Secure Savarna Space Disrupted

In an earlier post, I had said that it was getting increasingly harder for me to stay quiet in secure savarna spaces. About a month ago, I disrupted this security and only got treated to even worse prejudice and bile against Dalits and minorities.

It was especially hard for me to digest the vitriol that was spoken that day because the person leading the charge was a man who I thought was rational and secular.

I shall elaborate on some of the points that were made. The intention is not to shame or hang anyone out to dry, but I just thought I should write about my first disruption of secure savarna spaces.

When the discussion started, the man said he was critical of the 'SC/ST prevention of atrocities act', but did not have anything against Dalits. But as the discussion progressed, Dalits were labelled as lazy, not having 'merit' and that they are well off but continue to use reservations. I pointed out that such statements clearly showed a bias against Dalits. At which point, the man proceeded to make a personal attack on me. "You are a baccha, you are fed by your father. So you don't know the world" and other patronising lines.You know you've hit the right notes when someone starts attacking you personally.

The man had apparently built toilets, schools and other facilities in villages and backward areas. These were helping SC boys and girl, he said. Take a minute here. "Dalits are well off and exploit the reservation system" and "building toilets and schools for SC boys and girls". Aren't these two statements contradictory?

At one point, when I was criticising the present atmosphere in the country by pointing out killings of Muslims like (Akhlaq), the reply came back, "If Muslims are killed, the country won't be in such a state'. I should've just walked away at that moment and I am ashamed that I didn't.

It was also surprising that when I criticise BJP, the response was to criticise Congress. I am not a supporter of Congress. But I guess that for some people, being anti-BJP must mean the same as being pro-Congress. Its a strangely binary outlook.

What upset me most was that this whole argument erupted during an important matrimonial ceremony of my cousin. Akka, if you are reading this, sorry to have blotted your day. I shouldn't have gotten dragged into it that day.