Shiva Shankar (Talk presented at the conference on ‘Dr.Ambedkar and the Modern Buddhist World’, Nagaloka, Nagpur, October, 2006) Dear Friends, We all learn early that in 250 BC the Mauryan king Ashoka waged and won a cruel war with the neighbouring kingdom of Kalinga, yet when he went to inspect his spoils, it was not triumphant glory …
Stop Forced Religious Conversions!
Dr. Udit Raj (First published in September 2006) The Sangh Parivar is not able to resolve the dangers looming large on the caste-based Hindu religion on its own. There is a saying that you should first try to resolve your differences on your own, and then consult your neighbours. But instead of taking recourse to …
Road To Conversion: The Chakwada Detour
Dr. Udit Raj (First published in October 2002) Hindutva organisations are outraged over conversions, and their outrage prevents them from entering into negotiations with Muslim and Christian leaders. But have they ever bothered to understand the plight of Dalits? Dalits and backwards consider themselves Hindus, but Hinduism does not respond to them; otherwise, there would …
An Open Letter to Dr. Udit Raj
by Khalid Anis Ansari This is a response to Dr. Udit Raj’s (President, Indian Justice Party) note “Rather Upper Castes are nearer to Muslim than Dalits (untouchables)”. For the convenience of readers the full text of the note has been reproduced at the end of this letter. [I] Dear Dr. Udit …
Muslim-Dalit Relations
Gail Omvedt Islam is a religion of egalitarianism and brotherhood. After the defeat of Buddhism, it maintained these values in India for centuries. Not only did those who became Muslims benefit by escaping from caste restrictions, but Muslim rule also provided a social and political context for the growth of Bhakti movements. Within these, to …
From Millions to Fractions
[This is one of the essays written by Dr. Ambedkar, in his book “Essays on untouchables and untouchability”. The importance of this article is the freshness, which it brings to our mind. Even though the article was written about 70-80 years back, It shows how hindus have tried every trick, in thier power, to stop the …
Castes in India
Their Mechanism, Genesis and Development~Anthropology Seminar of Dr. A. A. Goldenweizer at The Columbia University, New York, U.S.A. on 9th May 1916~Source: Indian Antiquary, May 1917, Vol. XLI ~ Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Many of us, I dare say, have witnessed local, national or international expositions of material objects that make up the sum total …