Skip to main content

Congratulations to Ambedkarites, others who stood with anti-caste bill in California

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

The caste discrimination bill SB 403 is finally approved and passed in California. It was passed by the Californian Senate and now the judiciary too has passed it unanimously. All efforts by the self-proclaimed champions of Hinduism fell flat as they tried to project as if there is no caste system in our society and everything was imported. Shamelessness of such people is that despite living in the Western world for decades, they have not been able to assimilate there and have no love for the modern, liberal democratic values that the individual enjoy there. They despite these liberal values and provide support to most regressive forces back home who want women to remain subjugated to their families and people believe in caste system.
Most of the time, they provide argument that there is no caste system and it is not based on birth which means those who are brahmins are not there because of their birth but because of their 'knowledge'. Most of these NRIs listen to Arnab Goswami and his ranting or C grade debates on our prime time Hindi channels.
It is great that anti-caste forces have finally registered their presence. Today, we celebrate California and tomorrow, will be some other states. World needs to grow. Anti-caste forces must join hand and remember this is not a question inside Hinduism alone but inside Islam and Christianity too in South Asia so important to fight caste discrimination everywhere. 
I was listening to a video which is now being forwarded at many places by a regressive Mufti in Pakistan who virtually abuse the women lib and call them Bhangan and Chamaran. It was simply outrageous. This man has become highly popular in India also as reflected in the comments on YouTube but it purely reflect how a bigger  Muslim masses too look down upon the Dalits in utter contempt and in an undignified way. 
Those deshbhakt NRIs who feel Hindus are being 'blamed' for no fault should look at the Sanskari Pravesh Shukla in Madhya Pradesh. How the police has treated him are visible on various video footage. He game with a Bhagwa Gamchha and a bulldozer went to his house 'cleaned' it and returned. Shukla is not a Muslim hence the bulldozer showed extreme 'mercy' on him. Normally, shouting over the top brigade remain silent and dissociated with Shukla but the fact is who knows he will be out on bail soon and will a get a ticket from the Hindutva Party. So much 'democracy' loving party and its sanskari bhakts.
Congratulations Ambedkarites, anti-caste forces, human rights defenders and all those who stood with this bill. Let us celebrate it and hope it spread across the world. Caste discrimination is a reality and must be fought with lock-stock and barrel. 
---
*Human rights defender

Comments

TRENDING

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”

If Maoist violence is illegitimate, how is Hindutva, state violence justified? Can right-wing wash off its sins?

By Swami Agnivesh* and Sandeep Pandey** There was major police action against Sudha Bhardwaj, Gautam Navlakha, Varvara Rao, Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira on 28 August, 2018. Before this police arrested Professor Shoma Sen, Adocate Sudhir Gadling, Sudhir Dhawle, Mahesh Raut and Rona Wilson on 6 June. Even before this Dr. Binayak Sen, Soni Sori, Ajay TG, Professor GN Saibaba and Prashant Rahi have been arrested and all these activists have been accused of having links with Maoists.

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

​ By Syed Ali Mujtaba*  ​The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.