Internal reservations for SC/ST

(1) It is a fact that some SC/ST/BCs have benefited from job reservations more than the rest due to various factors such as education, social awareness, economic status etc. It is, therefore, incumbent upon these beneficiary castes/tribes to be magnanimous with their less fortunate brothers and sisters and take initiative to hand down reservation benefits to them by supporting the demand for internal reservation (reservation within reservation). All the SC/STs be categorised into three or four categories (group of castes/tribes) such as upper (A), upper-middle (B), middle (C) and lower (D) depending upon the level of their backwardness of these categories and fix the percentage of reservation according to their population ratio. The following table for SC category will explain the issue:

Thus, entire SC eligible for 15% quota is distributed in the proportion of the population of each category (group of castes). In the above table, A is most benefited but D is least benefited group of castes. Such a suo-moto action will not only generate tremendous goodwill but also bring the much desired unity among different categories. This will also rob off anti-reservationists the issue of discrimination within the reserved classes.

(2) The children of govt./PSU officers who retire at the Grade A or equivalent posts should not be considered for further reservation automatically. However, they should be considered only when suitable/eligible candidates are not available from the rest of the categories. This will enhance the chances of those people who have not yet benefited from the reservation. This gesture on our part will blunt the arguments of anti-reservationists that reservation policy is creating elites among SC/STs.

Debate: DV may conduct a debate to crystallise these four issues so that proposals could be presented to the government. Whenever there is a debate on SC/ST, the anti-reservationists hit back saying:

(1) Why reservations are extended after every 10 years? (2) Why there is reservation for SC/STs when lot many among upper castes are poorer? (3) Why “merit” is sacrificed at the altar of reservation politics?

The media has utterly failed to clarify these issues. On the contrary its silence has complicated the matter further and created all sorts of wrong notions in the minds of young ones.

No time limit for quota: (1) SC/ST reservations in jobs and education are governed by the Article 15 read with Article 335 and Article 46 of the Constitution for which no time limit is fixed. The said limit of 10 years is applicable only reservation of seats in parliament and state assemblies which falls within the purview of Article 330, 332 and 334 of the Constitution. Please note SC/STs are not much bothered about reserved seats. They would rather welcome if it is abolished.

(2) Reservation in jobs are provided on he basis of social and educational backwardness and not on the economic condition of the people. However, there is no doubt many upper castes are also poor. But that is beside the point. A rich Dalit is not socially equal to a poor Brahmin. Reservation brings some respectability to the beneficiary.

What is merit: (3) Anti-reservationists always use the argument of “merit” as Brahmastra. However, “merit” is such an abstract concept defined in as many ways as the number of interested parties and depending upon the context in which it is used. By and large the “merit” is perceived by the people in terms of marks obtained in a qualifying exam. No doubt it is an objective method for selecting candidates for jobs or professional courses in the absence of some better alternative.

But the most important question is never answered by the anti-reservationists. SC/STs are most oppressed, dispossessed and disinherited, who were never allowed to acquire education for centuries together. They are the victims of caste discrimination. How can they be suddenly asked to complete with the beneficiaries of the caste system?

The upper castes, who have all along derived and squeezed every bit of caste-based occupation reservation in the pre-independence era, are now in the forefront in denying the opportunities to the unprivileged to play their rightful role in nation-building activities.

(4) We have democracy in our country which is built on certain basic principles and perhaps the most important of them are equality of opportunities, social justice and representation. The strength of a chain lies in its weakest link and SC/ST are the country’s weakest link.

______________________________________________________________________________

Dalit women can fight Brahminism better than men

Brahminism survives mainly due to (1) lack of women education and (2) lack of primary Budhist / Ambedkarite missionary schools to educate children. Women make and manage children and family. Our Bahujan Samaj has ignored women and children. Our most serious failure is we have not encouraged the participation of our women in social functions. Only men attend such social functions. They don’t bring their wives and children but deliver speeches complaining that women don’t give up Brahminical culture but worship of Hindu idols. I have been educating my wife and my whole family since my marriage (1998). My father and mother-in-law have stopped worshipping Hindu gods. I convinced that Brahminism exploits Bahujan and particularly the women. They agreed that Brahmins are foreign invaders. The Brahmin (Aryan) came to India 3,500 years ago and conquered Indians through sam (compromise), dan (bribery), dand (punishment), bhed (division). After defeating Indians they (Aryans) made us slaves. They married our women but did not give any liberty. I have the full support of the Manusmriti for my argument. Brahmins did not give the right to education to Bahujan and women. They had no respect for women. Their principal god Brahma raped his own daughter Saraswati. Rama murdered Shambuk at the behest of Brahmins because he was educating Bahujans. He expelled his pregnant wife Sita to forest at midnight. His brother Laxman conspired in this. Pandwas pledged their wife Draupadi for the sake of gambling with Kauravas. Only Arjuna married Draupadi but his four bothers raped Draupadi. Arjuna did not opposed it. Our Brahminical media kept all this secret. The Brahminical media ignored BSP founder Kanshi Ram’s great efforts in producing the third largest “national” party. I always brought my wife to every social meetings. I made her editor-in-chief of a Hindi weekly, Atta Deepo Bhav Sandesh, since 2001. My wife Jaya co-operates with me in all my Budhist activities. She never fasted on karva chauth since our marriage. She has even discarded her mangal sutra, red sindur and all Hindu symbols. She has taken great interest in teaching her and other Dalit children Budhist and Dr. Ambedkar thoughts. Bahujan Samaj cannot find liberation unless our women get liberated. Our women once educated on the burning thoughts of Babasaheb can be better fighters of Brahminism than the men.

______________________________________________________________________________

LETTERS TO EDITOR

Sam J. Abraham, 18-Vijay Colony, Opp. Railway Station , Chittorgarh, Rajasthan – 312001: I am a final year BD student at United Theological College, Bangalore, and one of your admirers. I had the privilege of reading some of your articles and books and also once meeting you in your office. I wanted to update you on something very serious and urgent. The Anti-Conversion Bill has been passed in the Rajasthan Assembly. India is a federal country and each state has the right to pass its own Bills and laws as defined under the Constitution. Now the present BJP Govt. in our state has two-thirds majority and it was easy for them to pass this Bill. Rajasthan is the fifth state in India to pass this Bill which has the following effects:

1) The govt. can put any Christian leader in jail if someone complains that he is engaged in conversions. (I need not say that this will be seriously misused in the coming days to put anyone in jail). 2) The punishment is between two to five years of rigorous imprisonment. 3) It is also a non-bailable offence. One cannot expect to get bail under any condition. 4) The govt. has sealed many Christian orphanages, leprosy homes, hospitals, colleges and schools and took them under their direct supervision.

Bishop M. A Thomas is still hiding and his son, Bishop Samuel Thomas, is in prison (DV May 1, 2006 p.14). We do not see his early release as the entire state machinery is against Christians. The truth of the matter is that this Bill has been introduced to target Christians and Muslims who are doing a lot of work for the Dalits and many of them are embracing other faiths. However, it must be said that there are large number of Hindus who have goodwill towards Christians and it is only a minority of anti-social elements who spread the poison of religious hatred. I preached last week in our church and I used the example of Bonhoffer and German Church during the regime of Hitler. I was telling the church that there were only three options before us:

1) To pray - that has been what the historic church has been doing during times of intense persecution; 2) To join hands with co-sufferers like Muslims and Dalits and 3) to present our case with conviction and courage whenever opportunity presents itself. (samjabraham@gmail.com, samja@rediffmail.com)

We are aware of the problem and our May 1 DV carries the whole story on the “Letters” page. We are not surprised by the action of the Hindu hate-mongers. They do their job honestly and also efficiently. Liberating Dalits, who are the unpaid, free slaves of Hindus, will not be permitted. Did not Gandhi, the greatest Hindu of India, go on a fast (Poona Pact) against their liberation by Dr. Ambedkar? The problem with the Indian upper caste-controlled church is it has forgotten the mission of liberating the oppressed. Conversion has been totally given up and even hated by the Syrian Christians. Quite a number of Brahminised Christians have joined their Brahminical cousins. The role played by the Catholic church (CBCI) and the Protestant church on the issue of reservation to Dalit Christians clearly shows their anti-Dalit bias. The Dalits and Adivasis are yearning for liberation. Conversion is perhaps the best and the easiest course but the church has washed off its hands as far as conversion is concerned. The conversion job is left to some Evangalicals who will be tackled mercilessly as it happened in Rajasthan. So what we have today is a typical Hindu church led by its Syrian, Goan and Mangalorean Brahminical Christians. Why the CBCI and the NCCI are silent on the Rajasthan episode? You are suggesting that church must join hands with Muslims and Dalits but we have hardly any instance of church taking this step. In DV, we have virtually launched a war against this church. Many Dalit Christians themselves have joined this war — EDITOR.

______________________________________________________________________________

Latest book by Dalit Sahitya Akademy

DEVELOPMENT REDEFINED

V.T. RAJSHEKAR

Editor, Dalit Voice

Ever since India in 1947 became “independent” countless crores of rupees have gone down the drain in the name of “development projects” and “welfare” of the “poor”. Did our planning process reduce the poverty of the people? People say no.

Even according to official reports itself and as reported by the country’s “national” press, things are going in the wrong direction. (1) Food, (2) clothing, (3) shelter, the three most important needs of all human beings, should have received the highest priority. But we hear of people dying of hunger. Even farmers, the very producers of food, are committing suicide. In Bombay city itself millions are living on footpath. Country’s top leaders as they land in the Bombay airport get the shock of seeing the houseless millions.

Then we have the other two priorities (1) health and (2) education - which are totally forgotten.

Where did these millions and billions of rupees go?

V.T. Rajshekar’s latest book (DV May 1, 2006 p.12) examines this issue and comes out with the answer.

It is admitted that the money did not reach the deserving. If so why? What is the basic flaw in our planning process?

Those who have been duped of all the five human priorities are the very constituency of Dalit Voice -- namely SC/ST/BCs and Muslims.

The author having diagnosed the disease suggests a time-tested, readily available and historically accepted indigenous medicine that will solve all the five problems and liberate the slaves of India.

However, it needs a heart to accept the Editor’s suggestion.

A very authoritative and challenging book.

The book will be released in Delhi by Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav on the occasion
of the silver jubilee celebration of Dalit Voice in early
June 2006. Sister Mayavati will preside.

2006 pp.85 Rs. 75 US$10

25% comission on bulk purchase

DV family members will get 10% rebate till the end of June 2006.

Write to Dalit Voice office

No.109, 7th Cross, Palace Lower Orchards, Bangalore - 560 003, INDIA.

Email: vtr@endf.vsnl.net.in, dalitvoice@rediffmail.com