DICCI Seminar on Food Processing Industries – Opportunities for Scheduled Caste Entrepreneurs

 

DICCI Seminar on Food Processing Industries – Opportunities for Scheduled Caste Entrepreneurs

The Punjab Chapter of Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI) in cooperation with Ministry of Food Processing Industries of the Government of India hosted a one day Conference on Opportunities for SC/ST Entrepreneurs in Food Processing

Industries at Jalandhar on March 27, 2023. DICCI is an apex chamber to promote and facilitate dalit entrepreneurs with a view to establish an integrated and inclusive society in an equitable socio-economic order in the country and the society at large as visualised
by forefathers headed by Babasaheb Ambedkar. The website of DICCI, inter alia, states the purpose and motto of the Chamber, “The Pune-based Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI) was established in 2005 by Milind Kamble, a civil engineer and entrepreneur. While Mr. Kamble is currently the Chairman, the organization has grown with the help of 29 state chapters & 7 International Chapters. Its membership base is rapidly expanding as more Dalit entrepreneurs become aware of its activities and what it can offer them.

The activities of its members are quite diversified ranging from manufacturing (sectors such as chemicals, agri-products, frozen foods, plastics, textiles, pest control, metals and metallurgy, marine engineering, solar energy, sugar refining), construction and services (health care, hospitality industries, education and international trade).

DICCI’s tag line explains its philosophy and its raison d’être:
Be Job Givers – Not Job Seekers”. I feel happy in adding that Milind Kamle, Padam Shri Recipient is a dedicated social and educational activist, an acquaintance of ‘understanding and respect’. DICCI is doing an excellent service to the deprived and marginalized sections of the society.

The One-day event in Jalandhar was a well organized function on the theme “Opportunities for SC/ST Entrepreneurs in the Food Processing Industries. I participated in the function as a Guest of Honour, courtesy my friend Tilak Khinder. National Head of Sports and Allied Industries of DICCI and Head of the Punjab Chapter of the apex body, Rajesh Kumar. In the inaugural session, Tilak Khinder welcoming the guests and business participants said that they, under

Addressing the inaugural session

the aegis of DICCI, were trying their best to encourage and facilitate dalit businesses to join the main stream of the society. Referring to my diplomatic career and experience, I said in my brief remarks that DICCI was doing a wonderful job helping, facilitating and motivating the SC/ST businesspersons and cajoling them to stand up as equal partners and stake holders in the development of the society while earning their bread and butter with dignity.  It was a matter of satisfaction that more and more young business aspirants were joining DICCI and rightly so.

The Technical Session were all the more educative and informative – Charu Verma and Amit Kumar of SIDBI in their presentations informed about the facilities and services of SIDBI with regard to the SC/ST intended beneficiaries, Dr. Puneet Sharma of NSIC informed about the MSME, NSIC and SC/ST Hub activities with special reference to help SC/ST clients and informed that they help the SC/ST companies to participate in Exhibitions and Trade Fairs both within in India and abroad. It was also informed that they even help SC/ST business in Tendering for the Government procurements and also financial help to SC/STT students in pursuing higher education, Eisha Jassal of PAIC, Anubha Garg of Punjab Agro Export Corporation, Sunil Arora of Punjab Grameen Bank, M.R. Salan of Polytechnic Training Centre gave useful presentations and informed the attentive audience about the their activities and facilities with regard to entertaining SC/ST clients. Some of the interactive interventions by K.D. Singh, Chairman of Punjab Commission for Protection of Child Rights and Baldev Bhardwaj of Ambedkar Mission Society and a prominent social activist among other, made the session live and interesting for the benefit of the participants.

The closing session of the one-day conference was addressed by Hon’ble Punjab Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak, a well-meaning and

With Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak

socially dedicated politician. He informed about the two forthcoming agro-centers – one at Pathankot for Litchis and second at Hoshiarpur for Kinnows and promised all possible help to young entrepreneurs not only in the Food Processing Sector but otherwise too.  

The function was concluded with the Vote of Thanks by Tilak Khinder who was also one of the Senior Coordinators of the Conference. This narration will not be complete if I don’t mention Rajesh Kumar and Jagdish Dalia who ably steered the function with flair and style. With this, I take this opportunity to wish DICCI and the young SC/ST business aspirants all the best wishes in the days to come.

 

 

Seminar on National Education Policy, 2020 – Babasaheb Ambedkar College at Bootan Mandi in Jalandhar

 

Seminar on National Education Policy, 2020 – Babasaheb Ambedkar College at Bootan Mandi in Jalandhar

Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Government Co-education College at Bootan Mandi, my native place, in Jalandhar hosted a One-day Seminar on a topical subject - National Education Policy, 2020 and Institutional Preparedness on March 18, 2023. It fell on me to be Chief Guest at the inaugural function of the Seminar. I accepted the invitation with pleasure and with a sense of belonging.  The College, named after the greatest son of India, Babasaheb B.R. Ambedkar, was established
after a long struggle by the residents of Bootan Mandi and other stake holders and I was also one of them working on the backstage. I am grateful to Principal Dr. Chander Kanta and Convener of the Seminar, Dr. Harblas Heera for providing me yet another opportunity to participate in the Event to discuss and deliberate an important issue of concern and interest to the country and the society at large.

It was a well organized and graciously hosted function with Dr. Nilesh Arora, Director of USB at Chandigarh University as the Guest of Honour and the Key Note Speaker, Dean of Commerce and Business Studies at DAV University of Jalandhar, Dr, Gitika

Nagarath, Principal Dr. Chander Kanta, the Host and her associate, Dr. Harblas Heera on the High Table with me, a  non-academic humble citizen, as the Chief Guest. The audience comprised; the core of the faculty of the host College along with special invitees from the academic and intellectual circles in and around Jalandhar and the young students of the College. The Conference Room was full to capacity, a pleasant and satisfying visual. Principal Dr. Chander Kanta in her welcome remarks talked about the College, still in its infancy, and  that it was a matter of satisfaction that in a short span of time the College has registered itself as a good upcoming educational institute n the area and was on track. She added that it will be their duty to see that we make the College a ‘Centre of Excellence’ in due course with a view to justify the College, named after the Indian icon, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.  Dr. Nilesh Arora’s Key Note address was not only thought provoking but also educative and motivational. Commenting on the NEP, 2020, Dr. Arora said that the new policy has taken care of the much needed inputs to give impetus to ‘employability’ and pragmatic deployment of human resources. He also added that it was good that our policy makers have realized, of late, that ‘learning’ and ‘degree’ were two different things. He also appreciated the norms of ‘equity and inclusiveness’ underlined in the new education policy. In my brief remarks, I said that it was a matter of gratification that the purpose of my coming as a ‘learner and a student’ was fully met with the thought provoking and full of knowledge lecture of Dr. Nilesh Arora and presentations of the hosts of the Seminar, Dr. Chander Kanta and Dr. Harblas Heera who very ably conducted the session as the ‘Master of Ceremonies’. Underlining the motto – Educate, Encourage and Enlighten - of new NEP, I said that it was good to note that the new policy has duly recognized the much needed input ‘equity and sustainability’ in the educational framework. I concluded with a word of caution that the GOI and the Educational Administrator must alley the fears of ‘alleged high jacking the policy by some vested interests with sectarian agenda’ expressed in some quarters and added that the NEP should be a tool to prepare the younger generations to understand and attain the cardinal goals of –Equality, Justice, Liberty and Fraternity – so beautifully enshrined in our constitution by our forefathers headed by Babasaheb Ambedkar. 

The interactive aspect of the session was all the more interesting in which the attentive and discerning audience comprising both of young students and well placed academics and intellectuals participated. The Speaking Notes for my remarks may be seen in my Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=6284490444936360&set=a.148326871886112&notif_id=1679148820506297&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic&ref=notif

The brochure of the One-day National Seminar has rightly mentioned the purpose of the exercise and I quote, “The seminar has been conceptualized to outline the vision of the new education policy in India. The policy recognizes and identifies faculty as the heart of the learning process and will empower the teachers of India by bringing out various reforms for their recruitment, professional development, service conditions etc.” The wide range of ‘Discussion Themes’ listed for the brainstorming technical sessions of the Seminar would certainly provide fuel to the process of learning. The NEP, 2020 has rightly stipulated, “The NEP envisions an education system rooted in Indian ethos that contributes directly to transforming India that is Bharat sustainably into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society by providing high quality education to all, and thereby making India a global knowledge super power” I wish the new policy shows us the way and lead us to the cherished goal of making India a “Vishav Guru”. We are on rails, it seems.

 All said and done, I close this piece with yet another quote from the brochure of the Seminar which lists the agenda and vision of Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar Government Co-educational College, “The long term mission of this institution is to achieve and sustain excellence in teaching and enriching local as well as national communities. Being equipped with the facilities and quality staff, the college imparts high standard of education with affordable fee structures”. I take this opportunity to wish the College all success in the years to come. Our success in making this institution a ‘Centre of Excellence’ will be a befitting tribute to Babasaheb Ambedkar. My earlier write ups on the College may be accessed in my blogs and here I link the last one of December 18, 2021:

http://diplomatictitbits.blogspot.com/2021/12/ambedkar-government-college-bootan.html

 

Conclave on Conversion and Reservation

 

Conclave on Conversion and Reservation

Vishva Samvad Kendra and Gautam Buddha University hosted a two day Conclave on Conversion and Reservation on March 4-5, 2023 at the University at Greater Noida (Gautam Buddha Nagar (UP) with reference to the Justice K.G. Balakrishnan Commission on the issue of reservation to dalit converts to Islam and Christianity. The event was sponsored by the Indian Council of Social Sciences Research. I

participated in the Conclave, on an invitation by the organizers, as a delegate along with Who’s Who from the academic, intellectual, opinion makers, social activists from all over India. It was, indeed, as expected, a well organized event as a ‘brain storming exercise’ on the contemporary issue of concern and interest to the country and the society at large. Being a non-academic participant, I benefitted a great deal from the deliberations at the Conclave. I thought of sharing here some of my ‘take home’ impressions and reflections on the important issues of Conversion and Reservations for the benefit of wider audience.

  The relevant provision in the Indian Constitution (Scheduled Castes Order of 1950) stipulates that “no person who professes a religion different from the Hindu, the Sikh or the Buddhist religion shall be deemed to be a member of a Scheduled Caste.” It has been explained that the exclusion of Christianity or Islam from these provisions is due to the fact that the oppressive system of untouchability is not prevalent in the Christian or Islamic societies. However there has been a persistent demand for including the Scheduled Castes who have converted to Christianity or Islam be given the benefits of reservation.

The Central Government appointed a Commission in October, 2022

Vidya and Ramesh Chander with CJI KG Balakrishnan

under the Chairmanship of Justice K G. Balakrishnan (Former Chief Justice of India) with the following terms of reference;

(i) To examine the matter of according Scheduled Caste status to new persons, who claim to historically have belonged to the Scheduled Castes, but have converted to religion other than those mentioned in the Presidential Orders issued from time to time under Article 341 of the Constitution;

(ii) To examine the implications on the existing Scheduled Castes, of adding such new persons as part of the existing list of Scheduled Castes;

(iii) To examine the changes Scheduled Caste persons go through on converting to other religions in terms of their customs, traditions, social and other status discrimination and deprivation, and the implication of the same on the question of giving them Scheduled Caste status.

 

The organizers had indicated a number of relevant subjects on which the delegates were invited to submit papers viz.: 1. Scheduled Castes and Reservation – History, Evolution and Development.  2. Indian Constitution and Reservation 3. Consequences of Conversion 4. Abrahamic Religions: Caste and Reservation. More than 60 delegates submitted their papers on various subjects of choice which were thoughtfully copied and compiled in a folder and circulated by the hosts. My paper: Social Consequences of Conversion also included in the said compilation. It was informed that by the time the Conclave was held more than 150 papers were received which would be compiled and disseminated in due course. These details only indicate the relevance and importance of the issue; Conversion and Reservation. Later I posted it in my blog which may be accessed at: http://diplomatictitbits.blogspot.com/2023/03/social-consequences-of-conversion.html

 The Conclave, to my mind, duly justified this if we simply go by the level of participation and the in-depth deliberations at the two day event at the Dr. Ambedkar Auditorium of Gautam Buddha University, lush green and picturesque location in Greater Noida in the National Capital Region (NCR). The inaugural session of the conclave on March 4 was addressed by VC of Gautam Buddha University Dr. Ravindra Kumar Sinha, Alok Kumar of VHP, Former Minister and BJP leader, Sanjay Paswan and Former VC of Pune University and Member of the then Planning Commission now NITI Aayog, Dr. Narendra Jadhav who also Chaired the session. All the four dignitaries, made thought provoking statements with regard to the theme of the Conclave and set the ball rolling for the forthcoming Special sessions to be addressed by the experts, intellectuals, academics, social and political activists at Dr. Ambedkar Auditorium and Swami Vivekananda Conference Hall. Dr. Pravesh Kumar, one of the Coordinators of the Conclave steered the inaugural session as Master of Ceremonies with great ability and acumen. Yet another highlight of the first day of the conclave was the ZERO HOUR held

in the evening of March 4. Many of the delegates who did not get an opportunity to individually present their papers were given chance to have their say in an open session. I was one of the speakers at the Zero Hour. It was an honour to address the august gathering of the elite of the intellectual circles. Appreciating the emerging ‘oneness of thought’ at the conclave on the various issue under consideration, I congratulated the organizers for inviting me to the event. My humble intervention based on my speaking Notes posted in the Facebook may be seen at: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid04VGFAuxRU57r5k6V9J5E5vN1W9nHibVNLPkwGZ3jogWq6XRze9WC4k8UaAJLzgdhl&id=100001264001735&mibextid=Nif5oz

Besides going with the general thinking of the conclave, I mentioned in my brief intervention something different not to create any avoidable controversy but to put the things in perspective with regard to abolition of political reservations to dalits and reservation to OBCs and EWSs. The reasons for holding these views have been given firefly in my Speaking Notes available in the above link of the Facebook post of mine.

The concluding session held in the afternoon of March 5, gave a clear picture of almost unanimous thinking on the theme of the Conclave – Conversion and Reservation. Milind Kamle, Mentor of DICCI, Justice B. Siva Shankara Rao, and Retired Judge of the Telangana High Court and senior functionaries of RSS including Dr. Surinder Jain, Joint Secretary of RSS. Milind Kamle in his concluding remarks termed himself as the ‘Sipahi’ of Samrasta and argued against reservations to dalit converts to Islam and Christianity. Executive Officer of Vishva Sambad Kendra, Vijay Shankar Tiwari gave the Vote of Thanks. It was a highly educative and beneficial experience to be there. Some of my expressions and reflections of the Conclave are:

·       Government o India’s decision to appoint Justice K.G. Balakrishnan Commission on the issue of reservation to dalit converts to Islam and Christianity is a good and timely decision in the spirit of transparency and democracy and also – Sab Ka Sath; Sab Ka Vishwas and Sab Ka Vikas.

·       RSS leaders were cautious on the issue of reservations to the SCs in the Hindu fold and were candid that these reservations would stay till the scourge of untouchability and caste discrimination remain. The main stream of the Hindu society should not be oblivious of this ground reality.

·       Many of the delegates, duly and rightly so, appreciated that RSS and other cultural outfits have, of late, seen the writings on the wall and have decided to take on these, caste system etc., ills of the society head on and bring about the much needed Samrasta - an equitable social order in the society as stipulated in the constitution of India.

·       There was almost unanimity that reservations should not be extended to the dalit converts to Islam and Christianity as these religions have no caste based discrimination on the basis of which reservations were extended to dalits in the Hindu fold.

·       It was felt that it must be understood, the sooner the better, that these issues do not concern the dalits alone but to all the citizens of India and the society at large and should be dealt with as such.

·       It was clearly evident that, of late, it has been realized by the main stream of the Hindu society that India would not be able to become ‘Vishav Guru’ unless and until we establish a caste less society and bring about Samrasta in the society.

Let me conclude this piece with the hope that some of my views on political reservation, reservation to EWS and even OBCs are taken in perspective.  Samrasta and not reservations is the answer. Reservations tend to support and encourage graded inequality which has inherit ingredient of divisiveness, the very negation of equitable social order.

 

 

Social Consequences of Conversion

 

Social Consequences of Conversion

I am writing this paper on ‘Social consequences of conversion’ with regard to my participation in the Conclave on Conversion and Reservation being hosted by Vishwa Samwad Kendra and Gautama Buddha University on March 4-5, 2023. The Conclave is being held in conjunction with Justice K.G. Balakrishnan Commission on the issue of reservation to the dalit converts to Islam and Christianity.
The Commission would submit its report to the central government in due course. I am neither an expert on the subject and nor an academic but an alert common citizen with a long experience as a career diplomat would try to do my bit in this regard.  My take on the subject will not go to the theories and dictums propounded by academics, researchers and historians. I would confine myself to a simple narration of social impact or consequences of conversion, both socio-cultural and socio-religious, the two important aspects of conversion as I see happening around, particularly in India.

I am of the view that generally one remained what he or she was born. Only a microscopic number of people convert to another religion due to socio-cultural or socio-religious considerations. With regard to India, this fact is fully supported by our history. Right from the ancient times, the Indo-Aryan identity of Hindustan or India that is Bharat remained Hindu oriented as ‘way of life’. From the 11th century onwards with the advent of Mugals and other Islamic dispensations, religious persecution and coercive conversion to Islam did happen but it could not change the overall scenario of Indo-

Aryan identity and Hindu ethos. These facts have been duly recognized and registered by the researchers and historians. During the British Raj for about 200 years, some conversion to Christianity did happen, mostly in the Southern States of India, mostly on socio-economic considerations. But India still retained its Indo-Aryan identity with diverse Hindu traditions.

Till the partition of India – Pakistan and India at the dawn of independence from the British rule in 1947 on the basis of ‘Two Nation Theory’, Indian communities, Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, and Christians stood and worked together in the freedom struggle against the British. But owing to historical facts and compulsions, exploited to the hilt by the British rulers as a policy of ‘divide and rule’, Hindus and Muslims could not hold and stand together resulting in partition on the basis of religion. I would not go into these details here. The rationale and inevitability of Pakistan was duly analyzed and explained by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in his book ‘Thoughts on Pakistan’, a masterly treatise on the subject. 

India consciously and decisively chose to be a secular state with freedom of religion and faith as enshrined in the Article 25 of the constitution to be a liberal and open society with all its diversities, not that there was no demand and intention to make Bharat a Hindu nation by the hardcore right wing Hindus, the main stream of the society and the majority community. But we opted to be secular.

With this background, let us come to the theme, social consequences of conversion. Experts are of the view that Religious conversion gives new identity to the communities converted which in turn leads to social mobility. The effects of conversion are not limited to personal change but also social and cultural change. Religious conversion not only transforms individuals but also transforms society as a whole.

A conversion from one religion to another can have the following effects – inheritance rights, marital rights, and maintenance rights, guardianship rights while affecting the entire social and political landscape of the country concerned. Since conversion entails a wide spread change, sometimes not desirable, conversion has become a big and alive issue, of late. The main stream of the society, Hindus stand against conversion as asserted by RSS Sarsanghchalak, “Religious conversions result in exclusivity (and) take people away from their roots and origins. So we must try to prevent conversion.” The right wing Hindu outfits intend to arrest the alleged disproportionate increase in Muslim population by discarding the Muslim Personal Laws pertaining to marriage and divorce and stand for Uniform Civil Code while Muslims intend to retain Shariat laws and link their separate identity with Muslim Personal Laws. The Hindu point of view on the subject remained a candid one as ‘Conversions are the root cause of conflicts in the world. If there are no conversions in the world, then certainly there will be no conflicts.’ wrote MSN Menon in the weekly mouthpiece of RSS

  The issue of conversion remained a controversial issue not only in India but also in the world as a civilization challenge. Mahatma Gandhi was also not in favour of conversion and said, ‘Conversions are the cause of many an avoidable conflict.’  He believed all great religions were fundamentally equal and that there should be innate respect for them, not just mutual tolerance. He felt a person wanting to convert should try to be a good follower of his own faith rather than seek goodness in change of faith. Of late, the BJP governments in the States, fully supported by the central government in Delhi, intend to address the issue of conversion; particularly to Christianity and Islam which is taking place, as they view it, by illegitimate means of money, allurement and coercion.

It may not be out of place to mention that the only mass conversion took place in the contemporary times, was on October 14, 1956 when Babasaheb Ambedkar converted and embraced Buddhism along with several lakhs of the socially weaker sections of the Hindu society. He did his every best to set the house in order by reforming

the Hindu society of the graded inequality based on the laws on Manu to begin with but failed miserably even after bringing in statutory provisions in the constitution of India to end caste based discrimination. Ultimately, he decided to leave the Hindu fold and cajoled his followers to do so. The impact of Ambedkar converting to Buddhism would have been, to my mind, different and long lasting on the Indian society and social fabric, had he remained alive for more years. Babasaheb Ambedkar passed away, on December 6, 1956, soon after the historic conversion took place in Nagpur, the Deekshabhoomi. Ambedkar was an ardent Indian nationalist to the core. He studied various religions before opting for the Buddhism and took about two decades in fulfilling his public vow ‘not die as a Hindu’ he took in 935-36. He did not intend to upset the social and national edifice but to bring about reform and make the large chunks of the depressed and oppressed humanity equal partners with dignity. This thoughtful decision of Babasaheb, fully explained and justified, did not get any organized opposition from the main stream of the society, rightly or otherwise, it is still a matter of debate and research. He said that ‘There are two aspects of conversion; social as well as religious; material as well as spiritual’ and added in his emotional outburst “Conversion is not a game of children. It is not a subject of entertainment. It deals with how to make man’s life successful.” On the issue of dalits converting to Buddhism, a scholar and an expert on the subject, Prof. Satish Prakash, has said which tends to set the matter in perspective, “Hindus don’t convert to Islam or other religions en masse.  Only Dalits are inclined to leave Hinduism en masse, and are willing to say so publicly.”  It fully explains the socio-cultural and socio-religious impact and consequences of conversion. Over the decades after independence in 1947, the successive governments instituted studies of the issue of conversion and reservation to integrate the marginalized sections of the society with the main stream of the society as desirable in a democratic and secular polity and diversified society comprising of a mind boggling population of 140 crorers – Hindus (75% including SCs and STs with 22%), Muslims (18%) and around 7% of Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists etc.  In the process, Sikhs and Buddhists were included in the beneficiaries of reservation, a temporary measure of empowerment as an affirmative action, to the socially and educationally weaker sections of the society.

All said and done, as I said earlier, not as an expert but a layman without propounding any theories and statistics, let me conclude this with a sort of prognosis:-

·       Hindus, the main stream of the society, need not be apprehensive of any large scale conversion. They need to look inward and reform the society of caste based discrimination. Same is true for the Sikhs also who have also registered their resentment against the conversion activism of Christians.

·       It has been observed, in the Indian context, conversion has not resulted in any consequential socio-cultural change in the converts. They remained attached, physiologically and emotionally, to the main stream of the society in one way or the other.

·       Conversion so far, in the Indian context, has not made any dent on the demography of the country and it would remain so as analyzed by Pew Research Centre (PRC) and said, “The Muslim population's share would rise to 18.4%, whereas the share of the Hindu population would be 76.7% in 2050. This indicates no chance of having a higher Muslim population in India sooner or later.”

·       Reservations to the SCs and SCs have not done much in changing the mindset of the caste Hindus and even Sikhs and also of the OBCs (with regard to ill-treatment and oppression against dalits) with regard to the caste system. Reservations have helped, to some extent, in bettering the economic and educational status of SCs and STs as an empowering factor as an Affirmative action.

·       Since the reservations are a temporary measure, it should not be perpetuated much longer. There is no rationale to extend these facilities to Muslim and Christian converts as reservations have not served as an effective tool to end social discrimination.

India’s credentials as a “SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC” preserved and nurtured to maintain its

multi-racial, multi-cultural character. It would obliterate need of conversion and we will live in a just and equitable order that is Samrasta)

 

(Paper of Ambassador Ramesh Chander for Conclave on Conversion and Reservation held on March 4-5, 2023 att Gautam Buddha University  at Greater Noida (UP)