Hypocrisy has always been the biggest hallmark of Indian society and vote-bank politics continue to dictate the order of the day.
How else can one explain the inflammatory statements made by Kanchi Illaiah and there being no response from the establishment?
Having come up with an absolutely unacceptable title of ‘Samajika Smugglerlu Komatollu’, he has the gumption to ask for police protection saying he is getting threatening calls.
In all honesty, Kanchi Illaiah can consider himself lucky that the Vaishya community is a peace loving one that believes in democracy or else there would have been immediate retaliation.
If a person comments anything against the Dalits, he is immediately booked under the SC/ST Act and no proof is needed even if the comments were not directed against their caste.
But here is a Dalit person and a professor at that openly ridiculing a venerated community and nobody does anything including the government which should have put him behind bars immediately.
“If you have the guts then join the army and serve the country. You are just sitting in AC rooms and enjoying the life. If you are so patriotic then you should join forces and protect the border of the country,” he challenged and added that Vaishyas cannot participate in wars, as they don’t eat beef and meat.
Has this senile professor forgotten that Mahatma Gandhi who led this nation to independence was a Vaishya?
It is unfortunate that we are forced to resort to taking the name of caste of even the ‘Father of the Nation’, who is beyond any such petty fragmentations but that is exactly what people like Illaiah force us to do.
Vaishyas are the bedrock of society and they have always been a pillar of strength to Indian society. Degrading such wonderful people is a reflection of the baselessness of people like Illaiah. No one has the right to criticise any community let alone taking their name publicly.
India by and large has always been a vegetarian society and courage is an inner quality not dictated by the diet of a person.
When the hour comes, every Indian would willingly give up his life for the nation and they don’t need a statement of their diet to prove this fact to rabble rousers like Illaiah. He has clearly made an unpardonable mistake, a crime!
Unless such kinds of people are jailed immediately, it would be an endorsement of their vile machinations.
As Telugus, we owe it to our Vaishya brothers and sisters and also to the many Dalit brothers and sisters who in all likelihood would not endorse the views of this man.
Written By Kiran Sharma
The views expressed in the article are the author's and not of greatandhra.com.
