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Possible revival of Dalit politics today
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While other political parties have often joined hands to secure their class and social interests, the Dalit parties hardly pondered the possibility of uniting different Dalit political and social organisations at the national level
Azad Samaj MP Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan at Parliament during the First Session of the 18th Lok Sabha. File
| Photo Credit: ANI
In the 2024 general election, with the decline of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) in Maharashtra, the independent political assertion of Dalit politics has been relegated to a new low. However, Dalit political parties like the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) in Bihar and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) in Tamil Nadu showcased a promise that Dalit politics can remain relevant in the democratic discourse if they form alliances with national political fronts.
Such diversification within the Dalit political discourse shows that the heightened ideological commitment to the Ambedkarite political values is diminishing, as Dalit political parties are exploring various alternatives to find meaning in their existence. This heterogeneity also reveals that the Dalit parties and leaders lack a grand political vision to build a national front against the conventional ruling elites, remaining comfortable with their regional specificities. For the rebirth of Dalit politics, newer ideological virtues under a committed political leadership are essential.
The Dalit factor in the 2024 Lok Sabha election: Data
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar expected that modern democracy would not re-establish the power and privileges of the conventional social elites but would instead allow the socially marginalised groups to take centre stage in transforming the power structure. He envisioned that independent India’s new polity would allow Dalits to emerge as robust leaders of marginalised social groups and challenge the domination of social elites over political power. With the decline of parties, like the BSP and VBA, there are few takers of such a revolutionary vision.
Recently, Dalit politics based on the ideals of social justice have continuously been marginalised and have remained passive. The divisions between Dalit political parties showcase that there is no consensus on ideological parameters. The Dalit leadership lacks political vision and influential social initiatives. While other political parties have often joined hands to secure their class and social interests, Dalit parties hardly pondered the possibility of uniting different Dalit political and social organisations at the national level. These parties often remain attached to their regional specificities and lack the political imagination to ally with the social justice parties to announce a robust national Dalit agenda. Other marginalised communities, such as the Adivasis and Muslims, also hesitate to open a sincere dialogue with Dalit political outfits, as their political commitment and ideological merit often remain under doubt. Instead, national political fronts, especially the Congress, have reinvented themselves by engaging with the concerns of the marginalised social groups and building impressive campaigns to safeguard constitutional ideals.
In this context, the victory of Chandrashekhar Azad from the Nagina parliamentary constituency in Uttar Pradesh is a significant marker of the possibility of the arrival of independent Dalit politics. In contrast to the BSP-VBA bloc, Mr. Azad showed that a winning combination could be formed by building an engagement with the marginalised social groups, particularly Muslims. Further, on the ideological front, he offered a powerful challenge not only to right-wing politics but also reprimanded the secular-socialist political outfits for neglecting the issues of marginalised social groups. Building such an impressive social base with radical ideological values can revibrate the dormant Dalit movement today.
OPINION | The limitations of Ambedkarite Dalit politics today
Unified political bloc
Similar to the INDIA bloc that created a collective political assertion based on the ideals of social justice and secularism, a unified political bloc of Dalit parties, especially the BSP, VCK, and VBA, could reenergise the dormant social justice movement and mobilise oppressed communities for a substantive political change. The diverse Dalit political movements need to consider organising a unified political bloc, an alliance of all the Dalit parties at the national level. Such a bloc could associate with other regional and national alliances to form a broader political alliance over the slogan of social justice and the ideals of the Indian Constitution. It is equally important for the Dalit leaders and parties to imagine themselves as essential components in the battle against the right-wing juggernaut. However, till recent times, it is visible that the political decisions of parties like the BSP and the VBA mostly segregate the Dalits from associating with secular progressive alternatives and indirectly help the BJP.
Such an alliance is possible only if the segmented Dalit movement decides to come together to rewrite a new manifesto for social justice to confront the challenges raised by the neo-liberal economy and Hindutva fundamentalism. This ideological programme is possible if the current leadership could reduce their petty egos, sort out the intra-Dalit skirmishes with sensitivity, and work together to end their ideological diversions. For the revival of Dalit politics, it is imperative that contemporary Dalit leadership offers intellectual and visionary leadership to challenge the current passivity and dependency. It is required that various stakeholders, intellectuals, and civil society activists engage in deliberation upon the possibility of a federal Dalit front, forcing the political parties to reimagine their strategies and ideological goals.
OPINION | The present and future of Dalit politics
A robust and engaged public deliberation to imagine a radical agenda for Dalit emancipation will help to rebuild a national movement for a substantive transformation in the economic and political spectrum.
Harish S. Wankhede is Assistant Professor, Centre for Political Studies, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
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