Dalit writers said that the sixth national Dalit Sahitya Sammelan, which concluded in Bagalkot on Sunday, provided a platform to raise crucial issues related to the community.
The two-day event was organised by the Dalit Sahitya Parishat to discuss many civic/social issues.
However, while a section of people felt that the event did not gain significance at the national level, the writers said that the mere presence of people was not a criterion to term the event national or not.
Dalit writer B.M. Puttaiah, who participated in the event, told The Hindu that though a limited number of people attended, the issues discussed were of national-level importance.
He, however, admitted that the issues raised should have been presented more effectively.
“When we talk of Dalit issues, we tend to confine it to their food habits such as eating beef. In reality, these are not the issues primarily faced by Dalits. Socio-economic backwardness of the community is the main issue. More discussion should be held on this and efforts made to find a solution,” Mr. Puttaiah asserted.
Meanwhile, during the event, the writers unanimously opposed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s proposal to revisit the reservation system in the country.
They also opposed the shrinking space for rationalists in the society and the murder of writer M.M. Kalburgi.
Apprehension
L. Hanumantaiah, president of Kannada Development Authority, expressed apprehension over the Dadri incident and said right-wing elements may beat up even Dalits for consuming beef.
He called upon progressive thinkers, Dalits, backward and minority communities to join hand to fight anti-social elements, which were destroying the social fabric in the name of religion and nationalism.
‘When we talk of Dalit issues, we tend to confine it to their food habits’
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s proposal to revisit reservation system opposed
