Virat Hindu Sammelan, aptly described by Jagjivan Ram, India’s most famous leader of Untouchables, as the “joint enterprise of the RSS and the Cong. I,” has just concluded in Delhi, once again assuring the outside world that the Hindus do not believe in change, come what may.
Maharaja Karan Singh, the Rajput ex-ruler of Kashmir was chosen by the communal Hindus to stage this expensive and massive “Save Hinduism” show of strength as a reaction to the mass conversion of Untouchables to Islam. But as Jagjivan Ram said, the conference achieved nothing. But we are least surprised. If the conference failed to come out with any concrete suggestion to destroy untouchability, it is not because the organisers do not know it. They all know that untouchability can’t be destroyed in isolation and without destroying the caste system. And destroying caste means destroying Hinduism. Every high caste Hindu knows this. So, what the organisers are trying to do is to fool the gullible masses, deceive the foreigners and further strengthen the high caste fascist rule. Be that as it may, what the educated Untouchable youth want is not temple entry, inter-caste dinners or some crumbs of bread in the shape of petty jobs, but self-respect and social status which alone shall ensure them a fair share in the political power. If the Hinduism does not ensure this, they are fully justified in seeking it through other religions that ensure equality.
By passing resolutions, the Delhi conference has not done anything new. Gandhi conducted such a futile exercise 50 years back and finally fell prey to a Brahmin bullet. How can a small fry like Karan Singh succeed where Vivekananda and Gandhi have failed? As the 21st century is nearing and scientists have succeeded in putting man on the moon, the Hindus of India are still talking about trying to remove untouchability. Even on that there is no unanimity between themselves. What a farce!
They are not even ashamed of the stink in their body. But the angry young Dalits can no longer wait. Their impatience has made them to take to militant path. Therefore, Karan Singh and co. need not bother about Dalits. They will seek their own liberation, and if the communal Hindus come in the way, they, with the help of their natural allies – the other persecuted minorities – will fight their way through rivers of blood. If the Hindu leaders are so worried now because of mass conversion to Islam, where were they when Belchi, Pipra Kilvenmani occurred? Temple entry is another farce of a solution. But not only are the educated Dalits not interested in going to temples, but even many educated Hindu youths say it is a waste of time to go to temples. Barring some old people, Hindu youth are rarely seen in temples these days.
The Delhi conference has called for ban on conversions Dalits may be prevented from becoming Muslims or Christians but can anybody stop them announcing that they are not Hindus? Even Sikhs have started saying that they are not Hindus. Is it not possible to remain a human being without being Hindu? Do they mean to say that only Hindus could be human and others are not? The Delhi conference said conversions meant a threat to security. For this Jagjivan Ram said: “Do they mean that it is only Hindus who can keep the country secure? In the old days there were only Hindus in this country. Could they maintain its security?” (Statesman Oct.20) It is only the high caste Hindus who invited foreign invaders. History says this.
No secular government could have tolerated the Delhi meet and therefore we fully support Ram’s demand that the organisers of the conference should be prosecuted for tarnishing India’s secular image. We also endorse Ram’s opinion that conversions may not improve the economic status of the Untouchables. They know this. But the atrocities on them are committed not because they are poor. If so why no other poor Hindu is subjected to torture? Conversion brings them social status and will automatically end atrocities. Therefore Ram is right in saying conversions to other religions are a definite way to gain social status.
Hansraj Gupta, RSS boss of Delhi, was the working president of the Delhi meet and Karan Singh was just a rubber stamp. That hundreds of RSS flags were fluttering and many Cong. I minister and leaders attend the show, and that no Leftist party condemned it has only reiterated our belief that when it comes to the question of saving caste, party differences are forgotten in India. Because in India each caste is a separate party; but all of them join when they want to wage a war on the Dalits and other persecuted minorities. Therefore, the Virat Hindu meet may be interpreted as a declaration of war against Dalits. However, we are glad that Ram, even at the fag end of his life, is fast realising the need to take over as the commander-in-chief of the army of the persecuted minorities. As a brilliant strategist he knows who are the natural allies of the Dalits. The Marathwada and Gujarat caste wars have convinced the Dalits that the communal Hindus are itching for a fight. The showdown may be only delved but the Delhi meet has confirmed that the war cannot be avoided. Dalits and the persecuted minorities know this and therefore they must jointly get set for the impending war – the war of liberation.
