NRI lawyer and activist KK Sarachandra Bose reached Dehradun along with his team as part of his 50-day Bharat Yathra aimed at eradicating casteism from the nation. Addressing the media here on Wednesday, he said that if the Government of India does not act on his declaration- a mandate for social equality on or before December 31 this year, he will take the lead and do all that is necessary to wipe out the caste system and untouchability from India.
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 50-day Bharat Yathra 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 this month-end, traversing a distance of almost 14,000 km. Addressing the media in Dehradun, he said that he had received a positive response throughout his journey so far with people expressing interest in the eradication of casteism.
Travelling through the nation, Bose has been freely distributing a book. Caste Away! India, Hinduism & Untouchability. “This 208-page work brought out in November 2013 is in fact a 13-month mandatory notice I have served on the Government of India for Constitutional Reform to eradicate the caste system from the country — by or before December 31, 2014.
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. The Supreme Court of India has ruled that the caste system conveyed the message ‘Divided we are — come and rule us’. In short, ‘the caste system is a curse on the nation and the sooner it is destroyed the better’, the apex court has noted.”
Bose said that the present caste system in India was introduced by the British colonial rulers with the help of some “anti-social” Indians. “I would fight to ensure the eradication of such a custom in India in the name of caste system. It is impossible to conceive that a human being can enslave another human being like an animal. These slave-holders are inhuman, cruel, criminal monsters. I do not want such a system to continue in my country," he added.
Bharat Yathra has been covering all state capitals with Bose holding meetings in another 15-plus cities and towns besides impromptu addresses to the public. The journey is expected to conclude in Delhi by July 31.