No Women, South Indians, Dalits on Culture Panel: Oppn Points

A 16-member committee was formed to study evolution of Indian culture dating back to around 12,000 years ago.

Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy on Wednesday, 16 September, pointed that the 16-member committee set up to study the country'’s culture for the past 12,000 years, did not have any women or South Indians who understood Dravidian history, as members.

Just a day earlier, DMK leader Kanimozhi asked the government why it has not included the names of people to religious minorities or Dalit community as a part of the panel. Notably, no member from the Northeast part of the country has also been included.

WHAT IS THIS COMMITTEE ABOUT?

The Union Ministry of Culture has formed an expert committee for conducting a study on the origin and evolution of Indian culture dating back to around 12,000 years ago. The 16-member committee has among others K N Dikshit, Chairman, Indian Archaeological Society, New Delhi and former Joint Director General, Archaeological Survey of India as its members.

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THE BIG POINTS

Taking to Twitter, Kumaraswamy pointed that while we compare the country to being “our mother”, there was no place for women to study the culture of the country.

“We compare the country to our mother and the holy cow. How is that the committee to study the culture of a country that worships women does not have a place for any woman?”

HD Kumaraswamy, Former Karnataka CM

He also questioned by South Indians were being kept out of the panel and demanded that the entire committee be reconstituted.

“Is it possible to conduct a fair and unbiased study of Karnataka’s culture and heritage without having Kannadiga representatives in the committee? How can we think of studying the history and culture of the entire country by keeping South Indians out?”

HD Kumaraswamy, Former Karnataka CM

The Centre has constituted a 16-member expert committee to study Indian culture for the past 12000years.
It is very unfortunate that the expert committee does not have any Kannadigas or South Indians who know Dravidian culture. The committee does not even have a woman member!
1/4 pic.twitter.com/QO2ZgHXCoD

— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) September 16, 2020

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THE BOTTOMLINE

“Can’t minorities and Dalits speak about Indian culture? Or are they ineligible,” asked DMK’s Kanimozhi, in a tweet in Tamil.

Soon after her tweet went viral, classical singer TM Krishna too commented saying that the committee was “casteist and patriarchal.”

This committee constituted by the Govt of India to study Indian Culture is proof if its bigoted, casteist, patriarchal nature. Culture is where the most damage is being done. We are ignoring it at our own peril. https://t.co/Jhcz5jKBVg

— T M Krishna (@tmkrishna) September 15, 2020