After the demolition of the Ravidas Temple in New Delhi, the North Indian Ambedkarites have aroused the community and the community is mobilised with millions have taken to the streets of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh. The Brahmanised media which is busy in showing even the small events has not taken cognizance of it.

Thanks to social media that the news of these protests is reaching to people concerned. Ravidas is a big name in the Ambedkarite community, particularly among the Chamars who are predominantly numerous in Northern India. They alone constitute 4 per cent of India’s population and as such forms larger community in North India.

The book, Who were untouchables, Babasaheb Ambedkar had dedicated this book to Ravidas, Chokhamela, and Nandnar. They are the untouchables saints revered in different parts of India: Ravidas in the North, Chokha in Maharashtra and parts of central India, and Nandanar in Tamil Nadu.

Babasaheb Ambedkar celebrated the Jayanti of Ravidas in New Delhi. Ravidassiya has emerged as a very vast religious movement in India today with branches in many parts of the world today. What is so special about Ravidassiya movement is deep anchoring in the life and mission of Babasaheb Ambedkar and after the demolition of the Ravidas Temple in Delhi, people have come up with the placards having photos of Babasaheb Ambedkar and blue flags with Ashoka Chakra in the middle.

That the community mobilises is beyond any question and doubt now.

This is a positive development in the movement. But as the movement is becoming powerful in terms of mobilisation of masses, if it remains apolitical and does not negotiate its rights by becoming the part of the state, it will be difficult to realise the goals.

Take for instance the case of Punjab having a population of 35 per cent as the Dalits. The political power is nowhere in sight even when the Punjabi Dalits are richer compared to the Dalits elsewhere, thanks to their mobility. Unless the Ravidassia movement turns political, it will be difficult to have power. The over-emphasis on religious in the movement ultimately leaves it powerless. A core of the leadership must try to turn it into a political power movement which is not difficult at all given the numerical power of the Chamars.

It was not by accident that the Congress raised the leaders like Jag Jivan Ram against Babasaheb Ambedkar. The move to counter the movement of Babasaheb Ambedkar by raising stooges like JJ Ram is not going to work now as the community is awakened enough to know which way to go. Even the person like JJ Ram due to the numerical strength of Chamars was aspiring for the post of Prime Minister of India and he indeed became the Deputy PM of India once.

Chamars have the numerical potential to turn the tide against the rising Hindu Brahminical nationalism. The community need to follow the two-pronged strategy: Going away from Brahminical Hinduism and mainstreaming Ravidassia movement with Buddhism (The book Who were Untouchables confirms that the untouchability is an outcome between of the conflict between Buddhism and Brahminism and hence Ravidassia are also erstwhile Buddhists as taught by Babasaheb) and having a strong political formation. In the initial days, Kanshiram who gave our community a viable political formation looked at Punjab as the first state to reclaim power. The bus was missed then, but now it is not difficult.

These two approaches will definitely lead the current mobilisation to its logical end of the emancipation of all of our communities.

Kahe Ravidas Khalas Chamara
Jo Hum Seheri
So mit humara
(Says Ravidas, the emancipated Chamara (shoemaker), whoever belongs to my vision is my friend)

Jai Bhim!

Author – Mangesh Dahiwale, Human Rights Activist

Image credit – Internet