They have Obama, We have Mayawati?
So, Barack Obama has won the race to the White house, and there is jubilation all around, with much talk about breaking of racial glass ceilings and so on. Whether or not Obama is a “typical” African-American (after all, his father was a recent, educated immigrant from Kenya, and his mother white), symbolically, it is still a big deal.
Television channels in India have immediately started drawing parallels to the Indian context. We don’t have race of course (or not as a significant issue), but what we have is Caste. So, the obvious question is, is India ready to elect a Dalit prime minister? More specifically, are we ready to elect the likeliest Dalit candidate on the horizon, Mayawati? Â
Leaving aside the fact that Indian politics is more complicated than the American landscape, with its multiple parties, both national and state-level, I have to say that Mayawati somehow draws a very polarized response from me. Put simply, these days, whenever I see her on television, I feel a terrible dislike. But, I didn’t always feel this way. I remember the 90s when she first emerged as someone to reckon with, I was thrilled - a woman and a Dalit - mobilizing a constituency that had never been really mobilized before (despite all the lip service paid by most politicians); for the first time, there was a sense that there could really be an India where Dalits mattered. While the Mandal issue had brought caste to the table as a major election issue, the BSP gave out the hope that Dalits could haul themselves up and march to the capital - they didn’t need handouts from anyone else.
As an upper-caste woman who gets to see upper-caste whingeing and prejudice at close quarters, I thought that here was an opportunity for the historically oppressed to really have the power that is needed to create a new social order. Perhaps because my expectations from the BSP, and from Mayawati were so high, I feel all the more let down.
Yes, symbolically, she is a huge inspiration and in a sense, she proves that India has reached a stage where being Dalit need not be a barrier to success. But, beyond all that, how have her stints in power been? Let’s see.
Her government has been in the news for accepting kickbacks.
She has about 40 statues erected to herself.
Now, none of these are unique to Mayawati. Every Indian politician makes money, steals money from public coffers and spends extravagant sums on his/her self-aggrandisement. Should Mayawati necessarily be different simply because she has come to power, promising to fulfil the aspirations of Dalit voters? In other words, should she be held to a higher standard?
On the one hand, as a feminist, I am tired of hearing people say that women have to work twice as hard to make it. Do you have any idea how tough it is to work twice as hard? And that too, when most women actually hold down two jobs, one outside, and one inside the house. Doesn’t expecting a Dalit Chief Minister to be better than every other politician smack of this?
On the other hand, no one can deny that there is so much work to be done. And Dalit or not, can we not ask our leaders to be accountable for the money (our money) that they use?
Apart from issues of misuse and accountability, there is also a worry that in her haste to consolidate power, Mayawati is willing to woo the upper castes - as such, there is nothing wrong in this - having an inclusive agenda can lead to less caste-divisions and progress for everyone. But, is that what it is, or simply vote bank politics and fear of losing out on the upper-caste vote? I’m also surprised that we don’t hear her much on Dalit issues anymore - According to the National Crime Records Bureau, the last data available (for 2005) shows a small decline in the number of atrocities against SC/STs, but even so, we are a long way from caste-based crimes being eradicated. Plus, while she clearly shows prime-ministerial ambitions, we don’t really hear her speak or do enough when there are such cases being reported in other states regularly, which makes me suspicious that she is soft-pedalling the issue to gain wider acceptance.
So. Is a symbol enough or should we be expecting more?
Apu, very valid question. Mayawati seems to be the popular media’s Indian counterpart of Obama. I am not that sure though. I went through similar thoughts as you were saying,initially, about a Dalit woman becoming a prime minister. But now, I cannot hide from myself, the discomfort that I feel when I see her actions in power. Obama in his acceptance speech, and I think throughout has been a ‘unifying’ force for America. In spite of his race, I dont think, he referred to it that often, while being totally aware that it was truly symbolic for US. Atleast, in his words he speaks above, parties and above divisions. Maywati might not have had it as easy as Obama too, but then, thats not reason enough.Its like saying, Mcain, sacrificed more for the country in the war and therefore is more deserving.I respect her courage and her perseverance, but then there are things I dont want to see in my prime minister, you know.
Apu, I do not agree to your views on Mayawati.
You are pointing out the Disproportinate income case and the Taj Case. To clear your facts , Maya is cleared out of Taj case and DA case to a larger extent.
Tell me one politician who is not involved in making any money and has not been involved in any scams.
Mayawati has earned this place through a hard way, she had to suffer a lot, Obama had a good schooling,child hood, good grandparents to take care of him.
To make a mark in a backward and a caste ridden state like UP , is in itself a great achievement.Did you ever expect in your wild dreams that she could be the CM of UP with absolute majority.No right…but still it happened.
you cannot even imagine or even think of she becoming PM one day,
But that day is not far when she would become the PM of India and would put India on the global map as a true democratic country in all spirit.
What has Congress done in the last 60 years of rule.What has NDA done in the term they got.
Mayawati is preaching now Sarvajan Hitaya Sarvajan sukhaya , this is just not politics or number crunching vote politics.
The idea behind this ideology is derived from the meaning of the word Bahujan Samaj , if you can really try to understand this..
Prashant
BD - yes, those are more or less my thoughts too.
Prashant - thanks for commenting and offering an alternate view. “Tell me one politician who is not involved in making any money and has not been involved in any scams” - well, yes, infact this is one of my grouses- that, in some ways, a person who has seen hardship and understands poverty and discrimination, could be expected to be less self-serving, but it doesn’t seem to be so with Mayawati.
As for the cases against her being resolved, I don’t think so: http://www.hindu.com/2008/07/11/stories/2008071161361700.htm
If only Mayvati had the education and the clean-slate that Obama has, her being a PM would be as much of a symbolic victory in India as it is for Obama today in the US.
What makes me sad though is that qualification becomes such a secondary issue when we start making a symbol out of a leader. The whole purpose of an honest system/change is defeated when you go to the polling booth and vote based on the notion of a ‘black’ or a ‘dalit’ being right for a country. Is it not the same thought process based on prejudice that made both the blacks and the dalits suffer in the first place? How long do we need to wait to really elect a deserving candidate based not on the color of his skin/her caste but solely ‘coz he/she understands the problems right and really wants to bring about a change than just hogging the next President/PM’s coveted seat and glorifying herself as the ‘best thing’ that happened to an entire community?
Sparsh, While I’m not suggesting that Mayawati should be voted in ‘because’ she is Dalit, there is no doubt that it would be saying something, in a country with such a history of injustices; just as Obama’s victory means something, even if he didn’t fight on the race plank. It is sad of course that she doesn’t seem to have the integrity or vision one would really like to see in a PM.
Apu, I understand and agree with what you said.
However my concern was that many voted for Obama ‘because’ he is black, not necessarily because they really cared about his policies. Obama did not focus on race during his campaign(he needed others’ votes too), but if media is to be believed, many republicans(who were against his policies) ended up voting for him because they would not vote against another from their own race.
Had Obama not been the right candidate, imagine what could that mean for all involved on the name of ‘change’/justice.
Mayawatiji should not be tested only as a Dalit lady. Compare her with other politicians in India like L.K. Advani and Soniya Gandhi. Then you will get assured that no one except Mayawatiji is liable to hold the post of Prime Ministership. She is found greater than even Obama on some accounts- Obama didn’t face the problems and obstcles like Mayawatiji has been facing.
Amol Madame ” SARVJAN HITAY - SARVJAN SUKHAY “
Amol - “Mayawatiji should not be tested only as a Dalit lady.” - that is precisely my point. She has to qualify on her own merits beyond the feat of having risen through obstacles (although this is commendable).
our Ist prime minister was Late Shri Pt.Jawahar lal nehru, during his tenure India failed to handle Kashmir issue and China issue, due to these failure we are in great trouble right now,moreover rest of our prime ministers could not solve these very important issue,
Communal Voilence(1984 riots,Gujrat riots,attack on churchs), Ram Janam bhoomi- Babri Masjid,Naxalism these problems are flourish during our all respected, talented prime ministers.
The condition of Farmers in India is very critical, Number of suicide cases are increase rapidly though NAREGA and LOAN WAIVER schemes are present,
I do not want to criticise our prime ministers they are all VERY RESPECTED,EDUCATED AND HAVE SPECIAL SPACE IN OUR HEARTS,
but want to tell the public that each and every person if he or she has capable should get one chance.