The Logic of Dalit Politics, Understanding Caste: From Buddha to Ambedkar and Beyond by Gail Omvedt

Lecture and Explanation, Reading to be covered:

Omvedt, Gail, 2011, The Logic of Dalit Politics, in, Understanding Caste: From Buddha to Ambedkar and Beyond, Orient BlackSwan, New Delhi, Ch. 11, pp. 74-90

Keywords: Gail Omvedt, Dalit Politics, Caste, Ambedkar,

 The University of Delhi, Bachelor of Arts, Sociology of India: Images and Reality

The Logic of Dalit Politics, Understanding Caste From Buddha to Ambedkar and Beyond by Gail Omvedt: Image Credit: Fuzail Ahmad from Pexels 

Pg. 83

This article is describing the meaning of Dalit politics. In general, by Dalit politics we mean the politics of Scheduled Caste, but this is not the whole truth. Adivasi or Scheduled Tribe is also associating with Dalit politics.

Adivasi was mainly used to live near the forest, but they also had a kingdom. But in general, the hegemonic literature suggesting that they are only living in the forest and they have the least quality of civilization.

Both Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes were defined and enlisted by the Government of India Act 1935, along with the other lists.

Gail Omvedt quoting Wahara Sonavane that “a strong affiliation between the minority of Brahmin and a handful of Raja took one after another Adivasi/ Tribes under their control through violence and aggression” (23 December 1990). This is clearly showing that the Adivasi had their region and the kingdom. But later on, they become the deprived community after violent aggression by the nexus of Brahman and Rajas.

#PLEASE-NOTE: In many writings, you may find that Dalit subjects are not related to the Adivasi subjects.

#HOWEVER, many other writings are including Adivasi, Women and downtrodden people under Dalit subject, irrespective of their caste.

Pg. 84
The 1980s were marked as rising of Dalit, Adivasi, Women, Farmer and other movements against exploitation and atrocities.

Gail Omvedt had observed that post 1975s strong women and feminist women had underlined that “all religions are patriarchal and oppress women” and replacing the pre-independence tendency to take Sita and Savitri as ideals of womanhood.
After 1975 the ideals of women liberation and movements were changed. It was replaced from ideals from religion to the real person who fought for their rights. Like Savitribai Phule, Pandita Ramabai, Tarabai Shinde, Jyotiba Phule, etc.

Pg. 85
By the late 1980s Dalit and other low-caste women, and feminists from south India were also making themselves heard.

#PLEASE-NOTE You can find these things in a book “Hind Swaraj or Indian Home Rule” written by MK Gandhi, in 1909 #FIND-THIS-BOOK-HERE https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/8190843192/

Pg. 86

Role and Importance of Ideals and Icons in the Social Movement- Anil Kumar

During the period of 1980, the middle class also started the environmental movement. They were inspired by Gandhi who uses to oppose the industrial civilization in India. However, during the same period, environmental movements were also led by the Dalit, Adivasi, Women and Farmers, but their concern was different. They were more concern about natural resources like water. And they symbolized their movement by Ekalavya. Here we can find that there are clear differences between the elite and the subaltern environmental movement. Both were concerned for the environment but their way of concern, the subject matter of concern and ideals and symbols were different. These differenced are coming from different social identities. The symbols and icons are playing an important role in any movements. Symbols and icons are representing the ideology and philosophy of the movement. This is also shaping and future for future coerce of action. For all other general-purpose the movement led by Dalit, Adivasi, Farmers and other weaker sections idealized the Bali Kingdom not the Kingdom of Ram, which means they wanted the Bali Raj, not Ram Raj. – Anil Kumar Explanation

Gail Omvedt also pointed out that on the other hand, leaders of the farmers’ movement in the Hindi belt, such as the Jat leader Mahendra Singh Tikait, has also spoken in the anti-Brahmanic language, but identified with the more orthodox versions of Hinduism popular there.

Pg. 87
During the 1980s and 1990s, many movements were challenged the orthodox Hindu traditions.

The logic of Dalit politics

The logic of Dalit Politics may be argued, involved three major emerging themes:

1) Challenge the Brahmanic Hinduism

Pg. 88
2) Movement includes all Oppressed Nationalities (Please pay attention to the word Nationality)

3) A synthesis of a new economic and political direction with the cultural challenge.

During the 1990s rise of the Bahujan Samaj, Party (BSP) and the implementation of the Mandal Commission Report make Indian democracy more democratic and deep-rooted. However, to destroy this movement the Hindutva forces were organized a Rath Yatra and building Ram Temple ‘Movement’.

#TO-KNOW-MORE READ “India’s Silent Revolution: The Rise of the Lower Castes” by Christophe Jaffrelot, 2003 #FIND-THIS-BOOK-HERE https://amzn.to/2ZTB1Us 

Pg. 89
Finally, they demolished the Babari Masjid of Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, on 6th December 1992. The 6th of December is also a significant date for the Indian depressed communities. On 6th December Dr BR Ambedkar has died.

The demolition of Babari Masjid, create Hindu Muslim tension in the society. Later on, this also leads to communal violence in Gujrat in 2002.

Now the ideas of rule of Raja Bali become stronger than the idea of the rule of Ram or Ram Raj.
Gail Omvedt has criticized the idea of Hindu Majoritarian Nationalism on various grounds.

#TO-KNOW-MORE About Majoritarian Nationalism, please #READ-THIS-BOOK, “Majoritarian State: How Hindu Nationalism Is Changing India”, by Christophe J. (Author), Blom T. (Author), Chatterji A. P. (Author), 2019, #FIND-THIS-BOOK-HERE https://amzn.to/2ZZUkeE  

Pg. 90
Gail Omvedt summarizing with the words of Bagul (1992, 283, 288) that ‘Democratic socialism which is based on liberty, equality, and fraternity is the philosophy of the modern age. And this philosophy has not rooted in the Indian psyche and mystical value structure. 

Anil Kumar | Student of Life World  
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Image Credit: Fuzail Ahmad from Pexels