Dear Friends:
It’s been a while. I have been swamped with work. Summer and Fall were well spent. However, the progress of my work was not as anticipated. Thus, the gap of the past many months.
Updates from India and the world could be more satisfying. We are truly living in a momentous period of this epoch. Wars, atrocities, injustice, violence, and pushback by the state is the new normal. In July 2023, India elected its first-ever tribal woman president of the republic. The BJP trumped on this one. There was hardly any reason not to support their move. Many Ambedkarite and progressive leaders filed behind the nomination of Draupadi Murmu.
After President Ramnath Kovind, a Dalit, the BJP has now fielded an Adivasi leader. Both of these leaders have been devoted cadres of the BJP and RSS. Their composure and personality still reflect their utter gratefulness and subservience. In a caste-feudal society, symbolic representation mocks democracy.
Another woman in international media was Queen Elizabeth II, who died at 96 years old. I reflect on her and world politics in one of the entries for the Dalitality.
In the joyous spirit of the Christmas, New Years eve, and the historic Manusmriti Dahan Divas (Manusmriti was burnt on 25 Dec 1927 at the historic Mahad conference), let us gather our memories, bundle them up and make a warm pillow to our imaginations as we gear up for the future.
Dalitality
July
At the BJP National conference, Prime Minister Modi invoked “Pasmanda” – a subaltern caste Muslim constituency. For July’s Dalitality, Khalid Ansari writes about the nuanced ways the BJP approaches subaltern caste communities within both Hinduism and Islam under the “New India” project.
“While Mussolini’s Italy and Hitler’s Germany were the inspirations for RSS-BJP ideological ancestors, Lee Kuan Yew’s Singapore, a development State with no Opposition and significant un-freedoms, seems to be an aspiration for the New India project.”
You can read the complete article here.
My July entry was to celebrate the new President, Her Excellency Madame Murmu ji. Though I laud the effective move by the ruling dispensation, I also raise important issues to bear in mind.
“While President Kovind was lauded as the Dalit President of India, his tenure was shy of anything to do with Dalits…It is the burden of choosing between purist morality over strategic responsibility. President Kovind did not exercise the executive power vested in him.”
In his home state, a Dalit girl was brutally raped and killed in Hathras. The Uttar Pradesh Police burned her corpse. The country went in mourning, but the president's high-moral office was mute and deaf. I then turned to Murmu.
“Now that Murmu is in the top spot, another form of tokenism might percolate. How the country and civil society make use of this opportunity is up to them. Expecting Murmu to be the frontrunner of Adivasi justice will be a misplaced judgement. Instead, the country should demand accountability from the party that has fielded her.”
The complete piece can be accessed here.
August
The Indian government sponsored Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate 75 years of independence. The Dalits and Adivasis have not had a chance to celebrate in the face of poverty, caste violence, child malnutrition and insecurity. Dalits are at the forefront of challenging the propaganda, be it the silver jubilee in 1972, the golden jubilee in 1997, or today.
Thus, the piece concludes:
“There must be an exhibition of atrocities as well as Dalit memorials to remind the nation that such unwarranted incidents continue to occur. Since the Dalit community is resourceless, they have not been able to make much progress with independent museums. But with the aid of government or private entities, a national healing programme can be instituted for the nation to confront its truths. Almost all victims in the world have a government-backed education, memorialization and cultural programme. The Dalits are the only group with such a vast number and deeper history who do not have an archive of untouchability for public attention. Like the apartheid museum in South Africa, India needs a museum of untouchability”.
You can read the complete piece here.
A friend from Wits University who is now teaching at the University of Namibia drew the parallels between Sans and Bantu people of Africa. Both black and African groups yet differ strongly in the economic and social status. Ellison saw Sans people as Dalits whose conditions equate.
“Who are the San people, and what is their position? Historical accounts indicate that the San people are the first indigenous people of Southern Africa. As hunter-gathers, they foraged the entire southern African region, living modestly and sustainably with nature. Black peoples of Southern Africa, who are the majority of the region’s population, can be divided into speakers of two languages: Khoisan and Bantu. The San people belong to the former language family but speak various dialects.” You can read the complete piece here.
September
The death of the monarch has invited contradicting opinions. The residents of the former colonies do not have as many reasons for remorse, while the states in the Commonwealth and beyond have sent their condolences. Two things worry me after the Queen’s death.
“What will happen to the tourism revenue that the Queen brought to the UK? The second is the orphanage of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and 12 more Asian-Pacific and Caribbean countries. The Royal Family is still adored by many in the UK and across the channels of the Commonwealth countries.” You may read the piece here.
The issue of Maratha reservation is up in public discussion again. Why is Maratha reservation an important step towards social justice argues Purushottam Khedekar, a leader of Maratha Seva Sangh. Providing a historical record of 1942 that included reservation for the Maratha and Kunbi communities that was later turned down in 1950. You can read the complete piece here.
October
The RSS chief Dr. Mohan Bhagwat made an emphatic appeal for the reckoning of the dominant caste communities in India. He asked the oppressor caste people to be cognizant of caste and their role in oppressing other castes. “The reason caste is not going away despite so many people trying is because it is in the minds of people. We do not get into the debate of whether varna was useful in the past or not. We want a society that is equal and free of exploitation”. I offer my view of this progressive statementism.
“Given that the RSS has not actively tried to abolish caste from society, the hierarchical varna structure is still sanctified by its cadres. The sworn Hindus do not challenge the atrocities against Dalits. When cases such as Hathras happen, the honesty of Dr. Bhagwat’s words rings hollow. They are merely a side talk by the RSS trying to shadow BJP and reiterate that they’re still the ones who call the shots.” You can read the complete article here.
Political Scientist Adam Habib and I met at a conference on global blackness hosted at SOAS. There he offered amazing insights into the political liberalism and state functioning. It was indeed a balanced perspective of running the affairs of the nation via Nelson Mandela’s leadership to the divided nation of South Africa and MLK Jr. in America. Habib argues we’ve to win over the liberal community because it “is important for sustainably transforming societies. But it requires respect for civic norms like allowing for a plurality of views, avoiding the targeting and silencing of individuals, and having respectful engagements with those one is trying to convince.” You can read the piece here.
November
“The recent majority verdict of the Supreme Court in the case of the EWS quota has taken the nation by storm. The policy of granting reservation quota to the poor of the dominant caste only has taken care of a group that is impacted by modern forces such as class, as opposed to the traditional forces of caste.”
Oxford legal scholar Asang Wankhede, author of Affirmative Action for Economically Weaker Sections, penned this piece to offer a critical view on the recent Supreme Court verdict on the reservation granted to the Economically & Weaker Sections (EWS).
He writes, “as I found in my research on reservation policy for the dominant castes, the caste privileged have privileges in terms of accumulation of social, economic and human capital – the perception of lagging behind in the race is based on the politics of caste and not empirical indicators.” The piece can be read here.
December
Kharge’s election as the head of the Congress party means many things. He is taking up the reigns of Congress that was accussed of dynasty politics. Kharge’s leadership comes at a tumultous time with politics of the country and intra-party scuffling.
“At a time when politics produces a self-serving creed, Kharge’s long association with the party amidst tumult and factionalism is a sight of extraordinary commitment to an ideology and its life.” You can read here.
The recent United States Supreme Court verdict on the affirmative action policy is seen as an attack on diversity in higher education. The Students for Fair Admissions group argued against the affirmative action alleging it to be unfair against the Asian American students. South Asian sophomore at Harvard, Muskaan Arshad turned down that logic and offered a perspective from the campus of Harvard. You can read the complete piece here.
Other features / Publications
Loksatta articles
July
“केंद्रीय ग्रामीण विकास मंत्रालयाच्या जमीन संसाधन विभागाने २०१३ मध्ये ‘राष्ट्रीय जमीन सुधार योजने’चा मसुदा मांडला, त्यात जमिनीची अवस्था, भूमिहीन गरिबांची परिस्थिती, अनुसूचित जाती /जमाती व इतर मागास जातींची जमीन-मालकी याची आकडेवारी मिळते. हेही उघड होते की, भारताची गरिबी ग्रामीण भागात जास्त आहे कारण असे की जवळपास ७० टक्के लोकसंख्या जमिनीवर अवलंबून आहे. त्यापैकी ६० टक्के जनतेकडे पाच टक्क्यांपेक्षाही कमी जमीन आहे, तर दहा टक्क्यांकडे ५५ टक्के जमीन!”
Read here.
August
डॉ. बाबासाहेब आंबेडकर यांच्या आरोग्यविषयक विचाराची प्रत्यक्ष अंमलबजावणी करतार सिंग समितीच्या अहवालानंतरच झाल्याचे दिसते. हे करतार सिंग १९४७ च्या (पहिल्या) आयएएस बॅचचे अधिकारी होते. ते आधी रेल्वेमध्ये नागपूरला काम करायचे. त्यांचा संबंध डॉ. बाबासाहेब आंबेडकरांशी आला व काही वर्षे ते त्यांच्या संपर्कात होते. बाबासाहेबांनी त्यांना प्रशासकीय सेवेत येण्याचा सल्ला दिला. त्यानुसार करतार सिंगांनी आपली तयारी सुरू केली व परीक्षा उत्तीर्णही झाले. मात्र आरोग्य चाचणीत त्यांच्या नेत्रत्रुटीमुळे त्यांना वगळण्यात आले. Read here.
September
Main points —
जातिभेदविरोधी अभ्यासक्रम
शिक्षकांचे समाजभान
शिक्षणाचे व्यापारीकरण व खासगीकरण
सक्तीचे इंग्रजी शिक्षण
आंबेडकर आणि शिक्षण
Complete article here.
November
“बाबासाहेबांची राज्यस्थापनेच्या विषयावरील भूमिका तर्कसंगत होती. त्यांनी राज्यनिर्मितीच्या संदर्भात तीन सूत्रे मांडली : (१) राज्ये आर्थिकदृष्टय़ा स्वायत्त असली पाहिजेत. (२) ती व्यवहार्य असली पाहिजेत आणि (३) बहुमत आणि अल्पसंख्याक यांच्यापैकी अल्पसंख्यांचे संरक्षण होईल, अशा प्रकारे राज्यांची रचना हवी. बाबासाहेबांना याची पूर्ण कल्पना होती की, भारतातली लोकशाही ही जातीय टोकांमध्ये अडकलेली आहे. इथले बहुसंख्याक हे केवळ आकडय़ांपुरते नसून त्यांच्या जातीय वर्चस्ववादाचा धोका अधिक आहे. त्यांनी त्यासाठी ‘कम्युनल मेजॉरिटी’ या शब्दाची व्याख्या केली.”
Read here.
Profile
I was profile by The Times Higher Education. I share a brief story of my research, my life, publications, and what led me to the academia.
You can read it complete interview here.
Popular vlogger from Madhya Pradesh, Anjul who runs Tathagat Live channel visited me while I was in Aurangabad. He covered the day with me. I have been an admirer of Anjul’s ability to narrate the story and keeping the audience engaged.
He also did a segment on Milind College started by Dr Ambedkar. In the video you will find me doing the gun salute.
In History
Notable events in Dalit-Bahujan History (list source Velivada.com)
6 December – Death anniversary of Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar
6 December – BAMCEF was founded
20 December – Death anniversary of Gadge Maharaj
24 December – Death anniversary of EVR Periyar
25 December – Manusmriti Dahan Divas
26 December – B’day of Shaheed Udham Singh
Things to look out for
Asang Wankhede’s book on Affirmative Action is now being consulted by Supreme Court staffers and lawyers. Do check out this fantastic book published this Summer by Routledge.
Prof Shailja Paik’s new work on caste, sexuality, and performance, especially Tamasha, is exciting. The title, The Vulgarity of Caste, is out by Stanford Press.
Another two that I blurbed are extraordinarily stupendous and moving. The one by Yamini Narayanan is a forceful argument that successfully convinces the reader about its politics and future regarding nonhuman beings and the climate change agenda. The other is a Nadeem Khan translated autobiography of Savita Ambedkar, Dr Ambedkar’s second wife. Originally put together in Marathi by the able historian and collector of Ambedkar archives, Vijay Surawade, the book is now available for readers in the English language.
I earnestly look forward to having these books in my library.
Events
Here is a quick rundown of select events that I participated in over the recent months:
Jul 13, Keynote: Worldmaking Beyond SOAS
Caste and Blackness
July 14, Law & Society Conference
Scholars in the Global South: Intellectuals, Activists or Interlopers?
Aug 24, Dignity Initiative
Dalit and their nonhuman ancestors
Oct 19-22, 50th Annual Conference on South Asia at UW, Madison. I took part in the following discussions
Pandemic Histories and Andolan Imaginaries
The People of India: New Indian Politics in the 21st Century
Oct 24, Symposium on South and Southeast Asian Studies at California State University, Long Beach
Racialization in a Global Context
Oct 27, The Justice Dialogues at CalPolyPomona,
What is Inequality? Reflections on the Futures of Segregation, with Aishwary Kumar
Oct 28-30, South Asian Literary Festival, San Francisco
Dec 9, The NLS Public Lecture Series at NLS, Bengaluru
The Unearned Privileges of the Meritorious Castes
Dec 17, 20th Ambedkarite Literary Festival, Nanded
Presidential Address
Dec 18, Dalit Panther Conference, Aurangabad
Dec 20, Serendipity Arts Festival, Goa
In Conversation with Suraj Yengde
We are now going into another year. This feeling of getting into something unexpected, an aspiring surprise, is thrilling. I am also looking forward to it beyond the aspects of ritual. 2024 has a book project due, plus my thesis at Oxford and another book that I hope to give a firm shape.
With that recap and as we bid goodbye to 2022, I want to send a warm hug to everyone, wherever you are. Your presence is important. Wishing you all the very best from Buddha-Dhamma land – Bodh Gaya.
#JaiBhim #DalitLove
suraj