Oct 09, 2006 :: The importance of Kanshi Ram

The Dalit politician Kanshi Ram who died today aged 74, may not have been the darling of India’s intelligentsia, but as an instrument of social change within our democratic system, he is to be esteemed. In a very short period, he carved out a space for Dalits in electoral politics, who till his arrival had been been milked for their votes and then ignored. An educated man, he personally knew no oppression but is said to have read Dr B R Ambedkar’s ‘The Annihilation of Caste’, three times in one night that led to his quitting a secure job as a scientific officer and jump into politics. No doubt he thwarted the forward caste politicians by practicing an amorality that was greater than their own, but that is not the point of Kanshi Ram’s life.

A very perceptive article by Harish Khare in the Hindu says, “Many extremist groups have tried to enlist Dalits in their “struggles” against the Indian state but rarely do we hear of Dalits arming themselves. Instead, Kanshi Ram’s BSP is a potent advertisement that numbers, not violence, works in democratic India”. Full article