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sSc SOCIAL STUDY CIRCLE di
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January 18, 2004
DALITS:
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Dalits are the broken People of the Country. Pushed out of the Villages, to live outside
in the low-lying areas bordering the fields, they are still socially and
physically excluded from the Village.
They are condemned to live on their own out of the Villages, along with
all other domestic animals like cows, bulls, buffaloes, goats, donkeys, pigs poultry,
and even wild ones like snakes etc.
Though, things have changed a little now, the Dalits traditionally were
not allowed to come into the Villages.
They were not allowed to see or meet, talk or touch the People of the
Village. Hence there was never any
question of the Dalits taking food or sharing the food of the hindus. In fact, they were prohibited from seeing
the hindus taking food. For, it was
considered that, that would pollute the food, which would have to therefore be
discarded. They were considered to be
polluting, filthy and dirty. Thus,
Dalits were excluded from the whole Indian Society.
Dalits, not allowed into the Villages, were naturally kept out
of all temples of the Indian Society.
In fact, Dalits were not allowed to come near the Temples. Not only that, they were specifically
debarred from even the peripheral areas and surroundings of the temples, and
other holly places of the hindus. That,
even when the gods goddesses temples and the holy places were originally of the
SC/ST Dalits. And the Dalits, couldn’t
be anywhere in the vicinity or site of the temples. To be specific, Dalits were not permitted to approach the areas
leading to the temples, right beyond a long long distance away. Thus, all Dalits were kept off the temples
gods goddesses and religions – be that shivasim or vaishnavism. Or any other violent or bloodthirsty variant
sects, or separate distinctly different religions of the hindus! And, there was no question of the Dalits,
even thinking of going near any brahmin or brahmanism.
Dalits were great environmentalists. They not only depended but revered, respected, protected and
safe-guarded their environment – right from the trees, bushes, rocks,
mountains, ponds, lakes, rivers etc.
Aware of the influence and importance of natural forces, the Dalits also
worshipped heavenly bodies like Sun, moon and even some stars. They had their own gods, goddesses, temples,
and meaningful places of worship and holy places. Worship of their ancestors, good leaders, respect to the burial
grounds, worship of burial stones and head stones of the great, were part of
dalit culture. They developed their own
priests, prayers, rituals and prayer-songs.
They attached and still attach, great importance to their ancestral god
and goddess – Shiva and Shakthi.
SC&ST Dalits were basically cultivators. Even today, bulk of the Dalits are
predominantly cultivators. Most of
them, till the land of others, as landless labourers. For, as per hindu scriptures, ploughing the land for cultivation,
and breaking earth to take out the roots, and digging the land for mining are
all the work of SC&ST Dalits.
Hence, though the dominant castes had all managed to steel grab and own
large stretches of land, they carefully avoided stepping onto the fields. And the SC&ST Dalits, were all
considered to be, experts in husbanding the land. Dalits also had great reverence and values for Forests, Hills,
Rivers, Lakes, Ponds, Land, Rain and Water.
They were experts in harvesting - saving, preserving and using water,
both for agriculture and domestic chores.
Dalits gave great importance to productivity, and hence to all
symbols of fertility. They religiously
worshipped mother goddess and phallus symbols.
The Culture of Cultivation, Production and associated work, along with
increasing faith in worship of related elements like cows, bulls, buffaloes,
other animals, snakes, sun, moon, river, hills etc, were all used by the
brahmanic forces to exploit, enslave and suppress the SC&ST Dalits. Thus, Rituals, Religion, Prayers, Culture,
Marketing, Administration and Governance were used as the main tools of
oppression – that too cumulatively and often collectively. And to perpetuate the oppression, SC&ST
Dalits were historically deprived of education on the one hand, and were denied
remunerative returns for their labour, works, creations, produce and
contributions. And all development of
their empirical practical and accumulated knowledge, technology and science,
were discounted and denigrated. The
Dalits’ gods and goddesses were all abused and humiliated. Those mythical beings were deliberately
associated by the brahminical forces with all evil, things bad, and attributing
to them every dirty characteristics.
Thus, their main deities Shiva and Kali, were turned out to be dalits
amongst the pantheon of the millions of gods and goddesses in the Country. Hence, the Dalits’ gods and goddesses became
dalit gods and goddesses, and Dalits amongst the gods and goddesses.
The Dalits’ ways of life based on land, their culture of
cultivation, production and associated works, faith in worship, belief in
natural forces were all used by the brahmanic forces, to unfairly and fully
bind the Dalits to land cultivation work and production. Hence, faith, rituals, culture and religion
were all used collectively and cumulatively.
Thus, the Dalits were systematically and completely oppressed and
swindled the Dalits in every respect.
Dalits’ ways of life, based on hard work and strenuous labour were all
reduced to be lowly despised Dalit Culture.
And the Dalits’ Works were neglected as unwanted vocations. They were exclusively kept reserved for
Dalits and Dalits only, with unremuneratively ridiculous and low subsistence
wages.
Dalits were allowed to survive, only because of their
skills. Their unique knowledge of the
land, reading of the nature, predicting the monsoons, interacting with the
environs, understanding production, and unlimited creativity were badly needed
by others. But they were subjected to
cumulative neglect, humiliation, discrimination, exploitation and oppression,
just to keep them suppressed as Slaves, and worse as bonded labourers. They were in fact treated worse than Slaves,
not even as animals. They were left to
remain as unaccounted for Social Slaves, to serve the society as a whole. Hence, anyone anywhere can command them, for
free labour or cheap work. That too
almost without returns, or just for pittances.
They received practically no returns for services rendered to others,
and none were responsible for their safety, welfare, or even their wellbeing
health and survival.
No one in the Society, ever bothered or took care of them at
anytime. Yet, the whole Indian Society,
depended upon the Dalits, their works, their production, their creations and
their contributions. That was always
true in every part of the Country.
Hence, the status and welfare of the Indian Nation, wellbeing health and
growth of the Indian Society were dependent upon the Conditions of the Dalits. Thus, Indian Economy was truly Dalit
Economy, and remained poor and backward - just like the way Dalits were
treated, and left to languish by the rest of the society. These aptly explain the continued
backwardness of the Nation, as well as the stunted growth and slow development
of Science, Technology, Research and Development in the Country.
The brahmanic forces continued to live, in a state of frozen
backwardness but increasing arrogance and cunningness. They kept enjoying their leisurely and lazy
lives, surviving as parasites on the work and contributions of the Dalits. But the Dalits themselves were never
happy. They always resented, at every
turn of life, the continuing cumulative oppressions and increasing exploitations. Hence, the Dalits turned their attention,
towards prayers to escape the realities of their sufferings and misery, while
resorting to rebellion wherever and whenever they could afford to tackle the
oppressions. And their rebellions were
invariably silent, but steady and progressive.
They opted out, to serve successive conquerors, who had settled down to
rule. The Dalits chose to believe in
the conquering rulers and their ways of life, as well as embrace the new faiths
of the dominant foreign rulers, and also go with them even to foreign lands. It was thus that, millions and millions of
Dalits became Buddhists, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians. They went out of the Country, as Soldiers to
Ceylon, Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia, Middle-East etc; and as indented labourers
to work in Banana, Coffee, Tea and Rubber Plantations, as well as in the
distant oilfields and in foreign lands, or to build dams roads railways
airports etc. And within the Country
the Dalits took to any avocations that enabled them to wriggle and come out of
the feudal grips of brahmanic forces.
The Dalits were constantly in search of Freedom, Liberty and
Self-Respect. Thinkers, Intellectuals,
Reformers, Revolutionaries and sheer Rebels constantly fuelled these
Quests. The great Mahatma Phule,
exposed the ridiculous role of the Rulers and State, wasting bulk of their
Times and Funds, in building and maintaining temples, and to feed freely the
brahmins daily. That, apart from the
self-indulgence of the rulers, their officials and their families, in wasteful
degrading small pleasures of passing times and fleeting moments. Phule started Schools for the
backward-classes and Dalits. He
specifically taught his wife first, to read write and also teach; so that she
could in turn, step out, to teach and educate the women and girls of the
backward castes inclusive of Dalits. At
the same time, Dalits who had Converted to Islam had found access to
Madrasas. That had also enabled many
Dalits to read and write, as Muslim Dalits.
Around that time, in the wake of Colonial Imperialists from Europe, many
different Christian Missionaries had come into the Country. They opened a number of Schools,
Dispensaries, Hospitals and Churches in many rural and remote parts of the
Country. They went right into the Nooks
and Corners of even inaccessible and difficult distant regions, where the
Dalits continued to live in isolation and primitive ways as Tribals. These Missionary Centres and Institutions
attracted the SC&ST Dalits in large numbers. And they were humanely taken care of by the Missionaries, with
love and compassion their Religion taught them. That oftentimes against the wishes of the colonial rulers and
administrators, who for various diplomatic reasons of trade and governance, did
not want to upset the peace of balance and socio-economic equations in the
society. Similarly, the Missionaries,
and at crucial times the Colonial Administrators and Govts, brushed aside the
objections resentment and strong vocal oppositions of the dominant castes.
Liberal Education for all, by the Missionaries and public
Schools by the colonial Govts, opened the eyes and minds of the Dalits. And the entry of Dalits into the churches
and mosques, gave them a sense of equality and taste of self-respect. Service in the colonial army had given the
Dalits some sense of being independent human beings, values of being free
liberated and equal like other humans.
These definitely increased their thirst for individual and personal
Dignity. And so the Dalits started to
question more openly, the oppressive customs, unreasonable rituals and
exploitative ways of life under the burden of the brahmanic society. Thus emerged, many rebels reformers and
revolutionaries. Works of enlightened
individuals like -----
Yeomen Service by Sahu Maharaj and Periyar, strengthened the
Social Movements and Awakening of the oppressed Backward-Classes, including the
Dalits. They were preceded by Ayothi
Das Pandidhar and his constructive contributions. The Backward Class Movement was the greatest Movement, this
Nation had ever seen. It was led by not
only the SC&ST Dalits, and Backward Class Intellectual Leaders like
Periyar, but was also was pushed forward by the concerned enlightened voluntary
help by few other dominant castes also.
The overall social political cultural and economic Awakening
of the SC&ST Dalits, greatly helped the Struggles and Works of Baba Saheb
Dr BR Ambedkar – the unquestioned Messiah of Dalits. In totality, the Movements of Dalits and Backward-Classes were
much bigger, widespread, deeper, pervasive, and lasting, than the much-talked
about Bakthi and Freedom Movements led by the Manuwadis.
Shaken by the widespread awakening amongst the Dalits, inching
towards a mass awakening, the brahmanical leaders of Freedom Movement felt
totally threatened. Therefore, they
felt a strong need to wean away the Dalits from the Colonial Govts, Christian
Missionaries, Muslim Brotherhood, and also great true Dalit Leaders. They wanted to retain the Dalits with the
Freedom Movement. This, to keep all
Dalits sub-serviant to the brahmanic interests, and their future feudal
exploitative rule in independent India.
Hence, Congress under the Leadership of Gandhi –
1. marginalised those
Muslims talking about Dalits and real Justice to Dalits
2. tried to also belittle
the enlightened Dalits who were trying to provide committed leadership to the
Dalits for a better future with honourable and due justice
For this, they tried to co-opt the Dalit Masses, and many
small-time Dalit Activists. That,
through Harijan Sewak Samaj, Adimjati Sewak Samaj, and Congress Sewa Dal.
Hiccups in the Freedom Movement, because of Splinter Movements
by Confrontationist extremist Forces, and the soft-pedalling Socialists from
within, and the Imperial Govts gradual steps to introduce local-governance and
self-governance in the Country, released unexpected forces of People. This led to steady Constitutional Reforms,
though most of the dominant castes refused to even think of any Social
Reforms. Growing universal education,
women’s education, open college education, liberal University Education,
Foreign Education, brought in many liberal and socialistic values amongst the
people. Further, Military Service,
employment in Govts, Schools, Hospitals, Textile Mills, Tea Gardens brought in
new work ethics and public values.
Respect for work, recognition and rewards for hard-work, incentives and
awards for good-work, promotions based on seniority and constructive
contributions, due proper and full wages for ones labour, slowly liberated
Dalits. Labour Reforms and Laws
strengthened the hands, minds and resolve of the Workers. And bulk of the Work Forces in the Country,
hailed from SC&ST Dalit Communities.
So some Dalits became free and independent, at least a few of them here
and there, but everywhere all round the Country. Education, Reservation in Services, gradual devolution of voting
rights led to Voting Rights for Women, Dalit Women in Politics, and ultimately
to Universal Adult Franchise. This,
gradually and slowly released the massive forces of millions and millions of
SC&ST Dalits.
In spite of Baba Sahib’s Struggles, Congress and Gandhi, moved
ahead to mentally enslave many SC&ST Dalit Activists, and projected them as
Dalit Leaders. Most prominent amongst
them was Babu Jagjivan Ram from Sasaram, Bihar. He was projected as the Congress Answer and dominant caste
alternative to Baba Saheb. Though, they
could not succeed in sinking or derailing neutralising and erasing the works
contributions and progress of indomitable Baba Saheb, and adulation during his
lifetime; and reverence for his memory, works and achievements after his
death. They virtually suppressed the
emergence and growth of free and independent honest Dalit Leaders from both SC
and ST Dalit Communities. Thus,
emergence of real Dalit Leadership had received a setback in post Independent
India. The party nominated Dalit
Leaders slid down, and nose-dived by many a notches in quality. This led to a large number of Dalit Leaders
like –
GG Swell, Shankaranand, Sanghma, Suraj Bhan, BP Maurya, Sangh
Priya Gautam, Jagannath Pahadia, Mrs Maragatham Chandrashekar, Saroj Kaparde,
Prakash Ambedkar, RS Gavai, Ramdas Athawale, Prof Khavade, Khobarghade,
Yogendra Makhwana, G Venkatswamy, Buta Singh, Ram Vilas Paswan, Dr
Sathyanarayan Jatiya, Ukey, Arvind Netam, Arunachalam, Mukul Washnik, and so
on. Some of them are today faceless,
and their names had indeed receded from the memory of even the local
SCs&STs and their own communities.
Many of them today, are not known even in the regions from where they
had been nominated by their Parties, to become Dalit Leaders for those times.
Sadly for the Dalits, after the unexpected demise of Baba
Saheb, his followers like Gaikward, Kobhargade, Gavai etc split the Republican
Party of India, on personality basis.
Today, it is alleged that there are about 27 different RPIs. Most of them claim to be the Party of only
Mahars, but have come to exist on the lines of sub-Castes within the whole
larger Mahar Community of Mahrashtra.
DALITS TODAY
Dalits are still marginalised. But, Dalit Struggles and Dalit Movements in reality were glorious
and have a great history. Yet, the
self-serving Dalit Leaders, trying to undercut each other, have betrayed the
SC&ST Dalit Masses. That, just to
satisfy their parties, parties' interests and party leaders. And that also because, they all choose to
play a second fiddle to the brahmanic leaders.
Of 120 SC&ST MPs, hardly are there anyone worth their name. Those who are known outside their villages
and towns, only because of their nomination as Ministers, MPs, MLAs, Municipal
Councillors, are also slowly sliding back downwards, as spent forces. Most of them hardly get nominated for the
second time, and even if nominated rarely are they returned by the people in
the elections. Thus, SC&ST Dalits
today are at the crossroads, unable to move forward, and unwilling to go back
in life. Hence, they are totally
confused, and are directionless.
Strangely and in spite of many Dalit Movements and ongoing
struggle, the ruling elites and the dominant castes do not consider the
SC&ST Dalits as a People. Even in
the present third millennium, the Dalits are still treated inhumanly, worse
than animals. This Nation and Govt
builds many Goshalas - shelters for
Cows of the Backwards and Dalits, but no homes or shelters, no schools or food
for the Backward Classes including SC&ST Dalits.. That, because they value the utility of the cow. On the other hand, SC&ST Dalits are
still considered as a subject people, who could be considered in anyway they
deem it fit. Deny the Dalits Education,
that does not matter. Or give them some
third rate education in village panchayat
municipal and corporation schools or even deny that. That also is OK. They
don’t provide for the Schools, proper buildings that do not leek or fall down. And even in big cities like Delhi, no
electricity to the Dalit Schools is the norm.
Hence no fans in the blistering hot summers, or lights and heaters
therein even in the extremes of winters.
The woe of the Dalit Children is compounded with many Promises
of slates, books, notebooks and uniforms.
But the Dalit Children are not even shown any. The promises remain as only empty words, or simply go with the
wind, as un-kept promises forever. And
there are no teaching aids, libraries, laboratories, sports ground, or even
footballs to play in any vacant land or open space. There are no facilities for even small games like badminton and
volleyball. To top them all, often there
are no teachers appointed to many schools.
And there are many single room or one-teacher schools. The woe of the Dalits is compounded, with
the teachers mostly absent for days and months together. Further, the dominant castes announce the
distribution of free food in schools, only to employ some of their crude
criminal caste hindus, to loot and divert even the grains and oils.
In the cities the dominant castes, refuse to admit Dalit
Children into better schools and good courses.
Finally they deny employment to Dalits.
When such denial of jobs and employment becomes not possible or
unavoidable, the manuwadis often
deliberately and wantonly delay employment of Dalits. That to only ensure that the Dalits join services late and very
late, so that they could serve just for a very short time and retire early. Thus, Dalits are prevented from reaching
anywhere near the top positions and policy making or executive levels. This in all Govt and organised
services. In the unorganised services,
the SC&ST Dalits are fleeced so badly, that they are reduced again to the
levels of animals. Rape and sexual
exploitation of the helpless and defenceless women workers, and family members
of the poor male workers, are very common even today. Blackmail, threat of suspension, or removal and dismissal from
employment, extraction of unreasonable fines, denial of equal wages, delay or
deprival of promotions are all the characteristic hallmarks of almost every
private, small scale and unorganised employers.
DALITS TOMORROW
Dalit Leaders have come to this pass, mainly because they had
forgotten both their people and their communities. It seems they have also forgotten their backgrounds and Baba
Sahib and hardly remember his struggles experiences and writings, or recall his
speeches and advice. Even if they do,
they hardly understand the essence and spirit of his thoughts, sayings, advice,
command and writings, as well as his many struggles. Sadly, they always remain as nominated, mobile, projectable and
dispensable commodities, to meet the pressures and demands of electoral
pressures, party forces, and metamorphosing socio-political exigencies.
Baba Saheb had said
that –
Political Power is the
Key that opens all Locks and Doors in the Society and Govt, right from Social,
Cultural, Educational, Religious, and Economic to the Bureaucratic and Administrative
ones.
And in an unequal, unjust and unfair brahmanic society, the
manuwadi forces would never allow the Dalits to gain Political Power. Hence the need for Dalits’ own Political
Parties, but with the right approaches, alliances, combinations and diplomacy
with strategies. That will only be
possible with Dalits’ or Dalit led Parties of Dalits, Backwards, Minorities,
Workers and Women. Enlightened others,
who want to see a better society and bright tomorrow, can also be co-opted in
certain circumstances. But that as long
as they are sincere, and it shall not be allowed to become a backdoor entry for
the others to dominate and change Dalit Politics. Otherwise, the exploitation of the Dalits will continue further,
and in the future also.
In the above situation, and here Kanshi’s Dream of
taking the Caravan of Baba Saheb, safely and securely forward, becomes
relevant. Keeping the Struggles and
Teachings of Baba Saheb in view, Kanshi Ram had for long organised the
SC&ST Employees and Officers; and mobilised Dalit Students, Teachers, and
other academicians and scholars.
Finally, he had brought together the Urban and Rural People, both men
and women, into a broad rainbow-coalition with backwards and minorities all
over the Country, as a Political Party.
This Movement of Bahujans, had already emerged into a big strong
political force, right in his lifetime.
He could make a mark in Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and
Bihar. He had rested power in UP,
thrice and placed it under the leadership of Kum Mayawati.
The Bahujan Samaj
Party, under the leadership of Mayawati as President, is poised to move ahead
with new vigour and vibrancy in UP, Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and
Chatisgarh. The path shown, the spark
lit, and the fire spreading, hopefully will consume all everywhere. If only the Dalits can collectively keep
their eyes and mind open, not to allow the brahmin sabotagers, brahmanical
subvertors, dominant caste swindlers, caste hindu suppressers, and manuwadi manipulators, this march will
culminate in success and bring power into the hands of SC&ST Dalits,
Minorities and Backward Castes combine.
Then we can make the dominant caste shirkers also to work really –
physically and actually for building a better future of the Country, for the
Good of all People, including the brahmanic backdoor parasites. The day then will not be far off, when the
Dalit led Movement will be streaking across as a meteorite, and spreading like
a wildfire of Liberation amongst the Dalit Masses and others, all over the
Country. That, from Kashmir in the
North to Kanyakumari in the South, from Calcutta to Gujarat in the east-west
corridor, and Sikkim to Mizoram in the North-Eastern Hills and Valleys.
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