From the Pen of Saheb Kanshi Ram – A Part of Editorial from ‘The Oppressed Indian’ Magazine - Velivada

In India, the victims of the prevalent social system had been facing injustice for centuries. They had been facing injustice of every sort, everywhere and all the times. This has been the result of the social system based on Varna and Caste. Even today it is perpetuated in its modern form.

In the past, bad laws, a product of Bramhnism, were the source of injustice. Thus we see that our elders fought against those bad laws and secured for us the most modern constitution. Today our problem is the bad implementation of good laws. Our ancestors fought against untouchability and succeeded in getting it abolished. The laws against untouchability were further improved. But the untouchability remains very much a fact of life, testified by the yearly reports of the SC/ST Commissioner and the special report of the Elaya Perumal Committee appointed by the Govt of India. The boycott of the poor and the landless labourers in the villages of India is a legal offence. But the landlords and the land-owners resort to it regularly without any fear of the law, as if breaking such laws is their birthright.

With great difficulty and after the prolonged struggle, our elders could secure the right of adult franchise, granting one man one vote and one vote one value, securing political equality for us. But in practice, we find that the right to vote has become meaningless. Political activity has become a game wherein “rich men’s notes manipulate poor men’s votes”. This way, with every election, the well-entrenched higher castes secure the right not only to govern but also to oppress and exploit the lower castes of India who constitute about 85% of India’s total population.

Excerpt from an editorial by Saheb Kanshi Ram, October 1983, The Oppressed Indian magazine

Thanks, Jayant Pathri for providing it.

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