Kancha Ilaiah
Kancha Ilaiah is a prominent anti-Hindu social activist and author. He was born into Kuruma Golla (which is an 'other backward caste' , not dalit) family on October 5 1952 and was brought up in a small south Indian village. His family's main profession was sheep farming. He earned his doctorate degree in political science at the Osmania University in Hyderabad, India. His Ph. D thesis was based on Gautama Buddha's Political Philosophy.
In an article for the Marxist journal Economic and Political Weekly, he confessed to having secured a mere Third Division(lowest grade required to clear the exam) and could join Osmania University only because of reservation.
Dr. Kancha Ilaiah is currently Professor and Chairman of Political Science, Osmania University.
He is an outspoken activist in the Dalit-Bahujan (Scheduled and Backwards Castes) movement. A critic of the Hindu religion, he has on numerable occasions criticized the practices of Caste and Untouchability. Recently he testified before the U.S. Congress against the practice of Untouchability and urged the US Government to work with the Indian government to end persecution against Muslims and Christians.
He joined hands in this campaign with the All India Christian Council, headed by Dr. Joseph D'Souza and other Christian activists of India [1]. Dr. Joseph D'Souza is also associated with USA based Dalit Freedom Network, which actively participated in the Californian Hindu textbook controversy to oppose edits proposed by Hindu groups.
According to Joseph D'souza, Kancha Ilaiah has served as the "influential ideologue" for the "Quit Hinduism" movement leading to Chennai Dalit Mass Conversions Of Dec 6th, 2002 [2].
Although not fluent in spoken English, he is the author of several books written in English, including
- Why I Am Not a Hindu: A Sudra critique of Hindutva philosophy, culture and political economy
- God as Political Philosopher--Buddha's Challenge to Brahminism
- Democracy in India --- A Hollow Shell (edited by Arthur Bonner)
- Buffalo Nationalism--A critique of spiritual fascism
His book, Why I Am Not A Hindu has been a best-seller in India. However, it has also drawn severe condemnations from many, who have called the book a shallow understanding of Hindu religion and blissful ignorance of several aspects of its philosophy and mythology.
Ilaiah has often been criticised for his rabid, anti-Brahmin rhetoric. He has also faced ridicule for his seemingly hypocritical arguments. For example, in an interviewto rediff.com, he once said, "Brahmins do not have the right to call themselves Indians...Brahmins are basically Aryans who came from outside." As many Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and all Parsis are Aryans, this argument would, of course, mean that those communities also do not have the right to call themselves Indians.
Kancha Ilaiah's views on Hinduism: Quotes
- "Yes, I hate Hinduism". [3]
- "Hinduism is a religion of violence". [4]
- "For Hinduism, for Hindu dharma, resolving of a conflict is only by killing".[5]
- "If a Dalitist state and society is established I think we will see a very bright future for the whole country."[6]
- "Hinduism has destroyed all positive elements that normally exist in a human being" [7]
External links
Read MVR Shastry/s (eminent newspaper editor)["Kancha Ilaiah’s ‘Why I am Not a Hindu’
A Critical Review by Shri M. V. R. Sastry"][9]
Read David Frawley (born 1950 in Wisconsin, U.S.A.) is currently one of the world's leading authors on Hinduism (Sanatana Dharma), Yoga, Ayurveda, and contemporary Indian politics. "How I Became a Hindu" [10]
See also
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Read MVR Shastry's (eminent newspaper editor)["Kancha Ilaiah’s ‘Why I am Not a Hindu’ A Critical Review by Shri M. V. R. Sastry"][11]
Read David Frawley (born 1950 in Wisconsin, U.S.A.) is currently one of the world's leading authors on Hinduism (Sanatana Dharma), Yoga, Ayurveda, and contemporary Indian politics. "How I Became a Hindu" [12]
Article on Reservations [13]