Mugisa Rathael Fambro, 200 WindWood Lake Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701, USA: I used to read Dalit Voice years ago, and it is still very well produced like before. I want to read books on the origins of India’s first inhabitants, Draividians or sudras. The builders of Mohenjo-Daro and Harrapa. Send me something on the Africoid origins of these people, and their early migration to India. I recently obtained an out of print book from New Delhi through Amazon.com titled Africans in India: From Slavery to Royalty. This however is a more recent arrival of Africans to India, 16th century on. I am looking for material on early African presence in that continent. Please help me out. I also want literature on racism originating in India. I have your book on the Black Untouchables of India. If you don’t have any material on the African ancestry of the indigenous people, refere me to someone who does. (email: ethiopianocean.books@prodigy.net). (See also p. 18-21)
Amrik Singh Pannu, 164-Elderberry Court, Hercules, CA 94547, USA: As the things are going, the future of minorities and Dalits seem to be very dangerous. Keep your work going. The path of the Truth is always difficult. Right from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh vie stood along with lower working class. Whosoever follows the teachings of the gurus, all of them will be punished by the Hindu nazis. Take care.
Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, 1901-Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 802, Washington DC 20006 USA: Beware: The first the Indian Govt. sent Prof. Manjit Singh to destroy the Khalistan movement abroad, now comes S.S. Mann, MP. The entire Sikh leadership in Punjab is under the ruling upper caste control. At the recent Sikh Day parade in New York, the Sikhs showed up in large numbers to demonstrate support for Khalistan. Even a Member of the US Congress, Representative Major Owens, raised slogans of “Khalistan Zindabad”. Yet when the crowd raised slogans of “Khalistan Zindabad” in front of Mann, he stood on the podium looking at them but did not join in. In his New York speech, Mann did not give any program to establish a sovereign, independent Khalistan. Rather, he attacked the Sikh leadership here that is working for the independence of Khalistan. When 35 Sikhs were murdered in Chatti Singhpora in March, Mann made a statement supporting the Indian Govt. claiming that Kashmiri militants were responsible. An investigation by the Ludhiana-based international Human Rights Organization showed that the Indian Govt. was responsible for the massacre, but Mann still has not acknowledged the Indian Govt.’s involvement.
We have been from the very beginning supporting Sardar Simranjit Singh Mann, who as a senior IPS officer suffered for the Sikh nation, got dismissed and later badly tortured in the jail We are really surprised about his right-about- turn. Will somebody, who knows how even such well-tested Sikh leaders are corrupted and co-opted by the Aryan nazis, write to us? – EDITOR.
Dr. Laxmi Berwa, 7700 Old Branch Avenue, Suite #C-101, Clinton, MD 20735, USA: Dalits of India must note that English is the language for Dalits. There is a vigorous wave of Hindutva and “Hindi, Hindu and Hindustan”. More people learn and speak English language than any other language in the world. The English language has absorbed vocabulary from all over the world. The world’s most major literary works have been translated in English language. The moment a Dalit child comes from a mother’s womb it should cry “A,B,C,D…”. Any Dalit child who wants to leave his mark must learn English language, however, that does not mean that others can’t? When I was touring India in April 1999, I did not have any problem in the Hindi speaking zone but moment I left Hindi speaking area I felt like a foreigner. Bengal, Madras, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka etc. Because I knew English language I could manage it. Should not we Dalits strive to be the best and the brightest in spite of the fact that we live in a racist/casteist India where one is judged by one’s birth and not worth? Didn’t we have a great man among us, Babasaheb Ambedkar who in spite of heavy odds against him, persevered in his mission to liberate us from the yoke of racist Hindu society? His ideas in his speeches and writings are so powerful that even an atomic bomb explosion is pale in comparison. But you must know English to read his 16 Volumes of Writings and Speeches.
- Make English language reading and writing as your No. 1 priority in your own families and friends.
- On weekends devote four hours of time to teach English language in your localities.
- Award for a best English debater among Dalits.
- Award for an essay on Babasaheb Ambedkar’s life and contribution on April 14 of each year in English language.
(DV April 1, 1992 Prof. Ramsay Muir, p. 18-19: “Why English is superior to Sanskrit?”).
Sashi, skanth@parker.com: I have met you when I was a small kid. I am from Bangalore, son of J. Chandrasekharan from HAL, Bangalore, and grandson of Jagadeesan and Jayaseelan (first deputy mayor of Bangalore). I am now working in USA and co-ordinating “Dalit-E-Forum” along with Niranjan Waghmare. We have over 180 members participating from all over the world. Names like Dr. Anand Theltumbde, Dr. Velu Annamalai, Dr. Berwa, Yogesh Warade, K.P. Singh, Webber, Bro Tom, V.K. Choudary, Dr. Satinath, Raju Kamble, Manohar Prasad, Dr. Jamanadas etc. are all part of the Forum. We are in the process of building a world class web site. You could take a look at the draft version at http://dalits.tripod.com, we will be moving this web site to www.ambedkar.org on April 14th 2000. If you want to send message to this forum use dalit@onelist.com email id. Do not use dalit-owner@onelist.com.
Satinath Choudhary, <satichou@yahoo.com>: It gives me great pleasure to inform that “Dalit Solidarity Banquet held on March 11, last sponsored by the Dalit Solidarity Forum (DSF) in the US was a great success. It was held at Lerner Hall at Columbia University. Over 100 people came. Guests of honor were Henry Tiphange, Dr. Laxmi Berwa and Ms. Smita Narula. TADA is coming under a new name. These manuwadis are so devious and mean, they are unable to bring draconian measures like TADA (Terrorist Activities and D Act) directly because of the history of its misuse against themselves and a good deal of public resentments against such a measure. No problem. Why not introduce the same in the cloak of an IT Bill. Under this Bill the police are allowed to search premises without warrant. If the govt. wants to search anyone’s premises without any warrant, guess what is going to happen? Any police officer above the rank of a DSP is going to claim that he or she believes suspect to be in violation of the said IT Bill.
Paul Barton, 570 S. Richmond, PO Box 653, Hanford, CA 93230, USA: Congratulations on your new website. This site is exactly what is needed. We here in the US and the rest of the Americas, 300 million peoples of African origin (Negritics Negroes) and pre-Columbian African origin (Washitaw, Black Californian, Garifuna Afro-Dariente) see the website ww.hotep.org). We are more than shocked by the evil and demonic racism against us world-wide. Our world-wide unification, therefore, is happening in order to fight and win our rights and lands. This is my website: http://community-webtv.net/PAUL NUBIAEMPIRE. Please check my website for good information and additional sites. relevant to the international Pan-Negritic world movement.
Mohan Lal Kureel, 355/187-190, Alam Nagar, Lucknow-226 017: I am shocked to know that you are forced to leave Delhi as you were facing insurmountable resistance there. It is surely due to your uncompromising stand which the ruling class is determined to bend.
P. Prasad, General Secretary, All-India Telecom Backward Classes Emp. Welfare Assn., No.14-Periyar Pathai, Choolaimedu, Madras-600 094: I have no words to appreciate your services for the Dalit society. Your awareness-building media work will definitely bring consciousness and promote social justice. I am very much worried about the indifferent attitude of our people. I am coordinating the SC/ST/ BC people all over India but I also know that it is not an easy job. Even then I can’t give up. Do not worry about the criticism. Carry on your duty as ever.
Ramdeo Vishwabandhu, Secretary, Dr. Ambedkar Social Institute, Bhandaridih, Behind Vet. Hospital, Giridih, Jharkhand-815 301: We are working in this Jharkhand area spreading the message of Mahatma Phule, Dr. Ambedkar and Birsa Munda. Last year, we celebrated Ambedkar Pakhawara (fortnight) from April 14 to 30 in different places on different dates. We distributed a four-page handbill titled Jharkhand Mein Dr. Ambedkar who visited Kodarma, Dhanbad and many other places in Jharkhand. We are proud of Babasaheb for his support to our demand for a separate state. He supported the division of Bihar and had drawn the outline of South Bihar (Jharkhand) in W&S Vol.1, p. 154-155. We have opened a school in the name of Savitri Bai Phule.
Balwant Singh, A-215, Purana Avas Vikas Colony, Saharanpur 247 001: Brother Shailendra Nath Roy has pointed out (DV May 1, 2000 p.15) my “serious deficiencies” because in my book, Struggle Against Slavery, I have praised M.K. Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. But my apprecition of the above two persons does not mean denigration or any insult to Babasaheb Ambedkar. I have praised Babasaheb in the same book. Dr. Ambedkar surrendered before Gandhi in 1932 when the “Poona Pact” was signed and again Dr. Ambedkar served as Law Minister in the cabinet of Nehru and thereby accepted a Brahmin as his leader. Gandhi was never against the “lower castes”. He wanted their liberation within the fold of Hinduism and he never called them non-Hindus. Rather, he regarded the Dalits as an integral part of Hindus. That is why Gandhi opposed the separate electorate for them and Dr. Ambedkar had to bow before Gandhi and accepted his terms. Gandhi has been accused of defending the caste system. Gandhi did it as a politician as he wanted to carry the masses with him for “national liberation”. Hence he accepted the existing reality. Gandhi was also sincere and honest towards the Dalits. As regards Nehru he was the builder of “modern India and I am proud to be a product of Nehru era. My guru is Bartrand Russel who shaped my intellectual perceptions. Brother Shailendra Nath Roy should be more catholic and large-hearted. After all, large empires and petty minds never go together.
Bola Nath Paswan, Politicial Science Dept., Patna University, Patna: This refers to the Letter of Shailendra Nath Roy (May 1, 2000 p.15) exposing the basic contradictions in the writings of Balwant Singh who is a Dalit. No Dalit who calls himself an Ambedkarite can be a fan of Gandhi and also an admirer of Babasaheb. Dr. Ambedkar has called Gandhi as the “Enemy No.1 of Untouchables”. Balwant Singh is an ex-IAS officer and an advocate. So, he cannot be called an unthinking person unless he wants to be dishonest to himself. Even when he criticised our Editor’s “caste identity” thesis, I could make out the confusion in the thinking of Balwant Singh. Brother Shailandra Nath Roy has convincingly exposed this confusion. Balwant Singh should be either with Babasaheb or Gandhi. He can’t be at both the places. His confusion is likely to contuse other readers of DV. Hence I am seeking his explanation.
K.B. Ram, I-CH-13, Sector-1, Jawahar Nagar, Jaipur 302 004: This refers to Gurcharan Singh Giani’s Letter of May 1, 2000 inviting Untouchables to become Sardars under Sikhism. About four years back, I had been looking into matrimonials and got two educated and beautiful girls for my son, a gazetted officer. I started corresponding with them and finally we exchanged photographs. In my correspondence I had mentioned that I was a Budhist. The Sikh parents of the girls in their matrimonial advertisements had clearly mentioned that there was no caste bar for the marriage of the girls. After seeing the photograph of my son they were very happy but wanted to know my original caste. In my letters I had said all were converted from the very inception and that Budhism was like a ocean and whosever got himself converted into it lost his caste for ever. To satisfy them I had further explained that I was an intellectual and always guided by my intellect Buddhi in my dealings in life. But they were not satisfied and got the photographs of their daughters back. The parents were Highly placed in govt. service and educated. Since then I do not have a good opinion of the Sikh community.
Gama Ram, A-2/4, Paper Mill Colony, Lucknow – 226 006: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to review the Constitution. With great difficulty it could form a govt. with a marginal majority after making alliance with small parties and groups and it knows that a, majority is needed for a Constitution amendment. What we need is an immediate review of the anti-human brahminic shastras, smritis and puranas containing imaginary stories of blind faith. It is only due to these brahminic scriptures and imaginary stories that Hindus could never be united and such a big “nation” like India had been overrun for over 2,000 years by foreign invaders. The Rajputs constituted only 3% of the total population of the Hindus. In all countries of the world except India every citizen is a Rajput (martial race) but brahminism has prevented 95% of the population including the Vaishyas, Brahmins, Shudra, Untouchable etc. from defending the country. In case Hindus had been a “nation” like the Germans, French and Englishmen no foreign country could have dared attack us. Hence the need to review the Hindu scriptures.
Subhash Chand Musafir, National Insurance. Company Ltd., Divisional Office, Palampur-176061: This refers to N.G. Uke’s “communication: BSP’s Bhagidhari principle benefited only Chamars” (DV Nov. 16, 1999 p.11). He doesn’t know that he is taking a manuwadi line of argument. He says DV is dividing the SC/ST unity by strengthening “caste identity. He must understand that the DV thesis is not merely concerned with economic upliftment and political sharing but it also incorporates social, cultural as well as moral values plus the dignity of Bahujans. Babasaheb had brought all Untouchable castes under one umbrella and secured them reservations. But is it not correct that after getting the benefits of reservation and political offices our “educated” SC/ST had ditched Babasaheb? Even after 50 years of reservation all castes and tribes under the SC/ST list have not got their equal share of reservation. Many new castes have been added to the SC/ST list but the total quota of 22.5% is yet to be increased. Uke says every SC/ ST employee represents the entire SC/ST community. Then he must answer the following questions:-
(1) When our SC/ST employees even avoid contact with their own uneducated caste brothers then how he can claim that every SC/ST employee represents the entire community?
(2) When SC/ST employees don’t respect even their mothers, when they pretend themselves as Brah- mins, Kshatriya and Bania after getting the reserved job then on what basis he can claim that every SC/ ST employee represents the entire community?
(3) When Dalit employees marry Aryan girls and cut off all connections from the community how Uke can claim that every employee represents the entire community? ‘
When our Editor talks about strengthening “Jati identity“, he is only trying to recognise the sovereignty of every unit under the Dalit-Bahujans. SC/ST are not a homogenous community. That they are all divided into subcastes is a fact. Uke must get a list of Members of Parliament who have won election on BSP ticket as well as the list of all candidate projected by BSP to contest the recent Parliament election. Kanshi Ram has kept his promise of jitni jiski sankhya bhari, utni uske hissedari by alloting 38 tickets to Backwards, 20 to SC, 17 to Muslims and 10 to savarna people, in proportion to their population in UP. This statistics should convince Uke that BSP is not promoting only Chamars. It is surprising that Uke is critical of only Kanshi Ram and our Editor but he is happy with the BJP, Congress, CPI and other manuwadi parties.
Ms. Sangat, Madras: DV is like a self-propelled gun of 130 mm, mostly positioned much behind (nearly 40-50 kms) the border/frontal positions. It has to hit vital targets of the enemy camp with accuracy from its camouflaged base, If it does this it will be doing much better service to frontal units engaged in hand to hand fights. We welcome you back to Bangalore. The Editor is requested to guide the creamy layer among the 85% Bahujans, those who want his guidance. A few have become more mean/vile than the orthodox Hindu/Aryan, under the intoxication of brahminical opium.
Sunder Yesuvadian, Dravida Samayam, Dravida <dravida @eth.net>: From your April issue we have noted that you have moved back to Bangalore from Aryavarta. We have a spiritual plan to convert the whole of our motherland into Anaryavarta or Dravidastan. Babasaheb Ambedkar rightly stated that “emancipation of the mind and the soul is a necessary preliminary for the political expansion of the people”. Dr. M. Deivanayagan and his team of scholars have been doing research on the history of the Dravidian spiritual movements of India. As a prelude for a world conference on this theme to be held in December 2000, we are holding a four-day seminar on “How to eradicate caste clashes and religious clashes in India” from May 19-22, 2000 (Institute of Asian Studies, Madras). The Education Minister of Tamil Nadu will inaugurate the seminar.
M. Naushad Ansari, PO Box 1797, Bangalore 560 017: I am of the opinion that there must be a provision of reservation in services, judiciary and legislature to all the identifiable group including Muslims in proportion to its population and degree of backwardness.
M.L. Mukhi, D-89, Kalkaji, New Delhi 110 019: Brahmins are the controllers of Hindu society. No event, good or bad, big or small can take place without their intervention and blessings. But what is their track record? In times of yore boons were given to those who followed their line of thinking. Brahmins, pundits, sadhus, sanyasis, rishis or munis were all an angry lot who were ready to curse any and everyone on flimsy grounds. Even in the present era let us start with Adi Shankara. He opposed the teachings and preachings of Budha. His confrontation with Budha divided the Hindu society down the middle into two. Then they started labelling those who differed or defied them as Mallechas. Thus they created Jews, Christians, Muslims, Zorashtrians etc, etc. and divided the human society into compartments. The word shudra is made of the word shu which is short of shunyadhar meaning body i.e, those who mostly used their body rather than their brains i.e. the working class. The Brahmans meted out the worst possible treatment to them, not only by labelling them Untouchables but by treating them worse than animals. Things don’t end here. It was a Brahman who took bribe from Mohd. Gauri or Ghazni at Multan and told him that if he kept cows in front of his forces, Hindus will not attack the cows and will be defeated. Thus it was a Brahman who pushed India into slavery and was also the cause of cow slaughter-not on that day, but till this day. If some one were poor and would not be able to pay the Brahman his dakshina/fee he will not even be allowed to cremate his dead. Thus, the poor fellow had to sell his belongings and fall from poverty to penuary or some times he had to take a loan and serve as bonded labour. At the time of death. and cremation the Brahman will preach that the body is nothing but dust and is of no consequence. It is the soul that is immortal and of importance. There and then in the same breath he will preach for Dah sanksar of the body according to Brahman’s dictates. Else the soul will not go to heaven. There were so many other rituals too like dead body cannot be cremated after sun set. You must keep an earthen lamp lighted throughout the night to guide the soul to its destination. The lamp must be kept lighted throughout the night or else curse will befall on the family etc. After the cremation the Brahman will ask you to sit facing with your back towards the dead body. He will give you a straw and ask you to break it and throw it backwards signifying break of all relations with the dead person. So far so good. If our relation is broken it is broken. No. Brahman will declare a time and date for the collection of ashe remains of the dead person. The body he said was not important and our relations with him too were broken, then why these rituals? He will tell you if you don’t immerse the ashes in the Ganges river, the soul will not be able to go to heaven. Next comes chautha uthala and yearly shradh. Meaning thereby that you can’t in any case escape the clutches of a Brahman. How are these rituals of light, ashes and immersion going to help. the soul? At least to me it does not make any sense. They read mantras and slokas which I am definite they do not know even their meaning. Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru thundered: “India will be divided on my dead body”. However it was done on the dead bodies of our flesh and blood. That is the value of a world-famous and educated Brahman. After partition I went and appealed to Pt. Nehru that such and such a clerk is sitting on my compensation file and wants a bribe. Instead of taking action he said then what. That country’s money will still remain in the country. Low and behold not only was I dumb struck. I observed that the clerk against whom I had complained was also standing there. The clerk gave me a grin and said Ma Chuda Lee. Today’s corruption is the direct result of that particular act of a Brahman Prime Minister of India. Nehru gave us a description that he will convert India into a heaven. Leave aside us refugees, even the original residents of India agree that India is one of the hell states. India after partition has by and large been ruled by Brahmans. No, nothing can be done without the consent of a Brahman. Nothing can be done without bribing a govt. clerk or official. Nothing can be done without the payment of hafta. The list is unending. This is not all. The Geeta and all other scriptures and science believe on karma philosophy i.e. to every action there is equal and opposite reaction or as you sow so shall you reap, but the Brahmans preach puja, path, aarti, worship, prayers i.e. begging, begging all the way. It is the result of this attitude of begging right from the President to the peon that we as a “nation” were enslaved by the tiny British nation who ruled us from across the seas. It is because of this attitude that we are far behind scientifically, economically and in all other walks of life even from tiny nations like Japan and Taiwan. Charity, begging and giving of alms is not a virtue. Would you like and adore a begging child. Then how do you expect to forgive you for your sins of begging. Will some. gentleman from any walk of life appraise of just one good point that will justify the status given to Brahmans. Let us forgive and forget the past and let us break the shackles given by Brahmans and start working. Your remarks whether verse or adverse are welcome for which I thank you in anticipation.
K. Kandasamy, C3/267-Township, Kailasapuram, Trichy-620 014: This concerns racism against Dalit employees in the TN PWD Dept. We have received the following statistics (dt. 7.9.97) about this dept. from the TN Govt. SC/ST/ Engineers Association. Even today there is no improvement in Dalit representation.
The case in other govt. depts. of TN is no different.
K.A. Kunjakkan, Jagathrayam, TC 16/498, Kochar Road, Edapazhanti, Trivandrum 695 014: In India, “inferior class” of people are kept away from the main stream of population, stamping them as Untouchables. All human rights are denied to them. How to arrest this situation? How to escape from this demoralizing state of affairs? Here comes the role of Dalit writers. The struggle against this satanic degradation has been started by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Now it is left to his followers to stretch it to its logical conclusion. History provides innumerable examples of writers piloting. revolutionary ideas for social transformation. A similar crucial role is to be played in India by Dalit writers. They must prepare the ground for the battle and guide our people. Their writings must create a general awareness among Dalits for which they should be equipped with necessary knowledge about the immediate problems of Dalits. But it is seen that there is a general tendency on the part of Dalit writers to weep over the past agonies and atrocities. There is no use of weeping. We are not here to look back. We prefer future ecstasy rather than past agonies. These writers must shakeup and wakeup their sleeping comrades and colleagues and guide them to light, reason and reality.
A.M. Fazluddin, 1072-35th Cross, IV T. Block, Jayanagar, Bangalore – 560 041: According to reports a former moulvi, Hassan of Palakkad, Kerala, has left Islam for a sanskriti (hinduism). What attracted him to Hinduism was its “broad vision and relative freedom in life”. Freedom of expression was not there in his parent faith. Islam holds few people holy but Hindu vision strives to make every one a mahatma, the report said. He said he was not getting coverted. He resented the word conversion. He said he was not going into Hinduism. He has not become a Hindu. But there was great jubilation among Hindu nazis. They organised a big ceremony at Trivandrum to celebrate the occasion. The allegation against the conversion of Hindus into Christianity and Islam by the Hindu nazis is that people are induced through promises of material benefits. But what about this case? He was offered a house and made chief editor of a journal, Deshanadam. Shivasana which lured him to Hinduism is a political. outfit of the Hindu nazis. The Muslim community is not at all perturbed by such stunts. There is already a case of a noted Kerala Hindu woman writer converting herself into Islam at an advanced age. But Muslims are not elated by the Kamala Das action. The Aryans, who migrated to this country developed their Aryan culture, recently renamed Hinduism. In the South non- Aryans developed their own Dravidian culture. There is no word such as Hindu either in the Vedas, Smritis or even in the Manu Dharma Shastra or in the Bhagvatgita. I would like to cite something that took place during the reign of Tipu Sultan. A local imam of a village, Lakvalli near Shimoga, quit Islam for the sake of a woman. He became Hindu. The Muslims of those days thought that their Muslim ruler would take a serious notice of it and hence they took the complaint to the Sultan. On receiving the complaint the Sultan simply said that faith is a personal affair of an individual and just ingored the incident.
M. Abubakker Khan, “Peace”, TC 43/211, ERA No. 25, Thottam, Kamaleswaram, Manacaud PO, Trivandrum-695 009: All your books and Dalit Voice issues are worth reading. I congratulate you for your boldness in highlighting the problems of Dalits as well as the weaker sections without fearing the rulers. The Dalits, still working under the fascists as slaves, have to be united in India to fight the fascist bid to rewrite the history and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution of India which is the best in the world. As the Ramayana is being honoured by the fascists, its editor, Valmiki, is being dishonoured because he is a low caste man. Your task is to unite the people and ask them not to follow the fascists who don’t allow the Dalits into their temples. In Meenakshipuram (Tamil Nadu) the Dalits were never allowed to enter in the tea shop, barber shop, laundry and even to sit with the upper castes in cinema theatres. They were neglected in every field. So, their only salvation was conversion to Islam. Now they are free everywhere. The whole village adopted Islam. Meenakshipuram is now Salamat Nagar.
Md. Ali, C/o Vice-President Abdul Gani Choudhary, PO Banskandi, Cachar, Assam-788 101: Our youths and our people here are an unconscious lot. They have no idea about their persecution and who is doing it. This is the beginning now with five Dalit Voice copies. People here are simply sleeping like dead dogs. Dalit Voice will wake them up. Your book, India’s Muslim Problem, (DSA 1999) gave me a total picture of Muslims and Dalits. I am very much excited. We want to use your books as a golden magic weapon to fight the Hindu nazis. On reading the book I found you a great humanitarian but more a great Islamic scholar, a great global social scientist who will help us to diagnose our disease and get the right medicine. Recently, we formed an organisation under the presidentship of F. Ahmed who read DV first in the North-East. Vice-president is Abdul Gani Choudhury and secy. Fanik Choudhury. We would take all your suggestions. We will invite you to our next annual conference. We want to hear your sermon. Manipuri-speaking Muslims are still sleeping, lagging behind in all fields. We are riot poor, but our thinking is poor.
S.M. Mir, president, Sarwajanik Muslim Library, Bhusawal-425 201: Received your booklet titled, The Second Partition of India (Sunset on the Dalit World). The Muslim leadership is not realizing the importance of Dalit-Muslim unity. No practical steps are being taken to achieve this goal. How can anybody in India who really wants the unity of Dalits and Muslims ignore V.T. Rajshekar, the architect of Dalit-Muslim unity in the country? I know the Muslim leaders and the Muslim community better than anybody since I myself am working not only for Muslim upliftment but also devoted myself for the Dalit-Muslim unity since the last ten years. The Muslim leaders are all slaves enjoying their slavery.
Dr. M. Ejaz Ali, convener, All-India Backward Muslim Morcha, Ghulam Sarwar Clinic, Bhikhna Pahari, Mahendru, Patna 800 006: We are demanding inclusion of Muslims in the Scheduled Caste reservation list under Article 341 of the Constitution. It is through Article 341 the Dalits have been provided with special protection. But it is sorrowful to note that because of religious restriction, only those Dalit castes who profess Hinduism are entitled to get the facilities of this reservation, though there are many social groups in the Muslim community like Banjar (Bakkho), Dhobi, Nat, Halalkhor, Lalbegi, Bhant, Jogi-Fakir, Pasi, Mochi, Khatik, Julaha, Dafali, Darzi, Laheri, Pamaria Beda, Mon, Dholwala), Bhatiara, Bhisti, Chick, Gujar, Gaddi Kumhar, Mallah (Mahigir), Bengali Muslim (with title of Mandal, Chaudhary, Biswas), Rangrez, Sikalgar, Sikriband, Chhapar band, Marakayars, Labbais, Rawther, Pesslar and Ausan Muslims of Kerala, Maria Muslims of Assam, Beri, Pindaras, Takaras, Zargars, Hangi (Manjhi), Gore-Khans, Shupin wattal, Bakerwal, Kharwal, Gudwal which are socially, educationally and professionally similar to those found in Dalit (Hindu) community and they constitute the major chunk (85%) of total Indian Muslim population and hence the Muslim vote bank. Discrimination on the ground of religion is unconstitutional besides being a serious and burning problem for a majority of Muslims who are suffering since 1950. The All-India Backward Muslim Morcha is the only umbrella organisation under the banner of which all Muslims are agitating for the past several years for this constitutional right to Dalit Muslims (Scheduled Caste Muslim). On 20.12.99, Dr. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh (RJD) raised a question on this issue in the Lok Sabha. He was supported by Rajo Singh (Cong.I). All the Indian Muslims are not oppressed but a majority of them, the Dalit Muslims, the worst exploited since long. They need protection under the SC list.
S. Akhtar, Khanpur-Deh-392 150: What good they intend to do to the country by banning prayers in a 150-year-old mosque in a Jamnagar village under the pretext of Kargil and to the astonishment of even Hindu residents, who say such a ban was not imposed even during the last two Indo-Pak wars. Now, once again, on 17.4.2000 the Gujarat Today reported with pictures of destructions wrought by violent, intolerant elements who attacked a Muslim house in Rentlay (Valsad) village only because a religious school (madrasa) was proposed to be opened there. Is it not a naked peace- killing gesture to suspect and push to wall every non- Hindu?
