Jagannath Gaikwad, President, Dalit Panthers, Poona : I chanced to read DV and found it wonderful. We want to know more about Dravida Kazhagam and the great revolutionary Periyar.
“Sadharama,’ Tadepalligudem, AP : The editorial of the DV no. 13, “Thoughts on Ambedkar Jayanti,” is not only a correct prediction of Ambedkarism but a timely warning too to dalits to protect Ambedkarism, the only salvation of persecuted minorities, from being sucked into the whirlpool of the RSS. DV deserves high tributes for disclosing this hard truth.
M. Kamalakannan, Ambedkar People’s Movement, Tirukoilur, TN : I chanced to see DV and was much impressed. I had also heard of its policies. While reading Social Scientist, of Dec ., 1981, I read EMS Namboodiripad’s article criticising your book, Class Caste Struggle, and How Marx Failed in Hindu India. I like Dalit Panther movement but am worried about its splitting into so many factions. Already dalits are fragmented by the Hindu culture. Dalits leaders are further splitting us: DV must help unite dalits and make them identify the real enemy so that they start the war on Brahminsim as well as the brahminised foudalised capitalists.
C. N. Madhava Panikker, Piravom, Kerala : DV is truly championing the cause of the downtrodden. Caste is hardened class. Hence OBCs, SC/STs all constitute the true proletariat. Their struggle is class war. Marxism should be retold to this extent.
Narendrasinh Chavda, Talala, Gujarat : I have just come to know DV. I have read so much about you in the Gujarat Dalit Panther journal and when I saw DV I was compelled to write to you congratulating this great venture.
Dr. H. N. Syed, Dasda, Gujarat : DV is doing a very noble work and is the urgent need of the time. Our best wishes.
Tribal Documentation centre, Chaibass, Bihar : DV is very inspiring. The situation here is getting more & more complicated. RSS is growing stronger day by day. Imagine RSS drills in the heart of the tribal area. Nanaji Deshmukh has chosen Singh Bum as his test area. Ideological poisoning is done with speed. It is very urgent to counter this ideologically-to save the identity of the tribals. Could DV give a comprehensive frame work to counter RSS infiltration ?
Sam Rajappa, special representative, The Statesman, Madras : Do keep up the good work.
F. Tirkey, Birapara, W. Bengal: Being a tribal Catholic, I am closely connected with tribal organisations. The position of the Doors is very critical, pitiable. They are expoited in all respects. They are like the sheep without the shepherd. I have great hope in you. How to save this people is worrying me. DV and DSA books are read with great interest here .
Krishna Don Sardar, Rameshwarpur, W. Bengal : It is unfortunate that dalit movement is having some impact when I am ageing. There might have been some in W. Bengal who gave a blow to Brahminism, but I did not find them. When I was 14, a Vedic pundit came to our village and threw away a Shiva idol merely to show that the wrath of Shiva is a trickery of the Brahmins. From then on I have been feeling the need to destroy Brahminism. But it is difficult. It is true that for socio-religious issues non-Brahmins here are not inviting Brahmins. They are doing all the work themselves. But priestcraft remains because it survives on idol worship. Priestcraft can be destroyed when idol worship goes. If pries craft goes, caste will lose its religious base. Though Islam is best to wipe out Brahminism, ordinary Hindus in Bengal think of Islam as possessing cultural ingredients of intolerance etc.
P. Muthuswamy, Bhavani, TN : DV is so good that Ambedkar Assns. & dalits in TN should become subscribers in a big way. Dravida Khazagham and rationalist assns. must also cooperate with you.
Honnappa Kahale, Bangalore : Your publication of Jagjivan Ram’s speech, “Brahminism is Destroying Indians” (DV. no. 11) is an eyeopener to all dalits. How a small section (5%) could successfully exploit the rest! Shudras and dalits must wake up and realise that their fall was due to caste system and their belief in the Brahmin leadership. The so-called efficiency of Brahmins is due to manipulation & because of the reservations of jobs for them during the past several centuries. If they are the ruling class even today it is because of this power they had been enjoying for centuries. The only way out is for us to fight, as you have righty said, for a share in power in proportion to the population of all castes. This should be the first step in destroying caste.
T.K. Narayanan, Trivandrum : We have come to such a state that it has become impossible for us to carry on our work without DV. India yesterday, today & tomorrow can be seen through DV. It is a Voice that we have never heard before. It is refreshing & a guide to action. We are all with you in ending exploitation of man by man.
C. Hussain Kaif, Bhandara, Maharashtra: Our dalit brothers here are increasingly realising the efficacy of Islam in assuring them equality, self-respect, brotherhood and security.
K. K. Mohiadeen, gen. secretary, Islamic Society, Madras : To fight the RSS, dalits, Muslims, Christians OBCs and other progressives must join hands. To wards this Christians must have close connection with Muslims and dalits.
Swami Animananda, Sarvarvajagatik Viraktimath, Tornagatti, Belgaum dt. Karnataka : Reading DV made me very much encouraged. We minorities are very much persecuted & there is none to defend us. Iam running an orphanage for 91 destitute boys & girls. My taluk of Ramdurg is highly populated by tribals, shepherds (Kurubas) who are all totally neglected. Kindly show us the way out. John C. Gabriel, Chicago, USA : DV no. 12 has boldly exposed the insane actions of RSS which believes in the “chosen people” theory “of the Aryans. Hitler, who also spoke of his Aryan ancestry, harped on the ruling class theory. Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Page 155) says : “In this scheme, the State itself was suboridinate to the race or people”. Dalits will be cowardly if they submit to such a Hindu philosophy. As the original inhabitants of India, they must take this oath in blood to liberate their land. We are planning to publish a journal, Untouchable Indian to educate the people of US on the real position of the original inhabitants of India, evils of caste etc. We have our fullest support to DV.
