It is now 50 years since G.P. Deshpande wrote the pathbreaking play Udhwasta Dharmashala, a professor in JNU at the time,he took the cue from a report of the witch hunt launched by Senator McCarthy in the U.S. The red scare era has great relevance for the situation in India today as well since every thinking, critical person is denounced as urban Naxal and the same is happening under Trump in the U.S.
The main role was brilliantly played by Dr Shreeram Lagoo, the top actor, and I clearly remember the first performance staged in the Chhabildas school hall in Dadar, then the simple but hallowed venue of experimental theatre, on 28 October, 1974 (I get the date from the copy of the first edition of the book which I still have and cherish). Lagoo’s wife was played by his wife in real life Deepa Sreeram, and his once beloved Madhavi by Rekha Sabnis. The Hindi version with Om Puri in the lead role marked the inaugural play of Prithvi theatre in Juhu in 1978.
G.P. as he became known was a rare individual with a grasp of politics he taught Chinese studies and was well versed in tradition and modern thinking, he had a deep knowledge of Sanskrit and even sant literature, he pointed out that centuries ago, the saint poet Eknath made frequent references to drama and how an actor should be able to look at his role objectively .
G.P.is no longer with us but there is Arjun Dangle who made a mark in the seventies with the founding of Dalit Panthers with poet Namdeo Dhasal and others.Today, Dangle is the most respected, sober dalit writer, with major contribution as editor, poet, critic, dalit history scholar.
Most dalit writers today are wary of communism but dalit literature was founded by major writers like Baburao Babul and Annabhau Sathe who had a strong Communist background and Dangle was influenced by them, his family has a communist background and he is not shy of that. Her grew up in Matunga Labour camp amidst Communist surroundings, prominent personalities like Balraj Sahani, A.K. Hangal, poet Shailendra and Kaifi Azmi used to come to the Labour camp.
A thick felicitation volume in Marathi brought out recently with contributions from major writers and politicians of different progressive affiliations is a measure of his wide acceptance. It is titled Chhavani , the name is taken from his collection of poems.
He feels economic liberation was central to Dr Ambedkar’s thinking but it is currently being neglected, we need to take up issues of landless people and others . The dalit moement has now become narrow in its focus, observers say.
In politics he is very active in bringing together Dalits and other political parties, left of centre or centrist.
The only comparable figure among Dalits in Mahrashtra is Raosaheb Kasbe, a prolific author , scholar who is non sectarian and has sought a synthesis of Ambedkar, Phule and Marx.
Vidyadhar Date is a senior journalist, culture critic and author of a book on public transport
