When Gujarat's Dalit icon Mevani criticized "Brahminism" in Dalit movement, asserted "right" to differ with Ambedkar

By A Representative
A five-month-old video of Gujarat's top Dalit face, Jignesh Mevani, "dug up" by a right-wing channel, finds Mevani, who won from the Vadgam with the direct support of Congress president Rahul Gandhi in the recent state assembly polls, controversially accusing sections of the Dalit movement as infected with Manuvaad and Brahminism, the terms used by Dalit ideologues to condemn casteism.
"I do not believe that the Dalit movement cannot be Brahminical", Mevani said. Even as sharply criticizing what he called the "Brahminical attitude of some Ambedkarites in the Dalit movement", he continued, "There is Manuvad even within the Dalit movement, as well as Brahmanvad." Mevani used the strong words, significantly, before he allied with the Congress, or had even thought of fighting the polls with Congress support.
He was speaking at an event in Lamakaan, an open cultural space in Hyderabad on Auguust 15, and the topic was the need for radical youth movements. He said this during a question-and-answer round with the audience. The video was dug out by the right-wing channel, apparently, to showcase how Mevani differed even with Dr BR Ambedkar, recognized as India's undisputed Dalit icon.
While the main thrust of Mevani's interaction was to point towards how the Left and the Dalit movement were "natural allies", he suggested, he had the right to differ from Ambedkar. If, he said, Dr Ambedkar took a certain view on aligning with the Left, then "even my view can be different from his". If the views of Lenin and Marx couldn't be regarded as final, then this would also be true of Ambedkar or Periyar, he added: "This is what Ambedkar taught us."
Criticising those in the Left and the Dalit movement who thought that the concepts of caste and class are opposed to each other, Mevani quoted top historian DD Kosambi as saying that classes arose in the form of caste, adding, in India, class and caste are intertwined and the struggle for class and caste must "happen at the same time."
"How can someone say that the annihilation of caste can only happen after the class struggle, or vice-versa?", Mevani wondered, adding, to believe that the Left has "never, in the history of India, tackled the issue of caste is historically wrong", one reason why those who followed Dr Ambedkar after after his death fought elections under "a combination of Dr Ambedkar’s Scheduled Caste Federation and the CPI."
Asserting that Dr Ambedkar was at his "radical best" in 1930s, and in 1936, the Independent Labour Party he formed had a red flag, and he launched "many rallies with the communists", Mevani reminded Ambedkarites critical of the Left that Dr Ambedkar was no doubt critical of Marxism and communism, but also underlined, "The biggest enemies of Dalits and the working class are Brahmanvad and capitalism", wondering, "Why isn’t the Dalit movement saying this?"
People do not remember this Ambedkar; they only remember the one associated with Buddhism. They do not remember Ambedkar who wanted to end Brahmanvad and Manuvad... They remember that he wrote the Indian Constitution, but not the Ambedkar who, four months before writing the Constitution, "wrote in 'States and Minorities', as a Left Wing politician would, that all the insurance sectors, land and key industries should be nationalised."

Comments

Academics urge Azim Premji University to drop FIR against Student Reading Circle

By A Representative A group of academics and civil society members has issued an open letter to the leadership of Azim Premji University expressing concern over the filing of a police complaint that led to an FIR against a student-run reading circle following a recent incident of violence on campus. The signatories state that they hold the university in high regard for its commitment to constitutional values, critical inquiry and ethical public engagement, and argue that it is precisely because of this reputation that the present development is troubling.

'Policy long overdue': Coalition of 29 experts tells JP Nadda to act on SC warning label order

By A Representative In a significant development for public health, the Supreme Court of India has directed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to seriously consider implementing mandatory front-of-pack warning labels on pre-packaged food products. The order, passed by a bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan on February 10, 2026, comes as the Court expressed dissatisfaction with the regulatory body's progress on the issue.

UAPA action against Telangana activist: Criminalising legitimate democratic activity?

By A Representative The National Investigation Agency's Hyderabad branch has issued notices to more than ten individuals in Telangana in connection with FIR No. RC-04/2025. Those served include activists, former student leaders, civil rights advocates, poets, writers, retired schoolteachers, and local leaders associated with the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Indian National Congress.

Vaccination vs screening: Policy questions raised on cervical cancer strategy

By A Representative A public policy expert has written to Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda raising a series of concerns regarding the national Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign launched on February 28 for 14-year-old girls.

The new anti-national certificate: If Arundhati Roy is the benchmark, count me in

By Dr. Mansee Bal Bhargava* Dear MANIT Alumni Network Committee, “Are you anti-national?” I encountered this fascinating—some may say intimidating—question from an elderly woman I barely know, an alumna of Maulana Azad College of Technology (MACT, now Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology - MANIT), Bhopal, and apparently one of the founders of the MACT (now MANIT) Alumni Network. The authority with which she posed the question was striking. “How much anti-national are you? What have you done for the Alumni Network Committee to identify you as anti-national?” When I asked what “anti-national” meant to her and who was busy certifying me as such, the response came in counter-questions.

Minority concerns mount: RTI reveals govt funded Delhi religious meet in December

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* Indian Muslims have expressed deep concern over what they describe as rising hate speech and hostility against their community under the BJP-led government in India. A recent flashpoint was the event organised by Sanatan Sanstha titled “Sanatan Rashtra Shankhnad Mahotsav” in New Delhi on 13–14 December 2025.

Development vs community: New coal politics and old conflicts in Madhya Pradesh

By Deepmala Patel* The Singrauli region of Madhya Pradesh, often described as “India’s energy capital,” has for decades been a hub of coal mining and thermal power generation. Today, the Dhirouli coal mine project in this district has triggered widespread protests among local communities. In recent years, the project has generated intense controversy, public opposition, and significant legal and social questions. This is not merely a dispute over one mine; it raises a larger question—who pays the price for energy development? Large corporate beneficiaries or the survival of local communities?

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

From neglect to progress: The story of Ranavara’s community-led development

By Bharat Dogra Visitors to Ranavara, a remote village in Kherwara block of Udaipur district, are often surprised by its multi-dimensional progress. The village today is known for its impressive school building, regenerated pastures, expanded tree cover, and extensive water conservation and supply works. These achievements are the outcome of sustained community efforts over several years, demonstrating how small, consistent initiatives can lead to significant change.

Search This Blog