(Courtesy: Dalit Voice)
Former President Zail Singh, who died recently, belonged to the carpenter jati in the Sikh community. A Sardarji journalist gives the following description of the dead Backward Caste Sardarji.
The legend of Giani Zail Singh’s rise from the humblest of beginnings was certainly a “hut to Rashtrapati Bhavan” rather than a “rags to riches” story. From the one who stitched clothes, did an artisan’s and a carpenter’s job and ploughed through the fields in formative years, he rose to become the seventh President of the country in 1982. (Hindustan Times Dec.26 1994).
How did such a “low caste” carpenter, born in a mud hut. reach such heights of Rashtrapati Bhavan? This is a very important question because when millions and billions of low born” people like him die unsung and unwept, how did Zail Singh alone make this solitary climb?
Slaves enjoying their slavery: Answer to this involves an important philosophical principle that governs the Brahminical Social order (BSO). The greatness of BSO is it not only does not come in the way of “individual salvation” but many a time goes out of the way to promote such solitary climb like the one accomplished by Zail Singh. Since this magical mantra of “individual salvation” versus “collective salvation” is a vital part of the BSO that governs the whole Indian society it needs elaboration for the benefit of our slaves enjoying their slavery under the BSO.
Sant Bhindranwale is a cult figure in Punjab today loved, respected and worshipped by the masses of Sikhs. It was he who fought and died for the “collective salvation” of Sikhs. But did he get such quick promotions like Zail Singh?
Sant Bhindranwale was not a “low born” Sikh like Zail Singh, He was a Jat, the ruling class of Punjab. And yet why he was hated by the country s ruling BSO? Not only was he not favored but the angry BSO frowned upon him, dubbed him a terrorist-and launched a bloody Blue Star and. killed Bhindranwale along with thousands of innocent Sikhs in an Army action in 1984.
Puzzle of BSO: Why the BSO was so furious against the Sant but fancied the Giani (Zail Singh)? The answer to this question is the key to understand the puzzle of the BSO. Millions of Dalits, Backward Castes, Tribals and even Muslims have been made monkeys by this BSO because they could not solve this perplexing puzzle Hence the importance of this essay. The BSO philosophy, if Brahmanism can be called a philosophy, sanctions only “individual salvation” but abhors if not punishes those seeking “collective salvation”. This is the most important point.
What is individual salvation and what is collective salvation”?
Zail Singh sought “individual salvation” but the Sant sought “collective salvation”.
Awards & rewards: Zail Singh became Chief Minister in the Jat- dominated Punjab, then promoted to Union Cabinet and then elevated to the highest office of the land – President of India. He never found any roadblock. It was a smooth operation. He got many awards and rewards like this because he sought only his own ‘individual salvation. He never, ever thought of his oppressed Ramgariah (carpenter) Sikh community even for a moment, not to speak of the Sikh community as a whole.
Gen. Vaidya & Sunderji: When Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at the behest of the BSO sent the Army then headed by a Pune vaidik (Gen. Vaidya) and commanded by a Tamil papan (Gen. Sunderji), Zail Singh was the President of India. And the President of India is also the Commander-in- Chief of all the three wings of armed forces Army, Navy and Air Force. As a Sikh and also the President of India as well as chief of the armed forces, he could have simply stopped the use of army for internal attack (army is never used against citizens of a country) and that too against his own Sikh holiest shrine, Golden Temple or he could have dismissed n the PM.
Persecution of Sikhs: ButZail Singh kept mum. Since silence means consent, he endorsed the massacre of thousands of innocent Sikhs in the Army attack and the destruction of his own religious headquarters.
BSO likes such traitors to the com- munity. And that is why he could quickly worm his way up and end up as President of India. BSO likes such worms and wants more such betrayers. Another such person is today occupying the second highest office of India.
Why did the BSO crush and kill Sant Bhindranwale in the June 6, 1984 “Blue Star Operation”? (DV Edit June 1, 1984: “Hindu war against Sikhs in Punjab”). Because the Sant sought collective salvation for his entire com- munity which had suffered all sorts of humiliations, discriminations and persecutions at the hands of BSO. Not al single promise given to Sikhs by M.K. Gandhi, Nehru etc before independence was kept up by the rulers. The Sikh religion, language, place of worship and their identity suffered continuously. A whole community, so loyal to the BSO and described as “Hindu” by the upper caste rulers was suppressed.
Justice Tarkunde verdict: Even a Brahmin judge, Justice V.M. Tarkunde, himself says all this is in his Citizens for Democracy report the Blue Star: Oppression in Punjab — 1985. (Hindu Mazdoor Kisan Panchayat, 204 R.R. Roy Marg, Bombay-4). The Sant worked and fought to restore his suppressed communities lost self-respect and liberate it from BSO imperialism. That is why he was crushed and killed.
Zail Singh never, ever thought of his community or his own Ramgariah Sikhs.
Not only that. To improve his career he betrayed his community. That is why he was praised and pampered and finally buried in a comer reserved for rulers in Delhi..
All those who fight for the “collective salvation” of their community like Sant Bhindranwale will be called traitors, terrorists, anti-national, corrupt, and what not. And all those who betray their community and stab it in the back will get awards and rewards. Zail Singh’s is the latest example.
Sant Bhindranwale had to face all the above charges. But he never bothered. He fought bravely and died with a smile on his face And became a martyr. He lives in the hearts of every Sikh today not only in Punjab but the world over. The Sikh community has not seen a personality like Sant Bhindranwale after the last Sikh guru.
That sums up the personality of the two Sikh leaders: Zail Singh and Sant Bhindranwale. Some more examples may be necessary to further elaborate the thesis.
Babasaheb as “Father of India”: Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar is the most famous example of a person who sought “collective salvation” of his community Untouchables (Scheduled Castes 20%). And while striving to liberate his community, he did not forget the Scheduled Tribes (10%) and Backward Castes (35%). Nor did he forget Muslims (15%) Christians and Sikhs (5%). His famous book, Annihilation of Caste, is meant to liberate the Hindus (15%). That means Babasaheb Ambedkar worked and died for the emancipation of the whole country-not necessarily his own community. His was a glorious exception: a person of sterling character and a towering genius.
That is why Babasaheb has become India’s most limed person in the country by members of the BSO Babasahch is more hated today thy when he was alive. While his popularity is soaring sky high, and BabastdIeb has become the “Father of India” ranking nest only to Buddha, menthes of the BSO are heaping one after other abuse.
Jagjivan Ram as darling: but compare Babasaheb with another Untouchable Babu Jagjivan Ram. who became a darling of the 1150. He occupied Union Cabinet Minister’s position right from the day India became “independent” and retired as Deputy Prime Minister of India. And in the course of his cairn he also became a crorepati. But did he ever think of his community?
When Dalit converts to Buddhism from Maharashtra approached him in Delhi and requested him to put Buddhists under the Scheduled Caste list to avail reservation. Ram is reported to have rejected their plea and said they deserved to be punished for having heeded Babasaheb’s plea for conversion and followed Babasaheb into Buddhism. He was always in the company of DSO as its most obedient camp follower. In his village house in Arrah (Bihar) his was the only palatial house surrounded by huts of Charnels and into this house there was admission only to Brahmins. Such was his loyalty to the 850. Ram’s was India’s most famous classic case of seeking “individual salvation”. Poor man is forgotten.
Jinnah & And: There its also the case of Mohammad Ali Jinnah a man of spotless character and unquestioned leader of ensure Muslims and Montana Kalam Arad who was a stooge of the BSO and
BSO. The former was hated by the latter loved by the BSO How to seek “individual salvation”? Surrender to BSO and become its slave, you will be given anything you want: wine, woman, position, power. You ask, you get it. You can indulge in any amount of corruption. You can do highway robbery, steal, smuggle. get involved in any type of scandals. Nothing will happen. You will be fully protected by the BSO and its brahmanical “national” toilet papers. Tamil Nadu example: Look at the Cut Throat in Madras, How can a temple-piper jati (Backward Caste) fellow amass so much of money? Reach such heights? Because he has been a slave of the BSO.
Once you surrender and become a slave of the BSO all your sins will be covered, buried.
For this you have to betray your community, forget your people and become corrupt, characterless, un- scrupulous, a traitor. BSO loves such characters and wants more such characters.
That is why BSO is today encouraging all-round corruption, all varieties of corruption.
There are several kinds of corruption. Money corruption is a small part of this world of corruption. The most important corruption is intellectual corruption. The other varieties are money corruption, caste corruption and moral corruption.
Some people tell us that there is nothing wrong in “compromising” our principles if the BSO can offer us some position and power which in turn may help us to do good to our community.
This is just an argument which can’t be supported by any good example. None of the fellows who “compromised their principles” by surrendering to BSO and thereby coming to power has done any good to their community. At least we have not come across any such case.
The point we are driving at is that a person belonging to an oppressed community must work for the “collective salvation” of his community. Not for his “individual salvation”.
For “individual salvation” there is absolutely no obstacle. On the other hand BSO will offer every facility.
Members of the BSO, particularly vaidiks always work for their “collective salvation”. But tell us to seek “individual salvation”.
By availing BSO facilities which are available in plenty, an individual of the oppressed community, whether he be a SC/ST/BC or Muslim/ Christian/Sikh, will be doing tremendous harm to himself and more so to his community.
Traitors: The society and history would remember those who worked and died for the “collective salvation” of a community. Those who sought “individual salvation” will be hated by the community and called betrayers and traitors.
We want our people to work for “collective salvation” which will certainly invite the wrath of the BSO. It will launch its war and violence. Sama, dana. bedha, danda one after the other. The one who passes this test will be loved by the community and will find a permanent place in their hearts and a niche in history.
We need such Babasaheb Ambedkars and Quaide Azad Jinnahs Sant Bhindranwales, Mahatma Phules, Periyar E.V. Ramaswamys. Ram Manohar Lohias.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 10, 1995
