“Keywords” In Our Discourse 

Renowned Marxist thinker Raymond Williams compiled a list of words that carry layered meanings and reflect underlying political struggles in his 1976 work ‘Keywords: A Vocabulary of Culture and Society’. In the Indian context too, certain keywords appear in daily discourse that wield a profound influence at both individual and societal levels. This is an effort to discuss some such “Keywords” that, when used uncritically in news reporting, distort meaning and perpetuate paradoxes.

Cow Vigilante

A vigilante is defined as “someone who takes law into their own hands because they believe the legal system to be ineffective”. The word “vigilante” often has a positive connotation among the public as it is associated with such characters as Batman, a superhero figure. What law permits so-called “cow vigilantes” to assault and murder people? Applying “vigilante” to those who maim or kill poor, often innocent Muslims, Dalits, or other marginalised caste individuals engaged in cattle transport is disturbingly generous and deeply misplaced. What these supposed “vigilantes” are actually doing is premeditated torture and murder of oppressed individuals that are stuck at the bottom of this insurmountably unequal society. Shouldn’t we call them what they are—“murderers in the name of the cow,” “cow hooligans,” or more aptly, “cow terrorists”?

There have been more than 50 documented incidents of such hateful acts often leading to deaths since 2014, the year Narendra Modi became Prime Minister. Each successive Modi victory appears to have further emboldened rightwing youth to engage in these brutal attacks. It is imperative at least on part of the media to avoid glorifying murderers as vigilantes and accurately call them out for who they are – anti-social elements. Such a semantic correction could serve as a deterrent, stripping away the false honor and forcing perpetrators to reckon with the shame of their actions.

Honour Killing

The term “honor killing” refers to killing of a family member who is believed to have brought shame on the family. But what “honor” lies in murder? Even if the killer imagines “honor” in such violence, why should the media and society validate that delusion by echoing the term? There should be no place for such gruesome murders of family members in this time and age. Yet, these killings persist—across regions, castes, and communities. Victims of this horrendous practice are typically women and sometimes even their male partners. The origins of this practice hark back to the fact that women are treated as property by ignorant, arrogant and ultra-conservative patriarchs under the garb of culture, ancestry and “honor”. Such men viciously target women who “cross the line”, that line drawn by caste and patriarchy.

In a society that is infested with the scourge of caste, such men see “honor” in punishing the women that are free-willed and test the boundaries of caste and family. The more accurate term to describe these killings would be “femicide” when the victim is a woman. When the Patriarchs venture out and kill the male partner of a woman from their family, it is a pre-meditated, cold-blooded murder and not an “honor” killing. In reality, it is these perpetrators that are bringing dishonor and disrepute to our society and country, not the other way around. By obstructing social progress, they stand in direct opposition to the values of a constitutional nation—traitors to modern India itself.

“Upper” and “Lower” Castes

Our newspapers and media spaces are full of these words – “upper” and “lower” castes. We all are aware of the origin of caste superiority and inferiority that can be chalked back to Manusmriti and other outdated texts written by narrow-minded usurpers. But to constantly keep the terms “upper” and “lower” in our discourse serves only to inflate the ego of supposedly “upper” castes and inflict mental agony on the supposedly “lower” castes. The argument here is not that caste has vanished in modern India. Caste, of course, is ubiquitous in a country where the proportion of inter-caste marriages is only in single-digits. It is also imperative to shine light on caste distinctions at every possible opportunity until we reach a more just society. But the terms “upper” and “lower” castes only portray a limited view. Certainly, the so-called “upper” castes remain, by and large, more privileged and economically secure. But they are by no means superior or “upper” by birth nor the “lower” castes inferior by birth.

A more truthful nomenclature would be “oppressor castes” and “oppressed castes”—terms that reflect historical reality without demeaning the disadvantaged. There is no need for modern discourse to comply with the Manuwadi norms of “upper” and “lower”, “superior” and “inferior” solely due to birth. In fact, such language is not only archaic, it is disgraceful.

Elopement

Though the word “elopement” has varied meanings particularly in the modern world, in the Indian context, this typically hints at a woman that has left her house in pursuit of love or marriage against the will of her parents and/or other family members. It is generally seen in a demeaning manner. When it comes to married women that have left their homes, the weight of moral policing is even more hefty. News reports often use “elopement” in their headings prominently. In most of these cases, the women in question are constitutionally adults. They typically leave their homes out of desperation in search of a new life out of their own volition.

The news reports that use the word “elopement” do not take into account the viewpoint of the women. These reports often reflect the family’s biased narrative, sidelining the woman’s agency. By repeating their perspective, the newspapers and the society that participates in this discourse are doing a dis-service to the women. It is of course possible that some women might get duped or even worse. Nevertheless, it does not give the society any right to portray these women as elopers. The word itself signifies that the women belong to their homes, with no right to act of their own volition, almost like a piece of property. This again stems from the Patriarchic roots of our society. A more responsible approach would be to simply report that a family member has filed a missing person’s complaint, without framing it as “elopement.”

Our lexicon remains littered with terms that distort, dehumanise, and disempower. We must shed them if we are to move toward a truly just and equitable society.