The end of a dynasty: an untouchable in an unthinkable position

15 april 2009

Today may witness a revolutionary change in the biggest democracy on earth. A woman, born an untouchable, challenges the heir to the Gandhi dynasty, Rahul Gandhi, for the highest office in India. Sixty years after the Hindu cast system was abolished on paper, it may be overthrown in practice. While Rahul Gandhi preaches change, Mayawati Kumari IS change. Mayawati symbolises the Indian version of the American dream: from Dalit (untouchable) to prime minister of the state of Uttar Pradesh. In May, she may become prime minister of India. A reversal of history: while the founding father of India, Mahathma Gandhi was a Brahmin (member of the highest cast) living poorly as a Dalit, Mayawati sometimes acts more like a Brahmin. She has been accused of corruption and her lavish birthday parties are celebrity events.

Indians don't cast their vote, they vote their cast, goes a popular saying. Cast is a major factor in voting behaviour in India. You vote for a party or candidate that represents or is closely affiliated to your cast. Problem was that until recently some casts had more than one candidate to vote for while others had none.

That may now changing. Dalits make up almost 20% of India’s population. Destined by birth and a rigid Hindu social code to be content with doing India’s dirty jobs, without hope for betterment in this lifetime, Dalits are now becoming an electoral force to reckon with. Dalit queens are no longer a Bollywood fairytale but an emerging political reality. If Mayawati's party wins a sizeable portion of parliamentary seats in her home state, she holds the key to a new government in the capital and its top job. Mayawati may not have a political vision for the nation but her rise to power will empower millions of people hitherto powerless and give them hope for a better future.

India's elections matter. The country, a parliamentary democracy since its independence in 1947, with more than 700 million eligible voters, is crucial to stability in a volatile region. In Nepal, Maoist guerrilla leader Prachanda has gained power after 10 years of bloody civil war. The country barely functions, with only eight hours of electricity a day. Pakistan faces a Muslim extremist insurgency and is on the brink of economic collapse. China is trying to maintain internal stability and Communist Party rule by harshly repressing minority dissident, rural unrest and student protest. Bangladesh' prime minister Sheikh Hasina faced a mutiny by army officers. Sri Lanka's bloody conflict with the Tamil tigers remains unresolved. Only Bhutan quietly increases its gross national happiness. Ambassador Holbrooke has visited India twice since his appointment as special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan. Diminishing tension on the India-Pakistan border and resolving the disputed status of Kashmir are key to Pakistan's willingness to fight the Taliban insurgency on its soil. Prosecuting Pakistani's responsible for the Mumbai attacks in November of last year is crucial to lowering the risk that India may take matters into its own hands. But India won't sit quietly and wait until a nuclear neighbour disintegrate. The outcome of India's elections matter. Not only for India, but for stability in the region and security of the world. Mayawati will have to broaden her horizons and look beyond the boundaries of her state. The greatest democratic match in the world is something well worth watching.