Yesterday, an active member of Bhim Army was gunned down by the casteist thakurs in Saharanpur. Bhim Army led by Chandrashekhar Azad is just like the Black Panthers who come from the educated background and they have been working towards educating their youths about the importance of higher education. Bhim Army conducts classes for the young members of the community, besides the other community services. The service to the community is the way to serve the larger movement. The problem arose when the arrogant casteist Thakurs wanted to disturb the localities of the Chamars over the procession on the Jayanti of Rana Singh.

The violent clashes then left one person dead and a dozen of people injured. What followed was the arrest of Chandrashekhar Azad and he is still languishing in the jail. After that, the women in Saharanpur threw the gods and goddesses in the gutters and embraced Buddhism. One of the striking qualities of Bhim Army is their grassroots level social work and it was painful to see that Mayawati damned Chandrashekhar Azad as the agent of RSS/BJP. It is difficult to understand why Mayawati instead of protecting young leaders is forcing them into isolation.

Yesterday, one young man was gunned down.

From all the records available, Bhim Army is not a violent organization, but it is the organization of the youths to serve the community. This service can also mean protecting the community from any danger, physical, mortal, and political. The community needs protection and the community can protect itself from an onslaught. That is why the Bhim Army in some form or another exists in every village of India. Touching one battalion of Bhim Army in Saharanpur will mobilize Bhim Army units all over India, in every village, in every town, and in every city. Where there is a flag of Bhim, there is a Bhim Army.

In the Buddha and His Dhamma, Babasaheb cited very important teaching of the Buddha. The Bhikkhus, according to the Buddha, are warriors. They fight when the virtue is in danger. This fight does not need to be violent, but if the violence is the only answer, then it can be exercised in a controlled manner. In the history of Buddhism, the monks and nuns developed various forms of self-defense to protect themselves, if not attack others. Likewise, the community in India must develop means to protect themselves and this means involve mobilization of the Bhim Army. It exists in many forms such as Samata Sainik Dal founded by Babasaheb Ambedkar himself.

Though peace-loving man Babasaheb was, his life was constantly threatened by the caste Hindus, he had his own group of loyal people to protect him. If we have to protect our people, mobilization of the community is important and if that mobilization takes place all over India at one time in response to attack on the Bhim Army in Saharanpur, such a mobilization will be so powerful that no one will dare to touch the community anywhere.

Author – Mangesh Dahiwale

Editor – 

Black Panthers to Dalit Panthers, ruling class/caste suppressed them. Both were active for almost 2 years (1967-69 and 1972-74 respectively) but they left their mark on the society.

With the rising atrocities on Dalits every single day, I don’t see any other option than having an organization like Dalit Panthers or Bhim Army which fights for Dalits and provide protection. ‘Gober’ments have failed us time and again.

While Dalit Panthers were active, they fought for justice and equality. They stood against the stooge Dalit leaders in RPI who had sold themselves to Congress or Shiv Sena. There was a ray of hope in Bhim Army but Brahminical governments know the danger so killing its members. Strengthen  Bhim Army so that it grows & continues forever and ever.