Ilaiyaraaja draws parallel between PM Modi and Ambedkar in book foreword

Music maestro Ilaiyaraaja has drawn parallels between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dr BR Ambedkar in a foreword written for a book titled ‘Ambedkar & Modi: Reformer’s Ideas, Performer’s Implementation’. The book is published by Bluekraft Digital Foundation.

Ilaiyaraaja in the foreword wrote, "The book also brings out some striking parallels between the personalities of Dr BR Ambedkar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Both these striking personalities succeeded against odds that people from socially disempowered sections of society face. Both saw poverty and stifling social structures from close quarters and worked to dismantle them. Both dreamt big for India, but both are also practical men who believe in action rather than mere thought exercises.”

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Ilaiyaraaja in his foreword also said that Dr Ambedkar will be proud of PM Modi for the pro-women legislation like the triple talaq law that the government has brought into place along with schemes like 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' which is aimed at social transformation.

Bluekraft Digital Foundation launched the book on April 14. The publisher said on Twitter that the book is “an academic attempt to bring to the forefront Ambedkar’s vision and work across different domains, and how the New India being built by PM Modi is furthering Ambedkar’s ideals.”

'Ambedkar & Modi - Reformer’s Ideas, Performer’s Implementation' is an academic attempt to bring to the forefront Babasaheb's vision and work across different domains, and how the New India being built by PM Modi is furthering Babasaheb's ideals. — BlueKraft Digital Foundation (@BlueKraft) April 14, 2022

Meanwhile, netizens have criticised Ilaiyaraaja for his comparison of the two leaders. The foreword has also sparked a debate among political leaders. Here are some of the quotes.

Rajya Sabha member from Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), TKS Elangovan, said, "Dr Ambedkar was part of a different century and mainly worked for the dalits and people who were oppressed by the Varna system and Manudharma. Modi belongs to the Manudharma system that Ambedkar was fighting against. The two of them can never be compared with one another."

He also said,"The triple talaq system that was introduced by the BJP government is also flawed. It allows a man to be jailed for 3 years if he allegedly said triple talaq. I had said back then too that we should bring in a system for triple talaq like the one used in Pakistan. The current legislation is against Muslim men."

Narayanan Thirupathy, a BJP spokesperson said, "Those who are shouting for freedom of speech and expression are now trying to abuse an artist like Ilaiyaraaja. In his view, he has praised PM Modi because of the prime minister's welfare schemes that have empowered women, schedule caste and schedule tribe in the last 7 to 8 years of BJP government. Those who are corrupt and those who are jobless speak ill about Ilaiyaraaja. They feel they are affected in some way. They feel affected when women and the oppressed are empowered. These people were looting the country in the name of the dalits and oppressed people. Now they are offended as they are sidelined and the real beneficiaries are benefited."

Kovai Sathyan, an AIADMK spokesperson said, "Ilaiyaraaja is the pride of every Tamilian, he is the pride of Tamil Nadu, he is a magnum opus. Just because he wrote the foreword in a book doesn't mean that he supports the political ideology and dragging him into unnecessary political controversy or turmoil is not palatable. Let me remind that the fan following that the maestro has across the world is more than a few parties' vote share in the state and let's not abuse a person of such stature."

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S.S.Balaji MLA and State Deputy General Secretary of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) said, "Today the god of music has made a devil's statement. He has compared Dr Ambedkar to Modi. Ilaiyaraaja is at will to appreciate anyone or to hail anyone or express any view. But this is his biggest mistake in his life, this comparison. Anyone with any knowledge of social justice and anyone who has a heart for social justice would know that the implementation of the economic weaker section reservation is totally against the essence of the real purpose of social justice."

"Ambedkar fought for social justice and social justice is nothing but justice given on grounds of social inequality. More than that, Ilaiyaraja has said that Modi has taken the country on the development path. But I think Ilaiyaraaja doesn't fill fuel in his car. Each and every citizen is suffering due to the fuel price hike and the country has gone down in all economic parameters. Ilaiyaraaja has given great background scores for many stars, but this background music for Modi makes him disgraceful and has brought great disruption to his personality. It is better that Ilaiyaraaja takes back his statement. The ideology that Modi takes forward is an ideology that Ambedkar opposed during his lifetime. Ambedkar was against the Sanathana principle and that is the Hindu principal which the RSS follows and if Ilaiyaraaja had some respect for Ambedkar he would not have made this statement and this is really sad," he continued.