After the great mass movement by the followers of Babasaheb Ambedkar throughout the larger part of India, the reactions from the different quarters are emerging. These reactions in response to the emergence of the growing mass movement throughout India are important to understanding for the Ambedkarite movement to the device its strategies to end the caste system and establish people’s democracy in India. For the followers of Babasaheb Ambedkar, Parliamentary democracy is just one aspect of democracy, the much bigger fight for democracy is to establish an equal society based on justice. That is why these reactions need to be studied and understood.

First of all, it is very clear that Ambedkarite movement has always been self-driven and independent movement. It has attained the critical stage now that the Scheduled Castes politicians across the political spectrum have identified with it and cannot go against it. It is a self-propelling force now. The Ambedkarite movement has become clear in terms of its goals and its power to be the stronger force.

The reactions are coming from casteist caste in North India, and these reactions change depending on the election period and factors like the local issues. In North India, wherever the BJP is in power, the attempts are made to smash the Scheduled Castes, even terrorise them. For example, in Rajasthan where the Ambedkarite movement is growing stronger, but in the absence of the strong OBC movement, as is the case of Bihar and UP, the Scheduled Castes have been terrorised in Rajasthan. The major terror is coming from the alliance of the ruling BJP and it’s castiest caste affiliates who are openly firing on the Dalits and imposing unspoken boycott in many villages. The case of Madhya Pradesh is the same. The reactions from the upper castes in these states are repression of the Ambedkarite movement and the BJP organs have hands in glow in doing so.

On one hand, the BJP upper caste constituency is busy doing that, Modi, to get the votes is chanting Babasaheb, Babasaheb, Babasaheb. The Karnataka elections are becoming tougher for the BJP as the Lingayats have shifted their base away from Brahminism. The Lingayats were anti-caste activists and the first President of their democratic organisation was a Dalit. The arising of Lingayat movement in the modern times is the death knell of Brahminism as more and more OBCs will follow the suit, but the remarkable point, is the population of Dalits in Karnataka who are furious and there is no way they will ever vote for the BJP/RSS. That is why Modi is chanting Babasaheb, Babasaheb, Babasaheb.

The Congress Party is torn apart as it is trying to balance its feudal regime with its quest to benefit from the Ambedkarite mobilisation. The Congress party is in a strange position as they talk one thing and do another. They have not openly accepted the ideology of Phule-Shahu-Ambedkar as the party is still heavily dominated by the Brahmin-Bania axis. Its reaction is very calculated and guarded. They would like to benefit from the rising movement in India, but at the same time, they are not openly critical of problems of the country. In their regime, they need next to nothing to alleviate the conditions of the Scheduled Caste and now that the tides are reversing, they want to affiliate with it for the political reasons.

This leaves us to discuss India’s sleeping tiger, the community of OBCs. The Brahminical Hinduism never gave them the status of equality, it is only after what Phule-Shahu-Ambedkar did for them, they are enjoying the various benefits. In the northern states, particularly UP and Bihar, the two Yadavs started with Samajvad, but they never countered Brahminical Hinduism and that is the great faultline between the Ambedkarites and OBCs. The OBC movements must take anti-Brahminical Hindu stand, they should go back to their religion ancestors that is Buddhism, or leave the Brahminical fold and embrace anything thatgivese them equal status. They should kick Brahminism out. The OBC movement is also gaining ground, but its focus is largely on getting “reservation”, politically, some of the OBC castes are disproportionally represented in the politics, but they are no where when it comes representations in the other sectors. The fact that they are not reacting with much vehemence against the rising of Ambedkarite movement shows that they are beginning to its power to help them with their rights as well.

The month of April 2018 will be filled up with programs organised around the life of Babasaheb Ambedkar throughout India and many OBCs will celebrate his life and mission.

The reactions from the inner circles is also important to understand. The rising Ambedkarite movement all over India, but particularly in the great Chamar belt of Northern India should make the BSP the main claimant for power in Delhi, despite great regards for Behen Mayavati, she is failing miserably to make a great political capital out of this great rising movement of the Ambedkarites. If she can give a call of unity and make the BSP even inclusive of the Chamars from all the northern states of India and share the power with them, she can easily become the Prime Minister of India.

Author – Mangesh Dahiwale, Human Rights Activist

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