STOP NATO: ¡NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK
--------------------------- ListBot Sponsor --------------------------
Get a low APR NextCard Visa in 30 seconds!
1. Fill in the brief application
2. Receive approval decision within 30 seconds
3. Get rates as low as 2.99% Intro or 9.99% Ongoing APR and no
annual fee!
Apply NOW!
http://www.bcentral.com/listbot/NextCard
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(My Note: The auther is a member of the oppressed Dalit or the untouchable community
of India. He is well-known internationally and in India as a radical activist for
Dalit rights. He is also the editor of the newspaper, 'Dalit Voice.' For reasons best
know only to itself, the Indian govt. confiscated his passport several years ago and
refuses him permission to travel outside India. -- Sandeep)
WHAT IS "DALIT" AND "DALITISM?"
-By V.T.Rajshekar
We have received many letters asking us the meaning of the word
Dalit. The same question is also being put to us at meetings. What
gives us great pleasure and pride is this word has become popular all
over India and abroad in such a short timegiving expression to the
anger of the Untouchables. And gathering so much of charisma.
We are also happy to note that not only the militant Dalits but even
some Hindu press have stopped using the hated word, Harijan, a
Gandhian humbug, and switched on to Dalit. This awareness of their
identity is itself a big step forward in the Dalit liberation
struggle. The word Dalit symbolises the mood of this explosive
commodity and connotes and denotes their protest. Hence the switch-
over to this new word is itself a great improvement indicating a big
leap in the search for their roots. Only three years back people
barring those in the Hindi belt did not even know this word. It was
not in their vocabulary. But as soon as they came to know this word
and discovered its intrinsic value, its magic, its melody, they
readily adopted it. Literally embaraced it. "National" newspapers
like the Times of India are useing this word even in headlines. Even
the Malayala Manorama, the largest circulated language daily of
Kerala, has started using this word heeding our appeal. We call upon
all our Dalit and other persecuted minority comrades to use only this
word and persuade others to popularise it. If the English and
language dailies start using the word, Dalit, in headlines it will
soon catch up. Therefore, Dalits and their co-sufferers must go to
newspaper offices and meet journalists and prevail upon them to use
Dalit instead of Harijan or SC/STs. We will suggest the Oxford,
Webster, Cambridge and other dictionaries to include it.
Now its meaning: The root word of this word Dalit is Dal. The
adjective of dal is Dalit. We find this word dal on page 471 of the
prestigious Oxford Sanskrit English Dictionary, new edition, 1964,
edited by the world - famous Sanskrit scholar, Sir Monier Williams.
"Dalit" is found in many Indian languages and even a Dravidian
language. The meaning given to `Dalit' in the dictionary is: burst,
split, scattered, dispersed, broken, torn as under, destroyed,
crushed. All these English words sum up the exact position of the
Indian Untouchables and also tribes. We are crushed and cramped and
made mincemeat by the Hindu religion. That is why we are Dalits. Be
proud to be a Dalit, the original inhabitants of this ancient land.
Let us walk with our head high. Let us be proud of our Dalit culture.
Black is beautiful.
The famous word, `Daridra',which is popular in many Indian languages,
is derived from `Dalit'.
Since `Dalit' sums up our mood, we call lupon all SC/ST government
employees, public sector SC/ST unions to change their names into
Dalit Employees Association. The first to popularise this word were
our militant Dalit Panthers of Bombay. Their manifesto has defined
this word. Though this word has now come to mean Untouchables, the
Panthers have included Tribes, Muslims, Women and all those
persecuted minorities.
Along with ` Dalit `, another word is also getting popular: Dalitism
which is both the ideology and nationalism of India's
persecuted,suppressed masses. It is rooted in Ambedkarism. Dalitism
or Dalit philosphy is developed to pave the way for a liberal
tradition against casteism and untouchability. The new revolutionary
philosphy of Dalitism also stipulates that Dalits alone can liberate
Dalits from the Ruling Class. Even in such a short time Dalitism has
attracted millions. It is the living spiritual principle of India's
Untouchables. The object of Dalitism is to attract the youth all over
India and make them understand the cultlure and history of India's
submerged masses. The ruling class historians and writers have given
little or no attention to the history of our life and culture.
Historical evidences are either destroyed or simply neglected for
lack of interest. Dalits were simply marked under slavery and serfdom
in India. The only meritorious scheme now onl the anvil is the all-
round flowering of Ambedkarism. Truth cannot be suppressed for long.
The human mind is the most potent instrument in history. Words are
more powerful than weapons. Dalit thinkers and writers take stock of
all this time-bombs to bomard the citadel of the Ruling Class that
mismanaged the Indian history and culture founded by us.
Tradition is not the prerogative of a particular caste/class. The
tradition the Ruling Class claims for itself is of a recent origin
compared to the Dalits. It is this tradition that make up its power-
structure, politics, economics, religion, education, art and culture.
The tradition that vouch-safe for the culture and history of Dalits
originated with the beginning of life in India. From this strong
whirlwind developed the Dalit life, history and culture that got down
to 1980s with an uninterrupted impact upon evolution. That is its
novelty. It is the strongest living spiritual force in the entire
life-history of man and universe. What happened to this truth? Dalit
writers should ponder over the subject. The Indus Valley Civilization
was the finest specimen of the ancient Dalit wisdom. Dr. Ambedkar
gave its modern version, democratic spirit and a scientific culture.
With their new awakening, the Dalits are marching forward fully aware
of this line and demarcation. It is an indisputable fact that India
lives in two worlds, has two cultures - Dalits and that of the Aryan
oppressors. The national will of the Dalits, rewakened with the
spirit of Ambedkarism, is really soul-searching. Now, on one has got
the courage to dislodge the truth and validity of Dalit life. The
Dalit culture was drawn from the myriad forces of history but got
side-tracked and dissipated over a wide spectrum of life and activity
under the aegis of Hinduism, Islam and Christianity.
Religion has got the better of life in India. All religions flourish
under the name of tradition, idealism and the enthusiam of the Ruling
Class. But the human in Dalit life and activity lost all the meaning.
Caste and untouchability became the ruling norm of India's
traditional society. Modernism and Marxism is only a mask. Only the
dalit intellectual can give vent to the crusading spirit of Dalit
national identity and culture. The word, Dalit, is the other extreme
of the word Brahmin. So, the task before all Dalit writers is a
challenging one. With all the oppressive machinery at their command,
the Ruling Class is making inroads into Dalit unity, culture,
struggle and progress. This assault will take a vigorous trun
shortly. We must hit back. It is against this cataclysm of Indian
life that Dalits should revolt. Dalitism is the only alternative to
national degeneration. Even Marxism has missed the bus in India. Any
one who wants regeneration and rebirth of Idna, he must seek the
spirit of life and culture of Dalits. Dalits alone can lead the
Indian Revolution. Truth can come out only from the innermost depths
of their mind, whereas sycophancy rules the Ruling Class. India has
ceased to be a nation because of this.
Hinduism has become the repository of another cult called anti-Dalit.
The Ruling Class is up against the reservations. If possible it will
destroy Dalitism, root and branch. Dalits should make all-round
effort to ward off this machinations of the Ruling Class. It failed
in its political as well as religious maturity. The Dalits are the
worst victims of this tragedy. They were dethroned and lobbed to the
lowest depths of life. Dalitism is, therefore, a revolutionary
philosphy and a guide to action. The Brahmin cult should be destroyed
and buried 100 fathoms deep. Reason will not dawn on the Ruling Class
with its present bigoted spirit. Anti-Dalitism has become a way of
life with the oppressor. Therefore, the Dalits should meet this
challenge. They must revolt. They must explode. Now is the time. The
dawn of 21st centure is the triumph of Ambedkarism. With the close of
the 20th century Gandhism will end and Ambedkar Era will begin.
Dalits have suffered a lot in India, their forefathers were exploited
and destroyed. Their growth wasw stunted. Dalitism is the answer for
all this. It will not only save the Dalits but India as well.
Possibly, it may avert a Third World War. India can attain its real
self and liberation only with Dalitism.
______________________________________________________________________
To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
