DEBATE ON DEFECTS IN DV COVERAGE”
TIKESH MAKWANA, 23-PRATAPNAGAR SOCIETY, RAJPUR, AHMEDABAD-380 021
This refers to Brother Rahul’s communication. (Dec. 16, 2001 p.22: “Defects in DV coverage“).
His mindless suggestion “to deal with the problems of general public so that they may be able to read Dalit Voice along with our problems” sounds like bow wow and pow wow. Casteism or racism is recognised as India’s single biggest problem. To evaluate the problem of casteism is, to put in the words of Mao Tse-tung, like tackling the principal contradiction. DV can’t fight minor contradictions by ignoring the giant, principal contradiction of casteism.
“Educated” but not “agitated”: To me, the Editor of DV is the only person in India who advocates overt and covert actions to establish and successfully run our own mass media but pygmy leaders of Dalits still continue to play like dogs in the manger.
Of course, there are hundreds of Dalit publications, magazines, periodicals and books but they all hesitate to fight their masters lest their coffers would be exhausted without advertisement or lest their upper caste fathers would rap them.
The editor of such journals are obviously “educated” but factually not “agitated” like our Editor. For example, Samajmitra is one such Gujarati periodical published by the wife of a top brass in the Gujarat Sachivalaya but run by him behind the curtain. It does not have the nose of Dalit journalism. It’s mottos are flattery and separatism, egoism. Ministers like straw are highlighted and meaningless news are published.
On the other hand, Kahani is a brilliant and distinguished periodical published from Jamnagar which like the Dalit Voice talks only about casteism, caste discrimination, revolutionary ideas of Phule, Babasaheb and bravely attacks brahminism and BSO and all the more does not care for advertisement or even subscription.
Had there been no journals like the Kahani or a daily like the Gujarat Today, a Gujarati daily published by Muslims for minorities and Dalits, the news world of Gujarati media for Dalits and the downtrodden would be darkened.
Principal enemy: Rahul might know the literary meaning of “caste” and “discrimination” but certainly he does not know that casteism or racism is the principal contradiction of the land. Dalit Voice has not gone astray in publishing only caste-related problems because there are heaps of “national” toilet papers speaking the tongue of Hindu nazis. There are hardly any journal in India which stands by the giant 85% mass of the population of the nation. Such journals and Dalit Voice in particular call the spade a spade. DV never hesitates to call the bluff of anybody who goes against the mainstream of Dalits and works against the interests of Bahujans or the oppressed.
Let Rahul think his own way, DV must not budge even an inch in its crusades against the Hindu nazis, casteism and BSO.
An English proverb goes that when the weasel and the cat make a marriage, it is a very ill presage. The implication is clear that no Dalit cat or lion can marry a nazi weasel. Why should Rahul advocate the Dalit lions to marry weasel?
It is very rightly said that English is like a window. If you peep out you can see the whole world. Among the couple of Dalit journals, Dalit Voice has occupied an outstanding place and established a record in Dalit Journalism. What DV writes, the world knows. Rahul need not advise the Editor of DV, who is a veteran with 45 years of experience. India is the land of Dalits and the present century is “Dr. Ambedkar Era”. Let persons like Rahul shut off their doors to prevent the storm or else they would be blown off like dust.
The Editor has already offered to correct himself if DV is found wanting. Why should DV give importance to such petty ideas and give undue coverage to dwarfs like Rahul?
In the words of Robert Lee Frost, we have still miles to go before we sleep. We have still to “educate” and “agitate” our estranged and gullible masses. Let Rahul bray and bark, the 21st century is “Dr. Ambedkar Era”. DV shall be one of the shining jewels in the days to come. Do not hesitate covering only caste-related issues and problems. We are with Dalit Voice.
