Disaster Ahead
Palash Biswas
Contact: Palash C Biswas, C/O Mrs Arati Roy, Gosto Kanan, Sodepur, Kolkata- 700110, India. Phone: 91-033-25659551
Email: palashbiswaskl@gmail.com
SETHUSAMUDRAM ROW
Karunanidhi falls in SC line, breaks fast halfway
ibnlive.com
A defiant Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M Karunanidhi, fell in line with the Supreme Court on Monday and broke his planned fast halfway after the court had observed in the morning that it would ask the Centre to impose President's rule in the state if there was no compliance of its order which would be a Constitutional breakdown. [1742 hrs IST]
http://www.ibnlive.com/nation/index.html
Fundamental judgments
The Gita and the hard rock of Indian realpolitik
No, the Allahabad high court judge did not make the statement he made, in casual fashion, at a seminar or a university debate. It was incorporated in a formal verdict he delivered from the bench; he invoked the Constitution to inform each and all tha... | Read..
http://www.telegraphindia.com/section/opinion/index.asp
CPI-M condemns BJP, RSS efforts to obstruct Sethusamudram while The Sethusamudran project has now moved on beyond Lord Ram and the focus is now on the DMK and its chief M Karunanidhi taking on the Supreme Court.The CPI-M on Monday condemned the efforts by the BJP and RSS to obstruct the Sethusamudram .Senior BJP leader L K Advani on Monday met Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray at the latter`s residence at Matoshree here and discussed a host of issues concerning the Sena-BJP ties. The JDS-BJP coalition government headed by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy in Karnataka is on the verge of collapse in the wake of a volte-face by JDS on its power-sharing pact with the saffron party following a turnaround in the former`s poll fortunes in the just-concluded local bodies elections.
An enraged Supreme Court has threatened the DMK-led government in Tamil Nadu with dismissal holding that the constitutional machinery in the state has completely broken down as Chief Minister M Karunanidhi launched a statewide fast, demanding speedy implementation of the Sethusamudram Shipping Channel Project (SSCP).
On the other hand,Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Monday denied that there was a constitutional breakdown in the state.
"For you, it might be. Not for us," he told reporters at the Secretariat.He asserted that buses were plying in the state and normal life remained unaffected. "Those who were born as Tamils have voluntarily closed their shops," he said.
On the fast being observed by the DMK and its allies, Karunanidhi said, "We have strictly adhered to the Supreme Court's directives yesterday. Nobody has filed a case or made a comment against the fast."
"So far, nobody has expressed any comment on the Supreme Court verdict yesterday," he said.
As a virtual bandh is being observed in Tamil Nadu on Monday despite the Supreme Court's order banning the government from doing so, the opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam made a special mention before the Madras high court with regard to violation of the apex court order.
AIADMK legal advisor N Jothi, MP, made the mention before a bench, comprising Chief Justice A P Shah and Justice P Jyothimani, and said the government did not operate public transport.
They had also engaged goondas to threaten shop owners and commercial establishments to down their shutters, he said.
The bench said it would take up the matter at 1200 IST.
Earlier, AIADMK legal wing secretary Manoj Pandian told PTI that the party would petition State Chief Secretary L K Tripathy on the alleged violation of the Supreme Court order.
Making it clear that the Bharatiya Janata Party is in no mood to buckle under pressure from the Janata Dal-Secular, a senior BJP leader made it clear that he will not hold talks with JD-S supremo H D Deve Gowda.
Yashwant Sinha who covened a meeting of BJP leaders said that at present there are no talks on the anvil.
Let us see what happens in the next 48 hours, Sinha said.
Meanwhile, sources said the BJP plans to stick to its guns and not get bogged down by the JD-S.
The BJP even says that it is even ready to go in for elections if the need be.
Dear All
Eviction and uprooting of the adivasi communities, diversion of Godavari waters into Krishna, and looting Telangana waters is now on 'fast forward' mode.
As opposition parties and Telangana parties will be watching the developments with curiosity and waking to the call of mid term polls, YSR seems to be fully geared to complete all that is required to seal off all hopes of green telangana. Leave Telangana bleeding by the time of next elections
One fifth of the land acquisition is already completed in one district!
Koyas and Konda Reddys of Bhadrachalam area (covering vast tracts of Chintur, Kunavaram, Kukunuru, VR Puram, Bhadrachalam, Burghamapad, Velerupadu) and those in Devipatnam and Polavaram mandals of Godavari districts are packing up mulle moota as they see no hopes of stopping evictions under damn Polavaram. political parties are playing Nero's fiddle
Press statements of opposition parties and explanations of their ideologues will be filling dust bin of history. Reason? Simple, YSR has to complete his mission at the earliest. He is to finish his five year target in three years, if required
Will anything be still left of Telangana resources and its future not robbed by the time of next elections? Nothing may be left except one more polls, which is of course important for any political party
bharath bhushan
...............................
Speed up acquisition of land: official
Wednesday, 26 September 2007 Siasat
Eluru, September 26: Padmaja, Additional Secretary, Irrigation Department (projects), on Tuesday asked the district administration to accelerate the process of acquiring lands notified for execution of irrigation projects in the district.
The official held a review meeting with the personnel from revenue and irrigation departments on the progress of land acquisition in the district.
In course of the review, she noticed that the administration had acquired only 930 acres out of the total area of 4,978 acres notified for construction of the Indira Sagar reservoir in Polavaram mandal.
As for the other projects, including the Indira Sagar Right Bank canal, the administration had acquired 7,287 acres out of 10,941 acres to be acquired.
Ms Padmaja wanted the district administration to stick to the deadline in completing the land acquisition and give priority to construction of colonies for the project-affected persons with basic amenities in time.
--Agencies
http://www.siasat.com/english/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=209700&Itemid=63&cattitle=Andhra%20Pradesh
http://deccanherald.com/Content/Sep302007/panorama2007092927995.asp
The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the Tamil Nadu government for failing to comply with its order on a bandh call given by the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.The apex court warned the Tamil Nadu government of initiating contempt of court proceedings and said, if necessary, it will not hesitate to summon the chief secretary and the chief minister.
"Is this the government? Is this the Tamil Nadu government? Is it the DMK government, a strong ally of the United Progressive Alliance government? If this is the attitude of the DMK government, the UPA government should not feel shy of dismissing it and impose President's Rule," the court observed.
Though the Supreme Court had stayed the Tamil Nadu bandh called for Monday by the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and its allies on the Ram Sethu Project, buses in most parts of the state were off the roads and shops in main thoroughfares remained closed.
Reports said it was a 'virtual bandh' in the state, with the Southern Railways operating only skeletal services. However, autos and taxis were seen plying in the city
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Priyaranjan Dasmunsi on Monday ruled out the dismissal of the Tamil Nadu government.
The Supreme Court on Monday morning sent out a stern caution to the Tamil Nadu government for flouting its order as Chief Minister M Karunanidhi sat on a day-long hunger strike.
Public transport was off the road and shutters were downed in most cities.
The court had asked why the Centre did not consider dismissing the government and imposing President's rule in response to the DMK's attitude.
"The issue was not discussed by the Union cabinet. But I can tell you that there is no question of dismissing the Tamil Nadu government," Munshi said.
He lost his cool when another scribe repeated the question. "We are the partners of DMK in UPA and not of the AIADMK," he said.
He found nothing wrong in the chief minister sitting on a hunger strike. "He is a great leader and he was simply emulating the Gandhian tradition of expressing his resentment," he added.
Kolkata: Against the backdrop of the Supreme Court warning Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK front with central rule if it failed to comply with its order against bandhs, the CPI(M) on Monday said public protests could not be subdued by court orders.
''Public protests cannot be subdued in this manner. But at the same time, I am against coercion for enforcing bandhs. I think a balance would have to be struck between coercion and serving public interest,'' CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechuri told newsmen after the party's Central Committee meeting.
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court came down heavily on the DMK front, observing that if did not comply with yesterday's order against the bandh called by it, it would not hesitate to direct the Centre to impose President's Rule in the state.
The DMK had yesterday suffered a major setback with the apex court restraining it from going ahead with the state-wide bandh on the Sethusamudram project issue.
Referring to the Hyde Act pertaining to Indo-US nuclear deal, Yechury said CPI(M) would send a note to the Centre on the party's assessment of the impact of the US law on India's foreign policy.
He said the Centre will have to explain its absence at a meeting with Iran to finalise the pipeline deal. "Gas is a very cheap source of energy and we need the pipeline to fulfil our energy needs," Yechury said.
A disaster in waiting
Ossie Fernandes
The Sethusamudram Shipping Channel Project (SSCP) is an ecologic disaster which portends loss of marine species and fisheries and livelihood for the fishing and other coastal communities, besides damage to environment. Strangely, the project has been taken up without a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) clearance.
A major impact of the SSCP will be the destruction of marine mammals of the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar. The turbid water caused by the dredging will kill the sea grasses like Halophyla ovata and Cymodocea serrulata on which the dugongs feed as the sea grass requires sunlight. Further the sea grass beds are required for prawn, post larvae, to settle and grow. So by damaging the sea grass bed, we will destroy it irreparably. A major source of income of the fishing community will thereby be denied.
Fishermen have reported that there is a reduction in quantity of fish catch already. They claim that several species of fish have begun migrating to other areas due to the severe noise pollution, even though for a short period. Fishing nets worth crores have been destroyed by the dredging.
The proposed dredging in the Adam’s Bridge area inside the Gulf of Mannar biosphere will split open for the first time the natural, hard and crusty formation called Adam’s Bridge. Further ecosystem services like purification of water, sediment transport and shore protection are taken away by dredging. The clear water zone will be affected and more turbid water will enter the Palk Bay which will in turn affect the existing coral reef and reef formation.
The rainfall pattern of the east coast is based on the existing conditions of the eco system. This may be altered once dredging is completed. Fishery production will be less because of the removal of fish habitats, coral reef formation and nursery grounds. There is no scientific rational for the realignment of the canal. The destruction will be the same or worse.
The NEERI report has said nothing about this colossal damage to the accumulated wealth the marine biosphere houses which can never be regenerated or restored for thousands of years.
There are reports that due to dredging in the Palk Strait – Palk Bay area, that whales and dolphins are dying.
The aquatic mammals have developed a very sensitive sound producing system for food capture, and navigation. Their sound reception system is also very sensitive. If any artificial sound interferes with their sound system they will lose their orientation and get stranded. Once they get stranded they cannot return to sea and they will die. Sound is usually magnified in water.
Fishing has been the sole occupation of lakhs of fisherfolks living along the coast of Gulf of Mannar and in Palk Strait, and it is their livlihood that will be worst hit by the project.
Ghanesh PV to me
show details 3:36 pm (3 hours ago)
Dear Palash,
I read your article in NDTV blog, I felt to write you this short information on Ramayana - the Prehistoric event and demystifing several facts. AM currenly in Singapore and you canreach me through 0065 9774 9344.
That God in the form of Man came down to show the virtue of how Human should behave. It was Lord Rama in his Advent Manifestation along with the natural forces of the universe in the Tretha Yuga(2nd among 4 time spans of universe). Natural forces like That Mysterious "Dark Energy" which makes 75% of the Universe came down as Lord Ram, Nature's Wind took form of Humanam, Nature's Design force came down as Bharatha(Lord Own Brother), The Milky way Galaxy which is in form of Chakra(Mighty Disc) took human form as Younger brother Satrugna, The mighty Sun came down as Sugreeva and the Geo Elctromagntic Force took form of Vaali and so on.
So called "Modern" Science of the present day human begin is still trying to understand these Natural forces and they have been searching externally while the Ancient Seer of this part of world have comprehended and has left us vast knowledge, heritage monuments(Rama Sethu) and temples to help the human being to realise the universe's Nature, the Love it radiates attain the blisfull state of union with it. During the advent of Lord Rama. It's the "Dark Matter"/Pure Love which the form of Seetha, Wife of Rama.
Dark Matter/Dark Energy of our universe has been so Mysterious not only for current day scientists but also for al the ancient seers and sages of Continent Bharatha. Now this Bharatha became a Sub continent merging with Jumbu( Asia). Leading to Rise of Mighty Himalayaas and this whole movement of the continent was engineered by the King Baagiratha to bring down everlasting water source to Current day India and south east asia.
These are very Pre Historic Events and showcasing the determination of such people. These Prehistoric events described in Valmiki Ramayana or other Puranas(Pre Historic History) like moving of Indian(Bharatha Continent) land mass, Constructing Bridge by Natural forces in human/monkey form go closely with modern day scientist findings. Like We all know Humans came from Monkeys and this is exactly reflected in prehistoric Ramayana narrating the intellectual evolution of Homosapiens from intellectual Monkeys, The Ramayana intellectual monkeys were nothing but the 33 crores(330 million) forces of energy form of natures in our universe. From Agni deva or Heat energy(Lowest form in Thermodynamics energy transformation principles) to Lord Indra - GeoElectricity(Comparatively higher form) to Highest form of Dark Energy(which is a Puzzele to many Scientists, which can be felt and never be explained off 
)
Further The Prehistoric epics like Ramayana describes the ages of Jurassic Park Dinosaurs and descends as semi evolved after the mighty catastrophe wiping away the massive Dinosaurs population. Those survived semi intellectually evolved creatures survived until 18 million years and King of Lanka Vibhishana, Brother of Ravana, had to fight with these less intellectually evolved Dinosaurs to protect the human civilisation, which is described in Vamiki Ramayana.
Currently age according to Kali yuga(Span of 432000 yrs) progression is 5108th year. Georgian calendar starts 3000 years and we count today at 2007 AD, Christians Believe world was created 5000 years ago and it is partially right, this world recovered from the deluge of Dwapara yuga and it was altogether creation once again. However nature choose to protect many people from Dwapara yuga to come into Kaliyuga, for that the ever lasting cycle of birth/death and in-between enjoyment should continues as it has been ALWAYS. Kaliyuga was preceded by Dwapara yuga(Span of 864000 years) which was preceded by Treta Yuga(span of 1296000) during which Advent of Dark Energy / Lord Rama Happened. By simple calculations the construction of Bridge (Rama Sethu) to Lanka was some time before 1869100
years. At least 18 million years its been since the Bridging of Lanka with India by the natural forces of universe in human form
!!!!!!!
Our Prehistoric EPICS are Treasure for the world capturing the advances of ancient humans and their connected living with Nature's forces. Many such People living in india has been surviving continuously thought-out there has been serious catastrophes of ancient times and passed on the knowledge/Artefacts/ monuments etc. to the modern day human civilisation, for us to learn, protect and pass it down to the civilisation that is yet to come.
Our prehistoric text has been a bigger research tool for westerners always!, to find new technology and dominate the world. While knowing all technologies far beyond what we know, Lord Rama Dominated and ruled the seven continents of world with technology of LOVE. And in memory of Lord Rama there are artefacts across the world.
Moment INDIA takes on ancient Indian epics seriously, India would start leading the world in technology front. I am already benefiting by and many more like me.
It wont take 2020 just 2012 to realise the vision.
RAMA BRIDGE TO LANKA WAS BUILT 18 MILLION YEARS AGO!!
Shiva is believed to assume two states - the superconscious
state (samadhi) and the tandav or lasya dance. The former refers to
the unmanifest (nirgun) and the latter to the manifest
(sagun). `Body movements which depict a particular event or issue is
called natan or natya. The one who performs this natan is a nat
(actor). Traditionally it is believed that Nataraj is the promoter
of dance. Since Shiva is the pioneer among actors (nats) the title
Nataraj is accorded to Him. The universe is His school of dance.
Just as He is the dancer so is He also its observer. The role that
Nataraj plays is to bring about activity in the universe with the
commencement of His dance and to merge the movable and unmovable
(animate and inanimate) creation into Him when He stops it.
Thereafter He remains engrossed in Bliss solitarily. In short,
Nataraj is the manifest representation of all activity of God.
Nataraj's dance is considered to represent the five actions of God,
namely creation, sustenance, dissolution, the covering of the Great
Illusion (Maya) and initiation (anugraha) (God's grace to be
liberated from the Great Illusion).'
Tandav dance is of seven types - 1. Anandtandav, 2. Sandhyatandav
(Pradosh dance), 3. Kalikatandav, 4. Tripurtandav, 5. Gouritandav,
6. Sanhartandav and 7. Umatandav.
Read more in details at :
http://www.hindujag ruti.org/ hinduism/ knowledge/ article/what- is-the-
origin-of-tandav- dance.html
The word Ramayan has been derived from two words ram and ayan. Ram
ramayate means to remain engrossed in one's target. It is with
reference to remaining engrossed in Bliss which is derived from
spiritual practice. Ayan means the seven regions (saptalokas) . The
Ramayan preaches how to attain the Final Liberation (Moksha) crossing
the seven regions, remaining engrossed in spiritual practice, that is
in Bliss.
Various Ramayans
A. The Valmiki Ramayan
B. The Purva Ramayan and the Uttar Ramayan
C. The Jain Ramayan and the Buddha Ramayan
D. The Adbhut Ramayan
E. The Adhyatmaramayan
F. The Tulsi Ramayan
Read in details about various Ramayans at
http://www.hindujag ruti.org/ hinduism/ knowledge/ article/what- is-the-
real-meaning- of-ramarajya. html
Some of the Special features of Prabhu Shri Ramchandra are :
Ideal in all aspects
Follower of Righteousness (Dharma)
True to His word
The one who struck the target with only one arrow
Human nature
Read in details at
http://www.hindujag ruti.org/ hinduism/ knowledge/ article/what- is-the-
real-meaning- of-ramarajya. html
Rajasthan: Gujjars to court arrest on Tuesday
The Gujjar community is all set for Tuesday's agitation, during which protestors will court arrest demanding Scheduled Tribe status for the community as the Rajasthan government on Monday said it would take all steps to maintain peace.
Home Minister G C Kataria said, "The Gujjar community has decided to go for arrests tomorrow on Gandhi Jayanti. And, we are leaving no stone unturned to make it peaceful and an incident free affair."
In most of the districts the administration has created temporary jails, and superintendents of police and inspector generals of different ranges have been asked to remain vigilant, Kataria added.
Meanwhile, the Gujjar community is claiming that over 5 lakh people of their community will take part in the 'Jail Bharo' campaign.
Gujjar Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti convenor Roop Singh, who was heading towards Bharatpur along with more than a 1,000 people of the community, said, "We are firm and the community will show its strength tommorow. As it is Gandhi Jayanti, we will try our level best to make it a peaceful affair."
He claimed senior leaders of the community will also take part in this campaign.
Terming it a community campaign, Singh ruled out any dispute over leadership and any differences between suspended Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Prahalad Gunjal and Col (retd) Kirori Singh Bhainsala.
"There is no question of leadership as every member of our community is a leader and is united in order to safeguard the rights and interests of the community and our demand to recommend ST status," Singh said.
Earlier, Gujjar Mahasabha had announced that 5 lakh Gujjars will court arrest in parts of Rajasthan on October 2.
The core group led by suspended BJP MLAs Atar Singh Bhadana and Prahalad Gunjal also warned the Raje government that if a recommendation letter with Cabinet approval was not sent to the Centre by October 10, women and children of the community would will court arrest from October 11.
In Conversation with Mr Bhagwan Das
'It is good to break and bad to continue with a tradition that has subjugated the Dalits'
By Vidya Bhushan Rawat
Mr Bhagwan Das is one of the most reputed scholar on Ambedkarism and the issue of Human Rights of Scheduled Castes. Widely traveled, Mr Bhagwan Das has spoken at various national & international platforms on the conditions of Dalits in India and what is the best way of their emancipation. In freewheeling conversation with Vidya Bhushan Rawat, he speak of the state of Dalit movement as well as political parties in India.
Please tell us about your childhood? Being son of a sweeper, what hurdles and obstacles you faced with and how did your father react to them.
My childhood was different. My father came from well off family. After the death of his father, differences occurred in the family and he came to live near Simla. He was not educated, as he could not go to school. My father worked as a sweeper in the post office. He had a house of his own and saved money regularly. He loved reading and had deep interest in Ayurveda. He took special care to educate my sister and me. A Maulvi was kept to teach us. So it was different unlike other untouchable families of time where education was not considered important. He was financially well off and spend most of the time with his books.
In my native village untouchability was practiced in turning on the taps. The barbar did not cut my hair; we could not enter a temple. We had to ask Hindu boys to give us water whenever we had to drink it but since my family was well off, we did not face any difficulty in this regard.
How did you come in touch with Dr Ambedkar?
Dr Ambedkar, then a labor minister visited Simla. I had read about Ambedkar particularly reading Urdu newspapers. He was our harbinger of Hope. We did not anything about him except all anti Ambedkar campaign in Congress papers was the same as in Hindu papers. The only exception I found Ambedkar in Hindi newspapers was Kranti by Sant Ram BA.of Jaat Paat Todak Mandal.
I went to meet him for the first time as I waited for him for three hours because I was first a boy, all the people holding important position came and went away, At 7 pm I was taken inside his house. He looked at my face. I did not go to ask for anything from him but he said ' What do you want?' " I do not want anything, as I was already employed, I said. I told him about my family and about my applications. In 15 days, I got a letter of appointment. This time my boss was a Muslim. It was surprising that I found that most of the Muslims were terribly against me. Some of the Hindus were very helpful and progressive. Some of them were South Indian Brahmins and I found them quite progressive but Matlab Hussain, my immediate boss, had some complaint against me as I was overburdened with my work. I used to work till 7.30 pm. Everybody tried to exploit me. I left that job and joined Indian Air Force. I did not want to join army but navy appealed to me.
I was again selected for further training to UK but I had to deposit Rs 5000/- which I could not do that and left Air Force in 1946 and went back to my family in Simla. There I was working with Scheduled Caste Federation and I came across very progressive people belonging to the communist parties, and one very progressive in the party was Kameshwar pandit. There we read a lot of Marxist literature and also learnt about Chinese experiment. I read about Mao Se Tung but who appealed to me was Le Su Tse.
We used to hold study circle meeting. I was staying at Seva Nagar, in Delhi. It was a peon's house where I stayed for two years, as I could not afford a better one. Then I shifted to Lodi Colony with a friend who was an ex communist. He was thrown out of the party. He had been a whole timer. He was very fond of reading, not just Marxist literature but general reading. Later, I was allotted house in Sarojini Nagar.
Here, I came in touch with Mr Shiv Dayal Singh Chaursia, a backward caste person and a few others who were working with him in the movement. I used to spend out time in Gandhi Peace Library. Chaurasia wrote a note of dissent in the backward classes commission. He took me to show the note of dissent, which was actually drafted by me to Dr Ambedkar. Dr Ambedkar did not have a high opinion about that note. He asked to keep the note for his comment but started putting questions about me. He had forgotten that he had met me earlier. I spoke most of the time in English and offered to work for him. It was three days in a week to which he agreed. Some times, he wanted to information/abstract about certain books for which I used to go to Library. But after the work was over, I used to sit with Dr Ambedkar for 10 minutes and put my questions.
What would you discuss with Dr Ambedkar? What would he say to the issue of such as conversion as he was promoting a particular idea of embracing Buddhism? What actually was your position on it? Why should not we convert to any other faith of our choice? Unfortunately, caste system goes along with you even after conversion? What choices do we have to save us from the oppression and exploitation of caste system?
One of the questions was on Buddhism as he was always asking us to embrace Buddhism. I asked that I could not enter a Buddha Vihar. How do you say Buddhism is better than any other religion? I have been to Burma, seen Tibetan Buddhism but have not come anything worthwhile. Study is different but as long as social practice is concern, I do not find anything different in it." Ambedkar replied, 'all you said might be right whether I studied Buddhism or not. Now onwards it would not happen again. Since I studied a lot books on Buddhism and since I studied books on religion particularly Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikkhism, Kadianis etc, but Marxism and Buddhism attracted me the most. About Sikhism, I have a very poor opinion. I came close to them because I was teaching two children belonging to them. One of the students father was a doctor, who used to invite me to Gurudwara. I used to go there. Then there was one festival on which they had a langer (community meal) in the Gurudwara. One man asked the doctor; 'you are making us eat with the Churas and Chamars.' It was a shocking experience for me in the Gurudwara. After it I studied Sikhism and found that they had 10 Gurus, all belonging to the Khatri caste, none married outside their own parental castes and the fourth guru included teaching of Ravidas, Kabir and others in the Guru Granth Sahib but in practice Sikhism is no different from Hinduism. If a convert comes from Carpenter community, he is a Ramgarhia, if is he a convert from scavenger then he is a Majhabi, if he is a convert from liquor seller then is an Ahaluwalia. Where is the caste system gone? If goes from the front door and comes back from windows. They never started a movement to condemn caste system. After that incident, I never went to a Gurudwara.
I was still critical of Buddhism but felt that if untouchable continue to follow the religion they have been following then there was no chance of their ever unifying. If Hinduism is preaching untouchability against their castes, these castes themselves practice untouchabiliity among themselves. Now for instance, if you go to a Chamar, he looks down upon sweeper and if you go to a sweeper, especially in north India to those who calls themselves as Balmikis, they will never do anything with Helas, doms and Mehtar. Because Valmiki movement started in 1930s and mainly started by Arya Samajis because they were converting to Christianity. One person Tetar was asking the Christians to convert them but the upper caste priests were not ready to convert them for the fear of losing the other people from the church.
Upper castes converted to Christianity after 1857. There were Muslims, Hindus who became Christians when the missionaries started converting the untouchables. They too had started going to church but the Holy Communion was a problem. The upper castes started their prayer meeting in the morning and the untouchables were told to conduct their church meetings in the afternoon. So Kashmir gate church had two services, one in the morning and other in the evening for untouchables.
I also found that people who were converting to Buddhism was just for the namesake. It is unique to India that even after leaving your religion and embracing the other religion they stick to their castes. You cannot get rid of your caste. Unfortunately, a majority of those converted to embrace Buddhism were Mahars hence Mangs were looked down upon by the Mahars as they did not bothered about Chambhars.
What were your impressions about Baba Saheb Ambedkar when you first met him.
My father used to talk proudly about him. The thing which impressed me very much when I first met him was his love for learning and second his character which was immaculately clean, his worst enemies could not charge him on this front and third his commitment to the cause of untouchables. But when I was working with him in the labor ministry, I found his involvement in developing this country. He sent six Scheduled Castes to UK who later held important positions in the central ministry. Besides the SCs, he was interested in the industrialization of the country after the British left.
A lot has been written about Ambedkar's conversion to Buddhism. Many Dalit intellectuals interpreted it as his anti Marx philosophy. Where does Ambedkar Stand on Marx?
He was not anti Marxist but against dogmatic people because the books written by Dange and other
and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) of the ruling front. After the first round of 'all party peace talks' on May 24, it seems that the CPM has been sidelined in this crucial political process. March 14, 2007, has opened up a new chapter in the contemporary history of West Bengal. It was the day a 2,000-strong police force fired at the villagers of Nandigram in coastal Midnapore, killing at least 15 people, and injuring another 70. The unofficial account puts the death toll at around 72, for several people are still missing. The state administration wanted to take control of the area where thousands of peasants have been opposing government efforts at acquiring 15,000-20,000 acres of agricultural land to set up a chemical hub — or a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) — with investment coming from the Salim group of Indonesia.