The Game of Caste Politics and BJP’s Dalit Card
I don’t have any more comment on Ramnath Kovind – the president as I have already written elaborately on his ideological stand and individuality. Many of you question upon one thing that after became president he expressed gratitude to Gandhi and not to Ambedkar. May I ask why you people have more expectations from such a guy who never understand the history and society at all? BJP and RSS is the world for him.
Of course, it is BJP and RSS who are meticulously playing the Dalit card caste politics. At the time of Dalit lynching BJP and its ideological mentor, RSS show its dumbness. But during the election, they only have the option of Dalit president, Shudra prime minister. Although they killed Gandhi, he is the role model for caste politics and his double word politics adopted by BJP. It may be the fault of Ramnath Kovind that he never understood the Ambedkar and for the ignorance avoided him. But it is BJP and RSS who fed Ramnath Kovind with Gandhism and Brahminism. Here I would say that there is no difference between Gandhism and Brahminism. So Bahujan must understand who the president or prime minister is?
In 2014 election Narendra Damodhar Das loudly declared himself as an OBC. The man who changed his caste identity from Gujarati Bania into an OBC in 2001. Off course through the 42nd amendment in 1976 secular word added in our preamble of the Constitution. But still, our prime minister and president recognise by their caste. Is it not a catastrophic moment of Indian politics?
From the very beginning caste played an important role in Indian politics but now it is becoming more stronger only because of RSS’s Hindutva politics. It is also true that Bahujan people are becoming more informed. When the informed Dalits meet the casteist RSS and BJP members, the situation becomes more dangerous for BJP and RSS. As the result of that, they are creating more Dalit-Brahmin BJP leader. In the name of caste they do atrocity on Dalit but in the name of Hindu they use Dalit against others religious minority.
BJP and RSS always spread its ideology among Dalit through both Hindu saint and Dalit leader. They make them realise the proudness of Hindutva and godhood. Nowadays, in rural area, RSS has spread its root through many religious rituals such as Gayathri worship, ram jagyan (evening chanting of ram), establish of Hanuman statue. Vishwa Hindu Parishad also includes Dalits in its members for the long life of Hinduism.
When a Dalit is given a portfolio, he completely becomes loyal to the RSS and BJP. He even kills his own caste and leaves relatives. But a Brahmin never does those things like a Dalit leader. He is always loyal to his caste and Brahmanism because only for the caste cause their hegemony exists.
A Dalit hides his identity but a Brahmin exposes his identity because of purity and impurity complexity. This is the reason which will make Brahmanism alive for a long. Brahmanism is the only root which makes Brahmin proud and pure and above all master of Dalit. If Dalit understands what Brahmanism is and leave then Brahmin will be thrown into the gutter.
Personally, I would say that the informed SC, ST and OBC can change the world and establish equality. Until and unless Bahujans discard BJP and RSS no political power will be achieved by Bahujans. All those Dalit who is, directly and indirectly, be a part of RSS and BJP are the real enemy or rival Bahujans. Brahmin is a caste not confined with itself but included Dalit Brahmin in it for the sake of the long life of Brahmanism.
The Dalit caste politics is the only option for the development for Bahujans. No doubt there are many Dalit political parties but without their unity and common goal, the dream of political power is a myth for Bahujans. Of course, BSP emerged for the struggle of Kanshiram as a Dalit political party and gain the power in Uttar Pradesh but no political leader make a difference except Mayawati and Kanshiram.
Many of the Dalit intellectual criticise Mayawati and BSP but they do nothing except that for the well-being of Bahujans. So, it is the time for the assertion of Kanshiram and Ambedkar politics rather than RSS/BJP caste politics. That is the only option which can make a difference in Bahujan movement and their lives. Bahujans need to understand the caste politics of BJP/RSS and beat them in their game.
Author – Abhayveer
Kalingamitra Trust Odisha,
Triratna Bouddha Mahasangha
To add to the comment above – which is that site for dalits where dalits and other lower castes can come each day and find out what is happening, get involved etc? There isn’t a single site doing this work effectively. Even velivada is primarily just an article aggregation site – there isn’t a lot of comments to any article, and there is no support in the site for mobilising dalits to a specific action. Saying dalits are being oppressed and that dalits need to be freed is not the same as giving them a specific step that they can do, that they can mobilize around and act on. There are no such websites on the web which are doing this effectively.
Unless you find ways to mobilize dalits on a national level, you won’t see dalits coming together more regularly. And unless you see dalits coming together more regularly, you won’t see new leaders emerge.. and unless you see more leaders emerge, you will continue to have this situation where the manuwadis can take out one leader and the entire movement stalls (as it is happening now)
The only way the dalits and the lower castes are going to get their freedom is if they come together – and evolve multiple layers of leadership with each layer completely aligned to the cause. Dalits have thus far proven very easy to manage because they choose leaders who don’t allow more leaders to form – example: Mayawati. Who is her second level? Who is the second level for Chandrasekar from the Bhim army? why is the Bhim army rudderless simply because Chandrasekar is in prison? My point – evolve a leadership model where if one leader is removed, another leader has already been groomed to take over and if that person goes, another person fills that gap immediately. If not, prepare to have the same sad stories to tell about dalits being oppressed for the next few decades as well.