Date:09/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/09/stories/2006120917811100.htm

National

Move to unite Dalit leaders

Arunkumar Bhatt

Anti-Khairlanji rage pushes Dalit unity to the fore

Dalit leaders are now compelled to unite

RPI rank and file feel betrayed by their leaders

NAGPUR : The Dalit rage that gushed out against the Khairlanji killings in Maharashtra has brought to the fore the question of the unity of various factions of the Republican Party of India and renewed attempts to forge it.

President of one of the factions — Jogendra Kawade of the People's Republican Party — told The Hindu that Dalit leaders were now compelled to unite and that he had decided to take the initiative to unite all RPI factions and other social organisations working for the Dalits, the Scheduled Tribes, the OBCs and the minorities.

"Unless the Dalits are united, we cannot fight evil casteist forces," said Prof. Kawade.

Prof. Kawade, a former MP and now a MLC, said he would write to other leaders such as Ramdas Athavale, Prakash Ambedkar and R.S. Gavai and convene a meeting in New Delhi in January to work out a plan. He suggested that the contentious issue of who should be the president of a united RPI could be addressed by having a two-year term.

Each faction is now allied to some national party. A united RPI had to be an ally of one national party or a disposition on the basis of principles and programme. This, he said, could be decided by the executive committee.

This would call for total sacrifice of self-interests. Mr. Athavale is now aligned with the NCP and Mr. Gavai with the Congress. The RPI factions are not full-fledged members of the ruling UPA but are in it because of their alliance.

Unification efforts were made earlier. And even the idea of having collective a leadership in the form a presidium was also tried. "But the RPI has always fragmented on the question of choosing an ally outside," said Prof. Kawade.