16/08/2009

Outcry over the cruelty is meaningless

Before independence lower casts were called untouchables. Later on, to lessen their inferiority, the term 'harijan' coined by Gandhi ji was being used. Along with that the term of scheduled cast and scheduled tribes were derived in the country's constitution. The word 'harijan' when lost its meaningfulness as Gandhiji's concept, this was stopped. Now in the newer terminology they are called dalits. During the freedom fight and after that very big scholars and writers were born among them. Many among them consistently kept writing and speaking against the prejudice of brahmin system. In the villages and rural areas the hue and cry over the cruelty is a continual act. But the just fact is that they do not have any moral right to complain. Their hue and cry is completely invalid, meaningless and baseless. Because these communities voluntarily accepted the brahminic social system. They are practicing it since a long time and even today they are part of it. The believes given by the founders of this system, they beieved in those. The idols which were assigned, they started worshipping. Marriage, birth, death and matters of daily life which ever family pandit is allocated, they depend on him and follow for generations.

This is not oppression but punishment
So why complain ? Whatever happens with them, which they call oppression that is actually the punishment of the violation of the social system etiquettes. For example if brahmin decided that lower cast people can not go to the temples of higher cast, then why do they go ? When they go they are beaten. They can not take water from superior cast people's well, why they try to take water. A dalit officer, why takes service from a brahmin janitor. When they do not have right to hold property, respectable names then why do they try to have it ? It is as simple as if you do not violate rules you will not be punished. And yes, if the voluntary acceptance is not there. That is if in the past if the stronger and clever groups of people forcibly made the weaker groups of people to be bound, then it should be looked into as if they resisted it or not. Goutham Boudh, Mahaveer and Krishn etc were the personalities to whom the founders of the system either made failed or by acceptoing them as the branches of their own system made them quite. In the recent past Chaitanya, Jyothi Baphule, Dr Ambedkar and Rama Swamy Naekar and just a while ago scholars like Kanshi Ram roused against brahminism.

But the question is of the current era
Leave this all. The question is of the current era. The discovery of the new branches of knowledge, development of science and technology and the era of internet who can force anybody that be tied to the unjust system thousands of years older. But the fact is that, they are forced, but with some other methods. Like by providing quota in the government jobs for scheduled casts. Tough laws against the oppression over dalits. The scheduled casts and tribes commission to monitor the protection of dalit rights and the implementing of laws for their protection. And these things are enough for dalit communities. They are satisfied as well with that. If not satisfied they could have demanded the national commission instead of the scheduled casts and tribes commission to investigate as cast system when and why was founded. Weaker groups accepted it voluntarily or was there any force for that. What is the rationality of it in the present times ? who needs it ? Then what ever result this investigation brings, that should be accepted. That is either this system has to be embraced whole heartedly or completely rejected. If embraced it, no complains of cruelty should be there. And if rejected , one should call to himself a free and respectable human being and try to understand life with the new beginning. There is no middle way. If there is any middle way that is only like U.P's Maya sit in a corner of a classroom and also keep crying.
16/08/09 khabar-O-Nazar by Parwaaz Rahmani, sehrozaDAWAT, translated by: Ibrahim Shaikh

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