Guest Post by Suhas Borker
This year, India has sponsored the observation of the birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar at the United Nations for the first time. The Permanent Mission of India to the UN shall commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of the Dalit icon on April 13 at the UN headquarters, a day before his date of birth, with an international seminar on ‘Combating inequalities to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)’. A note circulated by the Indian mission says that the “national icon” remains an inspiration for millions of Indians and proponents of equality and social justice across the globe. “Fittingly, although it’s a matter of coincidence, one can see the trace of Babasaheb’s radiant vision in the SDGs adopted by the UN General Assembly to eliminate poverty, hunger and socio-economic inequality by 2030.”
Juxtapose this with a recent report on caste-based discrimination by the United Nations Human Right Council’s Special Rapporteur for minority issues that has stung the Indian government, provoking it to raise questions about the lack of “seriousness of work” in the UN body and the special rapporteur’s mandate. Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, would definitely not be pleased. Nor are the Dalit rights activists in India and abroad.
( Read the rest of the piece here : http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/how-to-be-free-of-caste-in-india/article8467518.ece?homepage=true)
Recognising Ambedkar idea of casteless society internationally is a great achievement. Though stark discrimination and atrocities on marginalised sections and women is rampant to this day, the realisation of the importance of the need to tackle this problem reflects the intensity of world community in coming out to resolve is a positive development. However, the brahminical forces in India are unrelenting and the forces are perpetrating their vicious work overtly and covertly.
The article (as published in The Hindu) started out on a great note, but was disappointing at the end. The solution suggested by the author is romantic and naive. It will not generate anything other than meaningless violence and discord. It is not his fault, such is the state of activism in India. In my opinion, the change has to be organic and that means slow.