Reply to Suresh Babu (karukondasuresh.babu3@ gmail.com):
I am so happy to see your response and your will to support V.T. Rajshekar. But what pains me is your thinking that untouchability (discrimination) is a matter of past. What makes you think so? If we urban Dalits don’t face discrimination, does it mean that it doesn’t exist? Official reports say:
(1) From 1947 to 2007 (in these 60 years) 30 lakh Dalit girls are brutally raped and murdered, just because they are Dalit.
(2) Recently in Tamil Nadu, a Dalit was beaten and human shit was put in his mouth for using slippers in front of upper castes.
(3) Khairlanji massacre 2006.
(4) Millions of Dalit children are malnourished, roaming semi-naked on streets.
So, are all these fresh incidents a matter of ancient past? Mayawati’s pride: What makes you think calling our- selves “Dalit” is degrading our community? Brahmins call themselves Brahmin, so is the Reddy, Khamma, Jat and so on. What name you want to give to our community? How do you want us to be identified? Do you have any other name (or) you want the Dalits to merge into the other existing touchable (Hindu) castes? If so, name a caste which is ready to absorb Dalits into their fold? Brahmins, Reddys, Khammas are our op- pressors. These oppressors have no guilt and shame to display their caste tag. Why should a Dalit, who is oppressed and commits no sin or crime, feel shy to identify himself as a Dalit? Is it because of his inferiority complex or self-hatred?
I am proud to call myself Dalit. I am proud of the name. Mayawati says before millions of Dalits:
Mei Dalit hoon, Mei Dalit ki Beti hoon, Mei Chamari hoon, Mel Chamar ki beti hoon, main tumhari hoon, When Dalits hear this, they feel so happy and proud. The only people who feel shy after hearing this is urban
English-educated Dalits. God created castes: Regarding temple donations, I do agree that our people donate with good intention. Jesus and Muhammad said all the people are children of God. But in the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says (Bhagavad Gita, chapter 4, sloka 13):
The fourfold caste has been created by me according to the differentiation of Guna and karma.
In Hinduism, the god himself admits he is the creator of the caste system. What a kind-hearted god he is? When this religion itself is born with discriminating humans, why should Dalits give donations to these temples?
I do not mind if others give donations. According to you the money is used for charity. But charity to whom? All to the hoodwink the gullible public and maintaining empires. If an educated Dalit cannot see through such temple tricks, then one can only pity his ignorance. Can you tell me who are the principal beneficiaries of these temples?
Slaves are more determined to protect their slave masters rather than their fellow slaves. You admit the path Dr. B.R. Ambedkar took is correct. But I request you to please read Dr. Ambedkar carefully. I am happy to see you support Editor V.T. Rajshekar.
Brig. Usman Khalid, London: I read the Editorial (June 1, 2010) once again to see if I had missed something that needed response. You make a good case for “closing down DV”. If that is how you feel, that is what you would do. The last time we discussed it was quite apparent that you do not have a network of reporters to actualize your ambition. My own feeling is that without DV you would be completely lost.
We have explained to you more than once what we mean by “Media Centre”. People did not support us not for want of a project report on “Media centre”. When the same people let down their own Father, Dr. Ambedkar, where is the surprise in their betraying us? Dalit govt. servants have the money but they have no will to get rid of their slavery. Same is the case with Muslims. Daily we are getting complaints, both in person and through Letters, why DV should support Muslims. In spite of this opposition, we did support Muslim being our duty. You say without DV we will be “completely lost”. No. We will find more time to write books which sell better than DV. Closure of DV also means final “sunset on the Dalit world”- EDITOR.
Dalits must throw away all Hindu Gods
Keshava Shet, Dubai (UAE): I understand your feelings towards Dalits and downtrodden. But the question is how can they leap-frog 30 or more centuries of backwardness. To “Educate” and “Agitate”, it requires tremendous amount of energy and resourcefulness to come to the level of upper castes. Dalit leaders and intellectuals should think of radical and revolutionary methods of rousing the spirits of Dalits. For example, the Dalits should throw away all symbols of Hinduism and its deities as the Mahars of Maharasthra did before embracing Budhism. They threw away all photos and idols into the well and canals. They should erase all Hindu identities. Now the cunning Brahmins have invented Valmiki as divine to fool Dalits and offer them yet one more deity. They should see through all their games. Cribbing and ranting against Brahmins may be counter-productive. Brahmins hate Upanishads because it advanced the concept of Brahma – a formless cosmic force and it made every living being to claim that it is part of this cosmic force (Aham Brahmasmi). Brahmins cannot ask the rulers and samants to build temples for formless gods. They lose their business. That is why there is hardly a temple for Brahma. As an outflanking move Dalit leaders should found a new religion. Dalits will be the future force to bring reforms to both Dalit and Muslim societies. Muslim and Dalit women can be a real challenge to Hindus.
You want Dalits to become revolutionary, and to became revolutionary they must discard Hinduism. Your argument is wonderful. But how to reach this explosive message to the mere 3% Dalits who alone can read and write? This message can be reached only by a revolutionary media which we have given through DV for the past 30 years. But our 3% “educated” brothers did not stand by us. As against this, the 3% Brahminical enemies are so furious that they want to finish DV. That means Brahminism can’t be killed. Which in turn means India can’t survive. That is how China stole a big march over India. DV is closing down – EDITOR.
Rejected the father, but obeyed enemy orders
Com. Ayanami: Dalits never take a good advice. Now they have to pay a horrific price for not taking to armed struggle but resorting to gandhian nonsense. Right from Dr. Ambedkar’s time, Dalits never understood the necessity of armed struggle. Another horrendous mistake was not using marxism and maoism. But Brahmins always used both these weapons. That means Dalits are likely to get defeated forever. Prachanda has managed to integrate his armed people’s liberation army cadres with the regular Nepal Army of the state. The next step will be to take over the Nepal army from within to launch a Brahminical coup and install a Brahminical dictatorship. After this, Prachanda will help Vara Vara Rao defeat the Indian Army. Dalits will be the biggest losers as usual. What is the response of the DV family for your announcement of “closing down”? I am expecting the worse. But what is the use of mere discussion without any concrete results from my side? So, on second thoughts, I don’t want to discuss anything meaningless.
Hinduisation (enslavement) of Dalits – in which the Brahmins have invested in billions – has done the trick. Dr. Ambedkar is forgotten. Who can forgive a people who forget their own Father who liberated them? You find fault with Dalits for not taking to armed struggle. But under the Brahminical leadership of the maoist movement the Dalits have taken to armed struggle. And also dying to keep Brahmins as leaders of India – EDITOR.
Aruna Kornana: I work as an NLP trainer for an MNC and also for some of our NGOs. “Educated” Dalits blindly having faith in God and donating money for wrong cause. If not for Babasaheb’s struggle and fight for our rights we would not have been where we are today. I will do my best to support Dalit Voice.
Ms. P. Bina Raj, Vizag (AP): People from our community should use their sense of judgment before donating money to Hindu temples when there are better places to render their offerings such as in development of our communities, educating our children and many more. They should have focused on making people aware of what we are and how did we evolve through our father, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. If only our community had good sense of judgment and awareness of our roots, I don’t think we have to see ourselves in a pathetic situation like this. I would emphasize on how much our community is aware of themselves, their development, most importantly recognition to their opinions, unity and our potential contributions to our community. Most people hide their identity. How then to protect ourselves from becoming a victim of these cruel caste system?
“My heart is with you”
Dr. Bharat Jhunjhunwala, Economist, Uttarakhand: My heart is with you. You have lived a full life and done what you could. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance.
Unless DV is shifted to Delhi and starts publication from there, converting itself. into a weekly, enlarging its Hindi edition, the ruling class will not get the heat. Not much money is needed for this mission. Or else the current unchallenged media monopoly of the Brahmins will continue. With your economic ideas and our socio-cultural thoughts combined, we can do wonders – EDITOR.
Dalit donations to temple
Suresh Babu K, (karukondasuresh. babu3@gmail. com): The thoughts of J.N. Sudhakar of Taiwan on uplifting our community are good but the way he put forth his feelings is wrong. Nobody wasted money donating to the temple. Each rupee which goes to the temple is used for charity in many ways. And everyone who goes to the temple thinks in the same way and do donate for some charity purpose. I think calling ourselves as “Dalits” we are degrading our community. The path Dr. B.R. Ambedkar has shown is correct and still we are not utilizing it properly. If we go with positive attitude and put forth our path, there won’t be any “Dalit” word in the community in future. As media is the main concerns, I appreciate V.T. Rajshekar for at least starting and putting our way forward. My help will be extended.
Belief in God cannot keep DV alive
K.T. Kishan (A Brahmin convert to Christianity living in USA): Sorry to note that you are closing down DV. It looks like you have a great gift of editing and being a leader. I encourage you and please do not give up hope. There are so many who need people like you. How can I help you? I will be in Bangalore in January and hope to meet with you. Please do not be discouraged. God will be with you all the time.
DV cannot be brought out on mere “hope”. Or belief in God. Our losses are mounting. Death of DV means the slow death of India. A mere 15% upper castes led by Brahmins are throttling the rest of the producers of wealth – EDITOR.
3 decades of service
A.K. Biswas, IAS & a former vice-chancellor, New Delhi: It is really unfortunate if you close down the DV after three decades of service to the Dalits and minorities. You have a wide readership at home and abroad. All those who have voluntarily started journals have the same unflattering experience. The Bengali magazine, Adal Badal editor in Calcutta, too had the same feeling like you.
