writing material that could inflame sectarian discontent or prejudice. In November 2015, Ilaiah stated that if Vallabhbhai Patel, the first Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of India credited with forging national unity amidst the intense violence and bloodletting that followed the creation of Pakistan, had been Prime Minister of India, India "would have become Pakistan". In April 2016, Ilaiah gave a controversial remark that vegetarianism is anti-nationalism. On 18 September 2017, T. G. Venkatesh, a member of Indian Parliament representing the Telugu Desam Party and a prominent leader of the Arya Vysya said at a press conference that Ilaiah was a traitor and should be hanged because his writings were "intended to divide society." Ilaiah alleged that the members of Arya Vysya community had tried to kill him and lodged a police complaint when Arya Vysya community members attacked his car in 2017. In September 2017, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu banned Ilaiah's book Vyshas for hurting the sentiments of another community after Vysyas community members protested and demanded a ban on the book. Appointments Among Ilaiah's official appointments have been: Retired Director, Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy (CSSEIP) at Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad Former Head of department, Political Science, Osmania University, Hyderabad Member of National Research Committee constituted by the Ministry of Social Justice, New Delhi Member – Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi Former Member of the National Book Trust, Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India, New Delhi for three years Member of the Planning Commission Sub Committee to formulate an agenda for land reforms for the XI Five Year Plan Member of the UGC Constitutional Committee to oversee the implementation of OBC reservations in all Central and State universities in India Former member of the Executive Council of Periyar Maniammai University (Tamil Nadu) Selected publications English language publications: Ilaiah, K. Why I Am Not a Hindu: A Sudra critique of Hindutva philosophy, culture and political economy (Calcutta: Samya, 1996) Ilaiah, K. God as Political Philosopher: Buddha's Challenge to Brahminism (Calcutta: Samya, 2001) Ilaiah, K. Buffalo Nationalism: A Critique of Spiritual Fascism (Calcutta: Samya, 2004) Ilaiah, K., & Vyam, D. (2007). Turning the Pot, Tilling the Land: Dignity of Labour in Our Times. Pondicherry: Navayana Pub. Ilaiah, K. Post-Hindu India: A Discourse in Dalit-Bahujan Socio-Spiritual and Scientific Revolution (SAGE Publications Pvt. Ltd, 2009) Ilaiah, K.