Dennis Newsone, Pan-African Assns. of America. 2325-Laconia St., San Diego, CA 92114 USA: This is regarding an important Afro-Brazilian conference in Bahia, Brazil, this summer. As we approach the 21st century, more and more African people, worldwide, are meeting and talking to each other. Major summits and conferences are taking place in US, the Caribbean and on the African continent. This need to dialogue seriously, at a world level, is now affecting the African people of Brazil, and those of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil! in particular. The Federal University of Bahia will sponsor its second annual international conference from Aug 11. to Sept. 7, 1996 as a part of the commemoration of its 50th birthday. Called “Il Bien am- Second International Biennial Afro-American Cultural Encounter”, the objectives of the conference will be to increase the dialogue. between the African people of Bahia and those outside of Brazil; introduce new African-centered ideas to complement the internal wealth of history and traditions of the people of Bahia; and create an avenue for the increased spiritual and intellectual growth of all those who participate in the conference. African people make up 80% of the population of Bahia. Itis an area rich in transformed indigenous African religious traditions and the resistance of African people to enslavement by the Portuguese. This conference is the brainchild of lean Conceicao de Oliveira, an artist. lean is inviting papers on history, philosophy, spirituality, community development and activism, women and youth issues, and psychological health for African people. Those presenting papers should submit a 300-word summary to Il Bien am- Second International Biennial Afro-American Cultural Encounter, c/o lean Conceicao de Oliveira, Rua do Bispo, No.30 – Centro Historic, CEP. 40025-030, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, Phone (071) 322-0560, Fax (071) 245-2450, E Mail: @ufba.br.
The Black Untouchables of India will be on glad to send a representative if we get an invitation and our passage paid for- EDITOR.
Dr. V. Annamalai, 14902- James River Lane Houston, TX 77084-2118, US: I wish to inform the entire Dalit Voice family world-wide the joyous news of the wedding of our dear Brother Runako Rashidi (DV Representative in the US) to Sister Ruby in San Antonio, Texas, on July 6, 1996. I represented India’s — — entire Dalit community at the wedding and offered our best wishes to the couple. May I request every DV reader to send Runako and his lovely wife Ruby our good wishes for a wonderful life together, and for Runako with a request to continue to fight for the Dalit cause as he has been doing since 1988. His address: 4140 Buckingham Road, Suite D. Los Angeles, CA 20008, US.
B. Singh, 2025 Eye St. N.W. 922 Washington, D.C.20006, US: Eleven Members of US Congress on July 11 sent a letter to Indian Prime Minister Deve Gowda regarding the vicious beating of Sikh independence leader Dr. Jagjit Singh Chohan. He was beaten in Delhi airport when he tried to get emergency medical services for an acute cardiac condition. Dr. Chohan was travelling from London to Bangkok.
V. Kesavulu, Ph.D. 13706-Stony Forest San Antonio, Texas 78231 US: I fully share your happiness at the establishment of Shudra Raj in Delhi. This revolutionary change was made possible mainly because of the routing of both the Congress and BJP from the South. For this to continue, we need a similar thing to occur in the cow belt. So, the coming Assembly elections in UP assume great importance. Here, Kanshi Ram’s role becomes crucial. He realizes this, and seems to enjoy his position. – Wili he be able to suppress his ego a little bit, and join other Bahujan forces and help further this Bahujan Revolution? Or, will he join the BSO forces and become a spoiler?
Shaiful Istam, 24-Wilderton Road, London, N 165QZ: I am receiving DV regularly and enjoying your thoughts and intellectual writings. The big shakeup in Delhi after half a century is definitely the non-stop/continuous writing/work of yours DV/; L DSA/BSP- all one single family. Happy to see Dr. Kalim Siddiqui’s obituary published in DV- a lesson for others that one ‘man’ died thousand miles away for the same cause of human right. 1 am sending a photocopy of Dr. Massari’s report. Dr. Siddiqui was not liked by the govt. Now Dr. Massari has opened his mouth on the same platform of human rights particularly Arab Muslim rights against Israel who occupy vast area against all cannon of justice. London Times June 22, 96, report, said Massari wrote in a weekly newsletter: “Jews are a nation of cowards. They are not a people capable of warfare. Their annihilation is not difficult for Muslims. The extermination of Jews is a specific obligation placed on the people of Palestine, Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon because they have occupied their land.” ¥ He said that Islamic law imposed an obligation to ‘destroy the Jewish entity and annihilate it from its roots through holy war”.
Yogesh Varhade’s, PO Box 846, St. P., Toronto, Ontario Canada, M55222: A New York paper, Minaret, “-‘(June 1, 96) reported my press conference at the UN Headquarters in New York. It said I have been trying to get UN attention to the plight of 300 million Untouchables of India who live in misery. Several diplomats agree, saying that most international human rights complaints eventually get the support of one or more UN member nations. But the case of the Untouchables has not seriously penetrated the UN bureaucracy. “Varhade’s wants UN to spotlight the Untouchables, their poverty, their illiteracy and their potential for social unrest in India, Nepal and other states. Even a study trip on racism, poverty, illiteracy to a village of Untouchables is welcome. His most recent testimony this month was before the UN Commission on Social Development, which is trying to follow up commitments made at the international summit conference on poverty, many of them Untouchables who will stay poor as long as the caste system is protected. He has travelled, often alone, to numerous UN international conferences since 1993, sometimes managing to speak to influential people,” the report said.
Isa Haque, Madhupur PO Hoe rah, WB-712147: Hitler’s propaganda minister Goebbels used to say: “Repeat a lie 99 times and on the 100th count it will be accepted as truth.” Our Hindu nazis have many such Goebbels who have been repeating lies with untiring zest. These Goebbels have been pouring into our ears that in the latest elections BJP being the single largest party has got the people’s mandate to rule the country. 1t got 161 seats followed by the Congress with 136 seats. Together with the strength of its election allies-the Shiv Sena, HVP, a section of Samata Party and Akali Dal, the strength of BJP rose only to 194 in a house of 525 members. While more than 300 members belong to other political parties that are clearly anti-BJP, how and on what ground can it be claimed that the people have voted in favour of BJP? Since when and by what arithmetic the figure 194 is greater than the figure 3317? Their another false and malicious propaganda is that being the single largest party, BJP formed govt. at the Centre only because it could alone give the nation “a viable and stable govt.”, but for the opposition of other political parties that did not lend r it support it was forced to quit. It is these parties that have reversed the mandate of the people and scuttled the aspirations of the people from being fulfilled. This is far from truth. BJP is a party that is totally isolated from other major national and regional parties for its communalism and poisonous ideology based upon the philosophy of hatred of Golwalkar who demanded minorities must be made slaves of Hindus. Since this is the official stand of BJP, all parties professing secularism kicked it out. Enslavement and de-humanization of the Muslims, the Christians, the Buddhists and the Dalits being the aim and goal of BJP, it is opposed inside and outside Parliament by all parties that place supreme value on human being. (DV July1, 96 p.5:” Why every political party refused to support Gandhi-killers?”)
M.L. Shahul Hameed, Director, Islamic Council Universal, 1-Cochiyar St., Kayalpatnam-628204: This is an open letter to the “Prince of Arcot”, one Abdul Ali, who is a stooge of the papas. A clipping from the Indian Express (June 25, 96 Madurai edition) on his statement on Babri Masjid is self-explanatory. This “Prince of Arcot” is a devotee of Kanchi Shankaracharya and a founder of the ‘Harmony India’ organization that gets full praise from the papas mainly the Frontline Ram and Junior Vikadan (a Tamil journal) Madan are involved in his organization. He does some ‘’loud thinking’ once in a way and the papa press gives it undue priority. But I am afraid that his “thinking” is of no use to anybody other than the Kanchi Sankara Mutt and its Hindu nazi cronies. Hence, DV may kindly advise him to stop thinking aloud and confine it to the four walls of his Ameer Mahal. His views are of no relevance to the Muslim community. But it may provoke the community and invite its wrath. His “Harmony India” should not add to the cacophony that already is driving India to the verge of insanity. His suggestion is that Babri Masjid site should be used for putting up a hospital etc. Absolutely absurd. Why not he give away his Ameer Mahal to build a hospital and earn the ‘served’ of the Kanchi? The Muslims of India are united in insisting that the Babari Masjid should be rebuilt on the same spot. call upon our Dalit, Muslim Bahujan readers to send their strong protest to “Prince of Arcot” at his address: Ameer Mahal, Roya pettah, Madras-600014. A. Shafique Rahman, 33-B- St., Balaji Nagar, Roya pettah Madras-14: The books published by your Dalit Sahitya Academy has made me understand the true colors of these so-called secularists. Your books have given me so much encouragement that myself and my friends in college have decided to start a forum.
S.S. Khazi, Katchi Masjid Building, Aziz Uddin Road, Mangalore-575 001: I received a pamphlet published by a Hindu nazi organization with some highly damaging and defaming story. That certainly proves that they are all so much worried because of you and have resorted to their same old tactics of spreading all sorts of lies. I have got a document which carries the details of an evidence (oral) given by Hindu nazi leader A. B. Vajpayee before a British Magistrate against two Indian freedom-fighters, Kukuva and Madhavan about an incident in which the said freedom- fighters and their 200 men were involved in breaking the British forest law as part of the “Quit India Movement”. They had demolished some Govt. Forest Dept. buildings and the British police was on the lookout for some evidence to catch these people but no local people were prepared to give evidence against their own national patriotic men. But the British police got help from Vajpayee who was then 20 years old. Though nobody went to Vajpayee to seek evidence, he voluntarily went to the British court and deposed before the judge that he was an eye-witness to the building demolition. On the strength of that evidence alone the judge sentenced them to 5 years Rol and a fine of Rs. 1,000. This fine was recovered by selling the households of those revolutionaries. This was also published in a Bangalore Kannada weekly, Lankesh Patrice, on 5- 5-96. The same people have called you a traitor and Muslim agent in their pamphlet. Though it pleases me to see that these nazi forces have ultimately degraded themselves to the extent that they have resorted to pamphleteering like us, with all their sophisticated weapons intact. We are thinking of publishing a new pamphlet detailing the story of Vajpayee vis-a-vis yours with true facts so that people decide who is the real traitor and anti-national – V.T Rajshekar or Vajpayee.
Majibar Rahman, Teacher, Govt. H.S. School, Yazali, Arunachal Pradesh: 791120: I have completed reading the book, History of Hindu Imperialism, presented by you. I am going to study Naval Viyogi’s The Founders of Indus Valley Civilization and Their Later History. I would like to learn more about Vivekananda. S.K. Biswas’ article, Vivekananda stooge of British and Slave of Brahminism, published in DV March 1, 95 gave me new insights into this man. I have also read your scholarly book, India ‘s Muslim Problem.
Anil Singh C.B, Chempil, Thakazhy PO, Alappuzha Kerala: We 25 youths in our village formed a Dalit Voice Readers’ Forum last month. We all are the children of agricultural laborers, mostly students. Our main work is sale of DV English and Malayalam. We sell 200 Malayalam DV and 15 English DV. We are also workers of Kerala Dalit Panthers under the leadership of K. Ambujakshan. I am a 19-year-old degree-student, fully a product of Babasaheb’s thought and DV.
Kerala of all the states in India has the best prospect for establish a non-Aryan rule. But despite being the country’s most liberate state and with a big Avarna population – Muslims 25%, Christians 25% and Backward Eleva’s 30% – it has again missed the bus. Only 10% upper caste Brahmins and Nair’s have cunningly avoided themselves info two political fronts (CPM-led eff Democratic front and Congress Led-Unified Democracy Front.) and rolled the non-Aryan Bahujan’s of Kerala and established a Nair-led Marxist govt. All the efforts of Brother Abaul Nasser Madani o form a Third Front went in vain. Malayalam DV of which V. Prabhakaran is in charge aims at Qucarng the enslaved Bahuans, mainly Eleva’s and Muslims. The oppressed Muslims led by Madani have 1o come out of the Muslim League and Eleva’s out of the Marxist grip. So, it is the duty of Dalits 1o go for every village of Kerala with this DV message. And we very much appreciate Brother An// Singh’s efforts- EDITOR.
Ramdeo Vishwa Bandhu, Bhandaridih, (behind Veterinary Hospital), Giridih-815301: I received a letter from Bhartiya Dalit Sahitya Academy, New Delhi, conferring the Dr. Ambedkar Fellowship on me. I was thrilled to know that an ordinary man like me and working in a remote backward area far away from Delhi was selected for the Award to be given on Sept. 24 in New Delhi. I think DV has played a role in getting me this Award.
Vijay P. Maknikar, c/o P.R. Sonkamble, Dr. Ambedkar Nagar, Jintur Rd, Parbhani, MS- 431401: The union of the different factions of the Republican Party of India in Maharashtra will definitely bring a historical change in this state. But I am worried about the regional leaders i.e. at Dist. and Taluka-level who are not so much interested in RPI’s thought. This is more so in my region. Their behavior with our people is not good. RPI units influenced the Dalits in MS so much that it caused total damage to Congress. Dalits have become conscious of their votes but the problem is with BC’s who are more attracted towards the BJP-Shiv Sena. In the next election there will be definitely a change in the situation because our candidates like Ashok Ambedkar, Naik, who contested the general seats, secured tremendous support.
Dalits in Maharashtra must forge a united front with Muslims who foo are red up of both Congress and the BJP-55 combine. Once the Dalits and Muslims come together BCs will autocratically come in- EDITOR.
Purushottaman, Economics Dept., Madras Christian College, Madras: I have been hearing all sorts of rumors about the intimate “friendship” between Bangalore Papatti and Sasikala, now in jail. Even Chief Minister, Karunanidhi, confirmed the “friendship”, according to a Telegraph (July 8) report. What sort of “friendship” is this? A lesbian? Brahminical newspapers are suppressing all the corruption charges against her because she belongs to their Jati. 1s it true that her “foster son”, on whose marriage she spent over Rs. 100 crores, is her own son? As DV is the only paper in India which has the courage to speak out the truth, will you at least disclose the facts?
Or course we know the racers and we would have certainly disclosed but for one reason that the Bangalore Papalia is a woman and out of respect for womanhood we have for restrain ourselves- EDITOR.
S.D. Singh, MIG-101, Avas Vikas Colony, Rudrapur- 263153: This has ref. to Ram Charan Ram’s “communication”: “BSP-Congress Pact will help upper castes.” (DV Jul 1, 96). The author as well as our Editor appear to be extra-apprentice and over-pessimistic over the issue. But unfortunately, straight theories do not work these days in politics. Relationships among political parties now-a-days do not follow a pre-defined path. The goal of the Bahujan Samaj is to grow socially, educationally, financially and politically. In the process, we may politically harm our enemies. While goal remains one, the paths may differ. Politics as of today is a ditty game. Any clean politician cannot survive in this environment. While politics has become indispensable for every society, the politician these days has to be sharp, shrewd, unpredictable and enigmatic so as to play a worthwhile role. Keeping the above in view, Kanshi Ram’s political alliances earlier with BJP and now with the Congress are only strategies and not follies. It is a part of the game whether one is able to fire the target or ends up with misfiring. It should be borne in mind that while the aims of the BJP and the Congress is to harm the BSP and gain political mileage out of the alliances, then why can’t BSP think likewise? The collapse of the SP’s alliance with the BSP has proved that Malayalam wanted to swallow BSP, grow politically and harm Dalits. (Mentality of the BCs is also very ‘harmful to Dalits throughout India.) Muslims are a very confused lot. Although they are much more aware of their rights and duties compared to Dalits, the Muslims find themselves locked in a dark room and searching for a black cat. They do not reach near the cat due to various /at was and they miss the bus. In view of the above, the BSP ‘s pacts, earlier with BJP and now with Congress (l) are fully justified. ‘
G. Saddharma, 25-1-1458, Gautham Nagar, Nellore- 524 004: This has ref. to Dr. D. Yadaiah’s Leiter (DV June1,96). What all he said of the “educated” Dalits, the “un-educated” Dalits, and of the Untouchables, that they became deprived of a “plus condition of the mind and body”, because of their belief in the Hindu gods are hard facts. But his choice of conversion to Islam, quite against our Savior’s well thought out resolve, is totally incorrect. We are too small brains to find fault with and question the wisdom of such an intellectual giant. I have written to the new govt. in Delhi about the passport impounding case of our Editor. 1 did it to verify if the new I govt. is true to its much-published melodious song “social justice”. His passport was impounded over ten years ago for the mere sin of educating the Bahujan’s on the liberating philosophy of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and for disclosing facts about upper caste persecution of the Bahujan’s through the Dalit Voice. The impounding of passport, which is a serious violation of human rights, was not waived by any previous governments even though there were continuous, countrywide outcries and 53 American Parliament Members have written to the Govt. of India protesting against its act of human rights violation.
D.K. Nagdeote, Neri PO, Ta-Chimur, Chandrapur Dist. -442904: This is with ref. to doubts expressed by some of our readers, regarding BSP-Congress poll pact. If we go by mechanism of real politic there cannot be real friends or real enemies in politics. As for the Editor’s favorite theory of contradictions, the position will always change with the change in the principal contradiction. It is true that Kanshi Ram repeatedly reiterated the aim of BSP in UP is to bury the Congress. This he did and now he is using the dead Congress to capture power. BSP is a politico-social movement of Dalits and the most backwards. It alone cannot play the game of politics that too in the numbers game of parliamentary system. India is a land of villages. Most of the people are farmers and laborers who are illiterates. The Untouchables have a greater proportion of workers than other communities. They are the poorest and suffer the lowest social status. There is a sort of criminal conspiracy against them. That means development of India means development of Untouchables. Without liberating the Dalits, India cannot go on the path of development. But none thinks on these lines. That means Dalits themselves should plan their liberation. Slave masters will not plan our liberation. Itis not in their interest. If Dalits want to come out of the clutches of the slave masters, they should plan it. Babasaheb has given us all the tools.
Hari Ram Berry, Retd. teacher, Bhawani Gange, Ram Nagar, Nainital Dist., UP-244715: I have read many Letters by Dr. Velu Annamalai about impounding your passport. Dr. Annamalai in his Letter says “I believe – this is not only on my behalf but also on behalf of thousands of DV family members and the entire suffering Dalit community of India.” This touched the heart of an 82-years-old man like me. I believe a favorable verdict on your passport can be forced by sending thousands of letters to the Prime Minister of India by our DV family members.
Ramesh Nanminda, Kerala Dalit Panthers, Bheem Bhavan, Nanminda PO, Calicut-673613: We organized a north zonal convention of Dalit Panthers at Calicut on May 26, 96. The first session was inaugurated by Dr. N. Suresh (Calicut Medical College). Dalit Panthers central executive member K. Ambujakshan presented a paper, “Dalit Panther Movement History”. V. Prabhakaran (Kerala Dalit Sahitya Academy) read a paper on “Brahmini station of Literature”.
Naval Viyogi, 518-Sita Nagar, Ludhiana-141 001: The Indian history is history of foreign invaders like Aryans, Greeks, Parthions, Scythians, Kushans, Huns, Muslims, and English people etc. Although the native Indians constituted 85% of the population their history is nowhere found in our history books. Why? The answer is simple. Their history has either been destroyed or distorted. In 1982, I met a noted Russian historian, G.M. Vongard Levin, in Delhi and broached this problem before him. He said “Indian History is not a history of people but of a small minority class. This is because most of the historians belong to the same minority and ruling class who are partial and they have completely ignored the history of natives.” I told him my plan to work on the history of natives and that I wanted honest and impartial historians for help and guidance. He laughed for a while and said, “As for my knowledge goes there are only six such persons in India.” V.A. Smith has given a very good example of the changes made in historical facts. “The Nanda’s were Indian natives (barber caste) and they were bitter enemies of Brahmins and that is why the period of their rule was excluded from the historical chronology by the 12th century poet Chandra, who used the Ananda (without Nanda) Vikram Samrat, from which 90 years of Nanda’s reign was excluded. In this way, the period of Ananda-Vikram Samrat was prescribed to be ordinary Samrat minus 90 years.” The Early History of India, (p44). History of non- Aryan royal dynasties were destroyed by the Brahmins. That is why we do not find any traces of Nanda lineage (dynasty) in any of the sacred text (puranas) of that period. Patanjali composed the epic, Mahananda which was mentioned in the first three verses of the epic-Krishna Charit written by Samudra Gupta. But this is confined only to a mention of the above epic uphill date. (Sanskrit Sahitya ka lithers, p.24 by Rajbanshi Sahai Hira). So, it is clear that epic Mahananda was destroyed. Although there is a clear mention in Mudrarakshasha Sanskrit play (composed by Bishakha Dutta) that the Maurya’s were the offshoots of Nanda’s but historians said they were of Kshatriya origin. The same was said of Guptas (300-500 AD) though these too were natives. History of Nepal says Guptas were Goalas (cow herdes). Sri Gupta was the first king of this family after whose name their family was called. According to the Kaumudi-Mahotsav, a Sanskrit play, they were of Karoskar caste and Sudra varna. According to a copper plate of Poona, which bears the writings of Prabhavati, daughter of Chandragupta Il and the queen of Vakatasea king, Rudra Sena Il, their gotra was Dharini (from Dharana). In the play Malvika Gini-Mittra by Kalidasa, the queen of king Agni Mittra of the Shunga dynasty was mentioned as Dharini. Shun gas where Brahmins hence historians wrote that Guptas were also Brahmins. According to me, Varena, brother of the queen, was from a “low caste” (varna Varo Bharata) who was made kiledar of a fort located on the borders of the Shunga empire, on the bank of the river Mandakini (Narmada). From the Prabhavati writings of the copper plate of Poona, it is proved that during the ancient times there was a tradition of separately identifying the various queens of a harem by calling them by their parental gotra. So, it is evident that Dharna was the gotra of a Sudra varna. Whereas according to Panini Shun gas were of Bhardwaj gular il is striking that all our historians failed to admit this fact from the play Malvika Gini Mittra. Rajput’s have indigenous blood except a few families like Chohans, Pratiharas, Solanki’s, who are born from Gurjar’s, but “historians have called them Kshatriyas. – Historians played the same mischief regarding the Marathas. The first Maratha king, Shivaji, was born in & native Kurmi caste, but a cunning Brahmin traced his origin to the Rajput Sisodia family in which Maharana Pratap was born. This is a famous example of Brahminical mischief (DV June 16, 96 p.6: “How Brahmins fooled Shivaji and made a monkey out of him”). When Bhartiya Janata Party came to power in UP and MP, the facts of Aryan invasion from Central Asia and the havoc played in India were changed in textbooks. All these point out the urgent need to rewrite the history of India. Bhartiya Dalit Sahitya Academy has set up “Indian National Historical Research Council” which has taken up a project of a10-volume research work under the title, The history of indigenous peoples of India’. The Council has already completed three volumes. But still there is a great need for more research scholars and financial resources to complete such a gigantic project. All native Indian scholars should come forward to support us or else glorious history will be thrown into immense darkness of ignorance. The sons of great Harappans will be turned into sons of savage (forest dwellers and hillmen) as our Prime Minister Indira Gandhi use to call them.
