Dear Ms. Vijayalakshmi,
IMO, in a ninth grade class all students must be encouraged to participate in activities that they are interested in. Why select some and leave behind others? Is this inter-school competition the only worthwhile activity that everyone aspires for? If that is so, then the school faculty and administration must take a hard look at what their mission is.
The above arguments do not serve any purpose. One can always wish that Union Cabinet to take a hard look at what the mission is ... and such things are just a pipe dream.
But, you were the one in the front line. With the class looking on you had to make a difficult decision and nobody can fault you for your decision to select the child without overt hesitation even though you had deep misgivings.
Any judicious decision will be easily twisted as discrimination and as per Civil Rights Act here it is non bailable case!
It is interesting to see the child is taught to draw the line with Brahmins, even though nearly all, if not all, the caste based atrocities reported in the media are perpetrated by the upper caste NBs. This must give TBs pause. It does not help anyone to just dismiss this as mere propaganda. We reject inconvenient truths as propaganda at our peril.
As you say, what you are experiencing in your class is not unique to your class, it is a wide spread phenomenon. The root causes of the predicament forced upon you, and countless other hapless teachers on the front line, are embedded in our religious and cultural psyche. You had to face the inevitable consequences of this broken caste system.
We invariably face it. Only thing is that it is not possible to publish as to how we do it!
What goes up comes down eventually. Our great leaders of modern India, from Gokhale to Gandhi, did not bother to engineer a safe-landing. One consequence of that is this classroom encounter.
These are important and vexing issues and there is nobody in sight who is interested in an honest appraisal and bold leadership. One glaring example of what could be, and unfortunately not, is the great TB intellectual Cho. I greatly enjoy his hilarious political commentary. But his talent and charisma are wasted when he serves up apologies for caste and weaves a web of Vedic glory with which no present day problems TBs face can be solved.
We believe in the vedic glory manifesting amongst our community. Veda just did not glorified Brahmins only. But Brahmins attained glory by vedic ways. It should be made possible now. Cho and vedas has to be followed and not argued.
The effect of this colossal failure of TB intellectuals and religious leaders will be felt with increasing severity in the years to come. The point of no return will be soon at hand.
The failure is not with the leaders. It is the followers and following that is creating the problem. Not many is choosing to live the Brahmin way of life nor they have any appreciation for those who do it against all odds.
The problems TBs face is mainly in the economic arena. If they choose to live as a Brahmin is supposed to, as laid down in the Shashthras, there will be no problem with reservation. No Veda patashala will turn a TB away. But what TBs want is not Veda Patashala, they want B.E. and MBBS.
Brahmins never in the history had economic advantage. But still they had a glorious past. TBs should strive to make it possible now by demonstrating their prowess both in Veda Patashala and B.E / M.B.B.S.
Mass migration is a solution, but mass migration to where? Where ever the TBs go, giving up their caste and culture is just a matter of time. Instead, if the religious and intellectual leaders can act in the best interest of the masses, who look up to them, and get rid of caste, nothing more will be lost compared to mass migration. The ex-TBs get to not migrate, live in TN, and enjoy their culture as open, compassionate, and honorable people.
The Ex - TBs should understand as to what is happening in Tamilnadu and coordinate an action plan for perpetual improvement of the community. There is no use in perpetuating migration without understanding the value of Brahminhood.
Cheers!
