Subaltern Identities and Struggles-Agenda for Transformation

Agenda for Transformation Mahesh Gavaskar TWENTIETH century has witnessed tumultuous change in all spheres of life. Awesome technological strides under the aegis of capitalism have helped market forces to penetrate the remotest corner of the globe. Industry and agriculture, space and culture have been increasingly colonised for capital accumulation. But the colossal booty garnered has not reached everyone in equitable amount. Instead, the profit-seeking drive has endangered the life chances of many, rendering them peripheral in its historic march towards superabundance. These victims of progress have time and again thrown up incisive critiques of existing development paradigms and have appropriated histories to mobilise their respective identities as sites of resistance. The second 'Vicharvedh' convention at Latur focused on these subaltern identities, the transition their struggles have gone through and the issues that continue to riddle them. Raosaheb Kasbe, a noted dalit thinker, presided over the convention while Narayan surve, the president of the Marathi Sahitya Sammelan at Parbhani, was the chief guest. The conven-tion, organised out of the contributions of the toiling masses of the Comrade Krantisimha Nana Patil Trust, unanimously appealed for a multi-pronged approach towards social reality so as to avoid compart-mentalisation of transformatory energies.