Dalit Protest With an Eye on 2019 at Delhi’s Parliament Street
Live updates from Parliament Street where Dalit groups from across the country have converged to challenge the RSS
Several dalit organisations from states across India came under the banner of the Dalit Swabhiman Sangharsh rally to formally launch a national level movement. Leaders from left organisations also joined the rally today at New Delhi’s Parliament Street. Prakash Ambedkar, Sitaram Yechury, Jignesh Mevani, Bezwada Wilson were among the prominent speakers at the rally.
Highlights From the Dalit Swabhiman Sangharsh Rally
- Consolidated dalit movement launched at the national level
- Prakash Ambedkar claimed that this is a socio-religious movement
- Left organisations, primarily the CPI and the CPI(M) lend their support
- Resolution to systematically counter caste oppression adopted
- Jignesh Mevani gives out call for a Rail Roko programme on 1 October 2016
“Modi’s Heart is in Manu Smriti and in Reliance”
Kanhaiya Kumar opened his speech at the Dalit Swabhiman Sangharsh Rally with a jibe at PM Narendra Modi. “Modi ji ka mann manuwadi hai, unka Reliance mann hai” (Modi’s heart is in Manu Smriti, his heart is in Reliance). Calling the attendees ‘Ambedkar’s soldiers’, Kanhaiya said the PM’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is fake, and that ‘Ambedkar’s soldiers’ will get rid of the dirt of casteism.
Here’s a 360 degree view of the protest rally at Parliament Street.
“There are Many Other Rohiths Out There”
Congratulating Left parties for defeating the ABVP in the JNU Students Union election, Radhika Vemula begins her address in Telugu to call on Left progressive and Dalit organisations to unite against casteism.
Radhika Vemula ends her address with “Our vote counts. Please keep that in mind.”
Dalits to Protest RSS’ ‘Shastra Pooja’ in Uttar Pradesh
Jignesh Mevani, who spearheaded the ‘Una Chalo! march on 15 August in Gujarat, calls on Dalits to protest against RSS’ plans to conduct a ‘shastra pooja’ in UP.
“Bhim ke rath ko aage badhane ke liye, humein rail rath ko rokna padega”, says Jignesh Mevani to announce a massive Rail Roko protest on 1 October. He called on protesters to buy tickets en masse and pull the chain to stop the train when on board.
Jignesh Mevani also announced a massive protest rally at Delhi’s Ram Leela Maidan on 27 November.
Sheetal Sathe, Ginni Mahi and Sujat Ambedkar spoke to The Quint’s Abhirup Dam on their expression of protest.
‘Fight Between Democracy and Dictatorship”
The Quint’s Abhirup Dam caught up with Prakash Ambedkar right after he finished his speech. He asked him about why the Dalit Swabhiman Sangharsh Samiti is shying away from a direct political role. Prakash Ambedkar says his socio-religious movement is aimed at making people aware of their choices when they vote in the 2019 general election.
Who Moved My Beef?
The resolution to be adopted at the rally also mentions the increase in the number of “attacks by vigilante groups in the name of Gau Raksha on Muslims and Dalits.” Here is an excerpt from the resolution:
CPI(M) member Subhashini Ali says “is manuwadi sarkar ki ulti ginti shuru ho gayi hai.” (The countdown has begun for this casteist government).
No Longer a Passive Votebank
The Dalit rally gains political significance considering assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab will be held in less than six months from now. In UP, 21% of the electorate is Dalit. In Punjab, a considerable 30% of the electorate is Dalit.
“The RSS believes they are unstoppable. But together we can put them on the right path”, says BR Ambedkar’s grandson Prakash Ambedkar.
The Resolution
The resolution for adoption at the Dalit Swabhiman Sangharsh reads:
It also condemns the “institutional murder of Rohith Vemula” in Hyderabad University, the flogging of four Dalits for skinning a dead cow in Una, the killing of Dr Narendra Dhabholkar, Comrade Gobind Pansare and Professor Kalburgi.
Presence of Politicians at “Socio-Religious” Event Bound to Raise Questions
CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury is among a host of Left leaders who are expected to speak at the event. The presence of politicians is bound to raise questions. Prakash Ambedkar who is spearheading the movement, had in a conversation with The Quint insisted that it is meant to be a “socio-religious movement, not a political one.”
The Quint’s Abhirup Dam, Esha Paul and The Quint Hindi’s Kaushiky Kashyap are reporting Live from Parliament Street on the protest by Dalit groups that have organised themselves under an umbrella organisation called the Dalit Swambhiman Sangharsh Samiti.
The Dalit Swambhiman Sangharsh Samiti is protesting:
- Against the cultural nationalism of the RSS
- For self-determination
- Against khap and honour killings
- For landless dalits to be brought under the land redistribution scheme
- For reservation in the private sector
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