MULTIPLE EXPLOITATIONS

Never ending conflict

The clashes between the Aryans and the Dravidians seem to be an everlasting conflict. Until the Aryans stop exploiting our people this would be an unsolved problem. Inspite of our consistent efforts, gullible people continue to be exploited in many ways. The divide between the Brahmins and non-brahmins is an obstacle for the establishment of an egalitarian society. Infact, it is the non-brahmins who welcome unity and brotherhood. Brahmins refuse to give up their divisive tactics. They do not understand us
because they hate us and they hate us because they do not understand us. This is an unpalatable truth.

Among other religions such as Islam and Christianity the conflicts are issue based and principles based but in the Hindu religion, the conflicts between the Aryans and Dravidians; brahmins and non-brahmins are not issue based but birth based. Hence, the discriminations cannot be eradicated easily overnight. The war in the minds of people must end. Unless it happens, our people would not be free from various types of exploitations. The Aryans called brahmins do not wish to bridge the gulf because they
are benefited by the never ending clashes.

Undesirable discriminations

Coffee houses and lunch homes isolate non-brahmins and humiliate them. In public places, brahmins avoid proximity to non-brahmins. They even place sign boards that read “For brahmins only.” The humiliation suffered by non-brahmins in temples is already known to all of us. Our people are being quarantined and insulted by ill- treatments. How can we dream of an egalitarian society as long as such undesirable discriminations exist?

The Aryans have been organising conferences and public meetings to spread brahminism. Religious discourses are being conducted by exponents of spiritual thoughts. They are vigorously attempting to safeguard Manudharma, Varnasrama and Sanatan principles. Vedas and Shastras are being propagated by them seriously all over the state. Pontiffs and temple priests patronise all the activities of the Aryans and encourage exploitations. The outdated scriptures and codes of conduct are insisted upon. Our people are soaked in blind belief and superstitions dumped on them by the exploiting fanatics. How can we dream of equality and progressive outlook?

Efforts of non-brahmins

I am really glad to see our non-brahmin friends organising conferences and public meetings to make people realise the dire need of unity. They are not against brahmin individuals; they are only against brahminism that divides people. I welcome the widespread protests and agitations of non-brahmins against the disparity being nourished by brahmins. I hope, gradually there would be some change in the minds of audacious brahmins who oppose unity and equality. The resolutions being passed by non-brahmins in several
conferences give us a hope of reform. People supporting brahmins should realise that lack of unity would be hazardous for the entire country and for the society of humankind too.

Brahmin leaders

Some brahmin leaders pretend to be supporters of unity. They talk much about unity in diversity and universal brotherhood but do not really prove it in action. They do not come out with remedial measures to smash the barriers existing between the Aryans and non-aryans. Their lip-sympathy would not redress the grievances of the downtrodden non-brahmins. I urge upon brahmin leaders
who are influential to persuade Government officials to prohibit exploitations of non- brahmins by the coterie of brahmins.

Brahmins are 3 per cent of the entire population but they dominate non-brahmins who are 97 per cent of the population. They work hard while the upper caste brahmins hardly work. Is it not an exploitation of labour? Economically the upper caste Aryans are all quite well off but our non-aryans continue to live below the poverty line and struggle for their survival, existence and livelihood. This injustice must perish. Eradication of poverty is essential for the upliftment of all the town-trodden non- Aryans. The gullible Aryans are urged upon to ignore the crocodile tears of brahmins who do not mean what they say. Let us hope changes in the political world and forthcoming elections would pave the way for the emancipation of non-Aryans.

Irreparable loss

Numerous mythologies and scriptures fabricated by the Aryans exploit our people in the names of countless festivals. For instance,
nearly 20 crore people would have celebrated Diwali recently and I am sure nearly 10 crore rupees might have been totally spent all over the country. Can we afford to tolerate this irreparable loss of hard earned money, besides the loss of precious time and energy? Fireworks would have polluted the atmosphere. Sweet meats and clothes would have consumed a huge amount of money. Are such festivals productive in any way? Does real happiness lie in such wasteful celebrations? When would our people realise their folly? I welcome harvest festival Pongal, that honours the dignity of a farmer’s labour. I am in favour of May Day celebration too that glorifies the sweat of a labourer. But all other festivals seem to be meaningless in my opinion. These festivals imposed by Aryans also exploit our people in a different way. This is not merely my opinion but also my belief.

Tedious pilgrimages

It was an Aryan Ploy that made our people believe in divinity, salvation, heaven, hell, rebirth, atonement of sins; to make amends.
People undergo tedious long journeys to places of worship squandering money and straining themselves. These pilgrimages could cause communicable diseases besides various biological complications and physical discomforts.

Thousands of lamps lit in temples and other places consume a large quantity of oil. Millions of containers of milk are emptied gladly while a similar number of kids crave for milk all over the country. These are all indirect exploitations, indeed. Does pouring of precious milk upon idols of stones really make any sense? Besides those, waste of hundreds of other materials is really irksome. Belief in fabricated mythologies is the root cause of such activities. Do people really derive any benefit out of these festivals, journey and worship? Making people superstitious is also an exploitation in my opinion. I urge upon all our people to think over and decide whether I am right or wrong.

Obscene mythologies

Aryans have fabricated thousands of obscene mythologies revolving around non-existent Gods and Goddesses. They are all webs spun for sheer deceit. Most of them are really nauseating. I am surprised, how our people digest all those fictitious trash. Tales of
adultery, immorality, incest and incredible horrors have been thrust upon us by the exploiting Aryans. Where is divinity in these
filthy fabrications? Infact, they have caused the birth of religions and other insane practices associated with it.

Besides all these, the clashes between Shaivites and Vaishnavites are ridiculous indeed. The former are devotees of Shiva and the latter, worshippers of Vishnu. Does this make any sense?” People have been divided as two exclusive groups among Aryans themselves. It is a pity, our non-Aryan people are taken for a ride by both the rival groups. Our people do not even realise that they are being exploited in multiple ways by the Aryans called Brahmins. Until non-brahmins wake up from their deep slumber, these exploitations would never cease.

Irrationalism to the core

Nature has bestowed the power of reasoning only upon humankind, but it is not being used sensibly by our people. Irrationalism is
in abundance. People believe in fake God men and get duped in many ways. Tricksters and Charlatans deceive people threatening them with the fear of black magic and witchcraft. These rogues exploit people by promising to ward off the evil. Under the pretext of exorcism they rob our people of their hard earned money.

A coterie of tricksters make people believe in possession by evil spirits and extort huge amounts pretending to be experts in ghost
busting. This is undeniably an exploitation. Fake conjurers are behind every case of human sacrifice. Innocent people are sometimes
tortured when they are suspected wrongly of black magic crimes. These wicked people go scot-free; unpunished by law. Exploiters thus thrive and multiply in leaps and bounds.

Another coterie of exploiters is the group of astrologers and palmists. They pull wool over the eyes of superstitious people by making them believe in the powers of stars and planets; Omen and ill omen. Those fortune tellers and soothsayers fill their coffers by exploiting people. Even educated nuts fall a prey to these frauds. How are we to make those people rationalists? There are publishers who churn out books on irrational subjects and market them to exploit gullible readers. Some of the newspapers, dailies, weeklies and other periodicals publish irrational rubbish and dump on readers. People waste money and buy those garbage in print. And we are struggling to spread rationalism. There are none to pity us.

I wish to drive home the point that we are not being exploited by the Aryans; Brahmins alone. There are others too who play games.
Another instance is temples – exploitation. In multiple ways this is being executed people pour money into the temple containers like torrential rain fall. The collections are not used for public welfare. There is undetected corruption and maladministration to the core. Hundreds of rituals and festivals in temples suck people’s money to fill the blind mouths of priests in temples.

There is a dire need of scientific temper to curb all these exploitations. Self-respect is the best antidote to defeat and crush caste system and religious fanaticism. Rationalism is the right path for truly progressive people. Let us never fall a prey to any sort of exploitation.

Source: ‘Kudi Arasu’ – 22.11.1931 & 5.4.1936
Translated by : M.R. Manohar