Letter to the Prime Minister of India

Date 22 April 2020.

To,

Hon. Shri. Narendra Modi,

Prime Minister of India.

Respected Sir,

We write to apprise you that the term ‘social distancing’ suggested by WHO as a guideline to practice as a countermeasure against COVID-19 pandemic is followed in India.

So far India is concerned, this term has the propensity to be misconstrued and misused to isolate and ex-communicate the SC/ST/OBC/NT/Muslim communities. Racialisation of the term has been rampant in social media throughout the world and Indian media has taken it to a communal level.

It is a fact that Indian society follows a system of social hierarchy known as the caste system. We are well aware of the social stigma attached to the communities belonging to marginalized sections. This was practiced in some States of India typically against people belonging to the North-East of India for their racial features and people following Islam as their religion.

‘WHO’ has discontinued using the term ‘social distancing’ since 20th March 2020 and substituted it with ‘PHYSICAL DISTANCING’.

We are sure that you are not just concerned with the COVID-19 pandemic but also a more deadly virus of the caste system existing typically in India.

In the interest of justice, we request you to kindly look into the matter and  suggest to you to please change/alter/amend/substitute the term ‘social distancing’ with ‘physical distancing’. The amendment will be a wise move against the age old mental virus, the caste system.

Thanking you in anticipation.

Aniket Khadse (Advocate, Bombay High Court, Mumbai),

Himani Rawat (Advocate and Social Worker),

Kunal Ramteke (Independent Journalist and Social Worker).