Manu - critically

[GRUENENDAHL]

All those from Austin to Benares who may have embarked on a critical 
edition of the Manusmrti may be interested to hear that help is on the 
way to reduce their work load by some 20 verses, which is not bad for 
a start :-)

THE TIMES OF INDIA, April 16, 1994, "Capital", p. II, had the 
following thought-provoking article (which is given in full to avoid 
possible distortion):

DEBUNK MANUSMRITI OF UNTOUCHABILITY
(By a staff reporter)
New Delhi, April 15
A pledge to delete those slokas in Manusmriti which sanction 
untouchability was taken by a large gathering here today.
   The vow was taken after Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh 
International Social Service Organisation, laid the foundation stone 
for setting up a statue of Baba Saheb Ambedkar to mark his birth 
anniversary. The statue will be installed at the Sulabh Development 
Promotion Centre, Palam.
   Mr Pathak said the deletion of these slokas is necessary to end 
caste conflict in society. The under-privileged people should also be 
educated in English medium so that they could compete in the job 
market. "Dr Ambedkar was a highly educated man. But for his modern, 
English-based education, he would not have been able to unite forces 
against social injustice to the poor and the under-privileged. And 
also frame the Indian Constitution, one of the finest documents in 
the world."
   Sulabh International has set up an English-medium public school at 
Palam where children of scavengers are given science and computer-
based quality education. Dr. Pathak said such schools should be set 
up all over the country.
   Earlier, Mr Arun Pathak, IAS (retd.), former Bihar chief 
secretary, spoke about the future programmes of the organisation.

***************


Reinhold Gruenendahl
Niedersaechsische Staats- und Universitaetsbibliothek
37070 Goettingen
Germany
Phone: 0551/395283