The progressive, Ambedkarites, socialists and communists do not have enough masses to back them as of this day. In fact, in the past 30-35 years, such an economic and social situation has been created by the world’s ruling classes that has prompted a large chunk of the population to move away from the Left and the Ambedkarite ideology, and closer to the fascist powers.
The Left, Ambedkarite movement, along with the liberal individuals and groups, have often made it clear that they are brahmanical in their approach, reflections of which are widely seen in the demeanour of the Indian middle class. This is why they fail to acknowledge the fact that they are unable to actually fight against these new fascist forces. Against this backdrop, we try to comprehend what is happening in Maharashtra and the rest of the country.
In Maharashtra, some of the novice progressive people among us have passed the baton on to the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and now even to the Shiv Sena to continue the struggle [against the fascist forces]. They have voted for Congress and NCP and are hopeful that these two parties will manage to defeat the politics of Sangh Parivar (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its Right-wing affiliates) in the state. Watching these parties strive to keep the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) out of power, the progressive have made an emotional investment with them. Some are even beginning to believe that they are our ‘saviours’. Naturally, as they have no one’s shoulder to lean on, they have pinned all their hopes on Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena. They now resemble a poor man, who invokes God when all his other options are gone. Likewise, these novice people are taking refuge in the fold of these political parties and we can’t even blame them for that.
Have fascism and dictatorship been newly introduced to the world? No. We have witnessed it a number of times in the history of humans. In a country like India, the caste and varna systems—which have been in place for centuries—are forms of this fascism itself. For the last five thousand years, there has been a constant fight in the country between the so-called lower-castes, untouchables and the fascist Brahmin camp. This dormant tussle has had a lining of economic oppression and sometimes, even cultural oppression.
Beneath the garb of establishing a Hindu rashtras (nation), the entire public sector is being sold to the private players. To obscure their murky business deals and contentious quid pro quos, the smoke from the anti-Muslim fire has to fuelled. The bigger picture shows that these fascists are dragging the country towards a civil war. They wish to overturn the Constitution to bring in single-party dictatorship and make some religious groups second-class citizens of this country. They will go for the peasants and other castes next, to make sure that only the “pure-blooded”—of the vedic ancestry—remain in power. Then even among them, some will be slaughtered based on the hierarchy of their “gotras” and the rest will be forced to live as slaves and secondary citizens.
It is quite clear now that their first target will be Muslims; second will be the Ambedkarites and the Leftists who are bitterly opposed to them. Eventually, Christians and Sikhs will fall in line, followed by the OBCs—even as they are pleased with the idea of a Hindu nation today. Those who think of themselves as Kshatriyas or Baniyas will be last in the line of fire. This strategy of inferiorising certain sections can be clearly seen today.
When a particular section is being targeted, the fascists will make sure that the other social groups will be careful not to stand in their support. We can see today that as the Muslims have been targeted, different laws are being used to suppress their voices and opposition. There are exceptions when people from other communities, too, are standing alongside them. But otherwise, one comes across mostly the ‘your problem, you deal with it’ attitude. One really needs to understand that once all the Muslims become secondary citizens or are expelled or imprisoned, the focus of the fascist forces will shift. They will take help of their old formulae again: defame first, spread hatred, declare how the new target is incapable of living with the rest and finally, slaughter, exodus or imprisonment.
Some will face this attack first, some later. But rest assured that all minorities and everyone who does not surrender to their ideology of brahmanical superiority will be on their list. Some people, who are willing to do a ghar wapasi might be spared and for the rest, construction of the detentions camps in underway already. Making laws to facilitate such schemes is not a hindrance for this government any more.
Now, how will this brahmanical-corporate fascist despotism end? Hoe can it be stopped? Will these parliamentary parties be of any help?
We need to be reminded that the dictatorships end in wars. Or the dictators are overthrown by masses’ rebellion. But these are all long-term answers. Can dictatorship be prevented? Yes. In India, dictatorship is still in its embryonic phase. There has been no legal declaration of an official religion of the nation. There is no single-party dictatorship yet. In such a situation, will the so-called parliamentary opposition parties manage to achieve anything—as long as elections are taking place? Every democratic citizen hopes that all the opposition parties will come together and defeat the fascist forces in the parliamentary system. But they have to understand if these parties, indeed, are real ‘opposition’? Matter of the fact is—they aren’t.
These opposition leaders are the centres of power in their respective territories. And there is not much difference between those ruling at the Centre and those ruling in their territories. Their classes and character are alike. Therefore, when it comes to Hindutva, they cannot stand up against the fascist forces. They are the temperamental soft Hindus or Brahminists themselves.
They cannot even contest the elections together because everyone of them dreams of becoming a prime minister. In the last election, the prime ministerial candidate of the fascist party was one, while about 22 people in the opposition were dreaming of becoming a prime minister. Some of them are super corrupt, and the fascist rulers have the files of their scandals and corruption ready. So, even at the slightest noise, the Enforcement Directorate is sent after them. So, the real question is: is there any real opposition party left in the country?
Even if we overlook these opposition parties, one can no help but wonder; what happened to the Ambedkarite and Left political parties? They have been plagued by similar issues. Some Ambedkarites are holy; some are corrupt. Some are Left-wing communists, while some are Right-wing. And these leaders’ ego is inflated to such an extent that they would rather have the country crushed under the fascists’ soles than not be ‘The One’ to crush them.
We can understand that it is not possible to have an alliance with the capitalist parties for them, but these “revolutionaries” can not even join hands with the other “revolutionaries”. Their protest are distinct as well. Everyone is concerned about their “sanctity” or perhaps their vote bank. Some leaders realised that caste equations can help them come to power, so they chose that path. However, in Uttar Pradesh, there is no reason why the Ambedkarite agitation is not up un the arms against the barbarous governance of Yogi Adityanath? Bhim Army is the only organisation that has put up a fight in the state.
Having witnessed the tenures of some of the governments, some things have got pretty clear. Political leaders are joining their castes together and coming to power, only to exploit the poor people of their own castes. The Ambedkarites and Left, instead of finding new solutions to these evolving issues, are still stuck finding solutions using their old methods.
One of the biggest betrayals of the people is this country is by these scattered forces and divided opposition. There is absence of true opponents—true opposition; they are just mobsters jumping for power. So, hoping that these fascists will be removed with their help is like hoping to squeeze water from a stone.
But the masses find their way; they find their own solutions. And this can be seen with the women’s movement, which has started from Delhi. For the past three months, through the Shaheen Bagh sit-in, a few women have shown what is possible. A few leaders did go this protests site, but it is very clear that the protesters are and have been independent. At this Muslim women-led protest, a few Hindu and Christian women can be seen supporting the movement. But the Ambedkarite organisations have been absent, for the most part.
In this situation, I look up to these women, who are a ray of hope today. My observation is that the process of brahminisation of women is not yet complete. These women will show the path towards a better future. So, men should let go of their borrowed weight of patriarchy and follow the footprints of these women.
