Second, I did not intend to be an icon for any movement; how people use images and ideas is beyond my control. I just hope my arguments are taken for what they are. But we have to move beyond demonizing any caste or class, upper or lower. Some of the symbolism used by the protestors display a lack of sensitivity to India’s social realities and, as my letter suggests, I do not buy the binary of social justice versus merit that their arguments are based on. Yes, these kids are comparatively privileged; but in a competitive world, with short supply of institutions, they also face an anxious future. Their anxiety is sometimes misdirected and misarticulated, but that is an intellectual and moral vacuum this society as whole faces. I have written about the indignities of caste elsewhere. But I do not believe that virtue is distributed by caste or class, which you letter implicitly suggests. Perhaps I worry too little about the absence of social justice issues in some discourses (though hopefully not about social justice itself). But I think you worry too little about how a mere reference to social justice can itself disable all critique, and excuse all kinds of ineffective and non-sensical policies. And I hope India has space for both of us.

With great admiration,
Pratap Bhanu Mehta