A push for the Valmiki, from scavenger to priest

Valmikis have long been engaged in manual scavenging but they should be allowed to become priests in temples, feels a BJP MP who will move a private member’s bill in the Rajya Sabha Friday.

Tarun Vijay, former editor of the RSS mouthpiece Panchajanya, has described Hindu pilgrim centres as the “dirtiest places on earth” and asked why upper-caste Hindus, who dirty these places, call others who clean them “lower castes”.

“The bill is an attempt to free people of the burdens of caste. We have manual scavengers only because of the caste system,” he told The Indian Express.

“If you want to end it, we must restore the respect of those people who were forced to do it and because of the atrocious behaviour of those people who think that they are upper castes,” Vijay said. “If we believe we are Hindus and Ram lives in every creation and human being, why should we not allow Valmikis to be priests? What crime have they committed? In fact,” he added, “people should wash the feet of these Valmikis who have been engaged in manual scavenging and seek their pardon.”

Vijay alleged that he has received anonymous threat calls because of the bill and that some groups in Haridwar and Hrishikesh have told him not to enter temples if he goes ahead with it.

After its Nagpur conclave in March, the RSS pledged to work against the caste system but Vijay denied his bill is part of that strategy. The bill will seek an additional clause in the Constitution for Valmikis’ rights.

Source:: Indian Express