dedicated to Chhatrapati Shivaji but the youths abused our women and desecrated Babasaheb Ambedkar's poster," Humbe alleged. 13)DALLIT ATTACK BY MARATHA-A mob of over 60 men and women — all from the dominant Maratha caste — allegedly attacked the Dalit basti of Rajwada in Shevge Dang village, Nashik district, on Sunday, causing serious head injuries to 13 men. According to reports, the fight ensued over a small accident, when a tempo owned by a person belonging to the Maratha caste rammed into a tree on October 15, injuring several persons travelling in it, including a 50-year-old Dalit woman Lata Bharit. 14) DALLIT ATTACK BY MARATHA-A Dalit youth in the temple town of Shirdi in Maharashtra was crushed to death for allegedly having an Ambedkar song as his mobile ringtone. Police have arrested four of the eight assailants who were allegedly involved in the brutal assault of the 21-year-old youth in Shirdi town of Ahmednagar district last week.Those arrested were identified as Vishal Kote, Rupesh Wadekar, S Wadekar and Sunil Jadhav.The assailants belong to the dominant Maratha. 15)MARATHA WHO ATTACK ON DALLIT AND OBC-The recent attacks on Dalits and other backward classes (OBC) [in Maharashtra state] is being seen as an attempt by the dominant Maratha caste to suppress the voice of Dalit/other backward classes for having opposed reservations for the Marathas.“At Shrirampur, OBC activists who merely attended a political rally were arrested for promoting caste conflict, but when Maratha activists pelted stones at the chief minister’s aircraft, the police did not arrest a single person. 16)DALLIT WOMAN PAREDED NECKED-In Beed, two women were paraded naked in their village while an activist was brutally beaten up for raising his voice when talking to so-called upper caste leaders. In Parbhani, an old dalit woman was killed over a land dispute and on Tuesday, a young Dalit boy was killed in Aurangabad for allegedly teasing an upper caste girl. 17) MARATHA MEJORITY AREA ATTACK ON DALLIT- on 20th October 2014. Sunil was cut in two pieces, waist down and his penis was battered. His father Sanjay Jagannath Jadhav was also attacked in the same way. His mother Jayashri Sanjay Jadhav was struck on her head and her ear was cut.A few days before the killing of the family, their watch-dog who watches over the adjacent farm, was killed by anonymous people. The “Wagh” families, which belong to a majority Maratha community live in close proximity as also the Vanjari community. 18)MARATHA WHO ATTACK ON DALLIT AND OBC-Baban Misal had brought to light the corruptions of Kailash Jadhav (upper caste opponent of Victim) in administeringStudents’ Hostel. Babanrao had also started to demolish all wine shops owned by Kailash Jadhav in order to protect thepeople living in the area from Alcohol abuse.5th July 08, while he was going to Jamkhed from Sonegaon with his friend Shayam Sathe; a car numbered MH-12 YA- 7929 dashed his motorbike from behind. He got thrown on the road. All the six accused namely,Kailash Jadhav, Shahaji Bolbhatt, Arun Bhagal, Marian Birangal, Taljarao Jadhav, Rajesh Ralke (all betweenage of 30 -40 years) caught him. A scuffle ensued between them. But since the accused possessed axes, daggers & sickles, they overpowered them and threatened his friend Shaym Sathe to leave the place. 19)MARATHA WHO ATTACK ON DALLIT AND OBC-Late Sahebrao Jondhale was living in Karanjala with his wife, two daughters & a son.On the night of June 16, 2008 while returning home in his Tata Sumo, vehicle, he was charred to death in Karanjala village of Hingoli District in Marathwada region allegedly by a group of villagers belonging to the upper caste Maratha. 20)MARATHA WHO ATTACK ON DALLIT-Mrs. Suhshilabai Pawar belonged to Pardhi tribe community; living with her only son Santosh Pawar and daughter in law Vimalabai Pawar in Mungi village of Latur district, Maharashtra. On 31/12/2007, when she was sitting in her house with her son and daughter in law,accused Bhaskar Somvanshi (a co-villager) came inside, and asked victim’s son about his wife and offered 60 rupees to take her away.Hearing this, Mr. Santosh Pawar got angry and called other community members. Victim Sushilalbai slapped and threw the accused out of her house.Frustrated and infuriated, accused Bhaskar then came at night to victim’s house with other accused, Sahadev Somvanshi and Sudhakar Somvanshi. They started abusing the victims’ family by calling them by their caste name and ransacked thehouse. Bhasakar Somvanshi and his friends dragged Mrs. Vimalabai out of the house, beat her with sticks onchest, destroyed the belongings, and started beating other family members. When Sushilabai intervened, shewas killed on the spot. 21)MARATHA WHO ATTACK ON DALLIT-Khadki village is situated in Beed district There are people from Maratha and dalit community. The population of dalits is less than Maratha community. There are only five houses of dalits in the village. Mr. Popat Waghmare, a dalit, lives withhis four brothers and their families in the village.Waghmare belonging to Mang caste (ex-untouchable), was elected the sarpanch of this village, the Maratha caste people starteddisagreeing and non-cooperating with the dalit sarpanch from the village.During discussions in gramsabha on corruption, the accused Babasaheb Taware and Bandu Babasaheb Taware started fighting with the sarpanch. When Waghmare family came to know about this incident, they arrived there to resolve the conflict. They saw that the five accused from Maratha community were fighting with the Popat Waghmare and arguing on the issues of the gram panchayat. Meanwhile, two accused, Babasaheb Taware and Bandu Babasaheb Bhosale went out and burnt four houses of Waghmare family. When thepeople from Waghmare family came to know about this, they ran towards their houses and tried to control the fire. Butunfortunately the hoses were burnt badly. At that time miss. Rajni Waghmare was present in the house and she recognized theaccused burning the houses. 22)MARATHA WHO ATTACK ON DALLIT BRAVE GIRL-The brave and smart dalit sisters, Diksha and Panchashila are residents of Shindi village, Beed district, Maharashtra. Diksha’s family belongs to newly Converted Buddhist fold which comes under Schedule Caste.Diksha is studying B.A.Diksha and her elder sister, Suvarna’s daughter named Priya (age 4) were returning from the fields, accused Jagganath Jadhav, Bharat Jadhav, Kailash Deshmukh and Barik Deshmukh were following the sisters with blowing whistle and ringing songs in the mobile. After some time Jagganath Jadhav pushed Panchshila. She asked him as to why he was doing so. But Jagganath slapped both the sisters. He also abused them on caste lines “Dhedgyano Lay Mazlat kay ani amahala vicharayachi tumachi maharachi himmat hai ka?” (“You untouchables have no right to ask whatever we do) The four accused then started hurling abuses of caste and mother.beating them by hands, legs, sticks and iron rods; they smashed girls on chick, hand,chest, and waist and pulled their hairs. Jagganath called his friends namely 1.Tukaram Rajaram Jadhav 2. Datta AshrubaDeshmukh 3. Anil Jadhav 4. Devidas Jadhav 5. Shashikant Jadhav 6. Shyam Jadhav 7. Manubai Jadhav 8. Limbabai Deshmukh.They all again started abusing “lai mazalet dhed” (“These Mahars arrogant”) and threatened to kill them. They brought thembeating to the village. 23)MARATHA WHO ATTACK ON DALLIT-Rohidas Tupe, a brilliant and smart young boy belonging to Mang community.Vaishali Vitthal Jadhav was Rohidas’s class mate in his school. She belonged to Marathacommunity, an upper caste.Vaishali got attracted to his personality and naturally fall in love with Rohidas.On the fateful day of 23rd Feb 2009,Maratha villagers gathered and caught him.They started beating him. They took him to statue of KingShivaji where his cloths were removed. Rohidas was tied to an electricity poll and was beaten by mob. Villagers threw chillipowder and salt on his wounds. When Rohidas asked water to drink, the accused, Bhausaheb Tejrao Jadhav urinated in hismouth. Kerosene was thrown over his body. Whole episode was shamelessly witnessed by the village mob of 150 villagers, just similar to Khairlanji. Most of them took part in the crime, beating him till death. Rohidas died soon. 24)MARATHA WHO RAPE ON DALLIT-A former Maharashtra legislative council member, the 63-year old Mane has been charged with raping three women who were working as temporary cooks at a residential tribal school he runs at Jakatwadi in Satara,- married and aged between 30-35 - alleging Mane raped them under the lure of making them permanent employees of the school. 25)MARATHA WHO RAPE ON DALLIT-Wednesday sentenced Prakash Adare, Vibhu Jadhav and Samadhan Pawar to life imprisonment.a dalit woman who was 30 years old was gang raped by theconvicted youths on the evening of September 3, 2003 at around 7.30pm. 26)MARATHA WHO RAPE ON 4 YEARS INFANT DALLIT GIRL-She was raped by a 17-year-old Maratha boy in Karad's Kathavli village on Friday, police said on Saturday. Source: The Hindu January 29, 2012. 27)MARATHA WHO RAPE ON DALLIT-On September 24, a 16-year-old Dalit girl in Maharashtra’s Dhule district was gang-raped twice in broad daylight, Surekha is from the Mahar caste. She was first gang-raped by four upper-caste Maratha men she knew, including her boyfriend of two years. It is all documents are made by government including you though why Bramhins are targetted? |
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It is very insightful talk. We feel proud to be the followers of Dr.B.R.Ambedkar. Our Dalit literary tradition is enhanced by Sharankumar Limbale |
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Thanks a lot for this great interview. it is much inspirational for all the people who are for social justice.Dr.Ambedkar once said India needs social democracy.Dr.Limbale sir is spreading the values for stronger society world wide.I hope many Sharan kumar will take shape from Dr. Limbale sir. |
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Rare interview!! Thanks a ton to both Sharankumar Limbale sir and my friend Dr. Jaydeep Sarangee. It is indeed a rare interview offering a step ahead unifying Dalit literature across the world. The strong bonding between the pan Dalit writing /writers and activists is strengthened by this interview. The ideological foundation, inspiration, and the role of Dalit literary movement in India are highly comprehensive in this interview. Many Thanks. |
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very glad to read the interview piece. Equally glad to learn movements for and by the oppressed. May God lend a helping hand! |
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A wonderful interview of a substantial personality by an astounding interviewer . Such interviews inspire us a lot... i enjoyed and learnt various new axioms of Dalit literature and Dalit writers as well... You deserve enormous respect...Congratulations |
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This interview clarifies so many murky areas like the subjectivity of the person engaged in the act of writing Dalit literature,the desired readership and the fact that the annihilation of caste is and can be the task of every human being irrespective her caste identity as long as it does not undermine the importance of Dalit agency. |
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Sharankumar Limbale is an amazing human being.I'm a blind follower of his Human Literature!He writes..."My rights are rising like the sun(.)". He is also a classroom favourite!!! - |
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A brilliant interview, no doubt. It is wonderful to know that Sharankumar has written 44 remarkable books in Marathi and he loves to be identified as a Dalit forever. A rebel with a cause, laudably! Loved reading the interview. |
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A further clarification on the nature, content and purpose of Dalit Literary Movement. This bold conversation blows away much haziness from the arena of Dalit Literature. Glad to know Marathi Dalit Masterminds as Limbale ji are becoming increasingly familiar with the treasure-house of Bengali Dalit Literature. This conversation has been an essential service... Thanks Prof Jaydeep Sarangi for the initiative, thanks to Limbale ji for the wealth of ideas. |
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A very insightful interview. Very well done Jaydeep, and I'm sure you felt honoured interviewing one of the pioneers of Dalit literature. |
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Great Interview . Proud to know more about the great Dalit writer Limbale sir from our state Maharashtra.Congratulations and best wishes for future endeavours. Your interview will for sure help the research scholars. Kudos to both. |
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wonderful interview Sir..hope it will help the research scholars...I learnt a lot of things about this great man under lens...excellent job Sir.. I big salute to you Sir |