Why I differ from Rajdeep Sardesai's casteist tweet being his admirer myself?

Of late I have received lot of flak for 'blindly' following Senior Journalist Rajdeep Sardesai from that fracas at Madison Square Garden to recent 'item girl' remarks at literary fest where Sardesai was in talks with Shobhaa De. I still stand with my decision of tweeting all those #IStandWithRajdeep tweets but what has suddenly surprised and worried me is his last night's tweet, which read:

"Big day for my Goa. Two GSBs, both talented politicians become full cabinet ministers. Saraswat Pride!! @manoharparrikar and Suresh Prabhu."

What's wrong in it? Exactly. There wasn't any wrong until you and I tweet anything as such. I too was born in Goa and am proud of the state. Further I was little pained over Parrikar's resignation as he was leaving Goa but was happy that we were having first cabinet minister from the state! But I didn't tweeted anything. There's no fault in tweeting; you have your right to expression, freedom of speech. But may be at the same time you have a social responsibility. Like for instance, the both superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Rajinikanth have their right to smoke but why is it that when SRK smokes in public it becomes news? Why that random-but-agitated guy files PIL to stop actor from smoking in public? Because they both in their own way leave an impression. When SRK smokes, it's not just him but there is someone who is looking at him, who idolizes him and is thinking of giving it a shot! Not that Shah Rukh or Rajinikanth don't have their right to smoke; they have until it is banned and illegal in India which it is not!

Rajdeep Sardesai is not just any other journalist or senior Journalist for that instance but celebrated one. On social networking site he had more than 1.7 million plus followers, most for any journalist in India. His new book '2014: the election that changed India' had been selling like hot cake. Least to say is already a blockbuster in India with all those sold-out signs. His small remarks become news here. And when such a person flaunts his caste identity, it should certainly be a news, the one that puts us to thought.

Why am I agitated over one single tweet? Really, why so much Kolavery(anger)? Unlike few of others who flood Sardesai's timeline each time with anger and hatred and much worse, I had switched to writing from his personal site to here. In his own words - you have your right to have opinion, you have your right to differ but not to get physical or abusive! So dear Rajdeep Sardesai, here I am, with an opinion or view that I differ from yours to flaunt caste pride on social platform where you have followers in millions. I differ and feel left out because it's same you who told us to refrain from caste-creed divide and today... May be it's too much over a tweet but than it's not some random Tom-Dick-n-Harry too!

Not that I want you to delete that tweet, I do understand your feelings while tweeting the same. I do get them when someone from my family tops others but not everyone understands everything. Tomorrow someone else will flaunt some other caste, other prominent figure of his caste. Oh wait, you did that too! We all knew Master Blaster through his bat, records, humility but the follow up tweet which you retweeted reminded us sadly of his caste, the community he came from. A tweet Sardesai retweeted read:

"@sardesairajdeep Big month for GSBs as well. Both yours & @sachin_rt's book released!"

Now with no doubt, regret or hold back whatsoever, I condemn it. Sachin Tendulkar to me is above all the shallow divides and boundaries set by human mind. Nobody should put him in any of those brackets! And if I remember right, you too were one among the millions who condemned Raj's remarks on  Sachin when master has declared he is Indian first and mumbaikar next!

Hope you take note of this.

P. S. : I'm a fan and admirer of Rajdeep Sardesai who follows him closely from reading his book to blogs to tweets of course!

Image Courtesy: Niti Central