It has been two months and a few days since the new state administration took charge in Uttar Pradesh. The Chief Minister has openly declared that her government would not tolerate any form of caste based discrimination in the state. But so far the promises have remained just promises and no action is reflected on the ground.
The Dalits in Uttar Pradesh face several hardships in their life, perpetrated against them by the upper caste. As of today n the villages of Uttar Pradesh, the role of the upper caste is often played by the Patel and Yadav community. Though not really an upper caste in the caste Hindu society, since the Patel and Yadav are considered as ‘Sudra’, these communities have gained the maximum benefit from anti-caste policies.
Once in a dominant position, with landed and other property to take care of, the Patels and Yadavs have continued exploiting the Dalits, particularly communities like the Musahar and Ghasia. The Musahar and Ghasia are forced to work for the Patels and Yadavs, the neo Brahmins and the feudal of Uttar Pradesh. The economic exploitation of caste based discrimination continues as of toady in Uttar Pradesh.
One of the primary differences between the present Chief Minister and her predecessor is that while Mr. Mulayam Singh was a Yadav, Ms. Mayawati is a Chamar. In the caste-ridden politics of India, these things matters. Mulayam Singh had favoured all Yadavs and Patels and always turned a blind eye towards the atrocities committed by them. The district administrations had clear instructions not to injure the prejudices of the Patels and Yadavs. While Mulayam continued his Raj in the state capital, his counterparts in the villages established their own ‘Raj’ by bonded labour and other forms of exploitation of the Dalits. These small kingdoms are built upon the remains of several Dalits who died in the process, due to starvation and malnutrition.
To retain the Dalits within their control the neo feudal used the technique of deprivation of food for the Dalits. Dalits were given just enough food to remain alive to work. For this, the entire Public Food Distribution System (PDS) was captured and corrupted by the Patels and Yadavs. The local police was paid off and often used as an agency of oppression. The district administrations which were already corrupt played to the tune of the Yadavs and Patels. They never interfered. Hundreds of Dalits died. Many Dalit children are denied education. They are also forced to work along with their parents.
It is this society and administrative framework that the current government has inherited. The change of government has brought the least difference to the life of the Dalits in the villages. They continue to starve and are forced into bonded labour.
The Chief Minister has instructed her staff that cases of starvation deaths reported from outside the country through international human rights groups like the Asian Human Rights Commission is a shame to her government. The minister has also informed local human rights groups to inform her government first about atrocities committed against the Dalit community before approaching any outside human rights group. The minister has also informed the local human rights groups that in each case of starvation her government would take immediate action. If the starvation of a Dalit community is the result of neglect by the government officials immediate action is promised to follow.
As of toady, there is nothing done by the state government to prove that what has been promised by the Chief Minister is not yet another gimmick. No improvement of living conditions has been brought to the Dalits in the villages. While the Dalits continues to be ignored in the villages, the state administration went ahead with its Rupees 3.36 billion project to develop a park in the name of the Dalit leader Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. Whether such a project is good or not is not the question. The fact is the government has enough resources to spare.
Improvement of living conditions of the Dalits in Uttar Pradesh will not happen in a vacuum. Neither will it happen without strong initiatives by the administration. Any attempt to improve the living condition of the Dalits will have to start with putting an end to bonded labour in Uttar Pradesh by implementing the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976.
The PDS system in the state has to be strengthened and freed from corruption and malpractices. Strong actions must be taken against corrupt licensees. Places remotely located must have new PDS shops and the licenses must, if possible, given to community based groups working in the locality than through an open tender. This will rule out the possibility of existing corrupt licensees renewing their licenses and continuing with malpractices.
Atrocities committed against the Dalit community must be given top priority for investigation by the local police. Complaints against the police must be taken up at the highest possible level. Corrupt officers and officers with proven criminal record must be removed from service and punished in accordance with the law.
It is reforms like these that would liberate the Dalits in Uttar Pradesh. A better tribute to Dr. B. R. Ambedkar would be the actual liberation of the Dalits from servitude, not by construing a billion rupee worth park in his name.
