Nikhil Chakravarity, editor of prestigious New Delhi weekly, “Mainstream”, in an editorial (Aug. 8) criticises the Hindu religious leaders, Govt., the press and politicians for converting “a small incident” of 600 Dalits embracing Islam in Meenakshipuram Congratulating the Dalits for effectively demonstrating their protest, he says: “If the Harijan is beginning to lose confidence in the Hindu social set-up, should he be blamed for that? It is Hindu bigotry which has to thank itself if the Harijans choose to leave its fold, NC, as he is popularly known, denounces the communal Hindu charge that the Dalits were lured by the Arab money and says: “Those who have been wallowing in the pollution of our public life have no business to malign these innocent villagers facing penury and persecution, changing their creed in search of material as well as spiritual gain”. He criticises govt. authorities for raising an alarm over conversions as it is none of the government business to take note of such developments “To single out this case of conversion to Islam is a serious commentary on our pledge to build Hindu Muslim amity, this undermines the very concept of national integration based on secularism”. He raises another important point: “It is strange that the Left parties have not yet woken up to the dangerous implications of the controversy over Meenakshipuram: is not the upholding of the right to change ones religion an issue for a national campaign?
How many editors we have in India like NC?
The issues raised by NC are: (i) can a govt. take note of conversions in the guise of law and order trouble and press its machinery including police to terrorise the poor illiterate Dalits ? Does it not amount to a so called secular government siding with communal Hidus ? (ii) Left parties by their silence on the conversion convulsions have indirectly supported the communal Hindus. After-all who is heading these Left parties? Their own brothers in the RSS.
