Comments on: The meaning of Maywati for the Dalit movement http://kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/ media | politics | dissent Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:48:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: मायावती जी के मुख्यमंत्रित्व काल का एक संक्षिप्त विवरण: राम कुमार « Kafila http://kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-26096 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:23:50 +0000 http://www.kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-26096 [...] June 2007: The meaning of Mayawati for the Dalit movement: Chittibabu Padavala [...]

]]> By: A Election in Sarvajan Samaj « Kafila http://kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-26082 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:42:19 +0000 http://www.kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-26082 [...] June 2007: The meaning of Mayawati for the Dalit movement: Chittibabu Padavala [...]

]]> By: उत्तर प्रदेश चुनाव 2012 और पसमांदा मुस्लिम समाज « Kafila http://kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-25934 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:56:36 +0000 http://www.kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-25934 [...] 11 June 2007: Chiitibabu Padavala – The Meaning of Mayawati for the Dalit Movement [...]

]]> By: The untold stories of a political process « Kafila http://kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-25926 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:59:18 +0000 http://www.kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-25926 [...] 11 June 2007: Chiitibabu Padavala – The Meaning of Mayawati for the Dalit Movement [...]

]]> By: POLLUTED KAMANA SAGAR, BARUNI and MATUA MOBILISATION, MAMATA`S COMMUNIST MANIFESTO and MARXIST DALIT AGENDA « Palashbiswaskl’s Weblog http://kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-5334 Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:22:20 +0000 http://www.kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-5334 [...] The meaning of Maywati for the Dalit movement « Kafila … that even CPI-M with its three decades of uninterrupted power in West Bengal, … Nevertheless, Dalit movements have one inherent defect to them: almost … kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/ – 87k – Cached – Similar pages – [...]

]]> By: Manash Bhattacharjee http://kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-1731 Fri, 22 Feb 2008 06:23:25 +0000 http://www.kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-1731 Chittibabu’s piece is marked with enormous clarity and a very level-headed criticality. He has adeptly warned us about exaggerating Mayawati’s role in bringing about the long-awaited social changes which finally look possible in UP with her coming to power. The complex mobility-factors of the social structure, the necessities of electoral equations and the vagaries of power (exemplified by Mayawati’s ideologically scandalous hobnobbing with the BJP) are issues which need the kind of attention that Chittibabu has sensitively and acutely highlighted. When Mayawati won the last elections, I was jubilant enough to declare to friends how UP had voted more progressively than France. I was however disgusted by NDTV in particular. Prannoy Roy behaved like an elite technocrat and a political reactionary. He got his usual pets, Kapil Sibbal and Arun Jaitley, to speak on Mayawati’s victory in the prime time show after all results were declared. There was a political and upper-caste snobbery in their visible discomfort, as they spoke about Mayawati. Prannoy Roy asked, was such an election won without a manifesto and without taking the help of the media (which meant, a great psephologist like him), going to be the trend of the 21st century? There was a sarcastic smirk on all their faces in response to Roy’s utterly juvenile question. Roy, sitting in his posh NDTV news room, thinks this is where the 21st century resides. He thinks he and his media team symbolizes 21st century. Mayawati is certainly not the suave, psephology-literate politician whom Roy can admire and share intelligent smirks with. Mayawati is too out-of-place for Roy’s Doon School and Queen’s Mary College standards. There are many like and unlike him in this country who are equally hostile to Mayawati’s rising phenomenon. Roy has no clues and sensitivity about the historical content of Mayawati’s coming to power. Against the widespread national disease of upper-castiesm, Mayawati is the perfect symbol of a political renaissance. But Chittibabu wonders if this is going to translate more meaningfully into a social renaissance, even in the minimalist sense. We surely have to wait and see.

]]> By: rmohan http://kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-1734 Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:35:19 +0000 http://www.kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-1734 Dear Sir,

Power is the ultimate weapon of intiating change. Election after election we see oily leaders and their minions of the so called ‘mainstream’ political dispensation seek the vote which empowers them.

Mayawati maybe the latest to join that list. Maybe she also has a genuine agenda addressing to her core dalit and now sarvajan constituency. Why not give her credit where it is due and not read too much into her sarvajan agenda. She in any case does not make bones of her quest for power unlike so may other self serving and self seeking hypocritical ‘netas’that abound this great land.

Lest we forget that the narrow, divisive,potentialy destabilising and dangerous Hindutva agenda has been halted in its track in the politically most vital state of India.Give the devil its due. Pray that Mayawati with her magical agenda of fighting casteism with caste, rids this nation of this perennniely obnoxious system.

]]> By: B.Karthik Navayan http://kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-1730 Sat, 22 Dec 2007 09:28:43 +0000 http://www.kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-1730 those who are unable to win as a village presedent they are now criticising mayawathi’s victory i request my dalit intellectual to be silent on the issue and accept the mayathi victory as a xeperiment. wait and watch.mayawathi is better than many other dalit leaders who associated with congress and other upper caste parties

]]> By: Raju Dongre http://kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-1729 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:32:44 +0000 http://www.kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-1729 pl. send articles on dalits, bsp & buddhism

]]> By: Raju Dongre http://kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-1728 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:30:44 +0000 http://www.kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-1728 pl. send your articles on dalits, buddhism & bahujan samaj party for our daily newspaper mahanayak

]]> By: Aditya Nigam http://kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-1727 Fri, 15 Jun 2007 06:25:14 +0000 http://www.kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-1727 My apologies. Didn’t mean to sound pompous…

]]> By: bhupinder http://kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-1726 Thu, 14 Jun 2007 23:18:21 +0000 http://www.kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-1726 Thanks for explaining a simple point in a complicated way :-)

]]> By: Aditya Nigam http://kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-1725 Thu, 14 Jun 2007 06:12:48 +0000 http://www.kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-1725 Bhupinder, the problem really is that the people who are rejoicing Mayawati’s victory – especially intellectuals like Dipankar Gupta, whom Anand Teltumbde is criticizing – is that they come from a very suspect position which hates to speak of caste and of course, affirmative action and wishes that a simple economic solution can be found to the problem of Dalit oppression. For them, Mayawati’s victory is just a peg to hang their own pet theories on, especially now that she has also come out as an advocate of reservations for poorer upper caste people. This has a specific meaning in the special political context in UP when she proposes it. For others to present it as a vindication of their own ostrich-like avoidance of caste matters is a kind of surreptitious attempt to appropriate and mobilize Mayawati to fight their battles. Surely, if poor upper caste people should have reservations, we must begin by first identifying the creamy layer among the upper castes i.e. ALL OF US! Are we, Dipankar Gupta and many other blessed souls – especially in the higher rungs of the judiciary – prepared to concede that the creamy layer is not only a Dalit or OBC phenomenon. This is where I would agree with a part (only a part) of Anand’s critique of Gupta. I would not actually call it a critique as Anand does not really uncover the logic of these celebrations; he merely criticizes them.
I think that his argument becomes weak here because he practically reads Mayawati and Gupta in the same register – and straight off. Even though Gupta celebrates Mayawati, he is simply using her to hang his own tale there and Mao is just a red herring that Anand has taken too seriously.
I also think that the meaning of Mayawati (the symbol) in North India and especially UP, is far far more complex and radical than we can often imagine. She herself may not be able to contain the range of meanings condensed into the symbol that bears the name ‘Mayawati’. A bit like those Chauri Chaura accused who claimed that ‘Gandhi baba’ had appeared in their dreams and exhorted them to take up arms. The poor apostle of non-violence!! This is a point underlined quite strongly in Chitti Babu’s article.

]]> By: bhupinder http://kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-1724 Wed, 13 Jun 2007 22:28:35 +0000 http://www.kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-1724 I think both Anand Teltumbde and Chittibabu have brought some key insights into this discussion. Unlike, Chittibabu, I did not feel that it was a diatribe against Mayawati, though. The point that Anand raised is very valid- and it ties in with the conclusion that Chittibabu has indicated– that of space being created for a Dalit intelligentsia following BSP’s coming to power in UP.

In the face of the lack of a substantial programme for either Dalits or UP, what if Mayawati’s government does not deliver? Will there be a disillusionment and a confirmation that “See, these people cannot rule”. Will the BJP hijack the leadership then? A failure can actually push the movement a step back.

]]> By: Aditya Nigam http://kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-1723 Tue, 12 Jun 2007 09:29:12 +0000 http://www.kafila.org/2007/06/11/the-meaning-of-maywati-for-the-dalit-movement/#comment-1723 Thanks Shivam for this brilliant analysis and critique by Chittibabu Padavala. I am not only almost completely in agreement with his analysis of the complex moment that Mayawati’s victory represents – I am also quite persuaded by his critical appreciation of the limitations, which are not strictly reducible (as he rightly points out) to the ‘structural constraints’ of ‘the system’. I am also quite persuaded by the analysis of the possibility (indeed possibilities) immanent in this moment and the strategic move of allying with the upper castes: from Naidu’s assertion (in the present), that he too should do the same, to the eventuality that like the CPM, the BSP could in fact, become the most effective ‘container’ of the movement and of Dalit aspirations (in the future). Important in this respect, I believe, are critiques like Chittibabu’s which alert us to the need to be intellectually critical at all times, even, or especially, in times of victory. A mere uncritical celebration can lead us into believing that the immediate victories are all that really matter. Thanks once again.

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