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The '''East Bengal Scheduled Castes Federation''' ({{lang-bn|পূর্ববঙ্গ তফসিলি জাতি ফেডারেশন}}), later the '''East Pakistan Scheduled Castes Federation''' ({{lang-bn|পূর্ব পাকিস্তান তফসিলি জাতি ফেডারেশন}}), was a [[political party]] in [[Pakistan]]. In the first years after the independence of Pakistan, the party was one of the two main political parties of the Hindu minority population in [[East Bengal]] (with the other being the [[Pakistan National Congress]]).<ref>S. K. Chakrabarti. ''[https://books.google.at/books?id=ZHsBAAAAMAAJ The Evolution of Politics in Bangladesh, 1947-1978]''. Associated, 1978. p. 71</ref> After departure of its main leader [[Jogendra Nath Mandal]] in 1950, the party suffered a number of divisions. In the mid-1950s the party participated in different coalition governments at Pakistan Centre level and [[East Pakistan]] provincial level. After 1958 the party went into oblivion.

==Background==
The [[Scheduled Castes Federation|All India Scheduled Castes Federation]] had been founded by [[B.R. Ambedkar]] in [[Allahabad]] in 1942, as a political organization striving for the upliftment of [[Scheduled Castes]]/[[Dalit]]s.<ref name=raj>Sunil Purushotham. ''[https://books.google.at/books?id=4lQMEAAAQBAJ From Raj to Republic: Sovereignty, Violence, and Democracy in India]''. Stanford University Press, 2021. pp. 139-140</ref> In the years running up to the [[Partition of India]] there were formal alliances between the [[All India Muslim League]] and the Scheduled Castes Federation in [[Bengal]], [[United Provinces]] and [[Punjab, India|Punjab]]. In Bengal the Scheduled Castes Federation chapter led by [[Jogendra Nath Mandal]] championed maintaining the province united, a position the party shared with the Muslim League.<ref name=raj/> When Pakistan was formed, Mandal joined the first [[Dominion of Pakistan]] government as Minister of Law and Labour after having received approval from Ambedkar to do so.<ref name=raj/><ref name=hey>James Heyworth-Dunne. ''[https://books.google.at/books?id=TS4BAAAAMAAJ Pakistan: The Birth of a New Muslim State]''. Renaissance Bookshop, 1952. pp. 79, 117</ref> In parallel Ambedkar held the post of Minister of Law in the [[Dominion of India]].<ref name=hey/> However, with the split of India and Pakistan into two separate entities, the Scheduled Castes Federation branches in Pakistan eventually broke their organizational links with the Indian mother party and held a party conference in [[Karachi]] in 1948.<ref name=hey>James Heyworth-Dunne. ''[https://books.google.at/books?id=TS4BAAAAMAAJ Pakistan: The Birth of a New Muslim State]''. Renaissance Bookshop, 1952. pp. 79, 117</ref><ref name=metz>William S. Metz. ''[https://books.google.at/books?id=Dj45AQAAIAAJ Pakistan: Government and Politics]''. Human Relations Area Files, South Asia Project, University of California, 1956. p. 161</ref> Overwhelmingly the Scheduled Castes Federation in Pakistan was based in [[East Bengal]].<ref name=metz/>

==First years after Partition==
Mandal was the president of the East Bengal Scheduled Castes Federation in 1948.<ref name=chow/> The party argued for separate electorate for Scheduled Castes, and had tense relations with the [[Pakistan National Congress]] on this issue. The East Bengal Scheduled Castes Federation called for increased representation of Scheduled Castes based on 1948 population estimate.<ref name=chow/><ref name=const>DR. KAUSAR PARVEEN, DR. SAMINA AWAN. ''[https://phs.com.pk/index.php/phs/article/download/225/111 ROLE OF PAKISTAN NATIONAL CONGRESS IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN PAKISTAN, 1947-1958]''. J.P.H.S., Vol. LXX, No. 2</ref> Notably the party was unhappy with the lack of Scheduled Castes representation in the East Bengal provincial government.<ref name=chow/>

In 1949 the Working Committee of the East Bengal Scheduled Castes Federation passed a unimanous resolution calling a joint minority electorate but with reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes.<ref name=calla/>

In the wake of the 1950 Dacca riots, Mandal's discourse shifted significantly. He now positioned himself as a protector for Hindu and minority communities in East Bengal, and began downplaying the rhetorical separation between Caste Hindus and Scheduled Castes.<ref name=asif>Asif, Ghazal. ''[https://www.academia.edu/41513093/Jogendranath_Mandal_and_the_Politics_of_Dalit_Recognition_in_Pakistan Jogendranath Mandal and the Politics of Dalit Recognition in Pakistan]''. ''South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies'' 43.1 (2020): 119–135. Web.</ref> By April 1950, after riots in Barisal, Mandal told his followers that he would no longer advise them to stay in Pakistan.<ref name=band/> Other leaders of the party rejected Mandal's statement.<ref name=band>Sekhar Bandyopadhyay, Anasua Basu Ray Chaudhury. ''[https://books.google.at/books?id=r2NjEAAAQBAJ Caste and Partition in Bengal: The Story of Dalit Refugees, 1946-1961]''. Oxford University Press, 2022. p. 64</ref>

East Bengal Scheduled Castes Federation president D.N. Barori was sworn in as minister in the East Bengal provincial government in June 1950.<ref name=chow/> Barori's nomination had been fiercely opposed by Jogendra Nath Mandal.<ref name=asif/>

==Electorate issue split==
The issue of separate or joint electorate would split the party.<ref name=const/> Barori supported a separate electorate for Scheduled Castes.<ref name=const/>

A East Bengal Minorities Conference held at [[Comilla]] in March 1952, which called for joint electorate and denounced Barori.<ref name=chow/><ref name=const/><ref name=calla/> Out of 500 delegates at the conference, some 300 came from the Scheduled Castes.<ref name=calla/> The Comilla conference called on the government to dismiss Barori and replace him with another representative with support from the minorities.<ref name=chow/><ref name=const/> The resolution of the Comilla conference stated that separate representation on communal basis is anti-national.<ref name=calla>Keith B. Callard. ''[https://books.google.at/books?id=bAEsAQAAIAAJ Pakistan, a Political Study]''. Allen & Unwin, 1957. p. 248</ref>

On December 19, 1953 the anti-Barori camp in the East Bengal Scheduled Castes Federation organized a conference in Dacca and declared Barori and his faction expelled for having violated the party line on joint electorates.<ref name=const/><ref name=gupta/> The conference had been called by [[Rasaraj Mandal]], and Raj Kumar Mandal chaired the event.<ref name=gupta/> Invited speakers at the event included [[Maulana Bhasani]], [[A. K. Fazlul Huq]], [[Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy]], [[Basanta Kumar Das (Pakistani politician)|Basanta Kumar Das]] and [[Mahmud Ali (statesman)|Mahmud Ali]].<ref name=gupta/>

Barori retained support in the East Bengal Legislative Assembly group of the party, whilst the dissident group (led by Rasaraj Mandal) controlled the party organization.<ref name=const/> A second minor split occured in the Barori group, seemingly caused by personal issues.<ref name=chow/><ref name=epw/>

==1954 elections==
Three different groups participated in the [[1954 East Bengal Legislative Assembly election]], claiming to be the genuine Scheduled Castes Federation - led by D.N. Barori, Rasaraj Mandal and H.C. Burmen respectively.<ref name=nair/><ref>Iftikhar Ahmad. ''[https://books.google.at/books?id=s-AEAAAAMAAJ Pakistan General Elections, 1970]''. South Asian Institute, Punjab University, 1976. p. 15</ref> The Barori group, which supported separate electorates, enjoyed the support of the [[Pakistan Muslim League]].<ref name=epw/> The Mandal group, which supported joint electorates, had tacit support from the Minority United Front.<ref name=nair/><ref name=epw>''[https://www.epw.in/system/files/pdf/1954_6/7/eastern_pakistan.pdf Eastern Pakistan]''. ''Economic & Political Weekly'', February 13, 1954</ref> The [[United Progressive Party (Pakistan)|United Progressive Party]] (formerly Gana Samity) had sought appealed to the Mandal group to contest under the banner of the [[Minority United Front]], but for Mandal's group it was important not to allow the Barori group to be able to use the party name 'Scheduled Castes Federation' alone in front of the Scheduled Castes voters.<ref name=kabir>Muhammad Ghulam Kabir. ''[https://books.google.at/books?id=vQgNAAAAIAAJ Minority Politics in Bangladesh]''. Vikas, 1980. p. 19, 43</ref>

The Mandal faction emerged successful, winning 27 out 38 seats reserved for Scheduled Castes. The Barori faction didn't win a single seat, with Barori himself forefeiting his deposit after having lost his seat to [[Gour Chandra Bala]].<ref name=chow/><ref name=nair/><ref name=kabir/><ref>''[https://www.google.at/books/edition/Pakistan_Perspectives/WYfwAAAAIAAJ Pakistan Perspectives]', Volume 7, 2002. p. 27</ref>

In 1955 the Scheduled Castes Federation obtained three seats in the second [[Constituent Assembly of Pakistan]] (with Rasaraj Mandal being one of the three members).<ref name=day/><ref name=chow/><ref>''Daily Jang''. [https://jang.com.pk/news/518253 الیکشن کہانی: قیامِ پاکستان سے 2013ء تک]</ref>

==Coalition government period and party split==
The party was part of the first coalition government of Pakistan (led by [[Chaudhry Muhammad Ali]], August 11, 1955-September 12, 1956), the second coalition government of Pakistan (led by [[Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy]], September 12, 1956-October 17, 1957) and the fourth coalition government of Pakistan (led by [[Feroz Khan Noon]], December 16, 1957-October 7, 1958).<ref name=const/><ref>Nitish K. Sengupta. ''[https://www.google.at/books/edition/Land_of_Two_Rivers/kVSh_TyJ0YoC Land of Two Rivers: A History of Bengal from the Mahabharata to Mujib]''. Penguin Books India, 2011</ref>

[[Akshay Kumar Das]], President of the Working Committee of the East Bengal Scheduled Castes Federation, was sworn in as Minister of State for Economic Affairs in the Pakistan government on September 26, 1955.<ref>''[https://www.google.at/books/edition/Pakistan_Affairs/cFAdAQAAMAAJ Cabinet Expanded]''. ''Pakistan Affairs'', October 10, 1955. p. 3</ref> A year later Rasaraj Mandal, then the general secretary of the party, was sworn in as a Minister of State for Economic Affairs in the Pakistan government.<ref name=chow/><ref name=gupta>Jyoti Sen Gupta. ''[https://books.google.at/books?id=GHQ9AAAAMAAJ Eclipse of East Pakistan: Chronicles of Events Since Birth of East Pakistan Till October, 1963]''. RENCO, 1963. pp. 171, 273</ref><ref>''[https://www.google.at/books/edition/Civic_Affairs/YfwmAQAAIAAJ Non-Muslims in Ministry]''. ''Civic Affairs'', Volume 4. P.C. Kapoor at the Citizen Press, 1956.,p. 108</ref> With Mandal taking a ministerial role at the Centre, whilst his inner-party rival Gour Chandra Bala was elected as leader of the Scheduled Castes Federation in the East Pakistan Provincial Assembly.<ref name=chow/><ref name=gupta2/> At the time six of the Scheduled Castes Federation assembly members belonged to the Rasaraj Mandal group, with another 21 belonging to the Bala group.<ref name=nair>M.B. Nair. ''[https://books.google.at/books?id=kORtAAAAMAAJ Politics in Bangladesh (A Study of Awami League : 1949-58)]''. Northern Book Centre, New Delhi, 1990. pp. 164, 171, 210, 213</ref> A resolution was passed in the party that Bala would not join the provincial government.<ref name=chow/> However Bala soon took up ministerial post in East Pakistan.<ref name=chow/><ref name=gupta/> When the Suhrawardy government at the Centre fell in March 1958, Mandal was left without a ministerial berth and Bala became a minister in East Pakistan.<ref name=gupta2>Jyoti Sen Gupta. ''[https://books.google.at/books?id=DedtAAAAMAAJ History of Freedom Movement in Bangladesh, 1943-1973: Some Involvement]''. Naya Prokash, 1974. p. 137</ref> In response Mandal went into opposition.<ref name=gupta2/>

In [[East Pakistan]], the party was part of the [[Abu Hussain Sarkar]] provinicial cabinet between June 1955 and August 1956.<ref name=const/> When the Awami League formed a provinical government led by [[Ataur Rahman Khan]] in September 1956, part of the Scheduled Castes Federation went into opposition whilst another supported the government from outside.<ref name=const/> The party was part of the short-lived second Abu Hussain Sarkar government, in power between March 31 and April 1, 1958.<ref name=const/> When Ataur Rahman Khan again formed a provincial government in April 1958 the Bala group joined it but the Mandal group went into opposition.<ref name=const>DR. KAUSAR PARVEEN, DR. SAMINA AWAN. ''[https://phs.com.pk/index.php/phs/article/download/225/111 ROLE OF PAKISTAN NATIONAL CONGRESS IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN PAKISTAN, 1947-1958]''. J.P.H.S., Vol. LXX, No. 2</ref>

With the deepening of the Mandal-Bala split during the budget session in the East Pakistan Provincial Assembly in 1958, the party organization disintegrated.<ref name=chow>Najma Chowdhury. ''[https://books.google.at/books?id=yvolAAAAMAAJ The Legislative Process in Bangladesh: Politics and Functioning of the East Bengal Legislature, 1947-58]''. University of Dacca, 1980. pp. 133, 136, 137-138, 172, 206</ref> With the divided party leadership fully embroiled in the legislature, the party organization outside parliament became inactive.<ref name=chow/> Another key issue that forced the party into quick decline was the introduction of unified geographic constituencies across Pakistan.<ref name=fukui/>

==Bangladeshi independence==
In 1971 the party led by [[Rasaraj Mandal]] took the name '''Bangladesh Tafsili Jati Federation'''.<ref name=day>Alan John Day, Henry W. Degenhardt. ''[https://books.google.at/books?id=yOyGAAAAMAAJ Political Parties of the World]''. Longman, 1984. p. 16</ref> Rasaraj Mandal revived the party after the promulgation of the Political Parties Regulation in July 1976.<ref name=fukui>Haruhiro Fukui. ''[https://books.google.at/books?id=koqyAAAAIAAJ Political Parties of Asia and the Pacific, Volume 1]''. Greenwood Press, 1985. p. 57</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Dalit politics]]
[[Category:Politics of East Pakistan]]
[[Category:1948 establishments in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1948]]
[[Category:Political parties in Pakistan]]

East Bengal Scheduled Castes Federation - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Creating a new article