Dalits, lower caste members of India, are not going to follow the example set by African Americans and fight for their rights due to a lack of unity and insufficient support from the majority of the country's population, Udit Raj, a former Indian lawmaker, told Sputnik in an Interview
NEW DELHI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th June, 2020) Dalits, lower caste members of India, are not going to follow the example set by African Americans and fight for their rights due to a lack of unity and insufficient support from the majority of the country's population, Udit Raj, a former Indian lawmaker, told Sputnik in an Interview.
"I do not think [that Dalits will fight for their rights], there could have been two things in India simultaneously, one is that Dalits should have been united, should have got a message of inspiration from Black people fighting in America and all over the world which I do not see and it is very much needed," Raj said, adding that the black community, which account for just 12 percent of the US' population, would not be able to achieve any success without the backing of the majority, but Dalits and tribal populations (26 percent of India's population) do not enjoy the same support.
According to former lawmaker, Dalits face even bigger inequality and discrimination in their own country than the African American community in the United States.
"The upper caste in India is not ready to acknowledge the discrimination which I find that discrimination is much larger and much deeper as compared to African Americans," Raj said.
The former lawmaker, who also serves as the chairman of the All India Confederation of scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Organisations, also said that there are not enough Dalit reporters to raise awareness.
"There are about 2,000 newspaper journalists from the black community [in the US] but in India, you do not find even a dozen Dalit journalists in the newspapers," the ex-lawmaker said.
Moreover, Raj added that 166-million Dalit community are underrepresented in all spheres, including economy, business, entertainment and sports.
"In America, for instance, in journalism, in business, in sports and many other fields Blacks are present there but in our country, in India, it is not the case. Like for instance, that there are five black billionaires in America and, in comparison, I do not find anyone [from the Dalit community] here ... And of course, in Hollywood, you see Blacks are [represented] much above their population. But we don't see such things in India," Raj said.
In addition, the former lawmaker also said that Hindus should follow the example set by white people all over the world when statues of slave traders were removed and get rid of ancient anti-Dalit scriptures.
"Certainly, in Mahabharata, Vedas, Puranas, [religious texts] in these scriptures, we find that social exploitation is there so they should have been burned, they should. In Ramayana [major Sanskrit epic], it is written that the Dalits deserve to be beaten up, it is very much obvious in Tulsidas Ramayana. Of course in Gita and Vedas it is also everywhere. So they (ancient scriptures) should have been burned and boycotted," Raj said.
According to the ex-lawmaker, the discrimination that Dalits face creates a bad image for India "in the eyes' of the world community and called on upper caste members to acknowledge the inequality.
At the same time, Raj said that the ongoing George Floyd protests and movement against systemic racism and police brutality in the United States will unite the American population and eventually make the country stronger.
"America will emerge stronger because the people there are demanding the inclusion of every community. So many things have changed now in America," Raj said.
The ex-lawmaker added that the white people "have sided" with the African American community and people are now united in their criticism of authorities.
"Whites have sided with Blacks and the US President [Donald] Trump will be facing a lot of wrath from Whites," Raj said.
Raj also said that despite the fact that protesters "defiled" US police and military, the country would still emerge stronger after demonstrations.
