My Elite, Your Elite and the Whatabout in between..
Elite is a word as you prefer to see it. When I say Hilly-Khas/Arya elite, you could use your selective perception and gather that it has been used for the entire community and press attention on the statement, misuse it– to fuel fire, to keep the ultimate point on a backseat and just to keep your voice going. Fair. I also wish to keep my voice going. Unfortunately, most coming across the word get offended by the word matched against their cultural-belonging. However, when we use it, it is for those who have been running the show, ‘directing’ progress to their favor and reaping the benefits for the longest time (till date) and that eminently happens to be the Hill-Khas/Arya community. Correct me if I am wrong. I know ain’t so. Now I don’t have a hand in the fact that they have been doing what they have been doing and they form the majority.
We don’t even claim that Madhes is free of elites itself. However the ones who you say (Madhesi Brahmin, Zamindars) are the responsible for Madhes’ plight don’t even for make up significant amount of representation of total injustice faced by Madhesis. Injustice yes, but not as much as you would like to have on your plate. And your tactic goes haywire. You need a better अस्त्र, really. Trust me even if you don’t want to.
Every time we say elite, you go on your whataboutery ride. “What about backward hilly Khas? Those are elites?” If not direct questions your intentions are all over the floor.
Here, about what: We have never once claimed that those in the ever-so-remote areas of the far-western hills aren’t deprived. We have never once tagged crowned them with the elite crown. If this is what you want to hear. So why is that that when every-time we say elite, to get our points obscured, YOU divert the topic and throw the matter on the backward section of the community to hold?
Elite is not privilege, elite is not money or possession of material or belonging to a certain class. Elite is mentality- like yours. Like many of yours. The fear, the insecurity. Elite is who cannot say unfair is unfair and one who has to victimize the sufferers of his group (who he otherwise doesn’t give a crap about) to supress the demands of another struggling group asking for their rights. Elite is who doesn’t believe in sharing but allocating according to one’s bad math. Elite is not everyone who you tag to be if they so much as have a little sympathy towards the Madhes cause. Neither is it a guilt bearing. Elite is you who cannot stand diverse opinions and gets too offensive on a defense. Ineffective state for the longest time hasn’t been able to or has not wanted to shed its centralized garbs. Not for Far west, west, east and even the corners of center. We feel for everyone.
About what: We’ve seen Madhes, the breeding injustice and the bias that has always been used against it, one that has halted its progress despite being a favorable stage for one– from very close. Much of hills also have been in a state of limbo for the longest time too but I have not seen it. I have seen Madhes, I have lived Madhes so I speak for her. I leave it for others to speak as much about the backward hills on papers and on social media on a regular basis and not just when Madhes issue comes to the fore.
Elite is, again, when you use sufferings of a community only when the one you disagree with is contesting a struggle. Elite is when पिछडिएको कर्णाली becomes बिचरा exactly only when दबिएको मधेस starts demanding the rights that belong to them. Where was all the love for Jumla, Mugu, Darchula when things were in your favor? मुटु भरी right Bah! Unelited.
