Dr Ambedkar was India's 'first male feminist', says Shashi Tharoor
Panaji(PTI): Dr B R Ambedkar was India's first male feminist, who propagated such ideas decades back that could be considered as progressive even for the current generation of politicians, Congress leader and writer Shashi Tharoor said here on Saturday.
He was speaking during an interaction programme at the ongoing Goa Heritage Festival.
"He (Ambedkar) was probably India's first male feminist. Way back in 1920, 30s, 40s he made speeches, including in front of a female audience, which today would be considered as progressive for a male politician," the Congress MP said while speaking about his latest book "Ambedkar: A Life".
"He (Ambedkar) urged women not to allow themselves to be forced into marriage. He urged women to delay marriage, delay childbirth. He urged them to stand up to their husbands as equals," The Thiruvanathapuram MP said.
Ambedkar as a legislator fought for women workers and labourers, he said, adding, "It was a remarkable feminist thinking of this man 80-90 years ago."
"There is a tendency to see Ambedkar as a Dalit leader. He was the principal Dalit leader of the country. From his early 20s, he was an influential voice and became more and more influential," he said.
Ambedkar was an extraordinary constitutionalist, being the chairman of the drafting committee. It was he who presented and defended every single one of the provisions of the Constitution, Tharoor said.
Responding to a question on India's image globally, Tharoor said that in 1975, the country's image in America was awful.
"It was considered a poor country and people's idea about India was about fakirs sleeping on nail-bed or snake-charmers doing road tricks. From there, the transformation has been astonishing. By the turn of the millennium, you have Indian software revolution and suddenly started imagining Indians as computer gigs," he said.
Tharoor said that the 'Y2K' phenomenon was a turning point for the Indian computer professionals.
"There was a fear that all the computers would crash...Suddenly we had a demand for Indians doing codes to overcome that problem and that's when India's software revolution really took off," he said.
According to him, the other thing that happened in the western world was about the consciousness of Indian expatriates as not just computer people, but engineers and doctors.
"Indians, from being beggars and snake-charmers, were now software engineers," he said.
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Subramanian Swamy alleges Russian involvement in Sanjay Gandhi's death on podcast
Swamy made startling revelations on Shubhankar Mishra's podcast
New Delhi: In yet another bombshell revelation, BJP leader Dr. Subramanian Swamy has stirred controversy by claiming that Sanjay Gandhi, the son of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, did not die in a natural accident, but was allegedly killed by Russia. Swamy made these explosive remarks during a candid interview on the podcast Unplugged Shubhankar, hosted by former Aaj Tak anchor Shubhankar Mishra.
Swamy, known for his outspoken nature and often controversial opinions, shared his theory while recounting his friendship with Rajiv Gandhi, Sanjay’s younger brother, who later succeeded him in politics after Sanjay’s untimely death in 1980.
During the podcast, Swamy alleged that Sanjay Gandhi’s death in a plane crash was not an accident, as widely believed, but a deliberate act orchestrated by Russia. He explained that Russia viewed Sanjay as a threat due to his inclination to bring India closer to the United States. Swamy stated, “Russia killed him. They feared he would take India to America. There is a lot of proof for that.”
He further revealed that he had spoken to Indira Gandhi about his suspicions at the time, but according to Swamy, she responded with a resigned acceptance, saying, “What is the use? He will not come back.” The implication, according to Swamy, was that even though Indira Gandhi may have suspected foul play, she believed that there was no point in pursuing the matter further.
Sanjay Gandhi’s death had long been considered a tragic accident, with the young leader's plane crashing shortly after takeoff during a routine flight over New Delhi. However, Swamy’s claims about foreign interference are likely to ignite new debates about the circumstances surrounding his death.
The veteran politician also shared anecdotes about his close friendship with Rajiv Gandhi, narrating how they would often discuss important political matters late at night. Swamy recalled how Rajiv sought his guidance on issues such as Article 370, and even expressed a desire to speak against it, only to be persuaded otherwise by his mother, Indira Gandhi.
Swamy also revealed how he had a role in the fall of VP Singh’s government, claiming that Rajiv Gandhi had asked for his help in toppling the administration. According to Swamy, he advised Rajiv that Chandrashekhar, another prominent politician at the time, would be a better alternative to VP Singh. The plan, as described by Swamy, eventually led to Chandrashekhar’s brief tenure as Prime Minister.
Swamy’s podcast remarks are sure to raise eyebrows, particularly his assertion that Sanjay Gandhi’s death was not an accident but the result of international political intrigue. While there has been no concrete evidence to support such a claim, Swamy's reputation for making bold, headline-grabbing statements guarantees that this revelation will spark intense discussion in political circles.
As the podcast gains traction, these allegations are likely to reignite interest in the mysterious circumstances of Sanjay Gandhi’s death.
