‘New social order’ triggered Saharanpur riots
“It is nothing but a conflict to show who is bigger – Maharana Pratap or Bhimrao Ambedkar.” This simple logic offered by Lal Singh, a Jatav, at the Dalit Chaupal of Shabbirpur village tells a lot about the ongoing caste tussle in Uttar Pradesh.
Besides underlining the fresh fault lines of Dalit-Rajput conflict, it tells how the aspirations of Dalits that got tremendous boost during Mayawati’s rule, and even went beyond the norm at times, are clashing with new-found emboldenment of the upper castes, especially Rajputs, after Yogi Adityanath’s sudden ascendency to UP throne.
“They (Dalits) should understand that the days of their dadigiri (fiefdom) are over. They cannot go beyond the law now and tame us by showing the danda of Dalit kanoon (SC/ST Act). Better they behave and live within their limits,” says Ummed Singh Chauhan of Maheshpur village.
“I am not asking to unduly harass them but just that they should honestly do what they are assigned to do. Unlike before we will not allow their cattle to graze our fields now,” Singh adds checking his words.
But Dalits, whose identity tasted assertion for the first time during BSP’s rule and didn’t get eroded during the Samajwadi regime, are resisting and …read more
