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I think it is rather elitist for you to pick on just one or two lines from the article
and then condemn the author, Mr. Rajshekar's views as "chauvinisim and
backward-thinking" or to go about question the 'progressivism' of people you hardly
know.
An important principle of Dalit activism is that the hindu religion cannot be reformed
and that it must be destroyed. And only than can the dalits achieve true libration. An
old order must be completely destroyed inorder for a revolution to be successful.
Mahatma Gandhi was also at odds with this radical dalit view. He was for dalit
liberation but only within the "order" set up by the Indian ruling classes. He was
also the one who coined the term 'harijans', which means servants of god. Nobody
asked the dalits if they would like to be god's servants!
You will sympathise with the dalit view once you fully realise the true extent of the
Indian caste system and the daily degradations and humiliations that the dalits are
subjected to. To the best of my knowledge, at no time did this author or any other
dalit activist suggest the notion of a 'Master race.'I don't know where you got this
idea from. Though I must point out that today there are Indian fascist groups who's
ideas of Hindu supremacy are dangerously similar to those of the nazis and other
supremist groups in the US and Europe. I would reccomend these web site for more
information on the dalits and their struggle for liberation:
http://www.dalitindia.com
http://www.ambedkar.org
Finally, the UN conf. on racism is to be held in Durban, South Africa in August. The
Indian govt. is trying hard to prvent the conf. from even discussing the question
whether the caste system is racist. This is the same govt. which never lost an
opportunity in denouncing apartheid or racism in internalional forums.
Regards,
Sandeep
-----Original Message-----
From: Louis R Godena [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: 15 June 2001 03:27
To: _=A1NO_PASARAN!?=
Subject: Re: WHAT IS "DALIT" AND "DALITISM?" [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK]
> just out of curiosity: what's wrong with saying that only through the
> liberation of the most opporessed can a revolution truly alter the
structure
> of a society? When class, caste, and racial lines are so intertwined it
is
> necessary to undertake a broader analysis of liberationism.
Well, they're saying a lot more than that, aren't they? And I would not
classify their narrow, chauvinist appeal as a "broader analysis" of
"liberationsim". There is no God, not in India, not here, not anywhere.
Similarly, there is no God's "Chosen People," that is: a group or class or
caste walking above society and somehow impervious to the forces acting upon
it. There is no Master Race possessing a Key to History, not the Jews, nor
the Aryans, nor the Dalits. To suppose otherwise dilutes and weakens those
very forces of liberation one is ostensibly seeking to strengthen.
Of course, I don't know Mr Sandeep. He seems progressive enough, and
forwards much that is valuabe to the StopNato list. However, promoting the
narrow racism of "Dalitism" is unworthy of his efforts.
Louis Godena
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