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61. Caste & Species-Based Violence in Modi’s India w. Prateek Kumar Gautam
Rundown
In this episode, Mexie talks with Dalit anti-caste and anti-speciesist activist, Prateek Kumar, about life as a Dalit in India. We discuss how the caste system operates, how casteism and speciesism are interlinked and how this affects both lower caste people and animals, and how things have changed and worsened under Modi’s Hindu nationalist regime. We end by discussing the potential for revolution here, and what comrades in the Global North can do to help amplify Dalit voices.
Sources and Links
* Prateek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polycycloid_polysemous/* Prateek on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deadwallflower/ * Prateek Kumar, Casteism In India Puts Both Humans And Animals Through Horrific Torture: https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2019/01/interconnecting-casteism-and-speciesism/ * Suraj Yengde, Caste Matters: https://penguin.co.in/book/caste-matters/* B.R. Ambedkar, Annihilation of Caste: https://www.versobooks.com/books/2150-annihilation-of-caste* Yashica Dutt, Coming Out as Dalit: http://www.alephbookcompany.com/book/coming-out-as-dalit/* Bojja Thakaram, Mahad: The March That’s Launched Everyday: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43154698-mahad
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Transcript
[MUSIC]
F1: How can we not only discover more compassionate relations with human beings but how can we develop compassionate relations with the other creatures with whom we share this planet?
F2: There’s an us before the wound, there’s an us before oppression, and to me pleasure is the way that we tap down into that.
F3: We live in capitalism. Its power seems inescapable. So did the divine right of kings.
MEXIE: Hey everyone, welcome to The Vegan Vanguard. It is Mexie and today we are talking to Prateek Kumar who is a anti-casteist and anti-speciesist activist from the Dalit community in India. We had a fantastic conversation — pretty heavy conversation about life as a Dalit in India, especially under Modi’s Hindu nationalist regime. Just a content warning; we do talk about physical and sexual assault, including rape of Dalit women, so I wanted to give you a heads up on that before getting into the interview. The last thing before diving into the interview is to thank the new patrons, the new sustaining members of the show. Thank you so much to Rachel Zummo, Katie Mae, and Ayoola White.
As you know, this is a donor-funded show and we rely on the generous donations of all of you to keep the show going, so if you have just two dollars per month, you can become a sustaining member at patreon.com/veganvanguard, and that two dollars will get you access to the Total Liberation Discord server where myself, Kathrin, and Mad Blender host bi-monthly political chats which we really love. We also have stickers and pins available from the amazing Meneka Repka of Nooch Design Co. on Instagram. One of them says Animals Are Our Comrades and the other says Animals Want Capitalism to End, and they are just adorable. So, check those out if you would like to support us by becoming a sustaining member.
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By Mexie & Marine
4.9
239239 ratings
Rundown
In this episode, Mexie talks with Dalit anti-caste and anti-speciesist activist, Prateek Kumar, about life as a Dalit in India. We discuss how the caste system operates, how casteism and speciesism are interlinked and how this affects both lower caste people and animals, and how things have changed and worsened under Modi’s Hindu nationalist regime. We end by discussing the potential for revolution here, and what comrades in the Global North can do to help amplify Dalit voices.
Sources and Links
* Prateek on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polycycloid_polysemous/* Prateek on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deadwallflower/ * Prateek Kumar, Casteism In India Puts Both Humans And Animals Through Horrific Torture: https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2019/01/interconnecting-casteism-and-speciesism/ * Suraj Yengde, Caste Matters: https://penguin.co.in/book/caste-matters/* B.R. Ambedkar, Annihilation of Caste: https://www.versobooks.com/books/2150-annihilation-of-caste* Yashica Dutt, Coming Out as Dalit: http://www.alephbookcompany.com/book/coming-out-as-dalit/* Bojja Thakaram, Mahad: The March That’s Launched Everyday: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43154698-mahad
Support the Show
Transcript
[MUSIC]
F1: How can we not only discover more compassionate relations with human beings but how can we develop compassionate relations with the other creatures with whom we share this planet?
F2: There’s an us before the wound, there’s an us before oppression, and to me pleasure is the way that we tap down into that.
F3: We live in capitalism. Its power seems inescapable. So did the divine right of kings.
MEXIE: Hey everyone, welcome to The Vegan Vanguard. It is Mexie and today we are talking to Prateek Kumar who is a anti-casteist and anti-speciesist activist from the Dalit community in India. We had a fantastic conversation — pretty heavy conversation about life as a Dalit in India, especially under Modi’s Hindu nationalist regime. Just a content warning; we do talk about physical and sexual assault, including rape of Dalit women, so I wanted to give you a heads up on that before getting into the interview. The last thing before diving into the interview is to thank the new patrons, the new sustaining members of the show. Thank you so much to Rachel Zummo, Katie Mae, and Ayoola White.
As you know, this is a donor-funded show and we rely on the generous donations of all of you to keep the show going, so if you have just two dollars per month, you can become a sustaining member at patreon.com/veganvanguard, and that two dollars will get you access to the Total Liberation Discord server where myself, Kathrin, and Mad Blender host bi-monthly political chats which we really love. We also have stickers and pins available from the amazing Meneka Repka of Nooch Design Co. on Instagram. One of them says Animals Are Our Comrades and the other says Animals Want Capitalism to End, and they are just adorable. So, check those out if you would like to support us by becoming a sustaining member.