Santoshgarh/Una, February 27 (Rajveer Chopra): Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, the architect of India's Constitution, stated that disregarding constitutional methods in a democracy breeds public distrust. Jayaprakash Narayan, the pioneer of the 1977 mass movement, also believed that disregarding the public is the biggest political mistake for any government. Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, warned that a government that fails to listen to the voice of the people loses its moral foundation. Renowned Hindi poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar also clearly stated that if the government fails to recognize the sources of discontent, an explosion is inevitable.
In light of these noble thoughts, the emerging OBC movement in Himachal Pradesh today appears to echo these warnings. The failure of the government and the state's two major political parties to take the long-simmering discontent seriously is being seen as a challenging sign for the future.
The social divisions arising from UGC regulations and the disregard for the 93rd Amendment of the Constitution have further deepened this discontent. The lack of political response to peaceful democratic movements also raises questions. This movement no longer appears to be limited to OBCs; rather, the possibility of SC and ST communities joining it could broaden it.
There is a growing feeling among the OBC, SC, and ST communities in the state that the elitist leadership in traditional parties views them only as voters, while remaining silent on issues concerning their constitutional rights. The new generation of leadership is now becoming more vigilant and vocal, ready to challenge the political landscape.
This public awakening, which began with the grand rally of the Social Justice Yatra from Kangra to Dharamshala on September 20th last year, has now reached every village. Public meetings have been organized under the slogan "Sangharsh Se Samadhan" (Struggle to Solution) in several places in Kangra district, including Paprola, Bharmar, Shahpur, Dhalera, Jawali, Rain, and Baijnath. Young leader Saurabh Kaundal and his team are continuously active in the cause of OBC rights. The movement has also expanded through rallies in Una, Solan, and Sirmaur districts.
The peaceful show of strength outside the Tapovan Assembly complex in November-December 2025 clearly signaled to the government that the movement had now taken an organized form. In this context, the visit of Dalit leader Ravi Kumar Dalit to Kangra further strengthened social solidarity.
Advocate Saurabh Kaundal, President of the Himachal Pradesh OBC Sangharsh Samiti, has been continuously demanding from the government a caste census, filling vacant posts, abolishing the National Food Security Force (NFS), restoring OBC quotas in government and semi-government jobs, implementing UGC regulations in universities, and implementing the pending 93rd Constitutional Amendment in the state.
Political analysts believe that the "Dharamshala Chalo" call given by the SC-ST-OBC Sangharsh Samiti on February 28th has created a new stir in the state's politics. If concrete initiatives toward dialogue and resolution of the situation are not taken, this social consciousness could play a decisive role in the upcoming assembly elections.
It is clear that this movement is no longer limited to a demand for rights, but is emerging as a new socio-political current challenging the traditional political framework of Himachal. Time will tell how seriously political parties take these signals.