Battle over Ambedkar’s political legacy: Dalit empowerment needs more than icon worship

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* 

These are challenging times. The world is being reshaped by conflict and uncertainty. The recent American–Israeli attack on Iran has shocked global opinion, reviving the specter of imperialism and colonialism. Civilians are dying, children are being killed, hospitals reduced to rubble, schools bombed—and yet there is no forum where the victims can truly complain. Even speaking out risks international alienation. The price is heavy, but it is precisely in such moments that we must recall the life and courage of Baba Saheb Ambedkar, whose 135th birth anniversary was commemorated worldwide on April 14.

For millions, Ambedkar is not merely an icon but an intimate presence—remembered from dawn to dusk as guardian and forefather. For scholars, he is a prolific source whose writings fill volumes published by the Government of India. For political leaders, he is a vote bank. Yet the sudden embrace of Ambedkar is not accidental; it reflects the strength Dalits have asserted and the confidence Ambedkarism has instilled in resisting injustice. Still, his political legacy—embodied in the Republican Party of India and later the Bahujan Samaj Party—has been systematically weakened. Unlike the Dravidian movement, which safeguarded Periyar’s legacy through strong parties like DMK and AIADMK, Ambedkarite parties have been undermined, leaving his thought vulnerable to appropriation.

Respecting Ambedkar is welcome, but empowerment cannot be reduced to symbolic gestures. Without strong political organizations rooted in Ambedkarite ideology, Dalits risk losing their collective voice. The future of the BSP, particularly in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh elections, will be critical.

The challenges of our time demand that Ambedkarites expand their agenda. Caste discrimination and untouchability remain central, but silence on issues such as privatization, monopolies, communalism, climate change, environmental degradation, and the struggles of farmers, Adivasis, and industrial workers is untenable. These are Bahujan issues, and they must be confronted. Misinterpretations of Ambedkar’s thought are spreading quietly, reducing him to ritual rather than radical critique. We must ask: what would Ambedkar say about today’s economic policies, education system, agrarian distress, industrial unrest, or the resurgence of imperialism? He would not have remained silent. He was a man of intellect and conviction, willing to stand alone against the tide of power.

Ambedkar was indeed pragmatic, but his pragmatism was never opportunism. He sought the best for India’s marginalized while holding firm to core values. He understood that political empowerment must be accompanied by cultural renaissance to humanize society.

To celebrate Ambedkar is to speak uncomfortable truths, build alliances with like-minded forces, and never abandon the vision of a socialist state. As long as caste inequality, hunger, poor healthcare, and inadequate education persist, the promise of democracy remains hollow. The Western capitalist model, once held up as success, now stands exposed. The state must be held accountable for ensuring equality in health, education, and welfare. Abdication of responsibility will only deepen caste divisions and inequality.

It is time to re-read Ambedkar—not as ritual, but as guide—to ask the right questions of those who seek our votes. His idea of India remains our compass.

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*Human rights defender