Athri Srinivas, Madras: Congratulations on your very brilliant editorial on Aryan strategies and tactics. DV has been cautioning the indigenous Indians (SC/ST/ BCs and minorities) to realise the superiority of Aryan strategies of enslavement. Ethics has no place in formulation of their strategies. (DV edit Feb.1 92: ‘Brahminism defeats us because of its deadly strategies and tactics”). For Aryans, religion is meant only for winning worldly goods. When the Bangalore papatti announced a grand brahminical revival scheme to establish a vedic institute, her intention was to save Hinduism and never to provide social justice for the persecuted Dalits. When her proposal met with stiff opposition from the Dravidians, she adopted the time-tested Aryan strategy of stoop to conquer by softening her stand now so that she can cheat later. It is like getting a job producing a false degree certificate. To take the fire out of the Dravidian opposition, she has agreed to admit Dalits also to the proposed institute. Later she will come out with excuses.
R. Arul, Dr. Ambedkar Study Circle,Chidambaram, TN: With ref. to Sampath Welcome (DV Feb. 1, p.13) letter, he said a TN SC boy (Pallar) was murdered by a BC student (Thevar) and this led to clash between the two communities. This is the real problem facing TN. Some Thevar leaders follow the Bangalore papatti and become slaves of the BSO. The Meenakshipuram mass conversion of Untouchables to Islam was because of Thevar violence. Some Vanniyar (BCs) leaders also follow the papatti because they think that they are Kshatriyas and part of the Hindu caste system and that Untouchables are polluted. But our new rising sun, Dr. Ramadoss, has called the bluff of the hinduised Vanniyars by saying that Vanniyars and Dalits are brothers. Vanniyars are not Kshatriyas. They are Dravidians. They are also Nagas. They are the children of this soil
Lt.Col. Gulcharan Singh (Retd), 196-R, Model Town, Jalandhar city: This has reference to V.T. Rajshekar’s article, “Reservation meant to elevate, empower a group but not an individual” (DV Dec. 16, 91). The anti-Mandal agitation involving loss of human life and considerable damage to public property was started by Brahmins and Vaishya (Bania), two of the four Hindu varnas who have for centuries been controlling the country’s administration, economy etc. In the process they have denied these facilities to the sudras as well as to the Scheduled Castes and tribes. For the past some time efforts are being made to liberate these oppressed classes. The Mandal Commission Report is a step in this direction. The danger of losing some plums they enjoyed incited them to violence.
M. Gopinath, Gen. Sec ., Karnataka Samata Sainik Dal, Bangalore: This is with ref. to the debate on the word “Dalit” and the “Nagas”. N.K. Sharma and M.M. Sao may be right in telling ‘Dalit’ is a hated Hindu word. And it may be also the right word to identify our people as ‘Nagas’. In fact that process has began among our SSD people. But we as organisers cannot be so flexible as these two thinkers and scholars. Sharma says that we are creating confusion by using the word Dalit. But if we heed his suggestion, we will be creating much more unwarranted confusions. In our ideological buildup, we have to be cautious and rigidily-flexible. According to Sharma, Karnataka’s Holiyars may be the only Buddhists and Mahadeshwara is also a Holiyar-Buddhist. But today’s Madigas think that Malemadeshwar was their man. We must accept their claim and convince them that they were also Buddhists. Lingayats are already trying to confuse the Madigas instigating them against Buddhism and Holiyars by declaring that Madigars were Shaivites and not Buddhists. Theoretically, we may be very sound and correct. But in practice, it may prove disastrous. Thinkers and scholars have every right to criticise us. But we who are in the field know our practical difficulties in wading through the flood of brahminical thoughts in which our people are virtually drowned.
K.A.P. Viswanathan, Tiruchy, TN: Under the auspices of the Tiruchi branch of the Anjumane Taraqi-e-Urdu, an Urdu conference here on Dec.21 was inaugurated by me. Urdu seems to be the language of Muslims. But in reality it is the youngest, sweetest and most widely spoken language throughout India by all people, irrespective of their religious affiliations. It originated in India 400 years ago and it is indeed an Indian tongue. I find millions of people speaking Urdu in TN. Tamils, despite their ancient language, have accomodated Urdu and nourished it. The noble ideals of Tamils abound in Urdu. So, I venture to say that Hinduism is not the religion of Tamils but Islam is. Onre Kulam (the mankind is one), Oruvane Devan (god is one), Yadum Oore (the world belongs to all), Yavarum Kelir (all are brothers). These lofty ideals are in vogue from time immemorial and they are meant for unifying the mankind. But Hinduism, which is based on the baneful caste system and casteism always strives to divide the people and sets one section against the other. When I look to Islam, the long-cherished ideals of Tamils are found in that religion and they are also put into practice. Therefore, I wish to state, without any hesitation that Hinduism is not the religion of Tamils but Islam is. In Dalit Sahitya Academy’s book, Salvation to Shudra Slavery, written by Periyar (translated to English from Tamil by Prof. A.M. Dharmalingam), Periyar has recommended Islam for the Shudras of TN to get rid of their slavery caused by Hinduism. The book in English is out of print. for long and needs to be reprinted.
Mouni Ramachandran, Bangalore: I hear that L.K. Advani has said somewhere that his nazi party is bent upon creating a “Hindu nation” even if it is as small as their favourite Israel. If this is true then your contention that the Hindu nazis are bent upon driving out Sikhs, Kashmiris, Tamils and retain just the Aryavarta (cow belt) is correct. Will somebody confirm this statement?
Tariq Ali, Pune: After reading your shocking editorial on “Muslim scholars” (DV, Feb. 16 1992), I was reminded of an up and coming Muslim organisation called WORK (World Organisation of Religion and Knowledge) based in Delhi which is “trying for Muslim- Hindu inter-religious dialogue by borrowing the best in the Vedas”. Will your readers in North probe the motives behind this WORK and expose it? If brahminism/Aryanism/Hinduism is the original home of racism, how can Islam, which is the deadliest enemy of racism, can have any dialogue with sanctified racism? I want more information on this WORK. Since all other Muslim organisations and journals have failed to take up such unpleasant work only you are capable of doing this.
B.K. Ghatak, G-1320, C.R. Park, New Delhi-19: The nearly 50-year-old Jharkhand movement in South Bihar has been mishandled and now threatens to snowball into a larger crisis. Recently, the All- Jharkhand Student’s Union leader, Suraj Singh Besra, asserted that the only way to attract New Delhi’s attention was violence. This proves that frustration is getting the better of the tribal leaders. Some forces are always trying to use the divide and rule policy. A mood of militancy and violence is perceptible. Talks of launching a ‘bloody war’ is in the air. They are preparing for a show-down with the brahminical rule.
Kudali Trimurtalu, Kadikana, AP: On hearing about the murder of Anusuri Venkata Ramana of Pedapudi village by a 200-strong Khamma mob while in police custody, we reached Kakinada on Dec. 13 for a spot study. The two-room station has no security for prisoners or the police if the prisoners revolt. The police have no weapon. Even the SI has no revolver. So the police dept. bosses are to be directly blamed for this lapse. Chundru Satyanarayana, a Khamma, had illicit intimacy with the wife of the deceased. Three years back his wife had died and he was charged with murdering her. However, he was acquitted by the court. Ramana wanted to take revenge against Satyanarayana for putting him to all this misery. So Ramana attacked him and later surrendered to the police. On Dec. 9, the Khamma people hatched a conspiracy to kill him. They caught hold of the ASI and attacked Venkata Ramana who was dragged out and killed.
