Dalit movement to emerge from Dark Web?
Security agencies see rise in number of websites promoting the cause, warn of an uprising ahead of 2019 polls
The Dalit movement in the country has gained momentum, this time thanks to the Internet.
The Maharashtra state cyber security, which tracks websites that operate secretly or the ‘Dark Web’, has come across a host of websites trying to promote the Dalit cause. More than 50 organisations from various countries, primarily from America and India, are involved in mobilising activists from the community, said sources from the cyber security cell.
The effects are for all so to see – the Bhima-Koregaon violence in January, farmers’ rally in Mumbai in March, protests in Phagwara in Punjab in March and later in April that forced mobile Internet services to be blocked for 20 hours in four districts. Another case in point could be a call for protest in Hindaun city of Rajasthan, where a message to Dalits to change their WhatsApp display picture to that of a bandh poster for 24 hours took a violent turn (see box).
“There is a marked change in the way people are being mobilised for protests. Earlier, people used to go door-to-door, hold meetings or organise events to mobilise people. Now, various digital platforms and social media networks give privacy and anonymity to mobilise people. This is being termed digital activism,” said Balsingh Rajput, superintendent of police, Maharashtra cyber security office. “Along with websites and pages on the dark web, applications such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Facebook messengers among others are being used to spread the word to rural villages.”
The police can take action only if they receive a specific complaint or if the channels are misused for anti-national activities. “Without a complaint, we can’t act against digital activism. It is considered illegal only if it is used to create enmity between two groups or communities or for terrorism,” said Rajput.
With the growing influence of the web, security agencies fear the revival of organisations such as the Dalit Panthers, which was formed in Mumbai in 1972, and the backdoor entry of the Communist Party of India (Maoists) into the movement.
The recent arrests of Maoist sympathisers in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon violence are an indication of their link to the Dalit movement, claim experts. “There are groups that have called for much larger protests before the 2019 elections. This can be a cause for concern,” said a senior IPS officer, requesting anonymity.
“The Dalit Panthers was the only organisation responsible for violence in Maharashtra in 1974. Their revival, coupled with mobilisation of CPI (Maoists), could create a significant law and order problem,” said a senior IPS officer, who has been tracking the CPI (Maoists) closely.
Bapusaheb Bhosle, chairman of the Dalit Panthers of India and whose father co-founded the organisation, said his organisation was at the core of Dalit movements across the globe. “There are several Dalit organisations in the United States of America and across the world. They follow Buddhism, or agree with Ambedkar’s ideology. They communicate with us using the Internet. Advocates, doctors, engineers and others use this platform to spread their ideas,” said Bhosle.
Bhosle, however, has a word of caution. “Everybody has a right to social equality. Facing constant injustice, Dalits are even ready to die. If caste cruelty and the politics of pleasing the upper caste does not stop, there will an uprising soon.”