SAFG and its allies, while claiming to champion the cause of “lower castes” has not only failed to capture any of our contributions but has sought the erasure of whatever little exists about our heritage in the textbooks. For example, the group has callously advocated the removal of the mention in textbooks that great sages Vyasa and Valmiki were not born to Brahmin families. Take also the case where the Hindu community had requested that Sant Ravidas and Alvars be added as examples of Bhakti saints. Sant Ravidas came from the most underprivileged of backgrounds and went on to become one of the most admired spiritual leaders in Hinduism. This suggested inclusion was apparently rejected by the writing team of the Department of Education, as it “conflict[ed] with another submission”—that of the SAFG, which did not even care to mention any of such saints, preventing their spiritual teachings and contributions from being mentioned in the textbooks.



An impression is also being created that demanding a fair and equitable portrayal of Indian Civilisation and Hinduism in California school textbooks is unjust or runs contrary to the interests of underprivileged sections of the Indian society as if these communities are not Hindu or Indian! This view essentialises Hinduism into “Brahminism,” eliminates the contributions of diverse communities within Hinduism and forces these communities into conflict with their own civilisation.



In 1931, at the peak of British colonisation of India, Winston Churchill had argued that “To abandon India to the rule of the Brahmins would be an act of cruel and wicked negligence.” The British characterised the call for Indian Independence by Mahatma Gandhi and other leaders as merely a “Brahminical” concern, and presented themselves as saviours of the so called “lower castes”. This trademark “Divide and Rule” policy was used by colonialists to legitimise colonial rule while perpetrating the most gruesome of horrors on the very Indian people. It is indeed a tragic irony that similar arguments are being used today by the SAFG to justify the erasure of Indian civilisation, as well as the heritage and contributions of communities such as mine.

As someone rooted in Indian heritage, I have been actively participating in the K-12 History-Social Sciences Framework update that has been ongoing for the last two years. I have faced many struggles and debates over this issue, but what has been most shocking is the very motivated attempt by SAFG to use me and people sharing my heritage, as mere objects in their attempt to erase, belittle and demean Indian civilisation. I reject their claim entirely.

My children deserve to be told the truth about their ancestors, and not lies about them being mere nobodies and victims who did not contribute to the building of Indian Civilisation.

Hinduism and Indian Civilisation belongs to Dalits and “lower castes” as much as it belongs to any other community. In fact, it belongs to us even more. If you erase Indian Civilisation and Hinduism, you erase us too.

This article was originally published in The Huffington Post and has been republished here with permission.