Caste System: We watched Kabeer Singh and applauded . We watched Article 15 and yet we are fighting against the idea of reservation for SC/ST. Simply because we like to believe in a reality where discrimination doesn’t exist. After all this reality helps us maintain our privilege. It helps continue our pseudo fight against reservation
Social institution of Caste System
The acknowledgement of caste is important. It tells us the deep rooted ‘organised system of caste. caste is neither a “State” act nor an agglomeration of individual acts where you can attribute discriminatory agency to identifiable individuals. They are social institutions.
Institutions which have existed in our society for century. The movie also showcases an uncanny behavior. A lower caste individual further discriminates a person who is sub lower caste category. This raises a significant question. Why will a person who knows the grimes of reality, who has suffered oppression, who was throttled by hands of caste will play a role in deepening this oppressive institution? The idea is how the system of caste is self gratifying system. Even though you are oppressed, you gratify yourself in oppressing the person on the lower rung. However, the person on the lowest rung ends up suffering the accumulation of scourge.
It’s our time to learn!
The basic premise of Article 15 is borrowed from the rape and murder of two teenage girls in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh. What we think of just ” This is just a movie” or ” This doesn’t happen now” is something that happened. Two girls raped because they asked for Rs 3 raise. A mere amount of Rs 3. Gang raped and killed for pittance. A far from happy reality where a Brahmin hero saved all.
“Main aur tum inhein dikhai hi nahi dete.. hum kabhi harijan ho jate hain, kabhi bahujan ho jate hain.. bas jan nahi ban pa rahe hain.. ki jan gan man mein hamari bhi ginti ho jaaye.”
The movie passes a strong message. Even though it depicts a much sugarcoated reality, we still want to live in delusion as long it benefits our privilege.It’s time to destroy these institutions.
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