Book on Arya Vysyas lands Professor Kancha Ilaiah in trouble

Hyderabad: Prominent Dalit thinker Professor Kancha Ilaiah’s book ‘Samajika Smugglurlu Komatollu’ (Vysyas are social smugglers) has landed him in a controversy.

Arya Vysya associations allege that the title of the book and some of its contents are derogatory and demeaning to their community. They took to the streets on Sunday and burnt effigies of Kancha Ilaiah in Hyderabad and other places in AP and Telangana, and have demanded the immediate withdrawal of the book.

The book says that, historically, Arya Vysyas used to eat non-vegetarian food and were agriculturalists and used to rear cattle. They turned vegetarian later.
In the book, Prof Ilaiah explains why other communities dislike the Vysyas - a trading community - as it sees them as a community engaged only  in trading and business. He advises them to join the Indian Army to fight for the nation.
Jayanthi Venkateswarlu, Andhra Pradesh Arya Vysya Mahasabha president, said that the association is going to lodge a complaint with the police against Kancha Ilaiah.

“In the past, too, he has made comments on certain castes. Being a professor he should be more dignified and not make abusive comments against other castes.

Arya Vysyas have been employing dalits and minorities in their establishments. Let him check any trade establishment run by Arya Vysyas and find out. It was Mahatma Gandhi, a Vysya, who led India to independence. The Arya Vysya community has contributed to the nation's exchequer by paying huge taxes. We are always ahead in charity, whether it's running an educational institution or rendering social service,” Jayanthi Venkateswarlu said.

Professor Kancha Ilaiah says the book is a translation of a chapter from his book published in English titled ‘Post Hindu India’.

“The book was originally published in 2009 and now a publisher has got it translated into Telugu and published a research based chapter about Vysyas as a booklet. It is a research book on several communities, including Brahmins, Kapus, Golla Kurma, Chakali, Mala and Madiga.”

He said the book is written from a business and historical perspective.
“The word ‘smuggling’ (used in the title) is not used in the sense of goods smuggling. I haven’t used any derogatory word. Social Smuggling as a phrase is an economic process of exploitation, where it means earning in business and not investing back into society. Historically, in business, there is always deception in economic terms. The book speaks about how they should also accommodate dalits in jobs,” the author explains.

In keeping with the present climate of intolerance, Professor Ilaiah has received threatening and abusive calls. “I have got abusive SMSs on my phone. Instead of threatening why don’t they write a counter book. I have not personally abused any individual or any community,” the professor said firmly.