e n

No Entry for Brahmins

Though this can’t be called modern progressive and entirely justifiable thinking, the Ambedkar Navyuvak Dal believes that Brahmins deserve complete boycott. That will make them realise the trauma the Dalits went through and Dalits will gain self-respect

Members of the Ambedkar Navyuvak Dal (Ambedkar Youth Party), which has been working for securing the rights of the Dalit community for several years, follow a unique rule. They have barred the entry of Brahmins into their homes. Boards proclaiming “No entry for Brahmins” have been put up outside their houses. They neither eat food cooked by Brahmins nor allow the Brahmins to touch anything owned by them.

Last year, during the campaigning for elections to Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, a Brahmin candidate for the corporator’s post entered the house of the state general secretary of the dal, Banshilal Premi, seeking votes for himself. Banshilal was so upset and angry that he got every corner of the house thoroughly washed and performed a “Shuddhi” (ritual purification).

One of the workers of the dal related an interesting tale. “Once, after attending a function, we were returning from Delhi to Ludhiana by bus. On the way, the bus stopped at a big highway restaurant. The waiter had just laid our food on the table when the eyes of one of us fell at the owner of the restaurant, who was sporting a huge tilak on his forehead. We immediately got up, called the waiter and told him that we had not eaten anything and so he can very well take back the food or else; we were ready to pay the bill. The owner rushed to us and sought to know why we had left the food untouched. We told him the reason. He was curious to know as to which higher caste we belonged to that we were not ready to eat the food even in a Brahmin’s hotel. When he insisted, we told him that we were Bhangis and Chamars. How the face of the Panditji fell on hearing this is something we cannot forget till now.”

Though this can’t be called modern progressive and  entirely justifiable thinking, the Ambedkar Navyuvak Dal believes that Brahmins deserve complete boycott. That will make them realise the trauma the Dalits went through and Dalits will gain self-respect.

Published in the August 2013 issue of the Forward Press magazine

About The Author

Rajesh Manchal

Rajesh Manchal is Ludhiana (Punjab) correspondent of FORWARD Press

Related Articles

What is OBC Literature?
Rajendra Prasad Singh writes Hindi literature has ample references to eye-catching paddy fields and to standing wheat plants swaying in the wind. There are...
Opportunities for Bahujans and Layers of Deception
The social communication structure is associated with a key cultural issue. The structure cannot be built merely by talking big. It demands precise action...
Backward Class Movement and R.L. Chandapuri
Starting in 1952, he worked for securing reservation for the Backwards in Bihar. It was due to the powerful and aggressive movement led by...
Beware of Elitist Secularism
Power without knowledge is dangerous. Secularism is another farce from which Dalit-OBCs should maintain a safe distance