I am pained by the tone and content of two articles published prominently in your journal's issue of 16-30 November, 1999, written by Dr. (Mrs.) K.K. Sidhu and Shri P.S. Sridhara Murthy.

Apart from attacking the intent of eminent Muslim personalities like Saiyid Hamid, the entire Muslim community has been tarred as 'intellectually bankrupt, mentally confused and emotionally demoralised'. The articles in a sense, call for a cessation of dialogue between the Dalits and the Muslims, which would be a retrograde step in the political development of the country.

Had you published my letter to you prominently and considered it coolly and responded to it sympathetically, these articles, which apparently enjoy your endorsement, would have lost their sting.

I feel that such fulminations do not serve any purpose.

Let me put it in proper perspective:

1.Dalit (SC's and ST's) - Muslim Alliance is in the interest of all the three. I would like to add the MBC's also.

2. You have made a very valuable contribution to promoting such an alliance but since you are not in politics, you cannot speak for the parties. Which represent the SC's, the ST's and the MBC's.

3. Muslims have no political party; they do not even control a political party. Though they extend support to various political parties of the country including Dalit parties. Thus Dalit-Muslim Dialogue is asymmetrical

4. Every political party desires to have the support of the Muslims for nothing. Indeed this has been the Muslim experience since 1947.Muslims are now taking to tactical voting, constituency-wise, without any across the board commitment to any party, in a state or in the country as a whole.

5. Muslims will only play a secondary and unequal role, if they join any existing party including a Dalit party.

6. Hence two things are essential to bring out the strategic and tactical unity of Dalit and Muslims:

a) There should be an equal and reciprocal relationship.

b) There should be a Muslim or Muslim-driven party to negotiate on equal terms with the Dalit party or parties;

c) Until then, let the national parties, including Dalit parties, try to win over Muslim support by treating their Muslim leaders and workers with respect and fielding equitable proportion of Muslim candidates from winnable constituencies and ensuring Dalit support for such candidates in exchange for Muslim support to their Dalit candidates.

The issue is not, as I have repeatedly told you whether the Dalit consider themselves or are counted as Hindus. Nor is it that a majority of Muslim Indians and are descendants of the Shudras and the Achhuts. What is important is that they both form deprived sections of our society and together they form the majority of the people and that, if they unite or even coordinate, they can capture power.

It is no use sniping or growling at each other. It is wrong questioning each others' bonafides. It is counter-productive trying to exploit or divide each other.

Dalits and Muslim and MBC's must work together to usher in a Just Society in which no social group shall remain deprived and all social groups shall receive their due.