Understanding the Dalit Self: Politics and World View

The latest upsurge in the nationwide Dalit protest, while unprecedented in the sense that it is far more connected and making inroads into cities, towns and even into the villages (thanks to the growth of internet-led social media), is also well in line with the vibrant political discourse placed firmly in the modern and radical project of Ambedkar. The continuing history of Dalit persecution at the hands of upper castes, as well as of other cultural minorities, is a routine matter for those intimately familiar with Indian society. However, this paper does not intend to encapsulate the history of the Dalit movement. Instead, it is an attempt to understand the modern self of a Dalit individual within the broader frame of the Dalit political movement and history.