Happy Birthday Br Ambedkar 14 April 2025: Indian society has been holding the harsh fetters of caste system for centuries, which pushed a large section – Dalits or untouchables – socially, economic and politically marginalized. Voices were raised from time to time against this unjust system, but in the twentieth century, the rise of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar wrote a new chapter of the Renaissance of Dalit consciousness. Ambedkar not only fought for the rights of Dalits, but also inspired them to fight for their identity and self -respect. Putting forward his legacy, Kanshi Ram and later Mayawati organized Dalits as a strong political power, giving a new direction to the fight for social justice and equality.
Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar: Proverbs of Dalit liberation
Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar (1891–1956) was an extraordinary social reformer, jurist, economist and politician who dedicated his life to the upliftment of Dalits. He himself felt bitterly experienced by caste discrimination and resolved to uproot this social evil from the root. Ambedkar called for Dalits to be educated, organized and fight for their rights. He established organizations such as the “Scheduled Casts Federation” and “Indian Buddhist Mahasabha”, through which he attempted to unite Dalits politically and socially.
Ambedkar not only fought for the civil rights of Dalits, but also made significant contribution to their economic and social empowerment. He emphasized the importance of education and advocated reservation in government jobs and educational institutions for Dalits. He played an important role in the creation of the Indian Constitution, through which he provided equal citizenship and legal protection to Dalits. In 1956, he took a revolutionary step by adopting Buddhism with millions of followers, which showed Dalits a new path to live with the caste system of Hinduism and to live with self-respect. Ambedkar’s thinking and struggle remains a permanent inspiration for Dalits, which gave him the strength to fight for his identity and rights.
Kanshi Ram: The architect of political empowerment
Inspired by Ambedkar’s views, Kanshi Ram (1934–2006) set an ambitious target of politically organizing Dalits. He realized that social justice and equality could be ensured only when Dalits achieve political power. With this objective, he founded the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in 1984. The BSP served to unite and provide a strong voice on the political platform – “Bahujan” – which included Dalits, Other Backward Classes and Minorities.
Kanshi Ram made Dalits aware of their political rights through slogans like “Vote Hamara, Raj will not run”. He created a strong network of workers at the grassroots level and inspired Dalits to participate in power. As a result of his efficient strategy and tireless efforts, the BSP emerged as an important power in Uttar Pradesh politics. Kanshi Ram not only saved Dalits from being used as a vote bank, but also showed them the dream of becoming ruler.
Mayawati: Symbol of power and voice of social justice
Putting forward Kanshi Ram’s legacy, Mayawati took over the leadership of Bahujan Samaj Party and brought it to new heights. She was the first Dalit woman to become the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. And he has beautified this post four times. Mayawati not only brought political power to Dalits, but also raised issues of social justice and equality prominently. During his reign, many important schemes were launched for social and economic upliftment of Dalits.
Mayawati paid special attention to increasing the self -esteem and pride of Dalits. He installed statues of Dalit symbols and great men in public places, giving the Dalit community an opportunity to take pride in their identity and history. He also took effective steps to ensure the participation of Dalits in administration and government jobs. Mayawati’s political rise and success became a powerful symbol for Dalits, which assured her that they too could become equal partners in the power and system of the country.
Renaissance of Dalit consciousness: a continuous process
The journey from Baba Saheb Ambedkar to Mayawati is a long and continuous process of the Renaissance of Dalit consciousness. Ambedkar inspired Dalits to raise their voice against their slavery and oppression, Kanshi Ram organized him as a political power and Mayawati brought him to the peak of power. The efforts of these leaders have brought confidence, self -esteem and political awareness in the Dalit community.
However, this journey is still going on. Even today, the Dalit community faces challenges like social discrimination, economic inequality and oppression. The renaissance of Dalit consciousness will be completed only when caste discrimination in the society will be completely eliminated and Dalits will get equal opportunity and respect. In this direction, Dalit leaders, workers and the whole society need to work together so that India can realize the dreams of Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram, where every person can live with dignity and equality. Mayawati has given a new direction to this movement, but the floor is still far away and only collective efforts can achieve this goal.
The Dalit community is an important vote bank in Uttar Pradesh politics, which for decades maintained a strong political power to Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). However, in recent years, BSP supremo Mayawati’s political grip seems to be weakening. This has a direct impact on Dalit voters, in which looking for a new political option is gaining momentum. This changing scenario has given an opportunity to make efforts to draw Dalits into its court – Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Samajwadi Party (SP), and Congress.
The BSP, which was once the focal point of Uttar Pradesh politics, has been continuously facing election defeat since 2012. Mayawati, who formed an absolute majority government in 2007, has slowly moved away. The party’s account could not be opened in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which is an unprecedented incident in the history of BSP. Political analysts believe that there are several reasons for Mayawati’s weakening grip, including the lack of organization at the grassroots, changing social equations and the rise of new leadership among young Dalit voters.
Sensing this weakness of the BSP, the BJP has started sharp efforts to dent the Dalit vote bank. The BJP is trying to help Dalits through various welfare schemes of the central and state government. Party leaders are constantly trying to establish an association with this community by respecting Dalit great men and carrying forward their ideas. Recently concluded ‘Dr. The ‘BR Ambedkar Samman Abhiyan’ is being considered part of this strategy, in which party leaders have been instructed to speak carefully on Dalit issues and to effectively deliver the policies of the party. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP was successful in gaining the support of a section of Dalits and now it is working towards further strengthening this vote bank.
At the same time, the Samajwadi Party has also become active to connect Dalits with it. The SP, which has done better with the help of ‘backward, Dalit, minority’ (PDA) alliance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, is now trying to give further edge to this strategy. Party President Akhilesh Yadav is constantly raising the issues of Dalits and trying to attract this community through campaigns like ‘Save the Constitution’. The SP’s goal is to increase its penetration among non-Jatav Dalits, who are seen spitting somewhat from the BSP.
The Congress, which was once considered the traditional party of Dalits, is also trying hard to get back its lost land. Party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is visiting Dalit settlements and is trying to understand their problems through direct dialogue. The Congress’s emphasis is on the social and economic empowerment of Dalits, and the party is trying to win the trust of this community by renewing old policies. Recently, the Congress session concluded in Ahmedabad also paid special attention to the issues of Dalits and backward classes, which is being considered part of the changed strategy of the party.
In this political competition, Dalit voters are going to play an important role. After the BSP weakened for decades, Dalits now have many options to decide their political future. It will be interesting to see what the Dalit voters rely on the breathtaking offers of various political parties and in which direction this change takes the politics of Uttar Pradesh. Prior to the 2027 assembly elections, this political parties are expected to intensify the exercise of pulling Dalits into their court, which can directly see the impact on the state’s election results.
