Caste and Democracy in India and The Politics of Assertion from the Grassroots
T. Santhi
Assistant Professor, PG & Research Department of History, Vellalar College for Women (Autonomous), Erode-638012
R. Rajeshwari
Assistant Professor, Department of History, Thanthai Periyar Govt. Arts and Science College (A), Tiruchirappalli-620 023, Affiliated to Bharathidasan University
The study attempts to explores the complex trajectories of political assertion among Dalits and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in post-independence India, highlighting their divergent motivations, strategies, and impacts on democratic governance. While both groups have challenged upper-caste hegemony, their modes of engagement with the state and society reflect distinct historical legacies and socio-economic positions. Dalit mobilisation, grounded in Ambedkarite thought, has focused on dignity, citizenship rights, and resistance to caste-based oppression. From the Republican Party of India to the Dalit Panthers and the Bahujan Samaj Party, Dalit movements have sought transformative change through cultural critique and political representation. In contrast, OBC mobilisation—especially among landholding intermediary castes—has often stemmed from class consolidation and agrarian capital, seeking expanded representation rather than systemic emancipation. The paper examines how affirmative action, Leftist movements, and caste-based organisations have shaped both constituencies, while also noting the structural resistance faced by Dalits in both public and private sectors. Through a regional lens, the study contrasts the ideological mobilisation in South India with the electoral coalition-building in the North. It concludes that while both Dalits and OBCs have reconfigured Indian democracy from below, their assertion reveals underlying tensions between justice-oriented politics and power-driven representation.
Keywords: Dalit Assertion, OBC Mobilisation, Caste Politics, Indian Democracy, Social Justice, Ambedkarite Movements, Affirmative Action, Political Representation
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