Counterpunch | Dalits call themselves Dalits because they reject what they have been
historically called, “untouchables”, though most other oppressed
peoples in India are included in the title. The word comes from the
“dal”, crushed lentils, that is India’s staple food, as in a crushed and
broken people.
Most of the leadership of India’s Dalit community see Gandhi as the
main force in preserving the practice of Varna in post independence
India for his opposition to reserved voting rights for India’s Dalits in
India’s post independence constitution. This means all castes can vote
for the elected Dalit leaders, for those seats in the Indian Parliament
reserved for “minorities”.
Dalits believe that if only Dalits could vote for Dalit leaders than a
more truly representative selection would take place. This is where
Gandhi drew the line, that allowing Dalits to chose their own leaders
directly was not to be allowed, and he went on his famous hunger strike
to the death to prevent this from happening.
The Dalits leader, Dr. Ambedkar, finally gave in, accepted Gandhi’s
demand and Dalits lost the right to directly chose their own leaders.
This loss of choice is what Dalit leaders say is what is most
responsible for preserving Varna in India after independence. Without
Dalit leaders chosen directly by Dalits there has been no one to fight
for Dalit rights by the effective outlawing of varna through the
enforcement of the Indian Constitution authored by the Dalit leader Dr.
Ambedkar, or so most Dalit leaders will tell you. After over a half
century of independence India’s Constitution is still not being enforced
with only a fraction of positions reserved for Dalits in employment and
education being filled.
One thing is for sure and that is caste/varna is king in India’s
almost half a million villages where caste infested Hindus dominate
society and Dalits are forced into the most menial and degrading
professions. Even drinking water from the wells reserved for caste
infested Hindus is forbidden.
Most Dalit’s lives in post-Gandhi India remain one of misery and
hardship with basic education for their children still just a dream.
Being unable to even chose their own leaders directly through reserved
voting and with Gandhi playing such a pivotal role in this happening is
the reason India’s Dalits hate Mohandas Gandhi.
