Brahmins are despised. Really?

First, let us decipher the message –

1. That Brahmins are despised by the other population
2. Brahmins thought it was their Government
3. Society is polarized

First, let us revisit history in a reverse chronology to cross-check if Brahmin Leaders were/are despised by the Bahujan and rural masses? We have seen Several Brahmin rulers who are/were well accepted by society. We have several examples of astute leaders from this class who led the masses very successfully, during normal times and during the crisis. They were loved by all sections of society. Lokmanya Tilak is an ideal example. To avoid debate, let me quickly revisit the Peshwas. We all know the Peshwas were Brahmins and they ruled and successfully expanded their kingdom from 1713 until 1818. Then too, Brahmins were minuscule. Leaders are not born, they achieve that status because of identification with the masses and aligning them towards those shared goals and objectives.

‘Angur khatte hai’

Second, it is common to label adverse unexpected outcome as ‘Casteism’, those undertones are always there. BJP, RSS and their so-called Chanakya, Amit Shah did not manage the different stakeholders for sure. Now they call, ‘Brahmin’s are despised’.

RSS think tank and PM Modi are on the ascendency of the power hype curve. They have not yet tasted the different seasons and the colors of power and politics. All it means is that they have a long way to go. Those successful in politics have often strategically backed off. An attitude of ‘backing off and strategically accommodating’ others (or collaborating with others, is missing with the BJP. That complacency is primarily due to arrogance of power and lust for dictating. To sustain power, you have to be very malleable, mentally astute and agile to realign. It is wrong to say the masses despised Brahmins. Always rulers are minuscule, they create that masses around a shared objective.

Blasphemy of Hindutva

Hindutva is very diverse, plural and deep. By Hindutva, I mean Sanatan dharma and Land on the east Hindukush. Dharma offers a wholesome milieu based on the principles of accommodating various colors, provides a platform for self-actualization for every individual irrespective of the situation they are. It understands the challenges individuals face during their time in this (life) journey. Dharma has an immense appetite to change, adapt, adopt and assimilate as time progresses. It is about the ethos that provides a foundation for human struggle, human endeavor and the journey of a human through their lifespan. Scriptures provide that written foundation, artifacts, and rituals a visible form to support that identity.

Sanatan dharma is thus deep and divine. Today, it is catapulted into crass religious scripture, rituals, and artifacts. The later cannot be a religion if the ethos are lost. BJP’s ideas of Sanatan Dharma (Hindutva) are very narrow and artifact-based.  BJP’s Current idea of religion is a reactive backlash against ‘Muslim Atrocities and Aggressiveness’ over the centuries. There was a lot of pent up frustration within the masses and BJP has galvanized support over those pent up feelings. Tapping that resentment against the Muslim aggression has brought them to power but to sustain power, they have to address the root, that fundamental yearning to which religion provides the vigor and vitality.

NRC and Opposition to CAB

It is exactly this lack of understanding that is causing the North East to burn because it is the lack of understanding of the diverse population from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim, Tripura, Manipur, Nagaland, and Meghalaya.

Blind sightedness will only help BJP fall, understanding the masses will help them drive the destiny of the nation. The best I like about BJP is their vision for a nation, what I don’t like about them is lack of inclusiveness.

Caste-based Polarization

Sometimes back, I wrote segmentation based on about Varna system. A staunch supporter of BJP and a good friend of mine declined the idea that Varna system still exists in India. If Varna system does not exist, why do we see such a comment?