There are seldom blacks and whites in the politics of caste of Uttar Pradesh or, for that matter, anywhere. But what is remarkable about the cautionary tale of the Jat leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, Mahendra Singh Tikait, and Mayavati, is that, in spite of being a purely political episode, some undeniable blacks and whites have emerged. Public abuse of a politician on casteist, anti-Dalit lines can be penalized by the law of the land. By applying the law, with restraint and through correct procedure, the chief minister, Ms Mayavati, has played her cards just right. Mr Tikait has not only apologized, he has also surrendered, professedly out of “respect” for the law, after a fierce resistance against the police put up by his supporters. Since he had behind him the Samajwadi Party, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress, all of them eager to contribute to a potential disruption of Ms Mayavati’s “sarvjan” alliance, Mr Tikait could have prolonged his resistance. By surrendering, he is also, symbolically, admitting that the old ways of abuse directed towards Dalits and towards women no longer have a place in political speeches. And the wider significance of the last is relevant to all politicians aiming to create power bases out of identity politics, whether in Maharashtra or in Delhi.

Mr Tikait made, not a “slip of the tongue” as he has said, but a political mistake. Attacking Ms Mayavati’s identity only made it easier for her. In their eagerness to break into Ms Mayavati’s formidable fortress, the big parties, too, have merely strengthened her position. The chief minister’s ploys to court the upper castes had cast doubts on her commitment to the Dalit cause. Critics felt that the edge of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, being used against Mr Tikait, was being deliberately blunted, since the upper castes felt it was too harsh. The state government had earlier instructed the police to make a proper assessment of the seriousness of a complaint under this act before registering a first information report. Mr Tikait provided the chief minister with the perfect opportunity to demonstrate that she has not surrendered any of the Dalit armoury in exchange for greater power. So far, it is a happy ending for Ms Mayavati. But for many Dalits in the villages yet to experience the promised empowerment, there is now real fear of an upper-caste backlash.