The churn in Dalit politics
There are three strands within Dalit politics. How these evolve will shape power equations
The appointment of a Dalit leader, Charanjit Singh Channi, as Punjab’s first Dalit chief minister — albeit only till elections early next year — comes at a critical moment in the evolution of Dalit politics. Beyond Punjab, this will lead to a renewed debate on the politics of Dalit representation in the country. The fact that Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati has already criticised Mr Channi’s elevation is not just because her party is a contender in Punjab in alliance with the Akali Dal — it is because there is currently an intense battle to win over the Dalit vote in the country.
There are three broad political strands within Dalits at the moment. The first is firmly with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). For long, the party was criticised for being Brahmanical and almost exclusively upper-caste. But under Narendra Modi, there has been a conscious attempt to reach out to Dalits — be it through symbolic recognition of sites associated with BR Ambedkar’s life or welfare schemes which have benefited the community or through deeper Hinduisation or through leveraging contradictions within Dalits. It is not a surprise that the BJP today has the highest number of Dalit Members of Parliament and is conscious of the need to maintain this base. Within this first strand are also Dalit parties associated with the BJP, for instance the Republican Party of India and the Lok Janshakti Party. The second strand constitutes Dalit political constituencies which are firmly with the non-BJP end of the political spectrum. This is true in the south, in heartland states such as Uttar Pradesh where the Jatavs remain firmly with Ms Mayawati, and include a substantial segment of voters who are traditionally loyal to the Congress. The third strand are the Ambedkarites who operate independently — for instance Prakash Ambedkar. There are others, particularly in civil society, who operate outside the formal political framework but are more assertive and largely opposed to the BJP.
Coming across as a party sensitive to Dalits is crucial for all parties. The BJP can sustain its power only if its Hindutva coalition is an inclusive one. The non-BJP parties can oust the hegemon only if Dalits, in much larger numbers than today, vote for them in different states. And for Ambedkarite social movements, translating their civil society activism into political strength is crucial if they want to push for greater Dalit representation. It is in this context that Mr Channi’s appointment will have an impact on national politics.