Surat: “The evil customs in Hindu society were administered by the invaders”, said Sadhvi Rithambara while addressing a Samrasata Samgoshthi, organized at a private university campus in Vesu, Surat.

Sadhvi Rithambara said that untouchability is not there in the Vedas, Ramayana and Mahabharata. It is stated in the ‘Kadambari’ grantha by the sixth century Sanskrit writer Banabhatta that Raja Shudrak had married Rajkanya of a Chandal king, which means that the marriages between the kings and chandals took place even in the sixth century, she said. The evil custom of untouchability entered in the Hindu society due to invaders, she said.

The invaders had forcibly converted religion of many kings after the defeat of Prithviraj Chauhan, she stated and added that the kings who didn’t accept religious conversion were made cleaners. She said that 80 percent people of Valmiki community  belong to Kshatriyas while 20 percent belong to Brahmin gotras.

The discrimination among castes started only after the arrival of invaders, she said. The Britishers divided the Hindu society into castes by giving details of 429 castes, she said. Our ancestors had put some restrictions such as Parada Pratha among themselves to preserve our religion after harassment by the invaders, she said.

She said that we didn’t practice child marriages before harassment by invaders. The evil behavior was done with the women where the invaders attacked, and the practice of child marriages promoted due to the same.

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) national treasurer Dinesh Navadiya, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sangh Sanchalak Sureshbai Master, other leaders and karyakars were present in the program.  DeshGujarat