Kulamarva Balakrishna, International Centre for Social & Environmental Engineering, Hohlweggasse, 281-4-12, A.1030, Wien, Austria: I have read your latest book, Brahminism. Brahminism has several forms including lamaism, As for India, we do not have any standards of whatever kind. Once we establish this, we can clean the whole shit, bullshit and dirt, the swastika, trishul, and malaka/masturbation cult. What I am interested is in finding partners in India to clean the Ganga and explain people that it did not involve any Bhagiratha prayatna to make water flow downwards into the sea. My interest is intellectual. Just read Kancha Illiah, Vasant Moon. Have read original writings by Namdev Dhasal. Currently I am engaged in establishing India-wide media monitoring cells to restrain those who tend to adulterate news and information, food for though and encourage those who are truthful and have integrity. I am planning a platform for the purpose and looking for dependable logistics. Logistics in the form of a team of young people and operational infrastructure, electricity, lights, communication etc. all of good standard. In the context of the media describing the leading blind men as seers it is not an easy task. The blind seers are more dangerous. I am not a Brahmin although born of a Brahmin parentage. My name from the beginning had no caste appendage. Kulamarva’is a place name, Balakrishna is my own name. My wife is a traditional non-practising Catholic. She has no conflicts with me or other humans. My efforts are not cleaning a pond but in preventing regular flow of rivers of filth into the system once the cleaning the current flows is completed. This means public education. There is something called “mental hygiene” unknown in India. By establishing an invisible export centre between Mangalore and Manipal for regular gathering of about 500+500 intellectuals from all over the world for a couple of weeks every year, this is possible only by training a team, establishing procedures and of corresponding a regular two-way flow of information traffic. Without tested logistics I dare not venture to commence operations since intellectuals world wide respect only dependability and performance in acceptable standards. It is not a single man job, but a cooperative work of all intellectuals of integrity. How many can you enlist through your DV, only the serious and energetic ones?
CDLR-EN <muhammad@cdlr.net>: Pax Americana is over. Challenges from Vietnam and the Balkans to the Middle East and Sept. 11 have revealed the limits of American supremacy. Will the US learn to fade quietly, or will US conservatives resist and thereby transform a gradual decline into a rapid and dangerous fall? This belief that the end of US hegemony has already begun does not follow from the vulnerability that became • apparent to all on Sept. 11,2001. In fact, the US has been fading as a global power since the 1970s, and the US response to the terrorist attacks has merely accelerated this decline. To understand why the so-called Pax Americana is on the wane requires examining the geopolitics of the 20th century, particularly of the century’s final three decades. This exercise uncovers a simple and inescapable conclusion: the economic, political and military factors that contributed to US hegemony are the same factors that will inexorably produce the coming US decline.
Babasevak, 16 – Oakwood House, 95 -Corkland Road, Chorlton, Manchester M21 8XW, UK: Are there no Budhists, Christians and Parsees in India? It is quite interesting to read the arguments, learned or otherwise, going on in India concerning the election or selection of the President. The history of this election or selection for the last 50 years shows that there had been always justification for the Hindu or Muslim President. The arguments mainly to achieve Hindu-Muslim unity, to be in the good books of Hindus around the globe, to be in good books of the world of Islam, to catch the votes of large minority community, to recognise past ruling religious communities and what else? We had at least 6 Hindu Presidents/vice-presidents. They were glorified by their religion. We had more than 2 Muslim Presidents/ vice-presidents. In their case religious and communal harmony was glorified. Among Hindus there had been: Manuvadi Brahmins, Manuvadi Kshatriyas, Manuvadi Shudras. There had been.one Sikh President, just exception. Most of them were either rubber stamps or puppets on the strings. Are there not Budhists, Christians and Parsees in India? Don’t they contribute anything for “communal harmony”. It shows that Budhists, Christians and Parsees have no place at the top.
Prof. Gurtej Singh, 742, Sector-8, Chandigarh -160 008: I have received your book, Brahminism. It is as meaningful as all your books are. The unfortunate part is that the Dalits have been taught to believe that Sikhs are caste-ridden and are against them. Small storms in tea cup like rural conflict, which is extremely low key as compared to Bihar or elsewhere is played up by the media without understanding the social phenomena. Intellectuals feed themselves on it without realizing that Sikhism is perhaps the only religion which they can fully inundate with total influx. Then they would be making their own rules for religious and social behaviour. Gurbani, the eternal Guru, is ever in favour of elimination of prejudices and of democratic action. Suppose half the Dalits converted to Sikhism, they would be twice the number of Sikhs and could lay down their own rules for social interaction. They fail to appreciate the progress the Sikhs have made in this regards for not even three centuries ago they were themselves Dalits and now in everyone’s estimate they have completely got rid of their disability. This was clear to Dr. Ambedkar (see Jat Pat Torak Mandal speech) but not clear to the present leaders. Without benefiting from their experience and without caring to appreciate what Sikhs and Sikhism have done to remove caste prejudices, the Dalits find solace in criticising and condemning the Sikhs.
K. Rajendra, Ambedkar Pratishtana, Thoralakki PO, Kolar dt. -563 137: The ruling Brahmana Jati Party (BJP) says it has no hidden agenda. It is open and clear. It wants to openly establish Manuvad. The Kashmir Assembly passed a resolution of accession to India. They put in jail Shaikh Abdullah. Prime Minister Nehru, a Kashmiri Pandit, gave no reason for the detention of Sheikh Abdullah for ten long years. Why the “Lion of Kashmir” was confined to the cage, no one knows. Thus began the rule of Manuvadis. It began with the “independence” of India in 1947. Indira Gandhi, the daughter of Nehru, became the PM. Jat Sikhs became suffocated.
Sant Bhindranwale tried to resist. She launched “Blue Star Operation” to eliminate the Sant and humbled the Sikhs. Sikhism started dying. In the micro-minority religion of Christianity, most of the Bishops are Brahmin converts.
Properties and institutions are in their hands. Churches are in the hands of upper caste converts. Churches were set on fire to humble the proud shudra converts. Dalits are already out of the church. Jainism as a religion is of no consequence to the Brahmin. Their only request for “minority status” to get grants and tax exemption satisfied the Jains who have become Hindus and slaves of Brahmins, worship Lakshmi. The Bania caste of Jains worship wealth. The Brahmin needs money and the Bania needs protection. This Brahmin-Bania combination is 1,500 year old. Budha was made an avatar of Vishnu. Vaidiks infiltrated into Budhism. Today the Brahmins are not afraid of Budhism because it has become a wing of Hinduism. Dalits in urban areas are acting as second- class Brahmins. Rural Dalits are poor and helpless. They can never become a force. The only immediate threat to Brahmin is the Muslim. They have the Moolbharati blood, and the “Spirit of Islam” has made them a force. It is good that Bush became the President of America. It came as a boon to India’s Brahmins. Like the Ram slogan, the bin Laden slogan destroyed Afghanistan. Muslims have been made synonymous with terrorism. Indian prisons are packed with lakhs of Muslims, Sikhs and Dalits — all state guests. Hitler started fighting the British and Americans, Soviet Russia never bothered. They were happy as Hitler was fighting the capitalist countries, their enemies. Besides, Hitler signed a nonaggression pact with the Soviet Union in 1939. But they never heard Hitler telling a Nazi conference that “the pact was only meant to stall for time”. We in India have the same (Hindu) nazi forces. Chinmayananda, then a member of
Indian Parliament and a prominent member of Hindu nazi party, had given in writing using official letterhead on Nov.27,1992 in connection with permission for kar seva. The credibility of the letter was proved within ten days on Dec.6, 1992. The Supreme Court referred to this point when the counsel of the Hindu nazi VHP, Rama Jois, a Bangalore Brahmin just made Governor of Jharkhand, requested for permission to perform puja at Ayodhya on 15.3.2002. As a Dalit, I emphatically say that Dalits have nothing to lose. They are already ground to dust. Torture, rape, bum, butchery is going on every minute in some comer of India. Dalits have become so immune that they no longer suffer from any shame or pain. The problem is of other Moolbharati brothers, called shudras. The Shiv Sena is the vanguard of Hindutva in the name of Shivaji. He has built a vast empire with hard work. His progeny and empire was destroyed not by the Mughal king, Auranzeb, or any British viceroy but by their own Diwan Brahmin Peshwa. The vaidiks first target is the Muslim, next Christian, third Sikh and so on. But sure the shudras will have their turn. Shudras, beware.
E.V. Chinnaiah, 2/206 – Surya Saroj Apts., Saroornagar, Hyderabad – 500 035: The purpose of the proposed “International conference of Ambedkarites” here is: (1) to form an international body representing the social and cultural organisations all over India and abroad, (2) to codify the duties and responsibilities of Ambedkarites, (3) to agitate and fight for our rightful share in all walks of public life, (4) to revive the ancient Indian culture based on liberty, equality and fraternity. The drafting committee constituted for the purpose of framing the policy and programme of the conference met on June 15 at Vijayawada.
Gurnam Singh Muktsar, 12 – Guru Angad Nagar, Muktsar – 152 026: Our Editor is right in saying: “The Hindu nazis are doing their duty. But we the victims are not doing our duty”. They (Hindus) are going ahead with their plans (DV July 1, 2002 p.3). I just read a book named, Punjab Politics, by P.L. Arora, Nanda and Sachdeva (all Hindus). This book is recommended for MA (Pol. Sc.,) Part-II as paper-Ill (option) in all the three universities of Punjab (Guru Nanakdev University, Amritsar; Pb. University, Chandigarh, and Punjabi University, Patiala). In chapter 13 p. 137-38, Kanshi Ram is described as Pandit Kanshi Ram belonging to Brahman jati. But the fact is Kanshi Ram is a Ramdasia Sikh (Untouchable). His mother, Bishan Kaur, father Hari Singh and grandfather Telu Ram belong to village Khwaspur (Ropar). The book proves what our Editor has been often telling that the Hindu nazis are doing their duty well. But we are not.
I.K. Gautam, IRS, Income Tax Dept., Govt, of Gujarat, Ahmedabad, (ikg@rediffmail.com): After seeing the shameful act of an IAS officer, I am inspired lo write you this Letter. Our officers are feeling guilty about their being Untouchable. A latest example is cited below: We have an IAS officer now working as Secretary to the Govt, of Gujarat. He is actually a Scheduled Caste but acts as savarna (his Patel surname clearly shows this). A seminar on Dalit unity was held here recently in which CM Narendra Modi, Social Justice Minister Fakirbhai Vaghela, and many top Dalit officers were present. I was also present. After the function, this IAS officer came out of the hall and was talking to Dalit writers and editors of various magazines. He introduced his son studying fashion designing. He said he wanted to make him (son) a model in a big company. And a horrible thing he said next is very important for every Dalit. He added that “aane to hu Dalit samaj thi dur j rakhva mangu chhu (I want my son to stay far away from Dalit community). See the dangerous message of this advice. See the contempt he has for his own community. You won’t believe but Twas stunned. I am also an IRS officer but I love my community very much. This officer is a Chamar.
G.N. Saibaba, convener, Forum Against Imperialist Globalisation (FAIG), <aiprf@hotmail.com>: It is true that the Indian brahminical racist forces have been part and parcel of imperialists. We should also remember that they alone do not represent the Indian ruling class, though brahminical ideology is very much part of the oppressive tool of the Indian ruling classes irrespective of their physical caste structure. About 98% of the Dalits and Adivasis and other anti-brahminical castes constitute the toiling classes of our society. However, we cannot immediately bring out this aspect in FAIG as a number of other organisations are part of it and all of them do not agree totally with this. We are trying to add a few more dimensions in this regard in the FAIG.
A.A. Karunakaran, TC-9/1904, “Kaveri”, Pullekkonam Lane, Sasthamangalam PO, Trivandrum – 695 010: It may sound strange that a micro-minority of 3% people rule over a majority of 97% in the country. It is still inexplicable as to how this minority imposes its will upon all walks of life as a rule. The ingenuity with which the vaidiks dictate their rule over the dumb mass warrants detailed examination. Once the Untouchables were their own masters as the original inhabitants of India. The Aryan invasion into India caused their misfortune. Vaidiks established the Brahminical Social Order (BSO). The BSO or the Hindu religion as it is now called is most undemocratic in nature and cruel by temperament. It breeds intolerance and hatred, lacks fraternity and devoid of human compassion. M.K. Gandhi, the tallest pall-bearer of Hindu religion, defended the caste system. That is why Gandhi became the Mahatma for Hindus. The Brahmins want to rewrite history to make us believe that they are not aliens but indigenous. They are also trying to destabilise the Dalit movement by restricting the reservation benefits enjoyed by the SC/STs. The first salvo was fired by the Supreme Court which ruled that reservation in appointment should not exceed 50%. This ruling was an unauthorised invasion on the domain of the executive. Later on there were several judgments by which the Supreme Court restricted the benefits enjoyed by the SC/STs such as reservation in promotion (now reinstated) and admission to super speciality courses. The latest instance of intolerance in this regard is the appeal filed by the Faculty Association of All-India Institute of -Medical Science (AIIMS) against the decision of the Delhi High Court order allowing recruitment of doctors from reserved category for speciality and super speciality faculties (NIE Report 12-2-2002). The tragedy of the Dalits is the attitude of its “educated” elite. Even Dr. Ambedkar could not foresee that these “educated” Untouchables would deceive their own communities. What a tragedy that a sizeable section of the Dalits are going away to the Hindu nazi camp to become their slaves.
Gama Ram, A-2/4 – Paper Mill Colony, Lucknow – 226 006: Chandra Bhan Prasad, a Dalit scholar of Jawahar Lal Nehru University, New Delhi, has been writing articles in Hindi dailies like the Rashtriya Sahara putting forward a new approach to caste system, particularly the Backward Castes. He says that BJP is a party of upper castes, BSP of Dalits and SP of upper Backward Castes like Yadav, Kurmi, Gujar and Lodh. But in my opinion SP has the support of only Yadav, a section of Kurmi, Gujar and Lodh. According to him BJP has been successful in mobilising upper castes and Dalits. But SP failed to mobilise the Backwards. In the undivided UP, Dalits constituted 21.34% and upper castes 20.50%. Therefore none of them can form the govt, on their own. The Mandal castes (Backward and Most Backward) constitute 45% of the total population and if united they can capture power on their own. But neither the SP or the Janata Dal could mobilise them in their favour. Among Brahmins, Kshatriya and Vaishya with few exceptions there is no subcaste but only gotra. Dalits are not shudras. Shudras are part of the Varnashram and are divided into agriculturist shudra and artisan shudra. Agriculturist shudras include Yadav/Ahir, Jat, Kurmi, Lodh and Gujar and artisan shudras include Kumhar, Kahar, Lohar, Mali, Pal (Gaderia) Thather, Koperi etc. Before “independence” the agriculturist shudras used to till the land of zamindars on contract (patta) but after the abolition of zamindari they became neo-zamindars. They became more aggressive towards the artisan shudras as well as the Dalits. This is why they never cooperate in elections with agriculturist shudras. The artisan shudras constitute 26.8% of the total population of undivided UP. The upper Backward Castes treat the most Backward shudras in the same way as the upper castes used to treat the Backward Castes. The Most Backward Castes (26.8%) are disunited and a section supports BSP and some are with BJP. These aggressive Backward Castes should be excluded permanently from the purview of Mandal Commission as regards reservation and the whole Mandal quota should be given to the Most Backward Castes and Dalit Muslims. If Dalits and Most Backward Castes unite, they can form the govt, as both constitute 48.14% of the total population of the state.
Prof. D.S. Shambharkar, 8 – Kashinagar, Opp. Arun Tapas, B/h BSP Bhavan, Rameshwari, Nagpur – 440 027: I have read your book translated by Nagesh Chaudhari in Marathi and this proved very informative, knowledgeable and valuable for me. I am working on the “concept of human rights and reality of Dalits life in India – specially related to Bihar and Maharashtra after independence”. Dr. B.L. Bholey, Prof & Head of Pol. Sc., Dept., Nagpur University,, is my guide. You being an eminent authority in this field, I seek your guidance.
N.S. Chellappa, vill. Valampatti, PO Keela-Iral, Tuticorin dt., TN: In Dalit Voice, our Editor has been writing repeatedly that Dr. B.R. Ambedkar arrived at the logical conclusion that the “Untouchables are not Hindu and were never Hindu.” To further prove this, M. Sethuraman in his book has said Siva religion is different from Hindu religion and has elaborately explained the differences between the two. The Siva religion belongs to the indigenous people of India (Dravidians) and the Hinduism is that of Aryan Brahmins. Tamil is the mother tongue of the indigenous people and the Sanskrit of the Aryans. Under the Siva religion there is no caste and no varna like the Hindu. The Siva religion is much older than Hindu. Hinduism swallowed the Budhist and Jain religions. Now it is trying to destroy Islam, Christian and Sikh religions. The Siva temples and Budhist viharas were converted into Hindu temples. The Aryans had built no temples of their own but they occupied all the temples as archakas. The original inhabitants of India should identify Siva temples and recover them. The soma and sura drinks were invented by the Brahmins. As the Brahmins used the sura drink, they were called suras. Those who did not of drink sura were asuras.
Milind K. Rathod, D/22 – Sukhnivas Colony, Amreli – 365 601:1 had already sought your permission to translate your books. I am a Dalit studying in II year BB A. Upper castes have treated us very badly, physically and mentally. Reading literature like yours is my main hobby. But lack of Dalit unity worries me. Most of our “educated” and employed Dalits want to keep aloof from our community. My knowledge of English is very poor. English is kept out of Dalits. It is an upper caste monopoly. Dalit leadership is getting weaker. Some Dalit leaders are joining the Hindu nazi party. I am very much impressed by your literature. Dalit Voice is superb. As I am too young my comments may not be taken seriously. You wanted to know my capability to translate your writings into Gujarati. Your spirited writings have inspired me.
Dr. V.D. Chandanshive, Cottage Vaishali, Shahu Nagar, Nanded – 441 605: As against the brahminical-capitalist economics, we have to push the Bahujan economics. Ever since Manu started implementing the saste system, the Indian economic system became caste-based. As every caste has its own sociology and a distorted sense of psychology — manifested as belonging to a caste or subcaste rather than belonging to a human society — every caste or sub-caste had its own economic system that generates from an occupation which comes with birth and which becomes a fix till death. This caste-based occupational immobility played havoc in the Indian subcontinent as all respectable and wealth-producing occupations were grabbed by Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas and only the poverty-producing occupations were forced upon the shudra and Ati-shudra castes. The system culminated in the creation of two classes of castes. This phenomenon has been intentionally neglected by the Indian communists. But India’s great revolutionary, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, through his writings, has time and again made a mention of these two classes of castes in a class-based terminology such as (1) Shetji-Bhatji and Latji, meaning the Brahmin, Bania and Bada zamindar (Kshatriya landlord castes) and (2) Bahujan Samaj. He further explains the class traits of these castes by mentioning the eating habits. He says the Brahmins, Banias and zamindars eat loop roti (ghee and bread) but the Bahujan Samaj eats chutni bhakri (chilly and bread). Phule points to the kind of economic system generated by the caste system. The upper castes have an altogether different economic system compared to those of the victims’ caste system. So, we have two distinct economic systems at work. The first is the wealth-producing economic system for upper castes and the poverty producing one for the “low castes” (even religious minorities are considered low). The Indian cultural history reveals that prior to Manu’s Code there was an egalitarian Bahujan economic tradition. We have ample > evidence to comment upon the economic system prevalent during the Budhist India. Economists think that the concept of nationalisation was floated by Karl Marx. But they are proved wrong. The nature of economic system practised in the 16 odd republics of the Budhist times put a curb on private property. Hoarding, being major cause of misery and exploitation, was discouraged. Collective ownership was followed by the republics. Private ownership of land was discarded. Only collective ownership of land was accepted. Indian marxists have branded the Budhist collective ownership as tribalism neglecting absolutely the seeds of socialism sown in ancient times. The world witnessed two extremist economic systems, capitalism and communism. But both of them have proved detrimental to the welfare of a majority of the people because in both there is suppression of human liberty and justice. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar rejected both the economic systems. He advocated a system which could strike a balance between the market and the state. He called it democratic socialism. He believed in the supremacy of human reason which could thrash out solution to a dilemma. A brilliant economist, as he was, his probing eyes could find a synthesis between democracy and socialism in the Budhist republics of ancient India and the Budhsit Sangha as well. As an architect of India’s Constitution, Babasaheb reiterated time and again in the Constituent Assembly that the Indians should avert those mistakes in the constitution-making committed by other countries while making their constitutions. One such mistake was non-inclusion of economic programme in the basic structure of the Constitution. He wanted to include democratic socialism in the Constitution so that the Bahujans could rest assured of its implementation. But the Brahminical forces in the Constituent Assembly opposed Babasaheb’s proposal and, therefore, he had to include it in the Directive Principles of the State Policy which are not obligatory on the government as no citizen of India can file a petition in the court for nonimplementation of Part V of the Constitution. The mischief played by the Manuvadis in the Constituent Assembly sounded death knell of welfare of Bahujan Samaj as monopolisation of trade, industries, agriculture and bureaucracy became rampant since “independence”. T As a result, Bahujan Samaj has been thrown out of the mainstream Indian economic activity. The World Trade Organisation along with the World Bank and IMF has unleashed and imposed an economic world war on different countries which are signatories to its agreement. The Brahminical hawks, always on the look out to grab an opportunity to exploit the Indian underdog, have already forced India’s entry into WTO. The Indian Manuvadi rulers have hatched a conspiracy against SC/ ST/BCs and minorities of the country to deprive them of their constitutional rights. Some of the features of this conspiracy are as follows:
(1) Tamper with the Constitution in the name of reviewing it because it is capable of bringing the welfare of Bahujan Samaj if it is implemented fully and honestly. (2) Deprive the Bahujan Samaj of adult franchise and bring in indirect system of elections under the pretence of stability. (3) Privatise the public sector units to deprive backward communities of reservations in services. ;(4) Invite foreign investment indiscriminately without ensuring the generation of employment and their overall impact on the national , economy and people in general. (5) Cancel all kinds of subsidies in agriculture and education and particularly higher education. (6) Pretend to strengthen the base of primary education which has been deliberately neglected for nearly a half century. (7) Open the Indian market fully to foreign traders. (8) Find job market for upper caste students in foreign countries.
In the pretext of globalisation the Brahminical forces have decided to vandalise the Indian polity and the economy as well. But this vandalisation would bury the Bahujan Samaj deep into the abyss of penury because globalisation symbolises uncurbed capitalism and crass economic imperialism unleashed by the White Western racists and joined by the native brahminical racists of India. Already the fangs of foreign investment have started showing in Maharashtra. Enron provides the best example. Another trait of vandalisation is deeply rooted in the upper caste-dominated bureaucracy which is determined to fail the public sector to pave the way for privatisation. The notorious Hindu nazi hawk, Arun Shourie, has been appointed to accomplish the job. The concept of welfare is deep-rooted in Bahujan economics. And welfare of Bahujans cannot be materialised without striking a reasonable and judicious balance between the state and the market. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Democratic Socialism has all the ingredients of welfare economy. The economic upsurge of Bahujans can see the light of the day if all Bahujan leaders strive their nerves to get this doctrine inducted in the Indian Constitution.
H.Kujur, Vill. Samlong, PO Namkum, Opp. Vidya Sadan, Ranchi – 834 010: Time and again Dalit Voice has been calling upon Dalits to come forward and fight the oppression. Almost in all the issues of DV, I come across this message. Dr. M.M. Kothari in his article, “A scholar analyses plus & minus side of Dalit Voice” (DV June 16, 2001), has rightly said that “education” and “agitation” can be achieved and is being achieved to some extent but what about the “organisation”. Unless there is unity, the enemy cannot be overpowered. To achieve this goal, I have some suggestions. (1) If Dalits are to come under one umbrella they must have their identity. Today we find that Dalits do not have such an identity like Pandey, Jha, Sharma, Iyer etc. like the Brahmins. Nor do they have their own language or culture. If a Scheduled Caste person comes to me and says that he is an SC, I cannot trust him merely because he says so. So, to have mutual trust and indirect co-operation it is very essential that Dalits have their identity. This task may be gigantic but it has to be started from the grassroot to achieve “organise” and then unite them. For lack of such an identity educated Dalits on acquiring wealth and position are easily absorbed into the upper caste society. This happens because they do not have their distinct identity. Once they get educated and become affluent, what they seek next is identity. The upper caste society quickly offers them an identity and absorbs them. Such people are once for all lost to the Dalit community. Once their identity is established among the upper caste society, they never look back to their original society. Exceptions may be there. Because of such a migration of Dalits, the Dalit society remains weak. Identity, therefore, is very essential if at all our fight is to result in victory. There is also the other perception of the caste which can be divided into two broad categories. One caste that belongs to the haves and the other to the have- nots. The have castes are Brahmin, Rajput, Vaisya, some Dalits Christians, Muslims, Sikhs. The have-not castes are mostly Dalits, Dalit Christian and Dalit Muslims. We do not find Brahmins, Rajput, Vaisya among the have-not caste. If a Dalit becomes an IAS officer no upper caste minds giving his daughter in marriage because he has reached the have caste. So, apart from the Brahminical Social Order of caste, this caste is playing vital role in destroying Dalits and this crisis is mainly because of the failure of Dalits to establish their identity. The whole lot of Dalits will be intact and remain united and will be in a position to challenge the rampant oppression once the Dalit identity is established.
Brother Kujur is right. Lack of identity is the sole cause of crisis pre vailing not only among Dalits but also among the Backward Castes and Tribals. Even the shudras. We had made deep studies into this subject and that is what made to us launch a long Debate on “caste identity”. We are happy to announce that at last our research work on this subject is published, Caste, a Nation Within the Nation, (Books for Change, 139 -Richmond Road, Bangalore – 560 025, ppi25 Rs. 140)-EDITOR.
Saugat Biwas, Lecturer, Dept, of Mass Communication, VBS Purvanchal University, Jaunpur, UP: In its latest move the West Bengal Govt, has planned to de-reserve about 600 posts of lecturers in various colleges under it, Education Minister Chakraborty (Satyasadhan) informed the State Assembly. The motive seems to be another step forward to curtail the rights and privileges granted by the Constitution to the Dalit Bahujans of India. Times of India (June 11,2002) reports that out of the 800 teaching posts lying vacant in colleges, about 600 are reserved and that even after appointing all eligible candidates, these vacancies remained. The rest of the 200 posts belong to the general category which also are vacant due to the non-availability of candidates. If that is the case what is the logic behind de-reserving the rest of the reserved posts? When it comes to selecting teachers under the general category, all kinds of laxity in rules and regulations are made. The functioning of the West Bengal Govt, so far as the development of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are concerned is deplorable. It is a pity, that even after the golden jubilee celebration of “independence” and after 25 years of un-interrupted rule of the so-called communist govt, the standard of the “educated” SC/STs have failed to touch the qualifying standard for appointment as a lecturers. No other state in India remains in such a shamefully shocking state. However, condition of other states in regard to appointments differs in degree not in kind.
Dr. R.P. Harsh, Harsh Clinic, Barnala Road, Sirsa -125 055: While inaugurating the second Dalit History Congress in Delhi on Aug. 19, 2000, BSP chief Kanshi Ram said:
Dalit scholars have a bad habit of thinking only of dead past. Our past might have been glorious. We might have enjoyed the golden age of history. But what are we today? Are we not reduced to slavery? What is the use of basking in our dead past when our present is that of a slave? What is the use of repeating that once our ancestors were rulers? Will not such a repetition lull our people to sleep? What is the use of boasting about Indus Valley glory when today we are slaves.” {Dalit ‘Voice, Sept.16, 2001).
He asked the Dalit historians:
Not to go beyond 500-600 years. At least we could think of the 19th and 20th century.
Kanshi Ram must be thanked for giving the timely warning to Dalit intellectuals to correct themselves. I would like to amend that history from 1935-1950 is sufficient. Dalits were reduced to slavery in just 15 years by M.K. Gandhi and his party rule. Therefore, every Dalit intellectual must know the history of the above period. Those who call themselves Ambedkarites do not know the mission of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. His mission was not reservation but uplift Dalits socially, politically, economically and educationally. He wanted to make Dalits as the governing class but they became beggars. He was a sad man because he was deceived by his own men. Dr. Ambedkar said:
“I have not been able to fulfil my mission. I wanted to do more for Scheduled Caste people and see them a governing class in my life. I could have succeeded but my own people have deceived me. Whatever I have been able to do is being enjoyed by educated people and they are the worst fools. I now wanted to divert my attention to the uneducated masses but life seems short. The second worry to my mind is that somebody from Scheduled Castes come forward and take the responsibility from me. There, however seems to be none to shoulder such a heavy responsibility. All are selfish and quarrel among themselves on petty matters”. (My Days with Ambedkar, N.C. Rattu, unpublished P-22).
Babasaheb, therefore, passed a resolution for abolition of reservation in 1995:
“The working committee of the Scheduled Caste Federation under the president Dr. Ambedkar expressed itself by a resolution, on August 27, 1955 in favour of abolition of reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes in central and state Legislatures and district local boards throughout the country and there was no need now for such a provision. Its rout in the elections had dismayed the Scheduled Caste Federation, the mice of the Congress Harijan candidate had beaten hollow the lions of Scheduled Castes Federation in their dens”. (Dr. Ambedkar: Life & Mission, Dhananjay Keer p. 488).
Dr. Ambedkar was very critical of those Harijan MPs and MLAs in the Congress Party. What Dr. Ambedkar said about Dalit MPs became true. When Hira Lal Parmar, a Congress MP from Gujarat, was insulted on the floor of the House in 1981 and a Brahmin President, R. Venkataraman, refused to meet the delegation of Dalit MPs on Oct.21, 1991. The story of Hira Lal Parmar is sufficient to shame our slave MPs:
In Feb. 1981, Congress Member Hira Lal Parmar from Gujarat was literally gagged by his own partymen when the Opposition was demanding that he be allowed to speak with photo and other materials in his hand. Parmar rose to seek the permission of the Speaker to bring to the notice of the House several cases of atrocities against Scheduled Castes including chopping of hands of four youths belonging to the Scheduled Castes by the upper caste people. To insist on his regret ’ to raise this matter, Parmar came to the well of the House and squatted. To the surprise of many, several Congress MPs rushed, bodily lifted him, dumped him on the bench,, held him down by force and kept his mouth shut by one of them putting his hand on his mouth”. (An Open Violation of Human Rights, L.R. Bailey, p. 42).
When Dr. Ambedkar was struggling to secure “separate electorate” for Dalits at the Round Table Conference in London by establishing their “separate identity” back in India his own people like M.C. Rajah and his associates hatched a conspiracy to sabotage the “separate electorate” through the “Rajah-Moonje Pact” which was a pact between treacherous ‘Dalits and representative of a Hindu nazi organisation called Hindu Mahasabha. But despite this conspiracy, Dr. Ambedkar succeeded in getting ^”separate electorate” through the historic Communal ’Award. But M.K. Gandhi, the Enemy No.1 of the Dalits, started a “fast unto death” against the “Communal Award” granted by the British Govt, to Dalits. As a result of all round pressure on Dr. Ambedkar, he was forced to sign the “Poona Pact” on Sept.24, 1932. The “Poona Pact” was between two nations, the Hindu nation and Dalit nation. The Hindu nation was represented by Gandhi and the Dalit nation by Dr. Ambedkar
The contents of Poona Pact were incorporated in the Government of India Act 1935 and for the first time the Scheduled Castes got reservation in services legally.
During the Poona Pact, Gandhi assured Dr. Ambedkar that his Hindus will not interfere in the reserved constituencies and real representatives of Dalits will be’ returned to Parliament and Legislatures. But Gandhi and his Hindus went back on their promise and cheated the Dalits. At the Nagpur Session in July 1942, Dr. Ambedkar warned:
The Government of India must be shared by the Hindu, Muslim and Untouchables; and if the Depressed Classes did not get the proper share in the conduct of National Government, they would launch a struggle to achieve that object” (Keer: Ibid p.362).
As a political move Dr. Ambedkar did not hesitate to join the Madras session of the Muslim League with Jinnah and Periyar E.V. Ramaswami Naikar in 1945. It was a historic union of Bahujans (SC/BC/Muslims). “T When the interim government was formed in Bengal in 1946, it was a symbol of Dalit-Muslim unity. Out of eight cabinet ministers, seven were Muslim League and one Scheduled Caste. Dalit-Muslim unity was a great threat to the Brahmin. India’s partition was a brahminical conspiracy to sabotage the glorious Dalit-Muslim unity. The Poona Pact accepted the fact that “Untouchables were not Hindu but a separate element”. They have separate ethnic, cultural identity. Gandhi hatched the conspiracy to destroy the separate identity of Dalits. He established his Harijan Sevak Sangh in 1933 and gave a new name to Untouchables called Harijan, meaning bastard. To deceive Dalits, he used to go and live in Harijan bastis but he did not eat the meals of Harijan but used to drink the goat’s milk.
The she got which gave milk to Gandhi used to eat apple, grapes, vark of gold and silver. One of the writers of Gawalior estimated the cost of the diet of she goat. It was approx Rs.70 a day in 1947. (Aryan Ka Naitik Pol Prakash, Lalai Singh Yadav, 1972 p.42).
Dr. Ambedkar was conscious of the heinous activities of Gandhi. In 1935, Dr. Ambedkar at Yeola (Nasik) said:
Though I was born a Hindu I will not die a Hindu.
Yeola declaration was a great threat to Gandhi. The aim of Dr. Ambedkar was not reservation but “Three Separations”:
- Separate electorate.
- Separate settlement.
- Separate religion.
Despite all these, Gandhi failed to crush the separate Dalit identity and the growing Dalit-Muslim unity. After Dr. Ambedkar became a Labour Minister in the Viceroy Cabinet, he not only demanded equal share for the depressed classes in the conduct of national government but also passed a resolution of “separate village settlement” on July 18 and 19 1942. The pressure of separate electorate for Dalit was still there. The demand of separate village settlement was another threat to Gandhi and his Hindus because they feared that the British might accept Dr. Ambedkar’s demand like the separate electorate. Therefore, to divert the attention of people from the demand of Dr. Ambedkar, Gandhi launched the “Quit India movement” on July 8, 1942. Gandhi was killed in 1948 by Nathu Ram Godse, a Brahmin. (V.T. Rajshekar: Why Godse Killed Gandhi?, DSA-1997). Dr. Ambedkar was aware of every anti-Dalit move of the Hindus. Therefore to keep the separate identity of Dalits, he incorporated the Government of India Act 1935 in the Constitution of free India and made the reservation as fundamental right and linked it with the “social and educational backwardness” so that every Dalit whether he is a Budhist, Muslim, Christian and Sikh may get its benefit. Gandhi had already crushed the independent identity of Dalits by calling them Harijan. Dr. Ambedkar laid the foundation of reservation on “social and educational backwardness” but the Hindus played their mischief by issuing the Presidential Order by which the reservation was given only to “Hindu Dalits” by which the spirit of Poona Pact was killed. The Dalit unity with the Dalits of other religions like Muslim, Christian was destroyed. This was also a cunning move of Hindus to hinduise the Dalits. The Presidential Order says:
“No person who professes a religion different from Hinduism shall be deemed to be a member of Scheduled Caste” (Segregation & Desegration, P.T. Borale p.265).
Thus the Hindu nazi rulers of India successfully sabotaged the separate electorate, separate settlement and incorporated reservation with Hinduism. Dr. Ambedkar had no alternative but to fire his last missile of separate religion. On Oct. 14,1956 he embraced Budhism to counter his enemies hoping that Budhism would strike the last nail in the coffin of Brahminism. But even here Babasaheb hopes were dashed to the ground.
Dr. Moinuddin Chisty, 2 – Topsia Road, Calcutta – 700 039: I have translated your Bombay speech, Gujarat Genocide of Muslims, (DSA – 2002) into Bengali. We are also thinking to get it translated into Hindi.
Asghar Ali Engineer, 9B – Himalaya Apts., 1st Floor, 6th Road, TPS III, Opp. Dena Bank, Santacruz (E), Bombay – 400 055:1 was pained to read an article in DV describing me as “stooge of RSS”. Such a language maligning others reduces value of your magazine. I have been fighting communalism and RSS for over 30 years perhaps when the author might have been a child. The article (DV May 1, 2002 p. 9) “When Hinduism is a disease & Islam is medicine how dialogue is possible”, is by J. Subramanayam and Iqbal Ahmed Shariff. Mushirul Hasan also is in the forefront of fighting communalism.
Brother Asghar Ali Engineer is our very old friend from our early Indian Express days. Later, Engineer went into Bohra “reformist movement” attacking his own fellow religionists. As experts in the law of contradictions, the vaidiks quickly cultivated him and also encouraged him in his anti-Muslim crusades by boosting him through their brahminical toilet papers and hailing him as an authority on Islam. He might have earned “name and fame” but as he went doser and doser to the Enemy of Dalits and Muslims, he went farther and farther away from us. The glamour of publicity is more intoxicating than a double-peg brandy. He may think that he has achieved all-lndia fame but it is courtesy Brahminical Social Order (BSO). He must know that even M.K. Gandhi was once used and finally they only shot him dead. There is none whom the BSO has not used and then thrown out. Did it not use Moulana Azad? Did it not exploit Sikandar Bhakt and then threw him out? Engineer will learn it hard way. Did they spare his own Bohra sect Muslims despite all their pretensions to be pro-Hindu (DV June I, 2002 p. 12: “Bohras also get the kick in Gujarat despite their lover for Hindus”). Did not the great Periyar E. V. Ramaswamy ask us not to pour milk jo serpent but kill it the moment you find it? Brother Engineer thinks that pouring milk to serpent will help keep the serpent away. Never. Now, as for his charge that he was called a “stooge of RSS” in DV, we would like him to read the said article again. The said certificate was not given by the two advocate authors of the article. They have simply quoted a report In the Deccan Herald of March 28, 2002. Hindu nazis themselves gave out these the three names of Muslims (Sikandar Bakht. Mashiru! Hasan and Asghar AH Engineer). So it must be dear to Engineer that the good conduct certificate was not given by us but by his very fair weather r friends — EDITOR.
