11-21-2005, 10:48 PM
Ambedkar love letters anger Prakash
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->New Delhi: A collection of love letters written to Dr B.R. Ambedkar by British woman Francis Fritzgerald and being published by Roli Books has upset his grandson, Mr Prakash Ambedkar.
<b>The grandson, a former member of Parliament, has reportedly lodged a complaint with the Delhi police to prevent the publication of the letters. According to the complaint, the publication of these letters "could hurt dalit sentiments in the country".</b>
When contacted, Mr Prakash Ambedkar refused to comment on the issue. "I don't want to talk about it," he said. Roli Books publisher Pramod Kapoor, confirming the police complaint, said he has decided to "go ahead with the publication of the book despite the complaint".
The book, authored by Prof. Arun Kamble, a Marathi professor in Mumbai University, is a collection of love letters written to Dr Ambedkar by Francis, who was a typist in Britain's House of Commons and also worked in India House in London. The correspondence spans over 20 years, from 1922 to 1943. The address from where Francis wrote to Dr Ambedkar, as given in the letters, was 10, King Henry's Road, Hampstead, UK. Claiming that the letters were "authentic", Prof. Kamble said they were given to him by Dr Ambedkar's librarian, Mr S.S. Rege.
Mr Pramod Kapoor of Roli Books said, "There is nothing secretive about them. These are original letters."
He added that the police came to his office in early November on the basis of a complaint lodged by Mr Prakash Ambedkar. They were told that the collection of letters, if published, could "incite the dalits in the country".
However, Mr Kapoor made it clear that there was "nothing illegal and publishing the book would take at least 10 months".
Speaking to this newspaper from Mumbai, the author justified the publishing of the letters: "I am an Ambedkarite. This is purely research work. We know so much about him and his contribution to the nation. The publication of these letters will show more about his life and philosophy."
Reiterating that there was "nothing wrong" in publishing the letters, Prof. Kamble claimed that Dr Ambedkar's biographer, C.B. Khairmode, has also "written about Francis". He added that Dr Ambedkar's personal assistant, Nanakchand Rattu, had talked of Francis' letters in another book. "So you see, there is nothing new about this relationship," Prof. Kamble said. He maintained that Dr Ambedkar had dedicated his book What Congress and Gandhi Have Done to the Untouchables to Francis. In the preface of this particular book, Dr Ambedkar wrote: "To, F â In thy presence is the fullness of joy..."
One letter from Francis to Dr Ambedkar reads: "My darling Bhim, I was happy when I knew you were coming and I thought that we should always be together, and now you have left me again and I hear it, you will come back soon my darling... I want to you to kiss me, I want to feel your strong arms holding me tight."
http://www.asianage.com/?INA=2:175:175:193545
© 2005 The Asian Age
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->New Delhi: A collection of love letters written to Dr B.R. Ambedkar by British woman Francis Fritzgerald and being published by Roli Books has upset his grandson, Mr Prakash Ambedkar.
<b>The grandson, a former member of Parliament, has reportedly lodged a complaint with the Delhi police to prevent the publication of the letters. According to the complaint, the publication of these letters "could hurt dalit sentiments in the country".</b>
When contacted, Mr Prakash Ambedkar refused to comment on the issue. "I don't want to talk about it," he said. Roli Books publisher Pramod Kapoor, confirming the police complaint, said he has decided to "go ahead with the publication of the book despite the complaint".
The book, authored by Prof. Arun Kamble, a Marathi professor in Mumbai University, is a collection of love letters written to Dr Ambedkar by Francis, who was a typist in Britain's House of Commons and also worked in India House in London. The correspondence spans over 20 years, from 1922 to 1943. The address from where Francis wrote to Dr Ambedkar, as given in the letters, was 10, King Henry's Road, Hampstead, UK. Claiming that the letters were "authentic", Prof. Kamble said they were given to him by Dr Ambedkar's librarian, Mr S.S. Rege.
Mr Pramod Kapoor of Roli Books said, "There is nothing secretive about them. These are original letters."
He added that the police came to his office in early November on the basis of a complaint lodged by Mr Prakash Ambedkar. They were told that the collection of letters, if published, could "incite the dalits in the country".
However, Mr Kapoor made it clear that there was "nothing illegal and publishing the book would take at least 10 months".
Speaking to this newspaper from Mumbai, the author justified the publishing of the letters: "I am an Ambedkarite. This is purely research work. We know so much about him and his contribution to the nation. The publication of these letters will show more about his life and philosophy."
Reiterating that there was "nothing wrong" in publishing the letters, Prof. Kamble claimed that Dr Ambedkar's biographer, C.B. Khairmode, has also "written about Francis". He added that Dr Ambedkar's personal assistant, Nanakchand Rattu, had talked of Francis' letters in another book. "So you see, there is nothing new about this relationship," Prof. Kamble said. He maintained that Dr Ambedkar had dedicated his book What Congress and Gandhi Have Done to the Untouchables to Francis. In the preface of this particular book, Dr Ambedkar wrote: "To, F â In thy presence is the fullness of joy..."
One letter from Francis to Dr Ambedkar reads: "My darling Bhim, I was happy when I knew you were coming and I thought that we should always be together, and now you have left me again and I hear it, you will come back soon my darling... I want to you to kiss me, I want to feel your strong arms holding me tight."
http://www.asianage.com/?INA=2:175:175:193545
© 2005 The Asian Age
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->