Untouchables vs Aryans: The Battle for the Soul of India
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The lower castes have begun "The battle for the soul of India," asserts Dr. Kancha Ilaiah, Head of the Osmania University, India, and author of "Why I am Not a Hindu."
Ram (Udit) Raj, Assistant Commissioner for Income Tax in New Dehli, called one million "dalits" to rise up on November 4, 2001 and discard Hinduism - the source of India's hierarchical social system. His ambitious conversion rally was banned, but it began a nation-wide debate that has put Hinduism on notice. Hindu fundamentalist politicians are attempting to make conversions difficult, if not illegal. But will they succeed?
In its search for human equality India now resembles France before the French Revolution. Will the Neo-Buddhists discard the traditional Buddhist value of non-violence and take up arms to recover their human dignity? Can Buddhism fulfill the aspirations of the lower castes?
"Buddhism did reject caste," says Vishal Mangalwadi, the author of "Quest for Freedom and Dignity," but it accepted karma and reincarnation that explain and justify inequality. Buddhism does not provide philosophical foundations to eradicate inequality. Human equality is a distinctly Christian idea."
This news-commentary, co-directed and co-produced by Ivan Kostka and John Pudaite, explains one of India's most explosive issues.
Ram (Udit) Raj, Assistant Commissioner for Income Tax in New Dehli, called one million "dalits" to rise up on November 4, 2001 and discard Hinduism - the source of India's hierarchical social system. His ambitious conversion rally was banned, but it began a nation-wide debate that has put Hinduism on notice. Hindu fundamentalist politicians are attempting to make conversions difficult, if not illegal. But will they succeed?
In its search for human equality India now resembles France before the French Revolution. Will the Neo-Buddhists discard the traditional Buddhist value of non-violence and take up arms to recover their human dignity? Can Buddhism fulfill the aspirations of the lower castes?
"Buddhism did reject caste," says Vishal Mangalwadi, the author of "Quest for Freedom and Dignity," but it accepted karma and reincarnation that explain and justify inequality. Buddhism does not provide philosophical foundations to eradicate inequality. Human equality is a distinctly Christian idea."
This news-commentary, co-directed and co-produced by Ivan Kostka and John Pudaite, explains one of India's most explosive issues.