Sir — This refers to the editorial, “Politics over caste” (April 4). Nation-wide protest by Dalits signal a degree of collective assertion by one of the most oppressed groups. But it is strange that Dalits are angry over Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act by a Supreme Court order. Why were they quiet when ‘gau rakshaks’ thrashed several Dalit men for allegedly skinning a dead cow, and even filmed the atrocityIJ
In October 2017, Gujarat saw the ‘moustache protest’ after two Dalit men were beaten up for sporting a moustache, the symbol of ‘upper caste’ masculinity, and after a Dalit man was lynched for watching a Garba event. There has been no action so far against the leaders accused of inciting violence, when Hindutva forces decided to attack Dalits gathering in Maharashtra to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon.The Maratha protests organised all across the State, which saw the Government agreeing to look into their grievances, had a strong anti-Dalit undercurrent, with one of their main demands being the scrapping of the Atrocities Act.