Punjab dress rehearsal for a bloody caste war : SC/BCs used to fight Jat Sikhs

We have been very often repeating about the crucial role played by the “Law of Contradictions” in Indian society and those who have not studied this law will not be able to understand what is happening in Punjab today.

We have visited Punjab many times and studied its caste structure and that is how we long back confidently predicted the “Slow death of Sikhism” (DV Edit Nov.1, 1998: “Slow death of a brave community: BSO using internal enemies to destroy Sikh identity”).

So what is happening today in Punjab, the violent clashes between the Backward Castes following the Sirsa (Haryana)-based Dera Sacha Sauda and the Jat Sikhs of Punjab, is nothing but a dress rehearsal for a wholesale bloody caste war. Such a war will be between the Jat Sikhs and the Dalit and Backward Castes (both Sikh and non-Sikh) who are fast getting alienated from Sikhism.

Caste contradictions between the two are getting more and more serious. These contradictions are sharpened by the Brahminical forces who control both the sections. Here lies the beauty and the power of the “Law of Contradictions”.

Role of Arya Samaj: Punjab is the country’s most wonderful laboratory offering the best of scope to make a study of the Law of Contradictions where the different castes are so sharply pitted against each other. Punjab has one of the highest Dalit populations.

Brahminical people, who thrive on making use of such contradictions, have made a deep study of Punjab because they wanted to destroy Sikhism which they found to be so deadly and dangerous for the spread of Brahminism. That was how they launched Arya Samaj under the leadership of a Gujarati Brahmin, Dayananda Saraswati.

The Sikh gurus had killed Brahminism (now disguised as Hinduism) and established a revolutionary religion of Sikhism which liberated the entire society, particularly its most oppressed Dalits and Backward Castes. All this is history.

You will read the great achievements of Sikhism from the book, Sikh Revolution (Jagjit Singh, Bahri Publications, New Delhi, 1998, photocopy available with Dalit Voice office Rs. 300). The author, Sardar Jagjit Singh, was a great admirer of our work and used to visit the Chandigarh jail (in which we were lodged in 1986) and simply sit from morning to evening without talking to anybody but reading Dalit Voice and our books and also shedding tears.

This great Sikh scholar died long back unsung and unwept by the Sikhs themselves.

Secrecy over causes of clash: If this is what Sikhism stood for as outlined in the above book, why the Dalits and Backward Castes for whose liberation Sikhism was born, are today fighting the very Sikhs? Why media reports and both the parties to the dispute are silent on this most vital question?

The ruling Akali Dali is a tail of the Brahmana Jati Party (BJP). The Sirsa Dera which is challenging the Sikhs is also controlled by the same Brahminical forces. Brahminism which controls both the groups is managing the clash to ultimately finish both by skilfully using the Law of Contradictions. Ordinary minds cannot discover it and those knowing it little bit will not disclose it.

Brahminical forces are financing many persons and groups among SC/BCs to systematically criticise and malign Sikhism — particularly the Jat Sikhs — and vice versa. When hate-mongering becomes a big business it will ultimately lead to clash and bloodshed.

When Editor met Bhindranwale: Even when we met Sant Bhindranwale and supported his movement for Sikh self-determination (1982), Kanshi Ram, himself a Dalit Sikh, did not like it. He said the Jat Sikhs were oppressors and Dalit Voice supporting the Sant would not be liked.

We raised this issue with Sant Bhindranwale and he was frank enough to admit the SC/BC alienation from Sikhism. However, he confessed that his Sikh revolution against Brahminism would never succeed without the Sikhs frankly admitting the Sikh mistakes and then embracing the SC/BCs. And then taking them along. He said the very purpose of his Sikh revolution was to liberate the SC/BCs.

We supported Sant Bhindranwale. But before he could take any step the enemy struck launching its “Hindu war against Sikh” through “Blue Star” and killed thousands of Sikhs —men, women and children —including the Sant in 1984. (V.T. Rajshekar, The Birth Pangs of Khalistan, pp.40, photocopy available Rs. 35).

Ever since then the Brahminical people have been systematically widening the gulf between the two sections and the latest explosion is just a dress rehearsal.

Not only the Punjabi society is badly fractured but its very economy too is ruined. In the once famous “bread basket of India”, the farmers are committing suicide.

Not only Brahminism has weaned away SC/BCs from Sikhs but turned them hostile to Sikhs. If Brahminism hates SC/BCs why this love for the “Wretched of the Earth”? The “Law of Contradictions” will give you the answer.

They did not spare the Jat Sikhs also. They have been divided into two major warring camps: Akalis and the Congress, the original Brahminical party. Both the Sikh parties are under Brahminical control and their leadership corrupted.

Slow death of Sikhism: We have written enough on the “Slow death of Sikhism” and held a long debate in DV. Quite lot of thinking Sikhs have agreed with us but such of them are in a minority. As days pass their number is shrinking.

Only a towering person of the calibre of Sant Bhindranwale can restore Sikhism to its pristine purity. But such a revolutionary person coming up in the existing corrupt, money-driven Sikh society is an impossibility.

The Jat Sikhs alone can re-establish Sikhism and restore its revolutionary fervour — but only by winning over the hearts of Dalits and Backward Caste Sikhs — not by threatening them, fighting them and further driving them away from Sikhism.

The Jat Sikhs being the elder brothers must set an example to Dalit Sikhs. Or else both will be gobbled up by the ever hungry Brahmin stomach.

Caste war in Kerala CPM

Bangalore: The Brahmin-Nair clique controlling the Kerala Marxist (CPM) Party never liked the “low caste” Chief Minister Achutanandan. Kerala may be the country’s most literate state and also marxist ruled. Yet it could not get over its caste infection.

The latest action of the CPM Politbureau to suspend the mass leader, Achutanandan, for the fault of the Kerala CPM party secretary, Pinarayi Vijayan, also a “low caste” Ezhava but a stooge of the Nairs, only goes to show that the party bosses in Delhi love their jati more than their party.

Prakash Karat, also a Nair, and his no.2 in the Polit Bureau, a Brahmin from AP, Sitaram Yechury, are conspiring to bring a Nair by removing Achutanandan – though it is a fact that the masses of Kerala voted for CPM only because of Achutanandan.

Pinarayi has no following but he is good manipulator having support of the upper castes who rule Kerala whether it is the Left Front or the Congress-led United Front. The upper castes controlling the party made Achutanandan a rubber stamp chief minister.

The problem of the state is none but Achutanandan’s own community of Ezhavas who form about 30% of the state population — the single largest. Though it is treated as Untouchable by the upper castes, the Ezhavas continue to be guided by them only because of its total hinduisation (enslavement).

It is for the revolutionary intellectuals of the jati to rescue their caste people from Hindu slavery.

All-round pressure to replace Manmohan Singh

Bangalore: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh belonging to the “India shiningwala” group and hence enemy of caste-based reservation will be under renewed pressure to accept the unanimous report of the Ranganath Mishra national commission recommending SC status to Christian and Muslim Dalits, a proposal so much hated by the Brahminical rulers.

But the country’s most important state of UP rejecting all “national” parties and opting for the case-based party of BSP will be a big boost for all caste-based demands. Manmohan Singh is already under fire from all sides for a steep downward slide of India.

If he wants his party to win he must go with the oppressed castes who make up the majority. But his heart is with the upper castes because he is an upper caste Khatri Sikh.

But the Congress chief Sonia Gandhi would naturally like her party to win the next election and this is possible only if she goes with the votaries of caste. The problem is the opponents of caste are also country’s most notorious casteists. They would never, ever agree for any fresh demand for caste-based reservations. The ruling upper castes (15%) are also supported by the upper caste judiciary and the media.

Strength to Dalit movement: Extending SC status to Dalit Christians will be a death blow to the BJP brand of Hinduism. Because lakhs of Dalits in South India in particular now hiding their Christian identity fearing loss of SC reservation will swell the rank of Christians — a religion which the Hindu terrorists hate. A fall in Hindu population will upset the Hindu terrorist party calculations. But more than that the exodus into Dalit population will further strengthen the Dalit movement.

The Mishra commission secretary, Ms. Asha Das, IAS, has given a dissenting note virtually speaking the language of the Hindu terrorist party of BJP. For the Manmohan Singh Govt. her dissenting note will give a breather but all political parties are supporting the Mishra Commission recommendation. So Manmohan Singh is in a terrible crisis.

DV criticises failed PM: On one side he is facing serious attack from inside the party itself. The coalition parties are not at all happy with him.

In DV, we had mounted the most scathing attack on the “failed PM”. So we will not be surprised if there is a party pressure to replace him after the presidential election so that people’s confidence in the party is restored. Sonia Gandhi in her party interest will have to yield to the popular demand.

Meanwhile, Muslims are furious that the PM has not taken any step on the Sachar Committee recommendations despite praising it sky high. The state of UP with a big Muslim population going all-out for BSP shows that the Muslims have expressed no-confidence in the Congress.

Asha Das mischief: The Mishra Commission has said that a clause in Constitution (SCs) Order for 1950, which restricts the SC status to Hindu, Sikh and Budhist, should be dropped to delink SC status from religion. Asha Das says extending SC status to Christians and Muslims would amount to inserting caste in religions which don’t recognise it. She has questioned the propriety of parliament or judiciary to change the tenets of religion.

There are strong demands from Muslim and Christian groups for treatment of Dalit converts as SCs to entitle them to benefits of reservation in jobs and education.

A Dalit Christian PIL is before the Supreme Court. With the panel coming out with the recommendations, there will be increased clamour from Dalit Muslims and Christians. The Hindu terrorist party argues that it would encourage religious conversions of Hindus since exclusion of Dalit converts from SC list acts as a deterrent. But with the government having raised expectations on inclusion of Dalit Muslims and Christians in the SC list, it may have a challenge on its hands fending off pressures from both sides. Head of Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz and Rajya Sabha MP Anwar Ali seized upon the report to demand that 1950 Presidential Order barring Muslims and Christians from SC list be revoked immediately to ensure them SC status and benefits.

Catholicunion@gmail.com adds: Justice Ranganath Misra and three religious members of the commission have recommended Scheduled Caste Rights for Muslims and Christians of Scheduled Caste origin (the issue of Dalit question is the third of three references of the Central Govt. to the commission) but the member-secretary, Mrs. Asha Das, IAS (retd.) has not agreed with the SC status for Dalit Christians and Muslims. The report has been given to Prime Minister Office. The Misra report will have to be submitted to the Supreme Court after the summer holidays in July 2007. The government will also have to give its ATR (Action Taken Report) at that time. Asha Das dissenting note gives much food to the Brahminical opposition to our demands and scuttles the Dalit Christian and Dalit Muslim.

Chorus against PM gets louder

Bangalore: After the Dalit Voice started criticising Manmohan Singh and even demanding his removal, more and more people, organisations and political parties have started joining the chorus. Here is a report:

UPA Govt. fails

New Delhi: By school examination standards, the UPA Govt. has failed with the People’s Report Card given it only 30% marks. Worse still is the comment in the People’s Report Card that the govt. “was not just ignoring but violating the mandate of the people that brought it to power”.

Based on a survey conducted by 500 grassroots and development organisations across 20 states, the People’s Report Card was released here on May 24. This assessment comes two days after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh placed the UPA Govt. Report to the People 2004-2007 in which he claimed that “the National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP) has been substantially implemented” while holding the belief that by the end of its tenure, the current dispensation “would have delivered more than we had promised”. (Hindu, May 25, 2007).

The country’s rich people (read upper castes) are naturally very happy with Manmohan Singh because the PM’s policies have made them richer. But the poor (read “low castes” and Muslims) have kicked the Congress out in UP and Punjab Assembly elections.

How can a PM, who can’t get elected to a panchayat, head a country of 1,200 million?

Sonia Gandhi as the head of the Congress is responsible for her party failures. Manmohan Singh is not responsible. That is why his govt. goes on implementing anti-people policies. Sonia Gandhi will realise it only when her party itself gets routed.

DV proves right on Paswan

Bangalore: The poverty-stricken, illiterate masses of India — comprising over 50% of our population — are the wisest people gifted with the best of foresight.

Here is a report from a noted Muslim journalist from UP, Suroor Ahmed.

Apart from psephologists there is another gentleman who, though nowhere in the race, received a huge blow. And that is the Union Fertilizer Minister, Ram Vilas Paswan. The Bahujan Samaj Party leader, Mayawati, once again proved that as regards Dalit leadership there should be no doubt left in anyone’s mind. If the Congress wants to have any truck with her — and why not — in the next parliamentary election it may be forced to do away with Ram Vilas Paswan, who alone may now not even win his own Lok Sabha seat in Parliament. His outfit, the Lok Janshakti Party, won four seats in 2004 Lok Sabha only because it had an alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal in Bihar. And in the Assembly election of that state in 2005 he let down the Congress in his home state. Paswan is now not in a position to pressurise the Congress on the Dalit leadership issue. (Radiance, May 20, 2007).

DV had long back pronounced its verdict on this bogus Dalit leader who is the darling of the upper castes. In the UP Assembly election, he posed as a big Dalit leader with the full support of the Brahminical toilet papers. The lone MLA from his party joined BSP after getting elected, ditching Paswan.

Reply to Kuldip Nayar: difference between caste & casteism

Bangalore: The UP Assembly election results have made Kuldip Nayar to predict: “decimation of Hindutva forces” (Asian Age May 28, 2007).

He will be wrong. Kuldip Nayar is a senior journalist but he belongs to an upper caste, a Punjabi Hindu Khatri. The upper castes, because of the accident of birth, have hardly any opportunity — not to speak of interest — to study India’s myriad castes. It is not their fault. That is how most of India’s upper caste social scientists criticised the Mandal Commission Report.

We have not come across a single social scientist behaving true to his profession during the entire anti-Mandal violence because the caste in which he is born prevents him from speaking out the truth and playing the role of a genuine social scientist. This is the case with our journalists also.

OUR BOSS IN INDIAN EXPRESS

However in his article, “Caste stalls communalism”, Kuldip Nayar has made a quantum jump by admitting that “caste was bound to stall the spread of communalism one day”. This is a great truth and it took years and years for him to learn.

Kuldip Nayar was our boss in the Indian Express at the time of our dismissal (1980) and used to like us very much. But unlike other upper caste journalists he has the willingness to learn. That is why we have great respect for him.

But he is wrong in predicting “decimation of Hindutva”. Where he goes wrong is in naming the forces represented by RSS-BJP as Hindutva. There is nothing like Hindutva. Golwalkar and his children may love Hindu and Hindutva. But the very name of their religion is not Hindu. There is no Hindu in India. No Brahmin calls himself a Hindu. Golwalkar and his children are all Brahmins. They love their jati. This blind love for their jati is Brahminism. To hide this blind jati love, they renamed Brahminism as Hinduism. We have explained this in our book Brahminism (DSA-2000, Rs.50).

BRAHMINISM & ZIONISM

Brahminism is not a religion but a brand of racism like zionism. This cult of racism keeps the Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaishyas — the three twice-born jatis — as the ruling class of India. There are too many contradictions between the three. The Brahmin Parasurama had killed all the Kshatriyas. That is why the Kshatriyas hate the Brahmins. The Vaishyas (Banias) also hate the Brahmins because the Brahmin scriptures describe them as those born out of papayoni.

Until M.K. Gandhi came on the scene and became the dictator of pre-independent India, the Vaishyas were a poverty-stricken lot like the rest of Indians.

Brahmins hated Gandhi because he took over the county’s leadership from them. That was why he was killed. (V.T. Rajshekar, Why Godse Killed Gandhi?, DSA-1997).

But after the “independence” the Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas, the three twice-born varnas, quickly joined hands and became the country’s rulers. Later the landed shudra castes like Jats, Marathas, Reddis, etc. also joined the exploiters. Together the four make up a total of mere 15% of the Indian population. Brahminism which hides itself as Hindutva is the cult of this 15% ruling class.

PREDATOR

They may be mere 15% but they control everything in India, all its property, positions, media and more than anything the “Hindu religion” and its gods. And through that they control every government. They are the rulers enforcing a religion called Hinduism, the right name of which is Brahminism.

The millions of temples they command, the education system they enforce and the value system they propound have injected the poison of Brahminism not only on the “lower castes” like SC/ST/BCs (65%) but also brainwashed the three “minorities”, Muslim/Christian/Sikhs (20%). Those among the minorities who challenge Brahminism are dubbed terrorists and violently tackled.

CASTE STALLS COMMUNALISM

This is the predator called Brahminism going by the name of Hinduism or Hindutva.

Is it possible to “decimate” such an awfully powerful force? Brahminism is a thought. And no thought can be destroyed. As days pass this Hindutva thought is only getting more and more powerful and dangerous.

After thinking a great deal on this subject we have arrived at certain conclusions which we have poured into our book, Caste — A Nation Within the Nation. We are happy that the eminent journalist Kuldip Nayar has endorsed our thesis without even reading or perhaps not even knowing about this book. (India’s Brahminical media even refused to review this book). That is how he came to the conclusion that “caste was bound to stall the spread of communalism one day”.

However, a slight correct. There is nothing like “communalism”. It is the other word for Brahminism.

He fears that the UP voting pattern may promote casteism and says “both casteism (of Mayawati) and communalism (of BJP) are bad for the country’s health.

U.P. CHAMARS NOT CASTEIST

Again a correction. Caste is not our enemy. But casteism is. Upper castes who have taken casteism to America and Britain, where they have migrated, are the casteists.

Casteism is different from caste. Caste is our ethnic identity.

If a Brahmin loves his caste he doesn’t become a casteist. He becomes a casteist only when he wants to use his caste to dominate and exploit others. Casteism is the other name for Hinduism or Brahminism. The Chamars of UP and other oppressed castes loved their jatis and voted for BSP which assured protection to their human rights. Using the jati power for domination and exploitation is casteism. The SC/ST/OBCs belong to different castes (ethnic identities) but they do not dominate or exploit anybody.

“CASTE IDENTITY”

The four top varnas — Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and shudra (15%) came up and became rulers of India only by strengthening their respective castes (ethnic identity). The lower castes (65%) have also learnt that in a parliamentary democracy, which is a game of numbers, they have no other way but to imitate the rulers and strengthen their respective “caste identity”.

That is how all over India every caste is strengthening tis identity by forming its caste association. That is how caste-based and region-based political parties are coming up indicating the shape of the things to come.

ELITE MUSLIM PROBLEM

All the “national parties” like the Congress, BJP, CPI, CPM will automatically die. Already coalitions of such caste-based parties are there in the Centre and also in some states. In the coming parliament election such parties are bound to take over Delhi.

India’s only problem is the elite Muslims who have either not understood the caste system and the part played by the castes or because of the Brahminical control on them. But the masses of Muslims in UP voted for Mayawati as they live and work with the oppressed castes.

We want to assure the 15% Brahminical forces that we have nothing against them. It is they who hate us. We don’t hate them. Brahminical forces (BJP) still command ten states. Even in UP its base is strong though the poorer, village-dwelling Brahmins have gone over to BSP.

“SOFTWARE SHAKAS”

The chaddi party (RSS) is still strong but if it thinks that it can enslave us they will go wrong. RSS spokesman Ram Madhav says plenty of “software shakas” are springing up in Bangalore’s burgeoning IT industry—dominated by Brahmins. IT is a drop in this vast ocean of India. We don’t bother about IT.

We admit the RSS-BJP forces have succeeded in hinduising the non-Hindu SC/ST/BCs and frightening the minorities, particularly the Muslim. But they have failed to “decimate” and destroy our castes. Their own party is riddled with caste conflicts. Narendra Modi is ruling in Gujarat because of his Backward Caste strength which the ruling Patidar Patels and Brahmins want to destroy. Advani is hated by the Brahmins inside BJP.

When “caste” is rocking the Brahminical party of RSS-BJP itself, how can they erase caste by hinduising us? It is the other way: The caste is killing the casteists (Hindutva forces). In Rajasthan, the clashing Gujjars and Meenas will kill “Hindu unity”.

Kuldip Nayar must make a deeper study of India’s castes and its amazing power to save this country from Brahminism.

PHOOLAN DEVI NOT CRIMINAL

Kuldip Nayar says many “casteist criminals” are elected MLAs and the Mayawati cabinet has some criminals. But our question is why nobody has called P.V. Narasimha Rao, Jayalalita or Narendra Modi criminal?

Why those top frauds like Harshad Mehta who have duped millions are not called criminals? Why the Kanchi Shankarachari who indulged in murders and sex scandals is not called criminal?

The problem is only those who have won the hearts of the oppressed people by fighting the thugs and pindaris protected by the corrupt police are called criminals. Such “criminals” defend the defenseless SC/ST/BCs and Muslims in rural India. That is how they win the hearts of the masses and get elected to the legislature. But to our urban-dwelling upper caste journalists such heroes and heroines like Phoolan Dei become criminals and dacoits.

Why this Brahminical love for Budhism?

Bombay: Why the Brahmins and Banias who once hated Budhism and sent the Adi Shankara to kill Budhists all over India, and destroy Budhism, today love Budhism? This baffling question stares at us when we see Brahminical toilet papers giving a wide coverage to the May 27, 2007 mass conversion of nomadic tribes in Bombay.

The Hindustan Times said 200, DNA said thousands, Rediff put it at 50,000 but Asian Age said “lakhs”. Which one to believe. Laxman Mane who got the Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel, Upara, is now with the Maratha-dominated, Sharad Pawar-controlled Nationalist Congress Party. Poor Mane is being utilised by Sharad Pawar to pre-empt Mayawati’s march into Maharashtra. This is the secret of the Brahmin-Bania media praise for this jamboree blessed by Rasputin Dalai Lama and Vipassana Vampire S.N. Goenka who was also present at Mahalaxmi Race Course.

Dr. Ambedkar co-opted: After all, Budha was co-opted as an avatar of Vishnu. RSS mouthpiece Organiser has praised Dr. Ambedkar several times for ensuring that he did not get Dalits converted to Islam or Christianity. RSS has put out posters showing Vishnu blessing Budha and Dr. Ambedkar.

All over India the Hindu terrorists are opposing religious conversions and killing Christian missionaries, burning churches and raping nuns involved in conversions. But in the May 27 Budhist conversion of a gigantic scale it was publicly announced that the thousands of tribals gathered there were quitting Hinduism and converting to Budhism. Why the conversion was blessed by Brahminical people and the event received wide publicity, and all praise? Why Ramdas Athawale, a henchman of Sharad Pawar and RPI leader, did all the spade work for the big show?

Meat-eating & Budhism

Bangalore: Just as everything in India is getting Brahminised or hinduised, Budhism is also facing the same problem.

Brahminical forces have fully infiltrated Budhism and introducing all sorts of perversions like meditation (Vipassana), idol worship, vegetarianism, belief in fate and all sorts of superstitions. DV had a long Debate on these Brahminical bid to mislead the Dalits.

Because Babasaheb embraced Budhism, Dalits all over India are also rushing into it which may reduce the Hindu to a minority. This is the secret of the Brahminical fear. They have employed hundreds of “missionaries” to subvert Babasaheb’s Budhism.In Bangalore, the Brahminical Mahabodhi Society has many captive Dalit Budhists to corrupt Babasaheb Budhism. They are invited by innocent Dalits to perform marriages as per Budhist rites in which they mischievously introduce mangal sutra which the bridegroom ties round the neck of the bride to sanctify the wedlock.

Mangal sutra is strictly Brahminical compelling the wife to be the life-long slave of the husband. Under Budhism such a custom is prohibited but some unthinking Budhists have printed booklets quoting Babasaheb recommending such a practice.

Budhism resembles Hinduism: At the time of Budhist mass conversion of Dalits, the monk invariably makes it a condition that the lunch served must be vegetarian. So much so, Budhism has started resembling Hinduism much to the delight of its enemies.

Here is yet another authoritative warning from a noted Budhist monk on vegetarianism.

Both Budha and Babasaheb were meat-eaters. From where did this vegetarianism come?

Ajahn Brahmavamso

Since the very beginning of Budhism over 2,500 years ago, Budhist monks and nuns have depended on almsfood. They were, and still are, prohibited from growing their own food, storing their own provisions or cooking their own meals. Instead, every morning they would make their day’s meal out of whatever was freely given to them by lay supporters. Whether it was rich food or coarse food, delicious or awful tasting it was to be accepted with gratitude and eaten regarding it as medicine. The Budha laid down several rules forbidding monks from asking for the food that they liked. As a result, they would receive just the sort of meals that ordinary people ate - and that was often meat.

Budha ate meat: There are many places in the Budhist scriptures which tell of the Budha and his monks being offered meat and eating it. However there are some meats which are specifically prohibited for monks to eat: human meat, for obvious reasons; meat from elephants and horses as these were then considered royal animals; dog meat - as this was considered by ordinary people to be disgusting; and meat from snakes, lions, tigers, panthers, bears and hyenas - because one who had just eaten the flesh of such dangerous jungle animals was thought to give forth such a smell as to draw forth revenge from the same species.

Monks and nuns may eat meat. Even the Budha at meat. (india4dalits@ gmail.com)

INDIA SHINING

No peace in India

London: India’s booming economy may be attracting global attention today but the Asian power still ranks a poor 109th among 121 nations on the scale of peace, a global peace index released on May 30 said. The global peace index, published a week before a Group of Eight (G8) summit in Germany, rates 121 countries from Algeria to Zimbabwe on some 24 factors including levels of violence, organised crime and military expenditure. “This is a wake-up call for leaders around the globe”, said Steve Killelea, who commissioned the study from he Economist Intelligence Unit, which is linked to the news weekly The Economist.

—(Indian Express—PTI, May 31, 2007)

*****

Worst child welfare

New Delhi: With almost 50% of its children underfed, India has some of the worst indicators of the child welfare in the world. Midday meals were introduced after a nation-wide campaign so that schools could retain students, rather than lose them to hunger and wage earning. In 2001, the Supreme Court directed all states to serve cooked midday meals to children in govt. schools up to Class V. Later, in 2004, it passed an order requiring that “every child eligible for cooked meal under the midday meal scheme, in all states and union territories, shall be provided with the said meal not later than January 2005.

—(Tehelka, May 19, 2007, p.22).