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less times, was arrested from economic inequity, on the claimant. And the in Gandhi and Ambedkar’s
several times but contin- communal hatred, irony is that it necessitates principles and is comfort-
ued to embody Gandhian caste prejudice, gender attestation/certification able with both labels of a
ideals of non-violence all inequality and social — not from nationalist Dalit and Harijan. “I was
his life — donating 14 acres injustice. leaders, comrades, local with both Gandhivad and
of his land to the Bhoodan The writing is moving. communities, neighbours Krantivad.” Many of the
Movement, taking a bloody It leaves one seething at and common Indians — lives narrated in the book
beating on his head neces- the indignity and injustice but from British official conjoin the spirit of Gan-
sitating hospitalisation as a inflicted on the last heroes records. For example, dhi and Leftist politics. For
member of the post-Babri and countless others by a the memorial pillar that example, Thelu and Lokki
Masjid peace team. He system seeped in colonial commemorates the 67th Mahto who are Leftist by
accepted his pension in his bureaucratic rigmarole. anniversary of the Saliha persuasion and Gandhian
later years only to donate it Sainath highlights the Revolt, in which Demati de by personality.
to schools for Adivasis and irony of independent India Sabar Salihan participated, The book is an interest-
Dalits. choosing to recognise does not contain her ing read for general read-
The Last Heroes makes its freedom fighters name nor does it give any ers, students, academics
poignant reading. Every and framing eligibility recognition to the Sabar and journalists alike. As
story brings one face-to- criterion for pensions such tribals who led the revolt. the post-1947 generation
face with the question: as the swatantra sainik The lives and beliefs of we need these stories, not
have we achieved the samman. He details the these foot soldiers of the only to give recognition
freedom we aspired and ‘seven laws of suffering’ freedom movement bring and learn from the lives of
fought for? The lives of — imprisonment, driven us face-to-face with people unsung heroes who fought
subaltern unsung heroes underground on being who refused to be encased for a plural, just and free
drawn from rural India proclaimed an offender, in politico-ideological India but to question and
across castes, religions and interment/externment, silos. They were men unlearn the communal,
occupations mirrors the losing property or and women who embody biased nationalist histories
travesties of our freedom government job and many-sided truths and that are widely circulating
movement. Each of them suffering ten stokes of assimilated contradictory today. As Sainath says, “we
articulates how 1947 caning, whipping and beliefs. Shobharam Ghevar need these stories to better
brought independence but flogging. For suffering asks, ‘Why should I choose script our own.”
the struggle for freedoms these punishments, the between Gandhi and HEM BORKER (The Book
continues — liberation burden of proof devolves Ambedkar?’ He finds merit Review)

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