Annihilation of Caste : The Annotated Critical Edition
Back in 1936, B.R. Ambedkar was asked to speak before a Hindu reform organisation, hoping he'd offer solutions for dismantling caste hierarchies. His response proved far too provocative. Ambedkar insisted that caste oppression was baked into the very foundations of Hindu scripture, and that genuine transformation demanded nothing less than the destruction of these texts. The group promptly rescinded their invitation. Undeterred, he published the speech independently, sparking fierce debate that would reverberate through decades. Gandhi himself felt compelled to respond, beginning a dispute that would never truly resolve. This meticulously prepared edition, complete with scholarly notes and context, includes a substantial foreword by Arundhati Roy, who argues that any serious study of Ambedkar becomes incomplete without grappling with his relationship to Gandhi. The work provokes searching questions about representation, social hierarchy, entitlement, and authority within Indian life, forcing readers to confront uncomfortable truths about power structures that persist today.
- Author: B.R. Ambedkar
- Publisher: Navayana
- Genre: Cultural Studies
- ISBN: 979-8511230634
- Pages: 415 pages