Obadyah Ben-Yisrayl, #922005-Death Row, Indiana State Prison, PO Box 41, Michigan City, IN 46361.USA: My name is Obadyah ben-Yisrayl (Christopher Peterson), a Hebrew Israelite and a conscious New Afrikan freedom fighter. I am a poet and writer of conscious rap lyrics, along with progressive commentary on social issues. I was arrested on Jan. 28, 1991 on false charges of murder and robbery. Prior to my arrest newspapers, the electric media and the composites provided by eyewitness accounts, all depicted a Caucasian male. I was acquitted twice and convicted twice, once by an all-White jury. Subsequently, I was sentenced to death twice. The Euro-Amerikkkan courts have affirmed the convictions at every turn thus far, despite the overwhelming lack of physical evidence, eye-witness accounts, and the numerous constitutional and human rights violations apparent upon the face of the trial record. Since my politicization in 1992, through the process of dialectical materialism, I’ve long been aware of the inherent contradictions within the system of jurisprudence in Akkka, especially when dealing with New Afrikan males and males of color. The saga continues today. I’ll continue to maintain my innocence, and demand for release to further the cause of liberation for all oppressed peoples at the hands of this American colonial criminal enterprise. Amerika is now poised to “legitimize” an already decade-long attack on Iraq by sending various representatives trekking around the globe attempting to solicit international support for a war to “change regimes”. This from an empire that has historically assassinated progressive socialist leaders, and staged and financed coups in order to insert “puppets” and brutal regimes deadly to its own people, but friendly to US interests. For more information concerning my plight please access my website at: www.obadyah.benyisrayl/deathpenalty-usa.de.
Ambedkar Basanti Ray,Residential S.D. Public School, Bharat Singh Market, Paliganj, Patna 801 110: The proposal to hold a seminar on your book, Brahminism (DSA 2002), is getting positive response from almost all I am awaiting our guideline and outline of the seminar. Bihar is lagging far behind in respect of Dalit-Muslim unity movement. Dalit leaders have become stooges of the upper castes to the marrow of their bone. The “educated” Dalits enjoying the reservation have become ardent advocates of the Brahminical Social Order. Muslims are completely confined to their mosques and madrasas, roza and namaz. Only agricultural labourers are resisting and revolting against tyranny,atrocity, exploitation. They are being bruised by the upper castes and butchered by the private army (Ranvir Sena) of the upper caste (Bhumihar). No end of miseries here. They are being tortured by the nefarious police in the name of terrorists, extremists, naxalites. The naxal movement is completely based on economic issues. The social injustice, political treachery and religious cheats go untouched in the movement. These workers struggling hard merely on economic front are quite ignorant of the irrefutable fact that their inhuman condition is the consequence of diabolic Brahminical system. All their miseries, wants, sufferings are the by-product of Brahminism. Hence it is necessary to make them understand that without eradicating this mercenary Brahminical system their liberation is not possible. The naxalite are none other than the discriminated, degraded and demoralised people, restless to share their due with upper castes and to live at par with the privilege class. Nothing more, nothing less. But the action and activity of the people involved in the naxalite movement and the trend of the movement itself tell the different tale. The naxalite movement is led by the upper castes. Naxalism is the govt. terminology. Hence the need to explain the role of Brahminism. The seminar on Brahminism will surely attract the oppressed and give the right perspective to the movement. Such seminars, therefore, is a must in Bihar.
Our DV family members in Patna must support Brother Rai to arrange a seminar on Brahminism -EDITOR
Sant Isher Singh Rarewala Education Trust, 179-Model Gram, Ludhiana 11 002: It is a fact that Brahminism is trying to devour Sikhism but it shall never succeed. Sikhism today is in a much better position. No doubt the present-day leadership has fallen a prey to disunity. But the leadership is not Sikhism. Sikhism is the principles laid by Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh. Because we stand united. Sikhism shall not only survive but prevail all over the globe.
Gama Ram, A-2/4-Paper Mill Colony, Lucknow-226 006: The Editor is perfectly right in saying that only Dalit-Backward-minorities unity can establish the Bahujan Samaj rule at the Centre and states. The Muslim elites have not changed their attitude towards the “lower caste” Muslims. Their behaviour is like the upper caste (Hindus) attitude towards Dalits. They should change their madrasa education system as suggested by our Editor. The Muslim students should be given modern education in science, technology etc. along with religious education. Muslims cannot progress by becoming merely hafiz or moulvi. The Muslim elite like the Sheikh, Syed and Pathan who are well off in every field should change their attitude towards their lower caste converted Muslims like Julaha, Dhunia, Kassab, Chikwa etc. as also towards Dalits.
- Mariswamy, Karnataka Dalit Christian Federation, No.3213rd Cross, Ramaiah Layout, Kammanahalli. Bangalore – 560 084: The Christian convent-educated Bangalore Papatti is not a new convert to Brahminism. As a Brahmin and born Hindu nazi, she is doing her duty of protecting the interest of her jati. Manuvadis are always one. They also have a common agenda. There is no difference between Vajpayee, Ashok Singhal, Kanchi Shankarachari, R.K. Hegde and Bangalore Papatti. They are all very much worried about Dalit conversion to non vedic egalitarian religions like Budhism, Sikhism, Islam and Christianity. To forcibly prevent such religious conversions they are trying to violate the basic fundamental universal human right of freedom of religion through state power and judiciary. At the same time they are insulting Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and the Indian Constitution which has granted freedom of religion as a fundamental right. On the other side, some Christian organisations are disturbed over this TN Ordinance. Their behaviour shows that they are only eager to convert Dalits but not worried about how conversion affects the Dalits. Dalits are suffering from the hangover of caste even after conversion. Specially Dalits converted to Christianity, known as Dalit Christians, are suffering without the Scheduled Caste status. The Indian church and its upper caste leadership are silent on Dalit Christian plight. Brahminised Christian religious heads and organisations are protesting against the anti-conversion Ordinance in a big way. But they are silent on the religious and democratic responsibility of Christian Dalits rights and empowerment. They are not ready to accept them as equal fellow beings. Only the Dalits, the Black Untouchables of India, can challenge and annihilate Hinduism/casteism/communalism through their unity and struggle, The anti-conversion Ordinance will never affect Dalits because as Babasaheb Ambedkar said the Dalits are not Hindu. They are a separate entity. To the Dalits of India, conversion is never a problem. because they are not Hindu. The upper caste church is not interested in fighting Brahminism. They are diverting our attention by making us fight the TN Ordinance.
Dr. Y.B. Satyanarayana, H.No.5-2-13. Tirumala Nagar, Meerpet, Moulali. Hyderabad 500 040: I have given the Urdu booklets you sent to a professor who after reading them asked me to make photo copies of these booklets so that they can be distributed among Muslims, I will soon hold a meeting of Muslims in the old city and distribute the copies. I am daily meeting Muslim intellectuals who are very enthusiastic about Dalit Muslim unity. Coming to the Jajjhar killing of Dalits, I want to ask: Is the life of a cow equal to the lives of five Dalits? Five Dalits were lynched in Jajjhar, Haryana. But the Hindu nazis defended the killing of Dalits as the cow is more sacred to Hindus. This ghastly incident must make the Dalits seriously think of quitting Hinduism. They are made Untouchables because they are making shoes for the comforts of Hindus. As per Brahminical writings, Brahmins and Kshastriyas (Vasista and Vishwamitra) fought for Kamadhenu, a holy cow, and now is the time for all Dalits to fight the Hindus and Brahmins, discarding the cow. Kancha llaiah, a noted Bahujan social scientist, says that like the Brahmin, the cow is also not a native animal and it is a migrant to India. Like the Dalit, buffalo
is a native animal and it is not a fair-skinned animal in the eyes of Brahmins. But the buffalo like the productive Dalit is a highly productive milching animal. Its milk is richer than the cow’s milk. Dalits must discard the cow and recognize the buffalo as our national animal. We must totally destroy this cow culture which is killing Dalits. These Brahmins when they go to Western countries take pride in eating beef and work in leather industries and beef-packing units. Are they not violating their shastras? Our Philosopher-Editor says that intellectual dishonesty is a Brahmin trait. Why only the cow should remain a constitutionally protected animal under the directive principles of state policy? As I started reading your book, Caste-A Nation Within the Nation (Books for Change, 2002) I saw on p.fi, the chapter: “Who created the caste system?” Mahatma Phule says:
The Bhats (alien Aryan Brahmins) invented the pernicious fiction of the caste system, compiled (learned) treatise to serve their own self-interest and indoctrinated the pliable minds of the ignorant shudras”.
My mind flashed back immediately to my childhood days when I was a victim of untouchability. My grandfather was living in a small village, BG Nagar, beside Hyderabad. His hut was in the Madiga Wada (Basti). He had good number of goats which he used to take for grazing. I used to accompany him. Since the Untouchable dwellings were away from the main (Hindu) village we rarely used to go there. My grandfather used to be very proud of me and my neat dress. Perhaps, he felt that I looked like an upper caste boy. One day he suddenly stopped on seeing a well-built man approaching us. He was an upper caste man. My grandfather immediately removed his slippers and the turban and bent himself with hands folded. I was surprised and asked him why he was behaving like that. He then whispered into my ears.
“Look, don’t shout like that, Doru (lord) may hear you and get angry. Remember, we are low caste people, we must not put on slippers nor the turban. If we don’t behave like this, we become sinners”.
He asked me to remember that we are Untouchables. God would punishes us if we touched the upper caste people. The Hindu looked at us and said: “Arey Ramiga (my grand father’s name was Ramayya and Ayya means sir, but Hindus never use Ayya to Untouchables) who is this boy? Appears to be Dora’s son.” My grandfather said: “Nee Banchanu Dora (O Lord being your slave). This boy is my daughter’s son, he has come from Patnam (city), he is going to school in city.” The Hindu said:
“Oh, Madigollu (Madigas) are also going to schools.
Stop him from sending to school. You, untouchables are not fit to go to schools. You will become sinners”
My grandfather nodded his head. This indelible impact on my mind disturbed me for several days as long as 1 stayed in the village. The second generation Dalit learners with urban background should not forget the sufferings of their parents. They will know these things only when their parents narrate them. But how many parents narrate them? But how many parents of 1st generation learners show their children of their sufferings is a big question as they try to alienate themselves from their Dalit brothers.
Raman Kutty, Jaladhara, Ulloor, Medical College PO, Trivandrum-695 011: The city police have registered a case against Dalit leaders for demonstrating here to protest the killings of innocent Dalits in Haryana. The demonstration was held on Oct.22
Purusottam Naik, Bhimabhoi Ambedkar Mission of Orissa. Plot No. 1215/1486 (B) Khandagiri Bari. PO Khandagiri, Bhubaneswar-751030: We have started to preach the mission of Bhimabhoi, the saint-poet and the great human rights warrior of Orissa, during the last part of 18th century. He launched a religious revolution as founder of Mahima Dharma, that world is empty (mahasunya). There is no god, man is the maker of his destiny. He asked us not to associate with Brahminism and not to take water from Brahmins. Lord Jagannath is nothing but a log of wood made out of neem tree. don’t worship it. Mahima followers never worship god, never take food from Brahmins. It is the religion of this region till now.
Anil Rangari, G-104, Bharti Apartment. Gurunanak Nagar, Durg 491 001: I salute all those martyrs who lost their lives by using the suicide weapon, the “weapon of the weak” to fight the racist oppressors (“Weapon of the weak“. DV Oct. 1, 2002 p.18 and DV Nov. 16. 2001 p.7: “Who is a terrorist?”). Today’s so-called democracy all over the world is the dictatorship of the rich and the racists, forcing the weak of the world to use their life and kill themselves. What is the antidote to Brahminism/racism? Leaders of SC/ST/BC/Muslims have neither the courage nor the brain to fight Brahminism. They are either cowards or hinduised slaves. The Hindus turned our SC/ST/BC/minorities into hungry and most dedicated slaves. Who will make them angry so that they may think of using the suicide weapon and become martyrs?
Sreejith Kumar, Trivandrum. A seminar on V.T Rajshekar’s latest book, Brahminism (DSA-2002), was held here on Sept.29 under the auspices of CHRO (Confederation of Human Rights Organisations) led by Mukundan C. Menon. Speaking on the occasion, the author of the book said India is not one nation but a country of different nations. Old Malayalam and Tamil scriptures have said this, in his keynote address. The noted human rights leader and journalist, Mukundan C. Menon, presided. Within these different nations there are several sub-nations like the Pulayars, Nairs, Juravans, Ayankars etc. Muslims of Kerala are also not one nation. Mappilhas of North and Muslims of South Kerala are subnations. And all these nations are oppressed by one single nation called Brahminism. Referring to the provocation behind writing this book, he said: “This is the 3rd edition of this book. I completed the 1st edition in 1981. You know that was the year in which I was dismissed from the Indian Express. I worked in this paper for about 25 years and suffered under the Brahmin journalists. The reason for writing this book is simple. Nobody was willing to write a book like this at that time. For that, you need courage. You can’t purchase courage from a shop outside. There were two attempts on my life. Four criminal cases. They arrested me under TADA and jailed for 15 days at Chandigarh, Brahmins and Brahminism are entirely two different things. There are many Brahmins who support our movement. But there are also many non-Brahmins who are very much Brahminised. M.N. Roy was a Brahmin by birth. But he wrote the book, The Historical Role of Islam, criticising Brahminism. In the noted historian, D.D. Kosambi, there was not an iota of Brahminism. So, criticising Brahminism does not mean opposing the Brahmin as an individual. What then is Brahminism? Some people think that if they have to rule they will have to oppress the others. This is Brahminism. All other religions other than Brahminism, like the Christianity, Islam. Sikhism are based on Justice and Truth. But Brahminism has no room for this. Brahminism is not the monopoly of Brahmins alone. Against Dr. Ambedkar they brought Jagjivan Ram and now against Kanshi Ram, it is Ram Vilas Paswan. The political parties in Kerala are also Brahminised. When I went to Sivagiri, the statue of Sri Narayana Guru was dressed in white. But the disciples had saffron dress. Om symbol was everywhere and some Sanskrit verses on the walls. So also the swastika. There is another notorious “holy woman here Mata Amrithananda Mayi. She was born in the fishermen community, an Untouchable caste. A super Brahmin like Vajpayee fell on her feet. Why? Because this community is strong in the coastal areas and the RSS wants to hinduise this community so that it turns against the Muslims. When to Vajpayee came to Kumarakom, tiger prawn was his pe favourite. He preaches swadeshi but drinks videshi. Dr Kunjaman of Kerala University said that he is often “known as a Dalit among the Left and a leftist among Dalits”. If we look historically, we can find that Dalits are always away from the mainstream. Culturally and socially they have nothing common with the minorities. Because of living outside the mainstream or ousted from it, they have not been influenced by Brahminism till recently. Real democracy existed within the Dalit community without any exploitation, Why a materialistic philosophy did not develop here to counter Brahminism? Reason is simple. People who control the wealth, control the course of thinking. It is the one who controls the wealth ultimately controls power. The communists claim they had successfully enforced land reforms. But the reality is that Dalits who constitute 11% of the population got only 2.9%. In India, caste problem is the land problem. Speaking on “Brahminism in Kerala history”. noted historian, Dr. M.S. Jayaprakash, explained the prevailing situation in Kerala. It is said that Kerala is a model to others. But the name Keralam itself is a brahminical contribution. It is not a Dalit-Bahujan word. In the ancient times it was known as Cherlam. Here. Brahminism is existing in its modern form. Speaking on “Brahminism & Dalits”. Dr. Sivanandan, a Fellow at the Centre for Development Studies, said that “if we analyse the social situation in Kerala we can find that nobody has the direct experience about atrocities other than the Dalits. To counter the common enemy, Dalits and OBCS should unite. But there are inner contradiction between them. Speaking on “Brahminism and contemporary Indian Politics”, Advocate Saji Cheraman stressed the need to capture political power. According to Dr. Ambedkar power is essential to destroy power. Now our weapon is vote. The most important god of Hinduism is Vishnu. He is a political leader of Brahmins. Speaking on “Islam and Brahminism”, the noted human rights leader and NDF supreme council member. E.M. Abdul Rahman, called upon the Dalit intellectuals to resolve their differences. “We should start face to face talk with each other. Muslim organisations have also been allured by the brahminical tactics. We saw how BJP’s post-Gujarat India had successfully hijacked the Dalit movements. Dalit and minority movements are breaking apart. It is from these the brahminical forces are taking advantage”. SC/ST Confederation state president K. Raman Kutty spoke about his experience about embracing Budhism. Raju Thomas spoke about VT Rajshekar’s book. And Dr. Abdul Salam introduced the speakers to the audience.
(ks_sreejith@rediffmail.com).
Subhash Chand Musafir, National Insurance Co., DO Palampur, Kangra dt., HP-176061: In July 2001, I had received a letter from R. Arul. Post Box No.54, Chidambaram, TN, on behalf of Indian National Forum Against Caste Discrimination to attend the UN Conference Against Racism at Durban. DV had published a lot on this subject. Inspired by the DV writings like (1) “Untouchability, Indian brand of racism, hits international heights at Delhi” (DV April 1, 2001), (ii) guest editorial published in page 3.”Casteism or Brahminism is world’s worst form of racism”, the speech delivered by the Editor at the Global Conference Against Racism in Delhi (DV March 2001), (iii) “World peace-lovers must help Dalits establish Brahminism as racism” (DV May 1, 2001) and “Casteists defeated at UN” (DV June 16, 2001 p.7). I collected 21 cases of 11 types of caste-based atrocities with proofs and made a report, titled “21 mirror images of monstrous oppressive atrocities in the 21st century”, and sent it to the organisers of the Durban conference. The Manuvadi govt, and its henchmen were furious on my action. A Hindu nazi-sponsored organisation, Anarakshan Manch, gave a call to organise a rally at Palampur on Sept. 23, 2001 against reservation. We announced a parallel rally on the same day and at the same place. Some manuvadis asked me to either change the venue or date of our rally to avoid any clash. But I refused. Our enemies then simply held a hall meeting on Sept.23, 2001 instead of a public rally. Manuvadi toilet papers gave a good coverage to our enemies. Ever since the manuvadis have been troubling me. Between Jan. 15, and Feb. 2002, I was on leave. On Feb 6, 2002, the police filed a case against me. On Feb.11 the police intimated my office about the criminal case. My insurance co. started the inquiry. I was not however arrested. This was the first case in my life. On Feb.27. 2002 1 sent a petition to our state governor (a Dalit). But nobody bothered about this. Even a student, Vijay Kumar Vidhiyarthi of HP University who was preparing our report to Durban, was also victimised by the police. Due to these problems I could not write to DV so far. But 1 have been reading every issue of DV.
- Franklin Caesar, Bethel, Soosaiyapuram New Street, Manakkal, Lalgudi PO, TN-621 601: In our village, Soosaiyapuram all the 200 houses belong to Dalit Christians (Untouchable-Pariah). Most of them Roman Catholics. About 65% of the families live below the poverty line. We had applied for free house sites. The State Govt. selected the land and tried to acquire the land. Mrs. R. Yasothai, a Hindu, sold the land to 65 Dalit Christians for Rs. 1.81 lakh. The land is under our possession. But the local Catholic Church Rector, Fr. Johnson, the secretary, the Lalgudi Don Bosco Society, Manakkal, claimed that they were once cultivating the said land. On Dec.2. 1971, the same church sold its lands to upper castes (Maria Kaspar Udayar and others) but the same church has come in the way of its own poor co-religionists. We need your support to render justice.
S.P. Singh, Takiapar, Danapur, PO Digha, Patna-800 012: DV readers and writers should hail M.M. Sayeed becoming Chief Minister of Kashmir. That he has been able to keep the Hindu nazis at bay in Kashmir politics is in itself a great success. It is true the Congress Party is an enemy of the Dalits and Muslims but it is a killable party whereas the nazi BJP is a non-killable party. BJP is based on hate-Muslim philosophy. The Brahmins did not suffer at all during the 800 years of Muslim rule. The British policy of giving education to one and all hit the Brahmins most hard. Right from the days of Sepoy Mutiny, till the “independence” (1947) and a hasty partition of the country on the two-nation theory, was the work of the Brahmin-Bania combine of the Congress Party. It was for a Brahmin rule in India they established their throne in Delhi making all sorts of compromises. The BJP-BSP coalition in IP is a burning example of one such compromise.
Ilyas Patel, Khanpur Deh, Bharuch dt.,-531 150: Allah does not like arrogants. Many Muslims are arrogant. They say “if you are not with us, you are against us”. It is very painful to read Dr. S.A. Hannan’s article “Osama’s unislamic act?” (DV Oct. 16. 2002 p. 11). He has dubbed Iqbal Ahmed Shariff and Shamsul Arifin as hypocrites and totally ignorant persons. I personally know Iqbal Ahmed Shariff. I still remember that rainy and windy night as he was sitting on the pillion behind me on my scooter. We were getting wet for several hours. He can to Bharuch to attend the Dalit-Muslim unity conference. I was surprised seeing his spirit and selfless service. Shamsul Arifin has become my pen friend. I had also a chance to correspond with Dr. S.A. Hannan when he had criticised my article in DV. “Madras syllabus must include English and History (DV June 16, 2002). 1 invited him to the Bharuch Conference so that we meet and understand each other better. But his reply was full of abusive words which I can’t repeat. He even resorted to character assassination. In response, I had sent a booklet, Madrasas where civilised manners are faught. which was advertised in DV also. This was published by our organisation, Majlis-e-Fahaffuz-e-Madariz-e-Gujarat. In repose, he remained silent. What kind of Islam Hannan follows? It looks he is like that frog in the well. They want cheap publicity attacking dedicated who have suffered and sacrificed for Islam. If Osama, Al-Qaida, Hamas are totally ignorant and un-Islamic terrorists, he should go to Bush and Sharon and join hands with them and fight against Taliban, Al-Qaida and Hamas. Bush and Sheron will appreciate him. He will get a chance to get jannat (heaven) by such pious effort. He should fight with zionists against Palestinian suicide bombers. If he can’t go to Israel or America, why can’t he come to Gujarat to see the “children-producing factories?” He can meet Modi and Togadia and join their campaign against “terrorists”. Persons like Hannan take a few verses of Quran and Hadith as a tool to defend their policies which support Hindu nazis. DV helps such arrogant fellows by publishing their articles.
Baboo, 115- S.S. Hall, (S), AMU, Aligarh, UP-202 002: This is my first letter to you. I am a student of law in the Aligarh Muslim University. I am interested in knowing the reasons and the facts of the problems that are existing in today’s world. One day I got a copy of DV and came to know that the root cause of today’s human inequality and exploitation all over the world is nothing but Brahminism. I am thankful to DV for making me know this fact. I am interested in knowing more about it: the problem of the evil Brahminism, ideas and their eradication.
Syed Shahabuddin, N-44, Abul Fazal Enclave, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110 025: I just happened to see an old issue of Dalit Voice (Sept. 1, 2001) in which your correspondent (p.18) accused me of opposing the idea of a separate reservation for Dalit Muslims. Today, Dalit Muslims (counterparts of SCs) are included in the OBC lists, central and state. Muslim leadership, as is natural for a minority, is against dividing and thus weakening itself. So, it has demanded reservation for the Muslim community, as a whole, in proportion to the population. However, in 1994 the National Conference on Reservation decided that the Muslim sub-communities notified as OBCs shall have the first claim on the Muslim quota and only if candidates with minimum qualification are not available in adequate number and the quota remains partially unutilized then only candidates belonging to the “high caste” Muslim will be eligible, in order of merit. It is thus possible that the entire Muslim quota may be utilized wholly by the OBC Muslims. The Muslims who constitute a Backward Class, by any national standard, cannot stand in competition with the advanced OBCs and, therefore, must have a quota of their own, just as SC/STs and now Hindu OBCs have separate quotas and just as even sub-groups within Hindu OBCS, SC/STs are demanding their own sub-quotas. (muslim@del3.vsnl.net.in>
