Christian Sorenson, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania; We were receiving Dalit Voice at our Denmark address. We are an Indo-Danish couple and my wife is Har darshan Kaur Gill presently working here. This Dec. we are planning to come to India to meet you. DV keeps us in touch with India. In Denmark, we had established an association, “Third World Voice”, to take up Third World problems. As we found the atmosphere in Europe increasingly getting introvert and indifferent to Third World problems and racism was on the rise, we decided to shift to Africa. Har darshan started a magazine, Soldier, which brought her in touch with many European, and Third World women’s movements.
Dr. R Ash, 9/43 Moscow Rd., London W2 4AH, UK: Do you publish books in English translation on Dalit women and/or poetry and creative writing translated from Kannada or other Indian languages by Dalit writers? If so, can you please send me a booklist? | have found the little I have read in translation from the Marathi very good and would like to know more about Dalit literature. As one who lectures on women and their changing roles, I would also like to get books by or on Dalits women.
Dalit poets may directly write to the above address and supply the necessary literature – EDITOR.
Vasant T. Sande, 3800 Brunswick Ave., LA, CA 90039, USA: I am a great admirer of Dalit Voice, and the news that it is facing financial trouble distressed me. As a member of the VISION, I am sending my life-membership. I deeply appreciate your work.
M. Hussain Khan, PO Box 15855-347, Tehran, Iran; I am a regular reader of DV and a great admirer of your work since four years. DV is doing a great work by uniting all Indians under one banner and creating a truly national spirit, especially among the poor and the oppressed. My advice is to convert DV from a fortnightly into a daily and also bring out its Indian language editions from all state capitals, DV must not be only on paper. It must be read out to the illiterate oppressed Indians.
At a time when DV is facing such acute financial crisis and closure threat, our brother from Iran is asking us to make it a daily. We don’t know if he is serious. Like this, we get daily letters from all parts of India and even outside praising our work. But mere praise and prayers will not keep DV going. Those who have the commitment will have to pay for it, suffer for it. Will our brother spell out what actually he means by his proposal – EDITOR.
M.M. Sao, Chandrapur, MS: “Dalit Voice on deathbed” (DV Nov. 1 91) is a shocking news. DV is now a worldwide institution, if it dies it will be the greatest loss of the SC/ST/BCs, religious minorities, and Ambedkarites in particular. Readers write praising DV in superlative terms not for the sake of praising it but because they come into contact with only DV not the management working behind it. When readers find something valuable which they did not find anywhere else, naturally they get excited. This is natural. So you can’t blame the readers for their spontaneous reactions. You have stressed two things: advt. and life membership. I will work for both and get as much as possible. But DV shall not close Never. In fact, I am in a position to take over DV and run it with you as Editor, But I am committed to Buddhism but not Dalits. (“Stop using the hated word, “Dalit”, M.M. Sao, DV Dec. 1 91 p.9). I am a president of Velva Buddha Vihar Construction Committee, Chandrapur. We are constructing a gigantic Buddha Vihar costing Rs. 10 lakhs. So far works costing Rs.3 lakhs are completed. I have committed to complete the job and I must keep up my word. Babasaheb wanted to create a Buddhist force to root out Brahminism. You cannot fight the Brahminical social order by remaining a Hindu. This is where Parihar failed, as you rightly pointed out. Just because I am committed to complete this Buddhist Vihar, don’t think a I am forgetting the plight of DV which is the only light of the Ambedkarites.
We want to tell Brother Sao that we are much more worried about the total neglect of the Buddhist conversion drive. Untouchables being a distinct cultural entity, have to attain (1) total political separation (separate electorate), (2) territorial separation (separate settlement) and finally (3) religious separation (through conversion to Buddhism which is their original liberating religion). We have often stressed these tasks. Of the three, religious separation is the most difficult though also the most urgent one. For religious conversion we need not depend on the govt. or anybody. It is our own decision. Yet we are sorry to say that no organized work is being done in this direction. We are deeply worried over this and daily thinking about it – EDITOR.
D. Arjuna Rao, Dt. Secretary, AP Telecom SC/ST Emp. Assn., East Godavari di., 47-1-6, Danavaipeta, Rajahmundry, AP-533 103: The news of the “DV on deathbed” shocked us. Besides, N. Sriramulu, a popular Ambedkarite of this area, had introduced me to DV like of which I have not so far read. To save DV we have made the following plan. We have enrolled 25 new members who would pay the annual subscription in nine instalments at Rs.10 a month. Impressed by DV, they may pay up the entire amount. I am happy and also proud that I am adding a drop to the ocean of your efforts and service.
We have received many letters from India and abroad in response to our “DV on death-bed” story. We are thankful to all of them. Instead of praying to God to save DV, we suggest all those good souls who pray for us to also follow the example of Brother Arjuna Rao. The persecuted peoples of India over the years have become so lifeless, lethargic, so indifferent even to promptly renew their own subscription. In big cities like Bombay, Calcutta etc.., where thousands of. educated Untouchables live, it is possible to sell DV and our DSA literature. But hardly any work is being done. Compared to big cities, rural areas are much better. Our liberation is in our hands. The ruling class is doing its best to keep us enslaved. They are doing their duty. But, are we doing our duty? NO – EDITOR.
Prof. Jagmohan Sahu, Rourkela, Orissa: I am very much shocked over the crisis facing DV. I am immediately sending you ten annual subscriptions. This is the little support from our side.
Atal Srinivas, Madras: I would not like to see such a great think-tank like DV to die for want of mere funds that too in front of my eyes. Pricing of a journal need not reflect the price of the paper and printing but can include the value of the thought it carries. I am in favor of raising the DV price.
Krishna Don Sardar, Rameswarapuram, via Bhatnagar, W. Bengal-743 313: For a long time, I did not write to you as I was hurt by the criticism against me by Mrs. Surinder Kaur of Calcutta in DV Sept. 1, 1989. She was very harsh. But she must know that my Arya Samaj background had created some problems in me. But I am not against Babasaheb Ambedkar. Recently, a life history of Babasaheb was published by the Maharashtra Nibas Trust, no.15- Harja Rd., Calcutta-20. The author is an upper caste Bengali, Tapan Kumar Ghose, and the title of the book is Neel Kanta Mahanayake. The reference is to God Shiva swallowing poison to save the world – poison which came out as a result of the churning of the ocean. As a result, Shiva’s neck became blue and hence called Nilakant. Babasaheb is compared to Nilakant because he also swallowed the Brahminical poison and saved the Dalits. I am a poor old Dalit and, on my request, you had been sending a free copy of DV of which I was a subscriber from its very birth. But from oct. 91 | have stopped getting DV. Please renew my complimentary copy seeing my plight.
Brother Sardar is an Arya Samajas though an Untouchable. And this blurred his vision and destroyed his consciousness. Millions of Untouchables like him have become victims to such super nazi poison pills like Arya Samaj, Brahmo Samaj. Untouchables are not Hindus and never Hindus. Sardar can get rid of such Brahminical poison through a study of Babasaheb’s bumping thoughts – EDITOR.
S.R. Biswas, Calcutta: You had once praised Editor Sunanda K. Datta-Ray of the Statesman. I beg to differ with you. In a signed article in his paper (Sept. 29, “Politics of Quota”), he had opposed our human rights (reservations). How can you praise such anti- human journalists and their gutter journalism? Sunit Ghosh of the Ananda Bazar Patrika is another of the same tribe. I have a proposal: You have to join politics without delay. With Kashi Ram in the Lok Sabha and a thinker like you in the Rajya Sabha, we can expect miracles.
Binod Biplabi, Rourkela, Orissa: A convention on Mandal Com. was held at Bargarh on Nov. 3. A “sacred thread Marxist”, Radha Ballabh Mishra, advocate, Kishen Patnaik, a Lohalith, a Dalit nazi party ex-MLA, Bimba Dhar Kumar, spoke supporting Mandal. Meanwhile B.K. Nag, Prof. Jagmohan Sahu of Rourkela have been selected for the Babasaheb Ambedkar Award by the Bhartiya Dalit Sahitya Academy, Delhi. Both are well known to the readers of DV and committed Ambedkarities. Nag’s Bhima Bharati written in the Ramayan style has created a sensation among Oriya Dalits. They will go to Delhi to receive the wards on Dec. 6.
Arjun Shakhya, president, Viswa Shanti Shakhya Sangh, Chaw khadi Vihar, Indira Nagar, Gulbarga- 585 102: We conducted a mass conversion to Buddhism on Oct. 18, Vijayadashami day. Buddhist monks, Sangha Rakshita of Hyderabad and Maha Kashyap Thero of Bidar conducted the diksha ceremony. In all, eight families comprising 32 members renounced Hinduism and took rebirth by embracing their original religion. The names of the heads of these families are: Siddaramappa Ambalgi, Hanumanta Rao Khedekar, Mrs. Tri Sheela Bai, w/o. Laxman Rao Shakaya, Mrs. Parvati, w/o. Pandit Shakhya, Mrs. Chitra Bai, w/o, Laxman Rao, Sang anna Mahendrakar, Pragna Kumar, s/o. Madhava Rao.
Subimal Bikash Chakma, convener, Committee for Citizenship Rights of Chakma’s of Arunachal Pradesh, Ashok Buddha Vihar, Old Power House Rd., Rajghat, N. Delhi-2; The Govt. of India has neglected the plight of 65,000 Chakma’s of Arunachal Pradesh who are Buddhists and STs and migrated to India in 1964 and rehabilitated in AP. Despite repeated appeals we did not get citizenship rights by which our entry into govt. is banned. Our houses are being burnt and we are forcing lots of persecution. We need your support.
Debendra Biswas Thakur, President, Harchand Mission, A/35 Rabindra Palli, Post Baghajatin, Calcutta-86: The Statesman, Calcutta (Nov.7) published a report about elephants killing 45 in Jalpaiguri, All the 45 were Dalits. The elephants are fed and protected by the govt. as a valuable property. But all the honey-collectors of W. Bengal are Dalits of Sundarbans in 24-Paraganas (South). These Dalits going in search of honey are killed by the Royal Bengal Tigers protected by the State Govt. The value of the Dalit life is Rs.300 to Rs.600 which is paid as compensation to the relatives of the man killed. That means the value of a living Dalit is less than a dead wild animal. Will you lodge a strong protest with the “Marxist” govt. of Bengal?
Dr. A.R. Desai, Bombay: I read Dalit Voice with great interest and also use it for my articles in newspapers and the journal which I edit in Gujarat.
Gurbhajan Singh Gill, Punjab Human Rights Organization, Ludhiana: Our secretariat has decided to extend symbolic assistance to DV considering it our own sister institution (“Sikh heart with Dalits & DV”. Nov. 16 p.16). The DV’s services for the liberation of the oppressed and persecuted have been placed on record. Your advocacy for the human rights of the minority nationalities struggling for their survival under the colonial Brahminical rule is highly commendable. We are praying that the venture you have taken may succeed. We are sending a cheque for Rs.1,000 to insert an advt. of our books which may be taken as our token support.
Syed Yusuf, Jamate-Islami Central Office, Delhi-6: Your plea for separate electorate (DV Oct. 16 p.21/ 22) has little relevance until and unless you succeed in delinking SC/ST/BCs from Hinduism through a constitutional amendment. As it is, even the Buddhists and Sikhs are bracketed with Hindus under the Constitution. How Raju Thomas or any other advocate of this formula proposes to divide the people for purposes of constituting the separate electoral colleges – whether on the basis of caste, class or religion. Without providing a working formula, there is no use crying over a dead issue.
Brother Yusuf should know that the Constitution of India may say so many things. The Constitution is for the people and not vice versa. The Constitution does say the Sikhs are Hindus but will the Sikhs except this? If the Sikhs are Hindus, why the Hindus launched a war (“Blue Star Operation”) against them. If the SC/ST/BCs are Hindus, why they are kicking, killing, raping, and destroying their little property? If the Dalits are Hindus why they are opposing their human rights (reservations)? If the BCs are Hindus, why the Hindus launched a war and violence on the Mandal report? Babasaheb Ambedkar, the savior of the Untouchables, had said that Untouchables are not Hindus and never Hindus. We are sorry that some leaders of the Jamate-Islami like Brother Yusuf are refusing to understand the realities and talking the very language of the Hindu nazis, who are oppressing SC/ST/BCs on one side and also Muslims on the other, instead of supporting us and our human rights struggle, some Jamate leaders have started; criticizing us. This is very unfortunate. Separate electorate is not new. Even Muslims had separate electorate from 1909 and this was continuing for a long period during the British rule. The experiment had proved successful and ensured the human rights of the Muslims and others who had enjoyed the benefit of separate electorate, we request the Jamate-Islami leaders to first study history. Read “The Note on the History of Separate Muhammadan Representation” Simon Com. Report, I part, p.183 to 189-London, 1930, British Govt. Publication before advising us – EDITOR.
Dr. Jose P. Verghese, chairman, Organizing Committee, National Convention on Human Rights, B-2/63 Safdarjung Enclave, N. Delhi-29: We are thankful to you for having announced about our Jan, 3-8, 1992 convention in Delhi. We are undertaking this job with great difficulty. We want you to take a prominent part and present a paper on the atrocities on Untouchables and I know no one else can do this job more competently than you.
Sister Geeta Carol, Ajmer, Rajasthan. DV must continue at any cost, fighting all odds. Because DV is the only journal for social activists like us who struggle with the Dalits and working for their liberation. Raju Thomas, Madras: If the DV dies, it means it is the sure death of 85% of the non-Hindu original Indians, And if the DV dies the sole responsibility of killing this most eloquent voice of the Dalits will go to our Dalit govt. servants and our rich religious minorities like Muslims, Christians and Sikhs whose battle has been fought by DV so forcefully, a task which these three sections put together could never have done with all their wealth and wisdom.
R. Arul, Dr. Ambedkar Study Circle, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, TN-608 002: During the pre- Aryan period, the Narayana Valley (Krishna River in Andhra Pradesh) was inhabited by Nagas. They built a statue in 2nd and 3rd century AD at Nagarjuna Konda. I visited that place in Oct. last. All the statues are Buddhist. The present-day AP Lamba dies (ST) have the same culture, same dress. That Andhra Pradesh is the land of Nagas is therefore correct. If this is so, TN’s SC/ST/BCs are also Buddhists and children of the Tamil soil. But the Vanniyars say they are Kshatriyas. Tamil history also says Vanniyars are Kshatriyas, Lord Siva is their god. But. You say Kshatriyas are not Dravidians. Are the Vanniyars are also Nagas? Or, are the Vanniyars Aryans? As a Vanniya youth and follower of Dr. Ambedkar, I know the Vanniyar are also a persecuted people. And they have already joined hands with Tamil Dalits. Our party, PMK, headed by Dr. Ramadoss (Vanniyar) has a Dalit as its gen. secretary – R. Elumalai.
Vanniyars were once rulers like the Pariah’s of TN. They had a regal descent from the Pandya kings of Aginkula. That does not mean they were Kshatriyas. The Vanniyars are a non- Aryan. element. Read: GustavOppert book, “The Dravidians”, 1888, Asian Educational Services reprint, 1988, New Delhi)
