Raju Thomas, Madras: It is interesting to note that a DV article forced a Muslim to reread the Quran (DV Dec. 16, 1991 p.16). We visited a Muslim theological college, Jamalia, on hearing that it has a large number of poor Muslim students while discussing with the students their teacher ,, Usthat, himself was not aware of the references to the Musthadafeen in the Quran and we showed them many Ayahs (chapters) and some of the Jamaat-E-Islami activists also were present. The most important among them were chapters vil: 157, 28, 5&6. However, ch. 4:75 needs to be well studied as you have been quoting it now and then. The Quran also refers to those who fight against the Muslims :Ch. Il: 190, 191, 193, 214 & 216. Of course, Islam may be a powerful ideology but has the Muslim leadership understood it? Those elite Muslims and the upper caste Christians are thinking alike. They want to compromise with the Aryan/upper caste/Hindu nazis because they all belong to one blood. It seems that the whole world is going to be polarised into racial contradictions: the white Aryans/Blacks. Will the Indian Muslim and Christian leadership join with Dalits or our oppressors? We suspect the bonafides of the elite Muslim and Christian leadership.
S.P. Singh, Takiapur, Danapur, Patna – 800 012 : | have reasons to believe that the Dalit Voice stands for the liberation of Dalits. They must be told who and what has made them Untouchables. I belong to a Backward Caste but my studies of caste system and Hindu shastras have convinced me that BCs have been responsible for uplifting the Brahmins and down grading and Dalits. Any move to unite SC/ST/ BC and minorities shall end up in a failure if any “superior status” is given to any particular jati among the BCs. The SC/STs have at least some self- respect, their own deities, saints. BCs can join hands with Dalits only after giving up their superiority complex. Babri Masjid issue is a calculated onslaught on their religious identity. SC/ST/BCs will support the Muslims only when they pick up courage and take up arms. I doubt if DV has the support of any genuine BC leader or thinker. We practically know nothing of Indian history and Hindu shastras. Dalit Voice therefore must become the main propaganda organ of a new political party to be formed immediately. No one is interested in mere social reforms. We all want some political power, firstly for ourselves and next to our jati. Your 85% slogan may not work unless we study our past and find our ethnic identity. A meeting of organisations like the DK, BAMCEF and the newly-formed SC/ST/BC and Minority Sangham under Konda Lakshman Bapujee, may be convened by you at Bangalore for that purpose. I believe in real business, not in mere sloganeering.
Moulana Mohammad Sirajul Hasan Ameer, Jamate-Islami, New Delhi : Great changes are taking place in the world and obviously India is no exception to this. Whatever is within our power and means, we are doing our best to give a right direction to the situation and to make it useful for our objective.
O.P. Mehta, 85-A, DDA Flats (MIG), Rajouri Garden, New Delhi – 27 : I read your “Letter to the Editor” in The Hindustan Times (March 3) in which you have very rightly suggested a confederation of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh though the words “Akhand Bharat” may scare away some persons. In Bangladesh a movement called the sub-continent Resurrection Movement (SRM) has been floated. They believe that Bangladesh, India and Pakistan should go back to August 13, 1947 and restore “undivided India”. The report by Jognal Abedin from Dhaka appeared in the Hindustan Times (Jan 1.92). It is time we contact like-minded people to pursue the noble cause.
Vinaya Kumar Samuel, Madras : As a Dalit Christian, I have noted your strong support to Christians and the “good work” done by the Christian church in India. A number of church leaders and Jesuit priests in particular are pro-Marxist. Why no church leader has no far criticised the Pope for his role in the break-up of Soviet Russia? Gorbachev and many others have revealed the role played by the Pope who in secret alliance with President Bush helped destroy Soviet Russia. Can we say that the silence of the Indian church leaders particularly the Syrian Christians has something to do with their brahminical background? Can we say these Syrians/Goans and Mangalorean Christian leaders have used Marxism to preserve their jati hold in the church like their Brahmin counterparts like EMS Namboodiripad, S.A. Dange etc? I am reminded of your famous editorial “marxism to the rescue of Brahminism”. These marxist church leaders and their love for marxism is fake.
A Rashid, Editor, “Jadid Urdu Reporter” (Daily), 97, Morland Road, Bombay-400 008: From each issue of your heroic fortnightly famed for its research and theoretical analysis, I borrow two, three or more articles, translate them into Hindi and Urdu and publish it in the Maharashtra Madhya Kaal, Hindi weekly and our Urdu weekly – Jadid Urdu Reporter. Please write what I can do it keep your precious, prestigious and courageous magazine flourishing. Thank you for awakening the minorities and Dalits of this land and the world.
Hemachand Rai, New Delhi: The new National Commission for SC/STs announced on March 13 is a disappointment. The unimpressive and unhelpful chairman, Ram Dhan, is a chela of the ex-PM, Chandrashekar, who is an agent of Hindu nazis. Both are anti-Dalits. Ram Dhan’s running battle with Ram Vilas Paswan shows that he is anti-Dalit. How did Sarojini Mahishi, a Karnataka Brahmin, find a place in the SC/ST Commission? Is it because of her close relationship with Chandrashekar? The Prime Minister has cheated the SC/STs to protect his (brahminical) interests. DV must lodge a strong protest.
S.U. Rangari, Vikhroli (E), Bombay-400 083: I am happy to know that your Nagpur visit was a glorious success. Nagpur is the land of Nagas – the Buddhist. The great Dhamma Chakra (righteous wheel) was second time moved by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in 1956. It was my bad luck that I could not attend that historical occasion. I was 16 then and at Achalpur city in Amravati dt. (in matric). I was not much aware at that time. Moreover, there was some family disturbance in 1956. But later on I have done my BA from Hislop College, Nagpur. During that period I got good number friends and became alert since then. Nagpur is an Adda of brahminism (RSS) and Buddhism which is anti-brahminism. We are expecting to have an inaugural function of the “Dr. Ambedkar Political Research Institute” in April. We hope you will be with us for that function.
V.B. Rawat, Lokayata, Houz Khas, New Delhi : The crusade for human rights of the deprived nationalities under you will certainly succeed. The people of India must thank you for the purpose you have chosen for their service. Dalit Voice is a movement and as a subscriber I want to undo the damage done to my fellow beings for the last 2,000 years. I would like you to lead such a freedom movement. For this, a newspaper on behalf of Dalits should be launched and that too in Hindi as most of our people do not know English, particularly in North India and the people from South should be informed in their own language. The language problem is serious. When I met a Dalit brother he viewed me with an upper caste bias but when I told him that I reject the Manu Code and I am myself crusading against such evils of our society, he was so happy.
Mrs. P.S. Ambedkar, Mata Rajpati Home Library, Bahorwa, Deoria-274 701: Thanks to DV, I got the reply (which I sought in DV Feb. 1) from Ross Mallick, 430, Gloucester St, Apt. 2110, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He says: “I saw your request for the names of Scheduled Caste ICS officers in Dalit Voice, Feb.1. I have been told that there were only two Dalit ICS officers. They are my father’s older and younger brothers. Sukumar Mullick joined the ICS as a law student at Cambridge University I believe in 1941. As there were no exams in England because of the war he had an interview instead. His younger brother, Subodh, joined in the last batch of the ICS in 1943. Their addresses are: Sukumar Mullick, ICS retired, 6 Valmeek Street, Calcutta 26. I am interested in finding out who and when the first Untouchable graduated from university. My grandfather, Kumud Behari Mallick, who was the first Untouchable in the Bengal Civil Service, was said to be the first graduate but this is quite likely not to be correct. Neither of my uncles were nominated to the ICS though I believe here was a job reservation system then as there is now for IAS officers. Any Bengali Untouchable should be able to provide you with further details on this. Dr. Ambedkar’s Writings and Speeches Vol.2 refers to M.B. Mullick (their uncle) which can be located through the index.
Prof. K.S. Faiyaz Pasha, Krishnagiri, TN: The book review on who was responsible for the partition of India by V.A. Beeran, former Minister of Kerala, Kottak Kal (DV July 16, 1989) is enlightening. Particularly H.M. Seervai’s thought-provoking book, Partition of India – Legend and Reality, is a revelation to me. Until now I was under the impression that the partition was caused becuase of one man, M.A. Jinnah. This is how I have been taught in schools and colleges. I never knew that M.K. Gandhi had conspired with Nehru and Patel to divide India. It is simply shocking when I read the statements of Gandhi – that “partition can be made only over my body” and “vivisect me before vivisect India” – addressed to Jinnah as if the latter was solely responsible for the division of India. How hypocritical was the utterance of Gandhi to Jinnah who stood for parity and not for partition. Seervai’s book and Moulana Abul Kalam Azad’s latest autobiography present new facts which will raise storm in the country but truth must be upheld. They shift the blame from the Muslim League to the Congress Party for the partition of India. Now you have sounded a note of warning in your Jan. 16, 1991 editorial, “Hindu unity aims at destroying Indian unity”. Your words may be prophetic. You are really great.
Adv. K.N.A. Khader, secretary, Malappuram dt. Muslim League, Kerala – 676 519: We are holding a district conference in the 1st week of May. Our dt. party is having a membership of 4 lakhs with 9 MLAs, 63 panchayat presidents, 2 MPs and the administration of district council also. The venue of the conference is at Kuttippuram on the bank of Bharathapuzha. There are various conferences dealing with different subjects. The theme of the conference is “Popular unity against Fascism”. Prominent intellectuals are expected to participate. We are very much anxious to hear you.
Manohar Netam, Editor, “Baster Ki Awaj,” Kanker, MP-494 334 : I thank of your support to our Gond freedom movement. I will write on the Gond tribal struggle. On March 25, we celebrated the 27th anniversary of late Maharaja Pravin Chandra Bhanj Deo, the ruler of Baster, and about 3,000 tribals who were murdered on March 25 1966 at the Jagdalpur Palace while fighting for the freedom of Baster.
Wasubhai Gajbhiye, Sanghmitra Prakashan, Nagpur-16: We thank you for your fruitful visit to Nagpur from Feb.29 to March 3, 1992. Your speech at the Vasantrao Deshpande Hall, Nagpur, under the auspices of Quality Circle, Nagpur, was tremendous and thoughtful. But one thing was pinching. There was no translator. So people were disappointed. They missed your important message.
