1. Brother P.P. Lakshman our good-old DV family member from America, must know that Dalit Voice is India’s oldest and the largest circulated journal of Dalits and an uncompromising advocate of Ambedkarism.
2. He says we criticised Vipassana without undergoing the course. But our criticism is Lakshman is commenting on us without reading our two-year-long Debate in DV on Budhism. At least 100 DV family members had participated in the Debate and most of them had attended the Goenka course. Barring 2-3, every member had criticised Goenka.
3. Even those who praised Goenka were given full publicity. DV always gives prominence to the critics’ opinion.
4. Nowhere during the Debate, had we given our opinion. Then how does he say that we had criticised Goenka?
5. To disclose a secret: During our visit to Bombay last year, three top Dalit govt. officials (total strangers) met us at the airport and took us to a five-star hotel and said they would give us anything to stop the Debate on Vipassana.
6. We told them that no Debate could be stopped in DV however unpleasant it was for some people. DV would rather be closed down but never compromise on principles. Please read our reply to S. Krishna, a great admirer of Vipassana, in DV March 1, 2002, p. 9: “DV will never shut out criticism“. Those “hurt” by the Debate would be given full coverage in DV.
7. DV came under terrible pressure to stop the Debate. Why this pressure, if the cause was so great? If Vipassana is universally liked by Dalits and beneficial to Dalits why this pressure to stop the Debate?
8. Brother Lakshman says the Editor had “criticised” Vipassana. Never did we comment on it neither praising it nor criticising it. The Debate is still going on.
9. During this Debate beginning from March 2001 to May 2003, Lakshman was not even a subscriber of DV. That means he had not read the Debate. How did he say that we had “criticised” the Vipassana? Somebody misled him. He could have verified from us directly instead of playing into the hands of vested interests.
10. We are Ambedkarites and Budhists, always wedded to Justice and Truth. In our Editorial of Dec. 1, 2002, we said: “Babasaheb gave top priority to struggle but we find today Budhism reduced to rituals“. Will Brother Lakshman, a dedicated Budhist, ally our fears?
