The Hindu : Opinion / Letters : Don’t exclude
Well said Iniyan Elango. One more thing should have been added to your letter. In the matrimonial Columns too, I could read a typical casteist advertisement very often which goes like this: Caste no bar(SC/ST excuse). The Hindu can avoid such advertisements but quite obviously they cannot sell the 16-page newsstuff+ supplements for Rs.5/- Infact your letter also got published thanks to the adverti...sement given by our enemy. Even communism is propagated only with the sponsorship of corporates. Dalit issues and identity issues are taken care of by the exploiters-the Brahmins. We are living in a complicated world. Whatever said and done, the mindset of the upper caste individuals wont change. If the Hindu refuses to publish their advertisement they may opt for the other mainstream Brahmin Newspapers. Anyhow, What you have said is a pinch of salt. We have to unravel an ocean of such subtle invisible discriminatory practices. Thank you for your letter.
Your ‘Property Plus’ supplement (April 7, 2012) carried an advertisement for the sale of flats with a caption stating “only Brahmins,” excluding non-Brahmin castes, Dalits and religious minorities such as Muslims, Christians, Jains, Buddhists, Sikhs, etc., from buying or residing in the flats, thus discriminating against people on the basis of caste and religion, thereby violating the letter and spirit of Articles 15 and 17 of the Constitution. Excluding Dalits from buying the advertised flats can only be construed as an expression of untouchability against them.
Excluding people based on caste or religion from the sale, rental or residence of housing facilities is a blatant act of bigotry and oppression that causes great distress to the victims apart from leading to social balkanisation of our nation due to caste segregation and religious polarisation. Such advertisements and business practices which exclude people on the basis of caste or religion should be proscribed.
Iniyan Elango, Chennai
The Editor replies:
The Hindu stands against discrimination and exclusion. My colleagues do their best to scrutinise the fine print of all advertisements received to ensure they are not contrary to constitutional values. Sometimes, regrettably, things get by. The condition stipulated by the advertiser in this particular advertisement was inadvertently carried.
The Hindu had no intention to hurt the feelings of anyone. There is no question of The Hindu endorsing anything in any advertisement, much less one that is socially exclusive.
