The Hindutva forces are marching ahead with their brutal majority in the Parliament and in a good number of state assemblies. From 2014, the Central government is deliberately and openly heading towards making the India as a Hindu Rashtra (Hindu Nation).

That means their ultimate goal is to ensure compliance to ‘Varna System’ and follow the rules of the Manusmriti. Their plan is to overthrow the constitution and establish Manusmriti.

In this country, there are 4 varnas (1) Brahmins (2) Kshatriyas (3) Vysyas and (4) Shudras and thousands and thousands of castes and sub-castes among all these varnas.

Herein, I would like to bring to the notice of all the Dalits that Dalits are not Shudras as mistaken/misunderstood by many of us. We were/are outside the caste system. The Shudras are today’s OBC in general such as artisans like carpenters, weavers, iron-smiths, potters etc i.e. all skilled workforce in the society whose services are needed for the other 3 varnas.

Then who/what are we, the Dalits?

Dalits are achoots as they call us i.e. untouchables and who do all the menial work like cleaning the toilets/drains, skinning of dead animals, cremating dead bodies etc. which are considered to be unclean and unskilled in nature. To ensure the availability of such services which are also essential for their comfortable living, we were kept under perpetual poverty by denying/refusing access to food, education, property and kept us as their slaves/bonded-labourers. This caste system does not allow us nutritious food, hygienic living and healthy living. So, over a period of centuries, we as a community are weak and submissive to them by nature. It happens when a person is suppressed for thousands of years.

So, by making the nation a Hindu Nation again, the nation will perpetuate the said ill-design which suits the upper castes to thwart equal rights which our great leader Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar had given us by way of Indian Constitution in which equal rights are enshrined for everyone irrespective of the caste or varna. Laws of the Indian constitution are scheduled to amend with the 3/4th majority in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies constitutionally.

Are we aware of this impending danger that is likely to befall us, if we do not organise and agitate?

But with the graded inequality and graded discrimination built in the Varna system, we as Dalits alone cannot agitate successfully. Therefore, this is high time for us to elicit the support of the minorities also in this fight. Please note that by making this nation a Hindu Rashtra, Muslims and Christians are also under the same threat of subjugation by removing freedom of practising any religion from the constitution that Hindutva forces will remove such freedom after forming Hindu Rashtra. Christians and Muslims are also being lynched by the Hindutva forces/brigades and Churches and Mosques are also desecrated and attacked almost every day. So, it is a high time for Dalits and minority communities to come together and fight these Hindutva forces and save the constitution.

So, my suggestion is that while we the Dalits contest the reserved seats (for now) in Assembly and Parliamentary election, let our Dalit Parties, Associations etc. extend support to the contesting Muslim and Christian candidates from parties other than the present national parties like BJP, INC etc. Let us build our collective strength and save the Constitution which confers equal rights, freedom of religion, and ensure equal opportunities for weaker sections of the society. I also submit that during the Bihar assembly elections, I made these suggestions to Miss Mayawati, Owaisi, Imams and Bishops through my emails and letters.

Our support to the Muslims and Christians should even be unsolicited. Let us not quote religion for our support but extend support to such candidates consciously – A friend in need is a friend indeed.

Author – K. Somasundaram