Misogyny, casteist attacks against Atishi are a product of a silent but salient war

When public life is presented as a war between good and evil regarding acceptable behaviour by women, the historically discriminated and minorities, and dissent to norms is seen as an abiding sin, then we are living in an era without the possibility of change.

atishi pamphlet, Atishi, Atishi Marlena, AAP, AAP Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, east delhi elections, delhi elections, 2019 elections, indian express — The Atishi pamphlet is an end product of a process of a silent but salient war. (PTI)

The most remarkable aspect of the pamphlet regarding AAP candidate Atishi was not that it was widely circulated among the voters of East Delhi. Rather, a very large numbers of them might actually find it both credible as well as a perfectly reasonable comment on women and the behaviour expected of them, the nature of caste and the degeneracy of those with non-majoritarian dietary preferences. Over the past half-decade, the country has witnessed the creation of a series of culture wars that have established a set of norms regarding good and evil. These, in turn, have served to convince large sections of the population that what is now stated as the sign of “goodness” should be taken at face value, rather than questioned.