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Anurag Kashyap’s Brahmin Abuse: Maharashtra Government and Mumbai Police’s Inaction Is a National Shamel Shame
Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap recently made a statement that should have triggered outrage across the nation. In response to a provocative social media comment, he wrote, “I will urinate on Brahmins. Any problem?” This wasn’t a joke, nor was it a moment of cinematic provocation. It was a clear, caste-based slur directed at an entire community — and it was made with the kind of confidence that only someone completely assured of impunity could possess. And sure enough, that impunity has been delivered in full by the Maharashtra Government and the Mumbai Police.
Let’s start with the most glaring aspect of this controversy — the complete inaction by law enforcement. A formal complaint was filed by Ashutosh J. Dubey, the head of BJP’s legal cell in Maharashtra, demanding that an FIR be registered against Kashyap for his casteist remark. This is a statement that would, in any other context, easily fall under Section 153A (promoting enmity between groups) and Section 295A (deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code. And yet, as of now, no FIR has been filed, no summons issued, no late-night raid, and certainly no arrest. Compare this with the lightning-fast police action seen when someone posts an offensive meme about a religious minority, or makes an allegedly caste-insensitive remark against Dalits. The difference isn’t just legal — it is moral. And it is damning.
Had the same sentence been spoken about Dalits — the Atrocities Act would have come crashing down on the speaker with full force. It’s a non-bailable offence, and convictions can lead to long-term imprisonment. If the same had been said about Muslims, the social media outrage would have reached global heights. Every news anchor in prime time would have held a virtual public trial. The government would have been forced to act, and the accused would be paraded on national television apologizing under pressure. But apparently, when the abuse is directed at Brahmins, the state decides it’s suddenly an issue of “free speech.”
This hypocrisy is not just confined to the corridors of government. It echoes loudly across television studios and newspapers. There has been no panel debate on this issue. No strongly-worded editorial. The same media outlets that dedicate days of coverage to hate speech controversies have chosen selective silence this time. Is it because Kashyap belongs to their ideological tribe? Is it because the victim group isn’t considered “marginalized enough” to warrant outrage? Either way, their silence is complicity.
Then come the self-proclaimed activists — the “social justice warriors” who find casteism in movie posters, temple rituals, and school textbooks. Where are they now? Where are the Ambedkarite Twitter influencers, the Dalit rights organizations, the caste justice panels? When a Brahmin is abused, it doesn’t fit their convenient narrative of oppression. Because acknowledging this incident as hate speech would challenge the deeply embedded idea in the activist ecosystem that only certain groups can be victims, and others — especially upper castes — deserve ridicule, even hatred.
Social media, the great amplifier of public sentiment, has also proven its biases. The usual cancel mobs are silent. The blue-tick brigade that pressures brands to drop celebrities for controversial opinions is nowhere to be seen. No open letters signed by filmmakers and artists demanding accountability. No trending hashtags. What’s even more ironic is that had the roles been reversed — a public figure from a “privileged” background targeting a marginalized group — the same digital space would have exploded in outrage, petitions, and activism. But since it’s a Brahmin on the receiving end, the silence is almost performative.
We demand that the Maharashtra Government and CM Devendra Fadnavis stop this double standard immediately. Law and order must be applied uniformly — not based on caste, ideology, or social hierarchy. Mumbai Police must file an FIR and initiate legal proceedings. If they fail to do so, the Bombay High Court should take suo moto cognizance of this matter. This is not just about punishing Anurag Kashyap — this is about sending a message that hate speech is hate speech, no matter who the victim is.
So what if Brahmins are an upper caste? Does that make them less human? Do they not have a right to dignity and protection from hate? Or are we now so blinded by the politics of victimhood that we’re willing to normalize abuse — so long as the target belongs to a group we’ve decided doesn’t deserve sympathy?
This is not a defence of caste hierarchy. This is a protest against caste hatred. And if you’re silent now, then you were never against casteism — you were just against Brahmins.
It’s time we stop pretending this is okay. Because it’s not. It’s shameful. And it’s dangerous.
The Maharashtra Government has failed. The Mumbai Police has failed. And most of all, our collective conscience has failed.
We protest. Loudly. Unapologetically. And for once, without selective outrag
