WOMEN’S LIBERATION DAY (03rd JAN.)
Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule was born on 3rd January 1831 in OBC Mali (gardener) caste in Pune (Maharashtra). She is real ideal of liberation of Indian women, who is the first female teacher, first woman educationist, the first poet and the foremost emancipator of women in Indian History. She has written five books which reflect her humanitarian approach against patriarchal caste system. She was the first modern Indian women who destroyed traditional and patriarchal brahmanical social order.
Adopting teaching as a social duty, the champion Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule continued to impart education not only to attract women towards rational education but also to emancipate them from the brahmanical mental slavery. As we know that, since twelve hundred years, Indian society has been governed by Manusmriti, Vedas, Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagwad Geeta etc. These scriptures consider women as outcaste, source of sorrow, disgusted, a commodity which can be sold and purchased, and a gateway to hell. In RigVeda, woman is considered as dukh ki khaan (source of sorrow), in Mahabharata women were used to keep as a stake in gamble what Pandva’s did with their wife, Dhropdi. In Ramayana the so called Maryada Purshyottam Ram kicked out his pregnant wife Sita from his palace, and in Bhagwad Geeta, self claimed God, Krishna calls women as narak ka dwar (a gateway to hell). Thus, these brahmanical texts made women condition worse than the Shudras. According to Manusmriti, when women begins to pursue education by breaking brahmanical social order (Caste System) that would be Kaliyuga (the Degraded Era).
For the first time in Indian history, in the mid 19th century Savitribai Phule rose against this conspiracy of suppression and politics of sidelining women which was the root cause of the continuation of the Indian women’s mental slavery. She boldly attacked the so called brahmins, who prevented all the non-brahmins from having access to the avenues of knowledge. She denounced them by calling them cheats and hypocrites. She organized the untouchables and women to lead the Anti-caste movement with the help of her husband, Rashtrapita Jyotirao Phule. In 1851, she opened first school for the untouchables and women in Indian history with the purpose of educating all women, irrespective of the caste to which a particular woman belonged. Getting annoyed with her efforts of women liberation, caste Hindus held a campaign against her and even demolished her house. With her husband, she revolted against the priesthood hegemony and the system of brahminical supremacy (Caste System) with a deep sense of commitment in all spheres of life. Her activities were not confined to education alone; she also strived to emancipate women from the evils of the society like sati pratha, child marriage, etc and supported widow remarriage and propagated inter-caste marriage. These problems were existing mostly in the Brahmin women and other caste Hindus, but Savitribai Phule fought for their liberation too. Widow pregnancy and illegitimate children was a major problem in Brahmin community, and to deal with this she established “the House for Illegitimate Children and their Mothers” which shows her humanitarian approach towards all human beings.
Distortion of Real History by Manu-Minded Writers: This memorable Women Liberation Day which is celebrated in memory of Savitribai Phule’s birth anniversary is not recognized by the people of patriarchal mind set. This insincerity is not odd for Depressed majority masses as they know that history is always written by those who are in power, the real players are always kept as subjects of darkness and non-recognition in the mainstream literature. It is a bitter truth that this Manu-Laden society never accepts the contribution of backward class women and men heroes in Indian society. It can be said that all literature and history is nothing but documents of so called heroic saga of patriarchal greed and brahmanical value-less values with absolutely no mention of the contribution of Backward Class women like Savitribai Phule, Jhalkaribai, Ahilyabai Holkar and Uda Devi etc. These reactionaries never remember the revolutionary role played by Savitribai Phule who dared to break patriarchal caste system. In this Manu-Laden society, the history of Bahujans (who are real claimant of power in democracy) is being shadowed deliberately. This is a well planned conspiracy to suppress women and backward communities so as to prevent them from any kind of awareness in education among them and make them the victims in the absence of the power of knowledge. Therefore, it is our duty to follow our greatest ancestor Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar’s guideline in which he said "those who forgets history, cannot create history." Hence, it is a clear guideline to dig out hidden history to debunk the face of Manu-Minded writers in general and historians in particular of the ruling class to build confidence and self respect among the underprivileged.
In Indian history, Savitribai Phule is the tallest ideal female character to be followed by the depressed and backward majority masses. It is the conspiracy of Manuvadi ideals to keep the contribution of Savitribai Phule under carpet so that the depressed and backward masses should not get enlightened and remain as mental slaves by worshipping unqualified Saraswati as a source of
education. If this is not so, then where had she studied? Why does Saraswati never speak even about the need to give education to women? How is it that the so called source of education herself is an illiterate woman!! In real sense, the contribution of Saraswati vidhya ki devi (goddess of education) is nothing, and it is a pity that our educated student community follows it blindly!!!
In year 2007, so called Leftist, Rightist and other brahminical organizations celebrated 1857 mutiny on grand level and they focused on Jhansi ki rani, Lakshimibai because she was from the so called upper caste and they don’t want to remember Savitribai Phule. In the same manner, Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan’s birth anniversary is celebrated as ‘Teachers Day’ who favoured Varna and Caste system but these so called progressive ideoideologists don’t celebrate Savitribai’s birth anniversary, who is the first female teacher and opened first women school. Krantijoti Savitribai Phule well understood the importance of education, usually stressed priority of the women education
(including Brahmin women) she believed that woman can liberate two families firstly in which she is born and secondly, after marriage the family of her in-laws. From her work, one can comprehend that she was true and practical in her deeds, not merely rhetoric like present chatter box feminist intellectuals who speak a lot but do nothing. Her husband Jyotirao Phule created an example at his home by educating her and opened a girls' school in August 1848. No teacher dared to work because of the social pressure, under such circumstances, Rashtrapita Phule asked his wife to teach the girls in this school. Many times stones, brickbats, and dung were thrown at her but she kept on teaching them. She used to carry two Saries with herself when she was on her way to teach in the school because people used to throw cow dung on her. Seeing the growing awareness among the depressed & backward masses, reactionary Brahmin leader like B. G Tilak, Vishnushstri Chiplunkar, and other so called nationalist leader became angry and began a vicious campaign against them, but Savitribai and Jotirao Phule damned it and continued with their work to achieve the goal of casteless society.
Savitribai and Jotirao Phule’s caravan was later on carried forward by their great successor, Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. His efforts to liberate women can be seen in many provisions incorporated in the Indian Constitution and his struggle to pass Hindu Code Bill in 1951 in Indian parliament to bring women in various fields which was shattered by the Congress Party’s parliamentarians and other similar mindset people. It was the efforts of Savitribai Phule, because of which the women are getting opportunity to participate in various fields. Even in the 21st century, women are still struggling against patriarchal caste system to achieve their rights. Thus, it is a need of the modern era to follow the path of Savitribai to create a casteless society where men and women would be equal.
With this message we salute the great Krantijyoti!
Jai Bhim! Dated: 3rd January 2009, JNU, New Delhi-67
Yours in Mission
___Central Committee (UDSF)
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