Dalit Politics: Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi & Mayawati in sling fest

NEW DELHI: Dalit icon and the architect of the Constitution, BR Ambedkar, on his 123rd birth anniversary became a political football for the three major parties — BJP, Congress and BSP — to be conveniently dribbled by their leaders seeking political goals. Dalits have steadfastly remained BSP’s social base in UP with Congress trying to win them back in the heartland and retain them elsewhere. BJP in every election woos Dalits, particularly non-Jatav groups like Valmikis, without much success.

The appropriation of Ambedkar is, thus, a mandatory part of regular electioneering. At various rallies in UP and Gujarat, BJP’s PM candidate Narendra Modi attacked the Gandhi-Nehru family for neglecting Ambedkar, insulting him and ignoring the plight of the Dalits. "Had Ambedkar not been there, someone like me would not have been standing before you," he said and attacked Jawaharlal Nehru for refusing to buy even 100 copies of a book written by Ambedkar on Buddha. Modi said the country’s first Prime Minister had a "poisoned mind" against Ambedkar.

But in the course of his speech he committed a mistake, insisting that BJP conferred the country’s highest honour, Bharat Ratna, on Ambedkar. It was the VP Singh government of the Janata Dal that honoured Ambedkar’s memory by unveiling his portrait in Parliament’s central hall, and awarding him the Bharat Ratna as part of his birth centenary celebrations in 1990.

"In our country, three members of the same family received Bharat Ratna. The Congress never gave Bharat Ratna to Ambedkar. This happened only when the BJP came to power." The 13-day BJP government came to power almost six years after Ambedkar was awarded the Ratna.

Soon, the Dalit leader and BSP chief Mayawati, speaking in Lucknow, slammed BJP for trying to appropriate the demi-god of the Dalits. She claimed BJP did not like Ambedkar getting the Ratna: "BJP had not liked it then and using the Advani’s ‘rath yatra’ as an excuse it (BJP) withdrew support to VP Singh government."

She claimed that BJP wooed Dalits only during the polls. Pitching her own candidature for the PM’s post, Mayawati said Dalits and backwards will not be "misguided" as they want one of their own to become the prime minister of the country.

Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala quoted two books written by Modi, ‘Samajik Samrasta’ and ‘Karmayog’ to claim that Modi has been "making derogatory remarks about the Dalits". Surjewala said "Modi has drawn a parallel between Dalits and mentally retarded’’ children and had maintained that Dalits should be treated like children with special needs.

Surjewala said in his second book ‘Karmayog’, "Modi tried to legitimise the illegal act of scavenging by saying that "scavenging must have been a spiritual experience for the Valmiki caste. Because at some point in time somebody must have got enlightenment in scavenging. They must have thought that it is their duty to work for the happiness of the entire society and the Gods."