bahujan samaj party - protest, politics, and power

बहुजन समाज पार्टी (BSP) a tale of protest, politics & power : 

बहुजन समाज पार्टी (BSP) a tale of protest, politics & power

Slide 2: 

“I was first exposed to the miseries of the Mahars and Mangs [an even lower Untouchable caste] and then I read Annihilation of Caste and What Gandhi and the Congress have done to the Untouchables. These are the two books, which have influenced me most. Later I came to know about Mahatma Jyotirao Phule.” Kanshi Ram

The Origins of the BSP : 

The Origins of the BSP Backward and Minority Central Government Employees Federation (BAMCEF) started in 1971. Founder: Kanshi Ram Initially a loosely structured body putting Dalit government employees in touch with each other for organisation BAMCEF expands in late 1970s, starts activities and campaigns focusing on promoting self-activity by Dalits and allied minority groups

Slide 4: 

“Until the recent emergence of the Bahujana Samaj Party, the only post-Independence example of a party centred on Untouchables was the Republican Party of India (RPI). ”The Ambedkarites and the Dalits after Ambedkar, retrieved from http://www.ambedkar.org/books/tu3.htm

The Rise of the BSP : 

The Rise of the BSP

Slide 6: 

Kanshi Ram advocated electoral participation amongst the members of BAMCEF Formed an allied organisation, DS-4 (Dalit Shoshit Samaj Sangharsh Samiti) in 1981 The DS-4 contested Haryana elections in 1982 The Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP was formed in 1984

BSP as Social Movement : 

BSP as Social Movement “The efforts of the BSP in government were complemented by the mobilising work of a dedicated cadre of activists at the grass roots. The local level activities of the BSP need to be located within the broader context of the general social movements of which the political and electoral campaigning of the BSP were just one part. In particular, if we see social movements to be 'sustained interactions between aggrieved social actors and allies, and opponents and public authorities' [Tarrow, 1994: 33] then India has witnessed a spectacular growth in the social movements of Dalits in recent decades.”Duncan, Ian(1999) 'Dalits and politics in rural North India: The Bahujan Samaj party in Uttar Pradesh', Journal of Peasant Studies, 27: 1, 35 — 60

BSP as Social Movement (contd.) : 

BSP as Social Movement (contd.) BSP workers at the local level mainly Scheduled Caste and other lower caste activists They are those 'in whom anger against the upper castes and the idealism of social transformation is deeply rooted' [Chandra and Parmar, 1997: 216] Grassroots level workers from BSP ‘act as the intellectuals of their caste group, questioning all aspects of the social order…taking a decisive role in mobilising their castes especially in political matters’ [Pai and Singh, 1997: 1359].

Novel and Effective Methods : 

Novel and Effective Methods Village theatre groups aimed at dramatising the position of the Dalits and exposing the oppressive role of the upper castes. BSP cadre (in late 1980s) continued the tradition of encouraging the party’s supporters to use rhythmic couplets and chants duringpublic processions and demonstrations.

Pillars and Statues… : 

Pillars and Statues…

‘Note’worthy BSP activity in recent times : 

‘Note’worthy BSP activity in recent times

Slide 13: 

Perhaps hope in Mayawati’s simpler origin… Consider both: pros and cons of BSP rule What’s important: support the positive change in caste-class dynamic while remaining critical of the negative implications of this emergent group allying itself with and thereby eventually becoming the dominant group in India (keeping in mind the maxim of ‘all men equal but some more equal than others’)

References : 

References http://www.ambedkar.org http://bspindia.org/ http://www.engageindia.com/party/bahujan-samaj-party.php Jaffrelot, Christophe; The Bahujan Samaj Party in North India: No Longer Just a Dalit Party? COMPARATIVE STUDIES OF SOUTH ASIA, AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST, VOL. XVIIINO. 1 (1998) Duncan, Ian(1999) 'Dalits and politics in rural North India: The Bahujan Samaj party in Uttar Pradesh', Journal of Peasant Studies, 27: 1, 35 — 60

Slide 15: 

THANK YOU