Sir — On the face of it, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s repudiation of VIP (very important person) culture and his advocacy of its replacement with EPI (every person is important) culture seems like an idea whose time has come. However, the transition from ‘VIP’ culture to ‘EPI’ culture cannot happen merely by the symbolic act of removal of red beacons from the vehicles. A lot more than the ban on red beacons needs to be done to make everyone important.
It is a sick joke on the poor to say that all are equal and must be treated equally in an unequal society. There are far worse practices that heap indignities on the citizens.
In the Indian context, caste discrimination is far more dehumanising than VIP culture. Caste consciousness is more deeply ingrained in the national psyche than VIP culture.
The Prime Minister has to bring about radical changes in the system to empower the impoverished multitudes. The invocation of BR Ambedkar in his ‘Mann ki Baat’ address serves no purpose if he does not play his part for the annihilation of caste, an essential prerequisite for the emergence of ‘New India’.