: Opinion: Politics of caste polarisation #IndiaNEWS #India By Rohit Kumar With Assembly elections approaching in Himachal Pradesh, many new factors and issues have found their way into State politics.

Opinion: Politics of caste polarisation #IndiaNEWS #India
By Rohit Kumar

With Assembly elections approaching in Himachal Pradesh, many new factors and issues have found their way into State politics. The results of the recent Assembly elections in five States have once again established that the BJP is the new dominant political force in the country. But the victory for AamAadmi Party in Punjab has sent jitters to political parties in Himachal and Gujarat.
Besides, caste polarisation and religious churnings have made electoral contests more interesting considering the demand and movements around reservation. In Gujarat, the movement for reservation for the Patel community emerged long ago, and under the leadership of Hardik Patel influenced the results of the last Assembly elections. On the other hand, it was recently that the SwarnaAayog was formed in Himachal Pradesh under a combined SwarnaMorcha and the leadership of Rumit Singh Thakur.
Dominant Force
Himachal Pradesh has around 27% population belonging to the Scheduled Castes, the second highest in the country after Punjab. However, the combined majority of Rajputs and Brahmins has remained a dominant force in State politics as well as in the social sphere. Despite 17 Assembly seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes, all the Chief Ministers of the State till date have hailed from these two upper castes of Rajputs and Brahmins, irrespective of the government of any political party.
There has been no major uprising or movement by the lower castes in demand of their social, religious and political rights. The SwarnaAayog from the upper caste community has caused a new churning in the State considering the impact of national-level uprisings and politics.
But why should this be called the impact of national-level uprisings and politics? The reasons are several. First, the influence of national-level politics and the ruling party at the Centre remained for long in State politics. Second, the State has been seeing incidents of caste and religious violence only after the BJP came to power in 2014. And third, the majoritarian politics of the BJP at the Centre and in many States has also influenced the consolidation of caste polarisation in Himachal Pradesh.
With communities demanding reservations in many States such as Kapus in Andhra Pradesh, Jats in Haryana and Patidars in Gujarat, this move by the upper castes can be considered a reaction against caste-based reservations. The policies and politics of majoritarianism after 2014 have given a new character to upper caste mobilisation against lower caste minorities. The everyday violence against the lower castes by upper caste goons has become a new normal in today’s India.
Anti-Lower Caste
The movement for SwarnaAayog is no different.

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