Dr. Edward & Mrs. Marle Schroeder, 47 – Aberdeen Place, St: Louise, Missouria 63105, USA: Your “Voice” from the Underside of History emboldens those throughout the world who have been pushed there by their fearful oppressors. They are the waves of the future. Courage and peace.
(The Schroeders have been subscribers of DV for the past eight years and great supporters of India’s Black Untouchables struggle against Aryan racism. There are many more Americans like them. We want all of them to support the newly-formed “International Dalit Support Group” (EDITOR).
Dr. Velu Annamalai, Houston, USA: After discussing with Runoko Rashdi, your American representative, and Victor Jackson, the two great American Black pillars who have come forward to support the struggle of the Indian Untouchables against Aryan racism In India, we have now established the to solicit the support of Americans and in particular the Afro-Americans to propagate the Dalit problems in this country and then support the great, historic cause taken by the Dalit Voice. As soon as we register this as a non-profit charitable organization, we will get the telephone number. We three are the co-chairmen for the time being. I am also its secretary/treasurer. Bylaws are being drafted. (1) It will distribute Dalit- related literature, (2) act on behalf of Dalit Voice and Dalit Sahitya Akademy to represent them in this country, (3) encourage people to become members of the Group for a nominal membership fee (not yet fixed) and (4) set up a good data collection and distribution centre on Dalit problems and finally (5) undertake lectures, tours in US and much more. I am looking forward to the day I can quit my job and commit full time to this noblest cause of liberating Dalits from racism and thereby strengthen India’s unity and integrity.
International Dalit Support Group P.O. Box – 842066 Houston, TX. 772 84-2066, USA
V.G. Jackson, San Antonio, USA: I am thinking of selling lifetime Dalit Voice subscriptions (200 US dollars) in the US to university studies depts, students and professors who should be delighted to know about the Indian brand of racism. I recently leafleted a national symposium of police officers which convened in San Antonio. The leaflet on the Dalit problem was well received. Question: Why should Americans, who have their problems, care about Dalits? Answer: Because Dalits can help Americans. How? Dalits and Americans can solve common problems together with information transfer and education. Besides, Afro-Americans and India’s Black Untouchables (Dalits) have a common origin. Dalits along with tribals and Backward Castes, all the three constituting the original inhabitants of India, will be 65% of India’s 1,000 million population. All the three put together constitute the world’s largest racially oppressed group and if this group joins the Afro-Americans, they together will become the most formidable fighting force in the world. There are any number of sympathetic whites in the US who are willing to support this struggle. Since we heard that you are a brilliant speaker, we want you to have a speaking tour of the US to explain this world’s greatest problem.
Ruth Wady 1240 Fillmore St. Apt. 410 Los Angeles CA 94115, USA: I want to contact Dalit artists, painters, sculptors, print-makers, water colorist etc. or anyone who may know of any Dalit artists.
(This is the second time we are publishing her appeal to Dalit artists. The first one appeared in our Dec. 16 issue p. 12. Our readers may use a Rs.5 aerogram and intimate her the addresses of our artists who eventually may be invited by the Black artists to America if they are impressed with our people. International exchanges, that too with the Blacks, is very Important – EDITOR).
Kwame Ture, Central Com., All-African People’s Revolutionary Party (AAPRP), GPO Box-863, New York NY 10116, USA: Greetings from the AAPRP to India’s Black Untouchables. Fighters for justice worldwide call upon freedom-loving peoples to observe the 33rd anniversary of the African Liberation Day (May 24/25). This takes place at a crucial juncture in history. US imperialism continues its campaign of terrorism. Increasing its arrogance from invasion of Granada (1983) to the bombing of Libya (1986) to the attack on Panama (1990), the beast has launched naked aggression against Iraq to protect the Zionist settler colony of Israel and puppet neocolonial Arab regimes as well as to crush the Palestinians’ escalating Intifada and wider Arab people’s revolution.
Balwant Bharati, Dalit Welfare Assn., Wolverhampton, UK: We want to donate a computer to DV. We had donated 100 £ to Y.P. Rao, a Dalit student at the JNU, New Delhi, on hearing his pathetic appeals in DV. We also want to know your plans to convert DV into a weekly and its annual cost. We also want to extract items from DV and publish them in Punjabi for which we need your permission. We are publishing a small monthly from here.
(We have prepared a project report to convert DV into a weekly. The initial investment will come to about Rs. 10 lakhs which includes the cost of two computers. The recurring expenditure per month comes to Rs.1 lakh. Those who are pressing us to convert DV into a weekly are the India’s oppressed peoples. The problem is the oppressed have brains but no money and those with money have no brains. Caught in this contradiction we could make hardly any progress. Our readers abroad, who are affluent, come to us and say that DV is doing a wonderful work. They assure support and then there is no news from them. Those who have the commitment will have to pay for it, suffer for it. Look at our oppressors. They committed “self-immolation” during their violent agitation against the Mandal Commission. But our people, the beneficiaries of the sweat and sacrifices of Babasaheb Ambedkar, are busy enjoying the fruits EDITOR).
V.T. Hirekar, Dr. Ambedkar International Mission, London: On Nov.4 last year we held a demonstration here against India’s brahminical social order of which the Dalits are the victims. The Hyde Park demonstration was impressive. Then we marched to the Indian High Com. and met the High Com. The news appeared in the BBC. The Indian rulers had invited Mandela in Oct. to praise M.K. Gandhi for his anti-apartheid work in S. Africa. But why Gandhi did not continue his work in India? Mandela wrote back to us saying that the caste system is unacceptable to him as racism. Racism practiced in India under Varnashrama Dharma is worse than apartheid. Our Lord Ambedkar has written volumes on this.
D.G. Coller, Director, Communications, International Human Rights Assn. of American Minorities (IHRAAM), Ste 253, 919C Albert, Regina, SK, S4R, 2P6, Canada. As per our announcement about IHRAAM achieving the NGO status at the United Nations (DV Feb. 16 p.14: “UN recognition to American Black organization,”) we are writing to you as one among our ten Council of International Legal Advisers representing India, to find out your interest in serving the IHRAAM in the same position. (We will be too glad to continue our services though in the past we have been hardly of any use – EDITOR).
K.Vijaya Raju, Vijayawada: Luckily, I got the picture of the Khargadhari Buddha as suggested by Mrs. Surinder Kaur of Calcutta, though it is different from the one described by her. She had spoken of the Buddha guarded by four Khargadharis. In this picture Lord Buddha is himself holding the Kharga (sword) of wisdom in his right hand and a book in the left. The pic. is found in the chapter titled “Manjushri, Javanese Figure,” on p. 200 in the book, Buddhist Art in India by A. Ruwedel, Cosmo Publications, 24-Ansari Rd., N. Delhi-2. First published 1901 Rs.350. The caption to the picture says: “Old Javanese relief of Manjushri Bodhi sattva, Inscribed with the date 1265 Saka: 1343 AD, original in Berlin Museum.”
M.L. Dohray, Agra: Devi Prasad Azad was elected sarpanch out of the 33 Choudhuris at the election meeting of the Jatavas (Untouchables) of 33 Mandis on Dec.2 here. On Jan. 20 all the 33 Choudhries met to popularise Buddhism. Born on April 5, 1935 at Jamuna Bhairon, Belan Ganj, Agra, he is the grandson of a great noble person, Ninno Ram, after whom a mohalla here is also named. The family migrated here from Punjab after 1945. Azad is a versatile personality having created several organizations for the liberation of Untouchables and to spread the message of Babasaheb.
G.P. Chaudhary, Varanasi: Glad to inform that Kanshi Ram addressed a huge 25,000 – strong rally of Bahujan Samaj Party people on Jan. 30. at Chakia. Pandalam Rajendra, State president, Dalit Panthers of India, Mavelikkara, Kerala.”MECA News” (Muslim Emp. Cultural Assn., Pandalam) carried a letter of Miss Beena Joseph in its Jan. issue that DV is the only journal in India courageously fighting for human rights. “MECA News” very often quotes from DV. But the other Muslim weekly, Radiance, hardly mentions DV though it is the oldest one in the country. Kerala too has many Muslim journals but hardly any committed to the Dalit cause except the SIMI journal, Vivekam, from Calicut. We don’t know why the Muslims are unable to speak out the truth in the language of DV.
M. Punithapandiyan, Madras: We thank you for telling us that reservations are our human rights. Those who oppose us are, therefore, anti-humans. Such anti- humans, who can be easily identifiable, must be fought. Siddhart Wasnik, scientist, HISR, Lucknow: You must have heard the shocking news of the mass murder of 13 Untouchables (Pasi) and three Kurmis in the Churagaon village, near Kunda, Pratapgarh dt. on Jan. 14. Police themselves killed them on behalf of Hindu landlords cooking up à story of encounter. The actual reason is these Untouchables refused to follow the slavery enforced by Brahmins and Thakurs who demand supply of their daughters for their pleasure. The Hindu police were drafted to punish the Untouchables. I am enclosing clippings of the reports from the Nava Bharat Times (Jan. 24). Untouchables must wake up and revolt against such upper caste barbarity and assert their identity.
(All over India the conscious sections among the Untouchables have started fighting for their human rights and in this fight the Hindu police will naturally side with their racist jatis. Though the Kunda Police said that they shot dead the Untouchables “while escaping in a stolen jeep after committing a dacoity,” the reports are clear that they were killed by the Hindu police for defying the upper castes and their racist rules. Such a challenge of the racists is taking place all over UP and Bihar and this is a good sign. We must welcome more such challenges though it might result in sacrifices. Unless we learn how to die, we cannot learn how to live an honorable life – EDITOR).
Asish Kumar Massey, IPRO, Rohil Khand University, Bareilly, UP: The first Dr.B.R. Ambedkar University of the country is coming up at Lucknow and it will be excellent if you join as its first vice-chancellor. I am doing work on “Dalit Sociology” for which I need your support.
Adivasi Vikas Parishad, Pancha mahals, Gujarat: We are the original inhabitants of India and hence a distinct ethnic identity. Once we were rulers here. But the invading Aryans destroyed our glorious culture, identity and pushed us into jungles and made us bonded labour. The Aryans invented the varna system to enslave us. We had our biggest religious centre at Puri, Orissa, on which they built their temple. An Adivasi, Ekalavya, proved a greate expert in archery than Arjuna but the Brahmin Drona disabled him. Hindus are disabling us even today. Adivasis form 15% of the Indian population. But inspite of the 7% reservation, nothing is being given to us. So, we demand a separate “Bhilistan”, which is the only way for our salvation.
B.S. Bangariah, Nellore, AP: Your struggle for the liberation of the Untouchables is something very great. In the normal course, you should have been by now heading a revolution. But that is not to be. This is because you are dealing with a people literally starved over mellinia. The vital fluids appear to have tried up in them, their bones bleached, their spines crooked, and their blood all but turned into water. It will take much longer time for them to stand up upright, look their detractors full in the face and fight them. I am facing a communication problem. Our people can’t understand English. Hence, we need a language revolution. Though I am not willing to admit it, something deep down in my mind had been telling me that it is perhaps easier to educate our people in English.
Prof. K.S. Bhagavan, Mysore University, Mysore: Your latest book, Ready Reference to Revolutionaries (1991 DSA), is terrible. It is a sure guide to revolution. It is not a book. It is a bullet. It kicks out all doubts, all confusions, all misconceptions and makes the mind clear. I want everyone to read it.
Ejaz Ahmed Ejaz, Chak Nagari, East Champaran, Bihar: All our so- called fundamental rights assured in the Constitution are only on paper. They are reserved only to upper caste rulers of the land. The Nazi chief Advani visited this area on his rath yatra using all sorts of abusive words against the Muslims. Upper castes donated him weapons. But none were hauled up for violation of the Constitution. Because they only have the rights and we have only duties. They are the very people who violated the Constitution to attack the fundamental rights of the BCs assured through the Mandal Report. But when the Muslims, Sikhs and Dalits came on the street to jointly protest against this rape of the Constitution in Delhi they were attacked. So over 85% of India’s population has no rights. They are not free.
Prof. Tahir Hussain Jafri, Durg., MP: Congratulations on your bold editorial on the Gulf War. (Feb.16). You have rightly said that it is not a Muslim-Christian conflict. The bombing of a church in Iraq by the Americans proves it.
Syed Shah Ghaziauddin, Advocate, Solapur, MS: On the direction of the Bar Council of India, the local bar assn. called a meeting to pass a resolution criticising the Mandal Com. report. But the SC/ST/BC advocates showed their customary indifference by remaining absent. Only two advocates opposed it – myself and A. Gafoor Khairi – both Muslims. We spoke in favour of Mandal.
Rev. D. Manohar Chandra Prasad, CSI Church, Doddalballpur, Karnataka: Congratulations on your edit on the Gulf War. You rightly warned the Dalit Christians that it is a war of the rich against the poor. You’re warning to the racially oppressed is timely. The pro-American upper caste Christians inside India are singing carols on the war news against Saddam Hussain. These racist Christians are silently admiring Bush, Billy Graham and the Pentagon propaganda who are preaching war instead of peace. Bush and Billy are protecting Zionism. It was shocking experience for me when I visited Israel in 1989 where I saw with my own eyes how Palestinian children, women and young Intefadas were brutally killed by Israeli soldiers on public roads. Palestinians include large number of Arab Christians who are taking a leading part in Palestinian struggle. International Christian organisations and human rights forums must question the theological basis of the Bush-Billy war against Iraq. Dalit Christians in India must heed the warning of our Editor and extend their fully solidarity and salute the Palestinian Davids who fight the Zionist Goliaths.
Jangam Joseph, Advocate, Hyderabad: A Dalit sub-inspector of police in AP committed suicide when his boss insulted him by calling him by his caste name. Dr. Ambedkar had asked separate electorate and separate settlements for Dalits. Instead of fighting for petty things we must all concentrate our energies and time on achieving these two goals. It is no longer possible to live with these Aryan racists.
Fr. William Toppo, SJ, St. Xaviers Residence, Pathalgaon, MP-496 118.: I don’t know how to thank you for the great service you have done to the cause of the Dalits the world over.
M.I. Krishnan Kutty, Trichur, Kerala: P.K. Kuttan, a Dalit diploma holder in mechanical engineering with experience in refrigeration, joined Kerala Livestock Development Board after an 18-year military service, as an Assistant Engineer. In all Govt. undertakings a diploma-holder with 5 years’ service is treated on a par with a degree-holder and promotion is given. But for a subsequent promotion from that cadre, some other community official with less qualifications but senior to Kuttan was selected and the designation of Kuttan changed as Operation Superintendent. Kuttan protested the change of designation and demanded promotion as Plant Manager. But this was not granted by the Board. Kuttan went to the Kerala High Court which directed the Board on 16.8.1990 to consider his case and issue orders according to the law. The Board flouted the court order. The KLD Board has shown a masterpiece of efficiency by promoting one OC official neglecting the qualifications of a SC official. But when the case of promotion of the same official came, they seek better qualification for efficiency. This is the “merit” which has acquired a new meaning in our country.
Dr. Jamnadass, Chandrapur, MS: I am glad to inform you that my long-awaited book Tirupati Balaji was a Buddhist Shrine, is now available. It is published by Sanjivan Publications, “Shalimar”, Main Road Chandrapur, MS-442 402. This book was released by Raindhan, Chairman, SC/ST. Commission, on Feb. 3 at a function held at New Delhi and was well received by the audience. PP. 200 Rs. 175.
Dattsons, Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, Sadar, Nagpur – 440 001: We are sending you a copy of our latest book, Foundations of Ambedkar Thought, by Dr. K.S. Bharathi for review. We will appreciate if you will review the same in your journal. pp 200 Rs.40.
