When Dalits do not even get angry how revolution is possible ? Thoughts at London DV function

Dalit Voice silver jubilee celebrations were held in London on July 24, 2007 in the prestigious Imperial College of Science in Kensington attended by representatives of Dalits, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and Blacks. The function was organised by the London Institute of South Asia (LISA) headed by Brig. (retd.) Usman Khalid, our London representative.

The other important speakers were M.C. Raj from India, a friend of the Editor and a Dalit intellectual from Karnataka (India). Ade Banjoko from Jamaica, a young Black Barrister practising in London, was the other speaker.

M.C. Raj said Editor V.T. Rajshekar was a rare combination of a revolutionary and a versatile intellectual. Paying tributes to the uninterrupted publication of DV for the past 26 years, he said the Editor had been waging a prolonged and yet tireless war on three evils facing the Indian society (1) Brahminism, (2) capitalism and all other hegemonist forces, and (3) Manuwadi marxism.

“Journalistic sensation”: He described Dalit Voice as a “journalistic sensation” and said what attracted him to VTR was his fearlessness. He never spared anybody however high or sacred the person was. Brahmins moved heaven and earth to co-opt him and thereby corrupt him. He was offered all sorts of temptations but he rejected all of them and preferred to live a simple life. “Brahmins having failed to co-opt him, they have now decided to completely ignore him. Brahminical media has clamped a total blackout of VTR and DV”.

Dalit Voice is the country’s only visible and the most prominent Dalit media at the national level. His total devotion to the cause made DV a phenomenon in the country’s murky journalistic world.

Brother Usman Khalid, the host, said he had known the Editor for four years and “it was through VTR I came to know India and the shocking truth that 85% of the people living in India are not Hindu”.

Railway platform speech: Barrister Ade Banjoko said he came to know the Editor from his famous book published in America, Dalit — The Black Untouchables of India (Clarity Press, Atlanta, 2nd print-2003. Copies available with DV, Rs. 150).

Our speech was much contemplative. Over two decades ago we wrote an Editorial expressing our disappointment that DV was becoming like a railway platform speech. (DV Edit Oct.1, 1983: “ A rly. platform speech or a guide to action?”). Even at the end of 26 years of DV, we have no reason to change this opinion. What is the use of running a journal, incurring the displeasure of the ruthless ruling class, when its readers show no sign of anger, let alone revolt?

The most important pre-requisite for a revolution is anger. Babasaheb Ambedkar was a very angry person. Oppressed people yearning for social change must first get dissatisfied with their existing state of affairs. Their blood must start boiling over their exploitation, poverty, crushed human rights. The anger in the boiling heart of each oppressed individual — man and woman — will then overflow from the house into the streets. And then like a contagion it will spread and sweep the whole society. That is the beginning of the revolution.

Is there any such burning of hearts or boiling of blood in India today? Sorry, we see no such signs even when the Brahminical rulers are mercilessly crushing our people. It is the rulers who are furious with us.

In Dalit Voice, we very often brutally dissect the society that is rotting under the 60 years of Brahminical rule. Even a dead man must get up and revolt at the ringing, stinging words in our writings. Every Brahmin who has seen DV and our website has strongly protested and asked their terrorist organisations in Bangalore to tackle us physically. There have been too many threats. Not mere threats but cruelest punishments. Sama, Dana, Bedha — the first three weapons in the four-fold Brahminical armoury —have been tried. Only the Danda (killing) is reserved. That may come any moment.

Death of Dalit movement: Brahminical rulers are a minuscule 3% of our population. They hold all our property and wield all the power. And yet they get furious (not our people) with our writings. Because the Truth hurts the guilty.

But what about our people, the Dalits, the country’s slaves? What about the Muslims? About 85% of India’s 1,200 million population is facing Brahminical persecution.

At least some 15 years back we had some sort of a Dalit movement. It was the country’s only movement. That also died — thanks to the Brahminical infiltration.

Today Dalits are rarely attracted to the Dalit movement. Dalit gaze has shifted to the lucrative side — either power politics or a kushy job under reservation. If both are unavailable there is the fertile field of an NGO - which again is a Brahminical monopoly.

Politics in India means total compromise by which you have to surrender the interests of your caste (nation). The existing parliamentary democracy has assured the rule of the upper castes.

Jobs under reserved posts for SC/STs is sure road for corruption.

Budhism used to kill anger: Where is the scope to get angry when the ruling class bid to co-opt and corrupt our people is going on at break-neck speed? Even Budhism is used to kill our little revolutionary zeal.

Ambedkarism is dead and long forgotten. But Babasaheb is ritually remembered every year at “Ambedkar Jayanti”. That is all.

This is the problem we are facing in Dalit Voice. We the very children of Babasaheb, the Father of India, have forgotten our own illustrious father, and fallen into Brahminical temptations of money and power. Our father had taught us self-respect, dignity, human rights. He gave us all the weapons to fight the ruling class. What our father taught us, we have traded for money and power. But did we at least get money and power? No. We continue to be slaves. Totally hinduised.

Dalits have been India’s only revolutionary people. Their anger has been not only defused but Dalits are made to join the Brahminical counter-revolution. So much so India itself has become weak and lifeless.

Confusion in England: We visited Birmingham, about 250 miles north of London, on the invitation of some Punjabi Dalits. The city has a huge concentration of Dalits. But we are sorry to observe that even here in England our brothers are feuding and fighting. They are divided into Ramdasias, Budhists, Ambedkarites, Sikhs and many other groups. In South Hall (London) also we observed the same confusion.

Who can save a people who have no willingness to be saved? Who can save a people who have become the willing slaves of Hindus —nay slaves enjoying their slavery?

In the light of these observations you tell us what is the earthly purpose of continuing the Dalit Voice?

DV Edit March 16, 2000: “Failure on “Media Centre” forces DV to retreat: When oppressed can’t even identify enemy how can they fight it?”.

DV Edit March 1, 2000: “Aryans force second partition: Leaving behind the Wretched of earth, they get ready to take off to 21st century”.