Bhim Army
{{Short description|Indian social organization}}
{{Distinguish|Bhim Sena}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date = June 2019}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Bhim Army
| native_name =
| logo = Bhim Army (Bharat Ekta Mission) logo.jpg
| logo_size = 250px
| formation = {{Start date and age|2015|07|21|df=yes}}
| founder = {{Unbulleted list|Chandrashekhar Azad | Vinay Ratan Singh|Satish Kumar}}
| founding_location = Uttar Pradesh
| leader_title2 = National President
| leader_name2 = Vinay Ratan Singh
| homepage =
| footnotes =
}}
The Bhim Army, alternatively Bheem ArmyS Raju, [https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bheem-army-seeks-security-for-chief-chandrashekhar-azad/story-UgeTylC40N4Vv3nmAYGOtO.html Army seeks security for chief Chandrashekhar Azad], Hindustan Times (23 September 2018). (lit."Ambedkar Army") or the Bheem Army Bharat Ekta Mission{{Cite news |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/what-is/what-is-the-bhim-army-5171341/ |title=What is the Bhim Army? |date=2018-05-10 |work=The Indian Express |access-date=2018-10-20 |language=en-US}} (translation: "Ambedkar Army Indian Unity Mission") is an Ambedkarite and Dalit rights organisation in India. It was founded by Satish Kumar, Vinay Ratan Singh and Chandrashekhar Azad in 2015.{{cite news |last1=Trivedi |first1=Divya |date=2 February 2018 |title=Fighting spirit |work=Frontline | publisher=The Hindu Group | url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/fighting-spirit/article10036189.ece |url-status=live |access-date=16 January 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190116210220/https://frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/fighting-spirit/article10036189.ece |archive-date=16 January 2019}}Amit Ahuja, Mobilizing the Marginalized: Ethnic Parties without Ethnic Movements (Oxford University Press, 2019), p. 206. The organisation runs more than 350 free schools for Dalits and Muslims in Uttar Pradesh.{{cite news |last1=Ali |first1=Mohammad |title=Bhim Army, soldiers on a literacy mission |url=http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/soldiers-on-a-literacy-mission/article19156058.ece |newspaper=The Hindu | date=28 June 2017}} The organisation is named after B. R. Ambedkar.
Mission
Bhim Army's stated mission is "direct action based on confrontation to preserve or restore the dignity of Dalit" and it has an estimated 20,000 followers in the Saharanpur region, which has a 20% Dalit population.Mujibur Rehman, "Introduction" in Rise of Saffron Power: Reflections on Indian Politics (ed. Mujibur Rehman), p. 33, note 33. The Bhim Army is aimed at supporting the marginalized sections of society such as Dalits and farmers,[https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/bhim-army-to-formally-join-politics-1627624-2019-12-12 Bhim Army to formally join politics], Indo-Asian News Service (12 December 2019). and more broadly what the founder of the organisation Chandra Shekhar Aazad describes as "the Bahujan community which includes SCs, STs, obc and Muslim minorities who had been away from the mainstream for long".Pratul Sharma, [https://www.theweek.in/theweek/current/2020/02/22/chandrashekhar-azad-is-building-a-dalit-muslim-coalition-to-take-on-bjp.html Chandrashekhar Azad is building a dalit-Muslim coalition to take on BJP], The Week (22 February 2020). He has said that "We may even gherao the Vidhan Sabha in support of our demands". He has sought to build a coalition between Dalit and Muslims against the BJP, and has described himself as a supporter of the Indian Constitution and an opponent of theocracy and Manuvāda ideology.[https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/chandrashekhar-azad-dares-rss-chief-to-contest-elections/article30893890.ece Chandrashekhar Azad dares RSS chief to contest elections], Press Trust of India, 23 February 2020.
History
Chandra Shekhar Aazad founded the Bhim Army in 2015 to protect constitutional rights and oppose caste oppression.{{Cite web |title=Ambedkarite 2.0: Saharanpur's Bhim Army signals the rise of a new, aggressive Dalit politics |url=https://scroll.in/article/837494/ambedkarite-2-0-saharanpurs-bhim-army-signals-the-rise-of-a-new-aggressive-dalit-politics |last=Daniyal |first=Shoaib |website=Scroll.in |date=13 May 2017 |language=en-US |access-date=2020-05-19}} The group formed after reports of discrimination and caste-based violence faced by Dalit students at AHP Inter-college in Uttar Pradesh, and the Bhim Army then helped protect the Dalit students.{{Cite web |title=Ambedkar's Army |url=https://thequint.com/quintlab/ambedkar-dalit-army-fights-caste-atrocities-in-uttar-pradesh/ |last=Quint |first=The |website=TheQuint |language=en |access-date=2020-05-19}}
Azad gained attention after publicly posting a sign which read "The Great Chamar of Dhadkauli Welcome You."{{cite news |last1=Rashid |first1=Omar |title=The lowdown on the Bhim Army |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/the-lowdown-on-the-bhim-army/article18956257.ece |access-date=22 January 2022 |work=The Hindu | date=June 10, 2017}} Upper-caste Rajputs were upset with the Dalit celebration of identity and objected to the erection of the board.{{Cite web |title=Ambedkarite 2.0: Saharanpur's Bhim Army signals the rise of a new, aggressive Dalit politics |url=https://scroll.in/article/837494/ambedkarite-2-0-saharanpurs-bhim-army-signals-the-rise-of-a-new-aggressive-dalit-politics |last=Daniyal |first=Shoaib |website=Scroll.in |date=13 May 2017 |language=en-US |access-date=2020-05-20}} But, the Bhim Army intervened and ensure that the Thakurs did not unleash any violence. In another incident, the Rajputs prevented a Dalit groom from riding a horse to his wedding. Yet again, the Bhim Army intervened and escorted the groom.
The Bhim Army attained national prominence after clashes in Uttar Pradesh.{{cite news |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-after-up-bhim-army-set-to-rock-maharashtra-2486846 |title=After UP, Bhim Army set to rock Maharashtra |date=29 June 2017 |publisher=DNA India}} In June 2017, the group's leader Chandrashekhar, a lawyer, was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force.{{cite news |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/bhim-army-chief-arrested-family-threatens-govt-congress-calls-him-victim-4695617/ |title=Bhim army chief arrested: Family threatens govt, Congress calls him 'victim' |date=9 June 2017 |newspaper=The Indian Express}} Chandrashekhar was granted bail by the Allahabad High Court in November 2017, but the Uttar Pradesh government led by Yogi Adityanath continued to detain him under the National Security Act until it dropped the NSA order in September 2018 and acquitted Chandrashekhar from jail.Omar Rashid, [https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bhim-army-chief-chandrashekhar-azad-released-from-jail-says-dalits-will-ensure-bjps-rout-in-2019/article24947396.ece Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad released from jail, says he will ensure BJP's rout in 2019], The Hindu (14 September 2018). Chandrashekhar describes himself as a representative of Bahujan identity and a follower of Kanshi Ram.
The group protests against discrimination and caste violence against Dalit by members of the upper Thakurs caste in violent clashes in 2017 in Saharanpur. Bhim Army rally in Jantar Mantar, New Delhi in 2017 was attended by a large crowd,{{Cite news |url=https://www.ndtv.com/video/news/we-the-people/we-the-people-the-curse-of-caste-458461 |title=The Curse of Caste? |date=28 May 2017 |work=We the People | publisher=NDTV}} estimated to be 10,000 by Delhi Police.
In August 2019, the Bhim Army took part in nationwide Dalit protests against the demolition of Shri Guru Ravidas Gurughar, a temple dedicated to Sant Ravidas in Tughlaqabad, Delhi, on the orders of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), following lengthy litigation between the DDA and Guru Ravidas Jainti Samaroh Samiti.{{cite news |first=Mukesh |last=Rawat |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/dalit-protest-demolition-ravidas-temple-delhi-tughlakabad-explained-1590482-2019-08-22 |title=Explained: Why are Dalits agitated over demolition of Ravidas temple in Delhi |date=22 August 2019 |work=India Today |access-date=9 May 2021}} Dozens of people, including Chandrashekhar and Vinay Ratan, were arrested by police, prompting the Bhim Army to demand their release.[https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/bhim-army-warns-movement-if-top-leaders-not-freed-1591311-2019-08-25 Bhim Army warns of movement if its top leaders are not freed], Indo-Asian News Service (25 August 2019).
In March 2020, Chandrashekhar announced that the Bhim Army would formally enter electoral politics. The group previously operated as a quasi-political force. Chandrashekhar stated that "We tried to join hands and work unitedly with the Bahujan Samaj Party but its leader was unwilling to do so." Chandrashekhar said the new political party would set up an office in Lucknow and work to counter the ruling BJP. Chandrashekhar has described the BJP as his chief political adversary, but has also competed with Mayawati, the leader of the Bahujan Samaj Party.{{cite news |title=Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad to announce new party on BSP founder Kanshi Ram's anniversary |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2020/Mar/12/bhim-army-chief-chandrashekhar-azad-to-announce-new-party-on-bsp-founder-kanshi-rams-anniversary-2115770.html |access-date=16 June 2024 |work=The New Indian Express |date=12 March 2020 |language=en}}
The Bhim Army opposes the BJP's Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) legislation{{cite news |title=Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad Sent To Jail For 14 Days Over Citizenship Protests |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bhim-army-chief-chandrashekhar-azad-sent-to-jail-for-14-days-over-citizenship-protests-2152452#:~:text=Bhim%20Army%20chief%20Chandrashekhar%20Azad%20was%20sent%20to%2014%20days,before%20sending%20him%20to%20jail. |access-date=16 June 2024 |work=NDTV.com}} In January and February 2020, the Bhim Army engaged in the protests against the CAA and sought its repeal.[https://www.deccanherald.com/national/south/bhim-army-chief-chandrashekhar-azad-vows-to-fight-until-caa-is-repealed-800693.html Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad vows to fight until CAA is repealed], Deccan Herald (2 February 2020).[https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/anti-caa-protests-court-asks-police-to-verify-if-bhim-army-chief-has-an-office-in-delhi/articleshow/73354094.cms Anti-CAA protests: Court asks police to verify if Bhim Army Chief has an office in Delhi], Press Trust of India (18 January 2020). In February 2020, street clashes took place between pro-CAA BJP supporters and Bhim Army supporters in connection with the North East Delhi riots; both sides engaged in stone-pelting.Neeraj Chauhan, [https://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/delhi-riots-face-off-between-bhim-army-caa-backers-a-trigger/story-iYMqbEZjVNcXY3kzjxw8OO.html Delhi riots: Face-off between Bhim Army, CAA backers a trigger], Hindustan Times (28 February 2020).