by B. R. GOWANI
During the ‘maade snana’ ritual, at the Kukke Subramanya temple in Karnataka, Dalits, backwards, and local tribespeople roll over the spread plantain leaves on which food had been served to the Shivalli Brahmins. The belief behind the ritual is that it will cure skin diseases, and will also fulfill a wish of those wanting children. PHOTO/Outlook
it’s over 64 years
that India gained independence
but has failed miserably
in eliminating the curse of caste system
and the injustices meted out to the Tribals
so much nonsense goes on
behind these belief-based rituals
so many puissant people benefit
when this nonsense continues
only ignorance and circumstances
have forced these unfortunate people
to believe and/or to accept
that they’re the lesser humans
and the Brahmins are superior
that the sufferings and wretchedness
are the natural outcomes of their fate
and are bound to be with them in this birth
how can these wretched of the earth
be pulled out of this degrading cycle?
education and opportunities
through government intervention
proper taxes from rich people
and opposition’s support
can only end these ills
but the ruling Congress Party
is busy producing corruption scandals
(“Manmohanomics” has awarded India
its most corrupt regime ever)
the main opposition party
BJP (Bhartiya Janata Party)
is busy playing the communal card
whereas the rich are in a race
to grab all the wealth
they can lay their hands on
the low caste and Tribal people
need a leader of high integrity
Ambedkar
B. R. (or Bhimrao Ramdev) Ambedkar (1891-1956)
born in a Dalit or “Depressed Class” family
rose to become the Chairman of the
Drafting Committee of Indian Constitution
he, like other Dalit Hindus
faced discrimination from upper caste Hindus
even Parsis and Muslims were not kind
he couldn’t even drink water from a tap
because Dalit’s touch
could pollute water and the tap
the school peon would pour water from a height
the day the peon was absent
“no peon, no water”
he strove to remove casteism
but the success he achieved
was not enough to erase this evil
and so he demanded
separate electorates
for the untouchables
India was then under British rule
in August 1932, Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald
granted the Communal Award
which was to be phased out
after two decades
Milord! I object
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi screamed
unless it is revoked
“I must fast unto death”
Gandhi began his fast on September 20th
against the people whom he called
“Harijans” or “Children of God”
Imagine! the malnourished-looking Gandhi
starved to death
the low caste Hindus
would have faced a holocaust
at the hands of the upper caste Hindus
Ambedkar, under immense pressure
succumbed to the blackmail
of the Mahatma or Great Soul
and accepted the Poona Pact
Gandhi broke his fast on 24 September
he also defended his position:
“Do not believe for one moment
that I am interested
in the numerical strength of Hindus”
but Mahatma must be well aware
of the universal truth:
the political power, either
“grows out of the barrel of a gun”
or through the force of a “numerical strength”
and if Dalits had separate electorates
Gandhi would have lost his position as
the Supreme Leader
but who can argue with the Great Soul
so the lowly souls nodded their heads
weeks before his death in 1956
in an independent India
Ambedkar, a disheartened man
but still full of vigor
converted to Buddhism
(and explained why he chose Buddhism)
along with him, in a public ceremony
thousands of other Dalits
left the Hindu fold too
to embrace Buddhism
(the terrified Muslims in Pakistan
should publicly join some other religion
or turn agnostics or atheists
to register their protest)
B. R. Gowani can be reached at brgowani@hotmail.com