Is Leadership Change Possible in BSP?

 

Is Leadership Change Possible in BSP?

                             -  S R Darapuri, National President, All India People's Front

The recent Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election has once again exposed the continuing decline of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). In this, the BSP has got only one seat and it has been badly wiped out while Mayawati claimed to form the government with an absolute majority. In this election, the vote percentage of BSP has come down from 22.3% in 2017 to 12.7% only. Its 19 seats in 2017 have been reduced to only one and that too the candidate has won on his own strength. Thus, the vote percentage has come down by about 10 percent. It is also known that in 2007 the BSP had won 206 seats and its vote share was 30.43%. In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, the BSP won 21 seats and had a vote share of 6.1%. The vote share of the BSP in the 2012 Legislative Assembly election was 26% and it won 80 seats. In 2014, BSP did not get a single seat in the Lok Sabha election but its vote share was 4.1%. In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the BSP got 10 seats in alliance with the SP and its vote share was 4.2%.

It is clear from the above description that after 2007 in Uttar Pradesh, BSP's seats and vote percentage in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections has been continuously falling and has reached the lowest level in 2022 elections. In such a situation, the question arises that why did this happen and who is responsible for it? Is its leadership responsible for this or are its policies responsible or both? Is there a need for a radical change in the leadership and policies of the party in such a situation? If so, is it possible and what measures are needed for this?

Let us first look at the leadership position in BSP. As everyone is aware that in 2006, Mayawati became the national president of BSP when Kanshi Ram was alive. Since then, she has been the Sarvasarva (all-in-all) of BSP for almost 16 years. It is also to be known that during the time of Kanshi Ram and after that no other leadership was allowed to emerge in BSP other than Mayawati. It is also well known that when Kanshi Ram was head of the party, Mayawati had expelled Kanshi Ram's close associates one by one and gave posts to her confidants in the party. Kanshi Ram had said that no member of my family will become an office-bearer in the party. But Mayawati first gave her nephew Akash Anand the high post of National Coordinator in the party in 2021 and now there is talk of him becoming Mayawati's successor. Now on February 9, 2022, a day before the results of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly elections were declared, Mayawati declared her brother Anand Kumar as the national vice-president of the party and her nephew Akash Anand as the national co-ordinator. This was done because Mayawati was anticipating that the election results would be bad and feared a ruckus about doing so after the results were declared. Apart from her, the most influential leader in the party, Satish Chandra Mishra, is in the post of General Secretary, who is Mayawati's closest confidant.

It is clear from the above description that the party leadership especially Mayawati which has a very strong hold on the party, is responsible for the downfall of BSP in the elections. In such a situation, is it possible that any other office-bearer can dare to raise the demand for change of leadership in the party? Can BSP supporters dare to raise the demand for change of leadership in the party? It is also a fact that within the BSP there is a large army of blind devotees and sycophants of Mayawati who mobilize against those who question Mayawati's leadership. They are not ready to see any deficiency in Mayawati's leadership and point fingers at her. From this it can be concluded that in the present circumstances, there is no possibility of change of leadership in BSP.

Now if the policies, agenda and functioning of BSP are seen, then it has not been a Dalit party in any way. Till date no Dalit agenda of Mayawati has come to the fore. Its main agenda has been only to get power and use it in her own interest. Mayawati has never made major issues of Dalits like landlessness, unemployment, oppression, education and health services etc. as her political agenda. The result of this is that there has been no change in the condition of Dalits during her four-time chief ministership except emotional satisfaction. On the contrary, there have been many works of Mayawati which were very anti-Dalit. For example, in 1997, Mayawati had banned the implementation of the SC/ST Act on the grounds that it could be misused, leading to neither punishment for oppressors of Dalits nor due compensation to Dalits. Later in 2002, the said order was cancelled by the Dalit organizations by the order of the High Court. This act of Mayawati was very anti-Dalit and harmful. Similarly, in 2008, a very anti-Dalit/tribal attitude was adopted by Mayawati in implementing the Forest Rights Act. 81% of their land claims were cancelled due to which the sword of eviction hangs over them even today. Similarly, in 2007, Mayawati withdrew the order of appointment of Dalit cooks in some schools due to protests against the preparation of mid-day meals by Dalit cooks. Even after this, till date there has been no change in Mayawati's policies, nor does there seem to be any hope of any change in her leadership. Even today her goal is to get power in any way. It is clear from this that Mayawati is directly responsible for the lack of Dalit agenda and anti-Dalit policies.

It is also well known that corruption not only continued but also increased during Mayawati's rule like the previous governments. Mayawati's personal corruption is also not hidden from anyone. Selling Assembly and Lok Sabha tickets to Dalit opponents and criminals by bidding and getting them the votes of Dalits to win is not hidden from anyone. Mayawati asked Dalits to vote for the same goons/rogues with whom they fought. In this way the distinction of friend and foe was erased among the Dalits and they blindly followed the orders of Mayawati. Thus, the liberation struggle of Dalits went out of its way and they remained as slaves bought by Mayawati. It is also well known that at present Mayawati is badly entangled in statues/monuments stone scam, NRHM scam and 21 sugarcane mills selling scam etc. which is being investigated by CBI and ED. Apart from this, Mayawati's own brother is implicated in the case of investment of black money in fake companies and money-laundering. ED has also seized 400 crores of Mayawati's brother. Fearing CBI and ED, Mayawati lives under the pressure of BJP and she cannot contest elections independently but for the benefit of the BJP as it has happened in the recent assembly elections. In such a situation, it is absolutely not possible for Mayawati to do honest politics, which Dalits need a lot.

It is clear from the above brief description that in the present circumstances it is absolutely not possible to change the leadership of BSP as it has become pocket party of Mayawati. At this point of time, neither from within the party nor from outside, there can be any challenge to Mayawati's leadership. It is also clear from the activities of the party so far that there is no possibility of any change in the policies of the party. In such a situation, there is only one option left and that is to create a new political alternative by breaking free from the political slavery of Mayawati. That alternative should be anti-global finance, anti-corporatisation, agricultural development, making employment a fundamental right, labour friendly, defender of democracy, universal quality education, health services and peace and friendly relations with neighbouring countries. We have created such an option for the last 10 years as All India People's Front. You can find out more about it on the net at aipfr.org.

  

Caste Based Discrimination and Power Equation

 

Caste Based Discrimination and Power Equation

S.R.Darapuri

" I think the problem is that many people in America think that racism is an attitude. And this is encouragd by capitalist system. So they think that what people think is what makes them a racist. Actually racism is not an attitude.

If a white man wants to lynch me, that is his problem. But if he has the power to lynch me, that is my problem. Racism is not a question of attitude, it is a question of power.

Racism gets its power from capitalism. Thus, if you are anti-racist, whether you know it or not, you must be anti-capitalist. The power for racism, the power for sexism, comes from capitalism, not an attitude.

You cannot be racist without power. You cannot be sexiest without power. Even men who beat their wives get this power from society which allows it or condones it, encourages it. One cannot be against racism, one cannot be against sexism, unless one is against capitalism."

-- Stokely Carmaichael

The role of power in racism is equally relevant in the case of caste discrimination and persecution of Untouchables ( Dalits) in India. It is a fact that Dalits are a deprived lot. The Savaranas ( higher castes) have all types of power social, economic , admintrative and political concentrated in their hands. The total dependence of Dalits on higher castes makes them vulnerable. Hence caste discrimination and suppression of Dalits can be checked only by change in the power equation between Dalits and higher castes. The simplest solution of change of attitude cannot put an end to caste discrimination. Dalits themselves have to strive hard to get empowered to end caste discrimination. Dr. Ambedkar also had realized that the problems of Dalits are less of social but more of political. That is why he exhorted the Dalits to win political power. It is high time that we make all out effots to empower Dalits socially, economically and politically. It is only the change in material conditions of Dalits which can lead to their escape from caste discrimination and opperession.क  themselves have to struggle hard to get their due share in all types of power and resources. We must keep in mind that caste discrimination is not a matter of attitude. Rather it is a question of change of power equation in society.

A Neglected Message From Dr. Ambedkar to OBCs

 

A Neglected Message From Dr. Ambedkar to  OBCs

Dr. K. Jamanadas,

 

An article was published recently in Marathi local magazine by Suhas Sonwane based on daily Loksatta. The following is a gist of it, translated from Marathi.

Mr. Babasaheb Gawande, the founder president of an Organization of Marathas from Bombay called "Maratha Mandir" was a close friend of Dr. Ambedkar. Mr. Gawande asked Dr. Ambedkar, who was then a Law Minister in Nehru Cabinet in 1947, for a message for the Maratha people to be published in the Souvenir of "Maratha Mandir". Ambedkar declined saying that he had no relation with the Organization or the Marathas, but on persistent insistence, a message was given and published in the souvenir on 23rd March 1947. But unfortunately that special issue is not available in the office of the Organization today. But it was made available by Shri Vijay Survade recently and was undocumented till now.

Dr. Ambedkar said:

"This principle will apply not only to Marathas but all Backward Castes. If they do not wish to be under the thumb of others they should concentrate on two things, one is politics and the other is education."

"One thing I like to impress on you is that the community can live in peace only when it has enough moral but indirect pressure over the rulers. Even if a community is numerically weak, it can keep its pressure over the rulers and create its dominance as is seen by the example of status of present day Brahmins in India. It is essential that such a pressure is maintained, as without it, the aims and policies of the state can not have proper direction, on which depends the development and progress of the state."

"At the same time, it must not be forgotten that education is also important. Not only elementary education but higher education is most essential to keep ahead in competition of communities in their progress."

"Higher education, in my opinion, means that education, which can enable you to occupy the strategically important places in State administration. Brahmins had to face a lot of opposition and obstacles, but they are overcoming these and progressing ahead."

"I can not forget, rather I am sad, that many people do not realize that the Caste system is existing in India for centuries because of inequality and a wide gulf of difference in education, and they have forgotten that it is likely to continue for some centuries to come. This gulf between the education of Brahmins and non-Brahmins will not end just by primary and secondary education. The difference in status between these can only be reduced by higher education. Some non-Brahmins must get highly educated and occupy the strategically important places, which has remained the monopoly of Brahmins since long. I think this is the duty of the State. If the Govt. can not do it, institutions like "Maratha Mandir" must undertake this task."

"I must emphasize one point here that middle class tries to compare itself with the highly educated and well placed and well to do community, whereas lower class all over the world has same fault. The middle class is not as liberal as upper one, and has no ideology as lower one, which makes it enemy of both the classes. The middle class Marathas of Maharashtra also have this fault. They have only two ways out, either to join hands with upper classes and prevent the lower classes from progress, and the other is to join hands with lower classes and both together destroy the upper class power coming against the progress of both. There was a time, they used to be with lower classes, now they seem to be with the upper class. It is for them to decide which way to go. The future of not only Indian masses but also their own future depends upon what decision the Maratha leaders take. As a matter of fact it all should be left to the skill and wisdom of the leaders of Marathas. But there seems to be a lack of such wise leadership among the Marathas."

What he said about Marathas, equally applies to all OBCs, and still holds true after half a century. Dr. Ambedkar wrote much to educate the OBCs. It is only now that OBCs are awakening gradually. It must not be forgotten that the future of this country depends on them.