Obituary: V.T. Rajshekhar – Titan of Dalit rights and intellectual thought

Mourning the loss of Rajshekhar is also time to celebrate his monumental legacy, not only for his documenting injustices but also sparking a dialog that will hopefully lead to lasting change

By Iftikhar Gilani

In the complex mosaic of India’s social landscape, few have left such an indelible mark as V.T. Rajshekhar, the formidable Dalit intellectual, writer and journalist who recently passed away at the age of 92.

In the late 1990s, after a press conference at his residence, Ram Vilas Paswan, the then Railway Minister in India, introduced me to a man who was to have a profound impact on my understanding of India’s complex social fabric.

He was V.T. Rajshekhar, a well-known Dalit intellectual, writer and journalist. Dressed in a simple white shirt and a shalwar, I initially thought he was a political figure.

My acquaintance with Rajshekhar in absentia began during my college days in Sopore in the Kashmir Valley through his influential magazine “Dalit Voice”, which was regularly sent by post to one of my uncles who had left the city long ago to pursue education and career.

This magazine was my window into the realities of the complicated social fabric, caste and Dalit politics in India — a world that Rajshekhar relentlessly documented and criticized.

His journalistic career began in 1959 with the Bangalore-based “Deccan Herald newspaper, followed by a 25-year stint with the “Indian Express”.

His deep understanding and commitment to fighting caste-based discrimination led him to found “Dalit Voice” in 1981.

The magazine quickly became the most widely read and controversial publication on social injustice in India, unflinchingly tackling issues such as Hinduism, Zionism and other global political ideologies.

Through “Dalit Voice”, Rajshekhar became a unique, vocal voice in the 1980s and 1990s, championing the cause of Dalits and proposing solutions to their systemic oppression.

His fearless approach drew the ire of many, which led to his passport being revoked in 1986, his arrest under the draconian anti-terrorism law TADA and multiple imprisonments for sedition.

Rajshekhar’s scholarly work was extensive with over 100 books and monographs on caste, politics, economics and religion.

His notable works include “Cast a Nation Within the Nation”, which won the LISA International Award in 2005, and “Dalit, The Black Untouchables of India”, a seminal work internationally recognized for its incisive analysis of Indian social structures.

Despite the closure of “Dalit Voice” in 2011 under intense pressure from Hindu nationalist groups, Rajshekhar’s legacy as a fighter for Dalit rights remains indelible.

His writings highlighted how caste functions as an omnipresent force influencing every aspect of Indian society — from politics and law to religion and culture.

Challenged status quo

Rajshekhar repeatedly challenged the status quo and highlighted the plight of Dalits who continue to be marginalized despite constitutional guarantees of equality.

He criticized the foreign researchers for ignoring the realities in India.

The same people who raise their voices against discrimination against Blacks in the U.S. and against racism in South Africa turn a blind eye to the plight of Dalits, who he described as the Black untouchables of India.

According to Rajshekhar, most foreign sociologists, when they visit India, remain in touch with the upper castes, who constitute 15% of the total population. They never let them pursue the painful realities of the Dalits.

His work highlights the irony of a community that makes up a significant part of the population but has little presence in the media and little representation in higher government offices.

Even today, Dalit grooms in the villages are forbidden to ride horses in processions. They are also denied access to village wells and temples.

In response to these exclusions, separate temples have been built for them to ensure that they remain within the prescribed Hindu social boundaries.

In a notable incident in 2003, P.L. Punia, a senior civil servant and Dalit Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh — India’s largest state — faced discrimination when he tried to build a house in his native village.

He was only allowed to build his house within a designated Dalit neighborhood.

Jagjivan Ram, a prominent Dalit leader, holds the record for the longest tenure in ministerial office in India’s political history.

He served as defense minister during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war and was deputy prime minister from 1977 to 1979. He also held ministerial positions in the Nehru and Indira Gandhi governments.

It is reported that he used to carry his own glass to cabinet meetings because he was not served tea in the same cups as his colleagues due to caste prejudice.

In many police establishments, there are separate kitchens and dining halls to accommodate the differences between castes when a police officer from a higher caste refuses to eat with his superiors from a lower caste.

Rajshekhar points out that religious advocacy of untouchability and atrocities against Dalits are so deeply ingrained that even when Dalit girls are subjected to the Devadasi ritual — where they are consecrated in temples — no women’s rights organizations protest.

These girls are made to dance and sing hymns in the temples and entertain unmarried priests all their lives.

Drawing parallels with racial injustices in other countries, he said that a Black woman in America can work in a white household, while the presence of a Dalit woman in an upper caste kitchen in India is unimaginable.

He also criticized the tokenistic nature of the reservation policy, which failed to bring Dalits into decision-making positions.

In one of his more thoughtful critiques, Rajshekhar addressed the hypocrisy within the Indian left, which professed egalitarian ideals but often reflected the caste prejudices it claimed to despise.

His advocacy transcended national boundaries and challenged the international community to recognize and respond to the ethnic hatred that plagued India – a sentiment often overlooked in global human rights discourses.

Rajshekhar’s life was a testament to the power of resilience and the pursuit of justice. His unwavering commitment to the Dalit cause and his intellectual contributions have left an indelible mark on the fabric of Indian society and the global understanding of caste oppression.

As we mourn his passing, we also celebrate his monumental legacy that continues to inspire us and make us think about a more just world.

His journey was not only about documenting injustice, but also about sparking a dialog that will hopefully lead to lasting change.