Lucknow university organised four days symposium on Neo-liberalism, consumerism and culture

Indian Sociology Council on 4th day in its address disseminated on the subject ‘Neo-liberalism, consumerism and culture’. Prof. Ravi Srivastva, JNU, prof. Sudha Par and Prof. Badri Narain, GB Pant Social Science Institute Allahabad, analyzed in reference to the consumption growth of Neo-liberalism, the deprived caste, the middle class awareness and the politics of backward and Dalits in Uttar Pradesh last two decade.

Prof. Ravi Srivastava analyzed the rate of production, the rate of employment and the rate of consumption, based on caste, religion, area in country and in Uttar Pradesh under Neo-liberal arrangement.

According to the professor, there were industrial production centre in the middle and the eastern UP during the 8^th decade, but these industrial zones downsized after the induction of Neo-liberalism. These production centre have shifted to the adjoin areas of national capital fall in UP or in national capital.

The gap between the national production rate and the state production rate widened. The chance of employments in UP after the Neo-liberalism has declined. The educated and non-educated youths are escaping towards other states.

He told that the 20% of rural houses have increased in the circumference of poverty. If let it be seen in the wake of consumption, there is 20% decline in consumption in UP in comparison of national consumption rate in last two decade. There is a big economic disparity in comparison of villages to the city.

Prof Ravi assumes that the consumption level of the scheduled caste and the minorities have improved, which has caused the rise of middle class among them; but the disparity has grown among the groups of Scheduled caste and minorities.

Prof. Sudha Par analyzed the changing politics of Dalits and told that the regional political parties got the power on rising awareness of social justice among the other backward caste and the Dalits during the decade of 90’s; but the most backward and most-Dalit castes could not have been benefitted of Neo-liberal market and society, so they were attracted towards the inclusive agenda of the BJP and the RSS.

These castes which unite against a particular Dalit and a particular other backward race are intending to be more powerful as politically, educationally and economically. The most-Dalit and the most- backward castes because of ‘Maha-Hindu’ identity economic desires had got the BJP's majority reached in last assembly and parliamentary election.

The political unity arose on the inclusive Hindu agenda and rising of middle class among Jats on grassroots level in western UP. The political polarization occurred in the result of strong leadership in eastern UP.

Prof Badri Narain in his analysis told that the marginal-Dalits, Dahariya, Kamar, Kabutari and Sarwan – all joined the BJP in the hope of economic gain after the political ignoring.

According to Prof Badri Narayan, the traditional knowledge of castes is now become a cultural burden.

The 40 marginal Dalit castes of 55 Dalit castes have reached to marginal extent as politically and economically because of market and consumerism.

He assumes that these tribal castes are now the herbs’ gathering labourers for the Ayurvedic Company. The traditional knowledge of herbs used is going to vanish.

According to Prof Narayan, the fashion of ethnic Devi-Devtas in the most-Dalits castes and the most backward castes unlike former anti-religious thinking has now in high practice, which has resulted the intimacy towards the BJP.