On January 1, over ten lakh Dalits assembled at Koregaon Bhima, 30km from Pune, to mark the 200th anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima Battle of 1818. This celebration was marred by Hindutva fringe groups, who allegedly torched 40 vehicles, resulting in violence that injured twelve and killed one. Dalits leaders then called for a statewide bandh in Maharashtra on Wednesday, January 3.
With everyone from politicians to news channels ‘debating’ on the currently ongoing Dalit protests, obviously Twitter couldn’t be far behind.
Never one to pass up on an opportunity to place his foot firmly in his mouth, Vivek Agnihotri took to the micro-blogging website to share his abysmally ignorant views with the world. He spoke about the time when ‘a Dalit flew first-class in a flight while Vivek sat in economy’. Calling this change ‘an inverted pyramid’, Vivek was apparently trying to explain how the caste is no longer ‘an issue’.
Sometime ago, on a flight I saw a great Dalit leader’s grandson sitting on 1A, business class and I wrote this in notes. Just found. pic.twitter.com/NaEW2bGnkC
— Vivek Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) January 3, 2018
To which Neeraj Ghaywan responded with this:
I am a Dalit. I won the Cannes film award for our country. Also the Cannes advertising award. I won the National award & the Filmfare award. All without using my Dalit identity. And yes, I fly business class now and I will offer you my seat next time you’re on the same plane. pic.twitter.com/i2kfuqpwCi
— Neeraj Ghaywan (@ghaywan) January 3, 2018
Agnihotri, obviously, did not back down after Ghaywan’s amazing response. He said Ghaywan took the tweet out of context and was playing the Dalit card. Like Agnihotri, Ghaywan too didn’t back down, and by the end of it had Twitter cheering for the Masaan director.
I am proud of you as a filmmaker. I also like the way you opened your tweet. https://t.co/WNSMfrDhYs
— Vivek Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) January 3, 2018
Out of context. pic.twitter.com/7gSgMqIxgG
— Vivek Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) January 4, 2018
This is how Urban Naxalism works. Take things out of context and play Dalit/minority/feminist cards and divide people on these lines.
— Vivek Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) January 4, 2018
Will never use the caste card nor will I look down upon it.
— Neeraj Ghaywan (@ghaywan) January 3, 2018
But I must use Dalit Card to reply to a tweet. How else would I attract fellow Urban Naxals to abuse an UC fellow who is here to expose them? https://t.co/7defBgiGGG
— Vivek Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) January 4, 2018
One reaches the top but claims to have never used Dalit card in his life. But to reply to a fleeting tweet one must play Dalit Card. This is the most dangerous and hypocritical face of casteism. https://t.co/WNSMfrDhYs
— Vivek Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) January 4, 2018
But he says he never plays Dalit Card. Also, Cannes Awards’s don’t lie. https://t.co/8En864W6PC
— Vivek Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) January 4, 2018
And then there were players on both sides:
no need to offer your hard earned first class seat; just continue not to use the caste card. and yes, inspire others too.
— Susmita Das Gupta (@SusMee) January 3, 2018
Ashamed to call myself a citizen of this country: Neeraj Ghaywan on Padmavati row
Hope @ghaywan will show the same kind of outrage over large scale violence in Mumbai. Seems he is ok with Vandals burning 200 buses & cars and killing an innocent bystander https://t.co/zdRHcP85OD— Girish S (@girishs2) January 4, 2018
Wow Neeraj
— atul kasbekar (@atulkasbekar) January 3, 2018
You are being too kind to a resentful, casteist creep. If you offer him your seat I will sit on dharna outside your house in protest 🙂
— Anna MM Vetticad (@annavetticad) January 3, 2018
And Agnihotri’s response to it:
In the mind of a hateful Urban Naxal journalist. https://t.co/Fh16o8mdwa
— Vivek Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) January 4, 2018
This Twitter exchange was surely exhausting.
A look at Vivek Agnihotri’s timeline and arriving at the conclusion that his tweets are full of incomprehension isn’t difficult. Have a look:
There is always a choice. https://t.co/nmkr4giesW
— Vivek Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) January 3, 2018
People are fundamentally good. I don’t understand what happens to them once they are on Twitter. Happy new year @Shehla_Rashid In 2018, remain Urban, drop Naxal. Let’s build a #NewIndia https://t.co/ymE08aIt7p
— Vivek Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) January 2, 2018
Political resolution of 2018:
1. @narendramodi : Build #NewIndia
2. BJP/RSS: Build Temple
3. Congress/cronies: Build @OfficeOfRG
4. Regional parties: Build Bankbalance
5. Media: Build hate/communalism (build bank balance)
6. Urban Naxals : BREAK EVERYTHING.— Vivek Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) January 1, 2018
He is definitely obsessed with ‘Urban Naxals’, whatever that means!
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