‘Under your fascist skySlowly pants the terrified dalit ghetto.’* Raju Solanki (Raju Solanki is an activist and poet based in Gujarat. These are a few of his notes on Gujarat, the state of Dalits, minorities and other marginalized sections under the Modi regime. They provide keen insights into how ‘Moditva’ works and its …
Caste-based discrimination a major structural factor underlying poverty: UN
Continued plight of the ‘untouchables’ UN experts call for strengthened protection of more than 260 million victims of caste-based discrimination GENEVA (24 May 2013) – They occupy the lowest levels of strict, hierarchical caste systems founded on notions of purity, pollution and inequality. They face marginalization, social and economic exclusion, segregation in housing, limited …
Kanshi Ram, the political genius and true game changer
Raj Kumar Politics is the most difficult of life skills, and those who remain reluctant to master this art are condemned to remain as obedient slaves while the masters of politics enjoy undiminished supremacy in all human relations. History bears testimony that civilization developments have been made possible by the leadership of the political …
V.T. Rajshekar on Cultural Identity and Caste Hegemony
(This is the first part of the paper ‘Interpretation of Cultural Identity and Caste Hegemony in Selected Prose Writing of V.T. Rajshekar‘) Grishma Manikrao Khobragade Abstract Dalit-Bahujan-Ambedkarite writers have come to the fore of literary studies and culture studies in the recent years. These writers reveal in their writings various factors that propel actions …
Students burn Manusmriti on Manusmriti Dahan Diwas in University of Hyderabad
[Via Anji Vikarabad] On December 25th, 2012, students in University of Hyderabad, led by the Ambedkar Students’ Association (ASA), burnt a copy of the Manusmriti in the campus, which they called the ‘most notorious’, ‘barbaric’ religious text ever produced. 25th December is an auspicious day in the history of Dalitbahujan struggles because it was on …
What Path to Salvation?
Speech delivered by Dr. Ambedkar to the Bombay Presidency Mahar Conference, 31st May 1936, Bombay. Translated from the Marathi by Vasant W. Moon. The typescript of the translation, with handwritten emendations, was presented by the translator to Eleanor Zelliot on 25 January 1988, and has been contributed by her for this website. Edited by Frances W. …
Caste and Caste-Based Discrimination among Indian Muslims – Part 11
Caste and Caste-Based Discrimination among Indian Muslims – Part 11: Hindutva, Gandhism, and the Caste Question Continued from here. Masood Alam Falahi (Translated by Yoginder Sikand for NewAgeIslam.com) [Part 6 of Masood Alam Falahi’s Urdu book Hindustan Mai Zat-Pat Aur Musalman (‘Casteism Among Muslims in India’)] ~ The Hindu Mahasabha and the RSS Faced …
Gandhi and Congress are responsible for the political culture in India today
Ravindra Pankaj I have been thinking about the following questions since a long time regarding our polity: why do our political representatives not represent us properly? Why do they not listen to us? Why do they not even bother to talk to us? Why can we not go to them and tell them what are …
Exactly whose sentiments are hurt by beef and pork?
Ravi Chandran When its udders were squeezed and milked You didn’t feel any pain at all When it was stitched into a chappal you stamped underfoot and walked You didn’t feel hurt at all When it rang as a drum at your marriage and your funeral You didn’t suffer any blows When it sated …