RURAL SOCIETY AND POLITY

DALIT MOVEMENTS IN MODERN INDIA

Course Instructor: Prof. MUKUL KUMAR

Group Members: (Section B)

HIMANSHU BHATT (P35133)
KRUNAL S THAKKAR (P35143)
MANZOOR KANUGA(P35150)
NITESH R SAJWANI(P35161)
VIVEK PILLAI(P35210)

INTRODUCTION
Bowed by the weight of centuries he leans, upon his hoe and gazes on the ground, the
emptiness of ages in his face, and on his back the burden of the world.
The lines above, an excerpt from Edwin Markhams poem The Man with the Hoe,
symbolizes the exploited classes worldwide. In the modern Indian context it refers to Dalits.
The term Dalit refers to all the people belonging to different castes and sub-castes among
the low classes in Indian society who have been traditionally subjected to detraction and
discriminations on grounds of untouchability, and branded as the untouchables, downtrodden,
exterior classes, depressed classes or Scheduled Castes.
M.K Gandhi adopted the word Harijan, translated as "Children of God", to identify the
former Untouchables or Dalits The terms "Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes(SC/ST)
are the official terms used in Indian government documents to identify former "untouchables"
and tribes. In 2008 the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, noticing that "Dalit" was
used interchangeably with the official term "scheduled castes", called the term
"unconstitutional" and asked state governments to end its use.
The efforts made by individuals or institutional organizations for the rights of exploited
communities could be categorized as Dalit movement. From time to time various leaders
protested against untouchability, casteism and superstitions aimed at the upliftment of Dalit
communities. These protests especially after Indian independence came to be known as
Modern Dalit movement.
In a Negative frame, it stands for rejection of the old traditional Hindu social order based on
untouchability, socioeconomic inequality, casteism, non-scientific and irrational religious
beliefs and customary servitude.
Positively justifying, it symbolizes the acceptance of a new social order established on
liberty, equality, and social justice on scientific and rational religious or moral principles; for
the socio-economic, cultural and political upliftment of the Dalits.
The major objective of these movements was to regain equal status and respect for the
downtrodden communities in the patriarchal Hindu society which over the passage of time
had seeped into other religions and communities too. It was the result of the consciousness of
Dalits of their own identity as humans, with equal physical and mental capabilities, and thus
equally entitled to enjoy all the human rights without any infringement, abridgement or
limitations.
The Modern Dalit movement varied from leader to leader, place to place and from time to
time. Different Dalit Movements in the current context had different ideologies, approaches
and strategies. It came about in different shades. Some Dalit leaders followed the process of
Sanskritization to move up a notch in the caste hierarchy. Thus Dalit leaders like Swami
Thykkad (Kerala), Pandi Sunder Lai Sagar (UP), Muldas Vaishya (Gujarat), Moon Vithoba

Raoji Pande (Maharashtra) and others tried to adopt established cultural norms and practices
of the higher castes which included vegetarianism, putting sandalwood paste on forehead,
wearing sacred thread, etc.

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, a revered Dalit leader converted to Buddhism along with his millions of
followers at Nagpur in 1956. In a protest against Hinduism some of the Dalit leaders founded
their own sects or religions. Guru Ghasi Das (MP) founded Satnami Sect. Gurtichand Thakur
(Bengal) founded Matua Sect. Ayyan Kali (kerala) founded SJPY (Sadha Jana Paripalan
Yogam) and Mangu Ram (Panjab) founded Adi Dharam.

MAJOR MOVEMENTS AND EVENTS

Dalit castes from the late 19th century made many attempts to organise themselves, but the
Dalit liberation movement really began to take off from the 1920s, in the context of the
strong social reform and anti-caste movements which were penetrating the middle-caste
peasantry and the national movement which was beginning to gain momentum during this
period.
The most important of the early Dalit movements were:

The Adi-Dharm movement in the Punjab organised in 1926;

The Mahar Movement under Ambedkar in Maharashtra mainly based among Mahars
which had its organisational beginnings in 1924.

The Nama-shudra movement in Bengal

The Adi-Dravida movement in Tamil Nadu

The Adi-Andhra movement in Andhra which had its first conference in 1917

The Adi-Karnataka movement

The Adi-Hindu movement centered around Kanpur in UP and

Organising of the Pulayas and Cherumans in Kerala.
Post Independence India witnessed two decades of silence through the era of Nehru before
the issue of caste once again burst out the national consciousness with the founding of The
Dalit Panthers in 1972 and emergence of Dalits as major electoral force through the 1980s
and 1990s.
During this period many atrocities against Dalits took place in different parts of India like
gruesome killing of dalit kotesu in Kanchikachula in 1969(A.P), kilavenmani massacre of 42
Dalits in 1968(T.N) etc. that shook the national leadership and this led to government
intervention in the form of monitoring the atrocities against the scheduled casted and
scheduled tribes and Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989.

MAHAR MOVEMENT
A major anti-untouchability movement was launched by Dr.Ambedkar in Maharashtra.
During 1920s under the leadership of Dr Ambedkar, Mahars launched a Satyagraha against
untouchability prevailing in Maharashtra. During this time, Dr Ambedkar saw the possibility
of the upliftment of Dalits through the use of political means to gain socio economic equality.
Dr Ambedkar organzed Independent Labour Party(ILP) on secular lines for protecting the
interest of labour class. This party was open to labourers of all classes but was mainly
dominated by Mahars. Later, Dr Ambedkar formed Scheduled Caste Federation (AISCF) in
1954, to fight elections and look after the interests of SCs. These interests were confined to
reservations of jobs and political positions. Later on for broadening its base in 1956, this
party was renamed to Republican party which included all backward classes including
scheduled tribes and other backward classes.
During early 1930s itself Dr Ambedkar realized that the only way of improving the status of
Dalits was to renounce Hinduism. He appealed to his caste brothers, you have nothing to
loose but your religion. In the early 1950s, he found that Buddhism was appropriate as an
alternative religion for the untouchables. He preferred Buddhism primarily because it was an
indigenous Indian religion of equality; a religion which was anti-caste and anti-Brahman.
Ambedkar and large number of his followers mainly Mahars, were converted to Buddhism in
1956..However this didnt bring a significant change to the social and occupational life of
Dalits but they became more militant as a result of their conversion to Buddhism. However,
the movement for conversion to Buddhism has spread Dalit consciousness irrespective of
whether Dalits became Buddhist or not.
After Ambedkars death, however, the movement began to loose its vitality. The republican
Party of India which was an attempt to try and make the AISCFs narrow caste agenda into a
broad-based movement against inequality, discrimination and injustice. The party however
proved just to be a name-change and in the post independence Nehruvian period the case of
Dalits was either ignored or pacified.

PULAYAN, CHERUMAR MOVEMENTS

The major seeds of social movement in terms of raising voice for rights and entitlements
were sown by the successful endeavour of Shree Narayan Guru to give identity and voice to
the Ezhava community in Kerala. In pre-independence era, leadership for Dalits of Kerala
came in the form of Poikayil Yohannan and John Joseph. In an attempt to search for the ever
eluding identity many Dalits converted and became Christians. But, within the Church they
remained the same Scheduled Castes of the yesteryears, despised and frowned upon by caste
Hindu converts. Poikayil Yohannan, one such convert questioned the touted Catholicism of
Christianity and deserted it due to caste based discriminations. He went on to establish
Prathyaksha Reksha Daiva Sabha (PRDS) in 1909, a new Dalit religion of which he was the

prophet and preacher. Similarly John Joseph, a Pulaya convert, established Travancore
Cheramar Maha Sabha (1921), in an attempt to mobilize the Dalits. To instil a sense of pride
in them, he dwelled into history and found out that Pulayas were rulers, poets and landlords
in antiquity. On this basis he even changed his castes name from Pulaya to Cheramar so that
his people could be filled with a sense of pride about their ancient heritage.

AIYYANKALI MOVEMENT
Effective leadership for the Scheduled Castes came from Aiyyankali. Mass mobilizations
organized by Aiyyankali were more socio-cultural in orientation than economic. Also,
Aiyyankali had a better judgement of priorities in terms of the demands that were put forth.
Demands for the right of SCs to use roads and appear in public, right to education, right to
dress neatly were made in an attempt to uplift the backward class.
SJPS (Sadhu Jana Paripalana Sangham)was established in 1907 by Ayyankali to lend
organisational support to his social programmes and to mobilise the entire Scheduled Castes
and bring them under one flag. At its inception and for a substantial period thereafter, it drew
strength from the entire SC fraternity, Hindus as well as Christians. Though he was opposed
to conversion, Ayyankali had no hesitation to bring the converts also into the fold of his
organisation.
But despite serious efforts all these movements fell prey to internal schisms. As these
movements lacked resources to fall back upon, most of these movements had to operate
within the framework of authority created by Royal power for its sustenance. And this in its
turn had affected their internal solidarity, further weakening them and leading to their gradual
decimation. As the movements began to depend on the Royal power, they soon came to be
co-opted by the State inaugurating a process of competition among the movements partners
for its patronage. On the other side, the State was also found plotting against Dalit solidarity
first by cutting a wedge between Hindu Dalits and their Christian counterparts and then by
trying to close the rank among the various sub-castes within the Hindu Dalit fraternity. Thus
the interface with the State itself became a factor which retarded the identity building process
and the possible unity of Dalits cutting across caste and religion.
Dalit movements in post colonial period in Kerala lacked the vigour. Some of the movements
which gained momentum initially but eventually got dissolved were Kerala Stipendary
Students Association(KSSA), Kerala Harijan Students Federation (KHSF), Socially
Economically Educationally Depressed Indian Ancient Natives (SEEDIAN), National Dalit
Liberation Front (NDLF).Most of these movements were germane to a very specific cause,
but SEEDIAN managed to address a broader issue concerning the Dalits. It organized study
classes for lower caste people of different age groups, it raised voice for the distribution of
land for the survival of the Dalits. But over a period of time, the organization got dissolved
due to certain ideological clashes at top level. Though SEEDIAN was dissolved in 1990, the
functioning of NDLF was continued as a larger fraternity for the oppressed groups

Major Acts that came up addressing the issue of Dalits

PRE AMBEDKAR ERA
1. Acts of 1893
2. Acts of 1935
3. Caste disabilities removal act 1850
This is the complete Act of the parliament passed to remove any difficulties faced by
persons in disposing his property upon conversion to another religion.
4. Civil rights act
5. Indian high court act 1876
6. Madras temple entry act(1955)
The act gave information upon who is eligible for imprisonment upon causing
untouchability and creating caste barriers.
7. Slavery act
8. Regulation act 1773

POST AMBEDKAR ERA

The prevention of atrocities act (1989)
The Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 an Act of
the Parliament of India enacted to prevent atrocities against scheduled castes and scheduled
tribes. The Act is popularly known as POA, the SC/ST Act, the Prevention of Atrocities Act,
or simply the Atrocities Act.
Article 17 of Indian Constitution seeks to abolish 'untouchability' and to forbid all such
practices. It is basically a "statement of principle" that needs to be made operational with the
ostensible objective to remove humiliation and multifaceted harassments meted to the Dalits
and to ensure their fundamental and socio-economic, political, and cultural rights
Scheduled castes and scheduled tribes sub plan SC, ST Sub-Plan also IndirammaKalalu is a
budgetary allocation spent by the Government of Andhra Pradesh for the welfare of Dalits. A
legislation was passed in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly in May, 2013.
Both Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will have separate panels for spending. The
plan was meant to prevent the government from diverting funds meant for SCs and STs to
other programs, which has historically been the case. There is demand for central SC, ST
Sub-Plan in all over India

Indian politics and Dalits involved

Indian contemporary politics have witnessed various concessions upon the entry of the lower
caste people and formation of different political parties on the philosophy of abolition of the
caste system and the protection of their rights.
Some critics say that with the inception of these political parties a new chapter has been
started in the issue of protection of Dalit rights and their development.
Some of the popular Dalit political parties of India are:

BahujanSamaj Party
Republican Party of India, active in Maharashtra.
ViduthalaiChiruthaigalKatchi a Dravidian political party in Tamil Nadu.
BharipaBahujanMahasangh a party is led by Prakash YashwantAmbedkar, the
grandson of Dr. Ambedkar.
LokJanshakti Party, main party of Bihar

Dalit who became Chief Ministers

DamodaramSanjivayya was the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh (from 11 January

1960 12 March 1962)
Mayawati four times chief minister of Uttar Pradesh
Jitan Ram Manjhi chief minister of Bihar

CONCLUSION
While social reform and anti-caste movements arose throughout India, and all provided some
kind of ground for Dalits to move ahead, the non-Brahmin movements of south and west
India posed a genuine possibility of a radical movement against caste traditions that could
unify both caste Hindu toilers and Dalits. Their ideology itself and the principles of their most
radical organisations the Satyashodhak Samaj and the Self-Respect movement posed a
thorough challenge to caste hierarchy and in fact provided the central ideological themes for
the Dalit movements.
But such unity did not materialize as the more conservative wing of these movements gained
strength among Hindu caste peasants and educated sections of society.
The upsprings in various part of the country did bring the issue of Dalits to the mainstream
scheme of things, but almost all Dalit movements lost its strength over a period of time due to
ideological differences within the organization, state intervention n excessive politicisation.
Dr Ambedkars has undeniably been the most important leader in struggle of Dalits but post
his death the movement lost its energy and motivation and became stagnant mostly due to
ideological disposition. The Dalit movement also digressed from its core agenda to more
populist agenda of attaining political mobility and space.