Author: Pramod Kumar
Publication: Organiser
Date: April 29, 2001
Introduction: International Roma
Conference
It was a unique and emotional moment
in the life of Roma people when they got an opportunity to visit the land
their forefathers had left one thousand years ago. They were in India on
a week-long visit to attend a conference in New Delhi and also to visit
the religious and historical places about which they had so far been reading
in books and listening from their forefathers.
The two-day conference was held
in New Delhi on 8th and 9th April by Hindu Heritage Pratishthan in cooperation
with the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and the Modi Foundation. Thirty-three
Roma scholars, Romanologists, Social Scientists including the Roma leaders
from 20 European countries participated in the conference.
The conference requested the Government
of India to recognise Romas as the ancient Indian migrants and as part
of the People of Indian Origin like the Indian emigrants of Mauritius,
Surinam, Fiji and other countries. It also urged the Government of India
to launch a programme to promote art, literature and other subjects of
humanities through regular, exchange of students, scholars, social activities
and business persons among India and countries with large Roma communities
world over.
Sarsanghchalak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh (RSS), K. S. Sudarshan while addressing the delegates said that the
Roma should not depend on the Government assistance as there are some devoted
non-Government organisations also, which will be more useful than the Government
organisations. In this connection, he referred to the activities of RSS
in India and abroad. He, however, assured the delegates to help them in
socio-cultural fields as far as possible.
Union Minister of Human Resource
and Development, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi stressed the need for more inter-action
between Roma and Indian scholars and intellectuals. He agreed to consider
the demand made by Roma scholars for inclusion of material on Roma people
and their cultural, heritage into the textbooks, prescribed for the students
of India to know about the Roma, the forgotten children of India. Dr. Joshi
was of the opinion that the literature about India should also be translated
into Romani. He asked the organisers to prepare a project in this regard.
Inaugurating the conference Working
President of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Ashok Singhal said that Roma
brethren are ancient Indian migrants. He advised the people of Indian origin
living abroad to join them in their struggle for human rights. President
of Hindu Heritage Pratishthan, Dr B. K. Modi, asked the Roma delegates
to have regular interaction with Indian scholars.
On this occasion President of International
Roma Union (IRU), Dr. Emil Scuka, spoke about the painful history of Roma
migration from India. He narrated tale of torture and humiliation faced
by the Roma people in different countries even today. He said it is a matter
of special honour for them to come to India. "We would like to be the moral
protector of the Romani people around the world," he said asking the Government
of India to help these forgotten children of mother India in socio-cultural
and political fields as well.
Later, the Roma delegation called
on the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee at his residence. Addressing
the delegates Shri -Vajpayee assured India's support to the cause of Romas.
"India will support your cause if the matter is raised in the United Nations
or any other international forum," he told the delegates. Recalling that
he had attended several functions organised by the Roma people, Vajpayee
said he is aware of the struggle carried out by them for a dignified living.
"We are ready to help you and extend our cooperation to you," Shri Vajpayee
assured them.
Among the foreign delegates the
prominent scholars were: Dr. Vania Kochanawski, President of Romani Yekhibe
(France), Dr. Hristo Kychukov of Bulgaria, Secretary General of IRU, Balic
Osman, President, Scientific Board of YUROM, Yugoslavia, Ms Lilyana Kovacheva,
Bulgaria, Shri Nilole Georghe, Advisor on Roma from Poland. A number of
intellectuals and scholars from India also attended the conference. Dr.
Shyam Singh Shashi, the Gypso Anthropologist and Poet who is the General
Secretary of the Pratishthan, played a key role in organising the conference.
His book entitled Roma Culture and Heritage, based on his 20 years of research
on Roma people, was also released in the conference.
After the conference the delegates
left for Hardwar, Rishikesh and Kurukshetra to visit their forefathers'
ancient land. It was for the first time in the Roma history of one thousand
years that they visited these sacred places.