He is neither an atheist nor an agnostic. He is a maverick, an inspired crusader, against all prigs and prejudices, taboos and superstitions, prejudices and predilections. Ignited by all the free and seminal thinkers of the world like John Stewart Mill, Abraham lincoln, Voltaire and BR Ambedkar, he has formed a freethinking society and institution of classless and casteless marriage, which has solemnised over 6,000 successful marriages wherein the lovers and the beloveds have tied their knots, herein this centre of the holiness of the heart’s affection. In an interview to The Pioneer, Prof B Ramachandra shared his many ideas with Sugyan Choudhury.
When did AMOFOI come into existenceIJ
AMOFOI (Anti-Caste Marriage and One Child Family Organisation of India) came into being in December 10, 1980. Since December 10 is celebrated as the Human Rights Day, we have come to defend the human rights; so we chose the day as the foundation day. Moreover, the UN has adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights since 1948, and as a student of political science, I was inspired to form an institution of marriage where young men and women we have a chance to marry of their free choice. Because love affairs and marriage are a personal affair which comes under personal liberty within the ambit of Article 21 of the Constitution, our organisation is Constitutional.
Besides young men and women marrying according to their free choice cannot be bought by money or muscle power. They will contribute to a strong India. Besides, we aim at one-child family since India’s population is overburdened and needs to come down to 30 crore. A staggering 125 crore of people cannot live in a condition where they are devoid of basic amenities. For example, in our Khandagiri PS area, there are 36 slums where people have no access to basic necessities. In our marriages, no middlemen between God and people are allowed. No caste, no dowry, no horoscope, no crackers, no feast, no altars. The priestly class of people must go. People should aim at one child to bring down the population. We want to annihilate the caste system not just inter-caste marriages is the answer. India occupies 2.7% area of the world but is having 17% of the global population.
Who and what inspired to come to such a forumIJ
Document-wise, I was inspired by the Preamble of the Constitution which enshrines in it the words liberty, equality, fraternity and dignity of individual. Then, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the UN also inspired me. Individual-wise, I was inspired by John Stewart Mill, the champion of liberty and by Abraham lincoln. It is lincoln who said, “As I would not like to be a slave, I would not like to be a master.” Any difference from the same and the extent of difference is no democracy at all.
A little while ago, you talked of Voltaire; how did he shape your ideasIJ
Voltaire was a great freethinker. His father wanted him to be a lawyer, but he became a writer. A writer is a fighter who fights for social, moral and economic upliftment of the society. Voltaire was misunderstood for his free thoughts, but he wrote 20,000 letters to people in power for human welfare. It is he who said, “I may not agree what you say, but I shall defend your right to say so in my last breath.” He was put to prison walls twice and banished from his country. But he was no coward. It is for him that we get the words like liberty, equality and fraternity in the world today. What we want is that with liberty, equality and fraternity there shall be no tyranny, exploitation by powers, dictators and corporate houses. Voltaire was a deist. He was not a Bible-based Christian, Quran-based Mohammedan, Gita-based Hindu or in other words did not belong to any organised religion. He believed in the Supreme being who never demands any worship from anybody. The Supreme being is the supreme being. Hence, there is no middleman is required between the Supreme being and the human.
Do you believe in GodIJ
I don’t believe in God. I am a Darwinian. Copernicus described how nights and days come into this earth. These are happening because of the solar system. This is not the handiwork of God. I share my ideas with Thomas Hobbes and John lock, the two British intellectuals, that the state is not the handiwork of God.
How many marriages have you solemnised so farIJ Are you taking any follow-up study regarding their married livesIJ
So far, 6,056 marriages have been solemnised. We always take note of their married lives and all of them are happy since they have married without dowry, without priestly procedure, without caste consideration; they are the brave and bold people with whom we aspire for a brave new world. We have formed a free society of India and when the Election Commission desired to know about our support base, we provided it the list of 6,056 brave people as our support base. We want to form a world government one day relying on such free people. You cannot be free and have Hinduism by your side. You cannot be free and have Christianity by your side. You cannot be free and have Islam with the other side. Freethinking ceases when the idea of God comes in. Those who are visiting temples, churches and mosques cannot be free.
Is there any reported instance of honour killing in the marriages that took place hereIJ
Yes, true love never always runs smoothly. One Mrs Manjari Das of the SC Kandara community of village Panchapada, Basta PS in district Baleswar. She married her lover Mr Sunil lal Jana, s/o Mr Jahar lal Jana and Mrs Malatibala Jana of her village on January 28, 2005 after having deep love affairs with him for a period of four years. This runaway couple after their love marriage in AMOFOI as AMOFOI couple No. 2079 had to stay incognito in Bhubaneswar for their safety. Manjari’s husband was of Bengali Karan family background.
He was abducted while he was going to his workplace by hostile caste elements and he was forcibly taken to his village in September 2005. Manjari Das, 19, had to leave Bhubaneswar so as to go back to their village to be with her husband. She reportedly reached her village on September 27, 2005 and with courage and conviction she got into the house of her husband. The cruel caste-minded and status-oriented in-laws reportedly killed her and her body was disposed of surreptitiously and the whole thing was hushed up by bribing the legal system. The killers went scot-free and the local political leaders of the Congress, of the BJD, of the BJP did not raise any voice of concern against the brutal murder of this brave and bold lady. She died while trying to uphold her human dignity in the face of caste rigidity and brutality.