A letter Full of Agony

Published By : Admin | May 8, 2010 | 08:58 IST

Friends,

Few days back, a book named "Saamajik Samrasata", based on my speeches and articles was dedicated to people.

Today I received a letter full of agony from the Dalit author of the book and my close friend Kishor Makwana.

I am trying to convey agony of a dalit to you all, through this blog medium. The full text of Shri Kishore Makwana's letter... 

Dear All,

I am writing this letter to acquaint you with the following facts:

I was born in a Dalit family. My life is full of oppression and deprivation the Dalits have faced for centuries. It is therefore natural for one to express the feelings of pangs the Dalits experience. I am lucky to have fought and overcame the circumstances and am in a profession to write and express.

I have witnessed Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi's thoughts and deeds from close quarters for two-and-a-half decades. He has devoted his life in the service of the oppressed and the last man in the last mile. His task is making the Dalits economically self-reliant, free them from exploitation and establish the rule of equanimity, 'samras-ekras', in the state. In a way, his efforts are directed at realizing the dreams of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. I have not seen any bias or prejudice in Shri Modi's thoughts and deeds. I felt it as my duty to publicize his sense of duty before the public at large through writings and speeches. It was the manifestation of such thinking that the book, titled 'Samajik Samrasta', was created. This is not my first book. I have published 13 books, including that on Birsa Munda, Sant Ravidas, 'Samar-Nahi-Samrasta', Rashtrabhakta Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Swami Vivekanand.

It was a matter of pride for me that my fourteenth book, 'Samajik Samrasta' was dedicated to the public at a function on April 26, 2010 at 6.30 p.m. in presence of Swami Sacchidanand, Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi and noted poet-writer Suresh Dalal.

The entire function was conducted in full glory and decorum. It received rave reviews in the media. It was the most eventful day and memorable event for a Dalit creative writer like me. But the brightest pages were blackened by the Congress party, with an intention to malign a Dalit. Shri Modi did not speak ill about the community in his speech, but the Congress reacted by putting imaginary words into Shri Modi's mouth which he did not utter. It exposed the Congress leaders' attempt to malign a solemn function to mark social equality with lies.

The Congress' lies have hurt not only my feelings and that of Shri Modi but also of the entire Dalit community. The video recording and transcripts are available on the website and DVD for anybody to watch.

The editor of leading English daily 'The Hindu', Shri N. Ram, has also exposed the Congress leaders' feigning concern for the Dalits.

We cannot expect anything better from the Congress party, which had insulted Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar throughout his life, and had always used Dalits as vote-bank. Dr Ambedkar had wanted a casteless society, but the Congress continued to sow the seeds of hatred among different castes and races ever since its inception.

Dr Ambedkar's book on what the Congress did for the untouchables is worth reading. It chronicles and describes a number of events that uncovers the true face of anti-Dalit Congress. The people of Kavitha village in the Ahmedabad district had once outcast untouchables. Dr Ambedkar came to Kavitha and intervened. Instead of asking the upper caste people to take the untouchables along, the Congress leaders asked the untouchables to leave the village. When he had arrived from Mumbai at Kalupur railway station, the Congressmen heaped insults on him by waving black flags.

There are a number of such occasions of political parties like the Congress inflicting mental injuries on Dr Ambedkar, using the Dalits as vote-bank. Instead of alleviating the pains of the oppressed-deprived-exploited-suppressed Dalits, the Congress had only spread rumours and canards against thoughtful people like Shri Narendrabhai Modi fighting for the cause of the Dalits. It is perhaps natural for the Congress to express vengeance against them who oppose the formers' anti-Dalit policies.

I would also like to take this opportunity to draw your attention to vested interests and the need to recognise such divisive forces bent on maligning Shri Modi for the last eight years.

I am conveying my views through this letter and expect you to share the views in the same spirit.

With thanks,

Yours truly

Kishore Makwana,

Editor of book 'Samajik Samrasta' Editor of periodical 'Namaskar'.

 

Yours,

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A few days ago, I was in the sacred land of Somnath to be part of the Somnath Swabhiman Parv, marking a thousand years since the first attack on Somnath, which took place in 1026. People from all across India had come to be part of this moment of remembrance, united by a shared reverence for history, culture and the enduring spirit of the people of India. During the programme, I met a few people who had previously come to Somnath during the Saurashtra-Tamil Sangamam and had been to Kashi during the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam. Their words of appreciation for such platforms touched me and so, I thought of sharing a few thoughts on this subject.

During one of the Mann Ki Baat programmes, I had said that not learning Tamil is a major regret of my life. Fortunately, over the last few years, our Government has had several opportunities to further popularise Tamil culture across India and to deepen the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.’ A prime example of such an effort is the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam. In our ethos, Sangam or confluence has a special place. Seen in this light, the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam stands out as a truly distinctive initiative, one that celebrates the living unity of India’s many traditions while honouring their unique identities.

And what can be a better place than Kashi to host such a Sangamam. The same Kashi, which has remained a civilisational anchor from time immemorial… where, for thousands of years, people from all over have come in search of knowledge, meaning and Moksha.

Kashi’s connection with Tamil people and culture is very deep. It is in Kashi that Baba Vishwanath resides, while Tamil Nadu has Rameswaram. Tenkasi in Tamil Nadu is known as Kashi of the south or Dakshin Kashi. Saint Kumaraguruparar Swamigal forged a lasting link between Kashi and Tamil Nadu through his spirituality, scholarship and institution-building. Mahakavi Subramania Bharati, one of Tamil Nadu’s greatest sons, found in Kashi a space of intellectual growth and spiritual awakening. It was here that his nationalism deepened, his poetry sharpened and his vision of a free, united India took clearer shape. There are several such instances that highlight this close bond.

The first edition of Kashi-Tamil Sangamam took place in 2022. I recall attending the inauguration programme. Scholars, artisans, students, farmers, writers, professionals and many others from Tamil Nadu travelled to Kashi, Prayagraj and Ayodhya.

Subsequent editions expanded the scale and depth of this effort. The aim was to keep introducing fresh themes, innovative formats and deeper engagement, thus ensuring that the Sangamam continued to evolve while remaining rooted in its core spirit. In the second edition in 2023, technology was used on a larger scale to ensure that language does not become a barrier for people. In the third edition, the focus was on Indian knowledge systems. At the same time, academic discussions, cultural performances, exhibitions and interactions witnessed greater participation. Thousands of people have taken part in these events.

The fourth edition of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam commenced on 2nd December 2025. The theme picked was very interesting- Tamil Karkalam - Learn Tamil. It presented a unique opportunity for people in Kashi and other parts to learn the beautiful Tamil language. Teachers came from Tamil Nadu and the students of Kashi had a very memorable experience!

There were many other special events this time.

Tholkappiyam, the ancient Tamil literary classic, was translated into 4 Indian languages and 6 foreign languages.

A unique event, Sage Agasthya Vehicle Expedition (SAVE), was undertaken from Tenkasi to Kashi. On the way, various initiatives such as eye camps, health awareness camps, digital literacy camps, among other things, were held. The expedition paid homage to King Adi Veera Parakrama Pandiyan, the great Pandya ruler who spread the message of cultural oneness. There were exhibitions at Namo Ghat, academic sessions at Banaras Hindu University, as well as cultural programmes.

One of the things that makes me most happy about the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam is the participation of thousands of youngsters. It illustrates the passion among our Yuva Shakti to deepen their connect with our roots. It is a brilliant platform for them to showcase their talent and creativity during the various cultural programmes.

In addition to the Sangamam, efforts have been made to make the journey to Kashi memorable for the participants. The Indian Railways operated special trains to take people from Tamil Nadu to Uttar Pradesh. In many railway stations, particularly in Tamil Nadu, they were cheered, and the train journey was marked by melodious songs and conversations.

Here, I would also like to appreciate my sisters and brothers of Kashi and Uttar Pradesh for their warmth and hospitality shown to the delegates of the various Kashi-Tamil Sangamams. Several people opened the doors of their homes for the guests from Tamil Nadu. The local administration worked round the clock to ensure the guests had a seamless experience. As the MP from Varanasi, I could not be prouder!

This time, the valedictory function of the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam was held in Rameswaram and it was graced by the Vice President of India, Thiru CP Radhakrishnan Ji, who is himself a proud son of Tamil Nadu. He delivered a very inspiring address, emphasising India’s spiritual greatness and how such platforms deepen national integration.

The Kashi Tamil Sangamam has delivered meaningful outcomes like strengthening cultural understanding, fostering academic and people-to-people exchanges and creating lasting bonds between parts of the country that share a civilisational ethos. In the coming times, we want to make this platform even more vibrant. Most importantly, it has furthered the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.’ This spirit has flourished for centuries through our festivals, literature, music, art, cuisine, architecture, systems of knowledge and more.

This time of the year is very auspicious for people across the length and breadth of India. People are enthusiastically marking various festivals like Sankranti, Uttarayan, Pongal, Magh Bihu, which are, among other things, associated with the Sun, nature and farming. These festivals bring people together and deepen the spirit of harmony in our society. I convey my best wishes for these festivals and hope they continue to inspire us to deepen national unity through our shared heritage and collective participation.