When researching Coming Out as Dalit, I often struggled to understand how exactly did 'upper' castes subterfuge caste discrimination as nonexistent not only in our society but internationally.
After spending 3 hours with @surajyengde's EXCELLENT treatise, I finally know. 1/n
They did that by dominating almost ALL positions of power and foreign policy, effectively eliminating Ambedkar, & nitpicking on the differences between Caste & Race to exclude it from international attention.
Why solidarity b/w Dalit Panthers & Black Panthers? This! 2/n
As we stand today in a crucial moment of America recokning (once again) of its racist origins, it's vital for Dalit and Black solidarity to take shape.
We NEED to counter the decades-long propoganda (which even Indians believe) that Caste is somehow not as savage as race 3/n
We must stand for Black Lives Matter. But if the 'upper' caste solidarity, in India AND the US, exists in a vacuum w/o acknowledging the vicious roots of caste in their own homes, friend groups, and families, then it's nothing beyond a hashtag thrown for clout on Instagram.
4/n
Everyone go READ this brilliant article by @surajyengde on the history of systemic obfuscation of caste in India and on an international stage.
Maybe then we'll be able to answer: Why Dalit Lives Don't Matter.
caravanmagazine.in/essay/race-cas… @thecaravanindia n/n
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