Ram Puniyani
On
28th Feb (2014) Ramvilas Paswan of Loktantantrik Jan Party joined
the NDA alliance. Same Paswan had left the NDA twelve years ago with the
beginning of Gujarat carnage, saying that with the violence in Gujarat he
cannot be part of NDA. This time his son formulated the face saver when he said
that Modi has received clean chit in the Gujarat carnage. Few days ago another
dalit leader Udit Raj directly joined BJP, with the assurance of being given a
ticket for forthcoming elections. In Maharashtra, Ramdas Athwaley of Republican
Party of India had become part of NDA, and succeeded in being nominated for Rajya
Sabha, Upper house of Parliament. There are many others dalits in the fold of
BJP directly or in alliance with BJP to be in NDA, for pre poll alliance. Most of these leaders claim to be working on
the path shown by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Ambedkar was committed to annihilation of
caste and was totally opposed to the concept of Hindu nationalism, as
propounded by RSS-BJP.
During
freedom struggle when three types of nationalisms were in vogue, Indian
Nationalism, Muslim Nationalism and Hindu nationalism, majority of the people
of India supported and followed the path of Indian nationalism. Majority Hindus
were for Indian nationalism, majority of Muslims were also for Indian
nationalism. It was the elite, the landlord, Kings who began communal streams
and were later joined in by a section of affluent upper castes of those religions.
The British manipulation kept fuelling the fire of religious nationalism. Muslim
nationalism turned in separatist direction and their demand for Pakistan came
to the forefront. Hindu nationalists accepted the religion based nationalism
but denied the demand of Pakistan on the ground that this had been a Hindu
nation from times immemorial. This whole formulation of Hindu nation from
ancient times is an invalid concept, as the very concept of nation, Nation
state is a modern concepts. So in the revised edition of his book, ‘Partition
of India’, Dr. Ambedkar opposed the formation of Pakistan on the following
ground that formation of Pakistan may pave the way for Hindu Raj and “If Hindu
Raj becomes a reality then it would be greatest menace to this country.
Whatever may Hindus say, actually it does not make a difference that Hinduism
is a danger to Independence, Equality and Brotherhood. Thus it is an enemy of
democracy. We should make all out efforts to stop Hindu Raj from becoming a
reality.” (Pakistan or Partition of India, Page 358). Here what Ambedkar is referring
to Hinduism is Brahmanical Hinduism, the ideological ground of Hindutva, the
agenda of RSS combine.
Ambedkar
did lay the foundations of dalit movement, and went on to form Scheduled Caste
Federation (SCF) in due course; before conceptualizing the Republican Party of
India. This SCF in 1951, on the eve of First General elections in 1952; which
was to begin the process of adult suffrage, forged an alliance with Praja Socialist
Party (PSP) led by Jaya Prakash Narayan. The manifesto of SCF ruled out “alliance
with any reactionary party such as Hindu Mahasabha and Jan Sangh (Previous
avatar of BJP) (quoted from Gopal Guru EPW Feb 16, 1991, citing Ambedkar
Letters to Gaikwad, page 280-296). He was the one who could see the long term
agenda of Jan Sangh-Hindu Mahasabha of Hindu Rashtra, the concept totally
opposed to secular democratic India. His basic motto was ‘educate, organize and
struggle’, for caste annihilation and for the values of substantive Liberty, Equality
and Fraternity. He was aware that this process; educate and organize to
struggle; is possible only in a democratic set up, so alliance with Hindutva
political outfits was ruled out of hand.
Today
what is happening? From last several years a new dalit leadership has emerged,
which on one hand represents a faction of this group and on the other has also
personal-family electoral ambitions. So in short term they, for their personal
benefits have been sitting in the laps of communal parties. Namdeo Dhasal, the
great poet went with Shiv Sena, which had created hell with the publication of
Amdekar’s ‘Riddles of Hinduism’. Ramdas Athwaley is again with the communal
forces who have given him the Rajya Sabha seat. Udit Raj has also embraced the
party of Hindu raj and Ramvilas Paswan, guided more by personal political
ambitions, rather than the long term benefit of the downtrodden, has
shamelessly allied with BJP. In the short term these dalit politicians may benefit
but at the same time they will strengthen the politics of Hindutva-Hindu raj,
the system of inherent hierarchy of caste and gender.
A single example will tell us about the approach of BJP towards
the dalit question. Recently a book penned by BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra
Modi has been withdrawn, Karma Yoga. Modi in his book wrote “I do not believe
that they (Valmiki’s) have been doing this job just to sustain their
livelihood. Had this been so, they would not have continued with this type of
job generation after generation…At some point of time, somebody must have got
the enlightenment that it is their (Valmikis’) duty to work for the happiness
of the entire society and the Gods; that they have to do this job bestowed upon
them by Gods; and that this job of cleaning up should continue as an internal
spiritual activity for centuries. This should have continued generation after
generation. It is impossible to believe that their ancestors did not have the
choice of adopting any other work or business.” (http://epaper.timesofindia.
On the same issue of scavenging, Dr. Ambedkar makes scathing
critique of the social order where a section of people have to do such
demeaning and humiliating jobs. While claims are made about the development and
‘concern for all communities’ the conditions of dalits in Gujarat are abysmal,
temple entry is opposed at places, there is low rate of conviction for anti
dalit atrocities, there is prevalence of manual scavenging still prevalent and this
receives glorification from Modi. There is denial of access for water to the
main sump at places. Cases of intimidation of dalits wanting to convert to Buddhism
have been reported from Gujarat. These are few of the phenomenon prevalent in
the Laboratory of Hindu rashtra, Gujarat. What should one say of leadership of
dalits who compromise the values of Dr. Ambedkar, the values of long term goals
of social justice and annihilation of caste for their short term greed for
electoral power for their own self? There is a need for introspection by these
leaders and their followers about the opportunism and lack of principles of
such people in the positions of leadership of the communities.
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