Touring NRI lawyer-activist arrives to spread message against casteism
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, July 05 2014 :
Mounting pressure on the government, Senior Indian Lawyer KK Sarachandra Bose is on a pioneering all-India expedition to spread the message against casteism and root out the deep old malady from the nation.
Dubai-based Bose, who has served a mandatory notice on the Government of India to eradicate the caste system by this calendar year, is going ahead with his 40-day Bharat Yatra that began on June 9 from Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of his native Kerala state.
Along with a team of 34 volunteers, the sexagenarian is addressing people across the states before reaching Delhi mid-July, traversing a distance of almost 14,000 km.
All along his way, Bose has been freely distributing his book "Caste Away! India, Hinduism & Untouchability".
The 208-page work brought out in November 2013 is in fact a 13-month mandatory notice he has served on the Government of India for Constitutional Reform to eradicate the caste system from the country on or before 31 December 2014 .
Bose, who has been practising law in the Gulf for three-and-a-half decades and is a member of the International Bar Association, is carrying over 10,000 copies of the book for free distribution.
"I'm happy that some philanthropists and well-wishers have offered to print several thousand books also for disbursal without charging anything," he adds.
In fact, anyone can access the electronic printable version.
Caste Away, which is supported by 40 years of research, has already been handed out to the President of India, the Prime Minister, all Members of Parliament, besides chief ministers, legislators, judges of the Supreme Court as well as several High Courts and lower echelons of the judiciary.
It has also gone to the United Nations Secretary-General, Heads of States of different countries, intellectuals and the media among others.
As for its content, Bose whose itinerary also included Port Blair says Caste Away attempts at reform through the Bhakti saints besides Raja Rammohun Roy's Brahmo Samaj, the tumultuous efforts of late Mahatma Gandhi and B R Ambedkar, among others.
Talking to reporters in Imphal, Bose said the country had no caste system even during Mahabharat period, and that it was non-existent even before 300 years.
"The caste system is a creation of the British (during their rule of India) supported by a few anti social elements in my country for pelf and power to divide and rule our fellow beings," he added.
Bose, who's Bharat Yatra is covering all state capitals and holding meetings in another 35-plus cities and towns, clarified that the expenses of the road trip are completely self-sponsored.
"I do not depend on any organisation or political party whatsoever, though I'm happy many among them are supporting my cause.
I bank on my own conviction and more importantly the book," he says.
In fact, the Bharat Yathra (slated to conclude in Delhi on July 18) had its prelude of sorts at the Kerala level earlier this summer.
"I had carried out a 'Jathi Nirmarjana Bodhavatkarana Sadesha Yathra' across the length of the state for six days from March 9.It was highly encouraging," Mr Bose recalls.
"I led a 31-member team which made several stops (pre-announced and impromptu) at several stops where people gathered in good numbers and listened to my speech and derived inspiration from its core message" .
Bose, who hails from a village in central Travancore and is a partner of a leading legal consultancy firm in Dubai, is a member of the Kerala High Court Advocates Association and Karnataka Bar Council.
He is also associated with the Legal Affairs Department of the Government of Dubai, is a visiting professor in International Business Law and a legal columnist in several publications.
He chairs Global Dialogue Foundation and the "Unity in Diversity" under the auspices of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.
"Eradication of caste may sound a bit over-ambitious for my compatriots at large, but then my missions have always been driven by absolute faith in realising the goal and a great sense of optimism," he says.
"I request you to strengthen my campaign and realise its ultimate goal" .
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