Ravidassias protest, Valmikis exult: Quota order divides Punjab Dalits

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 21

Almost three weeks after the Supreme Court’s verdict on the implementation of quota within quota, the order has started creating a rift between the two main Dalit groups in Punjab — the more dominant Ravidassia (Aadharmi) community and the Valmikis/Majhbi Sikh.

As the Ravidassia community held protests across the Dalit-dominated Jalandhar district expressing dissent over the SC orders, the Valmiki community distributed sweets to welcome the decision regarding bifurcation of 25 per cent reservation between the two groups.

The leaders of all political parties chose not to side with any of the two communities. They completely avoided getting into any controversy, fearing losing vote bank.

The only party to support the Bharat Bandh today was the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and that too following directions from its supremo Mayawati. In the city, protests were held at Pathankot Chowk, Rama Mandi, Buta Mandi and Wadala Chowk where BSP leader Balwinder Kumar too was present along with his supporters.

The Valmiki leaders went from market to market telling people not to support the bandh call.

Jalandhar-based Dalit scholar Dr GC Kaul said, “The sub-categorisation of the Dalit community has led to the creation of a huge division between the Ravidassia and Valmiki ‘samaj’, as was seen today. It was not a good indication. It seems to be a government ploy to divide the two communities over reservation and make them weak. As an Ambedkarite, I am totally for the uplift of the castes that have still not been able to rise in society. For this, the government must go in for a caste census and accordingly formulate policies.”

None of the Ravidassia leaders of any party, including Jalandhar Congress MP Charanjit Channi or Aam Aadmi Party leader Pawan Tinu, who have otherwise always been vocal on caste matters, spoke on the issue of sub-categorisation of castes. “Whatever happened today was unfortunate. All Dalit communities need to stick together for their larger issues” is all what Channi stated. He is currently abroad. Tinu too tried to deflect the issue, blaming the BJP for non-implementation of reservation policies in the appointments of IAS, Class III and IV employees.

The president of BJP’s SC Morcha Punjab and retired IAS officer, SR Ladhar, maintained, “SCs are 31.96 per cent in Punjab. Of them, there are 12.5 per cent Valmiks and they get the same percentage of reservation as per the bifurcation system in reservation.”

He said, “The same needs to be implemented for Ravidassia and 37 other castes who are part of the remaining 19.46 per cent population.”

Congress leader Sukhwinder S Danny, who represents Majhbi Sikhs, said, “Now that the Supreme Court has upheld the order of 1975 on caste bifurcation in employment, the same needs to be implemented in other spheres too, including education, social sectors etc.”

“Even politically, the parties need to adopt the same criteria. In the recent Lok Sabha poll, all four Dalit MPs who represent Punjab are Ravidassias. Valmiks have nil representation in Parliament,” the Congress leader added.