Bhim Rao Ambedkar was the epitome of human endeavour. His meteoric rise despite all the hardships is an example that can inspire many. However those who say that they are the true inheritor of his legacy seem to have forgotten what he preached. Mere addition of his name to a militia masquerading as a socio political organization brings more disrepute and bad name to the great soul.
Bhim Army is an alibi for terror.
Its sole target is the upper castes in its area of dominance i.e. in and around Saharanpur. Be it burning their houses, beating and killing the innocent youths belonging to the Rajput community or rioting in the area, Bhim Army is giving nightmares to the state administration. It even has the guts to attack the SDM and the Police CO who were on duty and trying to quench the riots. The chief of the organisation, Chandrashekhar Azad Raavan himself is on the run.
He is giving provocative speeches to arouse the sentiments of the people along the lines of caste. At the same time he is spewing venom against the upper castes to embolden the fault lines in an emerging Hindu unity that has the capacity to change the political narrative in the country.
Not only attacking the upper castes pre-emptively the Bhim Army is also targeting the upper castes by the use of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act on those who are trying to resist their violence.
Bhim Army operates like a classical militia. It has no clear hierarchy cutting across the functional lines. It takes on anyone which it finds being its anti-thesis. It has armed fighters who run amok its ideological enemies. There are no visible faces other than its head Chandrashekhar Raavan who makes random TV appearances to put forward his agenda. Its funding is shady.
Some say that the Hawala proceeds of a local BSP leader are its main coffers while some trace it to Naxalites. The organisation is yet to be registered with the government of India or the state government. It is also using crowd funding via PayTM, Airtel Money and social media. Its volunteers hide their identities by tying pieces of cloth on their faces while pelting stones at the police just like the Kashmiri Mujahidin do. It has a cadre of some 7000 active members.
The organisation is surprisingly open to only Muslims from the non-Dalit communities which proves that it is just another variant of Jai Meem-Jai Bheem brand of opportunistic politics. However even from the Dalit community, it has preponderance from the Chamar-Jatav sub community which is relatively well off and highly mobilised socially Vis-a-Vis other Dalit sub communities.
The Bhim Army can’t be controlled by kid gloving. It has to be dealt strongly. Apart from social implications it has grave social implications and can leave the Hindu society divided forever.