Reactions by leading Indian political parties and newspapers to the results of the elections in half a dozen state assemblies do not adequately bring out their truc political significance. While admitting the reverses, the Bhartiya Janata Party has tended to console itself by the higher popular vote percentage in its favor. It is factually correct that the party polled between 34% and 42.71% votes in the states. The Congress(I), on the other hand, is visibly happy that the party recaptured power in Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh from the BJP, Serious observers of the Indian scene, however, view these claims as superficial. It is felt that the two main Indian parties as also the other so called national groups have a great deal to worry about the emerging trends thrown up by the elections.

For the first time, a clear breakthrough has been made by the Oppressed sections of the Indian society to forge an alliance against the upper and middle castes such as Brahmans, Banias, Rajputs and a section of jats, who have traditionally been dominating all organs of the state, not excluding the main national parties such as Congress(1),B.J.P.,C.P.1., C.P.(M) and others, That is the true significance of the emergence of a united front of Sawajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj party a5 a force in the biggest Indian state of U.P. The support base of these two parties consists of Dalits, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, Muslims, Sikhs, Budhists, Christians and other minority groups. Muslims in U.P., Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Dethi essentially are socially and economically oppressed. They constitute a sizeable section of the population in these states. The real ideological author of this front in modern India was Dr.B.Ambedkar who left the battle half-finished with his death. The struggle was continued by Dr.Ram Manohar Lohia. It was further pursued by Janata Dal leader V.P.Singh. Since Singh headed a loose and shaky alliance which included such dubious leaders as Inder Kumar Gujral, in the north and Hegde in the south, it was not taken seriously by the Dalits and the backward communities. They, instead, opted for the one led by Mulayam Singh Yadav and Kanshi Ram.

Leaders of the alliance have a great responsibility to perform because the new combination has potential to overthrow the traditional Indian ruling class and rule India. The alliance is capable of demolishing the two-party system sought to be built by Brahmans and other high castes. This system is nothing but perpetuation of upper castes’ leaders’ mule by rotation. Since the Stakes are So high, the cunning establishment will spare no effort to fail and frustrate the new force. The Congress(1), the BJP and other upper castes-dominated parties will try to forge a counteralliance as and when required. These vested interests will resort to horse-trading, character assassination and even murder, IL is worth remembering that, in a way such an alliance in India was advocated by Sant Jamail Singh Bhindranwale. At his behest, the Akali Dal passed a resolution in 1982 seeking support from minorities for the Sikh movement but that initiative was sabotaged by Sant Harchand Singh Longowal and his supporters who clung to the Badal Line of alliance with the B.J.P. This policy was again in evidence in Dethi recently where Sikhs backed the Hindu upper easte party, rather than the Dalit led alliance.

‘The Sikh parties in Punjab must not underestimate the volcanic nature of the new alliance. The very social base of the upper Castes in being eroded. Straws in the wind are clear, Millions of Dalits and other backward castes are getting emboldened to say goodbye to Brahmanism. A public ceremony at Patna where 60 thousand Dalits embraced Budhism early this week should be an eye-opener. The Indian political changes are revolutionary in nahure. These deserve 10 be analyzed and supported by Sikhs. Leaders of the U.S. public opinion, too, are well advised not to count too much on an India sporting a “two-part’’ system, There was a tendency of court B.J.P. on the eve of the elections in expectation of ils emergence as a replacement to the ruling Congress(1). The upper castes” balloon has been punctured and a new political force is on the anvil in India. The Clinton Administration will ignore the new Indian reality at its own cost. The United States one day will have to deal with the new force. Itmust not be caught unawares. The best way for the U.S. to hold dialogue with the new force is to encourage an international movement for the human rights of Indian Dalits, backward tribes, Muslims and Sikhs, against the upper castes dominated Indian State. Any tendency to endorse the upper castes’ description of armed movements by the oppressed sections as terrorism must be strongly discouraged. The Clinton Administration should view the developments in Punjab and Kashmir as an advanced guard action of the oppressed Indian society and the developments in the “cow belt” as its other manifestation.

Article extracted from this publication >>  December 10, 1993