Table Of ContentPraise for the book
‘This is the first book of its kind that I’ve read all the way through. I
am a truck driver. My life is spent on highways, without a fixed
address. Getting my hands on the book wasn’t easy, I had to arrange
to have it delivered to a friend’s address. The book travels with me
everywhere and I tell others of it.’—Balulal Khandela , truck
driver, Laxmipura, Bhilwara
‘A searing, painfully honest memoir of a Dalit’s disenchantment
with the RSS after serving it faithfully for years. Written in fluent
and lucid prose, this is a compelling narrative of faith and betrayal,
nationalism and casteism, fear and hope. Bhanwar Meghwanshi lays
bare, from the inside, the strengths and the limitations of the RSS’
formidable organisation and the dangers posed by its ideological
project to turn India into a Hindu Rashtra. A must-read for all those
concerned with the current direction of our politics and its
implications for the country.’—Shashi Tharoor , M.P., and author
of Why I am a Hindu
‘Meghwanshi’s bewilderment at the conspiracy of silence by the
entire RSS organisation towards his efforts to challenge their
practice of untouchability is painful to witness. As Meghwanshi
recounts his Ambedkarite turn and his fight against the RSS, his
story becomes a social document for the times.’—Cynthia Stephen
, writer
‘I Could Not Be Hindu is necessary reading in these days when
dictatorial fascist tendencies have consumed the Indian psyche. It
will open your eyes, free your thoughts and help you realise what
authentic freedom is.’—Benyamin , author of Goat Days
‘The game is up for the RSS. Now the scales will fall from the eyes
of those members of the Dalit and backward communities who
persist in mistaking the exploiter for a nurturer, predator for
protector, cowardice for valour, and enmity for friendship... This
book will go some way towards breaking the spell of religion.’—
Karmveer Shastri , activist for rationalism, New Delhi
‘The book teaches how, living in this murderous age, we may yet
preserve ourselves from the menace that is the RSS.’—Dr Naveen
Joshi , teacher of science, Almora, Uttarakhand
‘A warning to Dalits not to be taken in by the two-faced RSS, with
its blandishments about a pan-Hindu brotherhood and social
cohesion.’—Vinod Kumar Ashramiya , Baran, Rajasthan
‘This remarkable book by a remarkable man teaches the reader
lessons for a life lived in service of the struggle for equality. It is as
moving as informative.’—Christophe Jaffrelot , author of The
Hindu Nationalist Movement and Indian Politics
‘Paints a vivid picture of the organisational structure of the RSS, its
ideology, schemes and designs, along with its narrow outlook and
utterly evil intent towards the Bahujan and minority
communities.’—Jeevan Dagla , former administrative official
‘The book does not pull its punches as it challenges mindsets and
reveals, with the unimpeachable dignity, how a rowdy karsevak was
transformed into a committed humanist, a servant to the cause of
love.’—Ramesh Pataliya , Palanpur, Gujarat
‘A manual on how to escape the RSS’ duplicity. Every social
activist must read it. You will gain a new vision.’—Dr Tara Ram
Gautam , intellectual
‘The plain truth about the RSS, revealed with a unique combination
of fact, reason and true-to-life narration. A most inspiring,
absorbing story.’—Govind Mayee , a Dalit youth
‘This book has changed the landscape of Dalit autobiography.
Defiance is sharpened on the whetstone of ideas, as Bhanwar
Meghwanshi transports us from plaintive suffering to rebellion, and
from rebellion to new modes of thought.’—Himanshu Pandya ,
principal, Raniwada College, Jalore, Rajasthan
‘You feel with the writer at every turn. If you are a Dalit, you know
his humiliations well.’—Samyak Nayak , a Dalit youth
‘I read this book in one go and it was a revelation. Meghwanshi’s
insider account of the RSS exposes Hindu nationalism for what it is
—a desperate effort by the upper castes to retain their grip on the
rest of society.’—Jean Drèze , intellectual and economist
‘Every page alerts us to the fraud that is the Sangh; may it succeed
in showing leftover sevaks their way out.’—Brijmohan Nayak
‘A must-read for the Sangh’s supporters and its opponents. Read
this and be informed. Read it because it bears pain and agitation,
and makes a jolting departure from sedated life. You’ll see
distraction, wandering, struggle and victory here.’—Naresh Gurjar
, student leader, Bhilwara, Rajasthan
‘I recommend it to every member of the Sangh.’—Avinash Vikas
Sharma , a vigilant citizen, Kothiyan, Bhilwara, Rajasthan
‘The feelings Omprakash Valmiki’s Joothan left me with were
revived by Bhanwar Meghwanshi’s autobiography. It is the
expression of truth, not merely as something experienced
but undergone .’—Dr Satyanarayan Satya , children’s writer
‘This should be prescribed reading for all those youngsters with
revanchist dreams of an Akhand Hindu Rashtra, especially those
who come from deprived sections of society. An authoritative
account of the web spun by the RSS, and a map showing the way
out.’—Samrat Baudh , young writer, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh
‘Bhanwar walks into the secret caves of enemies and comes out
alive. This book offers a roadmap to navigate a life of politics, caste
and ideological differences. A memoir like this is nothing short of a
miracle.’—Perumal Murugan , writer
I Could Not Be Hindu: The Story of a Dalit in the RSS
© Bhanwar Meghwanshi
© Nivedita Menon, English translation
First published in English in January 2020 by Navayana Publishing
Pvt Ltd
E-ISBN 9788189059934
First published in Hindi as Mein ek karsevak tha by Navarun, 2019
The Hindi text has been substantially expanded and revised
Navayana Publishing Pvt Ltd
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Shahpur Jat, New Delhi 110049
Phone: +91-11-26494795
navayana.org
Maps on pages 8–10 by Saumya Sethia
Distributed in South Asia by HarperCollins India
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I Could Not Be Hindu
I Could Not Be Hindu
The Story of a Dalit in the RSS
BHANWAR MEGHWANSHI
Translated from the Hindi by
Nivedita Menon
