THE NEW VOICES OF MARGINS: FROM VEMULA TO UNA

ABSTRACT Post Ambedkarite movement for Dalit emancipation has been filled with internal variations which made them susceptible to the pressure of the power-politics. In Uttar Pradesh, the assertion of BahujanSamaj Party initiated a new era of democratization, while the upsurge of Dalit castes through Buddhist conversion somehow ushered a social change in Maharashtra. Yet, both this separate phenomena suffer from internal anomalies with what Ambedkar had visualized. Those movements had narrow and power-centric perspective having limited effects on socio, cultural and economic status of the community and also being the representative of particular caste /castes in politics it operates in the circle of hierarchal relationship without actually breaking the permanent pure-impure dichotomy. However, the movement which have been taking in shape from death of RohitVemula, a research student in Hyderabad university, to Una atrocity against Dalit, is totally different in nature. It is beyond party politics and getting support of newly emerging Dalit civil- society. Apart from reservations and discrimination issues in public space/institution, they also take up issues around wage labor and economic justice. This paper will analyze and explain the new trends of these movements. Keeping this in mind, it seeks to unfold that if there is any new trend for emergence of class consciousness within Dalit community.