Randy Taylor, 647-East 56th Street, Los Angeles, Calif – 9001, USA: I have heard a lot about your struggle from a number of lecturers given by Brother Runoko Rashidi, your American representative, and Brother Dr. Velu Annamalai-of the International Dalit Support Group which I support. I want to read more books on M.K. Gandhi after reading the Seargent-Major M.K. Gandhi by Dr. Velu Annamalai (DSA, 1995) and your DALIT – The Black Untouchables of India, (Clarity Press, 1995). I am an importer of books and hence most interested in importing Dalit literature to East Africa and where such knowledge is needed. Please let me know how I can order more books on the Truth about Racist Gandhi and the struggle of Dalits.
Dr. Laxmi N. Berwa, 7700-Old Branch Avenue, Suite C-101, Clinton, Maryland – 20735, USA: Two Dalit protest marches were held to discuss (1) desecration of the statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and (2) police firing to Kili Dalits in various parts of India and (3) the Aug. 15 as a day of mourning and not of celebration for Dalits. The last protest was staged at Indian Ambassador, Naresh Chandra’s residence on McComb Street, Washington, DC. We also protested his evening reception at the Omni-Shoreham Hotel. These protests were organised by all organisations of Dalit of North America and Canada. While proposing a day of mourning for Dalits, I have written an “Open Letter” to Dalits of the world.
P.P. Laxman, 11-Fort George Hill, Suite 9G, New York, NY-10040: As the Secretary-General of Indian Buddhist Association, USA, I have addressed a letter to Dr. S.P. Gaikwad, chairman, People’s Education Society, Anand Bhavan, Dr. D.N. Road, Bombay – 23 on the five-acre land donated by the Maharaja of Mysore to Dr. Ambedkar in 1954 to set up a seminary to train Buddhist monks there. To ascertain the status of this land, 1 had earlier written to the Editor of Dalit Voice, in Bangalore. The exchange of notes between me and the Editor were published in DV April 16, 1995. At our request, Dr. Suresh T. Bhambra, Human Rights Commissioner, Suffolk County, New York, discussed this subject with Dr. Gaikwad in Bombay in June. Although the Editor’s assessment and Dr. Gaikwad’s version differ in details, the impression that we get is the same, namely the five-acre plot is not being used for the purpose for which it was donated and specifically in- tended by Dr. Ambedkar for starting a Buddhist semi- nary. About one acre from that plot was still lying vacant. Will our friends in Bangalore who are in the know of things enlighten me ?
N.K. Sonar, C-27, ONGC Colony, Agartala – 799 014: Khushwant Singh in the Telegraph (July 21, 1897) has tried to malign Babasaheb Ambedkar. The statues of Dr. Ambedkar are many more compared to the statues of M.K. Gandhi. The statues of Dr. Ambedkar are installed by the people from their hard-earned money to show their love and regard towards the Father of – India while Gandhi’s statues are installed at govt. expenses. Singh should analyse what Gandhi has done to the Untouchables by going on his fast-unto-death against the “Communal Award”. He says Dr. Ambedkar’s influence is confined to the Mahar’s of Maharashtra. How then that Dr. Ambedkar’s statues are more than that of any other leader throughout the length and breadth of the country? Singh has joined hands with the Punjabi Brahmin, Arun Shourie, in maligning Babasaheb. This proves that nazi elements among upper castes would like to banish Dr. Ambedkar I altogether from our historical consciousness. But they must note that they are trying to break the waves of an agitated sea with the help of a coconut and banana leaf. Dr. Ambedkar had said, “the Hindu intellect has ceased to grow and the Hindu civilization and culture has become a stagnant and stinking pool. This dogma must be destroyed root and branch if India is to progress.” Dr. Ambedkar took the task of removing L these evils of Hindu religion knowing fully well what risk it involved and succeeded in stirring the masses.
Dr. V.K. Muthu, Ambattur R.S., Din Digul Anna dt. TN – 624 309: This is my reply to Arun Shourie’s book, Worshipping False Gods. It was written with the sole purpose of maligning a great genius who tirelessly worked for the liberation of the people of India. It is a vilification campaign against Dr. Ambedkar done deliberately to incite and instigate hatred among non-Vaidik’s at a time when the non-Vaidik’s have started joining Dalits to fight the upper caste divisive forces. Such canards spread by Arun Shourie, a Vaidik, cannot fool the enlightened society of modern India. His hatred against Dalits spills over every page of his book. It also can be easily surmised that such a book has been brought out at the instigation of the divisive forces whose aim is to destabilise the consolidation of all non-Vaidiks so that they can fish in troubled waters. The main divisive force in our country is the BJP, RSS, Shiv Sena combine which is a party of mainly Vaidik’s. It is necessary to analyse the basic characteristics of the Vaidik’s to make people understand the reason behind this slander campaign against the Father of India. The Vaidik’s were the invaders of this land according to history. As aliens, the feeling of alienation has not disappeared from their minds still and as a result they suffer from a sense of insecurity. In this respect, they resemble the Muhajirs (the migrants) of Karachi who are not able to shed their feeling of alienation even after a long period of occupation. The behaviour and conduct of the Vaidik’s amply illustrate that they were invaders of this land. The quality of grab- bling everything for themselves unmindful of the others and their inability to feel one with the rest of the population and develop roots in this land are the best examples for their feeling of insecurity and alienation. And this is best demonstrated by the fact that they are the first people to migrate to any greener pastures. The migrant Indians in foreign countries like the US and UK are mainly Vaidiks. It is pertinent to emphasize that these people migrate not because of any ideology of internationalism born-out of enlightenment but mainly to enrich their personal lives. So, it is not unexpected that these people show no sense of responsibility for the country in which they enjoyed the fruits of others, that they lack obligation to the society without the help of which they could not have even dreamt of their academic and other pursuits. Com-punction, compassion and humanism are absent in their dictionaries. The Vaidik’s created cleavages among people and induced them to fight among themselves, making use of the confusion that ensued, they flourished. This has been their strategy wherever they settled. The concept of Hindu gods and their great powers to affect and change human lives were the tricks played by the Vaidiks on the innocent masses. But now their design has been almost exposed and their Hindu gods have been debunked due to enlightenment. So, the Vaidik Hindu gods are the “false gods” which have made people sycophants and superstitious. These Hindu gods have done immense harm to the country by way of preventing our people from thinking rationally and, therefore, leaving many of the human mistakes and problems uncorrected. The Vaidik food habits-are also different from that of the others. Intake of raw rice and high level of dhals and consumption of ghee in preference to vegetable oil may make them prone for deficiencies of B group vitamins like thiamine, niacin and essential fatty acids all need- ed for proper development and functioning of brain and other nervous tissues. The deficiency may not be overt and frank: but relative and subclinical. So, it is probable that there may be some organic cause also besides their sense of alienation for their unnatural behaviour. The extreme selfish nature and indifferent attitude towards the other fellow-men may be due to the kind of brain chemistry they may have caused by ” 4 their wrong dietary practices. The Vaidik opinion that they have the best brains by citing their ability to score high. Marks in exams cannot be accepted because it only proves that their brains are capable of only rote learning but not intellectual analysis. But the Vaidik’s have brainwashed others to believe that this stereo- type learning (memorising ability) is “meritorious perfomance”. Had they possessed the intellectual capacity they would not have created castes based on birth which became the bane of Indian society causing serious problems for the development of the country. Where is our standing in the international scene in respect of any field, be it scientific discovery or! sports? This is mainly because of lack of opportunity’ to millions whose genetic potentials were not tapped due to discriminatory practices. The Vaidik’s are the most materialistic lot. They proclaim spiritually in all their preachings and writings but in reality, they show more interest in amassing wealth and enjoying all the comforts of scientific development. Their great love for education is not because of their quest for knowledge but only for cornering all the coveted positions. While they have no interest in other creative and productive endeavour’s, their craze for making use of the facilities created by others is found to be great. The Vaidik’s today are a frustrated lot. Arun Shourie is no exception to this tendency. When they see the Sudras becoming their masters, they get enraged. In a land where once they were the crowned rulers, they are getting sidelined now. When they find that they can no longer take a lion’s share of everything, they go mad. Recent political developments also have added fuel to the fire. In spite of being the single largest party, the Vaidik party (BJP) could not form the govt. in Delhi. It was because the non-Vaidik’s are getting enlightened. When all sections of non-Vaidik’s are joining in the fight against the divisive forces, why Arun Shourie has chosen to turn his tirade only against Dr. Ambedkar? This again may be the design to break the unity of the Backwards and Scheduled Castes. So, it is evident that the Vaidik’s are in urgent need of introspection of what they have been doing all these years which resulted in the present plight. Their designs to break the unity of all non-Vaidik’s, as they have been doing in the past, will not succeed any more in the changed scenario. Let them learn the lesson that they have to coexist with the rest of the population by sharing the resources equally in a scientific manner. They cannot dream of getting a lion’s share of everything for them depriving the millions of their legitimate needs. They also must modify their dietary habits to consume a balanced diet to correct the probable organic defects in their brain. This is not to suggest that they must become meat-eaters. Even continuing their Voegelinian diets, they can draw all the nutrients by Hanging their dietary practices.
B.K Ghatak, G-1320, C.R. Park, New Delhi – 110 019: On Nov. 12, 1930 in London, Babasaheb Ambedkar said while addressing the Round Table Conference, that he was placing the viewpoint of unearth of the total population of British India – a populator as large as that of England or France – which was ducked to a position worse than that of a serf or a slave. He then declared to the surprise of delegates that the Untouchables in India were also for replacing {he existing British Govt. by a govt. of the people, for the people and by the people. He said this change in the attitude of the Untouchables to British rule in India might come as a surprise and a momentous phenomenon. And justifying his stand, he said raising his voice and a glow in his eyes:
“When we compare our present position with the one which it was our lot to bear in Indian society of pre- British days, we find that, instead of marching on, we are marking time. Before the British, we were in the loathsome condition due to our untouchability. Has the British Government done anything to remove it? Before the British, we could not draw water from the village well. Has the British Government secured us the right to the well? Before the British we could not enter the temple? Can we enter now? Before the British, we were denied entry into the police force. Does the British Government admit us into the force? Before the British, we were not allowed to serve in the military? Is that career now open to us? To none of these questions can we give an affirmative answer. Our wrongs have remained as-open sores and they have not been righted, although 150 years of British rule have rolled away.”
He added: The British Govt. had the legal powers to remove these evils, it did not amend the existing code of social and economic life, because it was afraid that its intervention would give rise to resistance. He therefore declared:
“We must have a government in which men in power, knowing where obedience will end and resistance will begin, will not be afraid to amend the social and economic code of life which the dictates of justice and expediency so urgently call for.”
Dr. Ambedkar upheld the demand for Dominion Status, but expressed doubts as to whether the Depressed Classes would be heir to it unless the political machinery was changed. Hence, he asserted:
“We feel nobody can remove our grievances as well as we can, and we cannot remove them unless we get political powers in our hands. I -am afraid the Depressed Classes have waited too long for time to work its miracle”.
He said: “he could not estrange the British government by siding with Gandhi who was not prepared to concede anything to the Depressed Classes”. He said ” confess I have my quarrel with the caste Hindus over some points, but I take a vow before you that I shall lay down my life in defence of our land.” I do not think anything more is required to understand Dr. seitan Ambedkar’s love for India and its independence from the British rule.
S.K. Biswas, New Delhi: Ours is a land of gods and goddesses, devatas and devis. Is there any devil or in the Brahminical literature? In the Vedas? In the Upanishads? in the Puranas? Nay, there is none. The concept of devil is an imported one. Christianity and Islam are the source of Seitan. The Seitan actually committed no crime. He was not involved in any scam; he did not rape any girl or anybody’s wife (as Indra). He never looted anybody’s wealth (as the Bhudev Atas looted the Shudra property). He never burnt down any body’s hut or house. His simple of- fence was to inspire ignorant people to get themselves educated, knowing self vis-a-vis the surrounding. The Seitan was such a great revolutionary reformer, like Bucha engaged in enlightening the suffering ignorant. He was a labour leader like Karl Marx of his days. A mention has been made of 33 crores of Devatas (gods) in the ancient Brahminical literature. Those gods and goddesses seem to be all barren and impotent. Population of mankind has multiplied in a geometric proportion. But the number of devatas has not increased. Shiva who is regarded as the god of potency and of most powerful phallus had two sons only. Neither the number of his family nor his tribe increased. Some of the gods were Brahma, Vishnu, Rama, Krishna, Cow, Hanuman, Kali, Durga, Juggernaut etc., Be careful, they are not false gods. These are all real gods. There are gods of another type among the Hindus, who consider that the best way for recreation is the process of procreation. They did not even hesitate to transform their temples, religious places as institutes of sex activities, a brothel. It became a den of devadasis and devadasis who performed a panoramic “devil’s dance”” even before Swami Vivekananda. That is why Karl Marx termed Hindustan as “at once a religion of sensualist exuberance, and a religion of self-torturing ascetics, a religion of the Lingam and of Juggernauts, the religion of monk and of (devadasi) Bayadere.” These Brahmin Bhudev Atas who are visible are, according to the Vedas, are the real gods. They multiply, control and resist the social phenomenon and advent of any or every Satinwood might or could have taught: “Producers of India Educate, Unite, Fight, you have nothing to lose but your chains”. Eventually when our country got polluted with the unclean touch of the beef-eating Europeans, the English rulers, there was born a Devil, a Devil more powerful than all the previous demons. This Devil was called Bhim Rao Ramji Ambedkar. He subdued all the tricky and scrupulously unscrupulous tycoons of Bhudev Atas, the real gods and their God, called the Brahma. He further gave the satanic call: “Educate, Agitate, Organise” and revolt against the Manu wad. He exposed in a crystal-clear manner that the real gods were not at all our gods. He advised: “Do not worship these false gods, convert yourself to any other religion and ensure your self-respect”. Dr. Bhim Rao Ramji Ambedkar was branded as Bhi masur, Devil, Danav etc. It is nothing surprising. He was a Devil in the eye of the Bhudev Atas because he enlightened his Untouchable people. He told his people in bondage that instead of enjoying their slavery they must start a self-respect movement and transform this antagonistic Brahminical system. He advised them not to worship these “real gods” who forced their forefathers to accept the suzerainty of these Aryan gods who were not only foreign but antagonistic to them. Thus, the Devil gave the slaves the fruits of strength from the tree of wisdom to eat. And the liberated and resurrected human personality in the Dalit-Bahujan called him Father (Babasaheb) and started to desert the real gods and Bhudev Atas of the Hindu society. The rejuvenated strength of the Untouchables rightly started to worship their own god, Babasaheb, the Devil, the deliverer Seitan, the Masiha. They are no more ready to worship the real gods who banished them into the exile of the blinding dark- ness of dehumanized disdain. Where gods are contemptuous, the Devil is the answer. When the gods were the feudal Lords, the Devils became the deliverer. The Hindus have created another set of gods who are also famous as “nationalists and freedom fighters” like Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Bala Gangadhar Tilak, Ramakrishna (Chattopadhyay) Paramahansa Deva, Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Mohan Das Karamchand Gandhi, M.N. Roy, Netaji Subas Bose, S.A. Dange etc. The Bhudev Atas are shocked to note that today our “nation”, instead of worshipping these real gods of Bhudev Atas has taken wrong path to deify the Devil, a false, rather no-god (Shudras and Untouchable cannot be a god) Dr. Ambedkar. His statues and idols in street corners and sacred places are out numbering the total idols of other real gods. The real gods have become helpless today. Because, it is not the tribes of the real gods but the slave castes, the Dalit-Bahujan who are installing the idols of their Babasaheb, the greatest of the Seitan’s by spending their money that was earned by selling their sweat.
The Dalit-Bahujan in their blackened skin parched in the scorching sun of the working-places, observe, in’ a state of bliss, his birth anniversary, with utmost devotion. The Bhudevatas consider Babasaheb as the stooge of the foreign ruler, the British. He did not join the “nationalist freedom fight”. They make propaganda that the Bhudevatas fought against the British rule and earned freedom of India. Let us examine these aspect of history as to how far the Devatas and Bhudevatas were opposed to the foreign rule. What was the role of Dr. Ambedkar in the battle of liberty of his moth- Erland? The East India Company made all the territorial conquests from the Battle of Palace in Bengal in 1757, to the battle of Korean in Maharashtra in 1808, with the help of the army composed of the Untouchables. Around 80% of the British army that fought the Battle of Palace was composed of Dusadi of Bihar and the Chandaks of Bengal. The Brahmin-sponsored Muslim rule in India came under real attack. Neither group cooperated with the new invader, the East India Company, in any manner. The Iowa caste and the outcaste were the only people left for their services. In Maharashtra, the British army was composed of Mahar’s. This gave rise to a new situation, hitherto unknown in Indian society. The Brahmins realised the danger of shifting of power centre to the hands of Untouchable destitutes under the protective umbrella of the Company. The Company brought forth the dangerous revolution by providing the most sophisticated arms, the best military training of those days, the decent job of military dept. and education (compulsory for defence) to the people who were kept in abject servitude by denying access to these powerful agents of social mobility. Those who were thrown out of the socialization process that changes the social animal into human being by imposing untouchability were brought into the campus of human family. The band of the real gods gave nothing to the servile castes of India that they can attain human personality. What the real gods snatched away from the Dalit-Bahujan was given by the new-gods, the British. The Untouchables became partners of the ruling family. Their forward march began. Realising the gravity and its far-reaching impact, the Bhudevatas also decided to join this foreign power immediately, at any cost. The real gods started defecting the Muslim camp and managed to get an oracle from their god, Lord Jagannath, in the temple of Puri to make the Company a trustee of the temple to run the administration in 1803. In the very first year, the Company collected Rs. 35,00,000 from the temple business. The Bhudevatas entered the European camp in a jubilant triumph adopting their old tricks of corrupting the opponent. The Devatas and Bhudevi’s united front performed well. it was not Lord Juggernaut alone. All the Hindu gods and goddess- es. instead of resisting the advancing Europeans, vied with each other to welcome the foreign yoke and to become the stooges of the foreign power. The British army, after winning each battle, used to offer puja to the Kali temples and Hanuman temples of Calcutta (Kalighat) and at other places. Those Christians won all battles with the blessings of all these real gods. The East India Company regularly organised and guarded the Hindu temple functions and earned taxes. There was a strong nexus between the real gods and the English rulers. In 1803, Lord Wellesley instructed his commanding officer who took charge of Puri:
*On your arrival of Jagannath, you will employ every possible precaution to preserve the respect due to the pagoda, and to the religious prejudices of the Brahman and pilgrims. You will furnish the Brahmins with such guards as shall afford perfect security to their persons, rites and ceremonials and to the sanctity of the religious edifices, and you will strictly enjoin those under your command to observe your orders on this important subject, with utmost degree of accuracy and vigilance.”
The Muslims being betrayed by the Brahmins quickly realised the strength and merit of the Untouchables whom they, at the behest of the Brahmins, considered worthiness creature. So, they started proselytizing the Untouchables to Islam and because of this the number of the Muslim population swelled since then. On these real gods got furious with the Muslims and this was the beginning of the Hindu-Muslim hatred. Many have levelled the charge of treason against the Untouchables for this act of helping the British t0 conquer India. But this act of serving the Nordic Aryan race was virtually the beginning of the end of their servitude in the hands of the real gods of foreign stock of Brahmin Aryans. The blood that the Untouchables shed in the battlefields, after thousands of years interval, proved to be their struggle for liberty. The Untouchables who fought in the Battle of Palace did not fight just for the British, it was a battle for their own liberation too. Because of their institutionalized help- lessness, they serpentine position to go for straight fight with their enemy. They needed external assistance and they got it from the British. The son of the Subedar-Major Ramji Sakpal, Dr. Bhim Rao Ramji Ambedkar, was the child of the Battle of Palace. He was the culmination of the process that started in 1757 in the battlefield in Bengal. Indeed, Dr. Ambedkar, Kanchi Ram, Mayawati etc, who are engaged in this battle of social transformation, are the children of the Battle of Palace. Dr. Ambedkar himself gave answer to this serious allegation:
“Treason or no treason, this act of the Untouchables was quite natural. History abounds with illustrations showing how one section of people in a country have shown sympathy with the invader, in the hope that the new comer will release them from the oppression of their countrymen.”
(Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar’s W&S, Vol.12 p.88).
If this act of Untouchables was a treason, then Subhash Chandra Bose who invaded India, bombed Calcutta and aggressed the boundary of Indian territory with an army of Nazi Germany was definitely a traitor of our country. Whatever may be the case of Netaji and his company, the Untouchables did not indulge in treason by joining the British army. Even Karl Marx has very rightly assessed the historical significance of the incident of the Untouchable’s joining the British-army.
“The native army, organized and trained by the British drill sergeant, was the sine qua non of Indian salt emancipation, and of India ceasing to be the prey of the first intruders, the press, introduced for the first time into Asiatic society and managed principally by the common offspring of Hindu and Euro- pean, is a new and powerful agent of reconstruction”. (Selected Correspondence, Vol.1, p. 493).
We can see that the impact of English education in bringing forth India’s- social reconstruction has been given second position to the impact of the formation of Indian army with the Untouchables of India. This army personnel of low castes got extraordinary opportunity of exposure and self-respect, self-realization and above all building up of their ego. It is interesting that Marx got the point that this gaining strength of military power by the Indians not only will liberate from European bondage but it will also overpower the first foreign intruders, that is the Arya Devatas, because the army men belonged to the aboriginal Indians. They will eventually unchain themselves from all bondage, ancient or modern. With the advent of capitalist mode of production, though in a limited sphere, this reconstruction of Indian society or social transformation al- ready started, in the process catalyst was the Untouchable army. Elite class, the real gods, rose in action to defend their citadel. Prince Dwarakanath Thakur, grandfather of Rabindra Nath Tagore formed the Bengal Land Lord Association in 1838, George Thomson established the British India Society in 1839. These two organisations merged and became “The British India Association” after the death of Dwarakanath, in 1851. All the Rajas, Maharajas and the Brahmin Bhudevatas were the office-bearers of these Associations. These real gods played a tremendous role in suppressing the First War of Independence that was storied by the native Santhals of Eastern India. The Santhal Revolution called “Hoof’ started on June 30, 1853. Even before the Manifesto of the Communist Party came out the native Indians gave a call, “Long live Revolution”. A call was given by the low caste people and the Adivasis to establish the rule of the Indians by the Indians and for the Indians. The British army suppressed the effort with the help of Brahmins, and the list of traitors who supported the British reveals the names of many Brahmin Bhudev Atas, the real gods of India. It became an era of British-Brahmin exploitation. All these associations upheld the colonial rule of the Company and their-all-out exploitation, only because the Company supported all Hindu religious functions of rituals, which were nothing – but engine of oppressions under the absolute control of the Brahmins and because the British authority gave a modern structure of casteism in the form of permanent settlement of zamindari (permanent brahmin-hood), declaring unalterable martial race or non-martial race (Kshatriya) and notified criminal races (by Shudra-or criminal) etc. Even the Brahmins organised revolt in the army (Sepoy Mutiny) to protest the British policy to recruit the Untouchables in the Army. As a consequence, the Dusadi, Mahar’s and Bengali Paltan, who won so many battles in favour of the Company, were declared non-martial. But the democratic and constitutional struggle of the servile classes continued. This struggle got much headway in Punjab, Maharashtra and Bengal. The Indian National Congress was established by a British bureaucrat under the leadership of W.C. Banerjee and S.N. Banerjee, the “seditious Brahmins” and “disloyal Brahman babus”. They were not only British stooges but they were the Aryan brothers in India. In the first ten years there were five European Presidents of the Congress Par- ty. All the nationalists (why to single out) and the so- called freedom fighters strongly propagated that the British were their blood brothers of Nordic race and upheld. the British raj. It was these real gods of nationalist movements who, on the other hand called the native Indians, Dravid etc. a different race. Bankim and Vivekananda struggled to establish British Raj. Thus, when the British rulers decided to transfer power in the hands of Indians and to maintain their erst- while colony-market through the Indian agents, the Untouchables demanded their constitutional rights and share in administering. And their genius leader, Dr. Ambedkar, was completely aware of the historic situation. So, in many an occasion he has helplessly expressed his prudent anguish. In 1935, at a big meeting of the Untouchables at Parel, Bombay, Dr. Ambedkar showered high praises for the British rule and he was gracious enough to concede that it was true that foreign rule was not a matter for pride or satisfaction to any nation, but he contended that some- times a calamity could be a blessing in disguise and added: “The conquest of India by the British from the point of view of depressed classes was a blessing”. (Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Source Material, p.130). The decision to resist the collection of the tax was a logical sequel to them. On Aug.18, 1941 at the Sinner Conference, he called upon the Mahar, Mang and Ventia Watada’s of Maharashtra to resist by every means the collection of the additional taxes levied on Watan lands. Here he once again disclosed:
“During my entire public career, I have remained consistently loyal to the British Government on India”, said Dr. Ambedkar-in the course of his Presidential address. “l have been loyal to the British because the… Depressed Classes, surrounded by enemies on all sides, could not fight on all the fronts at the same time. 1, therefore, decided to fight the 2,000-year-old tyranny and oppression of the caste Hindus to secure social equality for Depressed Classes before everything else. I have directed for these many years bitter and virulent attacks on the Hindu society and its numerous evils, but I can assure you that I shall direct attacks a hundred-fold more bitter, more virulent, more deadly… against the British than I have ever done against the Hindus if my loyalty is going to be exploited for crushing my own people and taking away from them the last dry bone from which they draw their barest sustenance. I want to tell the British authorities that their rule over this province is due to-us, that it was the Mahar regiments that destroyed the Pesewa rule and established British Raj in this province.
(Ambedkar’s Source Material, p.234).
The point is so obvious and practical, a natural process that it does not require any further explanations to expose its clarity. Not only Dr. Ambedkar but all his previous Untouchable fighters took the same course of relying on the English or any other religious groups -other than the Brahmins for getting justice and fair play. It was not just a support to the powerful rulers; it was more an opposition to the tyrant real gods. it was virtually a crusade started by the “False Gods” against the hegemony of the real gods. That is why we see that in 1935, Ravindra Nath Tagore wrote a lengthy article asking the reason why there was a rift in the relationship among sections of Hindus? Why the Nama Shudras, the Chandaks joined hands with the Muslim peasantry in the recent big riot between the Hindus and the Muslims? Hindus were severely beaten up as the Nama Shudras, the bravest community of Bengal, sided with the poor Muslims. This was no superficial cause. There are fundamental reasons for the native Indians to support the British Raj which brought multi-dimensional relief for them by introducing the rule of law in place of the Manu-laws. That is why in 1946 Dr. Ambedkar, very correctly, appealed in the same language to the British Raj, “Let not ty- rants have freedom to enslave”. (What Congress and Gandhi had done to the Untouchables). He considered that sanctioning political power in the hands of the microscopic minority group, the tyrant Brahmins, will be the most unfortunate and detrimental for the Dalit-Bahujan. Those tyrants will once again launch their lethal assault on the Shudras, impose untouchability and enslave the native Indians. And in this world of misery of the heartless real gods, the Brahmin Bhudevatas were the pampered privileged few, they composed around three percent of the total population of the society. They cornered and grabbed all the fruits of this land of natural bounty with the help of a band of killers or butchers called Kshatriyas. The resultant other end of this torture-chamber was the Dalit- Bahujan society who were burdened with the entire weight of the ruling real gods. Dr. Ambedkar was born at the bottom of the strata and thereby was the worst sufferer. The suffering was not out of the system failure, but it was a systematic suffering arising out of disgustingly inhuman social, rather economic structure, invented and upheld by the real gods (Brahmin Bhudev Atas), the “hereditary division of labour”, the caste system. When Marx, not himself being sufferer of this real-godly-system, even preferred the colonial rule of the British for India, then how can the cham- pion fighter, the Untouchable Mahar who was crushed by the system and was fighting for liberating his motherland from the foreign yoke of the first intruders and bring forth equality of opportunity for the suffering native community, the Untouchable and touchable Shudras, who were mercilessly discriminated at the hands of the first intruders, the Arya devatas remain far from supporting the liberator, the British rule who played the role of a catalyst in the process? Will any member of the Dalit-Bahujan Samaj refuse to worship the False-God, in case that false god, that Devil is Dr. B.R. Ambedkar ?
Dr. M.K. Mohan Das, Kerala Dalit Medical Assn., Trivandrum: in Kerala, an agitation is going on by the Kerala State Kars haka Toshiaki Union (KSKTU) against the conversion of paddy fields to other purposes. KSKTU is exclusively reserved for the Harijan stooges in the Marxist Party (CPM). When it is ruling Kerala, why this agitation? The CPM Govt. can take necessary action against any conversion of paddy field. But the CPM is utilising its Dalit stooges for the political gains of its upper caste party leaders. “Harijan comrades” believe that “revolution” means in- crease in the daily wages and Kars haka Thos’ll pension. These communists have betrayed our people, Dalits, through “land reforms”. This agitation is also a betrayal. What Dalits in Kerala need is land. Dalit brothers should identify this problem. Land should be given to the Dalits, those who work on the land.
Dr. R.C. Jalloh, Professor and Head of the Psychiatry Dept., G.B. Pant Hospital, New Delhi – 2: The theme of the entire book of Arun Shourie is to prove that Dr. Ambedkar was a supporter of the British Govt. as against the upper caste-led freedom movement. He opposed the Indian nationalists especially M.K. Gandhi and took up the cause of Dalits for personal gains like securing a seat in Viceroy’s Council as a member. Page after page Shourie has harped on the same tune distorting and misconstruing the statements made by Dr. Ambedkar. The book with 19 chapters -and over 600 pages can be condensed to merely a couple of hundred pages if unnecessary repetitions are avoided. Shourie’s Worshipping False Gods indeed conveys the message that we must worship only the “True Gods”, which ones? Indra, who became lover of luxuries and sex? Or Krishna, having endless stories of love-making with the milk-maids, seeing them naked after hiding their clothes while they took bath in a river? Or Rama who discarded his pregnant wife due to his own psychopathology and abandoned her in the forests at the mercy of wild animals?
P. Thangaraj, 2/15-Mogappari East, Madras – 50: In DV, Aug.1, ’97 issue, it is reported on p.21 that “6 Devendra’s were hacked to death in Lavalava, Melur taluk, Madurai dt., on June 30, 1997”. Please correct the mistake. It was not the Devendra’s who were killed. All the victims were Pariahs (Adi Dravidars). If the Devendra Kula Vellalar’s (DKV) had been killed in such a way, there would have been a terrible retaliation. At least 12 Thevar’s might have been slaughtered. The DKVs who rank third in the caste-wise population of TN (first Vanier, second Pariah) have determined to meet any challenge from the Thevar’s (a collection of about nine subcastes who come forth in caste-wise population). Even in the Muthu Kuladhar riot (1957) the victims were mostly Thevar’s. In fact, the Thevar’s are now very much afraid of the DKV and, therefore, they get full support from the Naidu’s, Red- dis and Rajus – all Telugu-speaking castes. I will send an article on caste clashes in TN since 1828 in which year the upper cloth riot broke out in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Angad Nag, O/O the Sr. DAG(WA), Orissa, Puri – 752002: I was never so happy when I heard you speaking on July 13, 1997 at the Rabindra Mandap, Bhubaneswar. Every word of your speech made every drop of my blood boil. I am unfortunate as I have not seen our saviour, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. But when I saw you at the Rabindra Mandap, I felt as if I was seeing Babasaheb in you. Every word that you uttered came from your heart and was precious for Dalits but most dangerous to the BSO. That is why they (BSO) scrupulously watch every word and step of yours. I missed the chance to meet you personally and introduce myself to you. This was because I thought that I should give the chance to others to meet you and talk to you in my place. I got worried as I heard from you that you were already 65. I have made four new subscribers from Puri.
Manzoor Gopalan, Surabhi, Kanak Kary PO, Kottayam, Kerala – 686 632: This has ref. to the reports on Laloo Prasad Yadav by “Our Correspondent” and S.B. Kolpe (DV Aug. 1 ’97). Since Laloo Prasad Yadav had fought the Brahminical Social Order and its upper caste bureaucracy in Bihar, the Brahminical media became his enemies. The Hindu nazi party, BJP, is his enemy because he had prevented L.K. Advani’s Rath Yatra. The fodder scam case was hoisted by his Hindu enemies. The Fodder Scam case has been going on since 1977 long before Laloo took charges as CM in 1989. Top administrators including the heads of Animal Husbandry Dept. in collusion with the upper caste bureaucracy had withdrawn large sums to money from the treasury submitting false vouchers made “ for purchase of fodder. This is the truth but how to know all this as our “Brahmin Press” is hiding it?
L.K. Madawi, 6-Beejalinagar, Sadar, Nagpur – 440 001: This is in continuation of our report (DV June 1, 1997) on the Third International Conference of the International Alliance of Indigenous Tribal Peoples of the Tropical Forests held here from March 3 to 8. A Black leader, Alfred lierne, from Africa, was the brain behind this conference at Nagpur, which is the heart- land of Tribals of Central India. Some upper caste sections in the Govt. of India are opposed to the term indigenous and they denied the permission to hold the conference but at the last minute the permission was given orally. The Govt. of India also gave us lot of trouble. The External Affairs Ministry did not grant visa o many delegates. India has the largest number of indigenous populations after the African Continent. Why was Nagpur chosen because in no other part of the world live such miserable and poverty-stricken indigenous people as in India. Violation of their human rights occur daily in this land. They are ridiculed as Vinyasa, Garjan, Saputra and even Jangle etc. They are denied even water, land. Though they live in forest, they can’t enjoy its natural resources. This international conference was arranged at Nagpur to highlight the wanton neglect of the indigenous Indians by a govt. which talks of socialism and all that nonsense. (1) After the “independence”, the Constitution renamed the indigenous people as “Scheduled Tribes” (ST) – a term that is vicious and detrimental to the existence and the right of self-determination. The term questions their origin, religion, language, tradition, culture and life-styles. ST is a political terminology that questions their right to exist and fight for their self-determination. The upper caste Indian administration hesitated to grant permission to this conference because of this reason. (2) All other countries of the world have notified the indigenous status for the Tribals residing in their respective region. By this, they are bound by the Draft Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations. All cases of violation of human rights in those countries are monitored and watched by the UN. The Govt. of India, on the other hand, has not defined the Adivasi as indigenous people. So much so, the Adivasi life has become miserable: murder, extra-judicial killings, rape, inhuman treatment and malnutrition. Such atrocities are never noticed or recorded at the international level. The upper castes in the govt. feared if the UN was allowed to record such atrocities, the socialist image of the govt. would be destroyed. (3) it also feared the conference would mount international pressure on the govt., the question of indigenous status the Tribals of India. (4) The govt. fear was that if international bodies were to support the Tribals of India, they might then demand the right to self-determination. (5) The year 1993 was declared as the “Inter- national Indigenous People’s Year” and it was celebrated all over the world. During this year, an Indian delegation made a false statement before the UN that India had no indigenous peoples at all India. The govt. fear was that the Nagpur conference would expose all these falsehoods. (6) If the Tribals of India are to be admitted as the indigenous people of India, then the Aryans (Hindu) would automatically become for- signers. The Govt. of India did not want to create this Aryan-non-Aryan problem which was already bothering them so much. Because the Brahmin (Aryans) interests would be directly affected by such an admission. If the Tribal are defined as indigenous and if they demand their own rights which are denied to them by the outsiders (Brahmins) then a struggle would automatically follow between the locals and invaders. The simple Tribals are children of nature. The entire land s theirs. Tribals get natural rights over all the objects of nature. With their knowledge and experience, they have been practising and using all medicinal proper- Hies of almost all varieties of plants, trees, and herbs since time immemorial. Popularly known, peepal, Tulsi. neem and salai go to make their native medicine. But, now, this natural privilege is being snatched away from them due to the introduction of the “Patent Law”. Is this not an attack on their cultural heritage? All the Ayurvedic laboratories and institutions are the result of their discoveries and inventions. Who does not know the claim made by Ramar Pillai for his ability to generate petrol from herbs and plants of a particular kind? In the Yamal dt., there is a village, Aegaeon, under Zarilamid taluka, wherein are found such lush green plants and small trees whose twigs and leaves, all green, burn inflammably like match sticks. The Nagpur conference discussed all these issues. Dr. Rev. E.G. Rutaba, Professor of Anthropology from Uganda, said that there was much similarity between the fracas and Indian Tribals. Both have no hair on their chest, have similar blood-cell, and, therefore, belong to the same genetic circuit and race. Elwin Verrier, a noted authority on Indian Tribals, had once recommended to the British Govt. in India that the Tribals ‘should be segregated from the “more civilized and advanced people” of human society. His suggestion gave rise to the concept of “National Park”. These Parks were set up in Tribal areas. But it attracted the attention of brokers and middle-men, who ultimately turned out to be the exploiters. Foreign tourists have been invited to watch these primitive men by making them pay in dollars which naturally went to the pockets of Hindus, the enemies of Tribals. On the theory of “Kill the tribes and build the nation®, a representative of Red Indians, Antonio Gonzales questioned the _American Govt’s. authority to preach human rights. “The Red Indians of the North America were the first to face the radiation effects of the atomic bombs in the world. You are wrong to think, the Japanese in the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki faced the devastation created by the atomic bombs first”, he said. In Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, the Maharashtra Govt. has cancelled the backlog of Tribal vacancies for the posts of police constables, under special drive of recruitment and posted the newly-recruited Tribal in Naxal-infected areas so that they are killed by Naxals. The indigenous people of India have not been included in the Draft-Declaration of Human Rights of the UN because of India’s anti-Tribal policy. Recently in Gachibowli dt. of Maharashtra, the police attacked Edka Atram, a Tribal, and tried to murder him in the police station. Even a case was not registered as in Indian police are excluded from the violation of hu- man rights. Even the military is excluded from such offences. Adivasi people (Tribals) should have been defined in the Constitution as the indigenous people. It is a mockery that about 1,200 castes and subcastes, which are not indigenous are pressing the Govt. of India to be included in the ST list. The Nagpur conference called upon the Indian Govt. to recognise the Adivasis as indigenous people in the spirit of the “Draft Declaration of the Rights of the Indigenous People”, under consideration of the UN. The issue of the definition of the Adivasis was placed before the conference by Dr. Ram Dayal Munda and L.K. Madawi. But top Adivasi leaders and the intellectuals residing in Nagpur were silent on this serious demand of Tribals.
Dr. M.M. Kothari, Retd. Head, Dept. of Philosophy, Jodhpurs University, 87-Ajit Colony, Jodhpur – 242 001: In DV (July 16, ’97 p.19). S. Krishna has brought to light a generally unnoticed yet a very significant aspect of the newspapers in India. Among the leading newspapers, only the Hindu acknowledges the books received for review and also reviews some in its Tuesday editions. But many of the other “national” dailies have almost abolished their “Book Review” sections and do not acknowledge the hundreds of books which they continue to receive from the authors/ publishers. S. Krishna cites a recent example. The copies of the book Merit, My Foot, by V.T. Rajshekar, Editor, Dalit Voice, had been sent 10 all these “national” dailies and periodical for review. But none cared to even to acknowledge the book, not to speak of reviewing it. However, by chance this book caught the attention of some Judges of the Supreme Court of India who extensively quoted from this book in their historic judgment of March 21, 1997, while dealing with the upper caste “merit” criterion which, ever since Manu, unjustly deprived equality of opportunity to the have-nots of India. It is clear from Krishna’s Letter that the highest judicial court of India brought wide publicity to our editor’s book which the Brahminical editors and journalists treated as unworthy of even acknowledgement. A somewhat similar fate met my book, Re- flections During Emergency (1977). Though ignored by this very press, my book caught the attention of the then Chief Justice of India who said:
“To think that a non-lawyer can write such a thought- provoking book is to say a great deal. I am sure your book will be read with interest by the common people of India…”
The book got its due in the judicial circles of India, but the Editors of “national” toilet papers devoured the couples of this book. Some editors do not keep the record of books received by them for reviews. Even on inquiry they refuse to confirm the delivery. However, one gentle assistant editor of a leading English daily, after a careful search of his records, informed me that no such books were received by his office. But when I produced the postal acknowledgement of the same signed by the receiving authority under the official seal of that newspaper, he was in a predicament, but did not have the ordinary courtesy to offer apology for the loss of these books from their office. Later I sent a complaint to the Press Commission of India against that newspaper. The members of the Commission went through the whole correspondence and also personally heard me but did not give a fitting reply to the editor of that leading “national” newspaper which was connected with the devotees of a leading “national” Mahatma of India. S. Krishna deserves thanks for raising the issue by highlighting the manner in which hundreds of books worth thousands of ‘ rupees sent to those editors remain unrecorded, un- acknowledged and even disappear from their offices. The editors should keep proper record of the books received for review, exhibit ordinary courtesy of one- line acknowledgement on a post-card or through their acknowledgement columns. Further, if they do not con- sider it worthies of review, they should inform the send- er about their inability to review it. This is necessary to retain public confidence in the integrity and efficiency of their office.
Dr. A. Puvizhimainthan, 13/11-Vetrilaikar Street, Koyamutthoor, Coimbatore – 641 908: This has ref. to the Editor’s signed article, “Hinduised, militarised Thevars used to crush Tamil Dalits” (DV Aug. 16, ’97 p.8). Readers of DV are requested to read Vol. 5 of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Writings & Speeches Vol. 5 (p. 118) where he has reproduced a 1952 report by one Swami Anand Thirtha on the Thevar atrocities on Untouchables. That means Babasaheb Ambedkar had noticed the criminal activities of these Hindus as long as 1952: “At Lavalava, when I went to a tea shop with two Harijan boys, a group of people threatened to assault me and drove away the boys. A glass tumbler was wantonly broken by the tea shopkeeper and they all demanded that I must pay for it on penalty of being thrashed. I however took shelter in an elementary school nearby and the crowd disappeared only on the intervention of the President of the Panchayat board. (Lavalava was re-enacted in 1997 by the Thevar’s by murdering Panchayat President Murugesan and five others at the same place on June 30, ¥ 1997 in daylight in a running bus. The only crime com- mitted by the Adi-Dravida’s /Pariahs was that Murugesan become the head of village administration through a democratic election in accordance with the laws of the land). At Kalevala, the Dalits take water from a dirty pond in which men bathe and castile are washed. When go to a Public Noorani (protected water tank) they are abused and threatened by the Thevar’s. There is a police station at Kalevala, but the police here are indifferent to the plight of Dalits. In Actinula, the Thevar’s (a former criminal tribe now listed under Backward Castes) put human shit into public when they fail to physically obstruct the Dalits from taking water from it. In Triangulum, the Thevar’s destroyed the paddy seedlings of Dalits in Govt. lands. And when the Dalits approached the Panchayat, no action was taken by the police. In Theravada, when Dalits took water from the Noorani, Thevar’s assaulted a pregnant Dalit woman and broke her pot as well. The culprit was convicted by the magistrate but fined of merely Rs. 15. In Kiribati, the Dalits are not allowed to take dead bodies along public roads and they are also not permitted to ride cycles. A case filed by a Dalit obstructed from riding a cycle is pending before at Melur court… At Thickthorn, when the Dalit sat attended a public meeting, stones were thrown at them till they left the place. At Navin Patti, two miles from Melur, the village Munsif himself took objection to Dalits wearing a decent dress on a festival day and made two Dalit youths to remove their shirts and up- per cloth. A most painful oppression was noticed in at Manku Lam, 10 miles away from Madurai city. Two Dalit youths were denied admission to a tea shop. When they complained to the police one was tied to a pillar and mercilessly beaten up by a Thevar boy under instructions from Hindus. Another Dalit was assaulted with a knife by a servant of the village Munsif. Social boycotted followed. And they were put to starvation for two days. Recently, two Dalits and myself were attacked by Thevar’s and beaten for having bathed in tank and entering a hotel. Sixteen persons including the village Munsif were charged by the police for rioting. Though the Dalits are denied entry to public Chava dies in the villages in Tamil Nadu, they are tried by these very Chava dies and punished. Innocent Dalits are summoned to this charade and tried like slaves. They are subjected to merciless beating and torture with a view to strike terror in them and to demonstrate the absolute power of the Thevar’s. Public whipping, imposition of heavy fines and confiscation of their properties on failure to pay the same, foisting of false cases, economic boycott by denying labour and withholding wages, social ostracism by prohibiting their entry to social functions and religious ceremonies, denial of water by preventing access to tanks and wells, denial old provisions by banning sale of articles to them in the village shops etc. – these are common in South Tamil Nadu. It is our general experience that when the Dalits make bold attempts to assert their funda- mental rights Hindus summon them to the charade and persecute them in one form or other. The police normally support the Hindus. At Jallianwala, Punjab, the atrocities were committed by foreign bureaucrats on men and women who had assembled a gathering. Here in Tamil Nadu atrocities are being committed by our own villagers on Dalits”.
Dr. N. Suresh, Cochin – 1: There is a move to put up a statue of M.K. Gandhi by the Kochi Municipal Corporation. (1) Gandhi was the Enemy No.1 of Dalits as he had opposed the separate electorate proposed by Dr. Ambedkar. By this, he denied the Dalits a historical opportunity to get liberated from Hindus. (2) Gandhi was awarded the prestigious Kaiser-I-Hind Award by the British Govt. for the participation in the war along with British, against the Zulu Black Tribal community of South Africa in 1914. (3) He insulted Dalits by calling them Harijans, meaning bastards. For these rea- sons, I vehemently protest, as a Dalit against the move to put up the statue of a racist, anti-Dalit fellow.
Haber C/o Sujata Ranger. B-15/118-Binaki Mangal Wari, Nagpur: On July 11 last, ten innocent Dalits including two women and a boy were killed in the police firing in Bombay. The story of this burning episode will not be complete without understanding the Dalit anger against their own Dalit leaders, like Jogendra Kawada, Ganar in Nagpur, Ramdas Athawale and R.S. Gawain in Amaravti. In Nagpur, angry Dalits abused Kawada and Ganar very badly. If they both would have not run away from the spot, the angry mob would have lynched them. in Bombay, Athawale faced the same fate. Though Gawain escaped, Athawale was beaten up very badly.
Naushad Ansari, Bangalore: A journal from Delhi, News from India (July 7, 1997) has disclosed that the Hindu nazi Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is secretly trying to construct a Hindu temple on the site where the once destroyed Babri Masjid stood.
S. Haq, Patna: Brahmachari Atal Bihari Vajpayee remained Prime Minister for just 13 days. He did not do any commendable job even for his own jetways. Still every Aryan Manu wadi considers him as “great PM” and every toilet paper describes him as great leader. His celibacy/dress/speech style etc are loved by them. Mulayam Singh Yadav was the only leader who warned Vajpayee that he would expose the secrets of his celibacy on July 27, ’96. Hindutva fellows would love to hear about Nehru-Edwina love affairs with great interest but when the Vajpayee-Kaul affairs are dis- cussed they get furious. These humbugs must be exposed.
Isa Haq, Madhupur, Hoe rah, Hooghly – 712 147: Bihar Chief Minister, Laloo Prasad Yadav has shown to the whole world how hard a nut he is. So far, he has repulsed all the attacks coming from Hindu nazis. ‘Apparently, Laloo has been following a set of principles, morality, ethics and values – quite different from others. To him, so it seems, the abstract qualities of man under a bourgeois society is relative that it is variable in relation to classes in existing society. What is good to a class may not be so to another. This is a question of angle of vision in a class-ridden or rather caste-ridden society. Laloo has his own angle and for this he cannot be blamed too much. As a man of indomitable will and courage, the way he has been fighting almost single-handedly against all odds will not fail to earn for him an admiration.
Dr. M. Ejaz Ali, National Convenor, All-India Backward Muslim Morcha, Bhakta Pahari, Patna – 800 006: The Dalit movement has attained full maturity. K.R. Narayanan, a Dalit, has become our president, top-most post of India. The Dalit Voice has become the only voice of Dalit constantly shouting against the exploitation of this section. Today, I am placing a case in the court of Dalit Voice. Muslims also had their share as President of India. But it is unfortunate that no oppressed Muslim has become Presidents of India. Dr. Zakir Hussain, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmad Khan, Hidayat- Ullah were all upper caste Muslims and show boys. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was the Union Education Minister and the result was that 75% of the Muslim community is still illiterate. Chief Justice Ahmadi was a Qadiani and the Muslim world do not consider Qadim-anis as Muslims. They have rather been declared as “kafir'” throughout world.
Alex Joseph, Satya Nilayam, No.81 -Lattice Rd., Madras – 600 041: It was the Editor of DV who conferred the title of “Black Bishop” on Rev. A.M. Azariah, the Church of South India (CSI) Bishop of Madras. You had even written an Editorial on him (DV Sept.1, 1994: “Black Bishop Azariah must walk out with Dalits if upper caste Christians fail to accept our 10-point ultimatum”), in which you had repeated your demand for “Media Project”. Any way, it was DV which made the Black Bishop world famous. Then, why did you suddenly dump him? it is over a year since I read anything about the “Black Bishop”. Christian circle in Madras are wondering about the sudden silence of DV on the Black Bishop. Is it because he did not com- ply with the DV demand to revolt against the “Jati … church”?
