Guest post by DEBALIN ROY
Debalin Roy takes us to some specific moments in the rally, aside from the bird’s eye view of the massive rally that we have already seen.
Dalits from all over northern India gathered at Jantar Mantar, Delhi on the 21st of May to protest the Saharanpur violence and increasing atrocities on Dalits across the country.
Although there were representatives from various states, especially from Haryana, U.P. and Rajasthan, Bhim Army took the center stage, with their blue flags waving like a giant dark blue field of tall grass, shaking and waving with every chant of Jai Bhim.
Although the rally was denied permission by the Delhi Police, the Bhim Army led by Chandrashekhar Azad, a lawyer by profession continued with the proceedings and gathered somewhere around ten thousand to twelve thousand people in the capital. (According to some estimates, there were about 20, 000 people at the rally). Other organisations which lent their support to the rally were Yuva Shakti Dal, Dalit Sangharsh Morcha among others.
The rally was organized to raise a voice against the Thakur Community in Saharanpur, who burnt down twenty five houses belonging to Dalits and injuring fifteen of them.
Chandrashekhar while addressing the huge number of people stated that their main reason for agitating is to fight oppression by the Hindu right wing groups especially RSS.
Vinay Tanwar, a resident of Jaipur, Rajasthan, who had come to take part in the rally said, “We have been exploited for hundreds of years, under the present government the problems we are facing have doubled, since the perpetrators now have political backing.”
KAFILA - COLLECTIVE EXPLORATIONS SINCE 2006 
The revival of Dalit hating is a very bad omen and going to prove extremely costly to the nation and Hindu society. I fear this may lead to alienation of Dalits and minorities for ever and they may not settle for anything less then separate nations for each of them.
It isthis holier than thou attitude of all previous governments towards whosoever seems troubling them ,that has caused havoc with our unity and integration into one entity for the entire lot of communities.
If this government is not prepared to acknowledge thsi and mend its way soon, it is the duty of all of us todoso.
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The English media downplayed this important gathering, and were busy analysing the one run lead of MI in the IPL final…I suppose it was expected.
Congratulations to the Bhim Army
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Good photo coverage.
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Elated to see the photos of the rally.Many more such rallies are needed.However Bhim Army all alone cannot overthrow the centuries old oppressive social order.Nor any other forces engaged in this task can do it alone.All like-minded ones shall have to come together.The fight has to be carried out in a scientific manner and not haphazardly.Nor in a flip flop manner.If that is done with revolutionary commitment there’s no reason that you will not succeed.The should be on capturing the political power from Panchayat to Parliament.
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While the rally in Delhi has attracted many people, some more organisations from south and east India should have participated to cause flutters in the right wing camp. Such rallies and meetings should be held in many other parts of the country and mobilise masses
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