Wilberforce and Bharadhiyar

Topic started by vohsendhan (@ 202.88.143.68) on Tue Jul 16 12:08:05 .
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William Wilberforce



Wilberforce was born White. But, he championed the human rights of the Blacks.
"On the night of July 31,1834, thousands of Negroes of all ages crowded the churches of the British West Indies, their faces alight with expectation. Then, at the first stroke of midnight, they leapt to their feet with a shout of joy that seemed to lift the roofs. From that moment 800,000 slaves held under the British flag were free.
This great event was the climax of nearly 50 years of struggle by William Wilberforce. To him,more than to any other person, goes the credit, first for ending the international slave trade that used to drag as many as 100,000 miserable men, women and children out of Africa each year and then for abolishing slavery itself in the Empire." (Elsie McCormick - Reader's Digest).

Born in a rich trading family he, when 14, on seeing the slave market at Bristol, wrote a letter to a newspaper in York declaring that "this odious traffic in human flesh should end". When 25, he resolved "to live to the glory of God and the good of my fellow creatures". (He did not use God to perpetuate slavery like Sankaracharyas.)

He was then an MP. But knowing full well that to consecrate his life to the abolition of the slave trade was to say farewell to his political ambitions, he embarked on this mission. "In 1787, the 28-year-old MP gave notice in the House of Commons of his intentions." His speech caused a sensation. "The pro-traders, who spent months presenting their evidence before a parliamentary committee, said Africans were little more intelligent than orang-otangs and were better off as slaves".

(Compare Manu Chapter VIII Slo.413 and 414 : 413. But a Sudra, whether bought or unbought, he may compel to do servile work; for he was created by the Self-existent (Svayambhu) to be the slave of a Brahmana.
414. A Sudra, though emancipated by his master, is not released from
servitude; since that is innate in him, who can set him free from it? )

Wilberforce countered all the arguments of the slave traders with evidence. So his group was derisively called by the pro-traders as "white negroes".

He was threatened. His witnesses were threatened. Rumours were spread about his integrity and personal life. But the undaunted Wilberforce was clear in his vision. He collected native handicrafts to prove the talent of the Blacks. He produced proof of various atrocities committed against them. But the slave-trade abolition bill was voted down 163 to 88. The bills were lost again and again. Yet, Wilberforce pressed. It was in 1807 that the bill was passed 283 to 16. But the law did not really end the trade. It continued in the sly in various forms. When the ships carrying slaves sighted British naval police, "all the Africans were thrown overboard in chains" by the slave traders. Wilberforce was chronically ill. But, he said that he would not "leave my poor in the lurch". Ultimately, the bill meant to "free all the slaves under the British flag" was passed in 1833 when he was in death-bed.

Bharadhiyar

Bharadhiyar, a "Brahmin" did not tolerate the atrocities of the "Brahmins" against humanity. He condemned their atrocities in unequivocal terms. His poem "Choothiranukkoru needhi, thandach chorunnum paarpukku veroru needhi" mirrored the state of affairs of the society. He was therefore criticized, ridiculed and mangled by the other "Brahmins" including Kalki.

But, Bharathiyar did not relent. He had diagnosed the problem very correctly and went to its source. He conferred Poonool on a Scheduled Caste person and declared that he was a Brahmin. His action angered the co-Brahmins. They began to keep themselves away from him. But Bharathiyar cared two hoots for them.

He did not permit religion to be used for perpetuating apartheid. He did not support the action of the "Brahmins" in using God to subjugate the fellow humans and that too of the same religion.

Born in the subjugating race, these noble men did not want to take advantage of the situation and enjoy. They stood for humanism. They considered all as human beings. But, there were so many white men who championed the cause of Blacks. But in India no Brahmin other than Bharadhiyar worked for a really casteless society.

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