Ad sparks outrage among high castes

An Ahmedabad-based NGO’s recruitment advertisement for sanitation workers has sparked a controversy as it invited general category candidates from the Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaniya, Patel, Jain, Saiyad, Pathan, Syrian Christian and Parsi communities. The NGO, Human Development and Research Centre (HDRC) run by St Xavier’s Non-formal Education Society, received threats from various sections for naming the communities, but it has claimed that the ad was an attempt at ‘inclusiveness’. The premises of the NGO at St Xavier’s College had been “gheraoed” for two days by people claiming affiliation to outfits like Rajput Shaurya Foudation, Yuva Shakti Sangathan, and a Muslim outfit Sunni Avami Forum.

Raza Academy in Mumbai has threatened to file police complaint. “I strongly object on the stand taken by you in which you have transgressed all limits and invited Saiyads for the post of such an insulting job... I immediately advise to issue and apology for your said act in two widely circulated national newspapers,” M. Saeed Noori, general secretary, Raza Academy wrote in a letter.

Rajendra Joshi from Viniyog, a Jain trust, termed it as an insulting to the community. “It has been a conspiracy of the Vatican from last 500 years against other communities. It is demoralising upper castes. The motive behind the ad is not good,” he said.

Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh leader and grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Prakash Ambedkar, however, said that the advertisement was legal. “There is no ban on selecting jobs. There is a typical mindset that particular jobs are done by certain communities only. The opposition to the ad shows this mindset. But I feel, it is perfectly legal,” he said.

However, Tushar Gandhi, great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, questioned motive behind naming the communities. “It is very strange that certain communities are mentioned. I remember during the Satyagraha period, Bapu (Gandhiji) had made it compulsory in prison that higher caste prisoners should volunteer to empty toilet buckets. He did so to negate caste hierarchy. I would have understood if this advertisement is something like that,” he said.

Replying to the objections, HDRC secretary Jimmy Dabhi said, “In this context, we decided to provide opportunity to people from all sections of society... It is to request you all to help us bring social equality through inclusiveness. The advertisement was not intended to hurt any religious, class or community sentiments.”