Ajit Kumar Nandagawali, 16 – Capano Drive Apt#A4, Newark DE 19702, USA: It was 1938 – the night of Nov.9 that the nazis attacked Jews and their property and called it kristallnacht. That was history. The Germans have expressed guilt, remorse, contrition for acts of their forefathers. Babasaheb Ambedkar said the sufferings of India’s Untouchables were much more than that of Jews. Millions were kicked, killed, burnt, tortured and raped in the name of religion. It is continuing even today. But these Brahminical people never felt bad for their inhuman treatment towards the population that almost equals Europe. Nay, they never had expressed shame, guilt in their “holy books”. They lack the very sense of being human. For them it is the way of life. And we have to bring the change. What is the way out? Remember Babasaheb said: “I will make the whole India Budhist”. But hey, hold on. Aren’t we saying that for a long time? Where are we? How far have we progressed? Are we failing in practice? Yes, we are. How then can we make India Budhist? A far-fetched dream? We are more inspired by Babasaheb, the spectacled man than Babasaheb the Budhist. We are more inspired by his statue than his life. We keep his photos at home just for the sake of it. Yes, we are failing in practicing the way he has shown. We the “educated” are failing to walk the path. But let that be. Few can make lots of difference. No revolution is achieved without the pains and the sacrifices which we must convert into our joys.
Brother Ajit Kumar is right. But how do you reach your words to the people? The entire media is in the hands of our oppressors. Some of our “educated” Dalits have been purchased to sing their songs. No Dalit political leader talks of Budhism. Dalit activists are more after “power” – not Dhamma. Brahminical counter-revolution is in full swing. We have been running DV for the past 25 years. Every oppressor knows us but the people for whom we are slogging have not even heard of us. This is India. We are deeply worried – EDITOR.
Simon C. Tunstall, Iowa State Penitentiary (American jail), PO Box 316-803380, Ft. Madison, Iowa 52627, USA: I am seriously committed to helping my Dalit brothers and sisters. I also want to write articles for Dalit Voice. I also want to collect and donate books written by Afrikan born-in-America scholars. The books could then be circulated in India.
Bhimrao Ganvir is a distinguished member of the DV family worldwide. Please send the Black books to our library. We will announce it in DV and circulate it among our members. We have in our library three rows of Black books – EDITOR.
Dr. A.K. Kureel, 24 – St. Mochtagreen, Coolmine Lodge, Blanchards Town, Dublin-15, Ireland: You are following the real path of Dr. Ambedkar. What about a separate (Achutistan) country for Dalit? Whether Babasaheb had thought about that or not? Do you know of any book which mentions the separate land for Dalits? Who wrote the book? Who killed Dr. Ambedkar? What about the Saxena Committee report? I want to know about the Saxena Committee report and the conspiracy behind the murder of Dr. Ambedkar.
Jai Birdi, Chetna Association of Canada: We are planning a book on Dalit diaspora with reference to Dalits in Canada. Our plan is to have this book available for 2006 to coincide with the centenary celebrations of Dalits in Canada. Please send your particulars e.g. place of birth, community to which you belong and any significant events/contributions that could be included in this text.
Runoko Rashidi, PO Box – 201662, San Antonio, TX 78220, USA: I miss the relationship with you. I had nothing personal against you. I came under serious pressure to disavow the relationship by other Dalits.
You say others forced you to disown us. That means you distrusted your first and the oldest brother from India who introduced you to India’s Black Untouchables after believing one or two Dalits whom you came to know through DV only. This is a serious reflection on your capacity to understand and evaluate friends and foes. Those who created prejudice against us are repenting. Do you know this? Anyway, happy to note you have started understanding us. DV is 25 years old. If we had been fakes or frauds by this time, we would have been stripped naked. But India’s revolutionary Black Untouchables love us. We have learnt a great deal from the Black struggle and your writings. That is why we continue to send DV to you out of deep respect for you – EDITOR.
P.P. Lakshman, 11 – Fort George Hill, Apt. 9G, New York, NY 10040, USA: You have evoked memories of my past association with Dalit Voice, by publishing a reminiscent thought of mine and sending it to me. The high point of that association was when you undertook to send, at my request and on my behalf, some 13 Dalit students from Bangalore to Dikshabhoomi in Nagpur for embracing Buddhism. I did feel the pain of taking the help for it from a person like you who is such a great writer, speaker, and editor, never a travel agent. I also benefited from your intelligence work about the apparent misappropriation of Dr. Ambedkar’s plot of land at Bangalore meant for a Budhist monastery. I could not pursue the investigation though, because I felt I was causing pain to the people involved. I also remember gratefully that scores of my articles and Letters were published in Dalit Voice, despite their Budhist overtone, at a time when Dalit activism was more popular without Buddhism, Babasaheb’s prescription for Dalit liberation. I rarely write these days, neither for the print media nor for the internet, because I am by now accustomed to the kind of attention that Budhist voice gets. But that is the only voice I have at the far end of life.
Infotimes, PO Box 30412, Alexandria, VA 22510, USA: On Sept. 11, 2001, the Washington area-based Free Press Network (FPN) – America’s independent and non- partisan news-info service – pointed out:
“CIA, FBI, DIA, NSA and all other US Govt. agencies should also deeply investigate to determine that did the anti-American regime of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon play any role in the Sept.11 suicide airplane attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Centre … “.
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Free-press/ message/929)
So far, the FBI has not presented any legal evidence to the US people to prove who committed the 9- 11 attack and who was really behind the attacks. Ironically the FBI CIA, DIA, NSA, FAA, DEA, BCIS and all other US Got, agencies as well as the 10-member “bipartisan” National Commission on terrorist attacks (also known as the 9-11 commission), Congress (unfortunately the US Congress has become a rubber- stamp agency of the executive branch of Israel), Dept. of Justice, Dept. of Homeland Security, Dept. of Defense, Dept. of State and the “free” media have miserably failed to deeply investigate and answer the 87.5 billion dollar question: Did Israel launch attack to start a war between Muslims and Christians? US Senator Joseph I. Lieberman has said the Bush administration was standing in the way of an inquiry into the 9-11 attack. US Senator and Vice Chairman of Senate Select Committee on Intelligence John D. “Jay” Rockefeller IV has also questioned the recovery maintained by the govt. on certain records. He said the Govt. was “trying to hide the terrorist crimes of Israel against the USA by not cooperating legally and properly with the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the US.
Naveed H, (naveed_chennai@yahoo.com ): Dalit Voice opens the mind, and I don’t know what makes some Muslims to think that it pollutes. Only TV, BBC, CNN and the newspapers pollute our minds day in and day out, victimizing Muslims and abusing them. Muslims subscribe to cable, buy trash magazines like the Filmfare but when it comes to DV they are negligent and have all sorts of excuses. DV speaks the Truth and exposes all conspiracies and frauds in a most daring and unique manner. If some educated Muslims think like this, we can only conclude that education has not produced intellectuals in India but only parrots and academicians who can just reproduce what is taught but cannot analyze. Read India’s Intellectual Desert by V.T. Rajshekar (DSA- 1999). Education has not produced thinkers. Or probably our daily obsession with entertainment before the idiot box has impaired our ability to think and analyze. This is what the ruling class also wants, and it has succeeded in this design. Look at the war they have launched with cable operators (a private business) to make TV reach the masses who are poor.
Mohammed Kottakode, PO Chemmaniyod via Pattikad, Malappuram dt. – 679 325: For Vol.1 of Periyar’s works (Dravidian Book House, No.50 – EVK Sampath Road, Vepery, Madras – 600 007), advertised in the Dalit Voice of Nov.1, 2002, I sent a Rs. 100 money order on Nov.1 for which I received ack. on Nov.8, 2002. I sent a reminder on Jan. 16, 2003, through Dalit Voice to which you replied on Jan.24 through DV enclosing a photocopy purported to be a letter you sent me on 21.11.2002. In this letter of 24/1/2003, you said the book will be ready in a fortnight. I sent a 2nd reminder on July 21 but no reply. The 3rd reminder was sent on Sept.24 asking them to either mail the book or refund the money. It is a year now since they received my MO. Please ask them to refund my money as they have failed to send the book.
- Prakash, TGT (M), Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Chikkajogihalli, Bellary dt. – 583 126: Please find Rs. 250 towards a year’s gift subscription of DV to Pitambar Naik, LEAD, Christian Street, Jeypore, Koraput, Orissa – 764 001 as desired in DV Nov.15, 2003.
Shamsul Arifin, M-91, Abul Fazl Enclave, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi – 110 025: Neither the WMD found in Iraq nor Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. But hundreds of innocent people were massacred in American bombardments and militancy in both the countries and millions of dollars were spent over there, and the problems remained not only unsolved but became more critical. Now the question is not only – where is WMD and where is Osama? But the question is – What will happen now, because the Muslims all over the world have taken these two mad acts of Bush and Blair to attack Afghanistan and Iraq to change regimes of Taliban and Saddam as a war against the entire Muslims? These reckless acts of Bush and Blair have made the entire Muslims of the world take it as a challenge to them and a threat to Islam. And so, Muslims are now bent upon taking revenge on US, Britain as well as the brainchild. Israel, in every possible way, whatsoever the consequences may be, it does not matter for them. The shortsighted and block-headed Bush and Blair could not accurately evaluate and smell the coming dangerous outcome of their reckless actions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Whereas it can apparently be sensed and seen that there is nothing but only blood and tears almost everywhere in the world in the coming days. It seems that the time has come when the US. UK and Israel must pay the dues and face the dire consequences for the hawkish and blood-sucking policies of their devilish imperialism. Now the Muslim masses have not only rejected the hawkish imperialism of the US but also, they have completely gone against their own pro-American rulers. Not only the UN but also the Arab League. OIC and other stooge organizations have no importance at all in the eyes of the real Muslims of the world. These are all now considered by them not only sick and deformed, trash and bullshit, biased and jaundiced but also as anti- Muslims and anti-Islam. And so, they have decided now to decide all about this injustice. inequality and oppression in the battlefield and not on the table, because they seem not to be ready anymore to be fooled in the name of all these biased and deceitful, discriminatory and anti-Muslim laws and norms. The situation is of course highly volatile and dangerous. Now let us find out who are responsible for all this volatility and danger, tears and blood and death and destruction in many parts of the world today and almost everywhere tomorrow. Who provoked the candid and friendly Muslims to come out of their mosques and homes to the battlefields? Who made them know that the time has come to turn over the leaf of Quran to read, know and follow the lessons of jihad and sacrifice? Who made Osama bin Laden. the most loved and most liked man among the Muslims today? And who turned him (Osama) from a simple man into a guardian angel of the Muslims? Evidently it is US, it is Britain, and it is of course Israel who is behind all that. Anyway, now the genie is awoken and so it will certainly devour them all who will come in his way. Muslims say if Bush. Blair and Sharon had no partiality. discrimination and hatred for Muslims and Islam, if they had been a bit open-minded and far-sighted and if they did not have congestion in their heart then they would have studied Quran and then obviously they would have been aware of the teaching of jihad and sacrifice given to the Muslims. And then they would never have made such an awful blunder to provoke the Muslims. But now. As it appears, it is too late for them to accept and admit that they have made it. So. there is no use in their realizing that they got hold of the wrong end of the stick. As a matter of fact, Bush, Blair and Sharon saw only one side of the coin. Of course, masses in Iraq and almost- every Muslim of the world did hated Saddam. But they did not hate him more than they hated Bush, Blair and Sharon. So, it was a wrong assessment of the US, UK and Israel. As far as it is concerned with Osama, it seems it does not make any difference to Muslims now whether he is alive or not. Because as it appears to me that Osama bin Laden remains no more only a man, but it has become like a religious message, a spiritual teaching and almost an Islamic dogma which has spread all over the world and has pierced into the ears of every Muslim of the world. And Muslims have almost taken it now as their moral and religious duty to endorse and follow what Osama says and does. I have heard them calling him (Osama), when shown on TV screen, a hero. a savior and an eliminator of evils. I don’t know how far they > are correct but in this situation how can it be possible for anyone to fight against and finish him? He has really- become an ideal and moral concept for the Muslims. Anyway, now Bush, Blair and Sharon must realize that the WMD or any other nuclear weapons that they assumed to be there in Iraq were in no way so dangerous and deadly as the concept of jihad and self-sacrifice that has prevailed today in the mind of Iraqis and in other Muslims. And for all that decisive concept of jihad and sacrifice prevailed in the mind of Muslims today. every sane and sincere person holds only and only Bush, Blair and Sharon and their hawkish views and anti-Muslim policies directly responsible. Now it is very apparent. One can easily see that the spate of what the anti-Muslims world calls it the Islamic terrorism and “axis of evil” seems to be impossible to stop because the Muslims have taken it as a war between the believers and non-believers, moral and immoral and righteous and unrighteous. And so, they have decided to finish them all or be finished. So secing all that it seems the worst of what is happening around is still to come. Of course, the incident of September 11 was the deadliest and the ugliest one so far. But I am afraid, seeing the rapid growth and unfettered emergence of Islamic insurgency and a strong hatred among the Muslims for US, UK and Israel, something deadlier and uglier can be foreseen that may make us forget the 9/11.
Surender Kumar c/o C.P. Singh, Raj Lok Vihar, New Haridwar, Jawalpur PO, Haridwar dt. – 249 407: – Congratulations to V.T. Rajshekar and M. Gopinath for writing the book, Textbook on Dalit Movement in India (DSA-1994). Even though I don’t know you, by reading your book I like to call you, my brother. I belong to Uttaranchal now under the primary health care diploma training in CRHP. Jamkhed dt., Ahmednagar. I am 30 years old, and this is the first book which I read about Dr. Ambedkar in my life. I wanted to read many books on Dr. Ambedkar, but I did not know from where I could get it. Tell me how I can get more copies of your book on Dalit movement. Do you have its Hindi translation? Tell me something about yourself. What is your profession? How can I be of use to you? My thinking is exactly like yours.
S.R. Talukdar, 92-C. Pocket -1, Mayur Vihar Phase-1. Delhi – 110 091: Dasara is a big festival of the Brahminical people in North India. This festival comes in October. After enacting the drama based on the stories of the Ramayana for nine nights, on the 10th evening they burn the effigies of Ravana. Kumbhakarna and Meghnad. This is in short, the Dasara. I saw this festival for the first time in my thirties. I was born in a Bengal village where this effigy-burning was unknown. People there know the story of Ramayana, but Rama was never worshipped and there was no Rama temple in Bengal. But when I came to Delhi, I was surprised to see this burning of the effigies of the great Indian heroes. So. naturally, many questions arose in my mind. Since then, I was thinking how to give a befitting reply to this revengeful act of the Aryans. Ravana. Kumbhkarna and Meghnad were neither cowards nor traitors. They were rulers in central India. Lanka of Ravana is not the same as today’s Sri Lanka. The archaeologists have said Ravana was a Munda king and his capital was on an island inside a big lake. near Jabalpur. Ravana was a powerful ruler. The Aryan prince, Rama. with his brother Lakshman and wife Sita were illegal entrants to his kingdom. The intruders misbehaved with a member of the royal family. So. to punish Rama. Ravana forcibly captured Sita took her to Lanka and imprisoned her. To show respect to a woman of another royal family, Ravana offered Sita the privilege of becoming his queen. When Sita declined the offer Ravana never applied force or tried to violate her. If we ignore the theories of avatar. leela and such rubbish the story of Sita’s kidnapping becomes as simple as described above. Ultimately there was war and Ravana, Kumbhkarna and Meghnad died as heroes. Rama recovered Sita. What about the characters of Ramayana. Two sets of tests can be conducted: cowardice test and traitor test. The characters to be tested are Rama. Lakshmana, Ravana. Kumbhkarna, Bibhisan, Meghnad. Sugriva and Hanuman.
(1) Rama: Nobody can say that he was a traitor. A traitor is the one who joins hands with the enemies with a view to defeating his own people. Rama never did any such thing. Ravana did not belong to his own race. So, Rama does not fall into the category of traitors. But definitely he was a coward. To kill Vali and Ravana, he did not follow the straightforward methods any valiant person would have done. Only a coward adopts treacherous means. So. Rama was definitely a coward.
(2) Lakshman: He was faithful to his brother and to his people. Neither can he be called treacherous. He was neither a coward nor a traitor, but he was an enemy of the indigenous people.
(3) Ravana, Kumbhkarna and Meghnad: They never adopted any unfair means in the battle. Rama fought for Sita, but Ravana fought for what? Ravana did not fight for Sita as he knew that he will never get her even if he killed Rama. He fought only for his prestige and a king who can give his life and kingdom for the sake of his honour is the best among the heroes. So. Ravana. Kumbhkarna and Meghnad were neither cowards nor traitors. They were far superior to their Aryan enemies.
(4) The rest of the characters are Bibhishan, Sugriva and Hanuman. Can’t they be compared with the Mirzafar of Bengal. Mirzafar conspired with Robert Clive to dethrone Siraj-ud-Daula. After the battle of Plassey, Siraj- ud-Daula got killed and Mirzafar was enthroned. Whether Siraj was good or bad, that is a different issue. But the result of the battle was that ultimately the country went under the rule of East India Company. In the Ramayana also we find that after the killings of Vali, Ravana, Kumbhkarna and Meghnad, Bibhishan got Mandodhari, and the throne of Lanka and Sugriva got Tara and the throne of Kiskindha. But ultimately the country went under Aryan rule. So Bibhishan. Sugriva and Hanuman are not a grain better than the Mirzafar of Indian history. If Mirzafar is called a traitor then why not Bibhishan, Sugriva and Hanuman? In fact, they are worse than Mirzafar. The British have come and gone, and they gave so many good things to India. But the Aryans have remained here to oppress and enslave the indigenous people forever. The people who die a hero’s death should be respected. Memorials should be erected in their honour. The Brahminical society is burning the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkarna and Meghnad not because they were traitors or cowards but because they were the enemies of the Aryan imperialism. Sita’s kidnapping was only an excuse. That problem could have been solved diplomatically also by Rama agreeing to leave Ravana’s country with Sita. Now, what is our duty? Should we silently observe the burning of the effigies of our own great heroes? Few years back our friends in South India tried to burn the effigies of Rama and Lakshman. They were resisted by the government led by a Brahmin woman. I think burning the effigies of Aryan heroes will not be possible before removing the Aryans from the seat of power. I have a suggestion. Let us make a beginning with the burning of effigies of the traitors and cowards like Bibhisan and Sugriva. There may not be much resistance from the Aryans. This has to be started without much publicity. When this custom becomes popular, effigies of other characters may be added one by one. Remember, we must burn the effigies of Prahlad and Chandi also someday. Prahlad helped the Aryans to kill his father Hiranya Kasipu and Chandi, the woman, conspired with the Aryans and killed Mahishashur of Mysore. If we are successful in our programme, it will have double effects. Firstly, we will have cultural separation from our Aryan rulers which is essential. Secondly, the traitors within our society who are strengthening the hands of the Aryans will develop a fear psychosis in their mind. So, let us plan for the inaugural show during next year Dasara.
Brother Talukdar, a good old member of the DV family, has given a good suggestion. In DV too, we had given a similar suggestion on Ramlila twice before. But it did not work. This is because we have no media to propagate our message. Aryans can convert a donkey into a racehorse and vice versa because they own the entire media. We have none. Except Dalit Voice, which itself is limping though 25 years old, we don’t have a single journal with an all-India circulation. Dalits may have justice on their side. And Truth on their side. But how to make the two things known to our own people deceived by the Aryan tricksters? We have raised the subject of “Media Centre” for Dalits umpteen times, but none listened to us. We want Talukdar to answer this question first. Without our own media, we will make no progress – EDITOR.
Ajay Narasu, B1/71 – Sector D, LDA Colony, Kanpur Road, Lucknow – 226 012: As directed by you, we are trying to mobilise as many women members as possible for the forthcoming Lucknow workshop of DV readers. Mrs. Jyoti Sagar and Dr. Sipra Suresh are the two new entrants. We are coordinating with Brother Gama Ram and K.L. Jatav, and other devoted DV members of Lucknow.
Pastor M. Sukumar, Founder & President, Immanuel Prayer House, 71/22 – Rajamangalam, Villivakkam, Madras – 600 049: I am a staunch Christian from my childhood. Ours was a middle-class family with no habit of reading books in our house. During my study till 10 +2 I never studied even textbooks. I studied the Bible. After a year my reading habit increased. I began with small books. Then I wanted to buy more books and read. So, I used all my pocket money on books. One day, I went to Christian Literature Society, Park Town, Madras. I went there to buy Christian literature. I came across your books. I saw your book, Hinduism, Fascism & Gandhism (DSA-1985). After reading it, I like dit but was angry because you criticized Christians. Later, somehow, I wanted to know more about your ideas and bought many more books and subscribed to Dalit Voice. Until I came across your literature, I never bothered about the caste system. Your writings stimulated me like anything. At one stage I wanted to do PhD on the caste system, thanks to your inspiring writings. Some 10 years back I stopped subscribing to DV because I determined to work for Christ more than anything and because you became closer to Muslims than Budhists or Christians. I wrote several letters to you in this case. Now, once again I subscribed to DV because after the BJP Govt. I started facing problems. I want to study DV because you are offering solutions. I bought the book, The Chamar, advertised in DV because I am a Chamar. My forefathers were shoemakers in Andhra Pradesh. Of course, now no one is in the profession. I see my people are at the bottom of society. I always remember them, try to do something for them and always pray for them.
We like Brother Sukumar’s frankness. But we want him to answer our question. He says Christianity liberates the oppressed more than any other religion. If so, why the over 80% of the Dalit Christians within India’s Christian religion continue to remain oppressed within the church which is in the hands of a minority of Syrian and other upper caste Christians? Christianity no doubt is a liberating religion. It has done miracles. But after the “independence” it became the hand-made of the upper caste Christians. Religion in India – whether Christianity, Islam or Sikhism – has been reduced to the level of a dress. The person wearing the dress continues to remain where he was. So, all the indigenous people of India will have to first fight and throw out the Aryan usurpers of the three above liberating religions by joining hands with the other oppressed indigenous people – EDITOR.
Shreenath Jena, Qr. No. 337, RRL Campus, Bhubaneswar – 751 013: Being a DV family member, I was so delighted to hear the news about a DV readers workshop at Bhubaneswar after completing the Lucknow workshop. I am eager to contribute my mite for its success. Your visit to Orissa will eradicate the “intellectual desert” among our Oriya Dalits who have divided themselves into many groups, parties and subcastes. The workshop will help these “educated” Dalits to think of setting up a common platform and work towards a common goal. Orissa has 95% Dalit population. So, Orissa is the best place to launch a strong Dalit movement to end the 56-years-old “Patnaik misrule”.
DV workshop is not a tea-party. It is a strenuous exercise and meant for senior-most members of the DV family. But Brother Shreenath Jena has been with us for just two years. Yet your interest is very much appreciated. Lot of our members from Orissa have been writing to us. Brother P.K. Jena is looking after finalizing the venue. Later we will select the members for the workshop. We have a fairly good number of family members from Orissa. Selecting just 25 out of this huge number is a difficult task. All this will take time. But after completing the Lucknow workshop we will take up the Bhubaneswar one – EDITOR.
Mohindri Sanghamitra, C-256, Govind Puram, Ghaziabad – 201 001: A critical review of any issue “could be done only by one whose critical faculty is operative to adjudge the right meaning of the expression and words therein. I came across a journal called Samtavadi Bharat (Hindi-English quarterly). A crowd of unmatching photographs on its cover page speaks of contradictions. M.K. Gandhi opposed the separate electorate to the Depressed Classes of India tooth and nail and even went to the extent of a fake “fast until death”, his well-known blackmailing tactic (the worst form of violence). Finally, his tactic won, and we lost but he did not die as in past also on many occasions he had won by his deadly violent tactic of fast until death. Other photographs on the cover page like that of Mahavir Swami whose religion to which the doors for the deprived Ones are closed in toto. Vivekananda had nothing of his own. He had shrewdly borrowed a major part of his pseudo philosophy from the Dhammapada (teachings of Budha) but utterly failed in presenting before the mankind.
Kartar Singh, A/73 – CGS. Colony, Bhandup (E), Bombay – 400 042: Supreme Court’s kind attention is drawn to the glaring irregularities – scams and scandals – committed from time to time. Where was the SC then?
- The Mundra scandal took place during Nehru who always ignored corruption and allowed the corruption to flourish.
(2) Daruwala scam took place during Indira’s- time, why her assets were not probed.
(3) President Sanjiva Reddy did not deliberately invite Jagjivan Ram to form the govt. He violated the presidential propriety. Where was the activism of the SC then? Why was his (President’s) assets not probed?
(4) Bofors scandal broke out during Rajiv regime. Where his assets probed?
(5) Hinduja brother’s scam. Where the assets of different people involved probed?
(6) Hawala scam and other scams wherein P.V. Narasimha Rao was involved. Were his assets probed? Harshad Mehta scam. Again, Rao was involved. Chandraswamy scandals.
(7) Huge amounts of money found in the house of Pt. Sukh Ram. Were his assets probed and prosecuted? Tehelka scam. Were the assets probed? Coffin scam: were the assets probed?
(8) Demolition of Babri Masjid: was a prompt action taken? Where was the SC activism?
This is the tip of the iceberg. There are many more scams involving Brahmins and other upper caste people and hence ignored. How come that now from which tomb or womb the SC has risen with a lightning speed to swoop on Mayawati (because she is Dalit ki beti)? The Indian society is plagued with the caste pride and prejudice. When a scratch on the body of a Kashmir Pandit takes place the whole society with the beat of breast cries at the top of its voice – terrorism. Even when five Dalits are murdered nobody bothers. It was treated with contempt when it was announced that the life of a cow is more important than the life of Dalit. Did SC activism come into play? How shamelessly Hindu terrorism (Brahminism) is being perpetrated for ages together? Brahminism is the other name of terrorism. The judges of the high courts and Supreme Court did not fall from heaven. They all came from this very same wretched caste-ridden society. How can they be above caste pride and prejudice? They are born, bred and educated in this wretched caste-based society. Out of the 23 judges of SC, 19 judges are Brahmins whereas out of 330 judges of high courts 304 judges are Brahmin. As such, judiciary is marred by orthodox judges belonging to other castes other than SC/ST whose victimisation is obvious. I, therefore, firmly declare that I have no trust in such an orthodox and biased judiciary. As such cases pertaining to SC/STs must be presented before the international court of law.
R.L. Chandapuri, All-India Backward Classes Federation, Saraswati Bhawan, North Mandiri, Patna – 800 001: I faced serious opposition from Brahminical forces to the Nov.9 function here to which you could not come. The man who had promised me to finance the invitees to the function from other states deserted me. You have my highest regards – for you and your firing pen. Your name and fame are spreading in the nook and corners of the Hindi belt in India. Our book, Second Freedom Struggle, will be a very great help to end Brahmin rule and drive out Arya Brahmins and Brahminism from India and to fulfil/Dr. Ambedkar’s mission. We shall soon invite you for a mass meeting to be held in Gandhi Maidan, Patna, where we shall take momentous decisions. You are great and will remain great for ever by your writings for the Backward Classes and Dalits.
M.C. Gautam, 200/5, Part-VI, Gurgaon – 122 001: I had an opportunity to meet you along with Dr. (Mrs.) K.K. Sidhu at your residence in Vasant Kunj (Delhi) from where you shifted back to Bangalore. I miss you very much and your constant guidance on India’s political, social, religious, economic. systems, all controlled by Brahminism. Since long I have not been able to hear about your good self.
Isa Haque, Vill. Madhupur, PO Hoerah, Hooghly dt. – 712 147: This refers to the article, “Muslim writings in Dalit Voice”, by Yoginder Sikand (DV Nov.1, 2002) based upon the condensed form of the author’s well- researched and well-documented treatise published in the Economic & Political Weekly and Studies in Interreligiuos Dialogue, London. For this, we all owe a gratitude to the author who is an expert in Islam and for his effort to internationalise the cause of the oppressed Indians being championed by Dalit Voice since its inception under the editorship of V.T. Rajshekar, our beloved crusader. Dalit Voice is neither an ordinary paper nor a paper runs by a Muslim. Yet the wide coverage and opportunity it has been giving to the Muslim contributors is unique and unparalleled compared with any paper run by the Muslims. The sole objective of such “Muslim papers” is to cater to their followers and publish only rubbish and rotten stuffs having no relevance in daily life. Blind to the ground realities and the boring issues of Muslim life stirring the whole world, these “Muslim papers” are very much an impediment to radicalise the Muslim mind, a need of the hour, sapping of course the revolutionary “Spirit of Islam” as provided for in the Quran, thereby making the Muslim community subservient only to a few elite Muslim parasites while our religious class is shamelessly quarrelling over the skin of Islam throwing away its juicy flesh. So long as they will be in the lead, we cannot get ourselves rid of the doom – fatal and fateful. All the Muslim writers in DV have their own points. They have sought from their own angles to focus and the deal with the problems of Muslims and Dalits and other marginalised groups. Sikand had studied all aspects of these writings in minutest details and in their own perspective bringing out their salient features with appropriate classifications thereby rendering a commendable service to the oppressed communities, a job which should have been done by one from among our so-called elite Muslims.
Even after the publication of this article under discussion I do not find any reason to believe that our existing leadership will ever change nor its attitude (the dedication of a recent issue of the Radiance to the Dalits and Dality- problems appears to be an exception). With the publication of Huntington thesis defined as “Clash of Civilisations” which is widely known and circulated among the world intelligentsia as the foundation of the global domination of the White western imperialists and the zionist conspiracies against the Muslim world formulated in their hitherto kept secret document – the Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, aptly called the Zionist Arthasastra after the Arthasastra of Kautilya, there seems to be no impact on this leadership – old, senile and decrepit -foisted on us, god knows by whom. When the danger of extinction of Islam looms large with our dare-devil brethren of Palestine, Iraq and other countries targeted by the three religio-political forces – the White Western racists headed by the Angol-US imperialists, the zionists of Israel and the Hindu nazis of our country – are fighting in a struggle for survival and existence, their Muslim leadership of India is still unconcerned, unmoved and unfazed. Instead of giving a call to stand by our fighting heroes, they are only issuing fatwas for Dawah i.e. a call to Islam keeping the Muslim masses quite ignorant of the day-to-day development of the religion-political situations occurring around us. It is high time that we bid good-bye to this leadership. It is now high time to tell it that as you have strayed from the sunnah of our Prophet who placed high priorities on the defence of Islam never wavering to taking part physically in a host of campaigns launched against the enemies, even not sparing the then Roman emperor to whom he shot off a letter demanding civilized behaviour for his subjects, India’s Muslim leadership has lost all credibilities and the faith the Muslims in general reposed on them. Instead, we are in favour of a leadership which is dynamic, courageous, foresighted and pragmatic as also alive to and conscious of the emerging realities at home and abroad – a leadership quite capable of taking the challenge of the enemies, as well as taking us out of the political labyrinth. Such a leadership only can be provided by the subaltern group of Muslims among whom the Muslim writers of DV are the forerunners. By all yardsticks, they have fulfilled every criterion going through the hardest of all tests, the browbeating and the wrath of the Hindu nazis and of the bullies of their own community. To achieve this end is not easy. For this, we all should emphasize on the need not only to radicalise Islam but to revolutionaries it though we all know that Islam as a religion was born of and saturated with a revolutionary spirit. It is no doubt a tough task, a Himalayan task indeed. But we have every hope that our firm conviction, our sincerity, our love for the downtrodden and the underdogs of society who are still in subhuman level, will lead us to achieving this goal. But before that we have yet another task to accomplish: the building up of a rapport with the Dalits and other oppressed for better coordination of our struggle, notwithstanding the fact that there is a strong anti-Dalit sentiment among the Muslims grown out of the recent role the Dalits have played in Muslim massacre in Gujarat. The mistrust and misgivings of the Muslims about this role of Dalits must be allayed with utmost care and the differences existing between communities must be sorted out for the sake of building up of a healthy relation among the oppressed. We know the Dalits in Gujarat have been exploited by the Hindu nazis who used them as a tool against the Muslims. Mass illiteracy, abject poverty, deprivation and false propaganda have tempted them to be easy prey. This -aspect of the issue has to be taken into consideration before arriving at a conclusion. As a driving social force, they have great potential, and their numerical strength is an advantage. If we can make the most of these factors in mobilising them towards cementing the bond among all marginalised communities fighting the BSO, achieving our goal may no longer remain wishful thinking. I ask my Muslim brethren not to be angry with Dalits in general. They should shun all sorts of hostilities, subjective or objective and take note of the fact that as themselves in general are not responsible for or accountable to what their individual rules had done in the past, so also Dalits as a collective body cannot be held responsible for the deed or misdeed of a misguided section. This we should bear in mind if we consider that the alliance with the Dalits is of prime importance at this crucial juncture while an all-out attack against the Muslims has been launched on a scale far wider than what we can conceive. In this connection I would ask Brother Udit Raj to play whatever role the history of our time has assigned to him. He together with other Dalit brothers should strive to bring the misguided section out of the Hindu nazi clutch and initiate them in the teachings of Babasaheb Ambedkar. It is a pity that the Dalits seem to be oblivious about their status and position in this Brahminical Social Order. They are not Hindu as they do not belong to any of the four prescribed varnas but many of them still love to regard them as such, hence all the complexities. They should be taught to think that their emancipation lies not in Hinduism, nor in hindudom, nor even in hindutva which are many names of a single thing, the Brahminical thraldom, rather their freedom lies in breaking their massive structure into pieces and come out of it to establish their separate and independent entity and identity. For this they also need alliance with other depressed and suppressed communities including Muslims, Christians, Budhists and Sikhs. The future belongs to us. For we are the rising sun. People trust us for we speak the voice of dehumanised humanity.
Shivraj Akbari, Manuel Monterio, Merces Vaddy, Fonsha Batt, H.No.105, Santa Cruz, Goa – 403 005: I have two deep imprecisions of my childhood. My brother-in-law was a BAMCEF worker and also a DV family member. Your dynamic intellectual strength (at that time you were writing on Dalits as the Black Untouchables of India and trying to internationalise the Dalit problem) and Kanshi Ram’s dedication were the deep-rooted impression in my mind. I always dreamt of becoming like you and it was my dream to write in DV in English. So, when I read your letter to me, I was simply thrilled. I literally cried after reading your last words: “We need your support”. I have a very limited vocabulary in English that I could not supress my feelings when I first read your letter and your signature on it. Here’s my brief story. I know I am disappointing you: I grew up in a missionary atmosphere. But everything went wrong when I came in contact with Osho books. At the age of 19, I read a lot of Osho books. Hence lost my anger and spirit. I got confused and left home bidding goodbye to my chemical engineering studies. Since then, I am travelling throughout India and have no contact with my home, relatives and my home state, Maharashtra (9 years). Now I am a BSP worker, working with our people at the lowest level. I have no direct contact with any BSP unit. I am a Mahar by caste. Shivraj Akbari (BC Muslim). That is my pseudo name. I have read some of your books during my stay in Calcutta (1997): Dialogue of Bhoodevatas, (2) Why Godse Killed Gandhi, (3) Brahminism – Father of Fascism, Nazism, Racism, (4) Separate Electorate & Separate Settlement, (5) Merit- My Foot. I have written this story for you so that you get my correct picture. After going through it if you think I can support you in any way, I am ever ready. Kanshi Ram said: “he is mad and Babasaheb was also mad”. (July 26, 2003, Kolhapur). I think you are also mad. Because of your madness you wrote to me saying “We need your support”. I cried a lot when I read your saying: “We are the children of Babasaheb”. (Separate Electorate & Separate Settlement). I am preparing myself to support your mission and Kanshi Ram’s dedication. I have no other life than this. Soon I will be fully equipped. I am too small and too immature to answer why I like DV. I only know that you are not just the Editor. I can say that whenever I read DV. I feel myself burning inside. Whenever I read DV. I feel India is burning. Whenever I read DV. I feel I have to sacrifice my whole to save our ancestral land. I am proud of being a Dalit because V.T. Rajshekar is a Dalit – a true Budhist. Please send me: (1) Ambedkarite material written by our Muslim brothers. Send some material relating to Muslims in Hindi or Urdu. Most of my friends don’t know English. (2) Send Hindi DV. (3) your books and (4) the Law of Contradiction.
Dr. Ashok Adhav. MHB Colony, M-36/2521, Yerawada, Pune – 411 006: This is a reply to the Letter of Shivaraj Akbari (DV Sept. 16, 2003, p. 13) in which he has raised some questions on my Letter in DV (July 16. 2003) without mentioning my name. Mahars are born Ambedkarites. Babasaheb asked them to stop carrying dead animals and stop eating beef and carrion in 1927 and they followed his orders. In 1930. Babasaheb asked them to stop doing dirty jobs assigned by Hindus. At that time the Brahmins asked Babasaheb “How Mahars will survive if they stop doing jobs assigned by Hindu religion?” Babasaheb said:
“I will pay you double the amount what we (they) are getting. Would you like to do the jobs?”
They had no answer. In 1956, Babasaheb asked the Untouchables to quit Hinduism and embrace Budhism. And the Mahars followed his orders. Where were the other Untouchable castles at that time? Dr. Ambedkar is in the veins of Mahars. They are ready to die for him. I advise Brother Shivraj to please read Ambedkar charitra once more. It’s better if he reads Khairmode’s 14 volumes. He asks, “Why is there no V.T. Rajshekar among the Maharashtran Ambedkarites?” Shivaraj must note that VTR is a phenomenon that originated from the 90s. In the mid-70s, Raja Dhale wrote an article in the Sadhana owned by socialist group in which he has written “What to do with tricolour? Should it be pushed into the anus of an ass?” The whole of Maharashtra was churned. Everybody had gone against Budhists including Hindu Harijans. The Golpitha of Namdeo Dhassal was just published. He wrote:
“Haansakya Han Tazich Bari. Lokshahce Meli Tari Dengyya Maari”. [Hit oh, my friend hit, it is your turn. (Devgna-penis). If democracy may be dead your penis may not get hurt].
Yeshwant Manohar in his famous book, Utthangumfa wrote:
“Parmatma Amucha Shatru Sarva Kaal Soshitache Bal Hetushiddha. Jalo Tyanche Tond, Waani Howoo Raand. Poshiti Kubhand Aaj Hi Je. Devachya galyacha Hein Me Ghot. Chitarin Path Khetarance … ” (God is our enemy since ages. He has strengthened oppressors and exploiters. Those who follow hypocrisy even today let their mouth be burnt and speech a prostitute. I will strangulate God, and I will beat him up with my shoes.”).
Rao Saheb Kasabe wrote Zot which stripped of the mask of RSS. He was the first to expose most revered person by Hindu organisation in his book, Savarkar Aani Tyancha Hindutvavaad. There are writers like Bahurao Bagul, Daya Pawar, Arjun Dangle, Pe Son Kamble, Pralhad Chandvankar, Gangadhar Pantavane, Parth Polke and so many. The list is too long. The revolutionary flame is burning. We have defeated Brahminical ideology at every corner. As VTR repeatedly writes, ideology and philosophy (or thoughts) can be defeated by better thoughts, better ideology and better philosophy. Maharashtran Budhists have done that job. Mahars especially from Western Maharashtra think that Kanshi Ram is the creation of vaidiks to mar the Dalit movement. There are reasons for it. Kanshi Ram should give the answer:
(1) When the Dalit Panther movement was in full swing, he was not an infant. Why did he not plunge into it?
(2) He started his career from the elite educated reservationwalas.
(3) There was another movement to counter anti-reservation rally in Gujarat by vaidiks. Then the eyes of the Gavai brothers from Vidarbha were removed. What was he doing at that time?
(4) At the time of Riddles in Hinduism there was a straight fight between the Savarnas and Budhists. Bombay witnessed the largest rally. Why did he not participate in it?
(5) Kanshi Ram called the Congress as the original Brahminical party. But the same Kanshi Ram had requested Budhists from Poona to vote for the Congress candidate, Vasant Chavan now in the NCP of Sharad Pawar.
In your Editorial of Aug.1, 2003 (p.5), you have written- “in Maharashtra Kanshi Ram was not allowed to step in being a Chamar”. I do not agree with you. Kanshi Ram is trained in Poona. His first comrades were Mahars. Only Mahars are his followers. But they have got their own yardsticks to call an Untouchable pure or born Ambedkarite
(1) He must be a Budhist and
(2) he should never align or associate with the Brahmana Jati Party or their organisation. Kanshi Ram is yet a Hindu.
He is postponing the dates of conversion from 2000 to 2006. And he had aligned with BJP thrice. How will they call him a born Ambedkarite? You have repeatedly stressed that Indians love their own jati. Then why did the Chamars of Maharashtra not join BSP? Because they are timid. Since last five decades Hindus have entertained them and made them MLAs, MPs and ministers only to oppose Mahars. The two riots of Worli and Chembur were between the Shiv Sena and Ambedkarites. The Mahars are not anti-Chamar. Otherwise, they might have asked for reservation like in Andhra Pradesh. They might «have got the major share. But they did not do so. Who is a true Budhist -Kanshi Ram, VTR, Amartya Sen or ordinary men who embraced Budhism to follow the orders of their saviour and threw away all their ancestral gods? To embrace Budhism along with lakhs of people and with entire caste is a tough task. Only the Mahars did it. Dr. V.B. Kolte has proved that /Vithoba of Pandharpur is nothing but budha. Prof. M.M. Deshmukh who was the first to prove that Brahmin saint Ramdas was a traitor has agreed with this thesis. Saint Chohha Mela, Bhagu Maharin (woman saint) were Mahar saints. Topmost Brahmin classical signers sing their songs. But Budhists (Mahars) are not proud of it. Because Babasaheb has rejected and refused to revere all saints as they were Hindu saints. Sant Ravidas is seen on the posters of BSP. Can we call the chief of BSP a true Budhist? Movement means creating a wave, causing a tornado. There might be RPI – A, B, C, Z but at the time “of the Riddles controversy there was a wave that caused even tall trees to bend. The Marathas have started announcing that they would quit Hinduism. Tribals like Madavi are asserting that they are original Budhists. What has made them talk so? History tells us that Mahars are a martial race. Indian military has a Mahar battalion. Think, why it is named only after the Mahar caste and not after any other Untouchable caste? Mahars are born fighters. They are fighting and they will continue to fight for liberty, equality and fraternity. They don’t bother about defeat. They only know fighting for justice. Because they are born fighters (Ambedkarites).
Surinder Dass Bawa, Guru Ravidas Janam Asthan Public Charitable Trust, Dera Sant Sarwan Dass Ji, VPO Bal, Jalandhar dt. – 144 004: Sant Sarwan Dasji has built a 7-storey Guru Ravidass Janam Asthan Mandir at Govardhanpur, Varanasi (UP) to provide boarding and lodging facilities to the pilgrims. The birthday anniversary of Guru Ravidas will be celebrated at Varanasi on Feb.6,2004. A souvenir on Guru Ravidass is proposed to be released on 6-2-2004. You are requested to attend the function.
M.H.M. Saleem, “Aashiana”, Main Road, Gangolli, Udupi dt. – 576 216: The following three articles in DV of Aug.16, 2003 as part of the Debate, “Who are the enemy of Dalits?”
- “BCs neither shudras nor Hindu” by N.K. Sharma,
(2) “SC/BCs not shudras”, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and
(3) Dalit-Brahmin unity is against science of society” by V.T. Rajshekar
have cleared my confusion about shudras. For the benefit of new members of the DV family and confused old members, it is a good idea to repeat/publish these articles at least once a year. It will save you the trouble of giving clarifications to each and every confused reader. These articles will provide general clarification to all the readers. I donated some of your books to Ambedkar Club, Gangolli. Later, to my dismay I found out that these books are kept under lock and key. Some books I gave it to friends in Bhatkal who did not return them at all. When reminded I was silenced by the following answer: “One who lends a good book is a fool and one who returns a good book is a bigger fool”. I am a Moolbharati member of Bahujan Samaj.
Dr. Nasib C. Digra, Consultant General & Pediatric Surgeon, H-220, Sarwal Colony, Jammu – 180 005:
“The course of plastic surgery in Europe was changed by a nose reconstruction performed in India in March 1793. A bullock cart driver with the British Army was captured by the forces of Tipu Sultan and had his hands and nose cut off. After escaping, he turned to a man of brick-maker’s (Raigar – Chamar) caste, near Poona, to have his face repaired. Two British surgeons witnessed the operation and published a description of it in the Gentleman’s Magazine for 1794. They reported that the anonymous Chamar had used a technique superior to anything they had ever seen.”
The above report is from an English book on medical history by Roy Porter. This account highlights the technical skill of a Dalit who worked as a surgeon par excellence. Raigars are Chamars who work at brick kilns in large numbers in Jammu region also. Where from this Dalit surgeon got his skill of surgery? It is clear from Indian history that by tradition and by sanction of Hindu religious scriptures (Manusmriti, Brahmanas etc.) the Untouchables and sudras were compelled to do jobs which were considered dirty and polluting. One of these jobs was in the field of surgery. However, when this profession became glamrous, respectable and profitable, the savarnas took over it for their material gains. This has also happened in the case of the leather industry which was once the domain of Chamars. In this I shall try to focus on the field of medical science with surgery as regards to the contributions made by our worthy ancestors, the proud Dalit Bahujans and the Chamars and Nais (barbers) in particular. Anybody who has a careful view of the village republics of India shall note that not till recently Chamars and Nais were the traditional surgeons and their wives, the village lady doctors (midwives, dais, gynecologists) conducting deliveries and attending the females of all castes in post- delivery period. Coming from a family of traditional surgeons (Chamars), I have witnessed my grandfather, father and other relatives conducting drainage of abscess (puss collection), doing bloodletting (phlebotomy), application of leeches and cupping to withdraw blood for various illnesses. Various Nais and Chamars are still conducting minor surgeries in various villages and small towns of J&K. One famous barber-surgeon is Kaudda Nai of Akhnoor. Even in developed countries of Europe, till the 19th century traditional surgeries were performed by barber-surgeons. In India, Dalit Bahujans who belong to the labouring class were the originator of medical science because it is by working with mother earth and nature you can get an experience of medical science especially the discoveries of drugs etc. Take the case of Hanuman in the Ramayana who was a tribal (vanara) to bring medicine for Rama and Laxman (Aryans) to save their life. Where were the so-called learned Aryan rishis and vaids at that time? Only Hanuman knew the medicine (sanjivni booti). It is a proven historical fact that the Indus Valley Civilisation was the architectural wonder created by the Dalit Bahujans (SC/ST/BC). Rig Veda, which is the oldest of all four vedas, is nothing but a historical document pertaining to the war between the Aryans (savarnas) and the non-Aryans (Dalit Bahujans). After their defeat in this war, the non-Aryans (Asuras, Raksas, Yaksas, Piscas, Gandharvas, Dasas, Dasyus, Panis etc.) were degraded and enslaved by the Aryans (Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaish etc.). The methods of victory were most often treacherous involving the principle of Arthasastra (Sama, Dana, Bheda, Dand) which can be 5Cs (corruption, co-option, co-operation, coercion, confusion). It is recorded in the Rig Veda that when the Aryans failed in straight fight, they used unethical means like damaging the dams made by the non-Aryans on Indus River causing floods and destruction of Indus settlements. Use of fire (Agni) to burn the non-Aryans was also made on a large scale. It is said that Agni, a non-Aryan god, was bribed with a promise of sacrifice in Rig Veda and then defected to the Aryan side. The conflict between the Aryans and the non-Aryans was great and around 2.5 lakh non-Aryans were killed and many times more injured. Obviously, the casualties of the Aryans must have also been enormous. So, as it looks it was a war between men and men and not between gods (Aryans) and demons (non-Aryans) as it is depicted in a mythological way by Hindus. If a large population of people were killed and wounded, who looked after them as far as medical care was concerned? Ashwins are the most celebrated of the so-called deities in Rig Veda and are next only to Indra, Agni and Soma in terms of their importance. The functions they performed in the Asura empire of Indus Valley Civilization seems to be that of officers who tried to solve some special problems of individuals, besides rescuing those found in precarious_> situations. They are also well versed in medicine and surgery, probably a necessary requirement for their functions as rescuers. Ashwins are called divine physicians and surgeons of beautiful complexion by the Rig Veda. Susruta was the father of Indian surgery. Ancient Indians were the pioneers in field of surgery especially cosmetic (plastic) surgery. No book on Indian history has offered any explanation. But it is possible that the religious sanctions (taken as laws) gave punishments like cutting off limbs nose, ear etc. Since the rulers were Aryans, Dalit Bahujan were mostly the victims. So, it is unlikely that a society which is controlled and ruled by brutal force of casteism will permit their people (Aryans) to act as surgeons. Furthermore, many of the Hindu religious scriptures (Manusmriti etc.) designate surgery as an unclean and polluting profession barring it for dwijas (twice-born castes) and making it a boon for Chandals (an Untouchable caste). Sasruta Smhita is a collection of surgical work known by the name of a great surgeon of India called Susruta. Susruta’s period is not well defined and many historians date him between 5th century BC to 5th century AD. Since no mention of Susruta is found in Budhist texts, it is unlikely that he lived in 5th century BC or near around that period. He must have been there in 5th century AD or just before or after that. If it is so, this period follows when Manusmriti was in full force to be regarded as a Hindu law book. This great surgeon was from the Dalitbahujan caste. In Susruta Smhita he is supposed to be from the race of Vishvamitra, the great Kshatriya sage. But according to Babasaheb Ambedkar, the Kshatriyas of Vishvamitra’s period was defeated by Brahmins and dropped to the 4th varna of Indian caste system as sudras. So, it is possible that Susruta may be of sudra varna. Some of the historians believe that Susruta belonged to race of the Divodasa of Rig Veda. It is also possible that Susruta was a Dasa since Divodasa though, fought along with Aryans, he was basically a Dasa the ancestors of the present-day shudras. This surgeon of magnificent talent invented many instruments and conducted operations which are relevant even today. He is known as the Father of Indian Surgery and the father of plastic surgery world over. He was the one who emphasized that “theory without practice is like a one-winged bird that is incapable of flight.” Jeevak was a great Dalit surgeon. His real name was Kumar Bhratya. He was a contemporary of the Budha. It is astonishing that except for Budhist texts. (including the Buddha & His dhamma by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar) no Hindu text mentions this great surgeon of India. He was a royal physician to Magdha King Ajatshatru. His mother (Salmati) worked as a slave girl in the court of King Bimbisara. Since after birth he was abandoned and thrown in a heap of garbage and then found alive by Prince Abhay Kumar, he was called Jeevak (alive). Prince Abhay Kumar adopted and groomed him. When he grew up, he knew about his gift of life and decided to study medicine and save the lives of others. He graduated in medicine from Taxilla and performed excellent operations on king Bimbasara (fistula in ano). Accountants of Rajgriha (brain tumor), son of an accountant (Sethi) of Rajgriha (malrotation of gut in a 7-year-old child). For these operations he received wide fame and enormous rewards and gifts. King Bimbasara and his son Ajatshatru appointed him as their personal physician with great respect. The operations on child (correction of malrotation of gut) who has intenstines placed in reverse position was performed by Jeevak 2,500 years ago, but it has become a standard procedure only since 1940s in the field of pediatric surgery. It is a sad fact that Jeevak’s great contributions to field of surgery have remained unnoticed in India and world. Budha had got great affection for Jeevak. He was the personal physician to Budha as well to the Sangha. Though Jeevak was a disciple of Budha he was never made a bhikku since he wanted him to be free to attend the ill and the injured. After death of king Bimbasara, Jeevak became the personal physician to his son Ajatshatru. It was Jeevak who brought Ajatshatru to the Budha to repent for his sin of patricide (Bimbisara was killed by his son Ajatshatru). Louis Pasteur: This great scientist of the late 19th century was a tanner’s (Chamar) son born in Paris. His greatest contribution was the discovery of germs (bacteria) as a cause of disease. With his “germ theory of diseases” many processes like fermentation (alcohol, beer, milk) and diseases were discovered in humans and animals (poultry, cattle, pig etc.) The modern process of tannery (of leather) and Pasteurisation (heating and cooling to a particular temperature to kill germs) of milk are the original contributions of this great tanner’s son. He also invented various vaccines for fatal diseases like anthrax (1881) and rabies (1885). Also in 1874, Pasteur suggested that instruments should be boiled to get rid of germs. This method of sterilization is still in vogue world over. Because of lack of literature, it is impossible to find out many contributions of our ancestors in the field of medical science. But corroborative evidence clearly suggests that the contributions may be lot many:
Joseph Lister (an English surgeon) who is called the father of modern antiseptic surgery (without infection) learnt the art of prolonging the life of catgut (a thread used for surgery) by application of chromic acid, from tanners (Chamars) of England who were using this chemical for leather processing.
Chamars use a special instrument called Cobbler’s hook (aar) for suturing shoes. By this they are able to give invisible stitches in the soles of shoes (subcuticular sutures). The same method is used by present-day surgeons to produce neat and clean surgical scars. Recently laparoscopic (surgery without opening of abdomen), surgeons are using aars to fix sutures and meshes inside the abdomen.
At one time during the late 1970s, 90% of the surgical instruments industry in Jalandhar were monopolized by Dalits, especially Chamars. Only the people who know surgery can devise and make surgical instruments.
During the Ramayana war when Rama and Laxman were injured by the great Dalit king Ravana and his son Indrajit (tribals of Raksasa clan), it was the Dalit Hanuman (tribal vanara clan) who was asked to bring the sanjivinibhooti (life-giving herb) from the Himalayas. Being tribal, Hahuman knew the medicine. The great Rishis, who were guides and accompanied Rama, knew nothing of medicine.
Conclusions: Dalitbahujans have made a lot of contributions to the invention and development of medical science in India. Though many aspects of medicine and surgery speak clearly of Dalit heritage, a lot more needs to be researched for, so that the Dalitbahujans are aware and proud of their great ancestors.
- Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar (W&S) – Who were Shudras? Education Dept. Govt, of Maharashtra Press, Nagpur, 1980.
- Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar – Buddha & His Dhamma, Education Dept. Govt, of Maharashtra, Nagpur 1992.
- Shendge Malajit J, The Civilized Demons: The Harappans in Rig Veda, Abhinav Publication, New Delhi, 1997.
- Krishnamurthy K.R., Susruta Samhita, Chaukhambbha Orientalia, Varanasi, 2000.
- Roy Porter, Cambridge Illustrated History of Medicine, Cambridge Univ. Press, New Delhi, 2000.
- Briggs G.W., Chamars, Low Price Publications, Delhi, 1997.
- Viyogi Naval, Indus Valley Civilization (Hindi), Prajapati Prakashanm Brailey, UP, 1995.
- Vidrohi M.R., Dalitdastavej (Hindi), Dalit Sahitya Academy Publishers, New Delhi, 1989.
- Dua Veena, Arya Samaj Movement in Punjab Politics, Picus books, New Delhi, 1999.
