Dalit Voice was launched by V.T. Rajshekar in 1981. He continued it without missing a single copy for 30 years. There is no parallel to this in the history of Bahujan journalism. Super-human task. But now suffering for want of oxygen. DV is not an ordinary journal. I am not its subscriber but buying it from the Central News Agency, Connaught Place, Delhi. I have the whole file of copies – bound year- wise
MEETING WITH LALU YADAV IN JAIL
DV catered not only to the entire Bahujans including the OBCs though they are hardly its subscribers. When VTR met Lalu Prasad Yadav (in Patna jail) on his request, I was with VTR. I saw both of them embrace each other outside the jail with tears in the eyes of both. Patna papers carried this picture. Lalu agreed with VTR’s plea for a “media centre” in Delhi and promised everything. But cleanly forgot everything after he came out of the jail.
CHANDIGARH JAIL YATRA
I was present at the Indian Social Inst. function in Lodi Road, Delhi, when Kanshi Ram and Lalu addressed a meeting with VTR in the chair. Lalu asked VTR to come with him to Bihar Bhawan to discuss the “media centre” but VTR refused to go …
DV’s title may be Dalit Voice. But it fought for the entire Bahujans: SC/ ST/BCs and Muslim/Christian/ Sikhs. Soon after DV was started Sant Bhindranwale launched his powerful agitation. Kanshi Ram, a Dalit Sikh from Punjab, asked him not to support the Jat Sikh Bhindranwale. But VTR said no.
When VTR was arrested and kept in Chandigarh jail, Kanshi Ram did not even visit him. He was annoyed because VTR arrest brought the entire Dalit support to Jat Sikhs.
“GUJARAT CASTE WAR”
VTR was the first Dalit to plunge into the “Gujarat Caste war” (1982) launched by Patels, Brahmins and Baniyas against Dalits. Ramesh Chandra Parmar, president of the Gujarat Dalit Panthers, was throughout beside VTR. He visited Ahmedabad twice and addressed dozens of meetings of Dalits and Muslims. DV circulation soared in Gujarat.
INTELLECTUAL GUIDE
VTR was the first to support Kanshi Ram when he was unknown as an employee in a Pune Defence unit. He gave publicity in DV, made him famous all over India and toured with him in TN, AP, Karnataka. He also participated in the Mandal Commission agitation in Delhi, Bihar, UP etc.
VTR was virtually Kanshi Ram’s intellectual guide, leading to the founding of the BSP – though he refused to join BSP as he never wanted to join any political party.
DALIT-MUSLIM UNITY
In Delhi, we have a noted Dalit convert to Islam (Adil) who told me how VTR became the father of the Dalit-Muslim unity movement. I was with him on his two visits to Lucknow to meet Moulana Ali Miyan, India’s most famous Muslim saint.
He had contacts with the top leadership of Jamate-Islami, SIMI, Jamiatul Ulema, Muslim League.
PASSPORT IMPOUNDED
He led the first Dalit-Muslim delegation to Libya to attend the African world conference called by Gadafi. It was his speech at Tripoli (Libya) that cost his passport seizure.
In Delhi, he addressed several meetings at CBCI (Catholic Bishops Conference of India) opp. the Gol Dakhana.
SERVICE S TO OBCS
He also had close contacts with Charan Singh, the famous OBC leader and a former Prime Minister, Karpuri Thakur, CM of Bihar and a barber by caste, Chaudhary Brahm Prakash, CM of Delhi, Devaraj Ur’s, CM of Karnataka and DK of Tamil Nadu. He was in the executive committee of the All-India Backward Castes federation.
FRIENDSHIP WITH CHINA
As the president of the India-China Friendship Association, he led two delegations to China and addressed senior Communist Party leaders in Beijing.
For 20 long years (1985-2005), his passport was impounded by the Hindu rulers of India. Otherwise, he would have garnered international support to set up the “media centre” by this time. But the Brahmins knew the danger and quickly put their foot down by barring his foreign travels.
In Delhi, I used to regularly meet VTR at the Vishwa Yuvak Kendra where he always stayed. I worked with him when he first shifted to Delhi during the V.P. Singh regime. Ram Vilas Paswan, as Union Social Welfare Minister, released the first issue of the Delhi edition of DV which he was bringing out from his rented Vasant Vihar Indian Airlines quarters. It was during this miserable stay (without phone, without any help) that his father died in Bangalore. Despite being the eldest son, he could not attend the funeral as he was involved in a life and death struggle and yet bringing out DV, typeset near the AIIMS and printed elsewhere. JNU Dalit students used to occasionally visit him and when the upper caste students attacked Dalits in the JNU, he offered them shelter in his house.
ANTI-MANDAL AGITATION
When the anti-Mandal agitation turned violent and the upper caste boys killed an OBC by pushing him into a burning fire near the AIIMS, the situation went out of control and curfew was clamped all over South Delhi. Poor VTR, not even bread or milk to prepare tea, had to starve for two days and when his wife Hemlata frantically called him to come back reminding her warning not to go to distant Delhi, he flew back – thoroughly heart-broken.
DV BURNT IN JNU CAMPUS
Neither George Fenrnades, his close friend, nor Ram Vilas Paswan – both Union Cabinet Ministers then, could not help him during these critical days. He could not drive his Maruti car because of the curfew. Sometimes I used to take my scooter and give him a ride, fetch him some food. But he never disclosed his problem. The Dalit boys in JNU hostels all fled to their villages. DV kept in two JNU book stalls were burnt. Such was the fury of the anti-Mandal launched by the upper caste boys.
VTR many times used to silently weep and tell me the story of the artificially created anti-Mandal war in Delhi instigated by the Brahmin-Bania boys with the help of the Brahmin media.
Not one Union Cabinet Minister was able to come out of his official bungalow at that time.
DALITS LED MANDAL WAR
The owner of the famous Central News Agency, Puri, an OBC man, has been a great admirer of DV and VTR. Even his shop was attacked during this period for keeping DV.
Though the anti-Mandal agitation was against OBC reservation, the target was actually the Dalit boys because it was the Dalits who were leading the OBC agitation. Such was the poverty of thinking among OBCs, said VTR.
Chandrabhan Prasad, a Dalit student of JNU whom I used to meet at VTR’s house. VTR gave him full support. His first article appeared in DV
CONTACT WITH AMERICAN BLACKS
VTR is the author of over 100 books translated to most of the Indian languages. He was the first to join hands with the Blacks of America by inviting three Black delegations to India led by Runoko Rashidi, a Black historian from America, VTR’s book, Dalit-The Black Untouchables of India, published by a famous Black publishing house, Clarity Press, USA, has gone into 4 editions. Barack Obama was one of the first to read it as a law student. The entire Black population of USA learnt about the Apartheid in India only after reading this book.
KANSHI RAM’S “MEDIA CENTRE”
As a friend of Kanshi Ram and also VTR, I know how much the BSP chief wanted VTR to head the Rs. 5-crore “media centre” he started in Noida, suburban Delhi. VTR, however, always stood by him and admired his organizational capacity, working day and night without food or rest. At two closed door meetings VTR warned him against neglecting the health.
JOURNALISTS ATTACKED
When Kanshi Ram physically attacked some mischievous Brahmin journalists in his Nizamuddin official residence in Delhi, VTR was the first to congratulate him in DV. Kanshi Ram then called him to Delhi and showed the spot where the secret Brahmin agents were hiding to spy on him. VTR embraced him and said that was the only weapon that would force the Brahmins to surrender.
SECOND SHIFTING TO DELHI
VTR’s second shifting to Delhi was little longer 4-5 years during the Vajpayee regime when Elumalai, his right-hand man from Madras, was the union Health minister, VTR became so popular in Delhi that many racketeers among Dalits were silently cursing him for coming in the way of their business. The illness of his wife Hemalata (and her subsequent death in Bangalore) forced him to shift back. Otherwise, he had no plans to quit Delhi.
BANGALORE OFFICE
Dr. (Mrs.) K.K. Sidhu, despite being a Jat Sikh and a follower of Sant Bhindranwale, became VTR’s ardent disciple. Her services to DV and VTR cannot be forgotten. I tried to call her many times but no answer.
I used to meet VTR mostly at the Central News Agency and in a Connaught Place Cafe and used to have long discussions. He hardly had money, but a rich heart and a richer circle of friends among Dalits, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, OBCs, Tribals and even some upper castes. I never visited his Bangalore office but I know it is also in a rented flat given by the state govt. under the rent control. He leads a simple life, clad in white khadi kurta, payjama and lives alone after his wife’s death. A profound scholar, brilliant speaker, prolific writer.
Had he not forced Vasant Moon, the editor of Dr. Ambedkar works at the Maharashtra Govt. and gave him all-out encouragement, Babasaheb’s so many volumes would not have seen the light of the day.
If Babasaheb Ambedkar is our Father and also Father of India, VTR is our Big Brother.
Dalits form 20% of India’s population. How can we let down such a devoted Big Brother who toiled for us for over 30 years, getting Dalits international recognition, tearing the upper castes to pieces, giving us an intellectually stimulating journal that has become famous all over India and the world, an incomparable, unforgettable and the best Ambedkarite journal of the century? If DV is allowed to die, it means Dalits will die as slaves of Brahmins.
