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).
