On 28th November, Naujawan Bharat Sabha commemorated Jyotirao Phule’s death anniversary in Super Indiranagar, Pune. The residents of the area enthusiastically participated in this program where progressive songs were sung and speeches were given regarding Jyotirao Phule’s life and the relevance of his legacy today.
The program started “Mahilayein ab utthi nahi toh” which talks about the struggle for women’s liberation after which Lalita spoke about Phule’s contribution to caste annihilation and women’s liberation. Phule’s revolutionary steps towards women’s education, towards education and liberation of the Dalits and so-called “lower castes” were recounted and his struggles in his personal life to choose to leave his home after being pressurised to stop his efforts to educate the marginalized communities were also recounted. The relevance of his legacy of not bowing down to British and expecting any sort of reforms from them, his correct analysis about the traitorous Brahminical force’s alliance with the British and his understanding about the various struggles of common working masses across the world as is seen in Gulamgiri, his seminal work, dedicated to the struggle of Black people against racism were highlighted. All the people gathered also agreed to fight against the exploitative capitalist system which perpetuates casteism and patriarchy, with renewed vigour and truly honour the radical social reformer that is Jyotirao Phule.
Siddharth also spoke about the current education system, the increasing fund cuts, the twin attacks of privatisation and saffronisation and the need to make education free and accessible to all. The program ended with the song “Todo Bandhan Todo” as a promise to the world that the fight against exploitation of the masses, against brahminism, against capitalist patriarchy must continue as we walk on the path of revolutionaries amd radical social reformers like Jyotirao Phule who, until their last breath, strove to build a world that is humane and just.
