TRIBUTES TO THE REVOLUTIONARY JOURNALIST-WRITER V. T. RAJSHEKAR

(17.07.1932 – 20.11.2024) 

A.  JAISON, MA.,B.L.,

Writer, Ambedkarite & Social Activist/

Member, Social Justice Monitoring Committee,

Govt of Tamil Nadu

94430 99600

21 November, 2024

“The outside world hardly knows that in India there is a 3000 year old problem called Untouchability. And when you come to know the real facts, you will be in tears.”

-V. T. Rajshekar

 DALITS: THE BLACK UNTOUCHABLES OF INDIA

Uniqueness of Dr.B.R.Ambedkar’s Writings and Speeches to influence everyone

Nothing could have had an everlasting impact in my life but the life and mission of Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar with his passionate and powerful writings and speeches!  Dhananjay Keer, the biographer of Dr.B.R.Ambedkar, while highlighting the power of his appeal to the Depressed Classes and differentiating it from that of other social reformers, in his own style, has opined thus: “Gandhi’s appeal was directed to the hearts of the caste Hindus; Savarkar’s appeal moved their intellect and pricked their conscience! But Ambedkar’s appeal to the Untouchables, like that of the Shakespearean characters, moved from heart outwards while that of other reformers went from skin inwards, never touching the hearts of the Depressed Classes.”  In 1979 (in my 20^th year),   I had the privilege of coming across the small pieces of books in English as published by Bhagwan Das (Editor of Selected Thoughts of Dr.Ambedkar) and L. R. Balley of Bheem Patrika Publications and as a stranger to the golden thoughts of Dr.B.R.Ambedkar who is the matchless  ‘Babasaheb’ to the millions of downtrodden people, I was moved to relish the reading of each and every sentence of the greatest revolutionary. V. T. Rajshekar is one such a towering personality and revolutionary to have been influenced by Dr.B.R.Ambedkar!

My acquaintance with VTR

Almost in the same year, I was gifted to come across DALIT VOICE, the most popular and widely read magazine dedicated to the uplift of Dalits facing the onslaughts from the inhuman, merciless and fanatic Caste-Hindus who have been profanely wedded to the menacing Sanatanic ideas, ideals and dogmas. I have had the privilege of interacting with the Editor of Dalit Voice Mr.V.T.Rajshekar Shetty (Vontibettu Thimmappa Rajshekar) as he was known then and who later came to be known as V.T.Rajshekar and affectionately called as VTR for quite sometime. DALIT VOICE became the voice of VOICELESS during the last 50 years of his noble life and being an English publication it has gained popularity not only in India but also internationally. While he initially published the books in his original name,  he had later chosen to drop ‘Shetty’ from his name and all the subsequent publications and Reprints have been only in the name of V. T. Rajshekar.  He wanted to tell the world that his words and deeds, unlike that of certain dirty politicians and heartless casteists, go hand in hand! 

VTR, the ethical Journalist to write critically

Prior to launching DALIT VOICE, he had been a journalist in Indian Express for 25 years. Unlike the godi media of last one decade, he was a man of journalistic ethics and his unquenchable thirst for social justice for Dalits forced him to quit Indian Express. Gandhiji said, “Journalism should never be prostituted for selfish ends or for the sake of merely earning livelihood or, worse still, for amassing money” and the godi media’s duties are abysmally contrary to this. VTR has set a high standard for journalism.  All along his public life, he has spoken truth, despite it being bitter. Ms.Alison Hills, a British Philosopher has given a code as to how the journalists should work: “Truth does matter, and objectivity and impartiality should matter.  We must then ask the question: Are journalists fulfilling their role as watchdogs of public affairs, the government and institutions? And is the news industry adhering to following ethics?”  VTR personified journalistic ethics unmindful of the cost he had to suffer.

Highlighting the plight and misery of the untouchables and assailing the Hinduised press, V.T.Rajshekar writes, “When the whole word outside his community is hostile to him, when there is no press to support his cause, no writer to blow his trumpet, how can he ever make his voice heard? It is not even heard inside.  So the Indian untouchables are languishing – unsung, unwept.  When they have no voice inside their country, how can they be heard outside?”

No disconnect between the words and deeds of VTR

Mr.K.Ashok Vardhan Shetty, I.A.S (Rtd) and former Vice Chancellor of Indian Maritime University, who personified social justice during his Civil Service in Tamil Nadu and who is one of the leading torch-bearers of social justice and empowerment of the Dalits and other deprived people of India,  has recalled that when his community people asked VTR if he would marry his only son off to a SC girl, VTR had not just said ‘yes’ but he ‘did’ what he said!  He adds further, “V.T.Rajshekar is my mother-in-law’s elder brother. He has left a deep impression on my thinking and worldview, especially with regard to matters of social justice and oppression of Dalits.  It was under his influence that I read Dr.B.R.Ambedkar’s Volumes of Writings and Speeches. We need more people like VTR from other communities to take up Dalit cause.” But unfortunately, we have only a negligible number of  other caste people to take up the cause of the Dalits and among this negligible number, most of their words and deeds fail to go hand in hand with no connection between their lips and hearts!  Most of the leaders of the SCs & STs have been trading on Dr.Ambedkar, Buddha and Buddhism ignoring the plight of their own people.

VTR’s power of speeches and writings for social cause and justice

VTR’s speeches and writings would always have a strong influence on any right thinking person.  In my young age, his powerful speeches and writings made a lasting influence on my thoughts, commitment and courage to act decisively.  His attack on Brahminism was overt and unequivocal! The Hindus, particularly the Brahmins have misunderstood him as was in the case of Dr.B.R.Ambedkar. Instead of correcting the mistakes in Hinduism/ Brahminism, they spewed venom on VTR.  As a staunch follower of Ambedkarian philosophy and deeply inspired by his uncompromised writings,  he firmly stood by what Dr.B.R.Ambedkar said about Brahminism: “The view that all Brahmins are the enemies of the Untouchables is erroneous.  What I hate is the men who are possessed with the spirit of Brahminism – the idea of high-caste and low-caste – which implanted the idea of pollution from human beings and implanted social privileges and inequality. A non-Brahmin filled with such ideas of highness and lowness, is as repellant to me as a Brahmin free from this spirit and sense of these privileges and unjust power is welcome to me.” Nobody in the last 50 years would have made as much vitriolic attack on the inequitable Brahminism as was done by VTR! He hated Hinduism and Brahminism for they preached and promoted discrimination, inequality and injustice in the Indian society and consequently stalled the all-round development of India.   

VTR had a flair and fire in his speeches while ruthlessly attacking the caste system and untouchability.  From his speeches, people used to find the power of bullets and dynamite to hit and blast the unethical and crude opponents. He lived a life of personification of fearlessness to wage a relentless war against casteism, untouchability, religious fanaticism, superstitions and slavery of women. During the course of this war, he had never retreated, never fumbled but humbled his critics from every quarter and on every platform. Fear to State authority or state terrorism was anathema to him and this fearlessness has invited detention for him in 1986 under the notorious TADA (Terrorist and Anti-Disruptive Activities Act) Act with confiscation of his passport. Fighting for rights and waging constitutional war for rights of the marginalized, deprived and destitutes is a crime in the dictionary of state authorities/ state-sponsored terrorists and the anti-people political power-mongers but VTR never cared for it nor did he ever submitted or surrendered before the might of the State. 

VTR’s writings and speeches were agitating and revolting and  always without mincing words.  He used to call ‘Spade a Spade’ and was a dare devil to the Hindu sanatanists. Giving proper title to the books is one of the fine qualities of a prolific writer, that too for one who is thirsty for social equity, social justice and social empowerment. Out of all his books, some are uniquely special for their attractive and thought-provoking titles exposing the cancerous evils and symbolizing and revealing his revolutionary mind, viz., Apartheid in India: An International Problem, Aggression on Indian Culture, Brahminism in India and Zionism in West, Caste- A Nation within the Nation,  Dalits: The Black Untouchables of India, Destroy Caste System (Strategy for Revolution), Fight to Finish Hindu Nazis or Surrender,  Hindu Serpent and Muslim Mongoose, How Marx Failed in Hindu India, India As A Failed State, India’s Intellectual Desert, Merit My Foot, Who is Ruling India?, etc.  His writings have always aroused the feeling of spontaneous and rebellious fight for justice.

VTR believed in surgical treatment for India’s social malady

Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar never believed in the cosmetic touches to the age-old social-wounds but a surgical treatment and his speeches throughout life were in tune with this. He has thundered, “Lost rights are never regained by begging and appeals to the conscience of the usurpers but relentless struggle” ; “Goats are used for sacrificial offerings and not lions.”  He had never lost his cool but with knowledge and wisdom made vitriolic attacks against his bitter critics and opponents as well as the social evils. His unbridled, unadulterated and uncompromising thoughts of genuineness for the oppressed sections of the society have made an indelible mark in the life of VTR. Having been influenced by the flaming thoughts of Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar, and over-annoyed with the unabated atrocities and injustice that were perpetrated and systematically  unleashed against the hapless Dalits, V T Rajshekar had gone one step further and mercilessly but spontaneously unleashed harsh and ruthless statements against the devilish Brahminism, Sanatanism, pervading superstitions, and other nauseating and abhorring systems and customs plaguing the Indian society which has suppressed and subordinated itself before the world arena despite having the enormous and invaluable human resources but remaining divided, scattered and polluted.

VTR, an intellectual terror – Tributes to VTR

Intellectually, he was a terror to the social-terror! Political terror combined with economic terror against the social terror is always hard to fight but unrelenting VTR has always made a spirited fight.  It is he who has internationalized dalit issues through his DALIT VOICE and gave currency to the word Dalit during his last 50 years of his noble life for noble causes.     

Social reformers and great men are always neglected or uncared for  during their life time but praised and adorated after their demise.  To quote Mimnermus, the Greek poet, “We are all clever enough at envying a famous man while he is yet alive and at praising him when he is dead.”  This quote is very much applicable to Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar, Pandit Iyothidas, Rettaimalai Srinvasan, M.C.Raja, M.Sivaraj, Mahadev Govind Ranade, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Savitribai Phule, Jogendar Nath Mandal, Ayyankali, Periyar E V Ramasamy and others and in this list VTR undoubtedly needs to be added. To the caste-Hindus, Sanatanists and the political establishment he was a serpent in their polluted gardens whereas to the Dalits and the marginalized people he has been a true  emancipator! History will always remember him and his writings will continue to inspire the Dalits, the marginalized and those who aspire for social justice  and  social  empowerment.   Long Live the great soul V. T. Rajshekar!

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