In an attempt to forge a Muslim and Dalit social coalition in the Maharashtra, where the communities together account for over 24% of the population, the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has taken up the cause of the recent Dalit killings at Javkheda Khalsa. AIMIM chief and Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad, Asaduddin Owaisi, visited the village in Ahmednagar on Saturday.
Alleging that the police had failed to track down the killers, the party demanded transfer of the case to the CBI and fast-tracking of the trial. In October, Sanjay Jadhav, wife Jayashree and son Sunil were murdered and their body parts were recovered from a well.
Indicating a massive anger against "secular" parties like the Congress, two AIMIM nominees were elected to the Maharashtra assembly from Muslim-dominated seats. However, out of its 24 candidates, some were Dalits, and the party supported former minister Gangadhar Gade from Aurangabad West. Gade is a product of the 'Namantar' movement, which had called for the Marathawada university to be named after Dalit icon Dr Ambedkar.
"It is sad that even three weeks later (the police) do not have anything on hand," said AIMIM legislator from Aurangabad Central Imtiaz Jaleel. "The (culprits) are not organised criminals. This was a small village where the murders took place and the bodies were cut into pieces," he said, adding that the relatives of the victims were fearing retribution.
Stressing the need for a CBI probe, Jaleel lamented that the special task force (STF) announced by the Governor was yet to be formed.
"The Ambedkarite movement is almost rudderless. There is a lack of unity... leaders have failed to rise to the occasion," said Gade, who was part of the Dalit Panthers, adding that in contrast, the AIMIM was a strong organisation with resources. "Dalits feel close to him (Owaisi) and think that he has a broad line beyond caste and religion."
This is not the first time that a Dalit-Muslim coalition has been attempted. In the 1980s, Dalit leader Jogendra Kawade had joined alleged smuggler Haji Mastan Mirza to form the Dalit Muslim Suraksha Mahasangh. Recently, the Bahujan Mukti Party supported by Waman Meshram's All India Backward (SC, ST, OBC) and Minority Communities Employees' Federation (BAMCEF) faction, had tried to field German Bakery blasts accused Mirza Himayat Beg from Aurangabad in the Lok Sabha polls.
"The idea behind (the Dalit and Muslim coalition) is to ensure that the voice of the Dalits is heard in assembly and Parliament," said Jaleel, indicating that the party was intent on giving more tickets to Dalits and other minorities in the coming local body polls.
Once a potent force in Maharashtra's politics, which also birthed an avant garde genre of literature, mainstream Dalit political activism lies in tatters due to fragmentation in the ranks of the Republican Party of India (RPI) factions, including those led by Rajya Sabha MP Ramdas Athavale and Dr Ambedkar's grandson Prakash Ambedkar. These factions, most of which are aligned with the Congress or the NCP, with Athavale joining hands with the BJP and Prakash ploughing a lone furrow, are dominated by Buddhist Dalits.
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