Written by Shweta Ahire
Studies have shown that whenever an outfit raised by the marginalised gains prominence, violence is utilised to splinter them and keep them in “their place”. Often this violence is in the form of riots. The physical violence then culminates into structural violence which has serious economic, political and cultural implications.
Worli riots rocked the heart of central Mumbai exactly 50 years ago. They began in the BDD chawls on January 5, 1974, during the lifespan of the revolutionary Dalit Panthers, and altered the course of the Dalit movement.
The riots continued over two months in phases, from January 5 to February 16 and then from April 6 to April 19. Hindu and Buddhist chawls, which were adjacent to or facing each other were the epicentre. Sticks, stones, bricks, acid bulbs, and soda bottles were all readily used as projectiles thrown from terraces and corners.
The Maharashtra government ordered a judicial inquiry into the matter, and the one-man Inquiry Commission, chaired by Justice S B Bhasme, submitted its findings in 1976.
Witnesses described horrendous injustices such as police officers breaking into Buddhist homes and beating and kicking the residents, as well as desecrating the idols of Buddha and Babasaheb Ambedkar that were inside their homes. Sons of police officers wearing police uniforms had tormented women and the elderly. A rally demanding the release of Raja Dhale and other Panthers was organised on January 9, which was met with ferocious attacks. Stones were hurled from the building’s terraces. Bhagwat Jadhav, who was struck by a grinding stone while trying to defend the women and children of the morcha, became the first martyr of the Dalit Panthers.
The precursor to this brutal phase of rioting was an episode of struggle for political power. Analysing the function of violence in public life, Hannah Arendt observed that “violence appears where power is in jeopardy.” Various political and socio-cultural variables were at work that contributed to the 1974 riots, even though the Dalit Panthers were primarily held accountable for their aggressive speeches and insults against the Hindu religion. The Dalit Panthers were gaining ground after their establishment in 1972. In Mumbai, they had begun the process of organising into ward-specific entities. They declared a boycott of the Lok Sabha by-election from the Central Bombay constituency as they wanted to generate political awareness among the Dalit masses. It was an effort to draw the government’s and the public’s attention to the deplorable circumstances of the Dalits in the nation.
This threw the ruling class into a loopy ride and altered the dynamics. Then began the purposeful spreading of the word about Dalit Panthers’ support to the Congress candidate. On January 5, the Panthers held a public meeting to clarify their stance on the by-election. As the meeting went on and the Panther leaders continued to advocate for a boycott of the election, some audience members began to pelt stones. To control the crowd, the police then began to use lathis and tear gas and what followed was a period of sustained riots.
Dalit Panther leader J V Pawar in his book, Dalit Panthers: An Authoritative History (translated from Marathi by Rakshit Sonawane) has observed that “The Dalit Panther was at its prime until 4 January 1974. On 5th January 1974, a masterminded riot engulfed the entire Mumbai metropolis, especially Worli and Naigaon, and claimed the lives of Dalit Panthers Bhagwat Jadhav and Ramesh Deorukhkar.” The word “masterminded” must be highlighted here. This demonstrates that riots are typically organised, intentional attempts to suppress the political assertion of the marginalised and limit their socio-economic ability.
After the riots, Dalit youths were largely imprisoned. They either lost their livelihoods or jeopardised their chances of finding employment. The movement and its radical assertion suffered, even though the leaders of the Dalit Panthers gained considerable international recognition. Being a minority, Buddhists were the main victims of this caste-based imbroglio. Hence, a section of the Panthers began to reevaluate their tactics and methods. Internal conflicts about how to best achieve their objectives, which had lain dormant until the riots, came to light. These internal conflicts caused the Panthers to break up by the end of 1974.
Internal strife, personal ambitions and jealousy among the leaders only work to undermine the movement and serve the interests of the oppressors. The instigation of communal and casteist sentiments is frequently determined by electoral incentives. The conflict between the Sena and the Buddhists was later utilised to strengthen support for the ruling party, thwarting the radical challenge posed by the Dalit Panthers. Sena which until then had a stronghold in Mumbai was able to expand its base among the rural masses. Today, it has moulded its stance invoking the ideas of Prabodhankar Thackeray. It seems politically prudent for the Buddhists to join hands with Sena considering that they are a numerical minority. However, the question of the unity of the Dalit leadership remains a major concern.
Also, while remembering the Worli Riots, it is impossible to ignore the role played by Dalit women in leading the agitations and morchas in response to police brutality and for the release of the Dalit Panthers. Dalit women have been part of the Ambedkarite movement since Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s time. It’s time for them to take on important leadership positions.
The writer teaches Political Science at Joshi-Bedekar College, Thane Yengde, author of Caste Matters, curates Dalitality and is currently at Oxford University
Various political and socio-cultural variables were at work that contributed to the 1974 Worli riots
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12
07.01.2024
Written by Shweta Ahire
Studies have shown that whenever an outfit raised by the marginalised gains prominence, violence is utilised to splinter them and keep them in “their place”. Often this violence is in the form of riots. The physical violence then culminates into structural violence which has serious economic, political and cultural implications.
Worli riots rocked the heart of central Mumbai exactly 50 years ago. They began in the BDD chawls on January 5, 1974, during the lifespan of the revolutionary Dalit Panthers, and altered the course of the Dalit movement.
The riots continued over two months in phases, from January 5 to February 16 and then from April 6 to April 19. Hindu and Buddhist chawls, which were adjacent to or facing each other were the epicentre. Sticks, stones, bricks, acid bulbs, and soda bottles were all readily used as projectiles thrown from terraces and corners.
The Maharashtra government ordered a judicial inquiry into the matter, and the one-man Inquiry Commission, chaired by Justice S B Bhasme, submitted its findings in 1976.
Witnesses described horrendous injustices such as police officers breaking into Buddhist homes and beating and kicking the residents, as well as desecrating the idols of Buddha and Babasaheb Ambedkar that were inside their homes. Sons of police officers wearing police uniforms had tormented women and the elderly. A rally demanding........
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