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Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd

Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd

Academic and social activist

kanchailaiah1952@gmail.com

The author is political theorist and social activist.

By Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd

Why I am a Harappan Indian, not a Vedic patriot: Here’s what's so wrong with the Vedic brand of patriotism

Patriotism cannot be found in humiliating our own people’s diverse productivity, and promoting a culture of consumption by some, toiling by others, who get only abuse in return.

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Why Congress needs to reach out to Shudra leaders to wrest power from the BJP

The BJP managed to win over the support of the marginalised communities by projecting Modi as an OBC leader. Here's what the grand old party can do to reverse it.

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Why Kamala Harris for US President: The world must root for this candidate in the US presidential battle

Kamala Harris has made her racial identity central to her campaign. Like Barack Obama, she shows both audacity and hope. The world has never needed both more.

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Dear Indian intellectuals, we are not fools: Faux regional language lovers closed the poor's access to English for years

But politicians like Jagan Reddy have sensed the yearning among the masses for English medium instruction and will provide this, despite the intellectuals hissing this is a 'World Bank agenda'.

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Skipping The Biggest Lesson: BJP’s draft National Education Policy tries to compete with madrasas, misses crucial learning

The policy pays no attention to teaching children the dignity of labour. This lesson is a must though for any society which wants to grow and be developed.

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PM Modi, what about this dynasty? Yes, Modi hit out at the privileged 'Khan Market gang'

But can he target Nagpur too? After all, that system also represents similar privilege based on hereditary entitlements.

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Because IAS cannot become the RSS

Unlike the RSS, officials from civic bodies like the IAS and the IPS are trained to keep their religious biases aside, so long as they hold their position. Violation of that principle is the real anti-national activity.

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By Karma and God's Grace: Why Hindutva economics never discusses poverty or the poor

In Hindutva's view, the gods created the rich and poor based on karma and caste. Hence, there is no need to interfere much with poverty. Growth will occur as long as the rich get richer.

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Finally, dignity of trade: Why Akhilesh Yadav’s 'doodhwala' vs Modi’s 'chaiwala' rhetoric offers hope in a post-Hindu caste world

Tejaswi Yadav calling Modi 'nakli OBC' and Akhilesh calling himself a real 'doodhwala' shows India is finally shaking off the shame associated with caste and talking about the nobility of labour.

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Shashi Tharoor's 'Thulabharam Mindset': Why I see Tharoor as a staunch Hindu revivalist who will likely join BJP/RSS soon

With his support to Sabarimala traditionalists, his book 'Why I Am A Hindu' and now, his thulabharam practice, Shashi Tharoor has shown his Hindutva colours. His transit seems simply a matter of time.

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Nehru wouldn't allow it: What Narendra Modi’s hurry for a biopic on him says to me about his leadership

Is it right for the RSS to allow such massive personal glorification? Or ethical for a PM to want such a biopic while he's still in office and indeed, facing re-election?

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English Medium in Andhra: How Jagan Mohan Reddy’s promise can catapult him to the CM’s chair

The elite have long denied rural children the right to quality education, which will make them eligible for jobs not just in India but world over. Jagan Reddy could now change that, and ignite new dreams.

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Finally, NYAY for Indians: Rahul Gandhi’s scheme will help remove caste and class differences in our society

The RSS and BJP have never cared about the poor because the poor do not speak the language of Hindutva.

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2019 Lok Sabha Polls: Why Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi must promise English-medium school education in the Congress manifesto

Both the BJP and Congress differ very little on the kind of education they envision for India's young. Here's where the two Gandhis could make a real difference.

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RSS' vegetarian army, in times of conflict with Pakistan and China

Which army is currently protecting India’s borders — the vegetarian RSS army or the multi-cuisine, multicultural Indian army? And who can do a better job?

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Kashmir: Are BJP-RSS pushing it to a point where religious fundamentalism wins?

No religious state, once-Hindu Nepal, Buddhist Myanmar, Islamic Pakistan, has been able to negotiate democracy. Our current government needs to keep this in mind while pushing an increasingly Islamic Kashmir to the brink..

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Hindu Mahasabha is scripting Mahatma Gandhi as a modern-day Ravana. Is Nathuram Godse the new Ram?

Hindu Mahasabha leaders recently 'shot' an effigy of Mahatma Gandhi and celebrated his 'death'. None of their senior leaders rejected such behaviour. It is with exactly such propaganda that they wish to change the moral fabric of India.

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Fighting Phantoms: Anand Teltumbde was arrested over the Bhima Koregaon case – a celebration he strongly opposes

Teltumbde is a popular Dalit scholar and activist and his writings expressing deep disagreements with Maoists are very much in the public sphere. How did the state miss seeing them?

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Why Narendra Modi kept Mohan Bhagwat in the dark over 10 per cent EWS reservation

Not only the RSS chief, but several Congress anti-reservationists too have been dealt a huge blow. Modi's proposed quota could also change how we see caste itself.

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Sabarimala row: While he defends 'tradition', will PM Modi also guarantee protection to Bindu and Kanakadurga?

By saying that resistance to women’s entry into Sabarimala temple is a matter of custom and sentiment, the Prime Minister has let down all marginalised groups, including women.

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Is spiritual citizenship possible for Dalits and Adivasis within Hinduism?

When a group of people is repeatedly told they were born unequal, they forget how to frame demands for rights. This is in contrast to Christianity, which prompted the genesis of equal societies.

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Why Pinarayi Vijayan must take the RSS-BJP head-on in the Sabarimala fight. The fight is now for more than the one temple

The Sangh Parivar has started the movement to overthrow the communist government in Kerala. Vijayan must protect his turf, and all that liberal India stands for.

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Why the Ram temple is more important for the RSS than farmers and their pain

The Sangh Parivar only bothers about the voice of the upper caste sadhus and sanyasis, not farmers and labourers.

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Telangana polls: What the coming together of Left and Ambedkarite parties means

The formation of the Bahujan Left Front is a new experiment in the Indian constitutional democracy.

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Why there is no scope for the liberation of Shudras in RSS' Hindu Rashtra

The outcome of 2019 Lok Sabha elections depends on the Shudra realisation of their spiritual and socio-political status in the 'RSS Hindutva realm'.

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Amritsar train tragedy: Why BJP and Congress should stop the culture of 'celebrating' death

Nationalists must celebrate production, not destruction — whether that of an effigy or a masjid.

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Sabarimala: Why BJP wants to 'empower' Muslim women but is against equal rights for its Hindu daughters

Right-wing forces are mobilising women against women’s right to spiritual equality in Hinduism.

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Why upper caste Hindus in Telangana are fighting over statue of murdered Dalit youth

Let there be a thousand inter-caste marriages.

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Why Modi government is for sansyasis, not farmers

There is no talk of pro-agrarian development agenda because the RSS-BJP rules the nation only for the well-being of sadhus and sanyasis.

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How Brahmins ensured India never progressed

The ritual of throwing food into fire started during the Rig Vedic times, continues to this day and nobody challenges it.

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