Gujarat and its 3-D effect brought on by Dalits, dethroning and demonetisation
Sunil Raghu, Dec 27, 2016, DHNS:
The lowest social point for Gujarat in 2016 was the shameful public flogging of four Dalit youths in Una town of Gir Somnath district in Saurashtra region during July. The youth were beaten black and blue and dragged for almost a kilometre by self-appointed cow vigilantes for allegedly possessing beef.
The culprits then videographed the entire episode with complete impunity and posted it on social media. The video went viral and only then the local authorities were forced to act against the perpetrators of the crime.
The voices of protest against this ghastly crime got amplified and resonated across the country, shaking the social and political foundations. For the first time in the state’s history, more than 30 Dalit groups came together and raised a plethora of issues facing the Dalit community for decades.
Rallying under the banner of ‘Una Dalit Atyachar Ladat Samiti’ (Committee to fight against atrocities on Una Dalits), a new young leader in Jignesh Mevani rose on the state’s political horizon. Mevani, a low-profile lawyer, till then had been single-handedly fighting several court battles on behalf of Dalits.
Though nothing substantial changed on the ground, with Dalits accounting for merely 7% of the state’s populace, the Dalit movement acted as a catalyst for ouster of the state’s first woman chief minister Anandiben Patel. Anandiben, who was already under pressure of the Patel quota stir that began in 2015, could not survive the barrage of political attacks.
The Dalit movement opened a window for other parties in the state, easing the stranglehold by the BJP on Gujarat for over two decades. It was not just the Opposition Congress that sensed an opportunity but even Mayawati of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal tried to fish in troubled waters of the BJP.
Rubbing salt into the wounds of Anandiben were a series of allegations of financial irregularities linked to her daughter Anar Patel and son Sanjay Patel. To prevent further slide, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent his general and BJP national president Amit Shah to douse the fire.
Shah, in his style, did so by replacing Anandiben with low-profile and Sangh protégé Vijay Rupani as the chief minister. Even the change of guard was not without drama. While the name of current deputy chief minister and North Gujarat strongman Nitin Patel was considered to be final, Shah upset Nitin Patel’s applecart at the very last moment and brought in Rupani. Rupani has since been trying to do a balancing act, appointing Nitin as his deputy and inducting people from different castes to keep everyone happy.
Patel quota stir
The BJP’s over a year-old headache, Patel quota stir leader, 24-year-old Hardik Patel, too, is likely to make it difficult for the party. Hardik, who was behind bars till June facing various cases, including sedition, was granted bail by the Gujarat High Court with a condition that he will stay away from Gujarat for six months.At present, he is stationed in Udaipur, Rajasthan, and is slated to return in January.
The worry for the BJP is that Hardik’s entry may once again ignite passions amongst its traditionally staunch BJP supporters, the Patel community. Though the state had declared a 10% quota for Economically Backward Classes among upper castes to pacify Patels in April, it was later struck down by the high court.
The culprits then videographed the entire episode with complete impunity and posted it on social media. The video went viral and only then the local authorities were forced to act against the perpetrators of the crime.
The voices of protest against this ghastly crime got amplified and resonated across the country, shaking the social and political foundations. For the first time in the state’s history, more than 30 Dalit groups came together and raised a plethora of issues facing the Dalit community for decades.
Rallying under the banner of ‘Una Dalit Atyachar Ladat Samiti’ (Committee to fight against atrocities on Una Dalits), a new young leader in Jignesh Mevani rose on the state’s political horizon. Mevani, a low-profile lawyer, till then had been single-handedly fighting several court battles on behalf of Dalits.
Though nothing substantial changed on the ground, with Dalits accounting for merely 7% of the state’s populace, the Dalit movement acted as a catalyst for ouster of the state’s first woman chief minister Anandiben Patel. Anandiben, who was already under pressure of the Patel quota stir that began in 2015, could not survive the barrage of political attacks.
The Dalit movement opened a window for other parties in the state, easing the stranglehold by the BJP on Gujarat for over two decades. It was not just the Opposition Congress that sensed an opportunity but even Mayawati of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal tried to fish in troubled waters of the BJP.
Rubbing salt into the wounds of Anandiben were a series of allegations of financial irregularities linked to her daughter Anar Patel and son Sanjay Patel. To prevent further slide, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent his general and BJP national president Amit Shah to douse the fire.
Shah, in his style, did so by replacing Anandiben with low-profile and Sangh protégé Vijay Rupani as the chief minister. Even the change of guard was not without drama. While the name of current deputy chief minister and North Gujarat strongman Nitin Patel was considered to be final, Shah upset Nitin Patel’s applecart at the very last moment and brought in Rupani. Rupani has since been trying to do a balancing act, appointing Nitin as his deputy and inducting people from different castes to keep everyone happy.
Patel quota stir
The BJP’s over a year-old headache, Patel quota stir leader, 24-year-old Hardik Patel, too, is likely to make it difficult for the party. Hardik, who was behind bars till June facing various cases, including sedition, was granted bail by the Gujarat High Court with a condition that he will stay away from Gujarat for six months.At present, he is stationed in Udaipur, Rajasthan, and is slated to return in January.
The worry for the BJP is that Hardik’s entry may once again ignite passions amongst its traditionally staunch BJP supporters, the Patel community. Though the state had declared a 10% quota for Economically Backward Classes among upper castes to pacify Patels in April, it was later struck down by the high court.
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