Caste as a tear-jerker - India Today

• Messages sorted by: [ author ]
[ publication ][ subject ][ thread ]
• Next message: Editorial : "End-game"
• Previous message: Swapan Dasgupta : "Imaginary homelands"

There can be no second opinion that the "Desecration" of Babasaheb
Ambedkar's bust in Mumbai, earlier this month, was one of those tasteless
acts that vitiate the atmosphere. Regardless of who was actually
responsible for the vandalism, the fallout was entirely to their
satisfaction. There was police firing, people were killed, life in
Maharashtra was disrupted for at least three days, the Shiv Sena-BJP
Government was shaken and there were reverberations in other states.

Nothing unusual or excessively dramatic by Indian standards. Except for
one feature of the disturbances: rather than advise restraint in the face
of loutish provocation, the political class seemed more anxious to add fuel
to the fire. Gujarat Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela sponsored a
state-wide bandh last Wednesday which, predictably, led to violence; and
Congress President Sitaram Kesri even went to the absurd extent of
demanding the dismissal of the Manohar Joshi Government. Those who squirmed
with embarrassment when terrorists blew up Mumbai in 19 9 3 suddenly
discovered the virtues of street protest.

If the intemperate reaction to the Mumbai incidents had been exclusively
along party lines, it would have been understandable. If the BJP is
demanding the imposition of President's Rule in Bihar, why should Kesri not
demand likewise in Maharashtra? If the BJP can turn sadhus against
Vaghela, why should the chief minister lose an opportunity to
counter-mobilise? The tit-for-tat logic is flawless, except in one aspect:
when it comes to matters concerning Dalits, the conventional yardsticks of
political conduct are swiftly abandoned.

If the so-called explosion of Dalit "anger" that was witnessed in
Maharashtra is deemed legitimate and worthy of tearful sympathy, then the
same charitable view of protest should be taken when another community or
even religious group reacts viciously to perceived affronts. Earlier this
month, a group of Muslims destroyed a newspaper office in Bangalore because
a news item from Hebron (in Israel) hurt their religious sentiments. Should
we be understanding about this explosion of anger? Must we pretend to
invoke sociology to be indulgent towards the endless bouts of caste
recrimination in Bihar?

The idea of affirmative action, it would seem, has become perverted. From
correcting the imbalance in opportunities, affirmative action has come to
mean double standards. In Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Mayawati is
flouting all norms in disbursing exceptional favours to her chosen castes.
The Scheduled Castes Atrocities (Prevention) Act-which is about as
draconian as the much-reviled TADA and as iniquitous as some versions of
the Manusmriti and the Shariat-is being shamelessly misused to settle
political scores. According to a newspaper report, "Most of the important
positions which generate money are going to SC officers." Yet, it is seen
to be incorrect to dub Mayawati a crass casteist.

In the '80s, some writers used the term "subaltern" to denote those groups
who have been marginalised from the mainstream. Indian democracy, however
imperfectly, has enabled these groups to find a voice and press their
claims as equal citizens. These stupendous gains are now threatened by a
patronising liberalism that operates on the principle: upper castes bad,
lower castes good; majority bad, minorities good.

• Next message: Editorial : "End-game"
• Previous message: Swapan Dasgupta : "Imaginary homelands"

Back                          Top