Although the recent attack on social activist Swami Agnivesh is being widely and strongly condemned, there are many people who, citing some earlier incidents involving Swami ji, perceive the attack as an inevitable and normal culmination. This is definitely most unfortunate. Those who do not agree with his earlier or present views and actions were, and are, absolutely free and within their rights to disagree. They are also not wrong in trying to oppose him in a democratic manner. However, before doing so, they could possibly take a moment to look at the background of Swami Agnivesh.
Distressed by the continuous violent attacks by Sangh Brigade’s ‘Hindutva lumpen’ elements, some people are calling for organising a united movement of the Dalits, other backward classes (OBCs), Adivasis and the minorities, in order to teach the Hindutva groups a fitting lesson. Such sentiment is also present in their response to the recent incident of the attack on Swami Agnivesh. Some friends are confident that if the Dalits, OBCs, Adivasis and minorities unite and come together, the Hindutva brigade will have to look for escape routes. One such friend recently went to the extent of claiming on the social media that the only lesson that can be taught to the lynchers would be to lynch them in the same manner. The Hindutva of the RSS and the pride associated with it is born out of the frustration of an insecure and defeated mindset. That is why it is forever cursed to remain a negative voice. However, seeking to teach a lesson to these Hindutva lumpen elements through a unity of the Dalits, OBCs, Adivasis and minorities is not a positive option. It is actually nothing more than a short-lived, temporary and immature indignation.
My first submission in this context is that the Dalits, OBCs and Adivasis are presently not too far distanced from the RSS/BJP; the RSS/BJP has succeeded in winning over large sections of them, and this solidarity is continuing well. The RSS/BJP’s integration with neo-liberalism/neo-imperialism has become full-fledged and complete; the Dalits, OBCs and Adivasis have been supportive of these policies of the RSS/BJP. As far as the minority Muslims are concerned, how long will they remain in alienation and oppose the RSS/BJP? After all, they are also Indians, like the rest of the citizens. Apart from their religious identity, they too need some kind of support in terms of political power. In any case, a Muslim knows well that he cannot even think of thrashing the Hindutva lumpen elements. In case he dares to do so, even the Dalits, OBCs and Adivasis will teach him a lesson! It is also well known that the RSS is working hard to influence the Shia Muslim community in the country. It cannot be denied that the RSS work’s consistently and eventually delivers results, even though they may take time in coming. It is its patient work of many decades that has brought us to this juncture when all streams of scientific, progressive and revolutionary thought are being bashed and beaten up by the RSS!
My second submission is that if the intellectuals of this country are planning to unite the Dalits, OBCs, Adivasis and minorities to teach a lesson to the Hindutva lumpen elements, then, we have to remember Lohia’s more democratic suggestion—‘Live communities do not wait for five years’. In order that identity discourse and politics are not co-opted by right-wing forces, Lohia gave a formula for unity between the Dalits, OBCs, adivasis, women and minorities, based on social justice. Behind this was his dream of building a new Indian civilisation which would create its special place in the modern world. In his plan, this largest part of India’s population has been, more or less, non-conformist, that is, freed from the clutches of the pre-colonial Brahminical order and the colonial capitalist ideology. By building solidarity with these marginalised groups, it is possible to democratically win political power and establish a new system of equality, different from Brahminism and capitalism, a new socialism which can be an example before the whole world. Lohia had a great dream to integrate this marginalised yet non-conformist mind-bank of India for the building up of socialism vis a-vis capitalism and communism. In order to proceed in this direction, he gave the principle of special opportunity (reservation). However, today, this formula of Lohia is being used by the so-called champions of social justice only for capturing power in order to implement neoliberal policies. The RSS/BJP too has used the same tactics, imitating the other leaders and parties.
If intellectuals in this country are suggesting that the solidarity of these marginalised groups should be directed towards teaching a lesson to the Hindutva lumpen elements, then, it can only be called a backward step, even within the limited frame of vote-bank politics. The corporate capitalist forces are not only making the country’s leaders dance to their tunes, but also the intellectuals. Let me remind here that the intellectuals who call for the unity of the Dalits, OBCs, Adivasis and minorities to teach a lesson to the Hindutva lumpen elements, had also joined the ‘crowd’ in support of the anti-reservationist group of Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal!
