JAIPUR: Eminent French political scientist Christophe Jaffrelot today saidthat in the absence of reservation, Dalits would not have reached anywhere,and it was “not as bad to be a Muslim than to be a Dalit”.
The author of ‘Dr Ambedkar and Untouchability’ said that the BJP and RSSwere now focusing on Dalits because they have realized that the communitycouldn’t be ignored anymore as a “vote bank”.
“When there is no reservation… where will be the Dalits? So if you removereservation, where are they? They will be no Dalits anywhere. Because thestigma is still there.
It is not as bad as to be a Muslim than to be a Dalit,” he said, citing theexample of media.
Speaking at a session titled “Dr Ambedkar and His Legacy”
at the 11th Jaipur Literature Festival here, Jaffrelot also spoke about theRSS and BJP focusing on Ambedkar.
“They have started paying attention to them not because of goodwill, butbecause Dalits couldn’t be ignored anymore.
“In 1989, when JD (Janata Dal) did better than BJP in Uttar Pradeshelections, they had to realise, and look at these emerging ‘vote banks’,and use divide and rule kind of policies,” he said.
Despite having the “best laws” in the world, India, according to Jaffrelot,needed to implement them better to see that it becomes the country ofAmbedkar’s dreams.
“At a time when the issues we are fighting for, freedom of expression,equal rights, where are the NGOs, the universities, the media who do notself censor themselves.
“This is an India he would not recognise, and he would say thisConstitution would not do. India has the best laws in the world, right toeducation, right to information, (but) what about the implementation?” thescholar said.
The session was also attended by economist Sukhdeo Thorat, author ChintanChandrachud and Bengali author Manoranjan Byapari who argued the need forreservation and spoke at length about Ambedkar’s legacy and the road theConstitution of India has taken since it was adopted.