Thoughts and opinion on this or any other articles can be shared with Ambedkartimes.com and comments are always appreciated towards but Ambedkartimes.com/Editor does not have the same opinions as others. The views expressed in the articles/news published in the site www.ambedkartimes.com are that of their writers, and it is not implied that Prem Kumar Chumber, Editor / www.ambedkartimes.com endorses them.

For India and Indians the present is an age of Dr. Ambedkar. He has already been recognized by intelligent and impartial Indians as a great nation builder. It is time; his own people recognize his stature as their Masiha and try to follow his teachings.

First of all, though he was born in a depressed community hated by the general population, he rose to great heights in various fields by mere hard work and honesty of purpose. In his book, ´B. R. Ambedkar – Unique and Versatile” Prof ( Dr.) D.R. Jatava has analysed major aspects of Ambedkar’s personality under 27 headings such as philosopher, true patriot, a political thinker, dedicated humanist, social revolutionary, constitutional expert and searching historian etc. Let us take a general view of this modern saviour of the backward communities of India.

His book “Annihilation of Caste” has become a classic for those who want to do something for killing this hydra-headed dragon He could criticise Gandhi when most Indians worshiped him like Avatar.

(a) Having suffered under the caste system of the Hindus, Baba Sahib had made annihilation of caste and up lift of the oppressed castes as the chief mission of his life. He saw that religion is the main source of an average man’s philosophy of life. He had also seen the sad demise of the various Hindu reform movements (Arya Samaj, Brahmo Samaj and Prarthna Samaj etc) and of Shudras reformers (Ravidassi and Kabir Panthi sect and Ramnami movement of Ghasi Ram, Ad-Dharmi movement of Punjab etc.) and even of the movements of R. Naikar and Joyti Rao Phule who criticised Hinduism vehemently but gave no alternative religion to their followers. Their followers remained in the Hindu fold and hence Shudras. In fact all these movements strengthened the caste consciousness of the Hindus, both high and the low. As the masses can not remain without a religion, he accepted Buddhism as an alternative for the depressed community and advised his followers to accept his lead in this respect too.

(b) Buddhism has a long history of struggle against caste system and religious superstitions. From the very beginning Baba Sahib liked Buddhism as his philosophy of life. While giving a lecture in a series, “My Personal Philosophy” in a broadcast on A.I.R in October 1954 he said,” Every man should have a philosophy of life, for every one must have a standard by which to measure. Negatively I reject the Hindu social philosophy. Positively, my social philosophy may be said to be enshrined in three words: liberty, equality and fraternity. My philosophy has roots in religion and not in political science. I have derived them from the teaching of my Master, the Buddha.” Again talking to BBC in 1956, he said,” I prefer Buddhism because it gives three principles in combination which no other religion does. All other religions are bothering about God, soul, and life after death. Buddhism teaches PARAJANA (understanding as against supernaturalism,) it teaches KARUNA (compassion), it teaches SAMTA (equality). This is what man wants for a good and happy life on earth. These three principles of Buddhism make an appeal to me”

(C) Dr. Ambedkar wanted a religion for his people over which they could have complete control. He did not want them to be victims of Arab imperialism looking to Mecca or hand-maid of Christians Missionaries under Rome or under the hegemony of Akal Takhat of Amritsar . Buddhism has a long history of struggle against Brahminical hold on the minds of the masses and caste system. It is capable of giving a historically honoured culture and heritage of their own of which they could be proud. It can easily give an honourable place to such reformer as Saints Namdev, Kabir and Ravi Dass who are in reality upholders of Buddha’s fight against superstitions, ritualism and social discrimination. (As against this just see the refusal of the standard Sikhs to recognized Guru Ravi Dass or Satguru Kabir as “gurus” and their insistence to call them Bhagats)

(d) Moreover, Dr. Ambedkar had seen the antagonism going on between Mahars, Chamars and Mangs, the three main communities of his state of Maharashtra and the lack of unity between Malas and Madigas of Andhra Pradesh, enmity between Chamars, Ramdasias and the Chuhras, the three main community of Punjab (more examples can be added from other parts of India) which led to their exploitation even politically. The high caste Hindus/Sikhs take full advantage of the disunity amongst the untouchables due to Jati (community) based organizations.

According to him Buddhism is a religion that can unite these communities on all India bases, culturally and religiously, replacing regional cults as now followed by various lower castes and can give them an honourable identity. Any member of the lower castes, who wants to go up or has gone up, generally tries to conceal his caste, because it is humiliating phenomenon. Even the word “Dalit” is now having a bad connotation, just as the word Mahasha, Ad-Dharmi, Adi-Dravida, Ramdassia and Mazahabi had in the past. By calling themselves Buddhists, the ex-untouchables of India can have an independent honourable and internationally recognized identity at par with that of Muslims, Christians and Sikhs and also reduce the numerical influence of Hindus in the Indian polity.

NOW A WORD FOR THOSE DALITS WHO CLAIM TO BE THE FOLLOWERS OF DR. AMBEDKAR WITHOUT FOLLOWING HIS TEACHINGS IN FULL

Dr. Ambedkar was born as a Mahar and as a Hindu but died neither as a Mahar nor as a Hindu. After great deliberation and struggle, he intentionally gave up both these identities and became a Buddhist. He even disbanded communal based Schedule Castes Federation and set up secular Republican Party of India. He wanted his followers who were divided on caste lines to come under the banner of Buddhism on all India basis as other communities like Sikhs and Muslims. Buddhism has nothing to do with mental backwardness. By going over to Buddhism one becomes an autonomous human being. If you are not capable of coming out of Chamarism and Maharism, please leave Baba Sahib alone; do not drag him back to the humiliating status of a fourth grade Hindu. You should leave your Chamarism / Maharism behind and improve your status as a Buddhist as Baba Sahib did. Your fore-fathers tried to have good identity by changing the name of their caste but failed because they did not come out of the Hindu fold, and high caste Hindus / Sikhs refused to gave higher status to the new caste. You have to give up your caste links and join India-wide self respect movement of Buddhists. Buddhism gives you not only all India respectable identity but links to the world-wide Buddhist society.

Those who do not want to leave the Hindu/ Sikh fold but fight for equal status are fighting a losing battle because they are fighting against their enemies on the latter’s terms which are harmful to the former. You can’t defeat the enemy in his own home. By helping you to set up your own temples/Gurdwaras, have the Hindus/Sikhs not cleverly got rid of your presence in their own Temples/Gurudwaras? Where is your temple entry and anti-untouchability struggle? Create your own battle field and stand for your own terms and conditions which are more justice based. Buddhism gives you your own battle ground.

Do not be afraid if you can not become a full fledged Buddhist or carry all the members of your family with you. Don’t you find turban-less Sikhs or beef eating Hindus or Muslims dressed like Europeans? Still they are proud of Sikh/ Hindu/ Muslim identity. Just start calling yourself Buddhist and enter your religion as Buddhism in all the records you have like census. By doing this you will strengthen the hands of your well wishers and reduce the strength of your enemies.

There is not enough space for enumerating the merits of Buddhism which is accepted by famous intellectuals’ world over as the only rational and humanistic world religion. It is enough to quote Dr. Einstein:

“The religion in the future will be the Cosmic Religion. It should transcend a personal god and avoid dogma and theology. Covering both the natural and spiritual, it should be based on a religious sense arising from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity. Buddhism answers this description” and “… The beginning of cosmic religious feeling already appear at an early stage of development, i.e., in many of the psalms of David and in some of the prophets. Buddhism, as we have especially from the wonderful writings of Schopenhauer, contains a much stronger element of this.”

By: Mr. Khushi Ram - for the Indian Buddhist Society of Canada, Vancouver.

Posted on www.ambedkartimes.com ( April 14, 2008 )

MESSAGE ON

HUMAN RIGHTS OF DALITS IN INDIA

Message to be read at the meeting on Human Rights in India: The Issue of the Castes namely of the “Untouchable”, organized by the Indian Educational Mission Society in cooperation with the Centre for European Constitutional Law – The Mistocles and Dimitris Tsatsos Foundation, April 6, 2008, at Hotel Athens (Greece).

Untouchables were known by different names in different parts of the country. They were called Shudras, Atishudras, Chandalas, Antyajas, Pariahs, Dheds, Panchamas, Avarnas, Namashudras, Asprusthas, Ad Dharmis, Depressed Classes, Harijans, and Scheduled Castes. The hierarchical and repressive structure of Indian (Hindu) society came into existence during the period of manusmriti about three thousand years ago. The manusmriti set the tone of social discrimination based on birth. This, in turn led to social exclusion, economic degradation and political isolation of the Untouchables now popularly known as Dalits. Dalits are the poor, neglected and downtrodden lot. Their social disabilities were specific, severe and numerous. Their touch, shadow or even voice was considered by the caste Hindus to be polluting. They were not allowed to keep certain domestic animals, use certain metals for ornaments, eat a particular type of food, use a particular type of footwear, wear a particular type of dress and were forced to live in the outskirts of the villages towards which the wind blew and dirt flowed. Their houses were dirty, dingy and unhygienic where poverty and squalor loomed large. They were denied the use of public wells. The doors of the Hindu temples were closed for them and their children were not allowed into the schools attended by the children of caste Hindu. Barbers and washermen refused their services to them lest they lose their business from the upper castes. Public services were closed to them. They followed menial hereditary occupations such as those of street sweeping, manual scavenging, shoemaking and carcasses removing.

Dalit is not an administrative term. But nevertheless, it includes those who are designated as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes in the constitution of the country. However, in common political discourse, the term Dalit is mainly referred to Scheduled Castes only. In other words, Scheduled Castes is a ‘politically correct’ nomenclature for the socially excluded lot in the society. The British officials in Government of India Act, 1935, used the term Scheduled Caste for the first time. Prior to this, the ex Untouchables were known as Depressed Classes. Mahatma Gandhi gave them the name Harijans meaning children of God. Gandhi himself did not coin the name. He borrowed the name from a Bhakti movement saint of the 17 th century Narsinh Mehta. The name Harijan became popular during 1931 amid conflicts between Gandhi and Ambedkar on the issue of guarantying communal political representation to the Dalits. Gandhi took this move as a step towards the disintegration of Hindu society. By terming the Untouchables as Harijans, Gandhi tried to persuade caste Hindus to shed their prejudices against the achchutas i.e. Untouchables. The purpose to adopt this new nomenclature of Harijan for the Untouchables was to induce change in the heart and behavior of the Hindus towards Untouchables. At the same time, it was hoped that this new name would be accepted by the Untouchables who would too try to cultivate the virtues that it connotes. To quote Gandhi “…probably, Antyaja brethren would lovingly accept that name and try to cultivate the virtues which it connotes… may the Antyaja become Harijan both in name and nature” [Gandhi, M. K. (1971), Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Vol. 47 (Delhi: Publication Division), pp.244-5]. The term Harijan got further recognition as an emancipatory nomenclature in the formation of Harijan Sewak Sangh, an organisation established for the purpose of upliftment of the Dalits under the aegis of the Congress. A weekly ‘Harijan’ was also started by Gandhi to provide voice for the cause of the downtrodden. However, Ambedkar did not find any substance in the change of name for the redressal of the structural hindrances that stood menacingly in the way of the their all around amelioration. To him it did not make any difference whether the downtrodden were called achchuta or Harijan, ‘as the new nomenclature did not change their status in the social order’ [Shah, Ghanshyam (2001), “Introduction: Dalit Politics”, in Ghanshyam Shah (ed.), Dalit Identity and Politics, ( New Delhi: Sage), p.21].

The term Dalit was used by no less a person than Ambedkar in his fortnightly called Bahishkrit Bharat [Guru, Gopal (2001), “The Language of Dalit–Bahujan Political Discourse”, in Ghanshyam Shah (ed.), Dalit Identity and Politics, ( New Delhi: Sage), p, 100]. Though Ambedkar did not popularize the term Dalit for Untouchables, his thoughts and actions have contributed to its growth and popularity. The word Dalit is a common usage in Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati and many other Indian languages, denoting the poor and oppressed persons. It also refers to those who have been broken, ground down by those above them in a deliberate way [Shah, Ghanshyam (2001), “Dalit Movements and The Search for Identity”, in Ghanshyam Shah (ed.), Dalit Identity and Politics, ( New Delhi: Sage), pp. 195-196]. “It includes all the oppressed and exploited sections of society. It does not confine itself merely to economic exploitation in terms of appropriation of surplus. It also relates to suppression of culture – way of life and value system – and, more importantly, the denial of dignity. It has essentially emerged as a political category. For some, it connotes an ideology for fundamental change in the social structure and relationships” (Shah, Ghanshyam (2001), “Introduction: Dalit Politics”, in Ghanshyam Shah (ed.), Dalit Identity and Politics, ( New Delhi: Sage), p.22]. The word Dalit indicates struggle for an egalitarian order and provides the concept of pride to the politically active Dalits. The word Dalit gained currency through the writings of Marathi writers in the early 1970s. “Dalit writers who have popularised the word have expressed their notion of Dalit identity in their essays, poems, dramas, autobiographies, novels and short stories. They have reconstructed their past and their view of the present. They have expressed their anger, protest and aspiration” (Shah, “Introduction: Dalit Politics” 2001: 22).

Thus, “Dalit” is a by-product of the Ambedkar movement and indicates a political and social awareness. Ambedkar adopted a different approach and philosophy for the emancipation of Scheduled Castes. He wanted to liberate the Dalits by building an egalitarian social order that he believed was not possible within the fold of Hinduism whose very structure was hierarchical which relegated the Dalits to the bottom on the Brahminical rank scale. Initially, he tried to seek emancipation of the Dalits by bringing transformation within the structure of Hinduism through his efforts for opening the temples for the Dalits and multi-caste dinners. However, Ambedkar came to realise soon that such an approach would not bring the desired result for the amelioration of the inhuman condition of the Dalits. He asserted that the Dalits should come forward and fight for their own cause. He gave them the mantra – educate, agitate, organise. He did not have faith in the charitable spirit of the caste Hindus towards the Untouchables as it had failed to bring any change in the oppressive Hindu social order.

Since then the ex-Untouchables have entered very forcefully in to the political arena and public debate in Indian democracy. They have their own political parties, social organizations, community halls, religious places/centers, and some educational institutions. After a long struggle, under the able leadership of Dr. Ambedkar, they have also earned some respectable space in the governance of the country (constitutional affirmative action). Many of them were successful in ventures abroad. They have settled in Europe, North America, Middle East as well as Far East in Asia. Now, it is impossible to ignore them at all. However, much is yet to be done. Many of them are still severely deprived of and enjoy no say in the local structures of powers. Their basic civic and inalienable human rights are often violated openly. They still stand at the lowest rank on many modern standardized indicators of development and socio-economic growth and inclusion.

I hope and wish that the Sunday ( April 6, 2008) “ Athens Meeting” would contribute significantly towards the empowerment of the ex-Untouchables of India and sharpen the emerging worldwide debate on the burning question of ‘Dalits Human Rights in India’. My heartiest congratulations to all the organizers of this ‘historic meet’ in Athens, the holy land of the birth of Enlightenment, Democracy and Peace. This meet would also go a long way in strengthening the forces of peace and Human Rights the world over. Once again, my heartiest congratulations to all the Indo-Greek Dalit brothers and the entire staff of the Indian Educational Mission Society and The Centre for European Constitutional Law.

Re-posted on www.ambedkartimes.com (April 14, 2008)

Jai Bheem, Jai Mulnivasi        

First of all I congratulate and send my best wishes to all Indians (Mulnivasis), where ever they live in this world, on the birth anniversary of all our Maha Purshans. Bamcef in the month of April don't celebrate and salute to only Baba Sahib Ambedkar but to all our Mahan Purshans who’s great scarifies lead us for freedom.

To all the poor of my mother land, who have the power forever? For whom Ambedkar did stand, Give up poverty, but power never.

I am glad to inform the international oppressed people (Mulnivasi) of India  that since joining as the members of Bamcef, I have attended and spoken to large number of the Valmiki Community as well. From the platform of Bamcef Hundreds of  state convention of Mulnivasi Valmiki (Scavenging Caste) Mukti Samalans are held all over India. It is a matter of immense satisfaction that the Valmiki awakening campaign of Bamcef is in full swing. Though I am unable to attend many Samelans time to time, but I always feel personally with them all the time and my heart and my mind is always with them... First of all, I congratulate all my Krantikari Sathi for a worthy cause and send my best wishes to all of you where ever you are in this world. I hope you will have a grand success in taking the message and light of Phuley-Ambedkar ideology to dark quarters of Valmiki Jati and drive out the false illusions of devilish thought of Mr. Gandhi. It is time to let the clean air of new thought sweep through the dwellings of Valmiki and rejuvenate some new hopes. Our fight is not for material gains, but for human dignity and self-respect. We want our share of political and economic progress proportion to our population. We have seen the fall of Slavery, Apathies, fascism and fundamentalism time has come to see the back of Casteism as well, which in intensity is for more sinful and tyrant than above regimes. It doesn’t matter how powerful or wicked the regimes may be!, it has to end when people have decided to stand against it and confront it. If we didn’t wake up to out duties and stood up to the challenges of the day the history of India will register us as the most coward. Careless and week people who ever lived on this earth. There is no need for me to brief you about the sad effects of casteism. I know today the Bunya-Brahmin is very powerful, but surely not invincible, if Baba sahib can beat the hell out of them single handily, certainly we can also do so. Remember Baba sahib devoted his entire life to struggle for our liberation from inhuman bondage and the draconian clutches of the caste system. It is this devilish system, which robbed our ancestors for centuries and enslaved them like animals. All we have to do is sit together and work together. Not only the money that brings the change it the will and determination of people that bring the change. 

For the benefit of those who don’t know me, I would like to introduce myself briefly. I come from a Bhangi family from Distt. Jalandhar Punjab. In my childhood I have gone through many insults humiliations, pains, suffering and depravation as many of my people are even going through today after 55 years of Independence have elapsed. I used to clean streets of my village with my mother where many of my classmates and teachers used to see me, with whom used to sit for studies.  For them passing insulting remarks were fun but for me it was torturous. These Childhood insults made me stronger and determined to fight and fight this evil system wherever it exists and in whatever form it exists. Now I live in London and, for last 25 years engaged in the spread of Phuley -Ambedkar ideology internationally especially in the midst of the Valmiki Jati. I have studied Baba Sahib Ambedkar many times over and I have realized and believe that if any body have fought and worked for my freedom and equality- he is nobody, other than the great Baba Sahib Ambedkar. His life long struggle is directly responsible to provide me the equal opportunity to rise and rise to the level of any other Indian. I am strongly of this opinion that given the equal opportunity and facility to any Valmiki Jati person, he is able and capable of rising to any level.  You all know the history of India and fully aware of the appalling and despicable conditions of our ancestors, where they merely existed to stay alive. They were forced to take any menial job to survive. Therefore it is our duty to study and absorb the history carefully and with responsibility. Because our history has some great men and women who have come before us and their characters, achievements and deeds have transformed the character of the whole society. Such great people have immense power for good or for evil. Modern Indian history records two such personalities by the names of Dr. Ambedkar and Mr. Gandhi. Dr. Ambedkar who fought for our good and Gandhi who did every thing evil to us. 

Another thought which puzzles me is that, how we fell to this inhuman level? How we came to be treated worst than animals? Why we accepted deprivation of education every human right even human dignity? Why such a vast number counted in millions accepted such a demeaning status and for such a long time? How the brain washing of such a magnitude was carried out-for, which no parallel in human history can be found? These are the issues for our daily discussion as far as today’s topic is concern that where our Mukti (Valmiki Jati emancipation) lies? Where do we go from here? There have been other oppressions in this world since the Evolution of man on this earth. Each community in trouble has produced great men to deal with their oppression and we had our great men too. Out of many men and women, name of Baba Sahib Ambedkar stand's out.  He pitied us, cried for us and died for us. Unfortunately my community has failed to recognize his sacrifice and services he rendered for my people. This I feel is the root cause of our downfall. Today we are the most visible untouchables; most hated and disliked community in India . I hold Mr. Gandhi and congress responsible for these obnoxious, unthinkable social conditions under which we are groaning today. As far as the Valmiki Jati is concerned would Mr. Gandhi have not made his phony trips to our Basties (colonies), our social conditions are so doomed today.  I believe Mr. Gandhi was the biggest cheat and most evil man India ever produced after Manu. Let us see what Baba sahib said, “Mahatmas came and Mahatmas gone, but untouchable remain untouchables.” He further added, “Hindus (Ruling class) can be ranked among those cruel people whose speech and deed are two poles apart. They have this Ram on their tongues and a knife under their armpits. They speak like saints and act like butchers. They utter God is omnipresent and treat their countrymen worst than animals”.

Sathio,

We are kept there by congress and Gandhi or BJP deliberately or we are there by our own ignorance, time has come for a change.  Let us not waste any more time, let us not drift down any further from where it will be more difficult to recover. Let us return to the viewpoints of Baba Sahib Ambedkar and it is not too late. Ambedkar is a revolution, a Kranti which has the power to dismantle citadel of casteism and can meet all challenges to enable us to counter all hated in the society toward us and can provide us a way out. Let me briefly remind you what Baba Sahib Ambedkar did for us and said for us, otherwise you will think I am a devotee of Baba sahib Ambedkar and devotee has duty to praise his idol. Let me tell you that I am a devotee of Baba Sahib I am a solider of his Kranti; to me he was an Intellectual colossus, from who I have drawn all my strength, guidance and compassion. On his advice I am paying back to society as much as I can. I worship knowledge more than I worship anything. I am indebted to his dynamism, wisdom, services and struggle and I will pay back with the last drop of my blood. I feel the day my Valmiki brothers and sister will come to this terms that they have to solve their problems themselves and no body he means no body is coming to their help.

If any body ask me a question as to why I love and follow Baba Sahib Ambedkar, my unequivocal answer is that he transformed me from animal to man and provided principle solution to my all social, economical, political and religious problems. He studied in depth these problems and pin pointed the root cause and the culprits. After having higher education abroad Dr. Ambedkar came back to India and took up his contracted job with state of Baroda where he met the disgraceful behaviour by his colleagues that his shadow remained polluting, let alone his touch. He was denied accommodation because of his caste. It was this confrontation, which made him rebel against the oppressive system. Because there was a man within him which refused to accept this social condition. Today we the, Chandalas, Dassas, Chuhras, Bhangies, Valmiki call us by any name were the sworn enemy of the Aryan from the days of first invasion of India . Since that period Brahmin is trying to control us and bring us into his fold on his terms. This is also the definition of a slave whose time. and movement were determined by his owner. The free man was one who regulates his own movement and determines how he should spend his time. Today we are slaves in modern way no visible chains no restrictions, but mentally controlled. No right to education, No right to property, No right to wear arms.

 These restrictions broke us away from the main streams of society and made us known Bhangies (The Broken People). Calling us by different names only watered down the bitterness we the Bhangies hold against Brahmins. Valmiki is the name we horridly accepted, with this we accepted all terms of Brahmins and drifted away from Baba sahib's Kranti.  Today we became only obedient to Gods commandments laid down in their so called Holy Scriptures weather it suits us or not. Brahmins have managed to confuse our community and accommodate the caste system with a deadliest blow, which proved to be so effective. Therefore the responsibility fell on the shoulders of BAMCEF to correct the wrong into right by awakening the Valmiki community. Let us wake them to the change in attitude, which they have forgotten that we were the rebellions against Brahmins and casteism. I have observed in the last few years the change is taking place, but pace is slow. The years old illiteracy and years old slavery will take time; we have to double trouble our efforts. With justice on our side we will win and win very soon.

(1) Gandhi.

Since the day of invasion, Brahmins have been designing their religious scripts their deities in accordance to maintain his supremacy. Gandhi was another designed personality and conspiracy of Brahmins. His visits to Bhangi colony was a compete brain washing of our people and was design to keep us engaged to the profession of Safai Karamchari and not allowing us to take up other professions. He was terminated soon the purpose of Brahmins was fulfilled. He was murdered because of the fear that he may become menace to Brahmins would his consciences rose to the harm he has done to Sc, St, and OBC. Ours is a country of costume worshipers. Any one besmears his body with ashes and adorns the same with a loincloth; he can easily become a Mahatma. Mr. Gandhi put up similar show, which made it easier for him to mislead, the Valmiki Jati masses. On the other hand Baba Sahib Ambedkar wore modern clothes. It was long afterwards that Dr. Ambedkar embraced Buddhism. Mr. Gandhi had much earlier refused to regard him a Hindu in a letter addresses to Mr. Sant Ram BA secretary general of Jat Pat Today Mandal (society for the eradication of caste system). In answer to his letter which was published in Harijan, Gandhi wrote-" in case Varans (four fold division of Hindu society) forms, a part and parcel of such Hindu outlook. As explained what Hinduism is and if an individual doesn’t care to subscribe to Varans, how can then he call himself a Hindu? in case your organisation refuses to accept the authority of such religious scriptures then your organisation also stands on the same footing as Dr. Ambedkar does and hence neither your organisation can be considered a Hindu organisation nor Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar a Hindu."  And today we see the slogan to say with pride that you are a Hindu. How forged and hypocritical it appears. I feel this is to misguide us and to draw us to Hinduism for their benefits. As today we have democratic system in India , which mean Government of people, for the people, and by the people. Therefore if Brahmins have to remain a ruling class they need our support in the form of votes. The right to vote for which Baba Sahib Ambedkar fought all his life and then was conferred on us to become a ruling class ourselves. That is one reason the ruling classes do not want the Valmiki community to follow Baba Sahib Ambedkar. Sathio time has come to realize this and realize now. Otherwise! “Sun that set, may rise again; But if we loose this light with us perpetual night” Ben Johnson

Sathio,

We have lost a lot with our ignorance, but there is still lot left to save. Today we have a mountain against us: law and order, judiciary, political agents, political parties and the whole ruling classes. Still we have an organisation like BAMCEF, which is, all India based organisation consisting of good preachers, thinkers and intellectuals of immense capacity to bring about the launch of our own liberation. I hope and request to all my Valmiki Jati people to join hands with this organisation and attend their cadre-camps.  Looking of their commitment and sincerity and the volume I am convinced our freedom is not faraway. Our fight is not for a day, for a month or for a year, ours is a continuous fight as our enemy is changing his strategy and misleading us in false directions.  “People crushed by law have no hopes but from power. If laws are their enemy, they will be enemies to laws; and those who have much to hope and nothing to loose will always be dangerous, more or less”. Edmund Burke

Sathio

Freedom is a very powerful weapon on top of the strength of unity is invincible. Let us work in this direction and pool in all our resources. Those, who can contribute financially, should do so, those who can contribute physically should do so and those who can contribute intellectually should also do so. Our struggle should not be for one caste, one state one community but for the capture of political power for all Mulnivasi (indigenous Indians). Political power is key to all our problems and rightly Baba Sahib Ambedkar standing in the garden of our parliament house is constantly reminding us to capture that temple of power. Because all decisions of our future and the future of our generations are made there.  Baba Sahib Ambedkar also informed us what to do and what not to do? Hoping my Valmiki Jati people will let the right thought of Ambedkar prevail and win the day for them.

I have learned from Gautam Buddha, Jyotiba Phuley and Baba Sahib Ambedkar that when they are challenged and humiliated by the supremacy of Brahmins in the Indian Society, they didn’t call for any superpower from Gods and Goddesses they sat and tried to analize the reasons for that and then rebel with their all power they have to demolish that evil system. That is all I offer to my all Mulnivasi brothers and sisters that don’t look at any superman or God for your salvation but look at your own strength and ability and use it collectively to win all what we have lost.

“Without rebellion, mankind would have stagnated and injustice would be irremediable”. Bertrand Russell

Posted on www.ambedkartimes.com ( April 14, 2008 )

Twenty eighth *Asmitadarsh* Literary Meet at Chandrapur DALIT LITERATURE IS THE REAL INDIAN LITERATURE   Delivering a keynote address from the Presidential chair, the famous author of Hindi "JHUTAN", Mr. Om Prakash Valmiki from Delhi on 12th April, 2008 at Chandrapur made certain important observations. 'Jhutan' means leftovers from the meals of Hindus, which the Dalits are condemned to beg for keeping the body and soul together, that being the traditional form of remuneration given by Hindus to the Dalits for all the services rendered by them. Posted on www.ambedkartimes.com ( April 17, 2008 )

*Dalit Literature is pan-Indian literature*

He observed that Dalit literature is no more limited to any regional language. The energy created by the ideology of Dr. Ambedkar gave Dalit literature the identity of Indian Literature. Venomous inhuman value systems of thousands of years are useless today. The Dalit literature is not only the weapon to fight against the social exploitation, caste discrimination, *Chaturvarna* system, and for struggle against the custodians of religion, but also the symbol of Dalit Identity. That identity supports human freedom, equality and fraternity and stands against and opposes hallow religious rituals, blind faith, immoral values, and stands as a strong rebel against the established Indian social, religious and cultural values. Each word of Dalit literature originates from the writer's own experience of blood and tear. Our fight is not for money; that is least of our problems. Our fight is against man made discriminations of caste, color, creed, gender, religion and language.

*Richness of Dalit Literature*

Traditional Indian literature – Sanskrit or otherwise – was deeply immersed in the muddy waters of heterodoxy, spiritualism, philosophy and was never the real mirror of society. The credit of making that real mirror of society goes to Dalit literature, it being rich in content and not only of pleasing presentation meant for cheap entertainment. The standards of greatness of literature as propounded by traditional scholars are worst than useless for judging the greatness of Dalit literature, which is the real literature based on human experience, the experience of Dalit authors being vaster, deeper, and more expansive. Traditional Indian literature, in Sanskrit or in regional languages, moves around only one central point – that is caste discrimination and Untouchability. It is artificially mixed with spirituality and philosophy and related with some deity, but no deity or *avatar* seems to have opposed these sentiments of caste discriminations. All of them wasted their energy in killing some *Asura*, to preserve hegemony of Kshatriyas and Brahmins, creating hate towards non-Brahmins by labeling derogatory words like *Shudra*, *Asprush* *Antyaja* etc. They made the heroes out of villains by giving them godhood.

*What is this Main Stream?*

Lastly he tried to attract the attention of audience towards one word that is being commonly used and made popular now a days by traditional writers as if it is symbol of progress. That word is 'Main Stream'. They want all of us to be brought into 'Main Stream'. What is this Main Stream? What do they mean by Main Stream? What they call Main Stream is the stream of those who strived for bringing in hegemony of one caste; their wishes and hates, their likings and disliking became the value systems. Their stream is not only very narrow, cruel and inhuman but also it uses all tricks, dishonest deceptions, fraud and cheating. This Main Stream does not recognize Dalits as humans. The literature of this so-called 'main stream' is broken away from society both by time and space, as if it belongs to some alien planets.

*Saint poets of Bhakti Movement *

Stating that the Movement of Saint poets was weak and ineffective, Mr. Valmiki quotes Dr. Ambedkar:

"With regard to the saints, one must admit that howsoever different and elevating their teachings may have been as compared to those of the merely learned they have been lamentably ineffective. They have been ineffective for two reasons. Firstly, none of the saints ever attacked the Caste System. On the contrary, they were staunch believers in the System of Castes. Most of them lived and died as members of the castes which they respectively belonged. … They preached that all men were equal, in the eyes of God a very different and a very innocuous proposition which nobody can find difficult to preach or dangerous to believe in. The second reason why the teachings of the saints proved ineffective was because the masses have been taught that a saint might break Caste but the common man must not. A saint therefore never became an example to follow."

In contrast, Dalit literature attacks all caste discriminations, Mr. Valmiki averred. I (ki) think that this is a very timely warning given by Mr. Valmiki, because under the misguided propagandas of Manuvadi forces, these days some Dalit writers and scholars are giving undue importance to literature of Dalit Saints of medieval times. Let it be understood that this is a wily trick of Manuvadis to cause rift in Dalit scholars and them away from Ambedkarism.

*Muslim Period and Main Stream Literature *

There are plenty of acrobatics in mainstream, but they are meek spectators of important historical events. They lived in past and never faced the present. Mr. Valmiki tells us that barring a few miscellaneous events on personal level, there seems to be no trace of any public struggle or discontent in literature, or in society or in politics. During Mogul rule, one Hindu ruler was helping Moguls in defeating another Indian ruler. The system not only divides the Dalits, it divides the *dwijas* also.

*Akbar's time was a boon to Brahmins*

We are told the Hindus were in trouble during Muslim period. Did the Brahmins suffer tyranny, hate and persecution, then? From their own books, the Brahmin Acharyas like Vallabh Acharya and his son got presents and grants from Humayun and Akbar. Akbar used to be weighed against seven metals and seven grains, all the materials were taken by Brahmins. Brahmins also used state power to suppress rival sects during Akbar rule.

All the great poets in so-called mainstream fail to tell us that during their times, India was under Moguls. This is true not only of one poet but all of them. In spite of being separated from time, they were living under fools’ paradise that theirs was the main stream. What they call main-stream is nothing but a euphemistically worded Hindu *Chaturvarna*. It is a dirty stream of imperialism and Brahmanism. There is no place here for Women and Dalits. In Sanskrit literature mostly it is bards singing panegyrics about genealogies of kings and all this is bogus literature. And they want to bring us to this bogus main stream, why? Only with the intention of strengthening Brahminic hegemony.

Let us know once for all, that Dalit Literature is the real Indian literature. This country does not need Brahminization; it needs Dalitization.

www.ambedkartimes.com

Thanks to Dr. K. Jamandas and Mr. Arun Kumar (UK) for sending this matter.
Posted on www.ambedkartimes.com ( April 18, 2008 )

CONGRATULATIONS ON DR. AMBEDKAR JAYANTI

Many Many Congratulations on Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s 117th Birthday to the whole Dalit world. Baba Sahib was and will always be a Masiha and a great messenger to the Dalit community. After Shri Guru Ravidass Ji Baba Sahib was the man who stood for the poor and the mislead Dalits. We hope the Dalit world follow Baba Sahib's teachings and stand for our needy brothers and sisters. Again wish you the best of luck and congratulations on Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar's 117th Birthday.
 
Param Kainth & Family  (Vancouver, BC, Canada) 

Posted on www.ambedkartimes.com (April 14, 2008)

MESSAGE ON 14APRIL:

BIRTHDAY OF DR. BABA SAHIB AMBEDKAR 

Dr. Ambedkar praised his lieutenants and put the duties on their shoulders to eradicate the sorrows and sufferings of the weaker section of the Indian Society in a message to his people, Baba Sahib said:

“Blessed are they who are alive to the duty of raising those among whom they are born blessed are they who vow to give the flower of their days, their strength of soul and body and their mite, to further the campaign of resistance to slavery blessed are they who resolve—come honour, come dishonor—not to stop until the untouchables have fully recovered their manhood.

My message is struggle, and more struggle, sacrifice and more sacrifice. It is struggle and struggle alone, without counting the sacrifices or sufferings that will bring their emancipation nothing else will.”

My message is struggle, and more struggle, sacrifice and more sacrifice. It is struggle and struggle alone, without counting the sacrifices or sufferings that will bring their emancipation nothing else will.”

HARMESH JASSAL

PRESIDENT OF DR. AMBEDKAR WEAKER SECTION WELFARE SOCIETY 

Posted on www.ambedkartimes.com (April 14, 2008)

Many Congratulations!!! 

Many congratulations on the 117 th Birth Anniversary of

Babasaheb  Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar

Dr. Ambedkar Birthday Celebration, Committee

Posted on www.ambedkartimes.com (April 14, 2008)

	CONGRATULATIONS!!! Shri Gurdass Ram Bhutta Yadgari Charitable Trust (Regd.) Village Garhpadana (Nawanshahar) wishes you all congratulations on the 117th Birth Anniversary of Dr. Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar.

PARMJIT BHUTTA CHAIRMAN, SHRI GURDASS RAM BHUTTA YADGARI CHERITABLE TRUST, GARHPADHANA(Nawanshahar)

From Left to right: Mandeep Bhutta, Sandeep Bhutta, Late Gurdass Ram Bhutta, Harpreet Ujagar, Santi Bhutta, Amrit Bhutta, and Ravi Charan Kaur Bhutta