History of Dissent

Most seminars based on a broad theme shed some light and create some obscu­rity. This one is no exception. Planned as an open-ended discussion, it studies movements of protest and reform in India over the centuries, directed against things as disparate as ‘slavery, untouch­ability and colonialism’ (in the words of a participant). The essays are arranged chronologically, but can be grouped under four broad categories—protest by social groups or classes, dissent or reform expressed through the medium of the arts, protests in the sphere of religion, and Gandhi, who is sui generis.

The first few essays discuss the theme­-terms in an interesting but highly abstract manner, and their bearing on India is at best marginal. Badrinath, in a characteristically provocative piece, points out that the theme-words are European in origin, and were initially used in the context of religion. He is sceptical about their utility in any study of an Indian subject. By the end of the seminar we have progressed so far as to be dissatisfied with the use of the word ‘religion’ S.C. Dube states that there is no equivalent in any Indian language for the word ‘religion’ as used in the West.