Vaibhav Kharat
In her persistent engagement with caste, reservation, census related topics, Tavleen Singh exemplifies a pseudo-intellectual approach that perpetuates casteist biases located in the strong foundation of savarna prejudices, stereotypes and stigmatisation. Her recent writings on caste include the column ‘Time to end the reservation’, and ‘A caste census is casteism’ in the ‘The Indian Express’, along with her recent tweet about a photo of a six year old girl ‘Munny’ with the caption ‘’This photo exhibition at the Habitat Centre in Delhi makes a better case for the Dalits than so-called Dalit scholars and sympathisers have made recently’’. These blatantly reveal a heavy reliance on inherited savarna casteist perspectives rather than empirical evidence or rational analysis. This pseudo-intellectualism not only reinforces and perpetuates stereotypes about Dalits but also raises questions about the editorial choices of platforms like The Indian Express, which claim an unbiased,and critical content engagement platform.
Tavleen Singh’s discourse, rooted in a savarna gaze, a perspective and perception of individuals belonging to the so called and upper castes in the Indian caste system, which reflects the privileged viewpoint of the higher castes, influencing how they perceive and interact with assertive individuals from marginalized, such as Dalits. It lacks the foundation of empiricism, rationalism, or common sense. As a sociology student, I was taken aback by her article, wondering how a platform like The Indian Express could provide space for such casteist narratives. The answer lies in understanding sociological concepts like Gramscian cultural hegemony, Adorno and Horkheimer’s culture industry, Bourdieu’s social field (where an individual acquired a particular set of embodiment or socio-cultural capital), Foucault’s Knowledge and Power, Mulvey’s Male Gaze, and Bell Hooks’ Oppositional Gaze. These concepts unveil the underlying dynamics that allow the perpetuation of savarna gaze / perspectives within mainstream discourse.
By critically examining these sociological frameworks, Dalit students and intellectuals decipher, challenge, and confront the ‘Savarna Psychosis.’ This term encapsulates the inability or deliberate ignorance of savarna individuals to acknowledge the multi-dimensional social reality experienced by Dalits. It encompasses both the assertions, agitations, and achievements of the Dalit community, as well as the harsh realities of discrimination, exclusion, suppression, and oppression that persist.
The irony of so-called unbiased platforms like The Indian Express endorsing casteist narratives exposes a deeper issue of systemic bias. Despite claiming a commitment to liberal values, these platforms fail to address the diverse social realities of Dalits. This failure reflects a broader societal challenge in recognizing and dismantling ingrained prejudices.
To counteract this, it becomes imperative for Dalit intellectuals to engage with and dismantle the savarna gaze through education, awareness, advocacy and producing and reproducing Discourses on Dalits multi dynamic social reality And importantly supporting and building our own platform and understanding Sociology of culture, of media, of academia, of economy, of polity and of technology . Sociological concepts provide a toolkit for decoding and challenging the narratives perpetuated by pseudo-intellectuals like Talveen Singh. By utilizing these tools, the Dalit community can assert its agency in reshaping the narrative and fostering a more inclusive understanding of their social reality.
In conclusion, the case of Tavleen Singh’s pseudo-intellectualism underscores the need for a critical examination of caste-related discussions in mainstream platforms. It highlights the importance of sociological frameworks in decoding and challenging ingrained biases. By doing so, Dalit intellectuals can contribute to the end of the ‘Savarna Psychosis’ and pave the way for a more nuanced and inclusive discourse on caste and social realities.
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Vaibhav Kharat, is a graduate in sociology from Fergusson College, Pune, and is currently pursuing MA in Sociology from, the Center for The Study of Social Systems (CSSS ), JNU, New Delhi. He’s active in the Ambedkarite Movement at college and university campuses and has a keen interest in Anti- Caste philosophy, Pragmatism and Feminist Philosophy.
