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In article <4qvkra$11bi@thor.cmp.ilstu.edu>, Joseph L. Jeyaraj <jljeyar@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu> wrote: ... > Consequently, for most of the oppressed real independence meant becoming > free of the bonds of casteism and sexism. Gandhi saw how the pent up > social frustrations could actually turn against the Congress dominated, > for the most part by sanskritized Indians. In addition, having a liking > for sanskritized Indian culture himself, he did not want to do deconstruct > the underpinnings of sanskritized Indian culture. It needs more than your facile and self-serving assertions to deconstruct Gandhi's political and moral philosophy. The latter is a well-studied subject, and only the ignorant or the wearers or political blinkers will buy your "analysis by assertion" above. You missed the obvious point--Gandhi's campaign against untouchability was aimed not at the erstwhile untouchables themselves but at the oppressing upper castes. And it worked to an amazing and lasting extent. Obviously, once relieved (at least to a significant extent) of the obnoxious burden of untouchability and politically empowered by the vote, it has been up to the Dalits to chart their own political future as indeed they appear to be doing gradually. It would be childish of them to complain that Gandhi didn't lead them by the hand. On the other hand, Gandhi indubitably contributed in a major way to their liberation by convincing the upper castes practically overnight that untouchability is a morally outrageous practice. My personal views. Bapa Rao