The word minority, in the socio-political context, refers to a subset of the population within a country who are:
1) fewer in number relative to the general population, and
2) have been historically disenfranchised, prosecuted, and prejudiced against (or a combination of all three).
Most minorities around the world exist in a historical context that declared them to be the “lesser social class”. Be it African-Americans whose lineage traces back to slavery or Dalits whose caste based discrimination was borne of the Varna, their existence in the social (and oftentimes economic) hierarchy is greatly informed by the centuries-old practices, even though those practices may not be present or declared illegal today. However, in most cases, the systems of oppression that were imposed upon minorities simply evolve to fit the modern-day context.
Along with this oppression is the complacent majority who, through varying degrees of ignorance, could be argued to uphold the systems that oppress their fellow citizens. This complacency, it could be argued, is not an overtly self-aware one but a by-product of several layers of willful ignorance. In this article, we will examine the several extents of that ignorance and the resulting aftermath.
The Middle-Class and The Blindspots
It is a sad truth that most people are unaware of the world beyond their immediate sphere of contact. Even if they know that it exists in most cases, it is not possible (barring deliberate efforts) to fully fathom a day in the life of someone beyond ourselves. This is not to say that they lack empathy (although that is a factor we will explore further), but rather that most people have not been exposed to enough of the world beyond their own to form a full enough picture of a people outside their social bubble. This social bubble is largely a class and caste one, too.
It is a well-accepted fact that, for the most part, social mobility is only possible through economic means and even that at times may not be enough. As such, for most people, their immediate and affective world is largely constructed by people of a similar socio-economic standing.Â
As such, those in the middle class and upper middle class make up about thirty per cent of the Indian population. Largely see their country through the middle-class lens as the composition that makes up their neighbours, colleagues, family and friends is typically that of the middle standing.
With this, invariably, comes a blind spot to the people who exist outside this social paradigm. To put it in plain terms, most of the middle class, upper-middle class and upper class, as well, have a skewed and inaccurate view of the world around them. This, however, is not just a matter of paradigms and perceptions, as much of the social capital and economic capital, as well as the proliferation of narratives, rests with this rung of the societal ladder.
In an inadvertent way, they decide what receives attention and importance. Their blind spot to those in the margins by the consequences of this fact means that the sidelined remain firmly in place or become further sidelined. When a class of people are unable to recognise the subjugation of another, they will then prioritise other factors above the existence of the subjugated people. This ignorance, however, is not always straightforward. At times, it is to be unaware of the facts, and at other times it is laced with malice.
The Spectrum of Ignorance
If ever you are to pay attention to discourse about caste, especially in the context of reservations, today, you will undoubtedly hear the rebuttals, “Casteism is dead in modern India,” or that it is present only in small rural pockets in some unseen place (as though negating its effects on the people it oppresses). This, of course, is untrue; casteist discrimination is still a very present force. A BBC article from 2015 highlights the case of Dalits working as manual scavengers in Mumbai despite the fact that some of them held Master’s degrees and were thus eligible for pay raises and promotions.Â
However, many of them found it difficult to leave the dehumanising profession that they’d inherited, as it would mean losing the government-subsidised housing for their families. But this isn’t something you will particularly hear in the discourse around caste based discrimination, primarily because we pay no mind to the livelihood of gutter cleaners, even though we are aware that most of them are Dalits. However, when it comes to discourse about government policies about Dalits, narratives and viewpoints, through mainstream and online media, are largely shaped by the upper caste who are unaware of the lived reality of the people they debate upon. But this ignorance isn’t always about caste, and at times it is more willful than not.
Since the BJP came into power in 2014, many of its supporters have pointed to the many infrastructural improvements the country has undergone as a reason for their support of the party. This, of course, is not untrue; millions of people have seen their lives improve in some way, shape or form as a direct result of the BJP taking office.
However, there is no denying that the BJP, its associations with the RSS and Hindutva movement, has done considerable damage to the 200 million muslims who live in India alongside other minority communities. From emboldening lynchings, legitimising conspiracy theories such as Love Jihad and even policies that have discriminated against the citizenship of Indian muslims. It should be acknowledged that Islamophobia is a part of the allure for some of the ruling party’s supporters, but not all of them are Islamophobes in their own right.
Some are willfully ignorant of the effect that the policies, rhetoric and narratives driven by the BJP have had on most muslims’ lives. This ignorance is, of course, not without consequences. Some supporters of the BJP will condemn mob lynchings of Indian muslims, but condemnation whilst ignoring that these acts are emboldened if not encouraged by the government they vote for is pointless, as minorities will continue to remain the most affected party.Â
Conclusion
The unfortunate outcome of this willful blindness is that it actually leaves other communities vulnerable to the same abuse and rhetoric. Antisemitic sentiment ran amok in Europe, leading to the holocaust. But the failures to address systems of prejudice mean the foreign sentiment evolved to encompass Muslim and South Asian migrants. The willful ignorance of the middle-class is encouraged by the false sense of security that we are immune to the hurt that other people may or may not suffer.
Let us know your thoughts. If you have burning thoughts or opinions to express, please feel free to reach out to us at larra@globalindiannetwork.com.
