Suhaas Putta: Week 2

This is a reflection on the pieces on CAA-NRC and Dalit-Bahujan Position published in 'The Wire'.

There has always been a clear distinction in India, between the oppressed and the oppressors. One would imagine that a country that was colonised, could possibly understand how it needs to treat marginalised communities, but alas, that isn't the case. The passage of CAA, and the approval of NRC are the two latest instruments being used to create a divide between the people of India, but at what point does it stop? While this might be the loudest question that is ringing in everyone’s ears, the more interesting question that needs to be asked is, ‘If the privileged are feeling insecure, what is to happen to the already oppressed, marginalised, targeted and ignored sections of the society?’

The lack of sympathy for these communities isn’t something new; it in fact goes remarkably well with the misinformation that is spread widely. The claim of there being a Hindu majority, was actually a clever fact that was thought up in the early 20th Century, to quell the fact that the upper castes only comprised 10% of the population, whilst the remaining 90%, were truly the real majority. This exercise is a targeted attempt at those communities around the below poverty line(read Bahujans), not just the Muslims.

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