Upper castes are unable to digest Dalit achievements: Sanjay Ghanghaw

The new age Ambedkarite youth clearly tells the story of a society undergoing metamorphosis. Inspired by their icon Dr Ambedkar’s slogan, ‘Educate, Unite and Agitate’, they are ready to take on the new globalised world by aplomb. They are educated, successful, articulate and in tune with the changing social and political order. Most of them are first generation learners and yet confident of their present and assured of their future. The recent spate of events and criticism heaped on the Dalit movement for the disturbance in society upsets them. However, they feel that the current social upheaval is necessary for them to assert their rightful place in the emerging social order.

Sanjay Ghanghaw, HR Head of the Somayya Group is a telling example of grit and determination.

Born in the slum areas of Lokhande marg at Chembur, he studied in a municipal school. His father was a class 4 worker in the Mumbai municipality’s Solid Waste Management (SWM) department. His house didn’t have light and adequate water supply and was full of rowdy and criminal elements.

“My father shielded me from all of them and motivated me to study. He monitored the company I kept. I have done a Masters in Human Resource Development from the esteemed Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). My father used to sweep the streets in front of the institute. It is quit humbling that 25 years back, I topped the all Asia merit list to get admission into this hallowed institute.”

Ghanghaw overcame all the odds and is the most sought after HR professional having served well-known MNCs like Modi Xerox and Crompton Greaves. Sanjay feels that Dalits are indebted to Dr. Ambedkar. He adds that now they inculcate the same values in our community and children.

However he feels that there is a big vacuum in the Ambedkarite political movement after Dr. Ambedkar. “By design, the mainstream parties are trying to break the Ambedkarite unity. The Ambedkarite youth has evolved and also continues to be in the process of evolution. The upper castes cannot digest that the Dalit community’s achievements. Educated Dalits are like sleeper cells of social reform. However, we respect Ambedkar and hence have to struggle without disturbing the law and order.

“Ambedkar gave us the message of Buddha. Buddha is a melting pot for all communities and varying ideologies.” says Ghanghaw.

Dr. Rewat Kaninde a young doctors with the JJ hospital is a great example of the mettle that young, educated Ambedkarite youth are made of. Rewat’s father was a teacher in a Zilla Parishad school in the rural area of Washim in Maharashtra. He was socially aware and actively involved in the Ambedkarite movement. His only aim was to educate his sons.

Rewat now articulates what his generation thinks, ”Now after a whole generation has educated, they are able to see the government’s perspective about marginalized populations and feel motivated to change it in a more progressive manner. I studied at the Grant Medical College aligned to the JJ Hospital in Mumbai. We had established the Babasaheb Ambedkar Medico’s association to unite like-minded fellow Ambedkarite students.”

Education has given Rewat a new world view and a fresh perspective to look at the problem of his brethren. “I can differentiate or retrospectively see that there are many from our society who are denied their rights. However as Ambedkar said - There is your rise in the rise of society,” adds Rewat.

In the last 20 years, Rewat feels the youth had no option but to educate themselves. The new age Ambedkarite youth are in different fields. They are educated and aware. They are reading Ambedkar’s writing and getting inspired.

He feels that Wednesday’s agitation was a response to the attack day before on followers who were returning from Bheema Koregaon. If the situation would have been handled, with the thought of equality before law, and the culprits who attacked Dalits arrested, then the bandh could have been averted.

Sunil Kadam, an engineer and a social scientist, has been training Ambedkarite students for the last two decades. He launched the Bombay University Student Forum in 1993. It served as a study circle for Ambedkarite students who wanted to study for UPSC and competitive exams. After 24 years he has launched a Career development centre in Indapur, in Raigad district for Dalit students. The centre prepares Dalit students studying in secondary schools in presentation skills, imparts soft skill, goal setting, career guidance to them.

“We expose them to 35,000 career opportunities motivate them, channelize their energies and give them confidence. The academic performance of the rural students has increased manifold. This school in the area which had only 65% passing percentage now has a cent percent passing rate. We wish to expand to 358 more talukas in the state.” 

Sunil feels that both the political left and right wing of the country have appropriated Ambedkar the way it has suited them. He adds that the youth wants to read Ambedkar’s writings and take inspiration from the source itself. The youth is angry with the current dispensation. PhD scholars are denied scholarships. Government jobs are increasingly reducing by the day which is rendering reservation useless. Private sector is not forthcoming to incorporate reservations for the scheduled castes.

“Atrocities against the Dalits have increased manifold. The youth realises which way the air is blowing politically in the country.”  Said Sunil.

Vaibhav Chaya a Social Media professional and a Marathi poet calls the emerging Ambedkarite thinking as the youth’s version of Ambedkar 2.0.

 “We have decided to become entrepreneurial and entrepreneurs. We don’t want to be dependent on the government or others. If the media ignores us then we will evolve a media of our own using the social media tools at our disposal. Our people have changed both aesthetically as well as politically” adds Vaibhav.

Despite the fresh winds of change that these aspirational Ambedkar followers represent the youth continues to be worried due to the increased number of atrocity cases against Dalits in the country. Furthermore, a low conviction rate of 0.3 percent is also a cause of concern. Rampant unemployment and inflation has impacted the Ambedkarite youth. Scholarship issues are also impacting them. The youth have tasted the fruits of economic success. Now they are vying for increased representation and share of voice in the country’s polity.