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Dalits first, please By Chandrabhan Prasad Happy New Year greeting which is now part of the urban India also includes Dalits/Adivasis now. However, for the Dalits/Adivasis each New Year has been gloomier than the pre-1991 era. Reason -since 1991, retirement rate of Dalits/Adivasis far exceeds recruitments. It is in the interest of India to own up a Dalit/Adivasi year. Unless India integrated Dalits/Adivasis the country will never get any respectable place in the world community. Post WW-II, the US has emerged as the biggest world economy. Yet, by late 60s', many American streets had turned red due to race riots. Economic prosperity thus need not necessarily ensure social peace. The India Shinning or the 8-plus growth statistics can't ensure social peace without integrating Dalits/Adivasis. The Dalit Diary's affirmative action/diversity campaign has produced results. The CII-ASSOCHAM powered Irani Committee is promising to integrate Dalits/Adivasis into jobs and businesses. Dr JJ Irani represents TATAs, and we have every reason to believe in what TATAs say. After all, our contemporary role model K R Narayanan got a TATA fellowship to study abroad. In October 2007 CII-ASSOCHAM will make it public as to how many Dalits/Adivasis India Inc has integrated in jobs and businesses. Should the Irani Committee match their performance, we have every reason to celebrate the 2007 as the year of the Dalits/Adivasis. If the India Inc can show satisfactory results, it will have charted out a new course - inclusive, vibrant, and celebrative. So far, reservation for Dalits/Adivasis had only a political consensus and the mainstream society always rejected it. The India Inc represents the society. Thus, if the Irani Committee succeeds 2007 will have achieved a social consensus as well. At present 300 private sector companies have agreed to implement affirmative actions for Dalits/Adivasis, and adopted a code of conduct. Many more are likely to follow suit. Only October will tell how the India Inc honoured its own mandate. The integration of Dalits/Adivasis in the private sector however, is not easy. There are several blocks: Pre-destined by history, the India Inc is yet to open its minds like Sunflower, and embrace Dalits/Adivasis. The pro-affirmative/diversity lobby within the private sector is still weak. It is up to great men like Dr JJ Irani to educate his people - that the private sector will be the second biggest beneficiary as whatever the Dalits/Adivasis will earn, will return in the market immediately. Dalits/Adivasis don't block circulation of money. The Government would not like affirmative action to become a reality without creating controversies and polarisation. Unless there are street protests against the Government will not gain our sympathies. That's the limitation of the Indian democracy which we can't wish away. Dalit politicians would like to prolong the matter in order to appear as if they making demands and earn goodwill. The OBC lobby is already trying to spoil Dalits' case by dropping hints that the OBCs too must be included. The Muslim lobby too will play the similar game without realising that Dalits/Adivasis suffer most, and must have the first right on India's resources. The powerful anti-US lobby will deploy all its power to sabotage the affirmative action as it is inspired by the US model. Mahatma Phule admired Americans, Dr Ambedkar admired Americans. But, to anti-US lobby, success of the affirmative action will accord the US a great face. The anti-Capitalists lobby would do everything to stop Dalits-India Inc coming together as they will loose their foot holders who carry their 'red flags', participate in rallies, and shout slogans, Within Dalits, the Dalit, OBC, Minority 'brotherhood' lobby would do everything to discredit the program as most are Periyarist/Lohiaists, far away from Ambedkarism. The year 2007 can indeed become a Happy New Year provided the Dalits/Adivasis are alert. No one wants to share Dalits' sufferings, but all want affirmative actions, including the poor Brahmins.
