Editorial Note, May-Jun, 2023

This issue of Social Scientist leads with two lectures delivered in memory of the legendary Communist leader P. Sundarayya – one delivered at Hyderabad by P.D.T. Achary and the other at Delhi by Prakash Karat. Achary’s lecture addresses the implications of democracy and the ideals of equality, liberty, fraternity and justice embodied in the Constitution being superimposed on a society that was fundamentally unequal because of an oppressive caste hierarchy sanctified by the religion of the majority, and that was characterised by ‘excessive’ religiosity of the upper and middle classes which benefited from being from the privileged castes.