• Dr. Udit Raj, former MP

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar lived a life of discrimination and deprivation since childhood. Millions of people have to live in adverse circumstances, but there are only a few who come out of that situation and show the path to others. Dr. Ambedkar is one such person. On the contrary, there are people who got comforts and fame right from birth, yet lived and thought for the common man or those at the lowest rung. Gautam Buddha, despite being born in a royal family, left home to alleviate the sufferings of the poor, backward and common man. Shahuji Maharaj, despite being the owner of a princely state, implemented rules for the participation of all sections. The thinking of great people like Gautam Buddha, Dr. Ambedkar, Shahuji Maharaj is prominent in Shri Rahul Gandhi. He is fighting for different sections of society and is trying to get into their behaviour to understand their lives himself. Sometimes he tries to understand the life of a motor mechanic, sometimes of a shopkeeper, sometimes of a porter, sometimes of a train driver, sometimes of a farmer, sometimes of a fruit and vegetable seller. There could be many people in politics who do things like this, but the ones working with honesty and emotion should be known particularly.

On the participation of Dalits, Adivasis and OBCs in the media, Shri Rahul Gandhi openly asks journalists how much representation these classes have in their institutions. Politically, this question was not beneficial, but does a visionary really care about it? Raising such a question in a time when the media is not free and is extremely upper-casteist, may be a loss-making deal for the Congress in the short term, but history will do justice someday. If Dr. Ambedkar were alive in today's times, he would have asked a similar question and for this reason, he had started his own newspaper. He started the first newspaper 'Mooknayak'. Later, he started three more newspapers- Bahishkrit Bharat, Janata and Prabuddha Bharat. Even today the situation is more or less the same. Unless there is a murder or rape, political-social news of Dalit and backward leaders or intellectuals does not appear in the media. Big media houses organize annual festivals, but do not invite Dalits, backward and tribals to speak or express their feelings, as if they do not exist in Indian society. As an exception, sometimes people from these classes are invited due to power or position. Shri Rahul Gandhi is raising the same questions even today that Dr. Ambedkar used to raise.

Poona Pact is a gift of the British and this is where the participation of Dalits begins. Reservation was the only means through which the downtrodden could participate in governance and administration for the first time. Before 2014, Dalits, backward and tribals used to get jobs in the government sector and this path is being almost closed. Shri Rahul Gandhi is taking forward the discussion of Dr. Ambedkar, hence he has raised the question many times that how many Dalits, OBCs and tribals are in the posts of secretaries or higher posts in the Government of India. IAS recruitment was being done through lateral entry since 2018 in which there was no reservation for Dalits, OBCs and tribals and it was stopped when Shri Rahul Gandhi raised the question. The share of the general category in the country's wealth is 89 percent and that of Dalits is only 2.6 percent. Can there be a more important question for the country than this? Dalits, who constitute 16 percent of the population, have a share of only 2.6 percent and yet some argue that the country's future is bright. It would be dishonest to talk about the development of any country with so much inequality. How can it become a developed country when a large population does not have the consumer capacity?

If Dr. Ambedkar were alive today, he would have raised the issue of caste census most vocally. Kanshiram ji fought a ground battle for the implementation of Mandal Commission and when the ground was ready, V.P. Singh's government announced its implementation. Kamandal was born in opposition to Mandal and unfortunately most of the backward class society stood with the BJP against their own interests. Today, Shri Rahul Gandhi is raising the issue of caste census with utmost force. There has been awakening in the backward class, but not at the level that it could create a big movement. Here, there is a similarity in the thinking of Dr. Ambedkar and Shri Rahul Gandhi.

After independence, it took about a decade and a half to build the system and this is equally applicable to any country or society. The 70s and 80s were the best times for Dalits and tribals. They got a share in quota-permits. Land was also allotted. Reservation was also implemented honestly. This was a golden time till Shri Rajiv Gandhi's tenure as Prime Minister. When Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao became PM, the era of privatization and globalization had arrived. Congress continued with its old policies and there was no discussion on what adverse effect privatization and liberalization would have on these classes. At the same time, Kanshiram created a hunger for power among Dalits in North India but there was no talk of any physical share in it. The judiciary became casteist and anti-poor and anti-Dalit decisions started coming. No question was raised on the method of appointment of judges nor the question of land was raised. Congress continued with its old working system. It was accused of being anti-Ambedkar, which was not answered and it still stands at the same place today. Shri Rahul Gandhi is trying his best to take forward Dr. Ambedkar's point but the Party leaders and workers have not changed with time. No one except the Congress Party implemented the practical aspect of Dr. Ambedkar, but it was neither given words nor publicized. Currently, Shri Rahul Gandhi is trying to promote the ideas of Gandhi, Nehru, Ambedkar, Phule, Shahu etc. and the organization will have to be moulded accordingly.

(The author is the National Chairman of Unorganized Workers & Employees Congress (KKC) and National Spokesperson & National Chairman of Dalit, OBC, Minority & Adivasi (DOMA) Federation Congress)