Controversial statement puts Pune Mayor Mukta Tilak on defensive

Controversial statement puts Pune Mayor Mukta Tilak on defensive

CAMIL PARKHE | Wednesday, 3 May 2017 AT 11:42 AM IST

    

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A century after Lokmanya Tilak took penance for crossing the oceans, Pune Mayor Mukta Tilak has landed in troubled waters after her controversial statement on the reservation policy for the socially weaker sections of the society. Tilak, who has been elected a corporator of the Pune Municipal Corporation with BJP’s nomination for the third consecutive term allegedly commented in Nashik that Brahmin youths were forced to go abroad in search of greener pastures on account of the reservation policy followed in the country. The controversial statement was made at a function organised by the Chitpavan Brahmin Sangh on the occasion of Parashuram birth anniversary. Although now Mukta Tilak has claimed that her statement was distorted, rival political parties have launched protests against her anti-reservation statement.

Nonetheless, it is a fact that young members of all castes within the Hindu social system and also of other religions have been queuing up for job opportunities abroad. There is nothing wrong in it. It is interesting however to note that the Hindu scriptures had imposed a total ban on undertaking voyage to other countries or crossing over the oceans. The taboo on ocean crossing was prevalent till the previous century. Pune Mayor Mukta Tilak belongs to the family of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak who had to face the brunt of this ban when he crossed over the oceans to visit London in 1919.

Lokmanya Tilak had visited London to attend the court proceedings in connection with a defamation suit he had filed against a British journalist. Sir Valentine Chirol, a director of the imperial and foreign department of the Times, London, had written a series of articles under the heading ‘Indian unrest’ in his newspaper from July 20 to September 17, 1910. The articles were subsequently published in a book form. In these articles, Chirol had accused Lokmanya Tilak of being “truly the father of Indian unrest”. After his release from Mandalay jail in 1914, Tilak filed a libel suit against Chirol and also visited London to attend the suit proceedings. Of course, Lokmanya Tilak’s raison d’tre to be in London was not the Chirol libel suit but for the cause of working for Swaraj through political activities in England. Tilak lost the defamation case. The accusation of Tilak being the “father of Indian unrest” is now used to emphasise the great role he played in the Indian freedom movement. He arrived in London on October 29, 1918 and left for India on November 6, 1919. He utilised this period fruitfully to campaign for the political rights of his motherland.

Soon after his arrival in Pune, Lokmanya Tilak underwent a prayashcita or penance to atone for his sins of crossing the oceans. This was not the first time he had performed a prayashchita. He had performed prayashchita for drinking tea at a snacks party hosted at the Holy Name Church or the Panch Haud Mission Church in Pune in 1891. Tilak’s beliefs in this regard were very clear. He had no disputes with the authority of the scriptures and the clergy class. “I am not an anarchist either in politics or religion. Any system requires certain rules and a person should face punishment for violation of these rules,” he said.

Now a century later, crossing oceans or the country’s boundaries is no longer taboo. Youngsters and professionals of various sectors are making a beeline to seek jobs abroad. Mukta Tilak’s statement only underlines the sea change the society has undergone during the past 100 years.

- CAMIL PARKHE

Comments

anil chakranarayan - Friday, 5 May 2017 AT 04:38 PM IST

Respected madam, it was a distressing statement from you. Being a public servant it was most unexpected from you. One does not get such post like that of a Mayor only for a particular clan, race or a religious community. You are entrusted with the post because you were thought to be a worthy person without any bias or partisan spirit. When in such a position one needs to be more prudent and rise above the personal and petty views and serve best as you can the whole public. If people have trusted BJP they are not only Brahmins but from all castes and creeds. Wish you protection from such pitfalls and all the best for your public service of Pune people.

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SS Waghmare.Pune. - Thursday, 4 May 2017 AT 01:27 PM IST

Respected Tilak madam, you people implemented reservation policy unilaterally for selected community for thousands of years, barring others from even getting educated.Respected Madam my humble request to you to kindly introspect yourself honestly.Who is ruling this country for centuries together even till now.You are unhappy only bcoz some 2-3 percent 'OTHERS'started sharing with you.My request kindly do not pass on such sensitive statements which hurts feelings of others.Sorry bothering you, may God bless you Abundantly for doing good work for which most people repose faith in you.

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James - Thursday, 4 May 2017 AT 10:31 AM IST

A commendable effort in trying to understand changing times of Indian society.