Ambedkarite Awakening
The awakening initiated by Babasaheb must transcend caste, class, gender, nation, race, and all that divides humanity into conflicting groups. This is the highest goal and aim of the Ambedkarite movement to be free from the oppression of manufactured identities. From this highest vision, we should derive our working principles of social reconstruction and social organization.
We get caught up in the same artificial identities and stay focused on one’s particular caste. As a result, we take part in the game whose rules are already defined and are biased against us. We must quit playing this game at once.
However, it is important to have working identities to mobilise the people into a larger identity. These working identities should be expansive, universal, and pragmatic.
We need a definite political identity. We need a definite cultural identity. We need a definite religious identity. We are stripped of our human identity and are labelled as lesser humans by the Brahminical identity imposed from outside.
If our history of suffering makes us into a particular social group and makes us stand apart, let’s use this social fact as a rallying cry to organise, mobilise our masses and stand apart from the caste Hindus. If our lower status at the bottom of the social pyramid makes us weak, let’s make that base stronger and topple the hegemony a few but better organized than us.
In the last few days, Dalits on social media especially on Twitter have made possible 6 hashtags into trends, exposing the casteist mindset of people and people sitting behind social media companies’ offices in India. This could happen only because Dalits unitedly put effort to show their anger!
If our lack of unity is the strength of our opponents, let’s unite to weaken the forces that are out there to weaken us.
As followers of Babasaheb Ambedkar, we must find ways to build solidarity with all of them who are exploited throughout the time and throughout the space.
With justice on our side, we cannot lose this battle.
Author – Mangesh Dahiwale, Human Rights Activist
Ambedkar intended : EDUCATION, ORGANIZE AND CAMPAIGN for the cause, none of these attempted by people claiming to be the followers of Ambedkar
I admire Dr B R Ambedkar as a most intellectual leader born on Indian subcontinent , who had revolutionised the poor, downtrodden people of this country and brought good changes in their life . At one time he wanted to become Sikh with his followers but then Akali leader Tara Singh (master) real name Nank Chand Malhotra did not allow him to join the Sikh faith because he thought if he joins, then leadership will pass on to Dr Ambedkar !