Periyar E.V. Ramaswamy, to whom Dalit Voice has assigned the No.2 status after Babasaheb Ambedkar as the greatest revolutionary of “independent” India, was a great admirer of Muslims and Islam. It is true Periyar did not believe in any religion. However, he was also the bitterest critic of Hinduism. But Islam he liked. As India’s greatest rationalist he found it close to his heart. Dalit Sahitya Academy had published Periyar’s speech, Salvation to Shudra Slavery (1986. pp.42. only photocopy available) with our Foreword in which he asked the Shudras to embrace Islam to get rid of their slavery suffered under Hinduism. We are reproducing passages from a booklet, Periyar & Islam (Critical Quest, 2004 pp.32 Rs. 20) to answer our critics who always question the coverage we give in Dalit Voice to Muslims. The answer is found in the words of Periyar. That even Dr. Ambedkar was not anti-Muslim is brought out in Dr. Anand Tel Tumbde’s book, Ambdkar on Muslims (2003, pp.100 Rs. 75, Vikas Adhyayan Kendra, Bombay). It is our oppressors, the Brahminical people, who are against Muslims and Islam. Should we not love what the Enemy hates? This is what we have been doing in DV? Over 70% of Indian Muslims are converts from SC/ST/BCs, our blood brothers. Our family members are requested to study both these books EDITOR.
