Athawale's army rum comments draw ire
Gopal Guru, a renowned Dalit thinker from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi condemned the statement.
Mumbai: Republican Party of India (RPI) chief Ramdas Athawale’s comments on the availability of quality liquor in the Indian army on Sunday in Pune have kicked up a moral-policing row. However, later he clarified his statement, saying he was misunderstood.
Speaking at a programme commemorating the formation of the Mahar Regiment on October 1, 1941, in which Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar played a pivotal role, Mr Athawale exhorted those gathered to join the army.
“You will get high-protein food. You can improve your health as well as your financial situation. Don’t waste your time loafing around,” said Mr Athawale. He then added in a lighter vein, “You get country liquor here. Join the army. You will get rum.”
Slamming Mr Athawale’s comments as ‘foolish’, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) spokesperson Mahesh Talwar said, “The Dalit youth are known for their bravery and the Mahar Regiment was formed due to this. A memorial to the bravery of the Dalit youth has been erected at Koregaon, Pune. Mr Athawale’s statement is contrary to the ideals of Dr Ambedkar as he was critical about addiction. He should apologise to the community.”
State Congress’s Schedule Caste cell head Raju Waghmare also lashed out at the RPI chief. “Ministers are supposed to advocate de-addiction. But here Mr Athawale is making an appeal for liquor addiction... He must be warned,” said Mr Waghmare.
Interestingly, some experts view Mr Athawale’s comments in a different light.
Gopal Guru, a renowned Dalit thinker from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi condemned the statement. But he said, “There is core point in it. The Dalit community has been denied high-quality food for centuries. So, when the British started recruiting men for their army in the late 18th century, it were the Dalit youth who enlisted for financial reasons as well as to get good food. So, the appeal to enlist for good food has a historical context. But, adding liquor to it is against Dr Ambedkar's ideas.”
Mr Athawale on Monday denied having intentionally conveyed a negative message. “I appeal to the Dalit youth to join the army. I also demand reservation in the army. But, my statement about country liquor is been interpreted wrongly. I didn’t mean that,” he said.