Will a Dalit, or “untouchable” become India’s Obama? That is the question being posed by some commentators in the India press after the United States elected their first black president.
One Dalit woman, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh known as Mayawati, is the first person to come to mind. Her astonishing rise from Dalit teacher to head of India’s most populous state has led to speculation she could be a prime ministerial candidate in 2009.
For an interesting article on the subject, read “Waiting for India’s Obama” by T.K Arun.
Unlike the United States, which directly elects a president, Mayawati could win power in parliamentary system through negotiations between India’s political parties after the general elections, due by May.
There is evidence her Dalit-based party could become the third biggest party in the election, becoming a
possible kingmaker.
In one sense Mayawati could represent an even greater revolution than Obama in a country where Dalits have been oppressed for centuries and who still suffer the kind of discrimination that reminds oneself of the United States’ Deep South in the 1950s.
On the other hand, as some commentators point out, Mayawati parades her caste to win over Dalits. Obama reached out across the race spectrum and did not use his colour. He campaigned mostly on policy. Maywati has made headlines as much for allegations of corruption and excess — such as erecting statues in her honour — as original policy ideas.
I went to Mayawati’s birthday party in Lucknow this year. There, she had the various top public figures, from police chiefs and civil servants and politicians, finger feed her with cake. Most of them were upper caste.
Will she be asking the same of Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi after the general elections?
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If Obama was not black, do you really think he would be in the white house?
Yes I do Patrick! JFK did! What makes you think Obama won because he was black?!! He won because he was the better candidate! duh!
- Posted by Neethu[November 7th, 2008 9:12 pm GMT Posted by Patrick ''If you all don’t think Obamamania started because he was different from the average candidate, then you are greatly mistaken. He was virtually unknown until this election, and media “Politically-Correct” spin has placed him where he is. If Obama was not black, do you really think he would be in the white house? '']
Hey Patrick, you IDIOT, you must be a Repugnant - -
- Posted by BS BUSTERHello,
- Posted by arumbhuThe question is not the quality of leadership.If it is so then I personally would like to see a Clinton,Putin or even a Chinese ruling this country.Globalization.Straight forward.Why should i be burdened with Yadavs,Jayalalithas,Advanis,Deshmukhs etc…,etc.,,
Acceptability of leaders from different groups is being debated in this country.If my choice is not acceptable to you just because of colour & creed(real reasons for denigrating Mayavati)then your choice is not acceptable to me. Mayavati is more suitable than a Mulayam or a Rajnath who are in fact lifted up and sustained by the Powerful ruling class groups of the feudalistic India.
If statues are also not toleratyed because they serve no purpose then all the statues of this country including the religious ones must be thrown into the rivers.What do they serve? Except promoting and sustaining divisions in the country?
Surely and slowly Change is coming to India. Unstoppable.One may try to delay but cannot stop.The sooner the better for the society.
I have a dream.When this entire race becomes one and the world parliament gets established somewhere anybody could become the elected/accepted President of the United States of Earth.NO nationalities only statehoods.Reality.
Are we prepared for such a scenario?
WELL WRITTEN ALISTAIR SCRUTTON , please write more such good articles/blogs on Mayawati and you will see that there are far number of people in India who will support it.
You will also see few upper caste people like here above who would not support and would try to discourage you.
The Reality is different from what you see in these people’s comments i.e MAYAWATI IS DEFINETELY GOING TO BE INDIAN OBAMA VERY SOON.
- Posted by PrashantI do not know where this guy is coming from, and how well he understands the Indian society and culture and to be very honest I am not even interested in knowing that.But I think there is one thing that he should know that just because you belong to a upper caste and lower caste does not gives you the liberty to get elected as PM of a country like India.One should deserve it and then Color,Religion and Caste does not matters.
- Posted by MalayWhen tsunami strikes it doesn’t differentiate between people.Let the born-again people brave a tsunami with prayers in their mouth.
- Posted by arumbhuThis caste system has condemned billions of people and
their histories stolen.If, as we hear ‘curses’ work how
many tons of ‘curses’ could have been heaped on this
country and what a devastating effect that could have been(should have been)?!
This country(for that matter the world) is mostly run by a bunch of criminals (by their chosen path of governance
with its known levels of corruption)and we are only meek spectators to the jokes that are being played by these idiotic criminals.
Favourable conditions help even a fool to succeed and unfavourable conditions makes it difficult for even a brilliant man to fail.This is more so in this country and thats why indians fare better outside than in india.
What’s the point in blaming an individual?
The greatest intelligent brains of these country have failed miserably in the past on many occassions and they will do so again. Let’s not limit the possibilities by our narrow approach.
We need a well educated leader who can represent us on an international platform as well. Manmohan Singh and APJ Abdul Kalam have done inspiring work.
- Posted by A.KWhy we do not look at Rahul Gandhi or Sachin Pilot as our future leaders. What do you notice in Mayawati’s personality that makes her a leader of our nation? It would be the most unfortunate day for me as an Indian if she is the one who leads the country. Education, personality and leadership qualities are most important. When a leader say our President Pratibha Patil meets international leaders some day with a saree palla on her head.. what image of India is she showing to the world? Would not people abroad think that we are still backward?
And Mayawati would only add to us being called more backward!
Why Not?
- Posted by arumbhuThe Brahmin-Bania nexus in this babudom prevent quick transformation of the Indian Society. If investments are not coming to UP it is surely because of Mayawati’s caste and not because of her.
The real powers are working to defame her and her caste.As if the other leadres from other castes are Harvard educated and have a clue to solve the problems of indians.In fact they are the problems.
To those agreeing to the comments of virile people like Viwanath i have a proposition.Let this country be divided politically(socially it is so already)into four parts and give the choice to choose which part they would like to move into.Say, All Brahmin, All Bania,All Kshatriya & All Dalit states .I would welcome such a move by the government/people through a referundum.How is it?
This is a dirty politics scenario to talk about a caste in India. Do not relate it to touchable or untouchable.
It was very sad after 15th August 1947, Indian leadership always in the wrong hand. Indian ministers and bureaucrats (police) still behave as British ruler. Indian people hated the attitude of the British ruler and they started to fight with them. But after independence same people started to rule India in the same way of the British ruler. Again these politicians started to rule India with the “Divide and rule” policy. “My caste is same with you, give me your vote.” “I am from North or I am from Maharashtra or I am from South.” Such attitude of Indian politician is harmful for India. We never fulfill Subash Chandra Bose’s or Gandhi’s dream. Although both leaders have different way but their target was the same. Let us build a strong India.
- Posted by A.Y.Hi all,
I write this from USA. Never compare Obama with Mayawathi. What is Obama’s credentials and education. He got top class education from Harvard and Columbia University. Nobody against Dalit becoming prime minister, if they have all qualifications. Unfortunately in India, qualification matters last (ex. Deve Gowda). That is the status of Indian politics.
Kandy from USA.
- Posted by kandy[...] Full post here [...]
- Posted by “Can an ‘untouchable’ become India’s Obama?” | southasia@yorkAs a Hindu, I have nothing against dalits (obc, sc.. whatever), I don’t care about this ‘untouchable’ bull mostly westerners seem to care about (and think we all do as well).
If you are qualified for the job, you deserve to be a leader. Unfortunately, Mayawati is not qualified for anything but wasting tax payers money to erect useless statues so people can worship her (or spit at her, your choice) and gather crores from nowhere of course claiming them to be ‘donated by her followers’ (who need quota to earn a descent living in the first place).
So this post does nothing more than confirm the BS westerners seem to see as far as India is concerned. Oh and FYI, India has had more revolutionary changes as far as electing different religions, sexes to castes into power than any western country could even dream of, so whatever.
- Posted by Nikhil SharmaIf you all don’t think Obamamania started because he was different from the average candidate, then you are greatly mistaken. He was virtually unknown until this election, and media “Politically-Correct” spin has placed him where he is. If Obama was not black, do you really think he would be in the white house? Politicians don’t have to play the race/caste card for themselves, the media does it for them. Case in point, this article. Should we really be electing people who are different from the average citizen to our highest offices just because they are different. Because that is what Obamamania was all about…Change. Nobody cares if it is prudent change or not, just change. Sounds kinda like gambling to me…
- Posted by PatrickMr. Alistair Scrutton, Congratulations to you for publishing a relevant article with high news value. Don’t bother about the cooments of Vishwanath and Radhika Ganesan etc. Those Tamil Brahmins still feel that the PMs who ruled India for the last 60 years made this country a super power. India is still a backward nation with corruption, illeteracy and caste politics.
India need an Obama to save this country. The so called upper castes ruled this country for the last 6 decades and spoiled this country. Now we have more problem in India compared to the problems of pre-independent India.
Every Tom, Dick and Harry ruled this country…we know what India is today……
Dev Dasgupta commented about personal integrity and ethics..phew….. he think that India was ruled by Raja Harichandras for the last 60 years. Devdas guptaji, don’t write too much about India sitting at New York City. Dalits in India are changing fast…..
Let the majority Indians decide who should rule this country. Don’t allow brahmins to spoil this country once again….
JAI HIND…
- Posted by INDIANI am from Uttar Pradesh, the state where Mayawati is Chief Minister. The question is not whether Mayawati, a dalit can become PM of India, question is whether can she run the country. She is Chief Minister for almost 18 months - the developments have come to a standstill. Investments are not coming to UP. Till June, 2008 UP received investment of only Rs 339 crore (as reported in The Pioneer). In contrast Rs 1000 crore was being spent in building memorials and statues. UP is one of the most backward states of India. Do we need statues or development. How can Inda progress if we will have a PM who can not look beyond statues.
- Posted by Biswajeet BanerjeeAlistair Scrutton, congrats for nice article. We Indians are eager to see Mayawati as prime minister. She will successfully carry ’sarvajan hitaya’ agenda
- Posted by Dr. Ajay