The Hindu Minority within a Minority

The minority within a minority
When one talks about minorities in Pakistan the usual impression is that they are Christians, Hindus and Ahmadis. However, there is, as Sono Khangharani, a low-caste Hindu from Sindh who rose to prominence from humble origins, put it, a minority within this minority. They are the Dalits of Pakistan – the low-caste Hindus. There are six million of them, and while Hindus do not consider them Hindus, the State simply classifies them as a Hindu minority. Thus they are subjected to discrimination from both sides.

Although the Dalit community has come a long way in Pakistan and there is relatively less discrimination against them, there are various issues that underline the social life of this community. Some of the important issues are identity and recognition, less economic opportunity, no support mechanism, and because majority of Dalits are tenants on other people’s land, most of them do not have a permanent address, and thus are not issued the Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC).

Something the low-caste Hindus in Pakistan, as well as in India, look forward to, is identity and recognition, which is perhaps one of the most important aspects of a human life. Three per cent of the population of Pakistan is classified as a minority, out of which, 50 per cent are Hindus. Interestingly, nine out of 10 of these Hindus belong to the Dalit community. Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had installed a Dalit Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, but that was the first and only instance when a Dalit occupied such a position in the government of Pakistan. Since then, the six per cent job quota of the “scheduled castes” in the federal services of Pakistan was changed into a “minority quota” in 1998. Dr. Meghwar and KrishanBheel (Dalit MNAs at the time) found it futile to raise any objection to such a conversion.

This further aggravated the recognition issue of Dalits as they were now part of a minority that refused to accept them as their own.

Lack of economic opportunity is another grave concern for the Dalits. As majority of the low-caste Hindu population present in Sindh and southern Punjab does not own any land. Rather, they are tenants for the big landlords of the area. As a result, they are not only subject to harsh working conditions on the whims of their landlords, but can end up in bonded labor to pay off petty debts.

Sono Khangharani shared one such story, where a Dalit acquired a loan of approximately Rs 5,000 and was forced along with his whole family to work for the landlord for years to come to try to pay off his debt, only to end up with an increased debt of around Rs 100,000.

In such a scenario, the already uneducated low-caste Hindu tenants lose any economic opportunity that they would otherwise be able to avail. This coupled with no support mechanism makes life hard for the minority within a minority.

The very few people who have come up from within this community of Dalits in Pakistan are the only support structure for their own community. While the State simply puts them under the three per cent minority, they barely find any emancipation among influential caste Hindus or Christians. Thardeep Rural Development Program is one of the few programs that cater to the needs of the rural population of Tharparker, where over 35 per cent of the population forms the low-caste Hindus.

As most of the minority seats of government, even in districts such as Tharpakar, are won by caste-Hindus, government support and sympathy for this downtrodden sector of the society remains negligible.

As I mentioned earlier, low-caste Hindus face an identity crisis. This is not only because of the fact that caste Hindus refuse to acknowledge the Dalits as their brethren in faith, but because a majority of Dalits are tenants with no land ownership at all.

They live in make-shift houses made of wood and mud, and can be forced to migrate to other places on the convenience of landlords as well as the harsh natural environment of the desert areas they usually live in. This means they do not have a permanent address in Pakistan and are not even counted in the national census.

As a result, they are not issued Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs). Somewhat resonating the Palestinians, the Dalits become stateless. Even though, some are being issued CNICs, majority remains without an identity.

Education is the way forward. For the low-caste Hindus present in Pakistan and elsewhere, it is important that education be provided to them. Despite the discrimination that is prevalent in educational institutes against low-caste Hindus as I was told by SonoKhangharani, who represents his community in the United Nations every year, it is the only way Dalits can come out of the darkness they currently find themselves in. Self-awareness, self-help and community recognition coupled with government recognition and support for educating the larger masses of low-caste Hindus will result in many more successful empowered leaders from this community.

The approximately six million Dalits in Pakistan have come a long way from where they stood only a generation ago, but for true emancipation and empowerment, there is a long road ahead. While acceptance of Dalits is still not where it should be, some have come out of bonded labor and availed economic opportunities to make their lives better and become a support structure for their community.

Whereas, the State may recognize and issue identity cards in the future, true empowerment can only come once the caste Hindus accept Dalits as Hindus, and once the government realizes that how this community in Pakistan has become a minority within a minority.

The author is a policy analyst and a social worker from Islamabad who believes that the glass is half full. He can be reached at siddique.humayun@gmail.com and http://www.weekend.pk

The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.

Posted on August 1, 2011

37 Comments
harish goswami says:
Today at 4:33 pm (42 minutes ago)
it is indeed a good article focusing plight of dalits in pakistan. i would suggest people of pakistan know the real state of minority that left in to the hands of present day rulers by jinnah.
Reply
A.Razak says:
Today at 4:24 pm (51 minutes ago)
Under our skin we all have one colour of Blood.
Reply
vikram says:
Today at 12:28 pm (4 hours ago)
A well written and thoughtful piece of editorial. I totally agree with the writer’s view and his recommendation that EDUCATION IS THE ONLY WAY OUT. I am an India and a forward caste. I don’t believe in segregation based on caste. I hope the same is not present in Islam.
This has to change and is changing for the good in India now but still has to go a long way.
Reply
Danish Shah Tariq says:
Today at 9:04 am (8 hours ago)
Thank you for focusing on this very important issue. I wasn’t even aware of Dalits being present in Pakistan.
Reply
NA says:
Today at 9:01 am (8 hours ago)
It is sad to hear about Upper Caste Hindus in Pakistan discriminating their Dalit brethren. Indians have moved on and it is time the Pakistanis do too. Pakistani Hindus should learn from the Indian experience and try and end the caste system.
Reply
Dkk says:
Today at 8:35 am (8 hours ago)
As always, Mr. Humayun has raised an important issue. Lets’ call them a minority if not Dalits. The problem is that there are not many Hindus or minority left in the present day Pakistan. This is absolutely contradictory to the vision of Mr. Jinnah, who had the foresight and hoped for the equality of casts and religions. Mr. Jinnah may not recognize his nation if he were still alive. Not only Dalits, but Sufies are being targeted, although for different reasons.
Reply
Paul K says:
Today at 7:54 am (9 hours ago)
Very is an interesting article. Excellent question from Mr. Matthias. What happened to the 17 to 20% minority population at the time of the creation of Pakistan? Another interesting comment by the author of the article is that “ There are six million Dalits in present Pakistan, whom Hindus do not consider them as Hindus”. This is the snap shot of the Dalit dilemma in India as well at the time of Indian Partition. They did not enjoy any sort of social dignity including the right to be a human being. As a result the plight of the Dalits is considered as the longest slavery in the history of humanity. It is strange that all of a sudden, BJP consider them as Hindus (a mass instantaneous conversion- wonder of the vote bank politics).
Reply
Rathore says:
Today at 7:29 am (9 hours ago)
Pak Dalit Solidarity Network NGO currently working for the Dalits in Pakistan
Reply
Tufail malik says:
Today at 7:01 am (10 hours ago)
I appreciate your research and it will leave impact on the govt. to consider about these people, they belong to Pakistan and they should be given equal rights and opportunities to develop.
Reply
civi varghese says:
Today at 2:46 am (14 hours ago)
You are very bold to write this article.Congrats Mr.Humayun.I have been believing that 10% non-muslims in Pakistan!
Reply
Rizwan Afridi says:
Today at 2:15 am (15 hours ago)
Most of them were in East Pakistan which is now Bangladesh (which is still 15-20% Hindu). That is a fact that is often overlooked by people who try to create a fictitious Hindu holocaust in Pakistan that never occured. West Pakistan never had a large percentage of Hindus, East Pakistan did. East Pakistan is no longer Pakistan, so the percentage dropped, and people just assume they were all killed.
Reply
Shirish says:
Today at 3:54 pm (1 hour ago)
No my dear ! Lahore and Karachi were Hindu majority cities. Two Hindu majority districts of West Punjab were giiven to Pakistan and two muslim majority districts were given to India. Both East and West Pakistan had the same 30 percent approx hindu population.
Reply
Qasim Khan says:
Today at 2:04 am (15 hours ago)
A very touching story – in Pakistan everyone seems to be for themselves and as one politician put it “we are a crowd not a community”. As for figures on Dalits i’m a bit confused, out of 180 million 3% are minorities of which half are hindus and one out of ten hindus is Dalit, According to my figures there are 250,000 Dalits.
Reply
A Khan says:
Today at 12:31 am (16 hours ago)
Very very good article. Please encourage these people to stand up for their rights and ask for their rights Not using guns but expose themselves to the society. They are Not Muslims but they are our people and we love them. I have full confidence, when the government and people know about them, they will help them to stand up on their feet and also put them in par with other people.
Look at Christian and Sheeks in Pakistan, because they struggle for their rights and they got it. Please remember it is NOt because you are not Muslim you are like that. Many many Muslims are living wrose life than urs. So stand up for your right and believe me our nation is good enough to give u, ur rights. love u all.
Reply
Navin says:
Yesterday at 11:38 pm
It is said, if one wants to see the status of a nation than look at condition of minority it would tell you the real truth. Be it any nation its fundamental duty of state to provide and take care of social and economic need of minority, but unfortunately these people becomes victim of vote bank politics of our feudal political system. It is not about the government duty but we the people also do not wish to think out of box and act to bring about change in present structure of the society, perhaps our deep rooted conservative socialization prevent us in doing so…
A great article by Mr. Humayun.
Reply
Harinder says:
Yesterday at 10:34 pm
Daliis in India have risen to the highest post form CM of the Uttar Pardesh (Mrs Maya Wati) to the speaker of house to the drafting of Indian cosntitution ( Sri Ambedkarji).
India is a liand of opportunity for all from Muslims ,Chrisitans,Sikhs Hindus and even non Indians.
It is land where any one on planet earth can fulfill all his dreams.
Reply
Sabu Thaliyath says:
Today at 11:04 am (6 hours ago)
Harinder … I am an Indian too…although what you said about India being land of opportunity for all is true, your last statement sounds like jingoism..
Reply
Dalrow says:
Yesterday at 8:23 pm
To Brother M.A. Muhammad: I live in the US (a non Muslim country)/ Your remark that non Muslims treats Muslims badly is absolutely in correct. We Muslims enjoy more freedom here than in Pakistan. There are no Shias-Sunnis etc. We are all equal and the locals dont even bother to “enforce” their beliefs on us. There are of course some incidents of discrimination and even shooting of Muslims that have occurred but they are extremely few and far between & when they do occur the law of the land straightens that out. Now of course I am talking about USA and you maybe referring to places like Europe or former Soviet Union or even Africa, I don’t know.
Reply
Taatya Singh says:
Yesterday at 8:16 pm
“Hindus do not recognize them as Hindus”??? Not sure where you’re getting that from. Not trying to nit pick but the problem is that this has been mentioned almost thrice. It is true that they are treated poorly by caste Hindus. In India, like it has been mentioned, there are reservations galore for the past 50 years for backward castes so there’s some amount of help. But society has a long ways to go – especially in the rural areas.
Reply
Poovhenden says:
Yesterday at 7:30 pm
They should embrace Islam.
Reply
dave smith says:
Yesterday at 7:01 pm
Sounds like the Dalits are a conquered people from long ago. As it is with any invasion, the invaders deem themselves, their culture and religion superior to the native inhabitants way of life. Considering the Hindu faith is so ancient, wondering when the “Dalits” were conquered and pushed down the social ladder?
Reply
Vittal says:
Yesterday at 6:16 pm
Sactioned by the Vedas, the caste system has divided, sub-divided, sub-sub divided the Hindu population with devastating effects. Luckily Hindus living in the US have for the most part put aside these differeces. Intercast marriages are a rule than an exception.
Reply
varun says:
Yesterday at 5:50 pm
Good article from Humayun…this really a story of subcontinental without hope,because there is no laws that support dalits,unlike India…there is no minority commission or schedule cast rights commission.Pakistan liberals ignored dalits as their India counterparts,,,but India they have rights guaranteed by constitution of India. Pakistan liberals show some kindness to dalits to improve conditions of dalits.Indian dalit organisation must look into the issue of dalits as unfinished agenda of partition.
Reply
Rizwan Afridi says:
Today at 2:23 am (14 hours ago)
The worst thing that could happen to Dalit rights in Pakistan is if Indian organizations get involved and treat Dalits as non-resident Indians. This is a Pakistani issue, and if Hindu rights become tied to India, then no one in Pakistan will care much for Hindus because they will be viewed as Indians instead of Pakistani Hindus. The situation will be analogous to how right-wing Hindus view Indian Muslims with suspicion. So please, don’t turn the cause of Pakistani Hindus into a cause for Indians.
Reply
kl says:
Yesterday at 5:13 pm
First of all, I will appreciate your efforts and the subject you chose to hilight , which hardly a concern of our elite and feud society. It reveals your human loving nature, which is seemingly becoming a rare thing in our fast converting fundamental society.
Reply
S says:
Yesterday at 4:32 pm
Caste-system is a curse. It should be officially banned in Pakistan.
Reply
Raj says:
Yesterday at 7:49 pm
Every means of discrimination is a curse and should be banned, be it caste or religion.
Reply
Ravi says:
Yesterday at 11:09 pm
Caste system is not only biggest flaw in Hindu religion, it is causing or even forcing lower castes to adopt other religions in the region including India. Millions baba and so called came and gone but nobody made any sincere effort to eradicate this hindu cancer which is slowly will kill hinduism and Hindu society itself. Hindus are fast running out of time.
Reply
M. A. Muhammad says:
Yesterday at 4:10 pm
To the gentlemen below (Hasan Ali Rana) — even if they are half a million, it doesn’t change the fact that they deserve to live with dignity and in security in our country. We are the ummat of Muhammad, and yet we treat the downtrodden outsiders worse than non-Muslims treat us in their countries. And worse yet, we ignore that they even exist.
Reply
hassan Ali RANA says:
Yesterday at 11:21 pm
sir i agree with you , but the wrong stats portray wrong picture. he needs to correct the stats or provide the proof(if there is any????).
Reply
Igloo says:
Today at 11:45 am (5 hours ago)
Well said M.A.Muhammad. Whilst it is important to relate accurate figures, Muslims shame themselves when they show such obvious inhumanity. Pakistan should consider the strength a nation displays when it gives public protection and indeed prominence to minorities.
Reply
Hamza M. says:
Yesterday at 4:06 pm
Great article Siddique.. my thoughts go out to these communities. Thank you for bringing attention to the systemic problems they are facing.
Reply
hassan ali rana says:
Yesterday at 3:45 pm
six million is an exaggeration. plz check stats before putting in articles. thanks
Reply
Ms Shah says:
Yesterday at 3:03 pm
Is there any NGO currently working for the Dalits? Where did u compile your facts and figures from? Also, how can one be put in contact with a member of the Dalit community?
Reply
C.A.Mathias says:
Yesterday at 2:06 pm
Its a very good article by mr.Humayun. Six million Dalits in Pakistan??? 3% minorities? strange,, being Pakistani, they dont have National ID Cards? what I heard that during 1947 there were approx. 17% – 20% non muslims were there in Pak what happened to them? where are they?
Reply
Asif Noorani says:
Yesterday at 8:11 pm
When we say there were 17% minorities (mostly Hindus of different castes) we forget that 14% of them were in what was East Pakistan, so when the eastern wing of the country became a separate wing, the large chunk of minorities became a part of Bangladesh. A point to remember is that most of the Hinduswho have let Pakistan in recent years are from the middle or upper class and they have migrated to the West, like all other communities including Muslims, for better prospects.
Reply
Conerned Indian says:
Today at 10:17 am (6 hours ago)
I have the same question. What happened to the minorities of Pakistan. How their numbers have dwindled so fast to such a low percentage. One never gets an answer from any one to such a simple question. Can any one from Pakistan give their version of answer to this mystery?

Brahmin bashing is Good For Congress Business

Image via Wikipedia

Please stop Brahmin bashing

by Shiva Trinetra on Monday, September 20, 2010 at 6:17pm

Please stop Brahmin bashing.

 What is BRAHMIN ? Brahmasya Janami  Iti Brahmin. ( One who Understand meaning of Brahma ( Universe ) is called Brahmin and it has nothing to do with Caste.

 Those  Islamic terrorist  who historically murdered, looted, raped and pillaged and destroyed our culture, civilization and Sanatan DHARMA are  forgiven in modern India in the name of forgetting the past.

What’s more those who destroyed our cultural heritage are provided with all luxuries and comforts in India. But Brahmins who historically gave their lives for the sake of dharma and the welfare of the society, are persecuted in modern India for their falsely alleged sins of the past.

 Indian Brahmins, we are taught by the modern historians, have been oppressing the lower caste population in India.VARNA VYAVASTHA / CAST ARRANGEMENTS. written in webdunia.com 

 Brahmins are described as cunning, parasitic exploiters and creators of the iniquitous caste system. The theory of  “5000 years of Brahmin oppression” is used to include every other caste in the backward classes list, provide them unrestrained reservation, and justify that. This story is repeated so loudly and so frequently that it is also treated as the truth.

 Much scholarship and intellectual labor was put into this thesis before it acquired its present momentum and currency. Anti-Brahmanism was a construct of the last two centuries.  They say Brahmins never allowed others to read and write.  The word “Brahmin” reminds every one of arrogant, dis-respective, communal and abusive extremists who whip the lower caste people or dalits till they die.  That’s a vivid picture that paints your mind when you hear that word. 

 The anti-Brahmin movement gained momentum when leftists, priests and religious leaders from hostile religions, separatists and casteism of different hues took this from Britishers.

 Academia has always held the position that Brahmins exploited and continue to exploit everyone else, that they authored the Hindu scriptures just to ensure their own highest position in the social hierarchy, and that they are responsible for so many problems in India.

But these arguments lack historical validity and logical consistency. It is merely a case of “repeat a lie a hundred times and it will become the truth”.

Let’s think without any inhibitions and conditions. Let’s look at real facts founded upon truth. Should we lend our thinking facility to others?

 If you have open mind and if you can think with clarity and logically, you would understand that 95 % of Brahmins were innocent  and gentle.

 It is amazing to see that how fiction can become truth in course of time. You don’t need big brain to make out that anti-Brahmin story was planned and planted by hostile religious invaders, colonialist and missionaries of conversion and by politicians to keep the public blind and at the same time rob Indians off everything.

 The fact is that Brahmins were neither rich nor powerful at any point of time in history. They are not the samurai of India. Every animal in the forest wants to hunt deer and eat them.

The Indian Brahmins are like deer(stag) in the forest.  Indian Brahmin community has become like Jews of Nazi times. Is this acceptable? The destitution of Hindu Brahmins has moved none, not even the parties known for Hindu sympathy.

 – For many past centuries, mostly Christians and Muslims were ruling India. Do we have to blame Brahmins for everything that went wrong in India? Brahmins have never ruled India.

 -Can you quote any historical evidence to prove that Brahmins were kings or ruled any Indian kingdom. (Chanakya had helped Chandragupta Maurya to build a united Hindustan ( BHARAT )  India.After becoming the emperor of India, Chandragupta fell in the feet of Chanakya and requested him to be Rajaguru and stay in the palace with all luxuries.

 Chanakya’s reply: ” I am a Brahmin. My karma is to teach students and live on what they get by begging. So I am going back to my village.”)

 – Can you find any single instance or story of rich Brahmins in history or in the mythology (purana) ?  Which purana mentions about a rich Brahmin? The story of Sudama (Kuchela), the poor Brahmin, is a well-known episode from Lord Krishna’s life.

 Incidentally, Krishna (the most popular deity of Hindus) belonged to the Yadava sub-caste. The Yadavas are currently enumerated amongst the Other Backward Castes (OBCs) in India.

 – If Brahmins were so arrogant as they pictured to be, how come they worship Gods from lower caste? As in the case of Sri Krishna,  Lord Shiva (Highest Hindu God) is often termed as a  Kirata in the Puranas. The Kiratas would currently fall in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category in modern India.

 – To be able to oppress others requires positions of power. The Brahmin’s traditional occupation was that of temple priest or purohit officiating religious functions.

There sole income was Biksha (alms) given by righ land-lords(non-Brahmins). And another section of Brahmins were teachers (guru) without salary. Were those the most powerful positions?

 – And have your forgotten the term: ‘Garib Brahmin’ (=Poor Brahmin). Pick up any Indian story book, you will see that term quoted as a virtue. The highest stature of the society was occupied by the Brahmin ascetics and their only way of survival was alms given by people.

 [Of course there are exceptions, but it can not be denied that poor Brahmins were honoured. Brahmins were asked to live at a minimum and devote themselves to pursue knowledge. Ref: Alvin Toffler, an American writer and futurist, “Hinduism propagated poverty as a virtue.”]

 – As a matter of fact, most of the oppression of dalits (lower caste Hindus) was committed by the land-owning class (Zamindars) and not by Brahmins. OBCs also oppressed the dalits. But Brahmins became the scapegoat.

 – Do you know the priestly class among Brahmins are only 20% of Brahmin population?  Some of them might have been greedy or villains, as the priests in any other community/religion. (However, in the small state of Kerala, Namboodiri Brahmins were rich due to a different sociopolitical system.)

 – Nobody asked non-Brahmins not to read. Brahmins by and large are in pursuit of knowledge. This made them powerful (not in material way). This stems jealousy among others. Whose fault is it anyway?

If the reading and writing was confined to Brahmins or if education were open only to the Brahmins then how do you have Valmiki composing Ramaayana or Thiruvalluvar composing Thirukkural? Or the numerous works on bhakti by non-Brahmin bhakti saints etc? Brahmins never prevented others from learning.

-The most powerful of the dharma shaastra is the Manusmriti written by Manu. It is the only scripture that gives Brahmins a high status. But Manu was not a Brahmin – he was a kshatriya.

 Gita, that describes caste system, was written by Vyasa, who was born to a backward caste fisherwoman. Brahmins and Gotra All ancient literature give highest position to Brahmins, because of the virtue and ethics they upheld.

 The poor helpless Brahmins were beheaded by Arabian invaders, crucified in Goa by the Portuguese Inquisition, vilified by British missionaries, and morally crucified today by their own brothers and sisters. Did anybody fight back?

 In modern India, Pundits, the original inhabitants of Kashmir were tortured and driven out of their dwellings in Kashmir by Islamic militants trained in Pakistan. Genocide of Kashmiri Pundits has reached its climax with  terrorism succeeding in ‘CLEANSING’ the valley of this ancient ethno-religious community.

 To escape persecution, more than 500,000 Kashmiri pundits had to leave their homes in the Valley and out of that, more than 50,000 are still languishing in uninhabitable refugee camps in Jammu and Delhi.

Militants killed a lot of pundits and raped their women. Can you show me a single pundit who involved in violence to fight back?

 – Dr. Ambedkar, the father of Indian constitution, quoting Muslim historians, says the first act of religious zeal by Mohammad bin Qasim, the first Arab invader, was circumcision of Brahmins. “But, after they objected, he put all above the age of seventeen to death.

” During invasions, forced conversions and Mughal periods, hundreds and thousands of Brahmins were beheaded. Can you show a single instance of a Brahmin killing a human being in any other religions?

 – When the Portuguese came to India, St. Xavier wrote to the king of Portugal, his patron, “If there were no Brahmins, all pagans would be converted to our faith.” He hated them with a hatred that evangelists alone are capable of. He called them a “most perverse people.” Brahmins became a persecuted people.

 Thousands of Konkani Brahmins (Gauda Saraswat Brahmins) were persecuted and left Goa. They lost everything. Was there any GS Brahmin to fight back?

 -Did you also know that most rickshaw pullers in Banaras are Brahmins? Did you know that you also stumble upon a number of Brahmins working as coolies at Delhi’s railway stations? 50 per cent of Patel Nagar’s (New Delhi) rickshaw pullers are Brahmins.

75 per cent of domestic help and cooks in Andhra Pradesh are Brahmins. There is no reason to believe that the condition of Brahmins in other parts of the country is different. The percentage of Brahmins that live below poverty line is almost 60.

 – Thousands of Brahmins kids immigrating to US for jobs and they make good software engineers or scientists. Why didn’t the government of India think about such brain drain that too when India lacks manpower?

 – The per capita income of various communities as stated by the Karnataka state finance minister in the state assembly sometime back: Christians Indian Rupees (Rs) 1,562, Vokkaligas Rs 914, Muslims Rs 794, Scheduled castes Rs 680, Scheduled Tribes Rs 577 and Brahmins Rs 537.

 – At Tamil Nadu’s Ranganathaswamy Temple, a priest’s monthly salary is Rs 300 (Census Department studies) and a daily allowance of one measure of rice some time ago. The government staff at the same temple receive Rs 2,500 plus per month. But these facts have not modified the priests’ reputation as ‘haves’ and  ‘exploiters.’

 Even if we agree hypothetically what we had learnt under the colonial-missionary aegis that Brahmins were oppressors, can a civilized society accept the way politicians behave with Brahmins? If your forefather had committed a crime why should you be punished?

Some Brahmins certainly would have manipulated caste system. It may be true that the past is not a clean tale for entire Brahmin community. A minority Brahmins hands may have covered in blood as it can be. And yes, it’s a closed community who don’t allow easily outsiders inside their homes and don’t maintain any sort of interactive relationships outside the community.

 But should we generalize the whole community for the mistakes done by a small section among them? Didn’t we forgive those foreign invaders from Arabia who killed hundreds and thousands of Indians and destroyed entire ancient Vedic  culture and looted the rich India? (Remember India was the richest nation before foreign invaders reached here)

 How long do we stereotype people? Why the hatred? An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind.

 Being a Brahmin in India seems to be a double-edged sword. If a Brahmin succeeds, then his entire caste will be perceived as privileged and not in need of assistance.

 But if a Brahmin commits any aberrant deed, his faults will be projected onto his entire community, leading to more public condemnation of the entire Brahmin caste. The moment Brahmins were able to do something about it, the whole society turns and gangs up on them to prevent them from getting what they deserve claiming that Brahmins suppressed them in the past – as if as miniscule and non-violent a community as the Brahmins could have kept these horrors away from wealth and power or anything leading to it.

 The world has a very short memory. The world has forgotten the contribution made by Brahmins to our society. It was not just learning Vedas, Maths, Astronomy and political science, but the sacrifice they have done for entire human kind by developing Ayurveda, Pranayama, Kamasutra, Natyasastra and Yoga. If Brahmins were selfish, they would have patented all those things.

 If Brahmins were selfish, they would have put at least their byline below those thousands of ancients scripts. Brahmins sacrificed their life for the well-being of human being with a single motto that: “Loka Samastha Sukino Bhavantu” ( May all the beings in all the worlds be happy)

 In turn, the world is trying to crucify them, for no fault of them.

 The intended or actual meaning of Brahmin is one who has knowledge about Brahman, the ultimate and impersonal divine reality of the universe from which all being originates and to which it returns.

The very concept of Brahmanism is so noble and attractive that it is time that we decided to keep it above dispute. There have always been deliberate attempts to confuse the concept of Brahmanism with the caste of Brahmins in India. Let us understand the simple fact that all members of the Brahmin caste are NOT Brahmins. Similarly, all Brahmins need not necessarily belong to the Brahmin caste.

 Going by our classics and epics, it is very clear that the original Brahmins were definitely the ones that would command respect in any society. Brahmanism had a clear belief that the knowledge is power in the real sense.

Brahmacharya which means a discipline followed with specific purpose of understanding the senses and thus taking control of the senses. Brahmanism also wanted that the peace should be all-encompassing, all creatures and all belief systems and all regions.

Modern Brahmins having abandoned their traditional way of life and being cut off from their traditions, suffer from an unjustified guilt complex and have swallowed this suppression propaganda uncritically.

Caught between the greed of the masses, the unscrupulousness of the politicians and the malice of the real exploiters, they are persecuted mercilessly in modern India.

 Are Brahmins not humans? Don’t Brahmins desire comforts, luxury and wealth for themselves and their near and dear ones, the way all people do?