Bhim Army, soldiers on a literacy mission

Getting to know more about the Bhim Army’s schools

June 28, 2017 12:05 am | Updated 12:15 am IST

Show of strength: Members of the Bhim Army at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. R. V. Moorthy (File)

Show of strength: Members of the Bhim Army at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. R. V. Moorthy (File)

Reporting on the Bhim Army is tricky. Winning the trust of the rank and file of the organisation of mostly Dalit youngsters is crucial.

When I approached Lokendra, a local member of the group, early this month, for a possible write-up, he was surprised.

After a quick check of my credentials as a reporter, he met me on the outskirts of Saharanpur, before taking me to the interiors, where he introduced me to his seniors.

Demonised by media

On our way to Buddhakera Pundir village, he told me why he exercised caution before meeting me. The Hindi media had declared them “Naxals” and “a bunch of violent thugs” without any evidence, he told me.

 

“Hindi newspapers have two editions, one each for Saharanpur rural and urban. But you won’t find even a single detailed report which talks about what we do... The caste clashes in Saharanpur became an occasion for the media and the ruling establishment to brand us as Naxals and possibly ban us,” Satish Gautam, who takes care of rural Saharanpur for the group, pointed out to me as he showed the Nishulk Paathshalas (free schools) run by the organisation.

The first such school was started by Chandrashekhar Azad and his friend Vinay in July 2015, immediately after they finished college.

Funded initially by small financial contributions from Dalits, it soon became the biggest initiative in western Uttar Pradesh as community members in more than 200 villages in Saharanpur came forward to offer assistance.

As I talked to Dalit kids in village after village, it turned out that Bhim Army has only grown after being accused of organising violent protests. .

“We just wanted to protest peacefully on May 9 after Dalit households were burnt in Shabbipur. The police did not allow us. That led to scattered incidents where police vehicles were burnt. No member of the Bhim Army attacked any other person,” Shivam, a young Dalit man, told me.

Agitate and organise

Demonisation by the media and the local administration has led to most Dalits in Saharanpur either coming in support of the group or becoming members.

“Babasaheb Ambedkar said, first you have to educate yourself, then get organised, and then struggle for your rights. That is what we are doing... It won’t stop at any cost, even when the media continues demonising us and the BJP government keeps troubling us,” says one of them.

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