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Caste pages on social media, a rejoinder to TNM

October 13, 2020
Shricharan

Recently, The News Minute published an article which wasn’t any different from its other ones that spout the usual urban bourgeoisie buzzwords like “brahminical patriarchy”, “brahminical privilege” and every other post-modernist linguistics preceded by the word “brahminical”. While the first thought that occurred after reading the said piece was to ignore this yet another rant and attempt to blame one particular community for all social evils, it became apparent that for some time, they have had their way about it without facing much counter. This article seeks to address some of the points that have been raised in the article.

The article takes the line of how certain caste based pages/forums on social media platforms have been the causation of all caste arrogance and “privilege” brewing in the nation. The article specifically has an itch with Tamil Brahmin pages on the internet.

According to the article, “TamBrahm” pages do not get the same flak as compared to pages of other communities and apparently, that is a reflection of how the Brahmins are given special treatment owing to their “apex” status in society.

Before answering this point, it is to be understood that no one caste deserves any flak for their mere existence either as a real-life group or a social media page. Caste is neither a social evil nor a legal wrong, although certain individuals may like to think otherwise. Caste is neither a legal nor a societal taboo and the opinions of experts living in gated communities matter little in this regard.

While generic, unharming and innocent caste based pages posting content that is community-oriented do not deserve to be looked down upon at any cost, we shall necessarily have to take cognizance of the more incendiary ones and that is exactly where the hypocrisy of the article is in full display. This is because the article conveniently avoids the “Tiktok” epidemic that once shook Tamil Nadu more than any other state in the whole wide nation. Several video clips from the app have faced immense scrutiny, criticism and even trolls over the years, owing to the manner in which caste is used as a tool to flaunt one’s social standing in a lot of these clips and in a lot of cases triggering full-fledged digital community wars. The same kind of content can be found on Facebook and even teenager platforms like Instagram and Reddit. Community conflicts on social media also do translate on the ground. After all, one cannot deny the role of social media in the Ponparappi riots on April 18th of last year on Election Day between two prominent castes of Northern Tamil Nadu.

On analysing all of such inflammatory contents on the Tamil social media forums it can be inferred that these groups claim to be the representatives of either what one can call “intermediary” or “depressed” communities. It is amusing to find that the author of the article in question either wishes to keep mum on such content or wishes to conclude that such content is the same as the content posted on the pages of a particular community simply by virtue of them allegedly belonging to the “apex” of the caste “hierarchy”.

The article also tries to paint a picture of how “Bahujan” pages indulge “solely in constructive messaging” unlike the allegedly hate filled content posted in “apex” caste groups. This cannot be farther from the truth, keeping in mind that some of the highest followed (with a great number of followers from across the country) Bahujan pages on the internet often indulge in targeted, lewd and vulgar trolling of the “apex” community. One such page which can be found indulging in such acts across platforms goes by the name “Reserved memes for Bahujan Teens”. Most of the said content would have attracted some of the toughest acts in the law book had the perpetrator and the victim been reversed. Here are some other samples:

 

Notice the name of the handle.

Here are some examples of the ‘progressives’ cabals indulging in some ‘progressive’ stuff.

 

This person calling for a ‘Brahmin holocaust’ is a winner of Penguin Random House’s 2018 Harvill Secker Young Translators’ Prize.

Here are the golden words from a Cambridge University professor.

In the above tweet, the BHIM Army chief tweeted against journalist Jagriti Shukla using crass language and cheap Hindi slangs and called her a “prostitute” who sells her body and does “dallal” (pimp) to BJP.

There are also Whatsapp groups that perpetrate hatred towards the “apex” community.

Now this begs the question, how is it that innocent, relatable and community-oriented content of the “apex” community can be placed on the same table as riot-triggering views put forth by radical members of other communities? Why are different metrics applied to different communities? Why does the author think that the former commands the same treatment as the latter?

Another high IQ point that the article points to is the “caste privilege” that the “apex” community capitalizes on using social media. Apparently, these caste groups use these forums as a means to gain better career avenues which leads to a vicious circle of nepotism and caste dominance. The author of the article will have to understand that every community has its own occupational domain where it has its own social capital for other members of the community to take advantage of. Social capital exists to be taken advantage of just like any capital exists to be taken advantage of.

With this point comes the question, “What social capital exists for those disadvantaged communities in the society?”. To answer that question, the greatest example one can look at is the Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce And Industry (DICCI), established in 2005 by Milind Kamble which offers numerous aspiring Dalit entrepreneurs and occupation-seekers an avenue to become large scale job-givers. Will such an organization be termed as a nepotism-inducing one or merely an organization that takes advantage of the muscle power of the community it represents?

Apart from this, since we are speaking of “caste privileges”, several caste groups/organisations representing non-”apex” communities went on to become established political parties, with the prime example of this in Tamil Nadu being the Paataali Makkal Katchi(PMK) whose parent organisation was the “Vanniyar Sangam”, a caste-based organisation. Another example of the same type can be the VCK (Viduthalai Siruthaigal Katchi) led by Thol. Thirumavalavan.

In this regard, can’t one conclude that having a large population base is a privilege in itself for a community because unlike smaller communities, these caste groups can assert their dominance in the political arena merely by flexing their muscle power? Isn’t that a privilege in itself to be able to have a large enough party to represent solely the interests of a single community?

In this regard, does the “apex” community of TN have the money or the muscle power or the “caste privilege” to carve out for itself a party that will ensure its representation in the state/national politics?

The “apex” lot is apparently so privileged that it can have for itself a group on Facebook that is named after its community. What more can one ask for, right?

Transcending beyond caste lines, let us analyze “social privileges” from a religious angle. Speaking of identity groups taking advantage of their privileges, how does one understand the role of an organization like the Zakat Foundation which is an entity that openly claims to exclusively prepare Muslim candidates to get into top bureaucratic roles and other influential occupational roles across the nation. Will the beneficiaries of such an organization be considered “privileged” or do they get the usual “poor, innocent minority” quota consideration?

To sum up the above points, caste identity and social capital are not the monopoly of any single community nor is it inaccessible to anyone. With the arrival of democracy and free market, all communities and groups have jumped into the bandwagon of growth and shall strive to get themselves ahead in the modern day rat race. This is neither ethically nor legally wrong and is here to stay regardless of what one feels. Social media has merely catalysed such a social capital and made it easier to network between members of the same community.

Apart from the above mentioned 2 points, the rest of the article seems to be nothing but a bunch of ramblings about how caste identities are not supposed to be flaunted and privileges are meant to be “recognised and accepted”. It also speaks about how “caste markers” like janeu and vegetarian diet have to be avoided and all other such usual statements made to gaslight devout Hindus and most specifically the “apex” Brahmins. If smearing of ‘sacred ash’, wearing a janeu or speaking in a particular style is a ‘caste marker’, what does the wearing of skull cap or speaking of a particular style of Hindi signify? Should that be avoided as well? Almost every Punjabi song uses “Jatt”, “Jatt da Muqabla” and similar phrases. This is also expression of ‘caste pride’, one might say. So should we censor those songs too?

The article also makes a laughable point about how Tamil Brahmin pages cause the “Sanskritization” of non-Brahmin communities. It is at the first sight insulting to those non-Brahmin communities who have since time immemorial worn the janeu or followed a vegetarian diet, to say that it is the influence of Brahmins that had led them to follow such a lifestyle when it had been common practice and prescription in numerous Shaivite schools of thought. It can at this point be safely said with certainty that Pasumpon Muthuramalingam Thevar would have definitely been branded a “Brahmin agent” or “Agent of Sanskritization” if the author of the article was to listen to any single speech of his.

To end on a lighter note, the article also makes a reference to how some of these “apex” caste groups on social media start selling their souvenirs/merchandise upon attaining a substantial number of followers.

Although this is a gross generalization, it is startling that this moral posturing is coming from a portal where every article ends with a suggestion to become a “member” and be a part of a “community” (the community has a hierarchy based on monetary position) who will have access to special “privileges”.

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The internet never forgets.

(Views expressed here are the author’s own. The author is neither an admin nor a part of any of the ‘caste pages’. )