Blog: MGI/TJC Caste Controversy Fuss

I have been disturbed and kept wondering at the timing of the totally avoidable and unnecessary controversy between the Mahatma Gandhi Institute (MGI) and the Truth and Justice Commission (TJC) over the issue of access to the archives of Indian immigration dealing with caste and religion.

It is reported that in the beginning MGI was unwilling to provide blanket access to the classified documents and available only to the descendents of the immigrants and to the researchers. On the face of it, I do not find why anybody should have any objection to make them fully available to the commission. The chairman of MGI, Ravin Dwarka says that the present context and the evolution having taken place in the Mauritian society, particularly among Hindus, information dealing with caste and religion, taken out of context and falling into wrong hands could cause riots and disturb peace and harmony.

Some feel that this information is like a health card not for public consumption, but available only to doctors, patients and immediate family members. They do not want the health problems to be in public domain.

I feel that the TJC is defocusing itself from its main mission to find truth and do justice to the descendents of slaves and indentured laborers. The commission was setup in line with the commitment taken by government to establish truth regarding slavery and indentured labour by carrying inquiries into slavery and indentured labour during colonial times.

Its objective is also to determine appropriate measures to be extended to descendents of slaves and indentured labourers to enquire into complaints made by any person aggrieved by a dispossession on prescription of any kind in which he claims to have an interest and prepare a comprehensive report on its activities and its findings and submit the report to the President of the Republic.

The TJC has been operational since 2009, has as President Prof. Robert Shell and vice President Dr. Vijaya Teelock, head of the Department of History and Political Science, University of Mauritius. She had organised a one-day workshop at the university on various themes like social justice, education, health, culture, identity, race, religion relating to slavery and indentured labour. Dr. Teelock has declared that reconciliation was the final goal of the commission adding that all members and stakeholders share the same vision.

I beg to differ. The commission is about truth and justice. Although inspired by the model of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa, the situation and issues here are totally different from those prevailing in South Africa. Atrocities were committed by both sides - the apartheid regime and by the freedom movement ANC (African National Congress). Human rights were violated. There was a crying need for national unity and reconciliation. The mandate of the TRC is to bear witness to record and grant amnesty to the perpetuators of crimes, relating to human rights violations.

It is accepted internationally that it has done a good job and was successful. But in 1998, a study by the South Africa’s Centre for the study of violence and reconciliation and the Khulumani Support Group which surveyed several hundred victims of human rights abuse during the apartheid era found that the TRC had failed as justice as a pre-requisite to reconciliation was not done. Former President J.W de Klerk apologised for the suffering caused by apartheid. But apartheid President P.W Botha defied the subpoena to appear before the commission calling it a “circus”.

The family of Steve Biko, prominent anti-apartheid activist killed by the police had described the TRC as a “vehicle of political expediency” which robbed them of their rights to justice. The family opposed amnesty to the killers.

In Mauritius, the belief is vast land properties have been stolen by prescriptions and other illegal means. Wealth has been amassed on the sweat and blood of slaves and indentured labourers through inhuman exploitation. The TJC is expected to find truth and do justice to their descendents. I do not think that it is possible to undo the injustice done by history, slavery and indentured labour system. But a deep study can unveil all properties which were illegally acquired. If they cannot be restored they could be vested into the institution of vacant estates.

Since independence successive governments have taken corrective measures to do justice. The decision of Navin Ramgoolam to make 22,000 families mainly descendents of slaves, owners of their homes, mainly built on State lands was revolutionary for providing free health service, free education, free transport to students and the elderly, doubling of non-contributory pensions to the old, social aid to the poor - measures which go into the right direction.

The commission should focus on additional measures to be taken on the economic and social front to improve the lot of the poor, mainly descendents of slaves and indentured labourers. The controversy with MGI over the caste and religious origins of the Indian immigrants is a non issue. Caste forms an integral part of Hinduism, but during centuries it became a tool of inhuman discrimination. What was supposed to be a classification of trades became the birth right of division between superior and inferior categories. SSR described it as a curse on our forehead. Many reformists in India are struggling to do away with this curse.

In Mauritius, fortunately it is no longer an issue, except for political expediency. In our day to day life nobody cares. In a short span of time, through education and political empowerment, we have done away with this curse. The crowd at Ganga Talao during Mahashivratri is a sysmbol of our successful struggle. The Arya Samaj Movement, Seva Shivir, Human Service Trust, Hindu House, Voice of Hindu, Sanatan Dharma Temple’s Federation, Ravived Pracharini Sabha, Rajput Maha Sabha, Iskcon and Sai movements and many others have contributed in a very significant way to combat caste discrimination by moving forward. The Hindu community has liberated itself from that curse. The controversy provided a golden opportunity to some to ignite the dying flames under the ashes. They have tried to disturb the equilibrium we have reached in our democratic society. They feel that the findings will prove that most Hindu families do not belong to the original caste of their ancestors.

Precisely this is the reason why MGI wants to protect the progress we have made. It is said that some twenty nine sub castes have merged to make what is called the Vaish caste in Mauritius, thus making them what is called the majority among the Hindus. Priesthood among the Sanatanists is now open to all irrespective of his birth. Inter caste marriage is the norm. A step further, even inter religious marriage is acceptable. There is a Supreme Court judgment that caste cannot be a barrier for becoming a Hindu Sanatanist priest. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the World Hindu Council has also said that caste based on birth is alien to Hinduism, but had crept into the system. Kabir has said that anyone who thinks he is superior ought not to have been human born.
Many prominent Mauritian families have also adopted Islam and Christianity. They have left their original caste and want their origin to be protected. I always remember the statement of Sir Dayendranath Burrenchobay, former Governor General at a youth seminar at Anse la Raie on the caste issue. He had revealed that at one time there were 28,000 Indian male immigrants and only some 5,000 women. And all their castes got mixed up. And we are their descendents.

I concede that political parties and lobbyist are artificially maintaining the so called system alive on ventilators. They are in possession of statistics of each elector based on their caste and religious origins, street by street in each constituency. But they cannot control our behavior into our mature democracy. Otherwise they could have explained the defeat of Ajay Guness, Atma Bumma, Vijay Makhan and the elections of Cader Sayed Hossen, Dev Ramano, Francoise Labelle. Their caste and religious profiles ought to have given different results. Those politicians and lobbyists should beware. They cannot take people for a ride.

MGI’s decision to protect the archives, dealing with the caste and religious origins of the immigrants should be taken in its proper context. Nothing should be done to revive the dying or dead monster of casteism or disturb the communal harmony we are enjoying.

The TJC of course is entitled to have any information which it feels it requires to accomplish its mission. It should remain focused and not be distracted by minor controversies. The Prime Minister has taken a very bold decision in setting it up. People have very high expectations from it. I just hope and wish that it comes out with appropriate recommendations to do justice to the descendents of slaves and indentured laborers.