An Open Letter to All Political Parties - Punjab Elections – Dalit Vote Bank

 

February 8, 2022

An Open Letter to All Political Parties

Punjab Elections – Dalit Vote Bank

Dear Political Leadership of All Political Outfits,

I am apolitical common citizen of India living in Jalandhar. I venture to write on a current issue of concern and interest to all of us with regard to the elections currently underway in Punjab and some other states of India.

All political parties and politicians are falling on each other to woo dalits and encash their electoral cheques on the Dalit Vote Bank with 34 reserved seats in the total of 117 and with more than 33% share in the population. The Congress Party has declared Charanjit Singh Channi as their CM face. The Akalis have alliance with BSP and professes to have a dalit as a Deputy CM like the AAP with a dalit as the Leader of Opposition in the current Assembly. BJP has gone back from their earlier decision to have a dalit as CM. Many cross currents are underway which reveal the reality on ground with regard to the status and space of dalits in the society and polity. The efficacy of a democratic polity with the dictum of ‘one vote – one value’ is, of late, increasingly coming to the fore and rightly so. Today, February 8, a renowned journalist and political commentator Chandra Suta Dogra has raised a pertinent question and said that the Congress Party’s gamble to name Channi, a dalit, as the CM face was a ‘double edged sword’ and asserted that it would tend to alienate the caste Hindus and the Caste Sikhs. I have no issue with Chandra Suta. She has narrated the obvious. But it has left a definite ‘food for thought’ for the Thekedars of the society in the RSS, SGPC among others and the ‘Shouting Brigade’ who cry from the roof tops against the reservations for dalits. Where dalits should go, if they cannot have a due space and share in the pie? What are we doing to address this issue of caste divid? Should dalits remain in the margins only in spite their strength and place in the polity? Why shall they be? These are some of the pertinent questions which need to be answered. Dalit intelligentsia, though not vocal as yet, is watching this carefully. Media has reported that Navjot Sidhu’s wife and Bhagwant Mann have tried to raise a question about ‘how come Channi is a poor man’ as mentioned by Rahul Gandhi. Do they want a pauper to stand against them? Channi is an educated man with a sound track record. He would prove himself or would be side tracked by the system itself. Why to worry? Some reports have criticized the Congress Party as it has succumbed to caste considerations in naming the CM face. It is a fallacious argument. Nobody thought of this caste divide for the last 75 years. No dalit could make it the top in spite their demographic advantage. That caste divide suited the Manuwadi mindsets.

I know that nobody has the time to listen or read the long sermons and high flown ideas. The crux of the matter is that the time has come when dalits are no more interested in freebies of ‘daal atta’. They want to have their identity with dignity and respect. Their emotional chord is crying for to hold their hand.  Can we ignore this reality, if we intend to have harmony and fraternity in the society?

Two immediate issues of interest and concern to dalits come to my mind in these days of elections when all parties are vying to garner the votes. This also explains the reason to address this open letter to all political parties. These two issues, if addressed properly, have the potential of providing the ‘swing advantage’ in dalit votes. The followers of Guru Ravidass and Babasaheb Ambedkar are increasingly getting upset about the indifference shown by the BJP government at the centre as both these issues pertain to the realm of the central government in Delhi. I take the liberty of listing these here in the light of the Urdu couplet:

इक तर्ज तग़ाफ़ुल है ; सो वो उनको मुबारक ,

इक अर्जे तमन्ना है वह हम करते रहेंगे।

 

i)                  Tughlakabad Guru Ravidass Dharamasthan - Majority of dalit population of Punjab are the followers of Guru Ravidass. The Central Governments indifference and DDA’s highhandedness in the matter – first destruction and desecration of Guru Ravidass Dharamasthan, a historic site which was gifted by the then ruler Sikander Lodhi to the great Guru in 15-16thcentury, in 2018, in the wake of agitation by the followers of Guru Ravidass, Government agreed to give 400 sq. meter of land and building of the Dharamasthan in 2019 and now again DDA’s demand of 4.33 crorers of rupees and allotment of land only for 30 years n lease has again raised the hackles of the followers of Guru Ravidass particularly in Punjab and UP. All political parties should consider and raise this subject with concerned authorities in Delhi to assuage the ruffled sentiments of dalits of Punjab. It is surprising that all political parties and their leaders are calling on Dera Sachkhand Ballan of Jalandhar for getting their blessings in the elections but nobody is interested in addressing the subject. It may be mentioned that Sant Niranjan Dass ji Maharaj of Dera Sachkhand Ballan is the Chairperson of the Committee formed by the authorities and BJP to oversee the re-construction of the Tughlakabad Guru Ravidass Dharamasthan and in spite of their disagreement and objections to the new demands of DDA uder the administrative control of the Central Ministry of Urban Development in Delhi. Dalits are furious over the matter which must be addressed, the sooner the better. The followrs of Guru Ravidass silently watching the response of political outfits and would respond appropriately in the forthcoming electoral slugfest.

ii)               April 14, birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar as International Day of Equality – While observing and celebrating the 125th birth anniversary of the greatest son of India, Babasaheb Ambedkar in 2015-16, it was suggested and proposed in June, 2015 to the then EAM Sushma Swaraj to consider and make a demarche to the UNO to declare April 14 as International Day of Equality. The proposal was duly acknowledged by the Joint Secretary of the UNES Division of the MEA. The matter was taken up by the Forum of Scheduled Caste MPs and MLAs under the stewardship of Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal of Punjab with PM Narendra Modi in November, 2015. Accordingly. For the first time, Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14 was celebrated at the UN in New York in which an officially backed delegation headed by Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal participated and referred to, in his speech, the proposal on International Day of Equality and urged the GOI to take up the matter through proper diplomatic channels with the UN. Subsequently in May, 2016, on return from New Youk, Speaker Atwal submitted a report to PM Narendra Modi and requested him to consider and officially take up the matter with UN. Since then, we have been regularly reminding the GOI but the central government is blissfully silent on the subject. On this account, there is a considerable resentment and anguish in the community particularly among the followers of Babasaheb Ambedkar. It is a matter of gratification to note that in 2020, City of Burnaby in Canada declared April 14 as ‘Ambedkar Day of Equality’ again in 2021, the Province of British Columbia of Canda made a similar pronouncement. GOI is yet wake up though they profess to own the legacy of Babasaheb Ambedkar. The comunity, I believe, is not oblivious of the action to be taken to awake the sleeping authorities. Perhaps the time has almost come. Since the matter falls in the preview of the Central Government, we expect the state governments to support the proposal and pass a resolution in the newly formed assemblies by the incoming state governments in this regard and forward it to Mahamahim Rashtrapati ji at the first instance. It will not only be a befitting tribute to the great leader, Babasaheb Ambedkar but also a good gesture to add to the emotional empowerment of dalits by way of cultural diplomacy like India’s initiatives in declaring International  Day of Non-violence in2007-08 and International Yoga Day in 2014-15.

With these humble submissions, I take this opportunity to wish all the best to all political parties and players in the festival democracy, Elections, 2022.

With respects and regards,

Yours truly,

(Ramesh Chander)

Ambassador – IFS (Retired)

Tele: 9988510940