03/09/2026
LONG LIVE THE LEGACY OF ANTI-CASTE WARRIOR AYYANKALI!
On the birth anniversary of Ayyankali, a fierce warrior against caste oppression, the Disha Students’ Organization organised a discussion on his life, struggle, and the relevance of his revolutionary legacy in the present times.
At a time when caste oppression continues to intensify, and ruling forces once again use the question of reservation to fuel caste polarisation while diverting people from their real problems, Ayyankali’s legacy becomes more relevant than ever.
Ayyankali did not confine his struggle to petitions and appeals. He took the struggle to the streets, challenged Brahmanical authority, and showed that the oppressed cannot only resist, but also fight and win. His struggle teaches us two crucial lessons: to believe in the power and initiative of the common masses, and to advance the struggle for liberation through mass movements rather than relying solely on appeals to those in power.
Today, the movement for the annihilation of caste remains trapped in the politics of reformism, pragmatism, and identity politics. The revolutionary legacies of anti-caste warriors like Ayyankali have been deliberately erased from our collective memory, while the ruling establishment has promoted reformist politics that confines the struggle to petitions, electoral calculations, and narrow identity politics.
The discussion explored Ayyankali’s relevance to the present struggle, the ongoing anti-reservation movement, and questions surrounding reservation, identity politics, and pragmatic politics. Many participants shared that they were learning about Ayyankali’s life and struggle in depth for the first time. They also reflected on how we can pave the way forward by building a similar struggle on the ground.
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