The Indian Express published a transcription of the interview its Editor-in-Chief, Shekhar Gupta had with Milind Kamble, founder of the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI) and Chandra Bhan Prasad, its mentor,(Walk the Talk, IE,June11,2013) under the headline, " Capitalism is changing caste much faster than any human being.Dalit should look at capitalism as a crusader against caste."
Kamble and Prasad made some comments and statements which highlight how the lives of Dalits are changing for the better after 66 years of Independence. The affirmative action included in the Constitution of India by the founding fathers has borne fruit by empowering SC & ST with education. The Constitution had envisaged reservation for 10 years, and now these Dalit businessmen tells us reservation has outlived its utility.
It is tribute to the Indian democracy and its Constitution that today 10 percent enterprises (1,64,000) registered with the Ministry of Micro,Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) are owned by Dalits. The largest enterprise which is affiliated to the Dalit Chamber is by Rajesh Saraiya ,who hails from Sitapur (UP). His company is registered in London,Ukraine and six other countries, and his company has a turnover of Rs.2000 crore.
Dalits and Tribals are the most oppressed people in this country, and today they are part of the Rising India. This is the real India story.
Dr.B.R.Ambedkar had exhorted dalits to educate, agitate and organize to find their place in society. Education is a liberating force, so also enterprise. Kamble and Prasad are right that capitalism can destroy caste and discrimination more than Marx and state capitalism.
June 13, 2013.
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Kamble and Prasad made some comments and statements which highlight how the lives of Dalits are changing for the better after 66 years of Independence. The affirmative action included in the Constitution of India by the founding fathers has borne fruit by empowering SC & ST with education. The Constitution had envisaged reservation for 10 years, and now these Dalit businessmen tells us reservation has outlived its utility.
It is tribute to the Indian democracy and its Constitution that today 10 percent enterprises (1,64,000) registered with the Ministry of Micro,Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) are owned by Dalits. The largest enterprise which is affiliated to the Dalit Chamber is by Rajesh Saraiya ,who hails from Sitapur (UP). His company is registered in London,Ukraine and six other countries, and his company has a turnover of Rs.2000 crore.
Dalits and Tribals are the most oppressed people in this country, and today they are part of the Rising India. This is the real India story.
The comments made by these Dalit businessmen are worth pondering:
SG : So markets have become bigger than caste, bigger than Marx.
CBP : Yes, Bigger than caste, bigger than Marx, bigger than everybody because in this market place,only your ability is respected.
SG: Let me put this metaphorically.If market is bigger than Marx, is market a better equaliser than Marx, is the market a better equaliser than Mayavati?
CBP: Most certainly. So far, we held a belief that only an individual can liberate society. Now we see that there is an economic process, that capitalism is changing caste much faster than any human being. Therefore,in capitalism verses caste, there is battle going on and Dalits should look at capitalism as crusader against caste.
Dr.B.R.Ambedkar had exhorted dalits to educate, agitate and organize to find their place in society. Education is a liberating force, so also enterprise. Kamble and Prasad are right that capitalism can destroy caste and discrimination more than Marx and state capitalism.
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