CHENNAI: Commenting on the choice of presidential candidate, Ramnath Kovind, Arun Shourie, an economist, journalist and a former minister during BJP rule (2002-2004) said that caste, that is eroded with modernisation, is being made relevant by political forces.
Speaking at Off the Cuff, with Shekhar Gupta, he said, “Nobody watches out for the caste of the people in buses they travel, or workers who supply the municipal water. Caste is being eroded by modernisation,” adding that politicians have always exploited caste identity of individuals. He added that politicians have the power to seed values into masses.
He also said that lynching was one such ideology that gives authority to oppress one class. The centre is providing a rationale for the goondas at the local level. Like “gau rakshaks and love jihads”- this becomes the rationale for me to beat up anybody. It’s not love for the cow but just an instrument for domination,” he added saying that love jihad vanished after the elections. Love Jihad was a widely believed concept that Muslim men made Hindu women fall in love with them, in order to spread the religion.
“How do people not see the pattern,?” He asked.