Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, 1091 – Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 802, Washington DC 20006: India practices the worst form of racism in the world. Laws are in the book only; human rights are ignored. Self-determination 1 and equality are the most basic human rights. Congratulations to Dalits, Kashmiris for pressing equality and freedom issues in Durban. The Black Untouchables of India who are considered the lowest caste as per Hinduism are the most oppressed people in the world. Over 52,000 Sikh political prisoners are rotting in Indian jails without charge or trial. Many have been in illegal custody since 1984. Over 50,000 Sikhs have been arrested, tortured, and murdered by the Indian police and security forces, then declared “unidentified” and secretly cremated. India security forces have murdered over 2,50,000, Sikhs since 1984, according to figures reported in The Politics of Genocide by Inderjit Singh Jaijee.
Jamaaluddin al-Haidar, 1415 – Greens Parkway Apt. #118, Houston, Texas 77067, USA: I am almost embarrassed to admit that while I have lived and worked (teaching at the Islamic school) in a predominantly Desi community for 6 years, never have I heard any mention of the Dalit. You can imagine how intrigued I was when I stumbled across your book while doing a web search on Br. Kly. I teach middle and high school science at Darul-Agram North Zone Campus here in Houston, Texas, USA. I want my students, (especially high school grades) to be exposed to the Islamic movements from around the Muslim world as well as the status of the Muslim minorities, so I tend to close the textbooks on a regular basis and discuss issues that they should concern themselves along with becoming a doctor, engineer or computer information systems specialist. [ am a 39-year-old single father raising only child but currently engaged to marry soon. I am ” active in weekly dawah on the college campuses in my area. I am the former editor and publisher of al-Bayan a monthly Islamic newspaper. Although we have suspended publishing Al-Bayan 1 have put up a temporary personal website that contains some information on my Millah/man haj, my articles and articles of others featured in past issues of al-Bayan. See my site “Between the Lines” http//home.swhbell.net/jhaidar.
Samiullah Malik, on behalf of Al-Ansar, this is our reply to “Little Ghalib”. Al-Ansaar is not a political party. Articulating a vision does not require members, it requires intellectual vigour. Brigadier Usman Khalid is perhaps the most prolific writer on national issues who is mobilising support for carrying forward the vision of Allama Igbal and Chaudhry Rehmat Ali. If he is a nutter, Pakistan needs many more like him. Chaudhry Rehmat Ali launched his vision for Pakistan from the UK – from the stimulating luxury of Cambridge. He did not even have a computer. “That Al-Ansaar has upset secularist opponents of Pakistan, those who do not have the courage to reveal their identity, those who work against Pakistan and Islamic solidarity, shows that our work is hitting its target and hurting
- Balu, “Sowrabha”, 11- 113-5/7, Kodical, Ashok Nagar, Mangalore – 575 006: ‘Tam very happy to inform DV readers world-wide that I have admitted a very poor but brilliant Dalit girl last year for BE in electronics and this year two other- girls one for BE computer science and other for 1st year PUC (PCMB). Altogether I have been taking educational care of three girls and two boys for the last four years. I am sending this message to inspire my other Dalit brothers who are benefited by reservations. I am doing this as a moral obligation (community service) as a beneficiary of reservation and as a follower of Babasaheb Ambedkar. I spend 10% of my annual income for this cause.
Mrs. Manjeet Kaur, E-190, Ranjit Avenue, Amritsar, I Punjab: The Indian Express (IE), Chandigarh, has damaged public image of the great Sikh philosopher- statesman, late Sardar Kapur Singh, and refused to publish my rejoinders. It even disobeyed the Press Council of India’s instructions to publish the rejoinders. “The “Persecuted Nationalities Denied Human Rights” whose only organ is Dalit Voice should expose this treachery of the “national” toilet paper. I shall soon file a case in civil court if justice is not done and rejoinders not published. Mrs. Kiranjot Kaur’s letter to SGPC published in the IE (Aug.7) was hasty, devoid of truth and the work of a bad student who had not done her homework. Before writing the ‘letter, she should have read her own grandfather, Master Tara Singh’s confessional editorial in the Jathedar (a Punjabi daily run by him) dated Oct.11, 1962. In the editorial he ‘admits that during 1947 when the British and the Muslim League tried to reach an agreement with the Sikhs then, he was the biggest hurdle. She should have also read her mother’s article titled, “Jinnah and Punjab partition”, published in an English daily from Chandigarh (not IE) of May 9, 1998. She writes:
“Mr. Jinnah was anxious to win over the Akalis, therefore, he offered certain positive proposals. Jinnah was prepared to concede a semi-autonomous Sikh state within the political boundaries of Pakistan”.
If today the Sikhs are on the verge of extinction, it is mainly because of the political blunder of her grandfather. Before 1947, the different community leaders were M.K. Gandhi, Nehru, Jinnah, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Tara Singh. Except Tara Singh, all others had Western education and were all law graduates. it was only the Sikhs who could not achieve anything because of their “stupid and emotional” (Lord Wavell) leadership. People get the leader they deserve. It is this anguish late Sardar Kapur Singh had expressed in his enlarged book, Sachi Sakhi (1979). Every author has a right to enlarge his earlier version of book with new and more facts and details. The SGPC published it in 1993 largely due to the efforts of the then secretary, Harinder Singh Khalsa, and again in 1996. Sachi Sakhi published in 1993 is a photocopy of the 1979 version and the 1996 publication was freshly composed with changes in page numbers. No material contents have been changed in this version. The SGPC had authorised this publication. The famous Sikh historian, Dr. Ganda Sirigh, had authenticated the thesis presented by Kapur Singh. The 1972 version of Sachi Sakhi was reviewed by Dr. Attar Singh (Journal of Sikh Studies Vol.1, Feb.1974) in which he says:
“The four basic principles of the Sikh socio-political faith are formulated by Bhai Sahib Sirdar Kapur Singh as under: –
(I) There is basic identity between the Islamic-or Semitic spirit and the Aryan Spirit.:
(II) That the Islamic religious laws and the Hindu caste system do not partake of this identical spirit. They ‘operate in a manner derogatory to it.
(III) That the basic requirement for sane social order is not a unicentral society, as both Hindus and Muslims believe, but a multi-central society (iv) That the strength and firmness of a state depend not upon a unicentral society but a free, full and real cooperation between its citizens and various social units’.
So, there is no truth in Mrs. Kirnjot Kaur’s allegations of deliberate interpolations and that “Sardar went off his rocker due to old age™. After Kapur Singh’s dismissal from the ICS (not because of allegations but because of his political thought and affiliations), he became the Visiting Professor to Khalsa college, Bombay, and later was elected to the Third Lok Sabha (1962) and. Punjab Assembly (1967). The Master always consulted Sardar. He suffered a paralytic attack in 1982 after the arrest of Sant Jarnail Singh. He even went to the USA for a medical checkup. After returning, he lived in his home at Jagraon. He came to Amritsar in 1983 to meet Sant Jarnail Singh. I condemn the proposal to review Sachi Sakhi. Kapur Singh has not made any allegations against Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, whatsoever, in his book. SGPC or its panel has no authority or jurisdiction to delete any portion of his book.
Upendra Nag, At/Po Boden, Nuapada dt., Orissa: On June 28, 2001, three Canadian journalists (CBC) and another 22 reporters of Western Orissa visited this place. Six Dalit correspondents of upper caste papers were ‘among the 22. They had dinner at the Hotel Raj Kumar Nag (s/o Parsuram Nag). The hotel belongs to a Dalit (Domb), only one of its kind in Nuapada dt. The same hotel could not last long because of casteism.
Dr. R.P. Harsh, Harsh Clinic, Barnala Road, Sirsa – 125 055: Caste is the sanskritised form of varna (race). The Brahminical Social Order (BSO) is anti-human, racist and against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Census Commission has recognised caste as the vital element for the Indian census held in 2001. The Indian Constitution has a schedule of castes. The BSO castes govern the brahminical codes of racism. Hence the opposition to the different NGO move to get casteism included in agenda for the UN World Conference Against Racism. This opposition is inspired by the Hindu nazi rulers of India who want to hide the world’s worst form of racism, more serious than the South African Apartheid, practised in the name of casteism. Budha was the first revolutionary of the world who fought against this Hindu racism and challenged the racial superiority of Brahmins over 2,500 years ago. Assalayana, a Brahmin, who claimed the racial superiority of Brahmins in the following manner, told Budha:
“Brahmins, Gotama maintain that they only form the superior class, all other classes being inferior, that Brahmins alone have fair complexion and all the rest are of dark complexion; that the purity resides in Brahmins alone and not in non-Brahmins; and that only Brahmins are Brahma’s legitimate sons, born from his mouth, offsprings of his creation of his and his heirs”.
Budha replied:
“Brahmins have quite forgotten the past when they say s0”. (Buddha & the Caste System, Bhikku U. Dhamma Ratana p.13).
Since Budha challenged the racial superiority of Brahmins:
He was abused, all sorts of stories were spread against his noble character*and even a plot was hatched to endanger his life. On one occasion he was refused food in a Brahmin village. On one occasion he was refused- even water and that again in a Brahmin village. (Ibid).
This proves that Brahmins were racist even over 2,500 years ago. To prove that Hindus are fascist by birth as well, we must go through the Rigveda claimed to be the oldest racial and fascist document of Hindu nazis. In the Rigveda, indigenous Black people of India are depicted » as Asuras, Dasas, Rakshas etc. These Blacks are today called Dalits. We have plenty of references in Rigveda:
- Indra and Vishnu destroyed 99 cities of King Shamber and killed thousands of Asuras (Rigveda 49/ 7/99).
- Indra killed 50 thousand Black Dasas (Rig 13-200).
If we go through the IV, VI, VII Mandalas of the Rigveda only we find the Brahmin leader, Indra, killing 2,66,000) Asuras and Dasas. Kicking, killing, raping, burning and social boycott-of Black Untouchables in India by Hindu nazis is a common feature. These atrocities committed upon them are fully justified by their sacred scriptures. BSO is also against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. India is governed by the two sets of codes:
- The constitutional codes deceive the international communities in the name of democracy.
- BSO (hidden agenda) of caste and graded inequality to promote racisnt and strengthen brahminism.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the Father of India, says:
“Hinduism is nothing but brahminism in a new garb”.
The Editor of Dalit Voice has defined brahminism as the Father of fascism, nazism, racism, zionism. The population of India is over 100 crores. It has the highest population after China. When Hindu nazi rulers proclaim that 85% population of India is Hindu, then India automatically becomes the topmost racist and fascist country in the world exporting racism in the name of Hinduism. Hindu nazis are the worst racist in the world because the BSO of hate, caste and graded inequality violates the Article 1 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted and proclaimed by UN General Assembly Resolution 217-A(iii) on Dec. 10, 1948, of which India ‘is also signatory. The article says:
“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”.
But the BSO caste, hate; graded inequality which has the religious sanction in their sacred scripture Rigveda, is the oldest racial document of Hindu nazis. The Rigveda says:
Brahma (God) has credted Brahmin from his mouth; Kshatriya from his arm, Vaishya from his thigh, and Sudra (Black Untouchables) from his feet”.
So, under the BSO all human beings are not born free and equal in dignity and rights. A Brahmin is racially superior by birth by its creation and the Black Untouchables are inferior by virtue of their origin. The Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes who constitute 35% of India’s population are the worst sufferers under casteism (sanctified racism). Despite 22.5% constitutional reservation, their representation in government services is just 3%.
“A study revealed that only 3% of SC/ST are employed in government of the Centre and States and also in PSUs. (Ms. Veena Nayar, Member, National Commission for SC/ST. Hindu, 19.4.2000).
Hindu nazis do not believe in democracy and human rights. For them their caste and their social order of racism and fascism is above the country and the Constitution. Caste is the sanskritised word of varna (colour).
The Sanskrit word for caste being varna which literally ‘means colour, it is urged that between the higher castes, the so-called Aryans, and the lower castes there is a racial opposition, more or less absolute, arising from a difference in colour”. (The Essence of Budhism, Laxmi Narasu p.84).
Despite all this evidence, the Govt. of India is suppressing this vital fact that caste has nothing to do with racism and it is not promoting racism in the name of casteism. If the Govt. of India is not promoting racism in the name of castes, then why?
- Brahmins who hardly constitute 3.5% of the population are dominating the entire administration, politics, executive, judiciary, education, media and so on?
- Upper caste Hindus commit atrocities on Black Untouchables like rape, murder, social boycott and so on when they exercise their human rights by violating the racial code of castes?
Thus, we can say that caste is nothing but the sanskritised version of varna (race) which has a religious sanction. Brahminical organisation of varna and caste (racism/ sanctified racism) is anti-human and is against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Black Untouchables of India are deprived of their human rights because of casteism. -Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, champion of human rights of Black Untouchables, demanded separate electorate and separate settlement for them so that they may progress socially, politically and economically. He said:
“Those who are socially segregated must be politically and territorially segregated”.
Kartar Singh, A/73, CGS Colony, Bhandup (East), Bombay – 400 042: The brahminical bid to deny that casteism is not racism is nothing but intellectual dishonesty to ‘evades the true issue. This is a brahminical trait. The racist vaidiks are traitors for which their chaturvarnya is the proof. It is the caste system which led the country to slavery and abject poverty for which the Brahmin is wholly responsible. How foolish is it to say that caste will remain, but untouchability will vanish? Again, how foolish is it to say that mosquitoes will remain’ but malaria will go (vanish)? Take any book of history it will say that the Aryans were aliens who invaded India and after long-drawn battles and deceit the natives of India — moolvasi, were subjected to slavery. The Rigveda amply clarifies that the Aryans and Dasas were two distinct races by feature and form. Casteism which is the worst form of racism is not an internal matter of India, when such a huge chunk of humanity (SC/ST/BC and minority) are suffering. The riumber of suffering humanity due to caste discrimination raises it to international pedestal. Because of scientific progress, the world has been reduced to a village. Everything is being dealt with globally.
Gama Ram, A-2/4, Paper Mill Colony, Lucknow – 226 006: Brahmins claim that their religion and culture had always been non-violent and humanitarian. Prime Minister Vajpayee while speaking at the third centenary of Khalsa at Anandpur Saheb (Punjab) on April 8, 1999, said there had been no repression or atrocity in India in the name of religion. Rashtriya Sahara a Hindi daily of Lucknow, in its editorial of April 10, 1999, said that there was no truth in the PM’s statement because in ‘India inhuman atrocities were being perpetrated on the shudras and Untouchables for thousands of years only in the name of religion and is continuing. Vajpayee could not. be ignorant of history and the existing conditions in the country. Many people in India are made to believe that Hindu religion is most non-violent and humanitarian. This is totally false. The Hindu nazi rulers say we should be “proud of India’s past culture and history”. But if we analyse our history then we are ashamed of the past due to the unparalleled inhuman atrocities against the shudras and Untouchables in the name of religion, Shambook killed by the Hindu god Rama, thumb of Eklavya cut by a Brahmin priest, Dronacharya, are the best examples of Hindu violence. (Prof. K.S. Bhagavan, Violence in Hinduism, DSA-1986). A Brahmin writer V.N. Pande, a former Governor of West 54 Bengal and Orissa, in his article (Rashtriya Sahara Dec.18, 1993) says in the entire history of India we find three names — kings Pushya Mitra Shunga, Shashank (Bengal) and Sundar Pandya (South India) who destroyed thousands of Budhist and Jain temples, Vihars and monasteries and killed lakhs-of Budhists and Jains. This impression continued for years and lakh of monks and followers of Budhism and Jainism were massacred. Brahmin supremacy was established in all spheres and all basic human rights of the followers of Budhism and Jainism were taken away and they were declared Untouchables and shuIdras. Shashank, while demolishing temples and vihars of Budhists and Jains from Gond in Bengal to Ayodhya, got uprooted the Bodhi tree unders which Budha attained enlightenment and burnt it. The present Bodhi tree was transplanted by a branch of the tree which was planted in Sri Lanka through a branch perpetrated of the Bodhi tree taken there by Ashoka’s son, Mahendra, and daughter, Sangh Mittra. Historians say that temples of Jains and monastries of Budhists in the country were destroyed. Similar atrocities on Jains were in South India by King Sundar Pandya. He asked Jains to become followers of Shaiva (lord Shiva). He massacred 20,000 Jains when they refused to obey his order. Paintings regarding these atrocities can be seen in a Tirvattur temple in Tamil Nadu. King Mahendra Varman, a Shaiva, also perpetrated great atrocities on Jains in the 7th century and after demolishing the famous Jain temple of Tirupawalghar constructed a Shiva temple – at the same place. In 11th century King Vihadeo (Vishnu Vardhan) of Mysore influenced by the teachings of Ramanuja massacred thousands of Jains. Paintings on this can be seen in Meenakshi temple, Madurai. Swami Vivekananda, in his Hindi booklet, Bhagwan Buddha Tatha Unka Updesh (p.5), says that all rock temples and monasteries of Hindu sanyasis found in India belonged to Budhists and Hindus captured them and turned them into Hindu temples. Some shlokas of Shankar Digvijai were directed (conquer of Shankara) by Madhav say that the army of King Sudhanwa used to march with Shankarachari which to annihilate Budhists from Rameshwaram to Kashmir and not to spare even their children and old people and to kill those who hesitated to kill Budhists. A noted philosopher of Varanasi, Dr. Bhagwan Das, while referring to some shlokas of Shankar Digvijai, says that Budhism was mainly destroyed by the army of King Sudhanwa and not by the shastras (scriptures) of Shankara. The Purush Sukta of Rigveda and the 13th shloka of 4th chapter and 41-44 shlokas of 18th chapter of the Gita clearly state that the Varnashram was created by the god himself who distributed the karma (work) of the four varnas (Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra). According to it the karma of shudra is only to serve the three upper varnas. Manu in his Manu Smriti deprived the shudras and the Untouchables of all their human rights and they had to lead life worse than slaves and animals. This was the only reason that Indians were over-run and defeated by invaders including Muslim slaves from central Asia and remained slaves for about a thousand years due to the disunity created by the “Varnashram and casteism.
Subhash C. Musafir, NIC Ltd., Palampur, Kangra dt., – 176 061: We strongly condemn the Indian Govt.’s stand on casteism, saying: “that there is no casteism in the country and casteism is an inner issue as well as social # problem of the country”. In fact, as and when the issue of casteism is raised by someone at international level these foreigner Aryans misguided the world by saying that the casteism is a social problem to which themselves will overcome. But we observed that during 1947, sovereignty from the British was transferred only to 15% Aryans of this country. These Aryans are in fact racists and highly casteists. Despite constitutional protection atrocities against SC/ST have been increasing and becoming a daily feature throughout India. In fact, in “independent” India the plight of Dalit-Bahujans (original inhabitants) have worsened. In Himachal Pradesh, a small state in India, we have collected much more serious cases of atrocities through which we want to highlight true picture of racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
Viren Buddhist, No.48 – Saraswati Vihar, Chakkarpur, Gurgaon – 122 002: I am writing this with great sorrow about the way our “educated”, employed Dalits are behaving. I am working at NCERT. For increasing the circulation of Dalit Voice I approached my colleagues. I gave them information about the work done by you for Dalit in the country. And, how V.T. Rajshekar has authored about 100 books. After doing so, I requested SC/ST officers of NCERT to subscribe to DV and contribute towards the society through Dalit Voice. But I am sorry that even officers pleaded saying that they do not have the money for this. When they are in any trouble, they rush to Ram Raj with their grievances. How to save such people? They are not realising their duty towards their own people.
T.H.P. Chentharassery, TDK Road, Pattom PO, Trivandrum – 695 004: Who defeated the Reds in Kerala? There are so many factors which led to the defeat of these manuwadi marxists in the latest Assembly elections in Kerala.
- The Left Democratic Front led by the marxists (CPM) was negligent in enforcing Dalit (SC/ST) reservations.
- Unemployment among the educated Dalits is very acute.
- Employees of the semi-govt. institutions and private educational institutions are paid from the govt. treasury, but their appointments are made not through the Public Service Commission thereby the Dalits are losing reservation in appointment to these institations. No action to rectify this grave irregularity was taken by the LDF.
- The CPM opposition to install the statue of Dr. Ambedkar before the Kerala State Assembly poured oil on the burning fire of Dalit anger.
- Social change has been totally left out of the CPM agenda.
- The so called “casteless reds” never allowed the Dalits to contest in general seats.
- The furious educated Dalits, keeping in their pockets the folded “Red flag” went around the villages and instigated their fellowmen to vote against the Reds. And the Reds met their waterloo at the polls.
This shows that the Dalits can at least defeat their enemy even if they can’t win. Dalits have shown their courage and strength. If only they form a united front with other oppressed castes and communities, victory is certain.
Harmesh Lal, VPO: Mehsam Pur, via Phillaur, Jalandhar dt., Punjab: This Letter is in continuation of the one published in DV of Sept.16, 2001 (P. 13-14) in which I have tried to emphasise if religion is needed for a man. Though I have not yet read the Buddha & His Dhamma by Dr. Ambedkar even then I feel and that too very strangely that there is no place for religion in the life of a person. Think of all the religions of the world and vices and superstitions prevalent in all of them and sacrifices offered even till today in the name of religion. Although there are 33 crore devi-devtas in India, what is the position of India in the world? India ranks 138th in the UNDP report. No health, no civic facilities, no value-oriented education, no social security, no training in independent thinking, not even two meals a day for the millions, starvation deaths, no clothes for the naked millions. Which gods or goddesses are the in- charge of these facilities? You have seen the horrible earthquake in Gujarat, devastating floods in Orissa sometime back and hundreds and thousands of such tragedies all over the world since times immemorial. This cannot and must not be the handiwork of any god. Clearly it is all natural and not planned. Then for whose salvation we have been running after Christ, Mohammad, Rama, Krishna, Brahma, Vishnu etc. who have also come and gone quietly. If there is clearly no creator of the universe and we don’t know exactly how many civilisations have come and gone before us, then what is the meaning of getting salvation? It was not for nothing that Babasaheb reached the conclusion that our salvation lies in the gaining of political power. What is the’ meaning of all these gods? Which God can assure us the salvation? Salvation for what? From what? These questions can never be answered as these are considered blasphemous and may be dubbed provocative. If all the energy being spent on religious activities and progammes, which 1is the indication of a primitive society, is converted into political activities, then only there is some hope of ameliorating the condition of depravity of our depressed people. Think about Budhism (is a noble religion based on morality) and you convert a person to Budhism. Whether you are sure that he might follow Babasaheb’s political philosophy. I don’t think so. Efforts should be made to unite the warring depressed class organisations and political fronts i.e. Kanshi Ram’s BSP, Laloo Yadv’s RJID and other like-minded parties and shunt out the bogus Paswans.
Dr. Ram Nath, Ex. Professor & vice-chancellor, Agriculture University Kanpur, A-708, Hanspuram, Navbasta, Kanpur – 208 021: The day the Brahmana Jati Party came to power in UP, the govt. and chancellor’s office did not spare a single stone unturned to ignore, discriminate, insult and dislodge me from the post of vice-chancellor. And Suraj Bhan, the Governor and Chancellor, played the main role in putting me under suspension for about six months and continued the inquiry for over one and a half years, but not a single charge was proved as per the inquiry report submitted six months after my retirement. The Governor, who incidentally is a Dalit leader of Haryana, imposed such discriminatory and humiliating restrictions in my suspension order as if I was a criminal and terrorist resulting in almost keeping me under house arrest during the suspension period. But during this period if I had not written my book, Hindu Rashtrawad Benanab (Hindu nationalism exposed), there was no way left for me except to commit suicide. Even under such arduous conditions by working hard day and night, I elevated the university from the 25th to 6th rank out of the 29 agricultural universities in India and created a landmark in all major fields of university activities. But the ruling BSO was thirsting for my blood because I was a Chamar who could speak extempore even in international conferences, implemented roster system in admission and employment, written books in DV language, contested Parliamentary election in 1992 and mainly a man in Bahujan Samaj Party cadre-building in UP.
- Prem Kumar, 11-5-521, Red Hills, Nampally, Hyderabad – 500 004: A team representing the Confederation of SC/ST Organisations, AP Scheduled Caste Welfare Association, AP Ambedkar Youvajana Sangham and Budhist Society of India visited the Kalvaholu village of Mahboob Nagar dt. on Aug.18 under my leadership to find out the facts leading to the death of a Dalit boy, N. Balaswamy (28). The Hindu (Reddies, Vaishyas including BCs) supporters of the BJP candidates in the recent ZP, Mandal, Praja Parishat elections, in which Dalits supported the CPI candidate, are the culprits. Balaswamy organised Dalits and other weaker sections. The killers who burnt alive Balaswamy are the Backward Caste Mudiraj and Yadav jati people. The district SP, Balasubrahmanyam, is a Brahmin and the enemy of Dalits. The charge against Balaswamy was that he molested six women of the village had no proof. No complaint was filed by anybody. He was burnt ‘alive on July 26. In the Gutnellikondur village under Telkapalli Mandal of the same district, a Dalit woman, Hussainamma, was molested by Chandra Reddy and she filed a complaint in the local police station. When the police refused to accept her complaint, she consumed poison and died on Aug.25. In this case also, the SP is playing his brahminical card.
G.N. Saibaba, General Secretary, All-India People’s Resistance Forum (AIPRF) and six other peoples’ representatives: The police persecutions have become the order of the day in the old city of Hyderabad. The police suspect every Muslim as an ISI agent. A moulana who goes to give a traditional sermon in a mosque is equated with a religious fanatic who is going to be a threat to the “national unity and integrity”. The whole Muslim community in the old city here lives in a perpetual concentration camp. Reading the Quran is a crime. This act is not less than the ISI activity in the old city. What type of religious freedom is this? A study circle of the Quran of 50-year-old and young people used to meet in the late K.M. Subani’s house. Intelligence officers always followed all the 50. Some used to sit in the reading sessions to check what was being preached. The women ™ of the house were threatened that they should not let their « house for this study circle. They were forced to shift the venue. Various management committees of the mosques in the old city too were threatened. Moulana Md. Naseeruddin used to take special sermon sessions in the Masjid Saleema-Khatun, in Himayat Nagar. The police threatened the masjid authoriteis and stopped his ‘sermons. Same is the case with another masjid, Shah 4 Mauzzam. All the sermons were forcefully stopped by the police in the famous mosques in the old city like Jama Masjid and Daru Shafa. On the midnight of Aug.18, 50 people were watching a videocassette on the demolition of Babri Masjid in Saidabad. These people are the members of Darsgah-E-Jihad-O-Shahadath. The cassette they were watching was not of any secret one. It is a Newstrack Video Cassette watched by every democrat in the country. However, in the case of Saidabad watchers, the police raided the show and arrested 14 people. Now they are languishing in the Moul Ali Central Prison. Abdul Aziz and Nissar, along with 10 more Muslim youth were-arrested a week ago. The police now want all the Muslims old or young, man or woman, whom these two-youth met earlier. Athar Qureshi, city president Jof the Students Islamic Movement of India, was arrested on Aug.30 night and badly beaten up. Why are the leaders of a student organization arrested and beaten up brutally without giving a reason or were taken into custody for weird reasons? On Aug. 11, some students went to attend a SIMI student conference in Delhi. Athar Qureshi, being the SIMI president of the city, led the team. When they were attending the meeting in Delhi, they were back at home in the old city. Athar’s younger brother, Akbar Qureshi, was taken by the police on Aug.15 from his house and detained illegally for 3 days and tortured. Adding insult to injuries literally, a big batch of police visited the hospital where their mother works, and they scolded, and abused her in front of everyone at her workplace. They insulted her by saying that she gave birth to anti-nationals. Now, the mother says that there could be nothing more hurt than this. These are only few incidents of harassment, illegal arrests and torture in custody meted out to the Muslims in the old city. There are hundreds and thousands of such incidents from every muhalla of the Purana Shahar. Every Muslim in the old city is called an ISI agent, supposedly working for Pakistan. We strongly condemn the undemocratic arrests of Moulana Md. Naseeruddin (50), a local religious leader, Ahtar Qureshi Shahid (22), Hyderabad city president of SIMI, and Yasir (19), its gen.- secretary, on the night of Aug. 30, 2000, from their houses. AIPRF also condemns any such undemocratic move to ban SIMI. The Hindu nazi forces have been threatening the very existence of our Muslim brethren in our country. Such a move will further increase the sense of insecurity in the community.
M.H.M. Saleem, “Ashiana”, Main Road, Gangolli – 576 216: I was introduced to Dalit Voice only a couple of years back. I have been regularly reading it and trying to understand your powerful points on Indian society. After reading your journal T have now a clear and better idea about Indian society. After subscribing to DV, I have almost stopped reading the “national” newspapers (toilet papers). I am now able to understand the events happening around in a better way with the help of the information provided by you. Every word of yours is true and correct. You need a “Media Centre” of your own. To raise the required funds, try using the equity share concept like most companies do. These companies are able to raise crores of rupees from the public and in some cases without paying any dividends for years together. At least we will be sincere. These MAD Aryans will definitely try to get your “Media Centre” in trouble as they did with Kanshi Ram. Try using these phrase MAD Aryans (Masters of the Art of Deception). Please continue your crusades against the tyranny of the MAD upper castes.
Ruby Naushad, PO Box 1797, Bangalore – 560 017: Sardar Sher Singh, an IAS officer of West Bengal cadre, has become our forgotten friend. He stands out among the impassionate secular supporters of the Babri Masjid cause. His precious contribution in the genre of literature on Babri Masjid in the form of his two published works, Emperor Babar and Archaeology of Babri Masjid, have shaken the academic foundation of the Hindu nazi- sponsored Ramjanam Temple movement. Naturally, as happens with all truth-seekers, this was a strenuous invitation to earn him both admiration and animosity. Recently he was terminated from the service, even without giving an ear to a relevant judgment in his favour accorded by the state tribunal. As per the tribunal order the entire charge sheet against him stood quashed in March 2000. Still the Hindutva Marxist clique persecuted him. Presently, Sher Singh and his family members are passing through a very critical phase of their lives. He is not happy with the attitude of “secularists”. He has been almost forgotten by them in the most testing time of his life. Muslims for whom he was fighting an intellectual war, which invited the wrath of Hindu nazis to the tune of termination of his services, had just played all these months ignorant of his problems. He did not even receive any amount against the royalty of his books from the publishers, which could have been otherwise a great help in his financial difficulties. There is no doubt that this sort of oblivion on our part is not a pardonable one. It is better to correct now than never. Revolutionary Muslims must support Sher Singh, IAS, Flat No. 32, 247/1 – Minto Park, Alipore Road, Calcutta – 700 027.
