Ghazanfar Abbas, IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, Aug 04: “In the last 25 years, around seven lakh atrocities have been recorded where more than seven million Dalits suffered in violence from the upper caste and upper class communities… Our limit of tolerating the intolerable is already over. Therefore, Dalits are up in arms and there is a massive uprising not only in Gujarat, rather in every nook and corner of India,” says Ashok Bharti, eminent Dalit thinker and national convener of Republican Party of India, in an exclusive video interview with IndiaTomorrow.net. Bharti is founder and former chairman of National Confederation of Dalit Adivasi Organisations (NACDOR).
Excerpts from the interview:
IndiaTomorrow.net: How do you look at the recent Dalit uprising being witnessed in the wake of the Una incident?
Ashok Bharti: The recent Dalit uprising is neither recent nor spontaneous. Dalits have been working for long to build a resilient movement which could resist their socio economic exploitation and their physical oppression. As you know in the last 25 years, more than 6,74,000 atrocities have been recorded where more than seven million Dalits suffered in violence from the upper caste and upper class communities. Very recently much before the Una incident, you must have witnessed the event where the woman and her children were burnt alive in Faridabad, the statement by a central government minister abusing Dalits as dogs and second time rape of a Dalit rape victim in Rohtak and government’s inaction. These are the causes and Dalits are really worried and everyone has a limit of tolerance. Our limit of tolerating the intolerable is already over. Therefore, Dalits are up in arms and there is a massive uprising not only in Gujarat, rather in every nook and corner of India.
IndiaTomorrow.net: Do you think the massive Ahmedabad Dalit rally was historic? Was it politically motivated?
Ashok Bharti: As soon as Una incident took place, we had a meeting with the Gujarat NACDOR colleagues in Delhi. Three leaders of the Una movement also had a discussion with NACDOR and we decided to show our strength — therefore this rally took place. Three years ago a Dalit youth was murdered by the police in Surendranagar district of Gujarat. Even at that time there was a massive protest of Dalits. Therefore, the Una incident has drawn everyone who is born as Dalit and the other well-meaning people to the streets and I don’t see any political party behind it. Though I know that a few people are trying to take credit but the credit goes to the grass root Dalit leadership that has been developed over the last 25 years and especially after the formation of NACDOR in India.
IndiaTomorrow.net: Are you sure the current Dalit uprising will lead to some political changes in the country?
Ashok Bharti: I think one political change has already taken place — the Chief Minister of Gujarat has gone; now wait for the next. The elections are round the corner and Dalits will certainly show the door to many political parties and political leaders in this country.
IndiaTomorrow.net: Do you think mere political changes will change the behavior and mindsets of the society towards Dalits?
Ashok Bharti: We never believed that only political change can change the situation of Dalits and other marginalized sections such as minorities in this country. We believe that Dalits and the marginalized have to work beyond politics, they have to work for social unification process, social consideration process, they have to engage with their adversaries also, they have to work in the field of economy, and they have to build their own economy. So I don’t think that only politics is the solution of all the problems of Dalits or minorities.
IndiaTomorrow.net: Dalits like any other human being are entitled to live a dignified life. What has deprived them of this right?
Ashok Bharti: When India got freedom, we visualized a fair space in the polity, economy, and in the society. And we did not only opt for a space, we also thought that after the hundreds and thousands years of oppression by the upper castes, we would get fair hearing in the court, legal system, government and even the institutions that have been built over the period of time. We also thought that under the spirit of the freedom movement people would give equal dignity to everyone, unfortunately it did not happen. So, we believe that our aspirations are not being fulfilled by the present dispensation and so Dalits need to work in this direction. They need to build their own institutions and engage with other communities. Government policies need to be thoroughly investigated, thoroughly reviewed and they need to be reviewed where Dalits are the part of review mechanism. Without us nothing can help us.
IndiaTomorrow.net: What social changes do you see in the Dalit community?
Ashok Bharti: Well, I always say that Dalits are the success story of India but unfortunately the people who helped to make them success do not own this story and they don’t want to own this story because it challenges their mindsets, it challenges their Hindu mentality and their concept of superiority and of course it really undermines their sense of superiority too.
IndiaTomorrow.net: How do you look at cow vigilantism and beef politics? How are they harming Dalits and other marginalized communities?
Ashok Bharti: If you look at the cow vigilante, it is primarily instigated by the upper caste, upper class, Baniya-Brahminical politics. All these cow vigilante groups or the people behind them understand that the animal meat business and the leather business have huge potential of a big economic game, therefore they want to push Muslims and Dalits away specifically from these two business opportunities. It is impacting them very badly and therefore Dalits need to join with the Muslims. Beef has been our food in many parts of the country. And cow vigilantes are challenging our food habits, our livelihood and we would not tolerate this.
