Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch For Building Joint Platforms to Thwart Growing Attacks

Kolkata: The Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch (DSMM) has decided to build solidarity and movements around dalit and minority issues in alliance with other organisations across the country at their third convention held at Begusarai in Bihar early this month.

Ramchandra Dom, the newly elected General Secretary of DSMM, told NewsClick that the earlier national convention happened in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, in 2018. After a hiatus of four years, partially due to the Covid-19-induced lockdown, the third national convention was held.

On the occasion, the venue was named after Marxist legend Rahul Sankrityayan. The Manch was named after a former dalit movement leader of Bihar, Sarandhar Paswan, for the duration of the event. Huge arches were constituted in the town, and the main arch was named after Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar.  The three-day convention saw participation by 350 delegates from across India.

On the second day, former MP and leader of the Pasmanda Muslim community, Ali Anwar,  inaugurated the delegate session and in his speech highlighted the plight of dalits, Muslims and minorities “reeling” under the “Manuwadi politics” of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government. He also called for joint movements and the need to inculcate a sense of holistic societal unity against the politics of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. 

K Radhakrishnan, in his welcome speech, highlighted the important achievements of the Kerala government in giving rights to dalit communities in the state.

“The convention in the Hindi heartland was a new experience for us,” Dom told NewsClick. He said that the turn out of people in such a rural setting reflected DSMM’s organisational strength, adding that the convention “has enthused us to a great extent.”

In the convention, the cases of Bhima Koregaon were discussed, wherein the organisation and delegates demanded the immediate release of the Left-progressive intellectuals imprisoned in the case for alleged Maoist links.

Begusarai being a citadel of Leftist cultural organisations, the Bhartiya Jananatya Manch sang songs of the IPTA. Proposals were placed for constitutional amendments to ensure job reservations for Dalit youth in private organisations, which received massive support. Another resolution was taken against the ever-rising attacks on Dalits.

“We are hopeful that DSMM will take on a pioneering role in building organised movements around dalit issues. In the BJP- ruled states and in West Bengal, the backward and casteist thought process is gaining momentum,” Dom said. He added, “Now, we are taking the onus to face the challenge of the Sangh Parivar on economic and social fronts. Our main aim is to create a joint movement and give maximum impetus to building joint platforms in all the states with all mass organisations with similar mentalities.”

For future action, a call for a convention on dalit rights on November 5, was given and initiatives for the same will be taken at state levels. On February 28, 2023, a joint movement will take place in all the state capitals against Dalit oppression under the RSS-BJP regime.