Nikhat Fatima. Siyasat.net
Hyderabad:
Telugu lyricist Jonnavithula Ramalingeswara Rao penned and sang a song on a TV Channel eulogising Brhaminism. The song caught the notice of the people when it was promoted on various social platforms.
In times of the pandemic covid 19 wherein people are advised to maintain social distance, Ramalingeshwara Rao has said that the practise that was discarded off as non-sense is now being practised all over the world. And that the world in now united in its acceptance of the practise of social distancing.
The song has created a furore amongst the Dalit circles and has become a hot topic of debate on social media. Some people felt that the song is critical of the Brahmin caste for its practise of untouchability. “At the surface the song appears like it criticises Brahminism but the hidden meaning is clear as he is actually asking the Brahmins to feel proud and continue their practise of maintaining social distance”, said one activist named G. Babu.
Another activist D Vaishali also felt the same ‘as there are some Sanskrit words in the poem, many would not be able to understand the underlying meaning in it’, she said.
The Mala Welfare Association President Batulla Ramprasad, filed a complaint in the Nampally Police Station and accordingly a FIR No. 105/ 2020 has been registered against Jonnavithula Ramalingeshwara Rao U/S 3 (1) (U) of SC and ST (PoA) Act 1989 and U/S 7 (1) (d) of PCR Act for writing, singing, spreading a poem calling the Brahmin community to restore the practice untouchability.
Jonnavithula Ramelingeshwara Rao, a Brahmin by caste, released the song on 14th April on the occasion of Amberkar Jayanthi. This was also seen as a deliberate move on his part to insult the sentiments of Dalits.
What is in the song? Some of the lines of the songs go thus:
“The practise of Brahmins,
Has become a crown for humanity.
The practise which was thought to be nonsense
Has now become a channel to avoid death.
It has become a life giving boon,
And the world keeps chanting, keep distance, keep distance, keep distance.
Among all nations, Indian practise is great,
And it is becoming popular.
So from now on, O Brhamins, Open your eyes,
Live life practising strict untouchability.
Dr. B. Karthik Navayan, Advocate, High Court of Telangana, Hyderabad, said, “He used specific words, when he said, ‘thagula bettedamanna thathvammu darmambu, vishwamunake prana biksha aye. He is referring to the Manusmriti, which was burnt by Dr B. R Ambedkar. He means that, though the knowledge is burnt it is now life saving for the entire world. The Manusmriti advocated practice of untouchability. Our constitution has prohibited untouchability.”
“Moreover, this video was uploaded on the birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar, it is intentional to ridicule the act of burning of Manusmriti by Dr B R Ambedkar.” He added.
Dr Navayan also feels that the government authorities have mindlessly adapted the word social distance to maintain physical distance in view of COVID19. Social distance resembles the caste practice of untouchability and people like Jonnavithula are advocating the discriminatory practice by taking pride in it.
Batulla Ramprasad, a Dalit activist in the complaint says, ‘the essence of the poem by Mr Jonnavittula Ramalingeswara Rao has a malicious intention inciting hatred on Scheduled Caste community and down trodden people in India. His poem clearly preaches the upper caste people to practice abstaining of social relations with Scheduled Castes people.’
The members of the Mala Welfare Association have demanded the arrest of the singer for violating the law of the land by going against the Constitution of India.
( Mala is a sub-caste in the SC)
