Riddles in Dalit politics

In the wake of the Supreme Court's sub-classification verdict, SHREYAS UBGADE analyses how ideological divides and political alignments of Dalit groups make this a complex electoral battle in Maharashtra

- SHREYAS UBGADE

On the morning of October 12, three days before the Election Commission announced polling dates for the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attended the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's Vijayadashmi celebrations in full ganvesh (volunteer uniform) at the organization's traditional venue in Nagpur. A couple of hours earlier, he had sent out a tweet greeting people on Dhammachakra Pravartan Din.

In 1956, on Vijayadashmi, B.R. Ambedkar, along with lakhs of his followers, renounced Hinduism to embrace Buddhism at Deekshabhoomi in Nagpur. Every year, millions of Ambedkarites and neo-Buddhists from across the country congregate at Deekshabhoomi on Vijayadashmi to commemorate this epochal event as Dhammachakra Pravartan Din.

The two sites—barely 6 km apart—have been focal points of two potent streams of thought: Hindutva and Ambedkarite.

While Dalit activists in Nagpur point out the obvious counter-currents at play, the Sangh Parivar describes this as 'Samajik Samrasta' (social harmony).

Often at loggerheads, these two worldviews have coexisted for over half a century in the orange-exporting district, the biggest urban centre in the Vidarbha region, which sends 62 MLAs to the Assembly.

"No political party can antagonise Ambedkarite voters, particularly the neo-Buddhists. That's why Fadnavis engages in such balancing acts," says a Dalit activist.

Neo-Buddhists, according to sources, wield considerable electoral influence in parts of Vidarbha, Marathwada, and several urban centres across the state.

According to a study by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute in Pune, Scheduled Castes (SCs) made up 11.45 per cent of Maharashtra's population as of 2011. Of this, the Mahar caste comprised 62.2 per cent, Matang 19.3 per cent, and Charmakar 10.9 per cent. In total, 59 SC castes share the 13 per cent reservation quota in the state.