G. Saddharma, Dr. Ambedkar Dharma Perata Samithi, Nellore, 25-1-1458, Gautam Nagar, Nellore, AP – 524 004: This has rei. to the Letter calling nominations for Dr. Ambedkar National Award for 1997 of H.R. Bheema Shankar, Director, Dr. Ambedkar Foundation, New Delhi (DV June 16, ’97 p.13). Since time the Dr. Ambedkar National Award was instituted in 1991, never it was given to genuine personalities who have struggled to uphold the values Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar stood for. Only fake upper paste kins of the rulers were allowed to swallow the award stealthily. Bhim Ratan N.C. Rattu (75), the loyal chief lieutenant of Beastie, who has the distinction of playing a memorable role in the great life and mission of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, could not get the award though he is being nominated for the award Avery year and the chairperson of the jury of the Dr. Ambedkar National Award Selection Committee has needed a Dalit. This being the miserable plight of the Dr. Ambedkar National Award, what is the use of making further nominations when the yardstick for the selection of the award is birth and not worth.
Dr. N. Suresh, X/1183-A, Kochi – 1: The Brahmins are in a jubilant mood on a Dalit, K.R. Narayanan, becoming the President of India. His rival candidate, & Hindu nazi, T.N. Seshan, has rightly described him that “he is a true gentleman. He will sit if asked to sit, he will stand if asked to stand”, (Indian Express, July 7,’97). Narayanan is a cha-cha of Savarnas to beat lie Dalits and Bahujan’s of India.
P Babu Manoharan, 7-B, West Lutheran Street, Nagercoil – 629 001: The emergence of Dalit literature on the social and intellectual mosaic of the Indian sub-continent proclaim the impending arrival of Dalits’ renaissance and the dawn of “Dr. Ambedkar Era”. Ultimately it is the power of literature which lets the flame of enlightenment and breaks human bondage. Maharashtra played a mother’s role in giving birth to Dalit literature in India. According to the DV Editor, the word Dalit was introduced into journalism in 1931. Dr. Ambedkar had pioneered the modern Dalit literary movement. Following the footprints of Dr. Ambedkar, the great Dalit writer and revolutionary, Shyam Sundar, founded the powerful Bhim Sena which served as the forerunner of Dalit Panther movement of Maharashtra. The books written by him such as Molo Bharati’s (Original Indians), The four immediate needs, National integration and Problems of Minorities, They Burn, Zind Agi Ek Safar, etc. served as new milestones in the historical exodus of Dalit liberation. His novel, Zind Agi-Ek-Safar, was made into a cinema. In 1972, the Dalit Panthers movement was started in Maharashtra by young Dalit radicals and writers like Namadev Dasal, J.V. Pavar, Arjun Dangle etc. These intellectual Dalit Panthers recorded their anger and agony against their oppressors in the local dialects of the rural Dalits. The biographies written by Daya Pawar, Lakshman Mane attracted international! attention and they were invited by the Ford Foundation of the USA to deliver lectures on Dalit literature. The impact of Dalit literary movement of Maharashtra was felt in Karnataka also. The great Dalit leader, Basava in- gapper, publicly condemned the literary works of the upper caste people as “cattle-feed”. Even though his public remarks brought his political down-fall, it sharpened the thinking faculty of his fellow Dalits in the state. Mahakali Padmashri Buyi Bee manna was the pivot of Dalit literary movement in Andhra Pradesh. Encouraged by the achievements of Buyi Bee manna, several Dalit writers recorded the bitter experiences and aspirations in their creations. The Dalit movement was strengthened in Andhra Pradesh by their writings. Late Pandit Ayodhya’s, the Editor of bygone journal, Thamilan, was the torch force of Dalit literature in Tamil Nadu. He wrote many famous epoch-making books such as Nothing-Jatha, Arava- paidakia, Nandhan Pratte, Versha Brahmin, Yathartha Brahmin, etc. and sowed the seed for total liberation in the minds of Dalits in TN. Salem G. Appadurai succeeded Ayodhya’s as the editor of Thamilan. At present Dalit literature is gaining momentum and new propulsion by the writings of Tamil writers like Poomani, Marx, Vidi Velli, Sivakami, IAS., Vizhi Pa. ldayaventhan, Nirappirikai Ravikumar, Raj Gouthaman, S. Gunaseelan, Daniel (Ceylon), Eranial Kalaithozhan etc. in Kerala, Paul Chirakode, Robin David, Lenin Rajendran etc. are leading the Dalit literary movement. On account of their writings, a new social Dalit youth organisation, “Kerala Dalit Panthers”, has emerged as a powerful social organisation. Above all, the Dalit Sahitya Academy in Bangalore and Dalit Voice are playing a historic role by regulating and propelling the life blood of Dalit literary movement in the proper direction.
Hemanta Hazra, SC/ST Employees’ Council, PO Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri – 736 121: We are subscribers of Dalit Voice. We also have a DV Readers Circle here. On 21.4.1997 at Bhatari (near Aiipurduar), a seminar organised by the West Bengal SC/ST Employees’ Welfare Council. Dinesh Dakua, a Dalit advocate and Minister-in-charge of SC/ST Welfare Dept., Govt. of West Bengal, addressed the seminar. The Minister said that there was no reservation in services and that reservation was available only in the case of politics.
And as a result, Ministers, MPs, MLAs etc. we’re coming out from our community. The Minister said that downtrodden people need not run after the SC/ST organisations shouting for reservation in services. Through reservation not even 1% people could change their status. We are astonished to hear this from a Minister who is also an advocate. A Dalit lawyer/Minister, instead of fighting for the human rights of his people, is speaking the language of Hindu nazis. | request this Minister through this letter that he should give up his own reserved post first and then advice his people to follow him. People like him cannot fool us forever.
C.K. Chandran, Cheng ode House, Odanur, Parali Post, Palakkad dt., Kerala- 678 612: Atrocities against Tribals and Dalits are increasing in Palakkad dist. Saritha, a 12-year-old Dalit girl, was burnt to death in Mathur. Tribal militancy is growing in the Attaway Valley under the banner of “Gorjian Sevak Samithi” (GSS). Thousands of GSS volunteers picketed the Agali police station for hours to rescue two tribal youths and one woman who were kept under illegal detention for more than 20 days without any charge. The innocent youths and the woman were brutally tortured and the woman, Kappenman was reported missing from custody. Cases are filed against GSS leaders. They are facing threat to their lives and jobs. At the same, GSS has terrorised the oppressors. DV must advice GSS to avoid the Naxal presence in their struggle for human rights. Bahujan Samaj Party district committee and Dalit Students Federation (DSF) jointly conducted march and dharna in Palakkad to expose the atrocities. BSP district president Prabhakaran, secretary Narayanan Kutty, Aboobacker, Velayudhan, Guruvayurappan and DSF leaders Madhusudhana, Kumar K and Krishnan Kutty led the march and dharna.
Vinod Kumar Bharati, Advocate, 340-Bichhiya Jungle Tulshiram, Gorakhpur, UP – 273 014: | am not a sub- scriber of DV because | cannot afford it. DV gives the best materials for the Dalits. | request you to send me the back issues of DV from 1981 onwards at a concession rate. | also request you to send me all your bocks and Babasaheb’s books. Please tell me how much | have to pay. Recently, | joined the BSP with my friends.
Dr. Vinod Wanjari, scientist, NRC-Oil palm, Ashok Nagar, Euro, W.G. dist. AP – 534 002: I could not renew my subscription due to frequent changes in my address. However, I was getting DV from other agencies. I feel restless if I do not read DV on time. Now, I have resumed my duties. In and around Euro, our people are still living in abject poverty and ignorance. Their exploitation at the hands of landlords in the form of bonded labourers and child labour are rampant here. I am trying to exploit the possibility of finding English-knowing readers for DV here. | feels, they should not be left untouched by the flavour of our intellectual strength.
T.N. Arivarasu, 64-Housing Unit, College Road, Tirupur, TN: This has ref. to the guest Editorial of July 1, 97. Dr. Krishnasamy, MLA, is a revolutionary leader in Tamil Nadu. He is a Perisarcs. He understood very well the philosophy of Dr. Ambedkar also. But the cunning politicians want to suppress him. Pallar’s are original Tamil people. Pallar’s are now fighting for self- respect. All those who are fighting for human rights must support Dr. Krishnasamy and his people.
Ram Dulare Anand, LIC of India, Moti Bagh, Faizabad: Can you recall some years back a young boy from Bahawalpur village, Basti dist. UP, who was studying in 12th std. then, came and met you? It was | who met you then. I am now working in LIC as an Assistant. Now, I am in a position to do much more than what | thought when I was a teenager. Please send me all your books and take me as a member of DV family. | have some like-minded friends who are desirous of spreading the message of Budha and Babasaheb. We shall introduce DV among our people. We are proud io join your mission.
P.S. Anirudhan, Organising Secretary of Central Government SC & ST Employees Federation, AG’s Office, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala – 695 039: This is with ref. to the DV article of June 16, 1997, “Keraia’s existing Dalit leadership is intellectually dishonest”, by Dr. M.K. Mohandas. Dr. Mohandas is misguiding and confusing the Dalit Voice readers on Kerala. I am an active worker of Dalit Panthers, Kerala. There are a number of young Dalit intellectuals under the yaravis Dalit Panthers and T.K. Narayanan, a well-known Ambedkar, is guiding us. If the Dalit movement has become a new force, the credit goes to Dalit Panthers. Many of the Panther activists are facing police cases including sedition for propagating Ambedkar’s. Hindu nazis feel threatened only because of the Dalit Panthers in Kerala. There were many attempts to murder Ambujakshan and Ramesh Nanminda. Thesa Panther leaders have dedicated their lives for the liberation of Dalits. Ambujakshan and his followers are the products of Dalit Voice. The only group who are well versed in Ambedkar’s and its right interpretation of V. T. Rajshekar are the Panthers. Dr. Mohandas is neither an activist nor an Ambedkar. He has started reading DV only recently. He has no contact With the Dalit masses of Kerala. What he has written ire not facts. His article reflects his jealousy and inference towards Dalit intellectuals, leaders and noses in Kerala. This shows his intellectual dishonesty. | suspect that he is playing into the hands of “4indu nazis. He asked his own young brother to contact Kummanam Rajshekar, one of the Kerala’s chief RS5/BJP leaders, to form the Dalit Shiv Sena. His brothers, M.K. Harikumar and M.K. Padmakumar, are the leaders of Dalit Shiva Sena. Two years back, the Dalit Medicos Association had organised a seminar at Panchayat Association Hall, Thiruvananthapuram, in which almost all Dalit leaders participated. Ambujakshan too presented a paper on “Dalits and Ambedkar’s” which was a brilliant presentation. The cassettes of his speech were sold out like hot cake. [r Mohandas was a moderator of that function. He managed his brother Harikumar 1o speak on “Dalits and spirituality’. Throughout his speech he advocated Hinduism and Brahminism. He said that Dalits must follow Sanatana dharma. Harikumar criticised Buddhism ton. Was it not a conspiracy? Dalit Medicos owe an explanation for the entire Dailies of Kerala. The Editor must be watchful against such irresponsible writings. Dr. Sagar Thankachan, Dr. Suresh, Dr. Shanavas and other members have good relations with Dalit Panthers. Kerala Dalit employees, who are also DV readers, say that the Dalit Panthers are the only hope for Dalits. They have initiated a lot of good programmes. Even they have started alternative education centres to teach and train Dalit students and youth.
A.L. Ukey, Asst. Engineer, ATPS, MPEB, Chatchai – 484 220: On April 12, 1967, a life-size bronze statue of Dr. Ambedkar was unveiled by Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, the then President of India, in front of the Parliament House. In his speech, Dr. Radhakrishnan said that Babasaheb had safeguarded democracy and freedom and thereby the national integrity. The statue was made by a Bombay-based architect, B.P. Wagh. Over Rs.1 lakh was collected by the people to erect this statue. The statue, holding the Constitution of India in left Nand and the right hand pointed towards Parliament, appears to be warning the people’s representatives saying that, “on Jan.26, 1950, we are going to entire into a life of contradictions. In politics we will have equality and in social and economic life we will have inequality … We must remove this contradiction 4t the earliest possible moment or else those who. Jaffer from inequality will blow up the structure of politial democracy which this Assembly has so Laborie quilt up.”
Manohar Adey, 34-Joshiwadi, Chandramani Nagar, Nagpur – 440 027: You may be surprised to see my Leiter to you Ali of a sudden. On June 18,1997, at 10 AM there was a CEC meeting in Delhi called by Kanchi Ram. | went to Delhi to attend the same. When Kanchi Ram came to 12-Gurudwar Rakib Gunj office, he asked me “Why did you come here?”. | said ” I came here to attend the meeting”. He asked me, “Whether your name is there in the list of participants?”. | said, “have checked the list but my name is missing”. | asked him directly, “Why my name is missing?”. He said in Hindi, “meri marji” {my discretion). Without giving further chance to speak, all of a sudden, he called his security personnel and told them to remove me from the office. The security people pushed me out. At that time, about 40 to 50 persons were watching this incident with their own eyes. | was very much hut, nervous. Immediately | decided to quit the BSP. On June 20, 1997, after giving a statement in the local Janata, | left BSP and on the same day | left for my Nagpur home, after a gap of 26 years. This incident is unbearable. The insult and injuries inflicted on Mahatma Jyoti Rao Pauley and Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar by nazis are well known 1o us. But how can our leaders insult their own colleagues who are involved in building the Bahujan movement? | feel it is a matter of great concern, a matter of great injustice. You are not simply a journalist but a true friend, philosopher and guide of BSP. I am a victim of politics. S.P. Singh, Taki apar, Dimapur PO, Digha, Patna – 800 012: Though | belong to the Backward Caste, | have bitterly criticised them. Their total ignorance of Indian caste and religion is a burden on us. These Backward Castes are a demoralised race. (DV June 16, ’97. “Nair’s born to Brahmins’ p.10 by Dr. M.K. Mohandas). What he has written is true and was confirmed by E. Thurston in his seven volumes on Castes of Southern India. According to him Tipu Sultan had issued Fermin abolishing the Sambuddha. K.M. Panikkar (once India’s ambassador to China) had confessed before M.O. Mathai who writes in his book, My days with Nehru, p.158:
“In an expansive mood, he once told me two things which were personal. One was that he did not know who was his father. There was a practice among certain Nair families of Kerala to arrange for Namboodiri Brahmins to be informal mates of their young women”.
It is true, the Brahmins also gave girls to Dravidian Kings, Yayati-Devayani combination, but when Parshuram killed a large number Kshatriyas, the widows invited Brahmins to beget children (Vyas – Bhag wad Purana Vol. | p. 180}.
Takeshi Makwana, 23-Pratapnagar Society, Rajpur, Ahmedabad – 380 021: The eastern areas of Alimedabad city were inundated following a breach in Karakul canal due to unforeseen heavy rainfall and release of water from a dam. Huts and houses of the people residing beside the canal were submerged at the wee hours of a morning. People fled leaving their belongings behind. Some people preferred to take shelter on building terraces. Water did not recede even after 12 hours. “Sympathisers” started their “humane” activities in various ways. A group of Dalit people rushed to the house of a local BJP municipal council- lor. Alkaben Shah, to seek her help from administration and guidance if any. On seeing the unknown persons, women in particular, she asked which caste they all belonged to. The moment she heard that the persons at her door were Dalits, she lost her temper and became blue and black. Abuses in the name of castes were the abrupt response. She said why not all Dalits (using derogatory word, “Dhedas”) get drowned in the flood? She not only refused to extend her helping hand but kept on insulting them. A complaint was lodged with the Odhav police station under the Anti-Atrocities Act on July 1, ’97. But the police were not pre- pared to arrest her for she was a sitting municipal councillor from BJP (Brahman Jati Party). The Gujarati press did not even write a line on this event in their toilet papers even after repeated requests. Whereas the same toilet papers of Ahmedabad carried a big report with bold headline that a Dean of Vohra Law College, Ashwin Karia, a Hindu nazi “escaped unhurt” in the assault by one of the committee members of the college. Well, it is just like an English proverb: when a dog bites a man, it is not news but when a man bites a dog, it is certainly a news. Hindu toilet papers make a hue and cry on petty things. It is being advocated that Dalits themselves have to fight the Hindu nazis. But Dalits are not prepared to fight. Heaps of tabloids, journals in Gujarat published by Dalits themselves are there but the only aim of their life is to make money by hook or crook. How can we turn the ensuing 21st century into “Dr. Ambedkar Era” with such corrupt lot? Is it not high time to spot the nuisance of Dalit leadership and get rid of it? Journalism in Gujarat is the other name for sycophancy, and sheer charcharis. How to save the Dalits of Gujarat?
S. Ram, Jaipur: Even after the SC judgment dt. 16- 11-92 voices opposing reservation to Backward Classes are being heard. Social or political ideas, behaviour or standards of right and wrong are all effected by time. Reservation or any such other facility has its roots in injustices of caste system. We don’t oppose this system. On the other hand, we search excuses to justify it. Why? Under another misconception we say there has been no improvement in the condition of Scheduled Castes even after 50 years of. reservation. Did we make real efforts to improve their condition? Further, the aim of reservation itself was only to give us some justice in government service only and not to bring social justice. In this sense, it has been a success. We again suffer from misconception that society will be divided or broken if we give place to BC women in legislatures. The Hindu society is already divided into high and low castes and we do not want to change this position. May be, we are afraid of getting injustices of caste system| exposed because the suffering class (BC or SC) will narrate these wrongs in legislatures. Again, why should only a few castes be represented in such an important forum? Even though Indira Gandhi became the PM, dowry could not be stopped. Are not the old social customs, under which we have tired for hundreds of years, more powerful than provisions of the Constitution? How strange that we close our eyes from all social injustices which have become part of our belief and habits but blame only the efforts to reform them? In fact, our problems have increased because social or religious prejudices have encouraged them. Caste panchayats in villages are encouraged and no casteism is seen there but as soon as efforts are made to raise the condition of these people through legislation, demon of casteism always appears. Like the rest of the society, BC people also suffer from many social ills and they can be removed if these people are given a say in law-making bodies. Hindus oppose 10 entries of these people into Parliament who have suffered under caste system for a long period. Who then will expose the feelings of this unfortunate class if not the sufferers themselves? Dowry, child marriage, rapes are all results of wrong social thinking. Are BC people, who themselves have been victims of all this, responsible for all this?
G. Gopala Rao, 1-61, Ray Alam, Bhim avaram, W.G. dt. AP – 534 208: Mahatma Jyoti Rao Pauley writes as follows to prove that Mahar’s/Malas are the original inhabitants of India:
“On the death of Brahma raja, the remaining Kshatriyas fought twenty-one blocky battles with Parashuram to free the Kshatriyas subjugated by him (Parashuram) from his clutches, (thraldom), and hence they came to be known as “Mahamari’s” (the inveterate enemies). This nomenclature was later corrupted into “Mahar’s”… the Aryan Brahmins (under Parashuram’s leadership) then began to hate intensely the original inhabitants of India – viz., those who were condemned to the status of serfs (and helots) and the Mahamari Kshatriya warriors”.
Ramdeo Vishwa Bandhu, Bhandari din, Behind Vet. Hospital, Post & Dist. Girardi – 815 301: | am a member of DV family worldwide. A conference of Bihar Backward Classes Federation was held on March 30, 1547 at IMA Hall, Patna. R.L. Chandapuri, national President of the All-India Backward Classes Federation and a close associate of Dr. Lohia and Dr. Ambedkar, inaugurated the conference. Mamiku Ram 2nd Dr. Ezaz Ali were chief guests. | was nominated as the General Secretary of the Federation.
Raihharan Das, Confederation of BC/SC/ST Minorities of West Bengal, state office 13-Rani mamani Road, Jan bazar, Calcutta – 700 087: Marata Bannerji has instituted a case against Finance Minister Asim D. Gupta’s opening an account without the CAG’s knowledge, which is awaiting the court’s verdict. Earlier, Uma Bharati and Vajpayee lauded Mamata. Now, Advani has employed Susman Sarwal to hypnotise Mamata. Jyoti Basu is busy in than preparation to visit London on the occasion of his birthday ceremony. He sent his Police Minister Suddhadev Bhattacharya to adorn the chair of chief guest. There he gave a vivid description of the activities and achievements of the CPM without uttering a word about science or technology. The students and others were wondering as to who invited this fellow. Each member present could see the real colour of the CPM. Al the allies of the LF are now in rebelling condition. Bitter criticism is going on in different dailies against the allotment of the highly valued plot in the heart of Calcutta in the name of gimel Basu. his brother-arias, a bachelor, who was then was sure to dies or by a chronic attack of cancer. Jiban Anda Bose, a blood relative of Bimal Bose., writes as follows in the renowned Daily Bateman dt. 15.6.97:
“Jyoti Basu or his only son Chandan Bosu now converted as the 6th richest man of India from a petty factory clerk (Rs. 800), is not bound to show cause of the allotment of highly valued plot No. 452 in the aristocrat area of Salt Lake City in the heart of Calcutta, as the dispended plot was allotted to the imminent dead Bimal Bosu by thief community leader of the labourers, cultivators, and all have-nots, IAS, plucked barristers like matric- passed Barrister M.K. Ghandhi and the “Bilal Ferot” noble king out of his special quota of nepotism. The land was allotted on the condition that the allottees blood relatives cannot claim it but willed in the name of the heir of the Lord Chandan Bosu, the poorest beggar of India, the law. He is a venerable Krishna Aviara and century’s poison-Avatar. Money may come from foreign countries, through Fer bribe from foreign investors, party fund raised by terrorism, govt. treasuries, forged note etc” – Subanal Bose, Cal-91, Salt City.
K.N. Kuttan, Advocate. TC 13/1445-Burma Road, Kumara Puram, Thiruvananthapuram – 695 011, Kerala: The second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century witnessed the birth of many revolutionaries in Travancore, a princely state in South India. Sree Narayana Guru, Ayanami, Chitamber Swami, Polyacetal Kumara Guru, Vai undams Swami, figure foremost among them. Most of these revolutionaries hailed from oppressed communities. The Untouchables and the Backward Castes were the worst victims of Brahminical Social Order which was prevailing in its ugliest form then in Travancore. Ayyankali was born to a Pulaya couple – Ayvan and Mala – on August 28, 1863 at Veganuary in Kottukal village. He was given the pet name “Kali” and later he was called as “Ayyankali” after his father. He was a rebel in nature and as he grew older, he had shown the courage to question the injustices meted out to the oppressed sections. In 1863, when he bought a “Spring Cart”, the Hindus got enraged and attacked him several times while he was travelling in his cart. But these attacks did not prevent his onward march. Wherever his people were in trouble, Ayyankali was to be there within no time to render them all assistance, risking his own life. Chalia the revue was a market place at Balarama Puram, about 20 kms away from Trivandrum, where the Untouchables were not allowed. Ayyankali and his lieutenants came to this place and they were attacked on their way by an armed group of the upper castes. But Ayyankali and his men were prepared for such a casualty and they retaliated. The fight continued for hours and the place was turned into a pool of blood. The news of this revolt spread like a wild fire and aroused the revolutionary spirit of the Untouchable youth in different parts of the district. The Untouchable children were not allowed to enter the schools. The repeated requests of the oppressed to open the schools for their children were turned down by the authorities as well as the upper castes. So, Ayyankali had established a small school in 1905 for imparting pre-primary education 10 the downtrodden children. This was the first school started by the depressed classes in Travancore. But the Hindus set fire to this school. Again, it was opened and Ayanami’s lieutenants guarded it by putting up round-the-clock vigil. In 1917, the British Govt. was forced to issue orders to allow the Untouchable children into the schools. This success gave a big boost to Ayyankali. In 1907, Ayyankali formed “Sadhu Jana Periplanar Sangha” registered under Non-Trading Companies Act and he became its president. Within three years the Sangham built its own office. In the same year, he organised the historical struggle of agricultural labourers with the demands to raise daily wages, right to work, right to move, admission to schools, etc. Since the Hindu landlords refused to concede these demands they had to keep off from the work. The strike continued for over a year and a stretch of land extending over 150 kms across the western coast remained uncultivated and paddy fields turned into grasslands. The landlords tried all the tricks in vain to bring the strike to an end. Finally, they were forced to concede the demands of the Dalits. This is the first struggle ever made by the agricultural labourers in India, perhaps first in the history of the world which was launched successfully and called off in 1908. The fact that Ayyankali conducted such a strike ten years before the Russian Revolution is an infallible indication of his foresight and he will remain as a forerunner in the field of agricultural labourers’ struggle. Ayyankali continued his fight against social injustices and discriminations till his last breath. He gave able leadership in launching M.E. Rebellion, Pull at Rebellion, Parinaud Rebellion etc. Ayyankali passed away on June 18, 1941. His 56th death anniversary is proposed to be celebrated on August 14, 1997 under the auspices of the state committee of the Bahujan Samaj Party, which will be inaugurated by its chief, Kanchi Ram. Conferences, seminars, symposia and public meetings will be conducted to highlight the historic movement of Ayyankali.
