One of Dalit Sahitya Akademy’s widely appreciated publications, Merit – My Foot (Reply to Anti-Reservation Racists), by V.T. Rajshekar (published in 1996), was sold out within three years. Quoted in a famous Supreme Court judgment by Justice Ramaswami, the booklet (40 pages) was translated to many languages. It was first published in 1987 at the height of the anti-reservation and anti-Mandal war and violence.
Those were the days when upper castes launched their violent “caste wars” in different parts of India killing our people like mad dogs. Sixty years of Indian independence” has convinced us that not only the 15% upper caste racists hate the 85% non-Hindus (Bahujans) but they want to destroy Indian democracy itself.
It was at this juncture the Merit book gave a powerful weapon for the victims to fight the racist upper caste merit-mongers.
So far we have been supplying only photocopies of the book. People have been demanding its reprint but we have no money even to print four or five valuable new books waiting for publication.
So, we request our DV family members to support the reprint of this booklet. We need just Rs. 35,000.
We expect a “yes” answer – EDITOR
