Aadivasis in Bundelkhand seek Justice

Kol’s struggle for their Identity in Uttar-Pradesh

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

There are hundreds of communities in India particularly those who are indigienous but have become victim of our political system. Kol is an aadivasi community but the governments in Uttar Pradesh have not considered it fit to give them the recognition of an aadivasi community under Scheduled Tribe category. This demand for identity has long been raised by the community in Bundelkhand but the governments so far have remained mute.

Kol aadivasis resides in the forests of Bundelkhand regions of the states of Uttar-Pradesh & Madhya Pradesh. The districts like Sonbhadra, Mirjapur, Chitrakoot, Satna and Reeva. In all these adjacent districts Kols can cross over and have family relations yet the tragic divisions created by the authorities haunt them. The government of Madhya Pradesh acknowledge them as scheduled tribe and hence they are entitled to get all the facilities in that state which a tribal should get particularly rights over minor forest produce as well as access to forest. In Uttar-Pradesh, in the absence of this, the forest department has become the biggest violator of their forest rights. They cannot get dry wood to sale in the market. Neem, Anwala, Mahua, Bamboo and many other forest produce cannot be planted or used without permission from forest authorities. Thousands of hectares of land given to landless Kol people under the land redistribution programme by the government’s revenue department, has been rejected by the forest authorities. In fact, they refuse to accept the entitlement given by the revenue department which resulted in a dangerous situation. The successive governments have not taken note of it and it is continuing and one of the biggest reasons of harassment of Kols. It need to be noted as how can one department reject the valid papers given by other department and if they have dispute over the said land, then the department should resolve those issues and not the people. Why should people be made scapegoat and pay price for no fault of them.

Forest Right Act 2006 came into being with great hope but these hopes are dashed by the bullying tactics of forest department which refuses to accept the claims of the Kols in Uttar-Pradesh for land. Actually, in the entire Uttar-Pradesh, the process of Forest Right Act being implemented is highly skeptical and dismissive of the claims. Under the Act, other forest dwelling communities who are not scheduled Tribe will have to furnish proof of presence in the forest of 75 years. If you are recognized as tribal then this burden of proof of 75 years residence is not required. Now, this has actually divided the forest dwelling communities and resulted in internal division among them in many places as many forest dwellers who have been staying for years have not got any land from the forest department.
The clause is dangerous as at least the authorities should have focused things in the aftermath of India’s independence. How can you ask for proof of 75 years when technically the modern Indian state has not came into being that time. It was an attempt to displace the people and divide them and create anarchy. In India, many of the communities have become victims of the bureaucratic negligence and pay price for it. We
harp too much on technicalities that we forget the reasoning and relations of community with the forest.

The Kols in Uttar-Pradesh are victim of that 75 year clause in the Forest Rights Act 2006. They are a tribal community but not recognized as tribal and hence have to furnish proof of 75 year residence. Now the government must give us explanation as what were the mean of proof 75 years ago. The people even 30 years back did not have anything as proof. The voter ID cards and other cards are recent phenomena. The other important fact is the virtual absence of state in these regions. It never tried to go there and hence there were no Primary Health Centers, no schools for children, no ration shops, and no electricity supply. When the essential things have not been provided to tribal in their regions then what kind of proof the forest dwelling communities could provide to the government. Even the Panchayats were defunct before the ‘historic’ 73rd and 74th amendments came into being. Hence, it is hypocrisy to seek the proof of residence for 75 years.

The forest officials have been making money out of these regions. It is the tribal who have protected our forest resources as forest water and land is their life and it is impossible to alienate them from the nature. The simplicity of tribal has been considered as ‘foolishness’ by our political class which treated them not even a vote bank like others as they were scattered in the forest and did not demand much except the right over minor forest produce and access to forest. A large part of their habitats have now been declared as ‘Sanctuary’ resulting in their displacement and threat to existence. Suddenly, their own land has become stranger to them. A land which they groomed and lived their whole life is being snatched from them.

It is not ironical that when Parliament was passing the Reservation in Promotion bill, Kols were demanding for their status as tribal in Uttar-Pradesh. The local MP of Samajwadi Party came to express his support to the cause but shocked everyone saying that if Kols are declared as tribal, they would lose their political rights particularly the seats which are reserved for them under Scheduled Caste category. He then asked that they should also demand for political reservation. It is not paradoxical for Samajwadi Party or politicians to play this game because if the seat is reserved for tribal then the honorable member representing the constituency would lose their chances and they actually visualize it much before others. The identity of Kol as tribal cannot be made handicapped just because they would not have a Lok Sabha MP. Once they are declared as tribal, thousands of people who are not getting land under the Forest Right Act will get the land. Moreover, they will get access to forest produce which is more important for them at the moment then a representative MP seat. Once, they are acknowledged as scheduled tribe, the government will have to arrange the political reservation for them in the region. And nobody has stopped Uttar-Pradesh government in doing so if it really sympathize with the Kols but it cannot befool people that tribal status would make them lose their political rights.

Our Political system is manipulative and I have written that so many time. Many of these most marginalized communities have rarely got representation in our state assemblies and parliament. The non-representation of our indigenous people and their representative in our decision making bodies has resulted in their complete marginalization. It is equally important for our political class to think and make special amendments to people’s representation act to enable the representative of diverse tribal communities in our highest decision making bodies so that their issues are raised in Parliament and assemblies and they get a fair deal.

Tribal have felt betrayed by the current developmental process. When companies are coming to forest, reaping benefit and destroying them, our authorities have little time to ensure that those who build forest and protected our resources should also be looked after. We have enough lands to handover to the companies who destroy our nature and environment but no commitment to honor our indigenous communities who groomed our forests and protected them.

Kols are a very peace loving tribe of Central India and they demand justice from the government. Their patience should not be seen as weakness as there are forces which can use this disenchantment with law in future. It is wake up call for the government to act and ensure justice to Kols in Uttar-Pradesh. It will be shameful if we continue to allow their resources handed over to others while making them landless and homeless. We must acknowledge their great contribution to protect our vital forest zones and use their commitment and convictions to strengthen the forest further so that each one of them live life in dignity and self-respect without being hounded by the petty forest officials. It is time both the Uttar-Pradesh government and Central government to sit together and ponder over this issue by granting Kols a tribal status so that they can enjoy the benefits of forest rights act in Uttar-Pradesh.


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Muslim Dalits in Jammu & Kashmir

Caste, Religion And Untouchability
14 Dec 2012 By Vidya Bhushan Rawat


Ashaq Ali Wattal hails from a community which has the sole ‘right’ to clean the toilets in Jammu and Kashmir. Hailing from Doda, Wattal moans at the continuous negligence by the state government and its authorities towards the community of manual scavengers in Jammu and Kashmir. His father was a manual scavenger working with municipality but now has left the work and does bamboo work.



Ashaq has passed 10th standard and does electric work in his town. He was in Delhi to speak about his people and the discrimination they face in their daily life. According to Wattal, nobody wants to keep relations with them though there is no discrimination in the mosque during the Namaz. Despite, living in a Muslim-majority Kashmir, it is strange that those who talk about nondiscrimination in Islam never ever thought that this issue needs immediate attention. Why has there been no movement among the Muslims to fight for the rights of the Muslim Dalits. A continuous denial will not work in this regard.

Wattal says that his father used to work part-time in the municipality and could not even get Rs 1,000/- a month when he retired from his job. He says his maternal aunt Misha Begum has been working with a government hospital for over 40 years and her daily routine is from early morning till afternoon yet at the moment she gets just Rs 700/- per month. The problem with most of the Wattals is that they are forced to this work as there is no other opportunity available for them. The payments are below the norm, as the maximum for part time work as sweeper still fetches Rs 200/- per month in the government sector, and about Rs 300-Rs 500/- per month in private.

It is strange that the Jammu and Kashmir government has no policy for these people. After much persuasion they are placed among the Scheduled Caste category and yet when the question of reservation comes, they never get any opportunity in the government. And therefore despite a huge population of about several lakhs, it would be a rare site to see a Wattal community person outside their traditional occupation.

Ashaq has three sons and he is determined to educate them. In fact two of them are in the University. The fight for social justice and dignity continues. Shahid Hussain had difficult time. He used to work as sweeper but never accepted his defeat. He passed his 10th standard and got a job in a Nationalized Bank. With his determination he completed his graduation and is now working as an office assistant in the bank. For him, it was difficult but he was able to get it. There is no reservation for them he says; the pain reflects in his eyes as he narrates the story of struggle of his family.



According to a report submitted to the Supreme Court by Safai Karmchari Andolan, there are 7.94 lakhs open latrines in the country and apart from Uttar-Pradesh and Tamilnadu, Jammu & Kashmir is one of the biggest violators in this regard, where 1,78,330 households need manual scavenging but the latest figures from J& K government suggest that out of total 1,60,804 Households in the rural areas over 1,49,492 depend on manual scavenging which shows the status of ‘development’ in Kashmir. Out of total 5,17,168 urban households, 17,768 houses are dependent on manual scavenging.

According to reports, Shopian, Kupwara, Bandipur, Srinagar, Kulgaum, Anantnag, Ganderbal and Pulwama have very large number of dry latrines which need manual scavengers to clean them. And as Ashaq Wattal says, all of them who are engaged in the manual scavenging task are Muslims. This exposes the hypocrisy of those so called Jehadis, who talk so much about fighting against others and place an ‘Islamic state’ but never really bother about the conditions of the Muslims Dalits. Why has such a large population not got any legal right from the government of India?

It is sad that the elimination of manual scavenging practices bill has not yet come in the parliament. Political parties can get consensus on everything which they want to get through but when the question of dignity of the manual scavenging communities comes, they remain suspect as they never cared for that.

Today, if the bill is passed and makes the rehabilitation part of the process including alternative job reservation for them, how are the Muslim manual scavengers going to be benefitted from that? Secondly, whether the act would be implemented in Kashmir or not as it has always a problem that all central acts have to be separately developed in Kashmir? What will the J&K government propose to eliminate this crime against humanity? Will it rehabilitate the people and provide them alternative employment? Most importantly, what do the ‘thekedars’ of Islam say on this issue? All those who suggest we have a better alternative in religion must answer these questions.

Dalits remained Dalits in most of the religions though unlike Brahminical system, the other religions opened a little window for them in terms of their worshipping pattern. They can go to mosque without being discriminated against, but the same is not true about Christian Dalits who face discrimination from the upper caste Christians even in churches.

If the Centre is making a law against elimination of manual scavenging practices or even if a law is enacted for reservation in Promotion, the Muslim and Christian dalits would not be able to get any benefit of the reservation. It violates the basic principle of equality; it is important that benefits of reservation or rehabilitation must incorporate all the Dalits in diverse communities. The issue of Dalit identity and their discrimination became the tool for religious propagandists too who wish to fight it on the basis of their ‘religious’ beliefs and provide ‘liberation’ theology for it.

The fact is the Brahminical practices of discrimination have penetrated deeply into other religions and beliefs also, and made them more ruthless in their attitude towards the Dalits. The condition of Dalits in the Muslim-dominated areas remains a matter of great shame and concern today as the movements for their ‘azadi’ has not reached inside the closed quarters where the Islamic zealots are ready to fight for everything in the name of their identity but have found little time to wage a war against untouchability and caste system. It is a totally different story that many people feel that religious conversion is the best bet to escape caste discrimination.

The manual scavenging communities must be rehabilitated without being discriminated on the basis of their religious identities as they do not merely exists in Jammu and Kashmir but elsewhere also including Uttar-Pradesh, Bihar, Bengal, Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , Punjab, Haryana and Tamil Nadu too. It is also important that the fight for the Pasmanda Muslims and their rights must begin at home too.

It is easier to suggest that there is liberation of Dalits in religion but at the end if we investigate their socio-cultural conditions, it is open secret that caste virus continues there too and the discrimination level remains the same. Just being proud because your religion allows them in Mosque and churches will not suffice for their survival and dignity. War against untouchability must transcend national, state, caste and religious boundaries.

It is time we all join hands against this crime against humanity to eliminate it completely from the planet. The Jammu and Kashmir government must come clean on it and take the issue of untouchability and manual scavenging on a wider scale. It is important that to eliminate manual scavenging the government must provide the eligible youths employment in the non-sanitary work and rehabilitate them completely.

Why have the Jehadis of Islam kept quiet on these issues even when it is a routine to see the Wattals in Kashmir work on such terms? They are always worried about Islam in danger; let them raise a Jehad against untouchability and manual scavenging in Kashmir. We will be with them in their fight for dignity of Manual scavengers in Jammu and Kashmir. We cannot leave our Kashmiri friends isolated and hence will definitely join their struggle for dignity and self-respect.

A Nation Betrayed

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat


Twenty years have passed since the Hindu terrorists demolished Babari Masjid on 6th December 1992 at Ayodhya, the country has moved on gradually but the well planned assault on the Constitution of India by those who never have faith in its core values of secularism, democracy and multiculturalism continues unabated though in different forms.

It is time to revisit the tragic day and what happened and why the nation was betrayed and how the Indian state which crushes social movements remained mute to the organized crime of the Hindutva outfits in Ayodhya and elsewhere.
Lal Krishna Advani, the man, who BJP once looked as ‘prime ministerial’ candidate and its ‘statesman’, was on a Bharat yatra as he usual does and prior to that it was clearly decided in various meetings of the Sangh Parivar that enough wait has happened and it was time to take over. The country was witnessing sharp polarization with growing affinity between the Dalits and backward communities. A new alignment was building up with Pasmanda Muslims too joining the front and debating the benefits of the Mandal recommendation. It was a difficult task for the political parties representing the status quo to allow this to happen. It was possible through multiple tasking with the government undoing all that has happened in 1989-90 while the Sangh Parivar renewing its Ayodhya agenda.

Those of us who have followed up the Sangh and its hidden agenda know it well that Muslims are a direct target though the real targets are the most marginalized communities who are seeking their participation in power structure and here the upper elite in India is adamant to deny them this. The anti Mandal Commission protests were not just supported by the BJP but also clandestinely by the top brass of the congress Party.

Unfortunately, the soft Hindutva card played by Congress damaged the secular fabric of the country. It is well documented how Congress government did nothing when the idols of Ram were surreptitiously installed inside the Babari Mosque in 1949s by the Hindu fanatics. Despite Prime Minister Nehru’s letter to the then chief minister Govind Ballabh Pant, the state government did not bother to change the status. Instead, the mosque was locked as it was claimed by the Hindu fanatics that Lord Ram has taken avatar in Ayodhya. When the court had order the closure of the temple, it was Rajiv lead Congress in 1985-86 which used the card and got them unlocked. The promise was a Hindu rastra but the defeat in subsequent election and then rise of the Dalit OBCs created a common threat for the upper caste domain in India’s social political life. So, the Mandal commission report was opposed by most of the parties initially though they did not dare to speak against it openly that time but they started planning their strategies to break the strong alliance of the Dalits and OBCs.

In 1991, there was a regime change in Delhi and Congress came back to power with the help of outside support. In the throne of Delhi, there was a badshah famous for his inactions named as P.V.Narsimha Rao, who was leading a minority government of Congress Party at the centre, the first one outside the Nehru Gandhi clan. Rao grew up in Nizam’s regime and was influenced with Sangh Parivar in anti- Muslim sentiments. Rao discomfort with growing dalit-OBC assertion forced him to be in ‘holy’ company of Sangh Parivar. India embraced so-called globalisation with Manmohan Singh leading the mantra when the government sector jobs were virtually closed and therefore the reservation which was provided to Dalits and later to OBCs too became null and void in his regime. No efforts were made to undo the historical wrongs. It was not for the unknown reasons that Rao send Atal Bihari Vajpayee to lead Indian delegation to the UN Human Rights Commission meetings in Geneva where the government continued with its lies that untouchability and caste discrimination does not exists in India. Can anyone who knows India and its society believe that caste system has finished and there is untouchabilty in this country?

The Hindutva proponents were happy with Rao and he was sure that BJP and their allies would do nothing. Even when it was clear that the Hindu terrorists were ready to demolish the Babari Mosque, Rao was certain that nothing would happen. Even in the National Integration Council meet, Rao had clearly said that all his contingencies were ready to tackle any situation. Even the then chief minister of Uttar-Pradesh Kalyan Singh had promised to take action in any eventuality. The Sangh’s rabble rousers were active in their hate campaign and here is a government which did nothing to stop it. With its active anti Dalit anti OBC posturing, the Sangh Parivar, had become acceptable in the middle class Hindus. The media was reporting diligently and obediently. The Hindi newspapers became Hindu newspapers and news became opinion pieces of Rambhakts. Slogans like ‘bachcha bachcha ram ka, janmbhumi ke kaam ka’ reverberated in the air everywhere. Stories were created as how Muslims were cruel and were ‘raping’ and killing our women and men in Kashmir.
On December 6th, 1992 our government looked as a Hindu government. Rao had clearly betrayed the nation. He hobnobbed with the Hindutva terrorists and allowed the Babari Mosque to be dismantled. India saw its constitution being grounded in raze.

It was a shame, a horror and terror which the world witnessed on its TV channels. How the Hindutva goons beat up every one who was trying to take a picture of the historical tomb being pulled down. The country was in deep shock. A nation’s existence was in question. The rule of law was in question and above all, its constitution was challenged in open day light. The marauders of Manusmriti had informed the world openly and in unambiguous term that they want a ‘Hindu’ Rashtra in which only those would the citizens of this country who consider Lord Rama as their ‘ancestor’.

We have a right to correct the ‘historical wrong, the protagonists of Hindutva would cry. Yes, what are the historical wrong Mr Advani. Will you trace what is under the debris of Taj Mahal? Will we demolish Red Fort or even our Rastrapati Bhavan to find out what is there? How can we correct the historical wrong? Can the Dalits take revenge for all that is done to them in the three thousand years of history? Ayodhya has a Buddhist history and we have traced it including this so called Ram Temple itself. Will the Hindus return to Buddhists all the places of worship, all the Buddha Viharas which have been converted into temples everywhere including Bodha Gaya? Well, as a citizen of this country, I can only see, history cannot be corrected. We can only learn lessons from it.

As the Babri Mosque was raised to the ground in the broad day light our inactive prime minister was sitting in Delhi. Perhaps, he felt let the thing happen, we will see what could be done later. He came on the national TV and expressed his condolences for the demolition and blamed that the RSS betrayed him. He promised to build the Babari Mosque at the same place again so that the world could know that India stand by its people and will not tolerate this kind of terrorism. Yet, 20 years down the line, we need to find what has happened. Let us see what is the result of investigations and where do we stand?

I wish to add here an important thing. Many of my secular friends and there are many eminent who felt that Narsimha Rao was betrayed by the RSS and BJP as they had promised that nothing would happen. They did not like my attack on him and wanted me to believe that it is the BJP and its Hindutva hoodlums who need to be condemned but I remain convince that prime minister Narsimha Rao was part of the entire conspiracy as he did not take any action. We cannot exonerate a government which remains inefficient and inactive. Whatever abuse we hurl on Mulayam Singh Yadav or VP Singh, they saved the country in October 1990 when the Sangh and their conspirators wanted to demolish Babari Masjid. Mulayam was strict in UP that time and did not allow anything to happen here. V.P.Singh did not allow Lal Krishna Advani’s Rathyatra further from Bihar even when his government was voted out of power in Lok Sabha but then whenever such issues emerges before the nation, the prime minister has to take action even if his government goes. Narsimha Rao saved his government but the country was on the verge of the biggest crisis after independence.
BJP and Hindutva outfits grew up and came to power at the Centre. Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharati were charge sheeted as they were there during the destruction of the Babari Mosque. They witnessed the goons razing the mosque. Uma Bharati and Joshi were overjoyed and hugged each other. CBI charged for criminal conspiracy yet today we do not know what happened in that case. Lal Krishna Advani presided over the same ministry which has charged sheeted him. Yesterday, Sushma Swaraj was joking at her opponent that CBI has become tool in the hands of the government but we want to ask a question as why has not a single case of communal riots resolved so far. How far has Indian state penalized the Hindu terror organizations who spread hatred, crime against minorities in India and yet come back to power?

The fact is that India’s state machinery has been thoroughly communalized and therefore all the Muslims who are engaged in ‘violence’ or ‘hatred’ are ‘terrorists’ while all the Dalits who ask question to state and disagree with its policies are Naxalites and all the aadivasis who fight for their rights are jailed for being ‘Maoists’. But how great our system is that all the upper caste upper elite Hindus who spread hatred, challenge our constitution and are engaged in communal riots, becomes ministers, chief ministers and even are projected as future prime ministers. And CBI and all our police and state administration will have to work with them. It is very easy to blame others but it is time we need to question Indian state’s commitment to secular cause. The secularism is symbolic here to support the brahmanical leadership of the country.

Babari Masjid’s demolition exposed the myth of Hindu tolerance. All those who felt that Hinduism is tolerant got exposed though many still pretend to believe in ‘liberal’ Hinduism. The Hindu dharma is nothing but a castle of castes and the day castes disappear this dharma would collapse. That Babari Masjid was blown on the day when we remember our greatest icon who fought a valiant battle against the varnashram dharma and caste system, exposes the Hindutva grand design of bringing Dalits into their fold in the common agenda against Muslims.

It was reminded to us that Babari Masjid was symbol of our slavery and that Rama was born there. Myths cannot be converted into historical fact. In fact, research now proves that Ayodhya was Saket, a Buddhist place which the Brahmins actually converted into a Hindu place. My own interviews with many Sadhus and Mahants in Ayodhya prove that and they agreed to the point. However, that is not the subject matter of this article here. The point is not whether there exist a Ram Temple or not as no court can decide about that fact of mythology. The Hindutva protagonists cleverly made it a court case to decide about Rama’s birth. Actually, Ayodhya case is between those who intruded the Mosque and kept the idols of Ramlala inside it. It is not a case of where Rama was born which has now been made out. Can the courts really decide where Rama was born? Whether Rama was a real character or a fictitious one? And if he was a real character, even then why those people have been let without punishment who planted the idols there?

Through their mischievous campaign, Rama was imposed on people of India and we were told about his virtues. We refuse to accept his virtues. That man who killed Shambuka, a shudra for reciting Vaidik hymns and exiled his wife for no fault of her. How can he be our idol, as Ram Jethmalani rightly said a few months back? At the moment, the issues of existence of Rama or his virtues are not the concern but the concern of the secular ideals of the nation and how state remain committed to the constitution which guarantees each one of us right to our faith including right to not having faith. Ayodhya’s story is that of betrayal of our constitutional vision by the brahmanical political class which wants to use all the avenues and want a section of its people to be rulers while others to be subservient to them. It is the story of continuous failure of Indian state to provide justice to its second biggest majority, the Muslims. Can any country and society develop if over 14% of its population is pushed to marginalization and their identity is under regular assault from the rightwing nationalists who have no contribution for the building of this great country and none of them have ever been punished for their anti-national act of vilifying an entire community?

Tamilnadu's Party of Shame

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat



In Tamilnadu, PMK, the party of Vanniyars is on a dangerous path as it want government to set up a commission to find why love marriages are happing between Vanniyars and Dalits. The Party also want to campaign against SC-ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. Can anyone imagine that such rhetoric’s are coming from a responsible political party in world’s largest democracy?

It is shocking and surprising to see P.M.K. party in Tamilnadu has come out in open against the SC-ST Prevention of Atrocities Act and want to get it amended as it feel that the Dalits are filing false charges against non Dalits. There may be some reality on these counts and it became a bone of contention in Uttar-Pradesh when Mulayam Singh Yadav and Kalyan Singh raised the banner of revolt against it and Mayawati herself had asked the government officials to verify each fact before file a case against the accused. Of course, Kalyan Singh said that he would immediately abrogate this article and many others also supported him. The SC-ST Prevention of Atrocities Act is a bone of contention for all the non Dalits and non-tribal who violate their rights on daily basis and feeling constraint by the constitutional promulgation.

After the Dharmapuri incident, PMK party is unable to reconcile to the fact that police has taken action against the culprits. The party of Vanniyars, which claims to be the most backward community, has never tried to mend its ways and ally with the Dalits. It is tragic that after a meeting of his party colleagues, PMK leader came out openly against love marriages and claimed that they are happening because the Dalit boys are wearing Jeans, T-shirts and goggles. S.Ramdos, the president of PMK mentioned that Dalit boys lure the Vanniyar girls and get married to them deliberately to kill the caste consciousness of Vanniyars. According to him these so-called ‘love marriages’ never succeed because of caste differences and hence the Tamilnadu government must form a commission headed by a High Court to look into the matter of fake cases against Vanniyars.

Tamilnadu’s violence against Dalits have diverse pattern and particularly the powerful OBCs like Thewars and Vanniyars have lead from the front to hit at the Dalits. There are land relations too as most of the dalits are agricultural landless workers and any attempt to ask for fair wages is met with stronger violence. Untouchability is practiced strictly in many parts of the state and Dalit hamlets are quite isolated. The problem is that little efforts were made to bring the Dalits and other communities together as question of Dalit identity and self-respect get sidelined in the non-Brahmin self-respect movement or Periyar though he launched a historical movement in Vaikom for the temple entry of the Dalits.

Actually, what Ramdoss said reflect the political survival tactics of his party which had vanniyar domination. It is a fact that after Dharmapuri incident a number of Vanniyars have been arrested on charges of violence against Dalits and SC-ST act has been used as the Vanniyar caste group burnt about six villages of Dalits after the incident. As a political party, Ramdoss cannot afford to lose sight of the vast vote bank of his party and hence he has no other option but to turn more right wing and caste-iest when he demanded that SC-ST Act must be amended and that he would organize all other communities who are victim of it. Actually, the language and political overtures of Ramdoss are similar to that of Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav in Uttar-Pradesh who wants to capitalize the entire non-Dalit vote bank for his party in the coming elections and hence ridiculously opposing the quota for dalits as well as targeting them politically. Very little has been done to win them over. The dilemma of these parties comes from a strong sense of identity and self-respect among the Dalits who have refused to cow down to these threats.

Unfortunately, political compulsions as well as sticking to retrogressive old values in the name of tradition are hall mark of politics. There are very few people in Indian system who opposed these traditions openly and unambiguously and yet succeeded. One of them was Periyar who opposed the Justice movement to be a political party as it would amount to compromising ideology. Periyar was an absolutely radical reformer who stood with women’s right over her body and encouraged self-respect marriages. He condemned Hindu marriages as sale of the bride and wanted marriages be performed only once the boy and the girl have understood each other. It is rare that his movement got wider public acceptance and success.

One cannot expect anything radical from a street rabble rouser like S.Ramdoss who perhaps only wanted to highlight his caste issues. If he had ever thought that there is a wider Dalit Bahujan movement, he would not have spoken the language that he was speaking against the Dalits contemptuously as if the Dalit boys and girls cannot wear jeans and T-Shirt. These statements are not quoted out of context but Ramdoss has spoken them in his press conference and in front of TV cameras. Clearly, he was sending signal to his constituency of Vanniayars that he justify their demand as love marriages are happening because of the Dalit boys are now ‘asserting’ themselves. Actually, what Ramdoss said reflect the caste Hindu mindset related to Dalit assertion. They forget that the shudras fought their battle of identity on the very same basis when the Brahmins used to tell them that they do not deserve and have no capacity to run a government or an office. The PMK arguments are racist and caste-ist in nature and must be condemned. It reinstates the values that Dalits cannot and should not live with dignity, with their head high and that love marriages must be stopped. Actually, Ramdoss’s statement is a clear negation of Indian constitution which guarantees the individual’s right to choose their partners. The forefathers of our constitution did not hand over the individuals to their caste leaders to decide about their fates but to the individuals themselves.

While Periyar’s movement tried to build up an ideological ground against Brahmanism as he actually brought an alternative to the people in the form of ‘self-respect marriages’ and a greater social interaction among various sections of society. The movement became so powerful that it jolted the governments of the day and resulted in formation of ‘Justice Party’. However, Periyar was always believe that the social movements should remain beyond politics as a politician he would make compromises and would not be able to adjust with those compromises while social movements should remain powerful enough to make the government bend on its demands. His colleagues and comrades did not think that way and felt that way and came out of the Justice party to form DMK under legendary Anna Durrai and formed the government. There is no doubt that under Anna’s leadership Tamilnadu grew and propagated the ideals of social justice yet it got split later as ambitious clashed resulting in formation of All India Dravida Munnaitra Kadgam which was softer towards the upper caste and catered the Dalit votes too. In the aftermath, we have seen how both the Dravidian parties continued with their flirtation with Hindutva forces too resulting in dilution of their original philosophy and converting their parties into personal fiefdom and family companies like Congress Party.

P.M.K continue to remain isolated as it feels that it would gain strength from the community support. Unfortunately, there is no attempt by PMK to reconcile with the fact that the Dalits too have right to progress and that many of them have reached high. Is PMK worried about the fact that more and more Dalit boys and girls are getting educated and migrating to cities and are successful in their lives. Is it the fault of the boys only to ‘allure’ the girls? Can’t we leave this to two individuals who decide to get married? Why does PMK want that the choice of two individuals to decide about their partners be stopped? Is the PMK’s identity is only related to Vanniyars being higher than Dalits in the caste hierarchy?

Actually problem here is also with the girls who are ‘symbol’ of ‘community’ ‘pride’ and has to be won over. A vanniyar girl’s marriage to dalit boy is an ‘assault’ to the big ego of the Vanniyars who feel that Dalits cannot be equal to them. But in the larger context it is very similar to the Khap Panchayats in Haryana who are now feeling that love marriages are a threat to India and must be stopped. The reality is that it is the loosening of control over their community which is the biggest worry of such parties and leaders. The more and more our individuals decide about their marriages and choices, the lesser will be the control of these self-styled champion of community identity.

Hundreds of boys and girls from Dalits, backwards and even the so-called upper castes are marrying out of their choices and against all the odds. Love has never stopped even when hurdles were created for them. Political parties and social leaders must not get away with the ground realities these days. It is not the issue of boys and girls having their choices but growth of education which gives us senses to decide about our lives. The only way to stop the ‘love marriages’ is stop educating our children and allow them to live in their ‘khaps’ and not allow them to watch TV or read any books as the more they read and open up, the bigger will be their curiosity to know about lives of millions others who do not take permission to get married elsewhere. The writ of Indian constitution must run large over our villages and among our political parties who swear by the constitution and yet behave exactly the opposite of it. The social movements of those claiming to follow Periyar, Ambedakar and Phule should now take lead to penetrate among people once again warning them of the dangers of such caste mindset who are afraid of opening up and want to keep people subjugated forever.

Let India not become a hurdle in defending its youth who decide to live together because they loved. Let love does not become a dirty word to kill someone or show our superiority over others. Love transcends boundaries and even ideologies. These love marriages are not happening now but it happened for years. A fairly large number of our political leaders and opinion makers have challenged the status quo and married in other castes. All this do not happen with a planning but because they fell in love and love knows no caste and religion. The only thing is that while marriage is a personal affair and none is asking to boast who you married yet for the sake of principles each one of those who have gone for a self-arranged marriage must come out openly in support of such marriages. It is not a great principle that while you enjoyed the fruits of ‘love’ marriages while clearly ignoring the issue when the question of society comes. Yes, we have people who married to the girls and boys from the community they abuse day and night and yet when the question of taking a stand, they deviate and do not speak. The silence of such people is detrimental to the heath of a strong social movement for equality as envisioned by Dr Ambedkar and Periyar. PMK’s actions are a challenge to the idea of equality of people and sexes and must be countered with reaffirming out faith in our constitution and its framework of respecting individuals and their choices. PMK want caste identity for votes while anti caste leaders want caste identities to be completely abolished and annihilated and hope the anti-caste movement will gather strength from here and win over people with the idea that these identities are false and based on brahmanical concept of superiority of some castes over others. Vanniyars too are victim of caste system and hence to make them support the caste system is treacherous and must not be condoned.

Need For A Regulatory Body

By Vidya Bhushan RAWAT


Two Senior editors of Zee News Sudhir Chaudhury and Samir Ahluwalia have been arrested on a complaint filed by Naveen Jindal related to the sting operation conducted by the company in which the two editors were shown demanding 100 crores in the form of advertising from the Jindals in lieu of not broadcasting the story of Jindal’s Coal mining activities.

Now, it is clear that Naveen Jindal is one of the most influential political leaders at the moment with strong links in political parties. Even the opposition ruled states have done little to challenge his hegemony. In the CAG report on Coal Block Allocation, his company too figures. That inquiry must continue and coal block allocation need to be seen in that way; however at the moment Indian media has a serious crisis and that must be addressed before it becomes an incurable disease.

With the advent of commercialism in the media, advertisement became the biggest revenue generation exercise. In fact, in the past, the small and medium newspapers would always try to get advertisements from DAVP. Though still today, DAVP and various Ministries remain the biggest source of revenue, yet now, with the growth of market, media has become a huge industry. As the reach of television channels grew, the idea of making and unmaking of a leader and businessman also grew.

Media changed priorities to satisfy the need of the advertisers. The editorial positions were actually made secondary to marketing, and public relation officers became the de facto editors of the newspapers. The print media became more opinionated and clandestinely it is here that the PR companies are working in their best way. The thin line between news item and opinionated news item is blurred. News are planted and kept aside. The self-censorship in Indian media is an example of how they want to create fictions.

During the elections, news editors and journalists have their favorites and this is the best period for paid news. It is not for nothing that political leaders with huge resources are always in the positive side of the news. There is no doubt that the media takes sides, plants stories, makes villains/heroes and has side tracked its ethics. The advertisement control has resulted in decline of independence of editorial and edit page articles. Today, advertisers are being provided the edit space in the name of ‘columnists’. There is no doubt how newspapers arm twist the government when they have to gain advertisements and favors.

The electronic media in this way has become louder and more biased. When high salaries are to be earned and perks aplenty are at stake, no opinion will remain unbiased. And they are reflected the way news is ‘packaged’ and the anchors dramatize them during their presentation. A careful scrutiny of the electronic media will reflect more damaging undercurrent of absolute control of the corporate over it.

The way anti-corruption campaign was projected and abuses were allowed to be aired live to our bedrooms shows media in poor light of a blackmailer. Many of the channels get angry because the government does not give them advertisements while the ‘largest’ circulated Daily of the country has various other business works which are cleared through power of the media. Every newspaper owner is not just working in the media world but also has different industries and therefore media is used to promote their interests.

It is not that these things were not there in the past but it was not done so openly and atrociously as today. There were senior journalists who supported government policies and particular political parties and became member of parliaments and ministers. Definitely, that was not the healthy trend and the BJP, too, jumped into it and attracted a number of journalists into their think tank and rewarded them in the form of Rajya Sabha tickets and important portfolios on coming to power.

State as well as political patronage was always there with journalists but now the rule of the game has changed after the opening up of this sector and advertisers have replaced politician as the main patrons of the media and hence the new age journalists look down upon the political class and glamorize the ‘corporate’. It is nothing but the change of power equations with in the media which have forced them to look differently.

Media power is recognized by everyone and how they can influence policies. Sangh Parivar understood it and reaped a good harvest. The Congress is the original sinner that has awarded even mediocre reporters with important positions. In fact, the decline of the media is so high that those who could not even write an article properly are media badshahs today as they are known not for their writings and views but for their political-business connection.

Editors therefore become PR directors of their news organizations. Nobody asks a question as to where do they find money in such a short period to start a channel. Such out of proportion power of media makes them believe in their own world. ‘Whatever we create is the news’ and that has acceptability of the people.

Such arguments and thoughts are self-destructive. For those living on margin and with people’s perspective never believe that Indian media has credibility at all as media always serves the interest of power elite, industries and the government. Definitely it is the watch dog of the elite caste empire in India and will definitely cover extra mile to portray those thoughts that suit the caste mindset.

The Zee episode has brought in front of the people the naked dance of media. The channel is continuously airing how the government has been trying to gag the media. How it is an infringement on the ‘freedom of expression’ when the editors are discussing a ‘deal’ with the industrial house? It is charged that Naveen Jindal has a vast empire and is not clean and hence Zee must be given the benefit of doubt.

But, there are two different issues involved here. One is the media ethics and other the power of the corporate to trap you. If Jindal is incorrect or corrupted, his dealings should be investigated and taken to a logical conclusion. Media has a duty to report and do it fairly. But if media uses the corruption card to blackmail people then it is a sad day for its credibility. The reality is that in the Zee case the deal could not be stuck and hence got exposed, otherwise things are not that great inside the media world and it needs thorough overhauling to clean it.

Media houses have often opposed any kind of regulation from the government’s side. They feel it is an infringement to their freedom of expression and involves bullying tactics. But the fact is the biggest bully is the media itself and their hunger to fund their fat pay packages. Journalists today are doing multi-tasking. At one end they are reporting for their channel and newspapers, but on the other side they are also considered to be very ‘influential’.

Even a petty stinger is an ‘influential person. Many of the newspapers do not have circulation and definitely will never survive if they do not take illicit money from industries and therefore they become mouthpieces of their masters and carry scandalous reports. It is good that many senior editors have supported Press Council demand for regulation. There is nothing called ‘self-regulation’.

When the people of India can be regulated through various laws, how can media be above it? It is possible if media houses or owner of the media houses do not invest in any other business and there is an advertising policy whether government or private. If there is an advertising policy and advertisements are routed through an official regulator, perhaps this ‘maara-mari’ for funds will not be there.

The Zee editors violated their ethics as they were making a deal. It is clear from the conversation because even if Jindals were seeking ‘killing’ of the story, they should have aired it. But we know how media kills the story and I have myself given many stories but then they are not ‘politically’ useful. Media does not have time to report them. They sit on them and then preach us about TRPs and ‘quality of it’.

It is clear that these editors were working beyond their ethical duty of news-reporting, but I can bet Zee is not alone in doing this. There are host of other channels who cannot run their shows without close cooperation and engagement of political-business-mafias.

The growth of electronic media in the past 10 years is not just because we have become an information-savvy society, but because the corporate have realized that media could be used as a tool to blackmail political class as well as opponents. It is due to this expose that they fear a strong Press Council even when Justice Markandeya katju has clearly mentioned that the Council will have people from print and electronic media, as well as owners of the newspapers, yet none of them is ready for it.

But it is time India learnt a few lessons from the United Kingdom, where the government appointed a commission headed by Lord Justice Brian Leveson on corruption in media after expose of several newspapers on the issue of phone tapping of private individuals. British Prime Minister, David Cameron, ordered the Leveson Inquiry in July, 2011 after the phone tapping scandal broke out and Rupert Murdoch-owned, ‘The News of the World’, was categorically blamed for the interception of voice mail messages left on the cellphone of Milly Dowler, a British teenager who was abducted in 2002 and later found murdered. The report found that the News of the World lacked respect for individual privacy and dignity.

The nearly two thousand page report has categorically charged newspapers in the UK for violating an individual’s right and trivializing the stories. Brian has suggested to the government a national regulator for media so that they do not violate people’s right. He says, “The ball moves back into the politicians’ court.” Referring to what form new and tighter regulations should take, he added, “They must now decide who guards the guardians.”

The Brian report could be an interesting and eye opener to expose the murky world of close links among media, business and politicians, and this reality exist in all parts of the world. In the name of deregulation, the media was actually promoting business interests and creating false information and selective leakages. If the last one year episode of Indian media and its role is investigated, one is sure, many dirty reports will emerge.

In Britain, the prime minister has categorically declined for a national regulation law for media; it is definitely a fact that the British media is far ahead and absolutely much better than our media here which has sharp prejudices and no respect for regulations and laws of the land. Journalists here feel that they are above law and can make and unmake a government. It is time, that the media is regulated and tough laws are made so that not everything is defended in the name of ‘press freedom’.

Freedom of Expression is important tool but like internet the media should also be regulated. Let there be senior journalists, civil society activists, bloggers, lawyers, editors as part of that regulating body so that no one has any feeling of prejudice. It is high time that such a body is created so that the grievances are addressed on time and media does not become PR agency of anyone who helps increase their TRPs or fills their coffers with money.

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Social Justice and VP's Politics

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

Today we remember former Prime Minister V.P.Singh, who passed away unknown on this date in 2008. Singh was epitome of honesty and simplicity in public life and yet the caste Hindus made a villain of him. His government was a short tenure one yet its decisions were far reaching and have changed the Indian politics completely. the hegemony of congress is gone and it is limping back to regain composure. It was V.P who launched struggle against Reliance and other corrupted corporate in 1986 and was shunted from finance ministry to Defence Ministry by Rajiv Gandhi. Tragically, he is not remembered for his work on fighting against corruption. When he tried to implement his government's election manifesto on Mandal report, there was street violence in north India. The forces of kamandal hit the street and ignited the violence. His government fell to save a constitutional promise of protecting the Babari Mosque.

V.P.Singh was a man of ideas and real statesman in today's time. He is missed for his articulation on the current economic policies and the fight for the rights of the marginalised. Today, when our political leaders are corrupted easily by the lure of power and money, he remained an oasis in the desert of corrupt practices. It is strange that those who claim to fight against corruption never ever thought to mention his name. it is because, India's biggest corruption is caste system and VP singh touched that chord and decided to provide 27% quota for OBCs. it is during his period that this leadership gained ground yet unfortunately compromised everywhere. V.P.Singh died alone. Very few came to bid him adieu which shows that in India people who try to do something honestly and challenging their own communities will never be respected and remembered. There are numerous others who work leaving their communities and become villain in their own communities which feel that their act is challenge to supremacy of the community while the communities for whom the person die never accept him or her because they are not born in their community. This exist everywhere and at the end help the fascist communal forces to gain ground among them and crate farcical leadership which suits their identity interests. it is time the shudra leadership learn a few lessons and do not compromise with communal caste forces to deny Dalits their rights.

In the current set up when all the political parties have accepted the current corporate interest and rarely speak for people's right, time to learn a few lessons from VP's political understanding. At the end of the day it is the people who will decide and if we remain uncorrupted only then we would be able to challenge the hegemony of the caste forces. Do we have such leaders are personal uncorrupted in today's system. If there were no cases against our leaders, Congress
or BJP would not have blackmailed them to support their policies and they would not be opposing everything which is being done for their welfare. An OBC leadership would not speak against Dalit interest and vice versa. It is on these occasion, we remember V.P.Singh and his statesmanship which helped the most marginalised communities of India. Unlike his close associate, he rarely compromised with communal forces ( except during the period he was PM where he preferred to resign but not allowed Babari masjid to be raged) and believed in close association of Dalit, Bahujan, Muslim communities in india. It is only they who can dethrone the Hindutva hegemony but unfortunately business and other caste interest groups made serious inroads among these leadership and today these forces have become part of 'social justice' brigade and slogan of social justice has been forgotten and simply serving interest of a few individual leaders.

India is passing through a difficult phase when the corporate communal forces have joined hand. They have used the shudra politics to push their agenda. If Mulayam Singh and his party are promoting Reliance and opposing reservation of Dalits and Aadivasis that show how corporate and Hindutva lobby has succeeded in completely converting Mulayam Singh a leader who feel Dalits are his biggest threat. A constitutional promulgation of Dalits can not be denied in petty politics. It is on these matter that we miss V P Singh who could have played a greater role in bringing these different sections to one platform so that they can fight against those forces who are hell-bent to break unity of Dalits-OBC-Muslims and Aadivasis.

Dream for secular republic unfulfilled



By Vidya Bhushan Rawat



The terror attack on Mumbai in the night of November 26th was an attack on India killing innocent people but it also confirmed the weakness of Indian state in tackling the communal agenda. The police and administrative set up were communalized and Muslim became more isolated in this propaganda war. Isolation of Muslims in India is defeat of the vision of our constitutional forefathers.


Today is a landmark date of Indian Republic as on this day in 1949 our constituent Assembly settled for the current constitution of India. With different divergent views, India finally adopted a Republican Democratic Constitution despite the tragic and disastrous accidents due to partition in which thousands lost their lives for no fault of their own and millions were displaced.

Paradoxically, the same day on November 26th, 2008, terrorists stuck the financial capital of India and bled it in full force in an open defiance to republican common sharing dream of a united India. Hundreds of innocent lost their lives and many their whole world. The incident changed the total perception of people in India and forced the governments to adopt more such strategies which actually were anti-democratic and against the basic preamble of our constitution. In the name of fight against terrorism, innocent Muslim youths were arrested in different parts of the country and thousands of them are still languishing in jails waiting for their trial to take off.

Therefore, it is time for introspection as where our republic failed and why? It is a well-known fact that despite partition in the name of religion, Indian leadership chose to adopt a secular constitution which means despite our prejudices we still attempted to overcome those through constitutional measures. For a country which bore the brunt of partition in the name of religion, it was a huge compliment and challenging task. While the leadership which fought for the nation was by and large secular at least till Nehru was there at the helm of affair, it started appeasing Hindu fundamentalists more and more subsequently after his demise in 1964. The country had seen communal disturbances in number of places and almost all the inquiry commissions had pointed the involvement of RSS in the communal riots. Meerut, Moradabad,, Aligarh, Kanpur, Bhivandi, Malegaon, Jabalpur, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad saw communal riots in different phases which bled the nation.

In 1975 Mrs. Indira Gandhi imposed emergency on the country and suspended all our rights including freedom of expression and right to peaceful assembly. All the political leaders were arrested and newspapers were not allowed to publish news items which were against the ‘interest’ of the government. She lost in 1975 resulting in the formation of first non-Congress government of Janata Party under the leadership of Morarji Desai which undemocratically used its power and dismissed 7 congress ruled government immediately without allowing them to complete their terms. The argument was that they have lost their mandate. It was naked dance of dictatorial leadership who were elected in the name of democracy. Indira Gandhi repeated it when she returned to power in 1980 by dismissing the Janata governments in the states.

1980s was a tumultuous phase in Indian democracy when power started slipping out of the brahmanical domination and Congress played shamelessly though, the Hindu card in Jammu and Kashmir and later in Punjab. The results were disastrous. To counter the demand of more powers to the state raised by the Akali Dal, Indira Gandhi promoted Bhindaranwale who used the opportunity to establish himself as the biggest leader of the Sikh Panth. The Sikh Hindu divide grew in Punjab resulting in the disastrous decision of the government to raid the golden temple in June 1984 under code name ‘Operation Blue Star’. It hurt the Sikh psyche tremendously and government did nothing to remove them. They were isolated. Every Sikh became a suspect in the eye of others. This was one of the most uncertain periods of Indian republic. They were deeply hurt with the turn of events at the Golden Temple where huge number of militants had gathered. The mix of religion and politics could be best seen in Punjab and Akali Dal was no less responsible as it was they who used it to the best and Congress was only trying to consolidate the non Jats as well as Hindus in the state. The dirty game of the political parties created an unbridgeable divide.

On October 31st, 1984 Mrs. Indira Gandhi was brutally assassinated by her own security staffs who happened to be Sikhs. The entire country saw the violence against Sikh community and each one of them were considered as a threat to the country. The national capital took the lead in violence against the Sikhs and the might Indian state did not do anything. Instead, it used the opportunity to consolidate the Hindu vote bank further which resulted in the massive mandate to Rajiv Gandhi in 1985 when elections were held in the country. It is essential to examine the 1985 electoral mandate to Rajiv Gandhi where he became the symbol of Hindu nationalism and the Sangh Parivar openly came in his support. He used those symbols too to consolidate his position yet he also initiated different political processes in various parts of the country including Punjab and Mizoram. The results were positive yet Rajiv lost in 1989 because he was surrounded by the coterie which enjoyed his innocence. With a massive mandate in his pocket, he ignored President Jail Singh who was loyal to his mother and sworn him as a prime minister without even waiting for the Congress Party formally electing him as leader.

Rajiv and his close associate Arun Nehru continued to play the Hindu Card which resulted in opening up the lock of Babari Mosque for Hindus. The government never challenged the local court order further to appease the Hindus. At the same time when Muslim fanatics raised the issue of Shahbano, the government over turned the Supreme Court order on the rights of a Muslim woman who is divorced. The congress as usual wanted a win-win situation for all the fundamentalists in the country and hence it covers extra miles to appease every one without addressing their social economic issues. The Ayodhya issue and Shabano case actually gave the Hindu fundamentalists a big handle to brow beat Muslims in the country. Under lot of corruption charges, Rajiv lost the next election resulting in the formation of another non Congress government under V.P.Singh which was supported from outside both by the left and the right.

In 1990, the prime minister announced acceptance of Mandal Commission Report giving opportunity to OBCs to share power. This was one of the biggest events of post independent India which shook the Indian power structure. It developed a deep hatred towards the then prime minister V.P.Singh in the Indian middle classes. The forces of Hinduva felt the danger of OBC assertion and their alliance with Dalits for the hegemony of the upper caste in socio-political life of our country. They could not afford to openly oppose the Mandal commission reports yet clandestinely fomenting trouble in Delhi against the government decision. After much thought, they launched the Ram Temple movement and under the grand design engaged the Shudra communities in it. They created an enemy in the form of Muslims and isolated them politically. The anti-Muslim feelings were created under the Ram Temple movement turning them the main villain. The Congress and the mainstream parties did not take them openly. In fact, Congress was in competitive mode for this Hindu communalism which resulted in more isolation of Muslims. The biggest casualty of this communalization process in India was the Hindutvaisation of administrative set up particularly police and administrative bodies. Unfortunately, media too became victim of it. In the post 1990s, media used all the propaganda of the Hindutva forces and actively supported by the police and intelligence services to defame and isolate Muslims further. It culminated in violence against Muslims and systematic onslaught on their places of worship with demolition of Babari Mosque on December 6th, 1992. The then prime minister Narsimha Rao promised to the nation that the Babari Mosque but instead no political party including the secular ones dare to say that Babari Mosque should be rebuilt to bring it the status quo level. No culprit of that heinous crime against Indian constitution and secular ethos of the country ever went to jail except for one day symbolic punishment to Kalyan Singh who wanted to use this opportunity to garner their votes further.

Ram Mandir movement legitimized the communalization of the Hindutva brigade and brought them to power. It exposed the parties and outfits which claims to be secular and yet became part of so-called National Democratic Alliance. The culprit of the Babari demolition became senior minister and presided over the same ministries which were supposed to file cases against them. Lal Krishna Advani became the Home Minister of the country and further communalized the entire bureaucracy. Murli Manohar Joshi was made Minister for Human Resource Development and he shamelessly pursued the brahmanical agenda in education particularly in the school text books.

In Mumbai, the award of the communal riots in 1993 with active support of the Shiv Sena goons resulted in their attaining power in Maharastra when it went to polls, while in 2002, Narendra Modi outdid what Rajiv and his Congress had done to Sikhs in Delhi in 1984. The Muslims were the victims of Modi’s hate agenda as he wanted to teach them a ‘lesson’ and finish their voices completely. Gujarat became the biggest laboratory of Hindutva and brahmanical forces. Despite all our war cries against him, Modi continue to become more powerful in the absence of a credible secular alternative. This further marginalized and isolated Muslims in Gujarat.

On November 26th, 2008 the terrorists from Pakistan attacked Mumbai. The country suffered and like all, many Muslims were also killed with other citizens of the country. The war against terrorism became a war against ‘Muslims’. This was suitable for the Hindu right wing which always wanted to get legitimized in the din of ‘war against terror’. Muslim and terrorism became synonymous terms with media actively participating in it and became propaganda machinery of the state for the same. It is ironical that while in all other matters particularly on the issues of corruption, the media never bothered about the state version but on the issue of Muslims, they became voice of the state and were thoroughly communalized.

Thousands of Muslims youths are languishing in Indian Jails in the name of ‘war against terror’. Many of them have not even been brought to trial. It is shameful that a ‘secular’ administration and the state could do nothing. It is the biggest blot to Indian state that it has selectively made the state apparatus anti-Muslims. While identity politics has become hall mark of Indian political system, Muslim identity has become a drawback for the community. Any formation of political front in the name of Muslims will be out rightly termed as communal while the Hindutva-isation of our political set up is complete. The Muslims youths are being detained for no fault of theirs. It is not just state of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh where Muslim youths are in jail without any trials. It is tragic a state of Uttar-Pradesh, Bihar, Bengal, Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh where state government claims to be ‘secular’.

War against terrorism cannot be won by putting innocents in the jail just because of their religious identity of being a Muslim. It is proved beyond doubt how the Hindutva forces are operating in the country and communalizing the government apparatus and media. Our republic cannot hope to achieve its dreams of a secular socialist India when its ‘second majority’ suffers the fate of being ‘foreigner’ and ‘suspect’ for every act of terror which is the case of individuals or politically motivated terrorist groups. As we do not blame all the Hindus for the fault of Hindutva organizations and their misdeeds similarly, it is time when the media should stop branding every Muslim as terrorist for the act and misdeeds of these unlawful outfits whose agenda is to ferment trouble in India. The state apparatus will have to be developed in a secular way so that they do not suffer from prejudices. As long as we have political leaders without facing any trial for their involvement in hate propaganda and instigating communal violence, we will continue to have act of terror.

As long as the Muslim youths are arrested without their involvement for the troubles created by the terrorist outfits, we will not be able to bring peace in the country. The answers to today’s problems are more engagement of the community in administration, social and political life. The day, Indian society become inclusive and our administration and judiciary secularized, the political goons using religious identity as a tool to climb up the ladder and become leader would be isolated. Communalism of all variety is dangerous for the country and can be tackled both with greater administrative reforms including secularization of it as well as a wider public debate on the issue of democracy and secularism so that fringe elements everywhere is isolated. If the Muslims, Dalits, Aadivasis in this country do not get justice, it would be difficult for democracy to survive and then we will have nobody to blame but to ourselves and our faulty political system which is unfortunately strengthening status quo. The dreams of our constitutional forefathers remain unfilled as the shortsightedness of our current political class and legitimization of the communal organisations as ‘nationalist’ political parties .

Dangerous Indecisiveness over Telangana
By Vidya Bhushan Rawat



‘Hyderabad Chalo’ is the slogan of the Telangana Activist for the proposed march on September 30th for the statehood demand. The city of Hyderabad is hosting the World Conference on Bio Diversity and remains peacefully tense. The indecisiveness of the Central government may be dangerous for the peace and stability in the state.

The Central government inability to respond to the Telangana statehood is causing deep unrest in the region. All the delaying tactics are now consumed and people are now prepared for the big battle as they know that the political manipulators might thwart the historical demand of Telangana. The people always question as what is the sanctity of a Central order announced by the then home minister Mr P.Chidambaram on December 9th, 2010 for granting statehood to Telangana and process to be started. But as the Andhra lobby created the unprecedented situation in rest of the state against the division of Andhra Pradesh, the entire issue is kept on the backburner. It has become hugely difficult to understand why political parties are playing games which otherwise could have been resolved in an amicable way after all Andhra Pradesh would not be the first state to be divided and not the last one too as demands for separate states are coming from different states. The way Gulam Nabi Azad and Vylar Ravi of the Congress Party have insensitively responded to the entire crisis shows how the ruling party is playing politics with the sentiments of the people.
The Centre appointed Shrikrishna Committee to look into the matter which gave voluminous report to the Home Ministry and suggested various measures including joint capital of Hyderabad. It accepted the fact that in the Telangana region the sentiment of the people are for a separate state and they will not accept anything less than that. For two years, the government took shelter under the Shri Krishna Commission Report but now people are frustrated and political parties will become redundant if the government does not take a decision as the movement is already outside the hands of political parties.

Though, various small political parties have emerged here each one claiming their own brand of Telangana yet it is a fact that if political parties bargain with the center, they would find it difficult to find their political feet in the region. Jagan Mohan Reddy tried this with all his might and money power, used his caste card too but the protest against him was too big in the region. The Andhra Pradesh politicians will find it difficult to be here without any protest if they walk around. There is a deep antipathy as rumors; perceptions are building up against those who disagree with you on anything. The uncertainty of the decision is causing greater distress among the students here. Over 830 students etc have committed suicides due to this as the Telangana sentiment is so high that any dissent is not acceptable. You are accepted to support the demand. The stories of Andhra Landlords, Industrialists and politicians exploiting the resources in the region are known to all the people. There is truth that the natural resources are sucked up political machination and mining is a huge industry mostly in the hands of the political leaders or their cronies. A large number of agricultural lands was given to crony Industrialists for the SEZ purposes and many of them have not even used the land. Poverty level is high and land reform virtually never happened in this region.
Home Minister Sushil Shinde said that a separate Telangana could invite the domination of Naxalites. The historical fact is that the region was the birth place of many movements including that against Nizam of Hyderabad too before independence but the issue of Telangana identity is equally important and that is why people opposed the United Andhra Pradesh after they realized that in the aftermath of independence the government did not fulfill the gentlemen agreement which resulted in the merger of Telangana with Andhra Pradesh. In the height of protest in 1969 over 360 protesters were killed who are fondly remembered as martyrs for the cause of Telangana. But slowly the Congress Party and its Reddy dominating leadership actually co-opted the movement and it slowed down though fire of Telangana was still with many of the activist. In 2009, Congress Party promised a separate Telangana in its manifesto and won hugely from the region both for the Lok Sabha as well as state Assembly. In December 2009, the Central government declared that the process of Telangana will be initiated after K.Chandrashekhar Rao of the Telangana Rastra Samiti sat on an indefinite fast which revived the sentiment and the entire region was ready to fight this battle for its freedom.

Now, the Congress High Command is battling with the crisis as the Andhra and Telangana regions are not ready to sit with each other. The intellectuals, writers and activists of both the regions are crying foul and virtually come to blows on TV programmes. The common hatred against Andhrites in this region is absolute. That is tragic yet outcome of an indecisiveness of the Central government. The manipulators in Andhra region should have happily agreed to this historic demand and lived peacefully as after all once the state comes into being; it is not that they will demolish everything that is Andhra. The state will have to reorganize and do its own by the political class but the Andhra politicians made the issue a street fight. The fact of the matter is the Andhra Region cannot stop formation of Telangana by bulldozing the popular will of an entire region which wants to separate. This complete emotional break up with rest of the Andhra is because of continuous exploitation by the outsiders called as Doras in the region.

World-over movement for separate identities started and won the battle. The fact is people do not survive with one identity. The Telangana protagonists too hype one common Telangana identity as long as the Statehood is not granted. Once you come into your state, the original identities of different caste and communities emerge and it is here the real test of Telangana comes. Many of the intellectuals and Dalit leaders have expressed their apprehensions on the condition of Dalits in the new state but these are hypothetical questions as people will have to fight their battle even when new state are formed because formation of a state is one struggle and building up the state is another and ensuring participation of all the communities is definitely a much bigger challenge. The problem is that in the din of jingoism and emotional outburst all these different issues get sidelines and those who question are easily branded as against the interest of the statehood. Some of the Dalit leaders too have not done well to oppose the demand and therefore being charged by the supporters as stooges of the ruling party. But such charges and counter charges are part of political movements yet at the moment it would be better for them to come on a common ground.

As Hyderabad prepares for the big Bio Diversity Meet where experts and activists from over 180 countries are participating in the conference from September 30th, the Hyderabad March call given by the Telangana supporters is giving government a deep disturbing sleep. If the Central government does not announce anything, there might be violence in Hyderabad. Already, preventive arrests are being made and campus of Osmania University is already hot where students are again fighting with police daily. The state Government wants the activists to postponed the March and allow the big event happen but the fact is that people have known the delaying tactics of the government and hence not ready to accept this argument.

Politically, a declaration for separate Telangana will help Congress in the region as Telangana Rastra Samiti has promised to merge it with Congress if the statehood is granted. The party will definitely become stronger here if it resolves the issue in favor of Telangana. But if continue to remain manipulating things, it will become irrelevant in all the regions of the State and would virtually be decimated in the 2014 general elections. Everyone knows that it want to resolve the issue with each party on board yet it has not been able to contain the Andhra political leaders not to oppose the issue and fuel fire in the region. It is time for a historic decision on Telangana and get on board all the parties including people of Andhra Pradesh so that the uncertainty does not turn into a permanent hatred against each other and causing unrest in the region forever.

However, given by the reports emerging from Delhi, the Congress Party does not believe in that and it has decided to remain with the same uncertainty. The state government of Kiran Kumar Reddy has unleashed a reign of terror in the region with indiscriminate arrest of Telangana political activists. Hundreds of them have been rounded up in different districts in Warrangal, Karimnagar, Nalgonda and Niazambad and charges framed against them are non-bailable. Hyderabad is looking like a fort where with heavy police everywhere. Despite heavy armed police on major places, the governments still know that activist will turn up in large number as all the political parties from the region have supported the march and decided to join it. Congress Party may talk about national sentiment but it has lost game and will be solely blamed for the crisis in the region. The uncertainty will only make the people from other regions in and around Telagnana vulnerable to violence and tremendous social pressure. The politicians have nothing to lose but the people of the area are going to lose their sleep for next few days. It shows how the government and political parties first aggravate an issue and then moan for losing control over it. Telangana crisis is created by the government’s inability to see the writing on the wall as it is resisting the powerful vested interest of mining and real estate mafias who own land and property in Hyderabad and rest of Telangana. For their profit, if congress party wants to make the entire region burnt, then it is shocking and self-defeating.

An Interview with M.C. Raj by Vidya Bhushan Rawat

In Interview with Author M.C.Raj by Vidya Bhushan Rawat



MC Raj is a prolific writer and perhaps the most innovative writers in the recent history whose horizon of thoughts is extraordinarily beyond cosmos. He has developed new perceptions as he refuses to follow any set pattern of ideologies. He has in fact reconstructed some new thoughts like Dalitology, Dalithink and Dyche. Interestingly, M.C.Raj is not just writing reams of papers for the sake of writing. His writing emerges from his vast range of ground experience working with people and at Booshakthi Kendra, which has become a pilgrim centre for a number of activists working at grassroots as well as developing new perceptions on electoral systems world over. One is amazed at his capacity to write so much without affecting his intensive engagement of the larger societal structures. His latest novel ‘Operation Liquidus’ is sensational, as it has all the important characters in it that have a larger than life image in the hearts of their followers. Author Novelist M.C.Raj spoke to Vidya Bhushan Rawat about his latest novel and future enterprises.

VBR : It is your 18th book and perhaps the fourth novel. Your other books were mostly analytical writings, theorisation of Dalit culture. Now, for the past two years, we have seen a steady growth of fiction writing from you. Are you now focusing more on fiction than theorisation or do you think your fictions themselves are extensions of your theories?

Raj: Fictions are a way of letting loose the bridles of imagination. If a fiction has boundaries it may lose the flavour of fiction to that extent. I have taken up to fiction writing only because I enjoy it and not much beyond that. However, when I write fiction it is impossible for me not to theorize as I am basically a philosopher and that shows up even if I do not mean it. I have maintained the intensity of writing theory books along with my fiction writing. In 2011 Jyothi and I wrote the book on World Parliament of Indigenous Peoples and this year I have written the book on Electoral Systems. Writing any book is a passion for me and I do not give up one for another.

VBR: What is the idea behind the murder of the Pope in this novel? Is it a real life incident when attempt on the life of Pope John Paul II was made or is it purely fictional? Many time fictional works reveal real life stories even when they are claimed fictional. How do you think Catholics would react to it?

Raj: In this novel the Pope is poisoned by a group of Cardinals in the church. I have read the many volumes of the History of the Popes and have also studied Church history. Some of the happenings in the church are just horrible. My concoction of the killing of the pope is just an imagination of how financial stakeholders work in the church. The Vatican itself has many business connections and is a financial empire. The intricacies of business are the same all over the world. There have been also speculations about the death of Pope John Paul I. But I am not going into the truth or non-truth of what has happened in the Vatican. My mind has played with the gleanings I gathered from my readings on the underbelly of the Church. I always thought that if Jesus came a second time to this world the Pope, Cardinals and Bishops would be the first set of people who would murder him. Perhaps Operation Liquidus has woven a story from many possibilities. As for Catholics, it is left to them to react in a way they deem fit. I have no guess on that.

VBR: More than killing of the Pope by a group of Cardinals, it may be your audacity to have got Jesus married to two Muslim women that may shake the conscience of the Christian world. The Catholic Church does not allow its priests and nuns to marry precisely because of its negative views on sex. On this score I think even the protestant Christians will be scandalized by your ‘fictitious imagination’ of Jesus marrying two Muslim women in his second coming. Is this for this that the Christian world waited? Your take on this.

Raj: The second coming of Jesus may mean many things to many people. For me Christians are only chasing a mirage by waiting for his second coming. This novel is a way of looking at a young man Jesus who was in love with two young girls in the Bible. I have stretched that a bit in my novel. He may come as a gay, as a married man, as a man who wants to bring Christian Muslim unity through his marriage… I don’t know. Sex is a normal human behaviour. I don’t know why people should be scandalized by a fiction. Just as believers have freedom to fantasize on next life, a novelist enjoys the freedom to fantasize on this life. I have also imagined a lot about love that can never be limited by the paradigm of one man – one woman only. In any case most women in the Churches believe that Jesus is their ultimate lover. Some scandals are good for the progress of humanity.

VBR: Speaking of audacity, I also am dazed that you dared to equate Jesus and Karl. I am sure it is Karl Marx that you mean. In fact you have stuffed your novel with meaning by making Karl die when Cardinals make an attempt on the life of Jesus. What is your equation of both?

Raj: In one of the international conferences in Bad Boll in Germany I told the audience that Jesus was the first Marx and Marx was the second Christ. It was a Theology institute. The audience took it very well. One does not need extraordinary courage to say this. Both these have lived at different times in history. If they happen to live in our times I am sure they will be identical twins. I have equal admiration for both.

VBR: I am amazed at the numbers of characters that form part of your fiction and their co-relations. They trot globally and then merge at the Booshakthi Kendra. But I am sure a large number of these characters are part of your life. Have you ever spoken to them that they are part of your fictions? As far as I know in your earlier novel Raachi too, there are characters that have been close to you. I mean how they react to you once they read your work.

Raj: No character in this novel, except the last one in Booshakthi Kendra is part of my life. Only in Raachi I have brought some real characters in a fictional style of writing. This is because Raachi is based on my life. I decided to mix some truth with some fiction. But all my other fictions are not related to any real persons whom I know. I myself do not know the actual existence of the characters that I have created. But as you say many readers who know me personally have always tried to relate the characters of my novel to people who are related to me. I feel this is the success of my novel writing that readers always feel something real is happening around them when they read my fictional fabrications. As a fiction writer I know the value of such connections in the mind of the readers. Am happy to know that my fictions bring a sense of realism in the readers. All the characters of Operation Liquidus are not converging in Booshakthi Kendra. After the assassination of Kris, who is Jesus, by a group of cardinals it is only his two wives who come to Booshakthi Kendra. The global trotting is my attempt to bring some poetic and romantic dimension in my novel. Since I am an international traveller I bring all my discoveries of the world in my novels bit by bit.

VBR: Operation Liquidus is true to many things, which many of us could not do ideologically. I mean, it looks like an iconoclastic fiction where most revered figures are dealt with albeit in fictitious ways. Christians may not issue death threats to you for ‘killing’ the Pope and for marrying Jesus with two Muslim women. But what about other important characters whom you have dealt with in this novel? How about the Gandhians, the Ambedkarites, the Buddhsits, even the RSS? You do not seem to have spared any power. Is there any message in your demystification of important personalities of our times?

Raj: The message is for the readers to glean. Though Operation Liquidus is a fiction its axis is the second coming of Jesus, for which all Christians all over the world are waiting. I have just turned round this idea and made him come in the form of Kris to encounter many icons of history and of our time. As an author I have used my daydreams to create many encounters with such icons. Some masks that some of them wore are bound to fall. Even waiting for the second coming of Jesus by Christians can be said to be a grand fiction and nothing more. I have made use of one historical imagination to create many fictitious possibilities. The encounters with the Pope, Rocky and Saul, Karmachand, Bhim Raj, Karl, the gay Mueller, Buddha, Thalai Mama, the two gladiators, the judge Sitamata etc. have provided the scope for unlimited fantasies. It is left to the readers to draw their own messages. As an author I have opened up the avenue for multiple messages. All these are obviously coupled with an idiosyncratic style of fiction writing.

VBR: Your description of Sabarmati is interesting. Do you think that western readers would ever mind Karmachand sleeping with naked girls, as that is entirely an individual affair? And why do the Indian followers do not react to it where sex is really a taboo? Why don’t Indian mates in the ashram revolt against Karmachand on his sexual demeanours?

Raj: Indulging in sex is not a taboo in India. Only talking about sex honestly is a taboo. Indians indulge in sex as much as or perhaps more than all others in the world, if you go by the sheer number of children India produces. It is the double standard that is attached to sex that is an issue. This particular scene of ‘experiment with truth’ is equated with naked girls. There are two strong reactions in the novel. One is from river Sabarmati and the other is from Mataji who is the wife of Karmachand. The crux of the issue is not one man sleeping with naked girls leaving his wife alone in the next room. It is his profession of making experiments with truth that is an issue. Linking one’s sex proclivities with truth and making it look sublime, is what the novel is dealing with. Why aren’t the Indian followers not reacting to it? Prospective readers may raise it. There are many subtleties in the creation of this scene and it will be good that I do not expose these now as the author of the novel. The readers must plunge themselves in these subtleties and come out fully drenched.

VBR: Do you think Dr Ambedkar regretted his decision to convert to Buddhism but did not want to acknowledge it, as it comes out clearly from the novel? Can you really say that the character Bhim Raj is not really Dr Ambedkar? This issue is the root of many controversies in Maharastra between Mahars and non-Mahar Dalits who might not have embraced Buddhism or followed Ambedkarism.

Raj: As a reader you have made your guess and I leave that freedom to you. Yes, the question of conversion to Buddhism is something that the hero of the novel confronts Dr. Bhim Raj with. If Bhim Raj had met Kris what would have happened is the height of fictional flavour. One has to read the novel to see how this particular engagement is constructed in the novel. I have no intention of going into the controversies between Mahars and non-Mahars. However, if this novel throws up further controversies on this issue it may also lead to healthier dialectics among them. Who knows? I must also admit that as an author my views are not completely segregated from what I write. An overflow of my personal viewpoints in the many pages of my novel is only natural and I am proud of such overflow. I also write with my emotions. Therefore, the emotive dimension of my personality will also have its reflections in my writings. Bhim Raj’s regret of his conversion to Buddhism is another fodder for fictional forays. What would he have done if he encountered Kris? This is what the novel dishes out.

VBR: You have very interestingly rebutted the theory of ‘Dooms Day’ for which everyone is waiting for their ‘God’ to arrive and ‘ save’ them from ‘sins’. Do you believe that the Church will ever allow any one to challenge the supremacy of the Pope? Was Kris assassinated because he was not really following the religious diktats and could have become a larger than life size himself endangering the very institution of church?

Raj: The question is whether religions and churches can survive without ‘sin’ and ‘salvation’. Just as Europeans keep kings and queens in their democracies they will keep Papacy as a symbol of European pride even if they are ‘enlightened’ atheists. Kris, the hero of the novel is not a Christian in the first place. If you read the novel carefully you will realize that Jesus has no religion in his second coming. He was assassinated not because he questioned the religious diktats or the articles of faith of the Church. He was assassinated by a group of powerful American Cardinals who could not stomach the fact that the Pope decided to revamp the finance system of Vatican. This was because Kris challenged the Pope on the Church’s priority for the poor and its identity with capitalists. The confrontation between capitalism and communism and the role of Kris in both are brought out with utmost subtlety in the novel. There was no fear in anyone that Kris would endanger the institution of the Church. The thread of the novel connects the reader to the financial interests of the Vatican.

VBR: And what is the symbolism in the end when Selvan turned the volume of his music loud saying ‘come back as Jesus, come back as Allah, come back as any one.’ For me it is the most interesting symbol to decry all these religious beliefs, which actually put people into blind faith. Is that what you call Cosmosity in one of your books? It is not superfluous but is based on human relationship with nature. Is it the culture of Dalits that they should not wait for any messiah to lift them up and believe in their own power and draw their energy from nature?

Raj: The novel actually ends with the assertion that Jesus comes to the world many times again and again. It is only that people do not recognize him, as it also happens in this novel till the last minute. He may come back in any form. Not only he but also all ancestors come back into the world. He asserts that he is not God but is just a human being. The cosmic world, culture of Dalits and all other such things do not belong to this novel. I have written about them in my books of philosophy. Since you have read my other books you are naturally connecting the end to those books. However, the desire in me to see a world that will be free of all conflicts, violence and war may have found a natural reflection in the song from ‘Colonial Cousins.’

VBR: What are your future plans as a novelist? What is the biggest dream that you have as a writer? Though most of the novels have autobiographical elements in them, are you planning any formal autobiography in near future?

Raj: Whenever I write a novel I discover myself more. I write novels for the pleasure of self-discovery and for enjoying the liberty of expressing myself without inhibitions. Being a Dalit, such freedom was not available to me till I gained some sort of a status in society. Now that I have the leverage to express myself I make the best use of it. The eternal rebel in me may make fiction and style unpalatable for many. But I am proud of what I am, what I say and how I write. Apart from this I have no big dream in writing novels. I have many dreams in life and work for realizing them. That is a different arena altogether. My novel Raachi is a sort of biography of mine to some extent. My other novels do not have such autobiographical components. It is only that many readers who know me personally try to identify elements of my novel and connect them to my life and personality. That may be unfortunate but it may also be unavoidable. But then, every author somehow brings himself/herself out in the novels. I do acknowledge that my novels will have many such spill over. That is inevitable as a fiction writer. For the time being I am happy that I write my fictions without inhibitions. I enjoy the freedom. I do not plan an autobiography at the moment.

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