But how can one not recall an earlier refusal, before Mayawati's. The progressive liberals have always refused the political inclusion of OBCs and other marginalised 'identities' since it was supposedly undermining 'rational politics' and 'deliberative democracy'! For those like Pratap Bhanu Mehta, 'interest-based politics' would undermine the democratic ethos of the 'good argument'. The rational, enlightened, progressive, democratic upper caste elite endowed with 'vision' and 'values' will provide that political space for the Dalits, minorities and women to be empowered — this kind of thinking which maintains the social-political split is still rife within the left.
One can here see from which side the bridges of equivalence were first burnt.
Fortunately, now, on the ground, an equivalence is slowly emerging, behind the backs of both Mayawati and the progressive leaders. Perhaps one thing unique about student movements is its ability to open up uncharted paths, new alliances and new forms of resistance. The fact of the matter is that the Rohith Vemula issue has progressed in tandem with the assertion of left-wing students. Huge solidarity protests by left wing students in Delhi in support of the Ambedkarite students of Hyderabad made a big difference to the mobilisation around Rohith issue.