November 4, 2003
DALIT POLITICS
IN CONTEMPORARY INDIA
By: Mr. Ram
Vilas Paswan, MP, India
Dalits are the marginalised People. They are the Weaker Sections of India. Today, the SC&ST Dalits are at the core
of the Weaker Sections of India. Seen
from any perspective, Dalits as Baba
Saheb Dr BR Ambedkar had said, are the Broken People. It is nearly fifty years since Baba Saheb said this. And they still remain as Broken People, even
in the Twenty-first Century World.
Baba Saheb, Dr BR Ambedkar, who had been struggling
all through his life to Develop the Dalits, had won at the risk of his own
life, safety and physical wellbeing, many rights, concessions, legal guarantees
and social promises for his People – the Dalits.
In fact as part of this struggle, Baba Saheb had forsaken all feasible
better life in India or abroad, based on his higher education at the best of
the Universities in the World. Not
satisfied with his struggles and winning the Rights etc, Baba Saheb had
built-in, almost all the Concessions he had won for the Dalits, into the
Constitution of India. Baba Saheb had hoped that, those would
ensure Dalits get all of them in Independent India in future, as assured
Constitutional Guarantees and Promises.
That he could do, in spite of all the oppositions from Dalit
Antagonists. He also expected that the
Dalits would jealously safeguard those Constitutionally Protected Dalit
Rights, and build more further on them.
Baba Saheb dreamt rather fondly, that with all the
Rights, Concessions, Administrative Assurances, Social Promises, Legal
Guarantees, and Constitutional Promises, SC&ST Dalits would rather soon
Develop to be on their own, and get their due recognition as being the real
makers of India. Given their long historic
evolution, stamina and sustaining capacity even in the face of adverse
circumstances, they should have established themselves as a force in the
Democracy that followed Independence. With
their massive numbers of more than two hundred and sixty million today,
SC&ST Dalits collectively could have become the kingmakers.
SC&ST Dalits could have played big crucial role,
during the last five and half decades of Free India. Their voice could have become decisive in politics, and in the Formation
of Govts, in many States and at the Centre. This
was not a tall dream at all! Today the
SC&ST Dalits in India, are the third largest Population of the World, next
only to China, and the whole of India.
Therefore, the SCs&STs pale
into insignificance many Sovereign States of the World! What is more, with shrewd practical
Alliances, SC&ST Dalits could have formed the Govts at the Centre. This should have been possible, much before
the end of the Twentieth Century, or at least at the beginning of the third
Millennium.
Baba Saheb once even said that, the Dalits and other
backward classes together, could send more than fifty percent of
Representatives to the Assembly of United Provinces. But he had not foreseen, the extent of manipulations by others, and the
depth of failures by the Dalits, even in protecting their own
self-interests. He had not expected
that, in spite of the Liberal Constitution that he had helped to draft pilot
and Adopt in Free India. That too, in a
Democracy and with Republican Form of Govts!
As a cumulative effect, the Weaker Sections of India fail even today,
and remain at the bottom, content with what crumbs they get. He did not think that with all the modern
liberal education, scientific and rational thinking, their analytical faculties
would fail almost all the different SCs, STs, Backward Castes and
Minorities. Sadly they all vie with
each other, to pay their increasing individual and separate group obeisance, to
establish their allegiance and further serve the brahmins brahmanism and
brahmanic cause and interests more than the others.
Like any other thing in
Free India, Politics and those in Politics - the Politicians, had failed the
Country and the People. At the time of
Independence, the founding fathers and
particularly Baba Saheb Dr BR Ambedkar, had opted for Democracy and Republican
form of Govt. That he expected
would provide every citizen, including SC&ST Dalits the freedom and leeway
to move around, demand and get their dues, and develop like anyone else. Influenced by the Christian Protestant ethos
in USA, the Democratic Republican Form of Govt, and the Due Process Law, Baba
Saheb could not but believe in the Development of SCs&STs like anyone else
in Free Democratic and Republic of India.
Baba Saheb strongly believed that Politics was the Key
to open all the Doors to Freedom Development and Power. But, strangely enough, it is exactly through
the Politicians, and Politics of Democratic Processes and Republican form of
Govt, real Democracy had been defeated, and had been deeply buried alive. It remains so, till date.
The National Bourgeoisie, Elites, Dominant Castes of
the Freedom Movement, had given room, to the Rule of Oligarchy with vested
interests. They even allowed a big
foothold to some Members of the erstwhile princely families, which had survived
through the Moghul and British Rules.
All these put together, had naturally paved the way for Dynastic Rule,
and emergence of Emergency. Individual
Intolerance and Arrogance of those in Power, had now become a reality in most
parts of the Country. There is hardly
any room for justice and deliverance today for the poor, weak and the
marginalised in India. And here in this
Country, Democracy had just become a ritual.
So we have Democracy in form, but not in content. On the other hand, the growing and increasing Gaps between the Politicians and Govts from
the People, had resulted in the growing administrative intolerance, Police
State, and political Dictatorship. And
these had also paved the way for Concentration of Wealth, growing economic
powers in individual hands of the traditionally dominant castes and groups, and
damn respect for political values and politicians.
Military Rule had already become a practical reality
in many parts of the Country, at different times of Free India. The growing numbers of Armed and
Para-Military Forces, interference of Politicians and Fundamentalist Forces in
Promotions and Postings of Defence Service Personnel with the right
connections, and the large numbers of reported dissatisfaction amongst the
helpless in the Defence Services, are causes of big worry. Deployment of Army for Civilian Duties in
most parts of the Country, for tackling every crisis is eroding the confidence
and supremacy of Authority of the Civil Administration, and Sovereignty of the
People over Uniformed Services. Sad it
is to note the Peoples’ Elected Representative wanting to cosy up with the
Armed Services, Police and other Uniformed Services, as well as the Officials
of the Central and State Administrative Officers. The detoriation is so shocking, to see Stenographers and clerks
fixing deals and determining the Promotions, Transfers and Postings of senior
Officials of the superior Services in many Ministries and Departments. The growing reports of corruption, numbers
of frustrated top-heavy Generals, are the other obvious indications of failure
of Republican Govt in the Country. Posting of Defence Personnel in Civilian
Roles, as Governors of the States and Union Territories, and drafting many of
them into Politics, are all definitely and really threatening the Democracy in
India.
In India today,
Politics had ceased to be a Public Service, and Politicians are no more Public
Servants or Peoples’ Representatives. Politics today, has become an Exclusive
Business, and a full-time Employment for many without any business. Going with the character of Business and
Employment in India, Politics had become an exclusive caste, of the modern day. Once a Politician, always a Politician! And true to the characteristic of Castes in
India, the sons, daughters, sons-in law, daughters-in-law and other-in-laws,
dominate Politics in India. These had
effectively stopped evolution of real Democracy in the Country, and frustrate
the Republican forms of Govt.
In the absence of Democracy in content, the massive
numbers of SC&ST Dalits, Backwards and Minorities, could naturally never
understand their intrinsic capacities, the strengths of their massive numbers,
and the power of cohesive and collective campaigns.
That is the main reason, for the frittering away of opportunities, and
wastage of emerging opportunities. The
emergence of small splinter Dalit Parties that can not hold together, is
therefore natural. That is why we see
today, various shades of Republican Parties, Dalit Panthers of Maharashtra,
BSP, Pudhiya Tamizhagam (New Tamil Nadu) and Vidudhalai Siruthaigal (Liberation
Cheetahs) of Tamil Nadu, Ambedkar Samaj Party, Lok Jan Shakthi, Justice Party
and so on. While some of them are of
historical repute, had also garnered some International Recognition, National
Followings, Regional Parties with Representations in the Assemblies, many
others are only making some ripples in the street, some noise on the stage here
and there. Some of them are of doubtful
backgrounds, and their motives are suspect.
There are many splinter and small nameless one-man
SC/ST Dalit Parties and paper Organisations all around the Country. Some of them are dormant and sleeping,
others are making great noises, and at times are proving to be of small
nuisance. That is understandable, because
individual SCs&STs are so oppressed, they don’t find freedom and
opportunities to speak out their mind and develop with due balance. Bottled up as they are, they want to speak
whenever they can, and whatever they want.
And oftentimes they speak out, to give unwanted and unsolicited
suggestions to others. This is true of
even many in the forefront of Politics.
And many speak not so much, but very little to help the Dalit Community
and serve the Nation, than about themselves.
In spite of all these weaknesses, one has to concede that all of them –
small and big alike - are making some ripples.
And by that, are contributing in their own limited ways, to the
emergence of some distinctly different Dalit Political Identity. But Dalit
Politics, to emerge as a determinant force, truly reflecting the strength of
their absolute numbers in the Country today, is sadly much a long way off. Main Reasons for this sad state of affairs
are the traditional Dalit Weaknesses.
The massive size and disbursement of the Dalit
Population all over the Country, which in fact ought to be the Strength and
Power of Dalits, are proving to be the main weaknesses. The facts that neither the Scheduled Castes
and Scheduled Tribes are a single identity, nor the SCs are a single Caste, and
the STs are a single Tribe - are also proving to be big handicaps. And the
present Govts at the Centre and in the States, are also adding to the woes, by
doing all they can to split SCs&STs.
This is a big danger today.
Different Govts and the ruling Parties there in, want
to separate the SC&ST Dalits, to take them out and apart, in totally
different directions. They want to
turn the SC&ST Dalits, into compact pockets of their own distinctly different
separate areas of influence. They are
converting the SC&ST Areas, into dangerous playgrounds, to enforce their
fascist politics to divide the People, and ruin Democracy from within. Thus, the
fascists in different parts of the Country are now trying to pitch either the
SC Dalits or ST Dalits, or both the SC&ST Dalits against the Muslims in
most parts of the Country. In some
places they arraign them antagonistically against Christians - the Church and
Colleges, Schools and Seminaries, Hospitals and Nunneries, Nuns and Priests,
NGOs and Missionaries. Other times,
they are selectively thrown out against other Minorities, or against Backward
Castes. All these, to sustain still and
further prolong, the dominance and rule of the dominant castes. But when the real crunch comes, they betray
the SCs&STs, and leave them suffer as Criminals, who could never be
employed or accommodated as respectful and trustworthy people and community.
It is in this milieu,
Dalits, Dalit Parties and Dalit Politicians stand today, in the Politically
Complex confused contemporary India, with all their strengths, weaknesses and
handicaps. Dalit Strengths are their sheer numbers, and spread all over the
Country, as well as their poverty and misery.
Yes, Dalit sufferings are truly their strength. Which other Community in the whole world had
suffered, and is still suffering like the Dalits? But, the World strangely, even today is either indifferent or
ignorant to the exploitation of Dalits in India.
The Dalits in India still have no land, no wealth, no
riches, no properties, and in fact most of the times, no houses. They continue to wallow in misery
and penury even today in the twenty-first century. Hence, Dalits as a
Community and Individuals have nothing to loose, and can become entrepreneurs
in any field they want to and can enter. Without much of the risks, they
can try their hands and test their capacity and resilience to survive and
succeed, in the chosen fields. Hence
wherever Indians had moved out of their rural homes and urban slums, and
whatever they may be, those are their gains - however small or a little that
may be. As a Dalit Intellectual said –
We as Dalits are born
to grace cows and sheep,
Rear the pigs goats
chicken ducks and bullocks,
Bathe the buffaloes
donkeys horses or elephants
Plough the lands and
sow the seeds for survival!
Whatever else we are
indeed great big bonuses!!
(sourced from Dalit Poems and Sayings, www.dalitindia.com)
Yes, whatever SC&ST Dalits are today, as they come
out of their homes to get education, employment, service in private, Govt,
Police, Military, Railways, Public Sector, Banks, Universities, Business etc
are all gains. Yet, there are far too few SCST
Dalits who venture out to take risks. On the one-hand the massive numbers of
Dalits traditionally had been caught in the web of poverty and ignorance,
illiteracy and superstition, backwardness and exploitation. Hence they are unable to come out of them. On the other, the few conscious and educated amongst the Dalits, appear to be
exclusively dependent on Reservations.
They are hence trapped in the circle of the hope from Reservations. Hence
they live within the closed circle of a little education, Reservations for
Jobs, employment, and again Reservations in Promotions, or Reservations to get
elected into the State and Union Territory Assemblies, or into the Lower House
of Parliament from Reserved Constituencies.
SC&ST Dalits as a distinctly different Community,
Leaders, Intellectuals and even as Individuals are unhappy, for having fallen
short of the goals and expectations. Also true and sure it
is - almost all educated SC&ST Dalits have not got, what are their dues –
be that good jobs, better Services, right postings, proper trainings, timely
promotions, and due career progress.
That is true in every walk of life – from playgrounds to politics. Imagine what had happened to Baba Saheb, the
Messiah of Dalits, who ceaselessly fought for and got Reservations. Repeatedly he could not be elected. Giant he was. Yet, he was defeated and humbled by nameless and faceless SCs,
who only served their masters, but not their Dalit Communities.
Please remember what
all had also happened to Babu Jagjivan Ram.
He had served the Congress Party, the Govt, People, the Nation and the
Dalit Communities all over the Country.
In some way or the other, he was in crucial positions of power at the
Centre, for nearly half a Century. He
served the Nation well, and was in Politics, that too as a Cabinet Minister in
the Centre. And all along he was denied
even the ceremonial denomination designation and formal recognition of being
the number Two in the Cabinet after the PM.
And time and again he was denied the opportunity of functioning as the
Prime Minister of the Country in 1964, 1966, 1977 and 1979 by far lesser
mortals and far junior political novices, and then in the hustings in 1979.
He was also denied the
position of Dy Prime Minister. Why
that, the Govt and the Congress Party in Power were mortally scared of
him. They denied him the crucial
Ministries of Law, Industries, Finance, External Affairs and Home. The Nation had seen his success and
achievements as Minister for Labour, Communications, Agriculture and
Railways. While they grudgingly conceded
appreciations, they always celebrated his exit from every Ministry, seeing what
he had done to meet what was due to the SC&ST Dalits in those Ministries
while in Power. I can confidently say,
almost none during all those decades can match him and his performance,
including the many SC&ST Dalit Ministers at the Centre. Remember, how many of them we can even
recall by name, and the Ministries they had held. Even in the sphere of Defence, Babuji had done whatever he could,
and whatever he was allowed to do for SC&ST Dalits. In spite of all these, he had to wait till
the first non-Congress Govt to come to power in 1977/78, to become even a Dy
PM.
24.04.2003
It took decades, before one could see another Dalit
Cabinet Minister in the Railways. Yet, the system had
cleverly marginalised SCs&STs that We could not bring in any SC or ST even
as an Additional General Manager, in any of the Zonal Railways, what to say of
posting any SC/ST as General Manager.
Naturally We could not bring in any SC/ST as Member or Chairman of the
Railway Board. Not even could We find
an Additional Member in the Railway Board.
That, which was as late as in the twilight years of the twentieth century
- in 1996, reflects the real status of SCs&STs in the Country today. Hence during our years in Railways from 1996
to 1998, We took many decisive actions to help encourage and develop the
SCs&STs in Railways. We tried to
eliminate the practice of wanton booking of a large number of SC&ST
Officers under Vigilance Cases, just before they became due for
promotions. That was being deliberately
done in a systematic and planned manner, just only to delay and deny the
Promotions of SC&ST Dalits. The
same was also being done, a little before the retirement of SCs&STs. Those, just to harass the SC&ST Dalits,
even after retirements from service, by not paying in full their retirement
benefits, or to withhold the Pensions.
That was the extent of hatred against SC&ST Dalits.
What We had done in
Railways, during the years 1996 to 1998 had begun to yield some good dividends
these days. Today, there is a SC Dalit, as GM of Railway Electrification at
Allahabad. It is sad that, the Govt did
not want to make him GM of any of the many open lines of Zonal Railways. But I am happy and proud, that one Christian
SC Dalit is now GM of the open line – South Central Railway with Head Quarters
in Secunderabad.
In Railways, We could significantly enforce the
Presidential Directives to include proportionate numbers of SCs&STs in the
Delegations going abroad, or while sending the Officials for Training Abroad. Such a practice We had earlier evolved in
the Ministry of Welfare, during VP Singh’s Govt. Today, there appears to be no SC&ST Officer except my Private
Secretary, in the Welfare Ministry who had not gone abroad, at least once to
represent the Govt of India, or attend some Conference or the other.
Coming back to the
Railways again, We had also posted one Mr AK Singh as the Deputy Railway
Adviser in Paris, and Mr Biswas as Railway Adviser in Bonn. These were two out of the three such Railway
Posts outside India. Such things could
have been never thought of earlier, by the Railway SC&ST Officials or their
Welfare Associations. Sadly enough,
that Policy as a regular and normal practice, appears to have been given a go
by at present, especially after I had left the Railways.
We could also appoint
Mr Birke Ram, as Director Finance of the big Railway Public Sector
Corporation. Today it is one of the
highly profitable PSU in the Country. These
may be only small acts, or sound as frivolous things. But they are crucially important symbolic practices and
postings. They provide the much wanted
dignity, respect and pride to SC&ST Railway Officers, selected by
the Union Public Service Commission, after All India Engineering Service
Examinations and Civil Services Examinations.
We could have done much more, had
there been more vigilance, enlightenment, awareness, unity and fighting spirit
amongst the SC&ST Dalit Officers, Employees, and their Welfare Associations
and Unions in Railways.
Till today, the Indian Foreign Service, had not
allowed any SC/ST IFS Officer to be posted as Additional Secretary
Administration in the Head Quarters – Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi.
Incidentally, it must be remembered that for most of the times, MEA was
under the direct control of the Prime Ministers. Nor had any SC/ST IFS Officer had been posted as Secretary in
that Ministry of External Affairs. So is the case, when it
comes to the Home Ministry, Finance
Ministry, Commerce Ministry, Industries Ministry, Defence Ministry and other
important Economic and Policy-Making Positions. We had not seen any SC/ST as
Secretaries there in. One can
understand the real Position of SCs&STs in the Country, if we see the
Numbers of SCs&STs, posted as Secretaries to the Govt of India.
No SC/ST was ever allowed to become the Cabinet
Secretary to the Govt of India. Dr RK Nayak
IAS (Orissa) was cunningly sidelined.
Mr Matha Prasad IAS (UP) was not allowed to take even temporary charge,
though his name was cleared by our Govt in 1997. And there are many States and Union Territories that had not
allowed even senior SCs or STs to become the Chief Secretaries. The biases against the SCs or STs are so
extensive and deep.
How can one hope to see SC&ST Dalits will Develop,
when the Planning Commission of India, does not even today have an exclusive
Division for SCST Development – the 60 million poor Native Indians? Nor had any SC Dalit ever been appointed as
a full-time Member of that Planning Commission in New Delhi.
We could not find even one SC or ST in any of the
Public Enterprises in the Country, as Chairman or CMDs. In fact, successive Govts were not
even willing to pick on any senior Politician or ex-MP, for posting as Chairman
or CMD of any big PSU. Mr Jauhri Lal, a
SC Dalit, who served the Oil Companies of the Govt of India, as the longest
serving Director, was not allowed to become CMD of any Oil Company. As he was extremely popular amongst the
SC&ST Officers and Employees in the Oil Companies, he was not even allowed
to officiate as CMD, when that Post fell vacant. The procedures and
processes of filling up the top slots in the Governments and in the PSUs are so
manipulated, to particularly eliminate the SC&ST Dalits.
I am saying these, because Politics, though important,
and crucial as Baba Saheb had observed, is only the tip of an iceberg. If it is massive and the base is large, the
tip could be big and tall. In the
absence of any large number of SC&ST Dalit Parties, Bureaucrats, Judiciary
and Media, it will be extremely difficult for SC&ST Dalit Politicians to
function efficiently and effectively.
It will almost be impossible for any SC/ST to emerge, grow, climb-up,
and survive to reach the top as Chief Ministers of the States and Union
Territories in the Country. Nor can any
become the Prime Minister of the Nation in his/her own right, based on ones own
popularity and political power. Otherwise,
one can only be simply namesake figureheads and dolls, dancing to the tunes of
others and their remote controls in the drawing rooms of the dominant
castes. In the absence of Dalit Institutions, Intellectuals, Academicians and
also Dalit NGOs, Business Men, Industrialists, Import-Export Houses, Bankers,
and the moral support of SC&ST Dalit NRIs, Dalit Politicians will be left
at the mercy of others and their parties.
I had in the beginning
said that, in Free India, Politics and those in Politics - the Politicians, had
failed the Country and the People. One
has to ask why had they? And what
for? Most of the times the whole
scenario, and the direction in which they are going appears to be
confusing. And at times it seems to be
sheer madness, as to why the leading and top Politicians, and their Political
Parties are apparently committing hara-kiri or suicide. They seem to be cutting the branches of the
trees on which they are perched. That
in fact is true, but that is not madness! Yes, that is not madness. Please take a close look. There broadly is a big system, and a secret
plan! There are clearly deliberated and
delineated paths and methods, in what the topmost brahmanic politicians and
their political advisers are doing. They
want to render Democracy and the Republic of India defunct, or meaningless. That is why they are carefully and very slowly, but deliberately
weakening the Govt. It is hence, they
are all rendering every Democratic and Parliamentary Institution toothless,
making the Parliament helpless, and Elections meaningless. For, Democracy in India did not really mean
Rule by the People, or Rule for the People.
And the dominant castes do not ever want this. That is why the top
politicians don’t want the Democracy to succeed and Republic to take root in
this Country!
Fifty-six years since Independence, India as a Nation
had almost remained feudal, with the Rule of the brahmins at the Centre. And in the States and UTs, there still
prevail only the rule of brahmins and brahmanism.
That is true not only when the brahmins, kshatriyas, kayasths and
baniyas ruled, but also when different backward classes, minorities and even
SCs/STs became Chief Ministers, during the domination of different National
Parties. That remained exactly the
same, even when the dissatisfied angry and aggressive Backward Castes came to power,
riding roughshod at the helm of various Regional and State Parties in different
States and UTs. For, all of the MLAs and MPs elected by the People of
India, are under the complete influence of the dominant castes.
As everyone knows, India is a Nation of Castes. And it always remains in the firm grip of
the brahmins. So, the Country remained
under the influence of the brahmin-based castes, brahmanic values, and brahmanism.
That was always true even during
the Rule of not only the Moghuls and British or other Continental People, but
also earlier during the times of Huns, Kushans etc. As a result of these, the mainstream brahmin-baniya Parties, and
kshatriya-kayasth combinations, were always at the helm of affairs. And even otherwise, the Govt is always run
by the bureaucracy, all contentious issues are arbitrated and decided by the
Judiciary, and widespread opinions are made by the Media. All of these are dominated by the brahmins
and their sister dominant castes.
Hence, all these decades, the Govts
in India meant only brahmanic rule.
Therefore, all the decisions taken in whatever forms and fora those may
be, were brahmanic. They were
taken, solely to protect, safeguard, and to further the brahmanic interests,
brahmin welfare, brahmanic growth, and to continue the brahminic rule.
Under the above
circumstances, hope for the People,
shape of Politics, Democracy and Democratic Values, and the future of the
Republic of India, rests mainly with SC&ST Dalits. For, the SC&ST Dalits, as Avarnas (Casteless
People) living outside the Caste System (varnavyavstha or varnashram system)
really are Casteless and out of the Castes.
They are the Outcastes, Unseeables, Unapproachables and Unaceptables. And most of the educated or even otherwise enlightened SC&ST Dalits all over the
Country, reject brahmanism, and take to rationalism, Marxism, or
Ambedkarism. They also opt for and
convert to Universal religions like Buddhism, Christianity, Islam or Sikhism. They particularly and specifically reject
manu and manuvadi beliefs. And, the
SC&ST Dalits, on the face of it, have Reservations to cock their spook at
the manuvadis. Thus SC&ST Dalits,
Dalit Politicians and Dalit Politics are coming to the Centre Stage in
India. No major National or Regional
Party can any more afford to neglect or brush-aside or fool the SCs&STs any
more. But it is a sad fact that
SC&ST Dalits are not in a position to take a totally collective holistic
view for the long-time benefits and interests of the Dalit Communities and in
the interests of this Country of which they are the Naives.
It is truly a sad and
shocking reality that many SCs&STs are not free from blame. And they are now coming increasingly under
total brahmanic influence and domination!
This, though they are not only exploited systematically by the brahmins
at the head of the castes, but are completely oppressed by the weight of the
caste-system standing over their heads.
And the SC&ST Dalits also,
have now been infected by the castes and brahmanic values! These are only because of the brahmanic
manipulations.
Baba Saheb Dr BR Ambedkar had foreseen the effects of
dominant castes in Free India. That is
why he had struggled and fought for separate electorates for the Dalits, right
at the time of the British Rule itself!
As a result of his ceaseless work, struggles and arguments, Baba Saheb
got for the Dalits also, separate Electorate.
On 17th August 1932,
James Ramsay MacDonald, the then Prime Minister of England, announced his Award
- popularly known as the Communal Award.
As per that Award –
1. All the Dalits would
Vote in the General Constituencies (Universal Franchise)
2. Since the Dalits would
not in the Indian Situation get their Representatives Elected, in adequate
Numbers, a Number of Special Seats would be reserved for them
3. The Special Seats would
be filled by the Dalits
4. Only Dalits would Stand
for Elections in the Special Constituencies
5. Only Dalits would Vote
in the Elections in those Special Constituencies
6. The Dalits Voting in
the Special Seats, would also Vote in the General Constituency to elect the
General Representatives
The very next day - on 18th August 1932,
Gandhi who was then interned in Yerawada Jail at Poona, wrote a letter to the
British PM in London, giving a month’s notice to go on a fast unto death,
against the Separate Electorates to the Dalits. Gandhi wanted the British to annul the Separate Electorate
granted by them to the Dalits, and withdraw the Dalits’ Rights to elect their
own Representatives. Gandhi claimed
this right on behalf of the hindus, assuming on his own the right to represent
and speak for the hindus. And he
further untruthfully claimed that, the Dalits - historically despised,
neglected, and socially exiled excluded and boycotted for millenniums, were
also parts of his brahmanic hindu religion.
Thus, Gandhi claimed the Dalits for the hindus vis-à-vis the muslims on
the one hand, and freedom and futures of the Dalits on the other. And he illegally co-opted, the always
despised denigrated sidelined marginalised and unacceptable Dalits, as
hindus. This deceit today divides the
loyalties and commitment of the SC&ST Dalits today, between brahmins and
brahmanism, and Ambedkar and Dalit Politics.
Gandhi wrote a large
number of letters to officials and other authorities, relatives and friends in
India and abroad, about this fast. And
after giving wide Publicity to arouse the Public Emotions of the dominant
castes, Gandhi went on his fast unto death, on 20th Sept 1932 in the
Yerawada Jail itself. As a result of Gandhi’s fast, there emerged
further strong public sentiments amongst the dominant castes, against the
Dalits, and their natural and due fundamental rights. Finally, in view of Gandhi’s detonating
health, and in response to the all round public appeal to Baba Saheb by those
concerned to save the life of Gandhi fasting unto death, Baba Saheb agreed to
negotiate the compromise forced upon him by the incalcitrant and intransigent
Gandhi.
Baba Saheb was then coerced to give up the Separate
Electorate for the Dalits, which he got from the reluctant British, after his
long drawn struggles. And he was forced
to sign the Poona Pact. As per that
Pact, Dalits would have seats reserved for them, but then there won’t be any
separate electorate of the Dalits.
Instead, the Dalit Representatives would be elected by all, including
the dominant castes in the Reserved Constituencies. Thus, elected would be
Dalits, but they need not be Dalit Representatives, and have to be the Dalits
elected by the dominant caste general voters. Hence, the namesake Dalit Representatives, unless they are
basically tall within, and morally strong, had to look for approval of the
dominant castes, before they speak or do anything. Thus the interests of the
Dalits continue to suffer adversely and irreparably. That had remained so since 1932, and during the long decades of
the past half-a-century and more since Independence. And the SC&ST Dalits had then lost, for almost ever, the
right to elect their own Representatives.
What Baba Saheb and Dalits lost in the Yerawada Jail
in 1932, still haunts and affects Dalit Politics in the third millennium. And though the Dalits now get due
representations only in politics, and in proportion to their Population in the
Society, the quality of the Representations everywhere, generally suffer very
badly. Only those acceptable to the
dominant castes, or serving their interests can generally hope to be get
elected. That political system including the electoral processes are so bad, that
Baba Saheb himself could not be elected as a Representative of the Dalits, and
was defeated again and again, by almost nameless and faceless Dalits. And this position still holds true and good
in contemporary India, to frustrate the conscious Dalits with self-respect and
dignity.
– Ram Vilas Paswan,
MP, India
A Paper presented by Mr Ram Vilas Paswan, Member of
Parliament/Lok Sabha (Peoples House or Lower House) National President, Lok
Janshakti Party, India, in the Conference on DALIT POLITICS IS HERE TO STAY,
organised by HEINRICH BOLL FOUNDATION, in connection with the DALIT DAY
PROGRAMME at Berlin in Sept 2003.
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