Tag Archives: BSP

February 21, 2017 · 6:37 pm

Assertive politics, not identity politics

Written by Nijam Gara

Whenever Uttar Pradesh and/or Bihar go to polls, the media is agog with the term ‘identity politics’. The shrill campaign coverage of mainstream media paints identity politics as being inimical to egalitarian society and destructive to the supposed holy-cow of Indian democracy. A well-known Gandhian has recently written in a National English newspaper that the “U” in Uttar Pradesh stands for ungovernable mainly because it is ridden with the scourge of identity politics. He longs for the glorious past of Uttar Pradesh in an eerie similarity to the ‘Make America great again’ slogan that we are all too familiar with now. Thus he equates the rise of bahujan leaders of Uttar Pradesh with regression of the prospects of the state.

This narrative needs to be dissected to comprehend the ire of such Gandhians and other media pundits. First, how about a counter-narrative? Today, in 2017, almost 70 years after the birth of a nation called India, but more importantly, more than three thousand years after Vedic ‘civilization’ spread over this land, Uttar Pradesh is the only state in the Union of India where a freestanding dalit political party stands a chance at the hustings to rule the state. And Uttar Pradesh is only one of 2 states (the other being Bihar) where OBCs have taken center-stage in ruling unopposed for the past 2 decades. Leaders from the bottom of the Vedic step-ladder such as Mayawathi (dalit), Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad and Mulayam Singh Yadav (all OBCs) became forces to reckon with only as a result of assertion of their backward identity. It is only because they raised their banners in the name of their oppressed background that even the National parties today are forced to sing OBC and dalit tune. While it is easy for self-proclaimed political pundits to brush off bahujan parties with the deprecating label of ‘identity politics’, millions of people from all over India that hail from these sections can vouch for the dignity that a Lalu Prasad, a Mayawathi or a Kanshi Ram brought to them by standing up to oppression and bringing them in to the mainstream of political discourse. There is no means to measure the confidence that these leaders and parties instill in the bahujans across the country. In fact, it is a travesty that other states have not seen such an upsurge in bahujan assertion. To put things in historical context, not too long ago, the castes that they represent were banished to menial jobs that savarna hindus would abhor to even dream of, never had the right to own land or even stand next to a savarna but today have risen to rule themselves and the savarnas too.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under BSP, Dr Ambedkar Books, Mayawati

Tagged as Bahujan Samaj Party, BSP, Dr Ambedkar, Identity Politics, Kanshi Ram

December 20, 2016 · 1:46 pm

The Ballot or the Bullet – By Saheb Kanshi Ram Ji

Many of you might have listened “The Ballot or the Bullet” speech by Malcolm X but how many of you have heard Saheb Kanshi Ram’s similar speech? Now I see even more clearly why there was no conflict between Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and Saheb Kanshi Ram, both lived and worked around the same time period and there was never a conflict between both. Here is what Saheb Kanshi Ram had to say about Ballot or the Bullet, speech delivered in Nagpur, date unknown to me!

~ If you think only with Ballot you can become a governing class then you are keeping yourself in the dark. We have to become rulers through ballot but we have to prepare and be ready for the bullet also. We took charge of the UP with ballot but when elected upper caste MLAs from opposition parties came to assembly they started chanting ‘Jai Shree Ram’ and creating the ruckus in the assembly by jumping on the chairs and tables and throwing various devices in the air. They thought Bahujan Samaj people are afraid now and for around 20 minutes there was a backlash. It was already coming in the newspapers that Savarana Hindus have lost the power now there will be a backlash but I was saying in response to backlash there will be a strong frontlash! We won with the ballot and we have to prepare ourselves our community to win with the ballot, but if after winning the election with ballot they don’t let you run the government properly you need to do something. Though we didn’t felt the need to use the bullet but no matter how small weapon came to our hands, we used it and they went out with bloody noses! Those who didn’t accept the verdict of ballot so we replied them in their language. So, friends we have to bring change and rule through ballot but if a few people use bullet or pather-lathi or use unconstitutional powers to suppress us for that we have to make our community ready to fight them also.

3 Comments

Filed under Dr B R Ambedkar, Kanshi Ram, Saheb Kanshi Ram

Tagged as Bahujan Samaj Party, BSP, dalits, Kanshi Ram, Saheb Kanshi Ram, The Ballot or the Bullet

November 30, 2016 · 8:43 am

A tribute to the Great Revolutionary and True Inheritor of Dr Ambedkar’s Legacy: Bahujan Nayak Manyawar Kanshiram

” I will never get married,

I will never acquire any property,

I will never visit my home,

I will devote and dedicate the rest

of my life to achieve the goals

of Phule -Ambedkar movement”

These pledges remind the work of Manywar Kanshiram Sahib who is remembered in the history of India as a True leader of Bahujan Samaj. The journey of Kanshi Ram and his movement of socio-cultural revolution and economic emancipation of Bahujan Samaj started way back in 1964. Kanshi Ram, the eldest son of Mr. Hari Singh, resident of Khawaspur village of Punjab’s Roper district, was born on 15^th March, 1934, in a Sikh family belonging to the Ramdasia Community. After qualifying the examination conducted by the Defense Science and Research Development Organization, he moved to Pune in Maharashtra and joined the Explosive Research and Development Laboratory at Kirkee, where he was exposed to the bad breath of Hindu social order i.e. atrocious caste system. In the ordinance factory, where Kanshi Ram was working, the management cancelled the holidays of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti and Buddha Jayanti and instead granted Tilak Jayanti holiday and an additional holiday during Diwali festival. As a reaction to this, not the Ambedkarites from Maharashtra but a Scheduled Caste Mr. Dina Bhana, from Rajasthan, protested against the cancellation of these two holidays. Dina Bhana’s protest resulted in his suspension. By this atrocious act, agitated Kanshi Ram fought the legal battle for Dina Bhana.

As a result, not only was Dina Bhana reinstated but the holidays were also restored. The unjust and casteist act on the part of management resulted in a new awakening in Kanshi Ram, as he did not properly realize the casteist divisions in his youth in Punjab. Thereafter Kanshi Ram studied the literature of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, the biggest destroyer of Brahmanism after Buddha, Jotiba Phule and Periyar. Dr. Ambedkar’s Monumental work, “Annihilation of Castes” influenced Kanshi Ram tremendously. In one night he read the book three times which created not only an impact on Kanshi Ram, but shaped his thinking and future course of actions. Beside Dr. Ambedkar’s writings, Mr. Kanshi Ram found the path of further movement in Dr. Ambedkar’s plan for political action. On 24^th September 1944, at Madras, with an absolute clarity Dr. Babasaheb declared the political goal of his struggle. Addressing the large followers he said, “Understand our ultimate goal. Our ultimate goal is to become the rulers of this country. Write this goal on the walls of your houses so that you will not forget. Our struggle is not for the few jobs and concessions but we have a larger goal to achieve. That goal is to become the rulers of the land.” Accordingly the agenda of political power was pursued constantly by Dr. Babasaheb in his further programmes. On 4^thOctober, 1945, in the Working Committee meeting of All India Scheduled Castes Federation again he elaborately stressed on the political power and said, “Politics should be the life-blood of the Scheduled Castes.” Since politics of Congress party, the mouthpiece of the dominant castes was detrimental to the very existence and interests of backward class people, Babasaheb tried to form a broad – base movement of all the victims of Brahmanism.

Continue reading →

3 Comments

Filed under Behan Mayawati, BSP, Dalit History, Dr B R Ambedkar, Saheb Kanshi Ram

Tagged as Achievements of BSP, BSP, dalits, Great Revolutionary Kanshi Ram, Remembering Saheb Kanshi Ram, Vote for BSP

November 29, 2016 · 8:05 am

BSP Ki Kiya Pahchan? Neela Jhada, Hathi Nishan

BSP Ki Kiya Pahchan
Neela Jha da, Hathi Nishan

What Does This Slogan Really Mean?

“Elephant”, the election symbol of BSP

……There is an inherent great meaning in the election symbol of BSP. The “Elephant”. This election symbol of BSP represents the large and giant population of the”Bahujan Samaj” like the elephant. And the “Blue Flag” of the party represents the soothing blue sky. It shows that then sky does not discriminate anybody on the basis of caste, creed, rich, poor and treat people with full equality. It also signifies peace and tranquillity, which is certainly not available to mankind on this earth planet. That’s why the BSP wants to create an atmosphere of justice and peace here and now on this earth, like the sky. The BSP thereby means that it wants to see a just, humanistic and equality-based social and economic order, which would serve the interest of all the sections of the Society. Considering all these, the BSP had chosen “Elephant” as its election symbol and “Blue” colour as its flag.