Dalit Positive Movement, a Dalit & Other Backward Castes rights initiative has lodged a complaint against The Caravan magazine for carrying an article with casteist content and making misleading demeaning statements about Hindu faith and beliefs.
The article claimed that Dalits consider Mahishasur, (the evil demon) as their ancestor and that Durga Pooja is taken offensive by them.
In its Twitter handle, The Caravan posted “The Indian diaspora is delighted that Diwali is commemorated in the White House. It does not care that the “good” Hindu goddess Durga’s killing of the evil Mahishasur is deeply offensive to many Dalits and Adivasis, for whom Mahishasur is an ancestor“.
Many Dalits had objected for associating them with the evil demon. The comments section of the article had majority of the comments calling out the casteist and defamatory remarks against the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe community. Many condemned the gross misrepresentation of Hindu faith and for distorting Puranas.
The Dalit Positive Movement has registered a complaint with the Commissioner of Police, New Delhi and Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.
We have lodged a Complaint against 'The Caravan' @thecaravanindia with the #MHA CoP New Delhi & @MSJEGOI for defaming and demeaning religious beliefs and practices of SC and ST communities who are part and parcel of Hinduism. We strongly denounce such casteist content. #Shame pic.twitter.com/jqdqIAUXJv
— Dalit Positive Movement (@DalitPositive) July 21, 2020