COMMUNICATION
Kerala Muslim revolt against League
Prof. T.B. VIJAYAKUMAR, ANUGRAHA, PERINCHERY, THRISSUR - 680 306

Kerala with a 25% Muslim population — highest in India barring Kashmir — is still being controlled by the Brahminical Social Order. However, the Muslim political movement in Kerala is very strong and has had a glorious revolutionary past – thanks to the bloody battle waged by thousands of Muslim peasants against the British and also the savarna landlords during 19th and 20th centuries.

The 1921 Malabar Rebellion was the culmination of this epic struggle. Tens of thousands of Muslim patriots lost their lives. Muslim League, PDP, NDF are all their successors. Kerala is proud of its most progressive land reform. The Malabar Rebellion contributed much to this phenomenon. But unfortunately Dalits got nothing out of it, except the ownership of just a 10-cent dwelling site (kudikidappu).

The Muslim vote bank is intact in Kerala. In the last Kerala Assembly election, LDF lost because of Muslim anger. The notorious Nair leader, E.K. Nayanar, a former chief minister of Kerala, is the principal cause for the detention of Abdul Nasser Madani, a close friend of our Editor, and his prolonged persecution.

In the coming Kerala Assembly elections, UDF led by the Congress will lose heavily for the same reason —Muslim anger. The Congress in Kerala is controlled by the Savarna Syrian Christians and the Sudra Nairs who consider Dalits, BCs and Muslims as their enemy No1. The Muslims lost faith in UDF because of its dubious role in Madani case, the anti-Muslim attitude of the Kerala police (pro-RSS) especially in the Marad violence, lethargy towards Narendran panel recommendations, all-out savarna appeasement etc. This was proved in the last by-elections.

Greatness of NDF: Muslim masses with the exception of hard core Muslim Leaguer are determined to punish the Muslim League leadership for its treacherous role in Madani's persecution, its corruption, and misbehaviour. The Savarna leaders of Kerala are a moral wreck.

NDF is the most dedicated Muslim organization, not a terrorist outfit as propagated by savarna fascists. NDF sets the agenda for Muslim community. The main weakness of NDF is that it is not Dalit-Bahujan centric but exclusively Muslim-centered.

Its leadership is not intellectually equipped to launch a Dalit-Bahujan movement. It has to concentrate more on intellectual front. Kerala politics is an absurd drama — thanks to the unthinking BC masses and its stupid leaders.

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"Caste identity" thesis is practical, time-tested & fully Ambedkarite
DR. V.D. CHANDANSHIVE, COTTAGE VAISHALI, SHAHU NAGAR, NANDED - 431 602

I am greatly enthused and overwhelmed by the event of international award given to the Bahujan thinker and ideologue, Editor V.T. Rajshekar, for the "path-breaking" and highly innovative book, Caste — A Nation Within the Nation. The award was conferred on him on behalf of London Institute of South Asia (LISA) by Rev. David Haslam at a function held on April 30, 2005. Usman Khalid, a noted London-based writer, delivered a speech about why VTR deserved the award.

VTR has cherished an ideal, he has ideological ammunition at his disposal and he has aimed at a target to be hit and dismantled. The ideal is the liberation of Dalit-Bahujans, the ammunition to fight comprises the thoughts of Phule, Shahu, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Periyar and the entire cultural struggle running through Indian history against Brahminism and the target to be dismantled is the system of Manu.

What surprises about him is his crystal-clear thinking uncontaminated by diversions and detours and his undaunted courage with which he dares the Manuvadis. We do not come cross such a challenging voice amidst several so-called writers and thinkers claiming to be Dalit-Bahujans who have got so easily corrupted and co-opted by Manuvadis from time to time.

In fact VTR has become a trend-setter for Dalit-Bahujan writings with his sharp analytical proclamations on national and international events with reference to Indian Dalit-Bahujans, with reference to their struggle against Hinduism alias Brahminism and with reference to how deadlocks are being created in their fight for liberation.

There are hundreds of Dalit-Bahujan writers in different regional language in India. But majority of them write about their decultured plight in the past and try to gain sympathy and popularity from the Brahminical media. At least it is so with Dalit-Bahujan writers of Maharashtra. They have developed an amnesia toward the fact that their icons Phule, Shahu, Dr. Ambedkar and Periyar have not written a single word about their own suffering, insults and injustice perpetrated against them by Manuvadis. These tallest personalities did not care much about their subjectivity and directed all their writings and struggles against the Manuvadi system with one pointedness.

VTR's writings fall under the category of objectivism and universalism. Through his writings he links the plight of Dalit-Bahujans with the plight of all those sufferers in different parts of the world irrespective of the countries they belong to and languages they speak and write in.

In a way VTR has become a spokesman of the persecuted peoples of the world through his Dalit Voice. He has waged an indomitable fight against slavery, inequality, injustice and discrimination – whether it is native or foreign. It is this objectivism and universalism which has been recognized on international level by awarding VTR.

The award-winning book, Caste: A Nation Within the Nation (BFC, Bangalore, Rs. 140) has been properly understood by a minority of readers outside "the Dalit Voice family". That the book prescribes an effective remedy to end Brahminism has not been accepted by those who juxtapose the book with Dr. Ambedkar's Annihilation of Caste.

The critics have neither read penetratively Dr. Ambedkar's book nor have they read VTRs book. They just gone on harping on the tune that becoming conscious of "caste identity" will increase casteism and caste conflicts in the country. Such people should answer a simple question: Why is it that in India only a handful of castes fight for their rights and others do not?

Those who have been fighting for their share in power are the castes concious and awakened about their position and place in the caste system.

What VTR has emphasised is that the conflicts in this process will be only secondary or what he calls as secondary contradiction existing for a short while. But according to him, the caste identity process will not stop here only. The process will ultimately result in the principal contradiction which will inevitably be against Brahminism or casteism.

The awakened castes have been waging war against the Brahminical Social Order for their rights and share in power. If all castes get their rights and share in proportion to their population, and if they came on the line of equality, Brahminism will automatically subside and vanish. But this cannot happen without "caste identity".

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar's Annihilation of Caste contains some very fundamental solutions for the eradication of caste system. One of these basic solutions is inter-caste marriages. Babasaheb had written this speak to be delivered to the Jat Pat Todak Mandal, an organization headed by upper caste Hindus. The Mandal people could not tolerate the critically analytical high voltage language and wanted Babasaheb to change some parts of the speech and rewrite them. But Babasaheb refused to do so and the speech remained undelivered and later it was published as a book. Babasaheb had intended that the solutions given in his speech had to be implemented by the upper caste Hindus —those Hindus who sincerely felt the need for abolition of caste. He wanted them to initiate a movement against caste so that their gesture and intention could be imitated by the "lower castes" without any friction. Such a movement was to take place as per the sociological principle: imitation of the higher by the lower.

But when the upper castes were so agitated over the language of Babasaheb's speech, how could they start the movement? Babasaheb knew that caste abolition would need an honest and concerted movement from the upper castes and upper castes would not begin it because caste abolition would cause them the greatest loss of their privileges and their concrete monopoly over the power structure. As long as upper caste status helped them to manipulate the power structure, they would not do anything regarding caste eradication. They would not end casteism.

If the upper castes have been unwilling to annihilate casteism and their monopoly by destroying caste, what other alternative remains to end casteism and upper caste monopoly? There are some writers and thinkers in the Bahujan Samaj who insist upon achieving "merit" to defeat caste monopoly over the power structure.

But these people do not understand the simple fact that "merit" in India is stamped by caste.

Hence, Swami Ramdas, a Brahmin saint of Maharashtra, says that even if a Brahmin happens to be a corrupted fool yet he is the greatest in all the three kingdoms. What kind of merit these merit maniacs have been speaking of? The most meritorious and greatest personalties and icons of Bahujan Samaj, the Budha, Asoka, Jyotiba Phule, Shahu Maharaj, Periyar and Dr. Ambedkar and very recently Shivaji — have already been demonised and denigrated by Brahminism.

These tallest of men are being respected outside India by the world because the outside world has recognised their merit but inside India they are regarded as mere scrap. If you are not an upper caste person your merit is rubbish for them.

When your merit is stamped on the foetus in the womb itself where would be the merit maniacs bring it from? So, the merit theory to end caste monopoly is meaningless in India. (V.T. Rajshekar, Merit, My Foot, DSA-1987).

So, VTR has propounded an innovative theory of "caste identity" to end casteism and caste monopoly. The theory is practical and in keeping with Bahujan ideology of liberty, equality, justice and brotherhood.

"Caste identity" is not for fighting with other castes but fighting for the caste share in the power structure as per population percentage of that caste. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar himself resorted to this theory by awakening SC/ST/BC castes through his movement and has succeeded in getting nearly 50% reservations for these caste groups. The "caste identity" theory has begun bearing fruits in the Indian party politics as caste-based parties are emerging very fast and dodging Brahminical monopoly politics. These caste-based parties have been claiming their share not only in the states but also in the centre. In future such parties will certainly instal the non-Congress and non-BJP (Bahujan) coalition at the Centre.

When VTR says that "caste identity" is time-tested he means that it had been used by the Bahujan icons through their movements from time to time. The only thing VTR has done is through his analytical acumen he has properly interpreted it in his caste book with illustrations. In order to educate the Bahujans he conducted a Debate in Dalit Voice for five long years on "caste identity". Even if religious conversions renouncing Hinduism take place, the caste apportion will still remain unkilled. It is glaringly visible in Sikhism, Islam, Christianity and Budhist conversions which have already taken place in India. Besides, anti-conversion laws are being enacted in different states by Manuvadi rulers. The most marginalised, backaward and deprived castes are still waiting to be awakened to get their share in the Indian power pyramid. Parliamentary democracy and the Indian Constitution has given these castes and subcastes an opportunity to struggle for their share.

VTR's award-winning book has generated an opportunity for these unawakened castes and sub-castes to initiate such struggles. The awakened Bahujan caste groups can render their moral and practical support to such castes by enlightening them.

The International award to VT R has recognised the values of Bahujanism on international level. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to VTR.

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"DASAM GRANTH", A BRAHMINICAL MISCHIEF
Sikhism not only not Hindu but anti-Hindu
JUSTICE MEWA SINGH (RETD), NEW JERSEY, USA

Some of the RSS leaders had earlier made the false allegations that Sikhs are part of Hinduism and whosoever lives in India is Hindu. Some VHP leaders repeated it on June 25, 2005, that every one living in India is Hindu and that the khalsa was the armed wing of Hindu society formed to fight the Mughals.

Statements of these Hindu fundamentalists are totally false, irresponsible and provocative and rather counter-productive to create unnecessary conflict between Hindus and Sikhs and the followers of other religions, besides being unconstitutional.

History is witness to the facts that Hindu hill chiefs, in connivance with the Mughals were in battles against the khalsa while Hindus from the entire Indian territories in the British army took part in the battles against the khalsa. Sikhs had formed their Sikh empire in the entire North India with which the British had entered into agreement not to interfere into the territories of each other after the entire Hindu society had submitted to them. Still to say that khalsa was the armed wing of Hindu society is to cross all the limits of falsehood.

This discussion in the negative that Sikhs are not a part of Hinduism, may appear to be unusual to those who are not aware of the background that Sikh religion and Sikhs are falsely misrepresented and propagated to be a part of Hinduism by some Hindu fundamentalists. It is a rebuttal of allegations which are altogether false.

Sikh religion is an independent revealed religion and is included in the list of first five religions of the world and not a part of Hinduism. It has its own Divine thought, doctrines and religious practices most of which are in contradiction to that of Hinduism.

Sikhs form a separate nation and they had their own empire.

Still some Hindu fundamentalists and their groups misrepresent Sikh religion and Sikhs by false assertions, just as : -

1. Sikhs are part of Hinduism and not a separate distinct community.

2. Sikh gurus had preached that Sikhs were part of Hindus.

3. The recitation of Gurbani from the holy Dasam Granth at Patna Sahib and Hazoor Sahib, two of the Takhats of Sikhs every day has proved beyond doubt that Sikhs are part of Hindus.

4. Sikhs had asked the census authorities in British regime in the first census of the country to record them as "Hindus and Sikhs" both but still they were recorded as Sikhs alone as British had created a chasm between Hindus and Sikhs for their vested interest.

5. Hindu dharma is a way of life that should be accepted by every one residing in India and then the followers of other religions can worship their religions at their religious places and that there are no minorities in India as all are sons of the soil as Hindus.

These assertions to misrepresent Sikhs as Hindus are not new. Max Arthur Macauliff, author of The Sikh Religion, (Oxford University, 1909) had denounced it stating at page xxiii of his preface that:

"A movement to declare the Sikhs as Hindus, in direct opposition to the teachings of the gurus, is wide spread and of long duration".

Swami Dayanand Saraswai and his Arya Samaj were active in this regard in the 19th century while the RSS and its subgroups in the 20th century. These misrepresentations have been repeated time and again by making false assertions according to the situation prevailing but stopping for some time when Sikhs unitedly reacted. In fact some Hindu fundamentalists are very crazy to declare every religion of India to be a part of Hinduism and every nation to be a set of Hindus. It had its reaction.

Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha wrote a book to rebut it, Sikhs are not Hindus —Hum Hindu Nahin, while Sikh scholars like Giani Dit Singh and others challenged the Swami to hold open debates, describing such assertions to be false and emphasizing that Sikh religion is an independent revealed religion nothing to do with Hinduism or any other religion.

Dayananda Saraswati left Punjab not to come back, realizing that he had no material in support of his assertions and that Sikhs felt offended over such propaganda.

Sikhs had to rebut the misrepresentations whenever made against them as otherwise there can be no need to make negative assertions that one religion is not part of any other religion which is itself obvious as no religion can ever be a part of any other religion. All the religions have their own doctrines, ideologies and religious practices with some similarities and dissimilarities as well. Every one must show respect and regard for all the religions and the divine teachings of Sikh religion lay particular stress on this aspect.

Hindu dharma is being wrongly equated with India, which is a country. A country and a religion or dharma (to be termed as a way of life) are totally distinct and separate entities and work all together in different domains. A country is bounded by territorial limits with its jurisdiction in those very boundaries. The people of the country set up and operate the secular and democratic regime, which has been adopted in India and all the civilized countries of the world. It is the government of the people, by the people, and for the people of that country. The religion or dharma of some of the people in whatever majority they might be is all together irrelevant.

All the religions in that country enjoy equal status and power irrespective of their numerical strength and full freedom of faith and worship in accordance with their religion. All the persons living in that country are its citizens, governed by the laws of the country. The minorities have to be given special protection to safeguard their rights to insure the smooth and just working of the system and unity of the people of the country.

On the other hand, the religion has got no boundaries and limits. Any person, anywhere in any country may follow his own religion and way of life prescribed by his religion with full freedom. Every religion and nation is represented in each country in the world whatever its numerical strength might be; of course every one has to abide by the laws of the country in which they are living. Millions of Hindus are living outside India, practically in every country throughout the world and following their own religion. Millions of Sikhs are living outside India also and following their religion. Similarly millions of Christians and Muslims and Jews and people of other religions are living in various parts of the world and following their religion.

India boasts to be the biggest democracy in the world but it still lags behind on unity of people due to communal strife and fundamentalist approach of some of the "majority community" sections in the name of Hindu dharma. Even some national secular parties while denouncing communalism of the Hindu fundamentalists themselves played such a card behind the curtain to get Hindu vote bank.

Every one who has studied the Sikh religion deeply has come to the conclusion that Sikh religion is a separate religion as practically all the basic aspects of Sikhism and Hinduism are contradictory. The doctrines, the ideology, religious practices and way of life of Sikhism are totally different from Hinduism.

Sikhism outrightly rejects the concepts of multiple gods and goddesses and their incarnations. In Sikhism, there is only one god —formless, unborn, self-illuminated and only his name to be meditated.

Sikhism outrightly rejects the caste and creed discriminations of Hinduism between man and man.

Sikhism advocates the human race as one with equality of mankind and individual dignity. Sikhism rejects all the religious scriptures of Hinduism —vedas, shastras and puranas etc. and proclaims that these neither preach nor reach god and that they only speak of the three qualities of maya, mamon and materialism leading the man to blind deeds and not to emancipation in the fourth stage of grace of god.

Sikhism totally rejects all the rites and rituals of Hinduism, the pilgrims to Hindu holy places, the ritual baths in rivers, giving the gracious feasts to Brahmins, making offering to the fire, performing penance and worship, enduring bodily pain, self torture, yogic symbolism and all other such methodologies followed in Hinduism to wipe out sins and get salvation.

Sikhism presents its own distinct divine thought that the meditation of the name of god wipes out the impurities that flourish in the mind.

Sikhism rejects the outside exercises to get emancipation as futile and the wearing of the sacred thread, forehead marks, cutting the hair and such other symbolisms. Instead it prescribes its own procedure to become a Sikh by taking amrit of the double edged sword, possessing its distinct five emblems, including unshorn hair, turban on the head and a kirpan on the body and presents a totally unique physical appearance of a Sikh. Thus how can Sikhism be said to be a part of Hinduism in view of the above contradictions?

Sikhism has been placed in the list of first five main religions of the world on the basis of analytical study of religious philosophy and statistical numerical strength of their followers.

The five religions in the order of their numerical strength are Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Budhism and Sikhism.

Sikhs are a separate nation with all the ingredients of a nation — a separate religion, separate gurus, separate scripture, the Guru Granth, to be revered as the eternal Guru of Sikhs containing the word of god, separate identity to be attained by amrit of the double-edged sword. Sikhs have separate political aspirations, a separate way of life and a separate culture. Sikhs had their own political power and a sovereign Sikh state in North India with borders adjoining Afghanistan and China.

The government was named Sarkar-e-Khalsa and the currency was Nanak Shahi in the name of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh religion, the army was mainly of baptized Sikhs under the leadership of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Sikhs had established their empire by ousting the Mogul rulers of India and the Afghan invaders after a struggle of about a century.

So powerful was the Sikh state in so vast as an area that the British empire had to enter in to an agreement with the Sikh state to respect its sovereignty. Sikhs were considered to be a mighty nation by each and everyone.

It is altogether false that Sikh gurus preached that Sikhs were part of Hindus. On the contrary, the Sikh gurus declared themselves and the Sikhs to be not part of Hindus. Guru Nanak, founder of Sikh religion, in the very beginning proclaimed, "there is no Hindu and there is no Musalman". The divine revelations of the guru are beyond these religions.

All the Sikh gurus totally rejected the gods, Hinduism and incarnation of these gods. Guru Nanak proclaimed "Brahma indulged in ego and he understood not the god" (GGS 224).

It is a ridiculous assumption as from the very beginning Sikhs have not accepted all the compositions of the Dasam Granth to be of Guru Gobind Singh. It contains some compositions of legends of Hinduism and translations of Markande Puran, which are in total contradiction to Sikh thought and the divine hymns of Guru Gobind Singh himself. These compositions are of some Hindu poets, which were interpolated by Brahminical cult in Dasam Granth to create confusion. Guru Gobind Singh had admittedly not compiled Dasam Granth.

American scholar Geofrey Parinder in his book, World Religions, could find no difficulty to conclude at page 259:

"The Dasam Granth is an 18th century collection of miscellaneous works attributed to Guru Gobind Singh. The attribution appears to be accurate in the case of few compositions but the bulk of the collection, consisting of Hindu legends and tales of the wills of women cannot possibly have been his work".

Such statements of supremacy of Hinduism and misrepresentations of other religions to be part of Hinduism have caused rifts between the Hindus and other religious minorities and proved counterproductive for the unity and integrity of the country.

This communal Hindu propaganda is not only against the Sikhs. The Brahminical cult had raised hue and cry against Budhism after it got state recognition in India in the times of Ashoka, that Budhism is a part of Hinduism.

Though Budha was even declared one of the incarnations of Hinduism yet Budhism remained a separate religion and is in the list of the five main world religions. The reason was that doctrines and ideology of Budhism and Hinduism are not the same. The ideology, doctrines and religious practices of Sikhism are different from Hinduism and rather contradictory on the main aspects which has made it impossible for the Hindu fundamentalist to misrepresent Sikhism to be part of Hinduism and frustrated all their attempts in this long period, to be futile. In fact one religion can never be a part of another religion as all religions are based upon their own doctrines, ideologies and religious practices leading to a separate way of life.

(singhjudge@yahoo.com).

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We fully agree with the arguments of the author but today it is the Jat Sikhs, Punjab's prosperous ruling caste which controls the Sikh religion, who have surrendered their powerful anti-Brahminical religion to the Enemy. The Jat Sikh leadership has been totally corrupted and co-opted. DV held a long Debate on this subject (read the DV reference at the end of the article and it went on for over five years). We even had a meeting with the Sikh Students Federation and Dalit Sikhs at Chandigarh on this very issue but the result was nil.

Even Sikh's own journals and organisations have not taken up the issue of "Slow death of Sikhism" as seriously as we have done. This is because Sikhism originated from the Dalit saints and was essentially meant to liberate the Dalits from Brahminical tyranny.

Even now DV is ready to fight for the Sikh cause if we get support from concerned Jat Sikh leaders like Justice Mewa Singh and others — EDITOR.

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DV REFERENCE ON "SLOW DEATH OF SIKHISM"

DV May 16, 2005 p.25: "Dalit scholar saves Sikhismfrom jaws of Brahminism".

DV March 16, 2005 p.8: "No, we Dalits will not burn Dasam Granth" & P. 9: "DV's Sikhs-on-death-bed warning must be taken seriously".

DV Feb.5, 2005 p.5: "Dalits must burn Dasam Granth to save Sikhs from Brahminism" & p. 7: "Sikh militants in grief & pain".

DV Edit Feb.3, 2005: "If Sikhism is not saved from sure death, Brahminism will run riot & kill every protest movement", p. 5: "Sikhism reels under vaidik attack: Dasam Granth to replace Guru Granth" & p. 6: "Guru Granth admits Dalit saints inspired Sikh revolution".

DV July 1, 2000 p. 21: "Angry Dalit Sikhs may go back to Budhism or break Sikhism" and p. 22: "Heinous role of Brahmin Sikhs of Kashmir".

DV June 1, 2000 p. 8: "How Sikhs missed every bus".

DV May 16, 2000 p. 18: "Ram found in Sikh scriptures is not Hindu god Ram", p. 19: "Dr. Ambedkar refused to embrace Sikhism because of casteism" , p. 20: "Sikh history needs review to help launch new revolution" and p. 23: "Sikhs are not Hindus but Guru Nanak hated no religion".

DV Feb. 1, 2000: "When Sikhism is brahminised how can homeland or Anandpur save them?".

DV Jan.16, 2000 p. 23: "Haters of meat don't hesitate to kill humans: Guru Nanak ate deer".

DV Jan. 1, 2000 p. 22: "Brahminical conspiracy to destroy Sikhism but Sikhs are not worried" & "Gurdwara Act: Another Aryan bid to destroy sikh identity".

DV Dec.16, 1999 p. 5: "How Sikhs conquered the whole world but lost their soul" and p. 6: "If Sikhs are prosperous why they are frustrated & demoralised?".

DV Dec.1, 1999 p. 8: "Brahminical sabotage of Sikh history: Guru Nanak called Khatri", " Sikh Pandas threatening DV Editor"

DV Nov.1, 1999 p. 20: "Frantic nazi bid to hinduise Sikhs", p.21: "Jat Sikhs dare not oppose DV because they know Editor's sacrifices for Sikhism" and p. 22: "If Sikhs are a nation how can they treat fellow (Dalit) Sikhs as slaves?"

DV Oct.1, 1999 p.7: "Beef-eating banned under Sikhism: Dalit criticism of Jats must stop", p.8: "Punjabi DV will revolutionise Sikhs" and p. 9: "How to rescue & revolutionise the decaying Sikhism & khalsa?"

DV Sept.1, 1999 p. 8: "If Sikhs are hindus, why they are kept out of Defence forces?", p.9: "This treacherous Badal-Tohra rule must be probed by Sikh intellectuals".

DV Aug. 16, 1999 p.9: "SC/BCs form half of Punjab but Jat Sikhs keep them divided & enslaved" & "Ambedkarites ready to support revolutionary Jat sikhs", p. 11: "Cow-loving upper castes came to sabotage Sikhism from inside" and p. 12: "Sant Ravidass called himself Proud Chamar".

DV Aug.1, 1999 p.7: "Meat served as mahaprasad in gurdwaras" & "Do sikhs constitute a nation?" & "The stink within Sikh nation", p. 8: "Upper caste Sikhs charged with crime of suppressing the Supreme Truth", p. 9: "Akal Takht chief tries to hinduise Sikhs?", " Alienation of Dalit Sikhs from community" & "Jat sikhs dominate because they form 66%" & p. 10: "Hindu bid to mesmerise Sikhs through khalsa fete using Badal as stooge".

DV July 1, 1999 p. 18: "Sikh intelligentsia caused fall & slow death of sikhism" & "A Sikh revolutionary's reunion with DV Editor" & p. 20: "DV bid to save Sikhism: War against internal & external enemies".

DV June 16, 1999 p.5: "Every jati has separate Gurdwara even as Sikhs are busy with khalsa fete", Dalit Sikhs must capture Gurdwaras & liberate India from BSO", p. 6: "Dalit Sikhs must capture Gurdwaras & liberate India from BSO", p. 8: "Guru Granth no where prohibits beef-eating" & p. 11: "Nazis enter Sikhism to complete internal sabotage".

DV June 1, 1999 p. 17: "Dalit Sikhs itching to fight BSO if 100 Jat Sikhs are ready".

DV May 16, 1999 p. 10: "Khalsa festival used to befool oppressed low caste Sikhs" & p. 11: "Brahminised upper caste Sikhs inviting BSO rule".

DV April 1, 1999 p. 21: "Worship of cow is related to hinduisation of Sikhs".

DV March 1, 1999 p.7: "The cow that stands between Hindus & Sikhs".

DV Feb. 16, 1999 p. 10: "Slow death of Sikhism: Causes & cure".

DV Edit Jan.1, 1999: "Sikhism manipulated & massacred by upper caste Sikh intellectuals to help Aryans". p. 8: "How to rescue Sikhs from suicide?" and "Sikh leader endorses DV comment on Sikhism".

DV Edit Nov.1, 1998: "Slow death of a brave community: BSO using internal enemies to destroy Sikh identity"

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DEBATE
Why everybody is worried over "poverty" of Dalits?
RAJENDRA, AMBEDKAR PRATISHTANA, THORALAKKI PO, KOLAR DT. - 563 137

This is my reply to Dr. Bharat Jhunjhunwala's article, "Dalits & global inequalities". (DV Feb.16, 2005 p.12).

Some Dalits living in rural areas are economically better off than many other Hindus. But the fact remains that the majority Dalits are poor and illiterate —mostly wage earners and bonded labour. They are found in every village of India. But some Dalit families are very comfortable. Educated.

Dalits whether rich or educated think that they are an inferior lot. This is due to mental poverty — not economic poverty. Deprivation is more serious than poverty. Dalits think they are weak. Socially the lowest. Dalit problem is a mental depression — not economic as many like Bharat think. Even in schools, colleges and hostels, they behave like organised slaves. Their stay in Scheduled Caste hostel itself is a bad certificate. Other boys look at them with contempt. They lack self-confidence. Sometimes they become arrogant. They think arrogance itself is self-confident. These hostels are generally in urban, taluk headquarters. In all such places, there are a number of Dalit organisations with their "leaders". All of them claim to be "born Ambedkarites" and "agitators". They search for issues to "agitate". Any subject can be an issue for agitation. Those leaders are mostly ex-students of such hostels and school dropouts. They keep constant touch with hostel boys. For any "agitation" these hostel students are a ready fodder.

Every "leader" takes the name of Dr. Ambedkar who is their "bread and butter". These hostel boys end up in matriculation, PUC or at the most degree. But they will not be able to speak even a single sentence in English. This weakness makes them meek. Mentally sick. There is another group of Dalits: those who found some jobs. Even officers. They think that is the end of their life. They are concerned only about themselves, their wives and children. Not even their next kith and kin.

These urbanised Dalits never go to their villages. If at all they come for few hours, they search for chairs to sit. Never move with relatives. Never even eat with their own mothers or sisters whom they think are unclean. But these Dalit officers to go upper caste friends in the village, wait outside their doors. Beggars.

At the work place they are guided by their upper caste subordinates. Their officers will never assign them any responsible work nor guide them. Instead they are often insulted in the name of reservation. Dalits became virtual servants to higher officers. Their duty is to serve the Hindu officers. There may be exceptions. Good workers, hard workers and intelligent officials. But their life will be never smooth and safe. Their suffering is known only to them.

Next come our Dalit politicians. Less said the better about them. From panchayat to parliament, the Dalit members are just servants of their Hindu party bosses. They spend the term of power by enjoying the facilities attached to the post and come back home. They always think that they are not equal to other members. This mental sickness will never go. Then comes the economic and development programmes of the govt. These schemes are meant for politicians and officials. All the plans and schemes are meant to benefit them. All the funds of "SC welfare" will go to other caste officials and politicians. SC politicians will be observing the swindling but dare not say it. Sometimes they too get a bit. In 50 years of India's planning process not even one Dalit family prospered to show as a specimen.

All Dalits are Gandhians. They know satyagraha. They are experts in giving representation, begging the authorities for favour. This is what Gandhi did all the time in his life with the British.

The "poor" are there in all the castes, communities and religions. Why this "poor" in other castes are not discussed by anybody? Why only Dalits? India has over 40% "poor" people. Dalits are less than half of it. Why their "poverty" is not made a big issue in any writings except that of Dalits?

The "poverty" of Dalits is made a big issue by everyone to divert the real issue. This is a conspiracy. Our Editor has said it. Dr. Ambedkar had lived with his people. He knew their problem. His self-respect movement, movement for social justice are not "economic" programmes. His conversion advice is also not for material benefit. It is all to give the Dalits a change of life. A new culture. True Indian culture.

Only DV analysed this subject properly. The Dalits need change of mind. A new culture. That is the real need. Their problem is mental poverty – not economic but cultural deprivation.

DV March 1, 2000 p.5: "The Sainaths promoting Dalit-Bahujan conflicts hiding vaidik mischief".

DV Feb.1, 2000 p.22: "Why Sainath is loved & DV Editor hated?".

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DEBATE: SCHOLAR REFUTES BHARAT'S ECONOMIC INTERPRETATION
Why Dalits are more concerned about social & cultural issues ?
Dr. K. JAMANADAS, SHALIMAR, MAIN ROAD, CHANDRAPUR - 442 402

On Bharat Jhunjhunwala's article on the "Global Inequalities" (DV May 16, 2005 p.5), I had commented that Dalits would be more concerned with Indian caste discriminations. He, in the Hitavada of April 10, 2005, wrote a long article as a rejoinder. His arguments are summarized below: Ambanis: He praises Dhirubhai Ambani, as everyone else does, for thinking big in establishing Reliance Empire. But he forgets that Dhirubhai could not have been able to set up the empire, if he had followed the Brahmanic tenets of not crossing the seas or if he was suffering from disabilities of an Untouchable. Though Bharat had said earlier that the Ambanis were Dalits, this could not be verified.

Lalu Prasad: Cultural revolution can only help on personal level but on social level it is not enough, he says. And as an example he quotes Lalu Prasad being thrown out by Dalits of Bihar. Here again, he is wrong. Lalu Prasad was defeated not by Dalits but by the upper castes.

Inequality: The main problem of Dalits is not inequality as it exists in all societies, he says and suggests that solution is to join the "cultural and economic revolutions". Here he exhibits total ignorance of Dalit problems. When he says that the banks should give loans to the handlooms and biscuit factories of Dalits, the shallowness of his understanding of Dalit problems is evident.

He says that the attitude of the "issues of global inequalities should not bother Dalits and whether it is America or British MNC makes no difference to Dalits" is a wrong attitude of Dalits and their only demand that caste discriminations should be stopped is not proper.

He mentions Russia where there is no caste or racial discrimination and yet there is an economic problem. The subject of Russia is too big to be dealt with in a few words. But we like to invite his attention to analysis by Editor V.T. Rajshekar, that even the breakup of Soviet Union is because of the Russian racism against Muslims and is due to the surge of nationalism. So it was not only economic, one must note.

Muslim rule helped Dalits: He says that 300 years of Muslim rule and 200 years of English rule have not led to liberation of Dalits for want of economic empowerment. Rather it led to a situation where "a poor Dalit weaver became a poor Muslim weaver". It is time Bharat revises his lessons. The Muslim Empire was established in India in 1206 CE and lasted about 600 years. Why the Sultanate rule is excluded and only Mogul rule is counted (or vice versa) is beyond our understanding.

The majority of Dalits voluntarily accepted Islam to escape the tyranny of Brahminism and welcomed the Muslims as "Bodhisatva". To quote views of a historian about Muslim conquest on caste:

The Turkish conquest gave a rude shock to the caste system and the idea of physical pollution among people of India. The result was that those people of India who suffered under the caste system became the supporters of new rulers" (Mahajan V.D., History of Medieval India, p.85).

Brahminic persecution: The persecution really started with the start of counter-revolution against Budhism by Pushyamitra Sunga, around 185 BC. He had ordered mass genocide of Budhists and offered hundred dinars for head of a bhikku. There was religious persecution by Nara, a Kashmir ruler of first century BC and by a Huna ruler, Mihirkula (510-530 AD). The persecution by Gauda King Sashanka (7th century AD) is well known. He uprooted the Bodhi tree, destroyed footprints of the Budha and killed thousands of bhikkus.

After Harshavardhana in the 7th century, the situation worsened for the Budhists. The Rajput age was the darkest period in the history of India for the Budhist persecution was on peak. Untouchability had started as a religious persecution.

When the Muslims came they annihilated the Budhist external symbols like idols and monasteries and gave a final blow to Budhism, causing its fall. But the Budhist population, which by this time had become Untouchables completely, found great relief from Brahminic hostility by converting to Islam. Untouchables like Malik Kafoor became high officer under Khilji and Khusrukhan even became sultan.

And even today, they got their own kingdoms free from Brahmin slavery. The emancipation of Dalits under the British rule is so evident that one need not talk about it.

There remained a large population among the "Untouchable" Budhists who did not get converted to Islam. They had now to face double persecution. On one hand they were already under Brahminic oppression, on the other the Muslims considered all the non-Muslims as "Hindus" and tortured these Dalits considering them as "Hindu".

If a nation is economically weak where from the resources for Dalit empowerment would be available, Bharat asks. So, Dalits should strengthen the national government against the MNCs and rich countries, he says. Dalits should advocate (1) cultural revolution, (2) pro-poor economic policies and (3) strong national economy.

All the benefits from global market economy go to the caste-ridden Indian business community and are not passed on to the Indian masses. Here lies the importance of proverbial "sharing of one grain of food by seven siblings" which can happen only when there is brotherhood, which is lacking in India.

Caste decides everything in India.

Unfortunately, our Editor's information that Buarat is a Marwari or his name connecting him to a town of Jhunjhunu does not disclose his caste. But he being a marxist, seem to be from upper caste as almost all marxists are. But as our Editor is convinced his interests in Dalit problems are genuine, let us discuss his ideas in more detail.

Bhopal declaration: In Dalit problems, the example of "Bhopal Declaration" of former Chief Minister Digvijay Singh is illuminating. I have commented on it under the heading "Gail Omvedt's ill advice to Dalits" on www.ambedkar.org/jamanadas. The "Bhopal Declaration" also tried to create a "emancipated Dalits" like Dr. Bharat does. May be Digvijay Singh's intentions were honorable but there were "Chamcha Prasads" among the Dalits, who scuttled his designs and Dalits did not get any benefits, as I tried to explain therein.

Global inequalities & caste: Should the Dalits worry more about how the industrialists in global market are exploiting industrialists in India rather than the exploitation of caste-infested business tycoons planning to exploit the Indian masses? That the Indian business community has highly caste-oriented mindset is amply demonstrated by Sharad Patil, a noted Satya Shodhak marxist, and does not need more elaboration here. Time and again, I have maintained that for a Dalit employee, a foreigner employer either in India or abroad is thousand times preferable to Indian caste-infested one, as he would be giving "a third party justice".

Indian capitalists: The capitalists in their own interest of increasing their market share should strive for increase in purchasing power of Dalits. MNCs could do this in a better way than the Indian capitalists who hate the Dalits as seen again by their recent refusal to give reservation in private sector which thrives on public money as explained by me on www.ambedkar.org.

Sharad Patil (vol.3,p.179) has explained how Parsee capitalists being non-Hindus, spent on establishing steel mills and centers of art and education, whereas Hindu capitalists being caste ridden, had no nobility and they spend on building temples and other Brahminic religious activities. Gujarati and Marwari capital is 37% in dynastic business monopolies, whereas their population strength is less than 5% says Sharad Patil.

With a few exceptions like ITC, L&T and HLL, Sharad Patil tells us that all private industries are family controlled and not professionally as shown by the "Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy".

They are not willing to even employ a competent Dalit as a lower or middle-grade manager, how one can expect the industry to tolerate a Dalit capitalist?

I am sorry to point out that a noted economist like Bharat does not understand that the purchasing value of money gets reduced when it comes to the hands of Dalits.

Durban conference: Though our Editor says that Bharat Jhunjhunwala has genuine interests in Dalit problems and that he wishes to learn more, we suggest he should first unlearn what he knows. Let us see what he wrote on http://www.dailypioneer.com/secon2. asp?cat=/opd1&d=Oped Aug.21, 1001 "Discuss caste at Durban".

To counter his arguments on caste and varna which are labelled by Dalit authors as "nonsense" would take many volumes. Dr. Ambedkar already has done it, if Bharat only cares to read and understand more essential writings of Dr. Ambedkar. Yet the following is just a sample of his thoughts. The Editor must think about it.

When the Govt. of India opposed the caste discrimination being discussed at the UN Conference on Racism at Durban, Bharat advised the Dalits not to press for discussion because "the caste system also had its positive features". He explained how slavery was more degrading than untouchability thus opposing Dr. Ambedkar's discussion how untouchability is the worst form of discrimination compared to slavery. Bharat advocates preservation of untouchability by saying "but we must not throw the baby out with the bath water".

He feels it is possible to "to take the descent out of the varna system and make it secular as it correctly is" and believes it to be method of "good governance" recommending it to the world, by saying:

We, nay, the entire world, needs the varna system. It is a system of good governance.

He sees the Durban conference as "an opportunity to teach the principles of varna to the rest of the world".

Bharat ignores Dr. Ambedkar's warning that Chaturvarna is also a division of laborers.

Bharat naively believes, like most Manuvadis do, that it is possible to "both purge the caste system of the perversions that have crept in while learning from its system of governance". He does not, however, say why these "perversions" are not removed for centuries and neither comments on whose responsibility it is to remove these, nor condemns them. On the contrary, Bharat warns Dalits against approaching the international fora by saying that "the Dalits should not be under the illusion that the West will come to their rescue when it matters. They will then be thrown out like fly in the milk".

Rejoinder to Bharat: These views of Bharat did not go unchallenged. Chaman Lal countered Bharat's views on http://www.dailypioneer. com/secon3.asp?cat=\edit4 @d =EDITS

Dalits: The real Bharatiyas. Chaman Lal rightly felt that "Bharat Jhunjhunwala's article, "Discuss caste", related to the Dalit issue, seemed to lack basic direction".

Chaman Lal says that non-Dalit writers become prejudiced while treating Dalit issues and strongly emerge as statusquoists. And they start narrating the historically unestablished stories of the Ramayana and Mahabharata. They premise their credentials as philosophers on such knowledge, which in truth they are actually not. He places Bharat Jhunjhunwala in that class of prototype philosophers.

Chaman Lal avers:

"Whereas the world, stepping into 21st century, is avowing human rights and the principles of equality and fraternity, Jhunjhunwala is advocating on the other hand that the already rusted and rejected vertical varna system of Brahminical ideology be followed by other civilizations as the best tool of good social governance".

Saying that the world community is aware of ills of the varna system as an "epidemic for society" worth only for dumping, Chaman Lal further warns that Bharat must realize that abroad, India is known by the principles of equality and fraternity expounded by Budha and not by the varna system and its by-products, the caste system, which deprives human beings of even their basic human rights. Commenting on the ignorance of Bharat, he says:

"While boasting positive features of varna system and caste system, Bharat betrays ignorance when he describes the Brahminical Social Order and denominates Dalits as the fourth varna".

And asks him to "update his knowledge pool to accommodate the fact that Dalits are not part of the Brahminical four-fold varna system and are thus not Hindu".

Chaman Lal, explaining that Dalits are not shudras, narrates how the shudras submitted to Brahminic atrocities and admitted Brahmin supremacy, whereas Dalits fought and suffered without accepting Brahminic dominance.

He says:

"So Dalit are not just downtrodden, they are a symbol of the propagation of equality and fraternity not only in India but worldwide. And that is why Dalits find themselves unified with the world community at Durban whereas Brahminical philosophers were singled out and exposed before the world community".

Expressing need for "Bahujan ideology", Chaman Lal says:

"And for this Dalits have polarized with shudras to form a larger Bahujan ideology. This is the only ideology that will rule India. It is time for the likes of Jhunjhunwala to be one with Bahujan ideology and ponder Dalit issues with perspicacity, and on the premise of logic".

Let us hope Dr. Bharat understands Dalit problems and does something about them.

(kjmndas_cha@sancharnet.in).