Row over Kerala CM's comment that Narayana Guru was neither a propagator nor a practitioner of Sanatana Dharma has put focus on his dichotomous legacy as both guru and social reformer.
India's social reform spirit has faded post-1947, with representation politics overshadowing deeper issues of caste & gender discrimination, economic progress, and meaningful change.
Reducing Agarkar to a binary is to erase an important part of modern Marathi society. Without him, the fight for women's liberation would be incomplete.
Standing up to America is usually not a personal risk for a leader in India. Any suggestions of foreign pressure unites India behind who they see as leading them in that fight.
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