The Dalit authors aired their views when they got an audience during the Jaipur Literature Festival and narrated their tales of joy and sorrow. “It is a beginning and is good for us. We get a space to express ourselves,” said noted dalit writer Chandarbhan Prasad.
“We have to remind the people about our marginalisation. We have been given a space at the festival and that is an opportunity for us to raise our issue,” said Dalit writer Meena Kandasamy, who came from Chennai to participate in the festival.
The JLF organisers said that not only marginalised section of the society like the dalits, but minority voices were also given space at the festival. “Last time, the media had given wide coverage to Omprakash Valmiki, this time, we had an exclusive session for the dalits,” says Namita Gokhle, who has been associated with the JLF.
Mr Prasad said the India’s main stream regional literature was now giving a space to dalits, but dalits were getting little space in national English literature. “The main stream intelligentsia behave with dalits in same fashion as with the government,” Mr Prasad said.
Ms Kandasamy said such festivals help them in putting their side of story.
“People do not know what is India, they were briefed that it is the land of Kamsutra, or Taj Mahal or Vedas, but they do not know there is a caste discrimination and discrimination on the basis of sex,” said Ms Kandasamy.