Aurangabad, Maharashtra
From Sabrang/FOIL’s Appendix H of The Foreign Exchange of Hate Report: :
|
Dr. Babasaheb
Ambedkar Vaidyakiya Pratishthan, Aurangabhad, MS |
$74,730 |
R |
e |
“R / e” The
worst hate-mongering rating.
a. “Dr. Balasaheb Ambedkar” was an Indian hero who represented the interests of the so-called “low-caste” people. World-renowned jurist and the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution of India. Certainly not associated with “Brahmin supremacists”. Interestingly, Ambedkar is lionized at the website of the Forum of Indian Leftists themselves, albeit with the usual anarchist distortions and declamations which are omitted from the following excerpt [ [i]] :
“Born on 14 April 1891 to a Mahar family in Mhow, Maharashtra, Ambedkar rose to become an exemplary scholar, statesman and revolutionary leader in modern India. Fondly remembered today by Dalits as Babasaheb, Ambedkar is a figure whose greatness the rest of India is still struggling to understand. Ambedkar ranks easily amongst the most highly educated and erudite leaders of India. He spent many years studying a host of subjects ranging from economics and anthropology to politics, law and religion, in colleges and universities such as Elphinstone College, Bombay where he earned a B.A., Columbia University, USA, from where he earned an M.A. and a Ph.D., London University where he earned a D.Sc. and entrance to the Bar from Grey's Inn, London. .. Much of Ambedkar's education was made possible by financial support from the Gaikwad of Baroda.. The importance of Ambedkar has been recently attacked by certain intellectuals who seem to resent the celebration of Ambedkar on the national level. Dalit assertion is inevitably dealt with violence, both physical as well as ideological. Such times as these demand a nuanced understanding of the different roles which both Gandhi and Ambedkar played in reconstituting an independent India which would be truly free. For, it may be argued that regardless of the real differences between these two inspiring figures of India's struggle for freedom, both of them would represent a severe blow to the foundations of religious fundamentalism as we have come to experience in our midst.
b. “Harijan” refers to underprivileged, “low-caste” people. Hindus.
The above minor details of course do not deter the FOIL and Sabrang from declaring an organization named after Ambedkar, which actually works to help the very people whom Ambedkar tried all his life to help, as a “hate-mongering” organization.
The following letter was received by the present author on Dec. 1, 2002 [ [ii]]:
“Ambedkar Vaidyakeeya pratishthan was the idea of a
group of fresh medical graduates who wanted to do something different from
jumping into the murky world of private medical practice. They started from a
little hospital about 15 years ago.
Their key principle was that all of them will draw fixed minimal salary
and all other income from their hospital would help towards buying new
equipment and subsidising medical care.The first time I visited them was in
1992. The two subsequent visits were in 1998 and 1999. They now have an
impeacable reputation in Aurangabad for quality care at affordable cost. They
were also planning to move to a new site and probably, the IDRF funding went
towards that. What impressed me most however was the work in community. I
remember visiting an outreach centre called Lahuji Vastaad Kendra ( I remember it because of the
curious name which actually is of a Harijan hero!). All the doctors are
required to visit these centres once a week. It was a tidy little structure in
an otherwise ram shackle Harijan colony. A primary school functions from the
same premises which also doubles as community meeting place in evenings. I also
recollect visiting a nearby Women's sewing center run by the volunteers of
sansthan. The local workers there told me that initially the local community
cold-shouldered the project.
They simply did not believe that anyone wants to do
them some good without wanting their votes. By the time I visited, the
community elders were whole heartedly behind the project. What also won them
over was the fact that if anyone from their family was admitted to the Hedgewar
Hospital they were treated with dignity.
Raveendra Surange (address deleted)
United Kingdom “