The communities and the margins

"Buffalo Nationalism" by Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd explores the complexities of identity, caste dynamics, and socio-economic structures in contemporary India. The author, known for his provocative insights, delves into how the metaphorical "buffalo" symbolises the marginalised communities within the country's social fabric. Shepherd critiques the dominance of Brahminism and argues for the empowerment of Dalits, Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and other oppressed groups as a means to achieve true social justice and equality.

Through a blend of personal narrative, socio-political analysis, and cultural critique, the book challenges entrenched hierarchies and advocates for a more inclusive and egalitarian society. Shepherd's exploration not only interrogates the existing power structures but also proposes a vision where diversity and dignity form the cornerstone of national identity. "Buffalo Nationalism" thus presents a compelling case for redefining nationalism in India through the lens of social justice and solidarity among historically disadvantaged communities.

Buffalo Nationalism is an interesting book, which is essentially a collection of various articles written by the author for various newspapers. He was born in a small village in present-day Andhra Pradesh, having been engaged in cattle breeding and subsequently sheep breeding. Having had to face various atrocities for being born into a particular caste, the author has argued against the spiritual fascism that has plagued Hinduism since time immemorial. The book presents a contrast between the increasing Dalitization of Indian society. The reason why the book is named Buffalo Nationalism is basically to voice the concerns of the Dalits against cow nationalism, which has existed from the very beginning.

The author goes into the history of the sacredness of cows in the country and why buffalo are not given the same status. Revering the cow has its roots in history, which goes back to the Aryans, who, by superimposing the racial theory even on the animals, implied that the animals like the cow, which is white, had been revered, and it was used extensively for sacrifices, and the animals that were white, like the buffalo, were not revered, which is prevalent even today. As per the author, the buffalo is the animal that is the largest source of milk in the country and provides livelihood to numerous people, while as the cow was brought by the white aryans.

The buffalo is the native animal of the country, and there is no reason why it should not be given national animal status. The author says that any invoking of the sacredness of cows is an attack on the Dalits' culture, who have been meat eaters and associate themselves with buffalo. He also raises various other issues, such as the reservation issue, communal violence, etc. He talks of spiritual democracy, which, as per him, has been given by Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism, which says that every person is equal in the eyes of the religion.this, to the author, is absent in Hinduism, the scriptures of which downgrade the status of Shudras, Dalits, etc.

He calls this very characteristic of Hinduism spiritual fascism, which gives the rights to spirituality to the upper castes only, especially the Brahmans. Various Hindu organizations like the BJP, RSS, and VHP are headed by the upper caste people, but for fighting people of other religions, the lower castes such as the SCs, STs, and OBCs are chosen as foot soldiers, who have no right to head these organizations.

He recalls the very fact that, after the incident at Ayodhya took place in 1992, most of the prisoners were people from lower castes and Muslims. Then he talks of the Muslim-lower caste relations, which, as per him, have been bitter because Muslim scholars have not made efforts at extending a helping hand to them in the form of spreading the message of Islam, as opposed to the Christian missionaries who have been inviting them to Christianity. He severely criticizes the opposition to the religious conversion of the lower caste based on the fact that it is the very right of everyone to have religious freedom.

While other religions give everyone a right to religion, which implies that they can choose any religious denomination for themselves, which is absent in Hinduism. Secularism, as per the author, is still marred by various problems related to caste. While secularism has called for a separation of the state from the religion, which is not the case with the caste, implying the state is an expression of the upper castes, this calls for a deeper dive into the very concept of secularism. With the passage of time, attacks on Ambedkar have risen, such as Arun Shourie’s book “Worshipping False Gods: Ambedkar and the Facts that Have Been Erased(1997)”, which is brahmanical in nature, attacking the very foundation of the lower castes.

The author criticizes the call for making Hindi a national language, which is an attack on the lower-caste people who have been taught in the regional languages. While the upper caste people have taught their own children in the English language, the same luxury has not been extended to the lower caste people, which the author says should not be the case. Reservation, as per him, has provided a solution to the problem, which he calls the Renaissance, for the lower caste people, who could not dream of reaching the corridors of government and education at large.

The author himself benefited from the same; he was the first one from his village to enter a degree college, where he had the opportunity to study in English language. According to the author a strange thing has crept into the minds of everyone. That, unfortunately, they value unproductive things such as rituals and not the productive activities such as rearing, breeding, and agriculture with which the lower caste people have been associated. Buffalo is one such productive animal that has not been given the rightful status in the country.

The author goes against calling Hinduism a way of life or a religion. A religion has central values and activities that are performed by everyone, irrespective of the caste or status, which is not the case with Hinduism, which calls for different sets of values on the basis of the caste of the person. The very immobility of religion is an anathema that has made Indian society static in terms of progress.

 A student of political science and economics at the University of Delhi.