Ramswaroop Verma

From Philosopedia

Ramswaroop Veerma (22 August 1923 - 19 August 1998)

Verma was the founder of Arjak Sangh, a Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India-based humanist organisation, one that stresses social equality and is strongly opposed to Brahminism.

He was born in the Gaurikaran village of Kanpur district in Uttar Pradesh, the son of an agriculturist. He was educated in village schools and, while a student, married Siyadulari, who after two years of marriage died. He did not marry a second time in spite of pressure from family members.

Education

According to Ramendra,

Verma did his M.A. (Hindi) from Allahabad University in 1949. He secured first position in the first class in the University, then completed his Law Degree at Agra University, again securing first position in the first class.

He registered himself as an advocate but did not start practicing. He also qualified in the written examination of the Indian Administrative Services but did not appear in the interview. By now, he was convinced that an administrator has to work within limitations. He wanted to serve the society as a free citizen. He came in contact of prominent democratic socialist leaders of India of their time, Acharya Narendra Dev and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia. Subsequently, he became a member of the Socialist Party. He was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly several times. In 1967, he became Finance Minister of Uttar Pradesh in the coalition government headed by Uttar Singh, who later became the prime minister of India.

Verma did not believe in the existence of God or soul. He was a strong opponent of fatalism and the Hindu doctrine of karma, according to which the caste of a person in present life is determined by his or her “own deeds” in “past lives”. Verma campaigned vigorously against Brahminism and untouchability (a class within Hindu classes, comprising numerous subclasses and is excluded from and considered ritually unclean and defiling by the four Hindu classes). According to him, Brahminism is rooted in the doctrine of rebirth, and it is not possible to eradicate it without attacking the doctrine of rebirth and fatalism. Verma believed that Brahminism cannot be reformed - it has to be negated totally.

After being active in party-politics for a long time, Verma concluded that it was not possible to achieve political and economic equality without a social and cultural revolution. Consequently, he founded Arjak Sangh on 1 June 1968 for achieving this aim. He also started publishing Arjak Saptahik, a Hindi weekly of which he was the chief editor.

Verma was influenced and inspired by Ambedkar among others. In April 1978, Arjak Sangh took up a programme of publicly burning Hindu scriptures Ramcharit Manas (Ramayana) and Manusmriti at several places in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Work

He wrote and spoke almost exclusively in Hindi. His works include

Manavwadi Prashnotri (Humanist Question-Answers)

Kranti Kyon aur Kaise? (Revolution: Why and How?)

Brahmanwad banam Manavwad (Brahmanism versus Humanism)

Manusmriti Rashtra ka Kalank (Manusmriti, a National Shame)

Niradar kaise mite? (How to remove Disrespect?) and

Achuton ki Samasya aur Samadhan (The Problem of Untouchables and its Solution)

The basic principles, programmes and the bylaws of Arjak Sangh are contained in a Hindi document titled Arjak Sangh Siddhanta Vaktavya − Vidhan − Karyakram (Arjak Sangh: Statement of Principles – Statute – Programme).

Though Verma was active in party politics, he is best known as a thinker, writer, and the founder of Arjak Sangh. He kept working for Arjak Sangh through his articles, books, and lectures. He died in Lucknow on 19 August 1998.