This article is not in the defense of Lalu Prasad Yadav, but it is about how the axis of Upper Caste politicians try to use various legal provisions to gag the opposing voices. The World over, the politicians from one party try to use the cases of disproportionate assets to put their opponents in the dock. The politicians in India across the political parties have assets more than their legitimate income and money plays an important role in the rise and fall of the political parties.

Lalu Prasad Yadav was implicated in the corruption cases in the past and that he had to abdicate his Chief-ministership due to charges of corruption. But using the law for the political vendetta is no good for democracy. The corruption must be dealt with and must be dealt with heavy-handedness. But at the same time, the treatment must be just and equitable. It should not target because someone is opposed to the political ideology of the ruling party.

Lalu Prasad Yadav has been very vocal about his views and thinking on the RSS and the BJP. Bihar has been a very politically sensitive state. The concept of “Picchada”-“Backward” is persuasive throughout the history of Bihar politics. It is the state of Bihar which has seen the strong opposition to the saffron forces and this is largely due to the rise of backward class movements in the state of Bihar. Lalu Prasad Yadav is known for his stand against Brahminism and he speaks his thoughts in the public and parliamentary forums.

The mobilisation of Yadavs in Bihar as a part of the non-Brahmin movement is astonishing and so is the rise of Kurmis whom Nitish Kumar represents. It is the great genius of Lalu Prasad Yadav to work out a coalition in the state of Bihar that saw the defeat of the Saffron powers post-Modi politics in India. In Bihar, Lalu Prasad Yadav showed that it is possible to defeat RSS/BJP if the proper equations are set. Though Nitish Kumar appears shaky despite the fact that Lalu Prasad Yadav displayed uncanny ability to let Nitish have the power even when he won the less number of seats. Nitish Kumar is the weak link in this coalition and he often displays his vacillation through his comments and actions.

Lalu Prasad Yadav and Sharad Yadav are the two important OBC politicians who raise their voice against the Brahminism and both of them have a good standing as the seasoned politicians. They know very well that the popularity of the RSS/BJP is manufactured and can easily be challenged by the mobilisation of the backward classes. The South Indian states have always been in the forefront in terms of the mobilisation of the backward classes and if any linkages between the backward class movements can be established that will be the doomsday for the RSS/BJP which is trying to hide behind “political” Hinduism.

Often Lalu Prasad Yadav and Sharad Yadav speak of their allegiance with Babasaheb Ambedkar and his ideology, and slowly the backward class movements are claiming the legacy of Babasaheb Ambedkar. Though Babasaheb Ambedkar wanted to bring the shift in the political power in the hands of the Scheduled Castes and the backward classes, his agenda was radical than mere political change. He wanted to bring structural change in Indian society. That structural change entailed cultural change and this cultural change was in the form of a culture that stood against Brahminism.

Babasaheb Ambedkar embraced Buddhism as the total revolution and total break from the Brahminism and brahminised Hinduism. This was the essence of the movement that he launched and this is the logical end of the movement of Babasaheb Ambedkar. The land of Bihar is, in reality, the land of “Vihar”: the Buddhist places of practice and communal meetings. India at the time of the Buddha was known as “Magadha” as this was the part that rose to the highest level of culture and civilisation after the Buddhism became a big wave that changed the history of the world.

Lalu Prasad Yadav can unleash the power of the culture that changed the course of human history by embracing Buddhism publicly and he should lead the movement of the conversion of the OBCs in Bihar, the real Ghar Wapasi of India’s majority. The RSS/BJP has a limit and that limit is set up by the caste system as well. They cannot go on making every community angry because that will be a big problem. When they appease the community, the community tends to ask more and this is the biggest dilemma for the RSS/BJP. They, therefore, do not raise these important issues, but always deal the issue of caste system politically. Lalu Prasad Yadav can play a historical role by really challenging the Brahminism on his own turf of Bihar and show the other backward classes what is the way to true liberation from the Brahminical clutches.

Author – Mangesh Dahiwale, Human Rights Activist

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