Meenakshipuram has become the symbol of the trend now seems to set in Tamil Nadu and all over India. What a storm it has created throughout the length and breadth of the country! This is now well known.
Some Christians too opted for Islam since they see the continued presence of untouchability among Christians also. Reports are daily pouring about individual and group conversions. As Makwana puts it, the intelligent untouchables of Tamil Nadu had opted for Islam, implying thereby that the other religions neither absolve them from the curse of untouchability in social practice nor they afford the required self-respect and protection from the continued oppression. Hindu communalists and the RSS see a danger in the conversion. Their apprehension is understandable. They stand for the interests of the upper crest of the Hindus. If about 20% of the SCs/STs opt for other religions, especially Islam, there will be corresponding depletion of the Hindu population and rise in Muslim and other population. The relative weakness is there. Further the onslaught of backward classes against the Brahmins and their allies will increase. Since the conflict between BCs and SCs may soon cease, the Brahmins’ manipulative tactics to use such conflicts for their advantage will be greatly minimised.
Formerly, under the Rajas and feudal lords the Brahmins were allotted all or most of the good cultivable lands as Inams etc. They had been cruelly exploiting the untouchables who were mainly agricultural labourers. Untouchables can never forget the Brahmin tyranny. The Tamil poetical work, “Nandanar Charithram” was written in such a situation. Now most of the Brahmins had sold their lands to the BCs who started imitating the Brahmins and in fact excelled in their tyranny against SCs. Formerly the conflict between them was more social. But now the economic aspect is more explicit. Unfortunately, neither the BCs nor the SCs seem to realise that all their social disabilities, cultural backwardness and their economic degradation are the result of the Brahmin-Bania conspiracy over years. They do not realise that their conflicts on caste lines, despite their identical economic interest, will not deliver the goods, on the other hand, will help keep them permanently under the yoke of their exploiters. Those who work for social change in India especially our political leaders including those in Left parties have no scheme to fight the caste system. Nay. They have been only strengthening the hands of high caste exploiters.
Brahmins, who had disposed of their lands, captured the entire governmental administration and the leadership of the political parties, trade unions, cultural and educational organisations, mass media, financial institutions etc. Brahmins and Banias, now manage the whole economic, political, social, cultural, religious, and educational affairs of the country.
Left forces have failed to bring about the social changes because their leadership is also in the hands of the very high caste Hindus. Hence, the oppressed sect- ions who could have otherwise sought solution in Marxism are opting for religious conversions as an immediate relief. This is like trying to cure the symptoms leaving the disease as it is, that means exploitation as such will continue. The caste conflicts will be replaced by communal confrontations. The consequence is that the ranks of the have-nots will be at logger heads on caste and communal lines and thereby postponing the meaningful confrontation between haves and have-nots. Such ghastly state of affairs is imminent because of the continued refusal of the Hindu fanatics to change their ways and means. But they cannot. Because, unless one renounces Hinduism, one cannot practice equality. This is the paradox.
Where is the light? Periyar is no more. Ambedkar is dead. We have to have a new leadership which is able to galvanise and unite the entire poor despite their caste differences and lead them to victorious march against their religious, social, economic and political oppressors. Conversions to other religions from Hinduism is not new in India. But the present conversions are creating concern for those who stand for social change-those interested in building a society based on equality. But the concern expressed by the high caste is not about this They are worried about the depletion of the ranks of Hindus and the swelling of the ranks of Muslims. The D. K. has been voicing the case of the SCs and is exposing the Brahmin villainy and their propaganda stunt. Though Periyar himself had given a call to the suppressed to join Islam to achieve brotherhood, he had refrained from doing so after 1947. There is continued good relationship among Muslims and the parties of Dravidan movement in Tamil Nadu. The DMK too is supporting the SCs cause on this issue. There is no ripple at all in Tamil Nadu among the people over the conversions in fact R. M. Veerappan, the right-hand man of the Chief Minister MGR had expressed his astonishment at the Tamil Nadu peoples’ apathy over conversions. MGR himself had chided the new converts ”as they were lured by money”. The visits of religious luminaries, the Hindu conference for unity at Meenakshi Puram attended by religio-political leaders like Vajpayee, the screaming’s by the Brahmin press and MGR’s current open-pro-Brahmin posture and his papers secret support to the Hindu communalists have not been able to create any desired impact on the masses.
