Education is the only way.
Story Time
When I was in class 5 or 6, a classmate called me abusive names along with my race’s name “adivasi”.
When I was in class 11, my class teacher said to our entire class that SC/ST people are taking away their seats.
When I was in college I was asked “what are you?” because I liked a girl from another religion.
Who Am I?
Well let me tell you what I am.
I’m an Adivasi. I’m from the great community Santhal, who started the Santhal Rebellion(Santhal Hul) of 1855 against the British East India Company. I’m from the religion of Saridharam(which means “truth religion” in English).
And we owe our existence to great people like Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.
The funny thing is whenever I asked my mother why they called me “adivasi”, my mother proudly said “So what they called you “Adivasi”, tell them yes “I’m an Adivasi” proudly.”
She said there is no shame in being an Adivasi.
And she would quote Swami Vivekananda about how “the wheel of dharma is moving”.
And my mother even taught me that we can’t compete with the general caste people based on power or money. We can only compete and defeat them with education.
And I also believe that statement.
Even now no matter if I become a millionaire, I’m still an adivasi.
Even now if I become the prime minister or president of India, I’ll still be an adivasi.
My elder sister inspires me because she is proud of her identity.
I’m also proud of my identity but I need to work on it.
Babasaheb and Education
When Babasaheb was born and when he went for higher studies, there was no reservation for SC/ST candidates. He achieved excellence in education through sheer effort in spite of all the caste discrimination he faced in his life.
I have reservation because of Babasaheb. I owe it to his great soul to work hard and study and make something of myself through education.
So I would like to reply to my classmate who abused me when I was in class 5 or 6.
I would like to say to him,”This shows you have no manners. I am an Adivasi. And I am proud of that. I am from that Santhal community who sacrificed so much in 1855 in the Santhal Rebellion for this country India. And if you think you can make me feel inferior by using abusive words about my community, you’re wrong. I am proud of my community, my caste, my religion, my race and my humanity.”
Thank you for reading this line! It means a lot.
