The Editor toiled a lot to bring about awareness in Dalit- Bahujans and tried hard to unite and organise all the persecuted castes and religions through his “caste identity” thesis. All of us are grateful to his tireless efforts converting his blood into sweat.
But when DV failed in his mission and the Editor got disappointed and tired, he became angry and started threatening to close down DV. This proves the Editor’s compassion has no power. Besides his sharp criticism of Brahminism and revolutionary suggestion have given wrong ideas and interpretation killing the inspirations of Dalits
Babasaheb said: Firstly, the (Hindu) social order must be subjected to constant fire. Secondly, they cannot subject it to constant fire unless they are independent of the Hindus in thought and in action. (BARS Vol.5, p.396).
Caste identity: (1) Babasaheb preferred religious conversion first. DV always subjected Hinduism to constant fire but it never used the antagonistic religions to unite and consolidate the Dalit-Bahujans. During the debate on “caste identity thesis”, the Editor boldly said that religion does not unite and consolidate people. That means unity will never be possible through conversion to antagonistic religions. When there is no unity through conversion, then why go for conversion? DV then killed the inspirations and feelings of oppressed to quit Hinduism. And yet the Editor blamed the oppressed saying they did not quit Hinduism and embrace Budhism. (DV Aug.1, 2010 p.19).
We must strive to make religion a binding force to unite, to consolidate Dalit-Bahujan castes and organise and unite them at least to strengthen themselves. Did DV undertake any conversion movement?
“Blowing up the constitution”: (2) Babasaheb had warned the upper caste rulers that “those who suffer from social and economic inequalities will blow up the constitution”. He had protected and safeguarded the rights of Dalit-Bahujans in the Constitution and brought some progress and development in their life.
After Babasaheb none threatened the upper caste rulers to implement the constitution properly. DV never undertook any task even to burn the Manusmriti publicly every year to awaken the Dalit-Bahujans. Yet the Editor blamed them for not revolting and “blowing up the constitution”.
When BJP Govt, tried to review the constitution, why all of us protested against it? Because the constitution protected our rights. The Editor favored Bin Laden and Bhindranwale and courted jail. OK. But he had no will to suffer for those victims of constitutional violation.
Dalit MPs failed: (3) It is true that our Dalit officers cheated the society and our socio-religious-political leaders got corrupted and co-opted. When Kanshi Ram was MP, he had never gone to Parliament and raised the problems of Dalit-Bahujans. BSP MPs (leave aside SC/ST/BC MPs of upper caste parties) never took bold steps inside or outside parliament.
DV also failed to inspire them without prescribing right actions, strategies and tactics.
I still respect our Editor for his fearless criticism and noble thoughts that fly out DV and his books.
DV is mostly read by writers, socio-religious scholars, few employees, few political leaders. But women and students hardly read it. RPI is divided and BSP has failed. Our writers, socio-religious leaders always criticized our political leaders. But they themselves are cowards, they neither lead the society nor strive hard to build an effective movement.
Anger against oppression is must: I thank those who are helping DV to overcome its economic crisis. Raising subscription is not a permanent solution. Many DV members are low-income earners who cannot offer the increased subscription. So, it should be less than Rs. 500. Extra expenditure must be met through donation if our people genuinely want to run DV for the cause of the suffering society. Other toilet papers live on glamorized advertisement and donations from the looter houses. The object of these toilet papers is counter-revolutionary – to keep the Bahujans under Hindu fold as their obedient servants. Even those journals taking the names of Budha/ Ambedkar/Periyar are not inspiring the slaves and making them angry.
Even BAMCEF periodicals publish thoughts of Goenka, Rajnish in the name of Budha and thereby kill the anger of the oppressed.
Budha/Ambedkar/Periyar were the angriest fighters in the world. Without anger against oppression, exploitation there is no compassion.
Compassion is only a digested anger which comes out from the heart to foresee the root causes of suffering oppression and activate the body to strive to remove them.
Be compassionate and at the same time make the readers more angry, more knowledgeable, more active to sacrifice for the cause of suffering society. Babasaheb said:
“Those who love knowledge (study, education) more than his wife and children, I call him, he loves knowledge truly. This is also for women”. (BARS Vol. 18, part-2, p.236-237. Dec. 11-12, 1938, at the Bombay Untouchables Students Conference)
