Eight years after it was released, the contents of a book authored by dalit activist and writer Kancha Ilaiah has enraged members of Arya Vysya community. The Hyderabad-based activist has been receiving threatening calls after a Telugu book titled Samajika Smugglurlu Komatollu (Vysyas are social smugglers) hit the stands few weeks ago. The book is the Telugu version of some of the chapters found in 'Post-Hindu India', authored by Ilaiah himself and published in 2009.
“I received an abusive phone call at around 3.50am on Monday and since then such calls have not stopped,” said Ilaiah. “A member of Arya Vysya community threatened me on TV channel that he will cut off my tongue and another one said that cases will be booked against me in police stations across the country. He wants to say that I can be attacked whenever I attend court cases. This is an unusual display of murderous tactic. I am being threatened by the richest community in this country which is well-connected in Delhi.”
According to Ilaiah, he is being targeted for coining the term 'social smuggling' and questioning the trading community for exploiting lower castes. “I have come out with a new concept based on caste-based markets long back. This is not a criminal activity. If anyone has a problem, let them write articles or come out with a book. I am even ready for an intellectual debate,” he said.
Ilaiah, who lodged a police complaint, has been provided security cover.
The title of the book has invited widespread criticism in the last 48 hours. Welfare associations and individuals belonging to the community want a ban on the book. Apart from burning the effigies of Ilaiah, some of the protesters also took to social media to vent their ire and demanded an apology from the writer.
“He is a professor but a bad example for younger generation. He is just interested in dividing Hindus and insulting few communities,” said said A. Lakshminarayana, president, Telangana Arya Vysya Mahasabha who submitted a representation to the DGP of Telangana, Anurag Sharma, demanding Ilaiah's arrest.
“Nobody from our community has threatened him. He is making allegations without any proof. We are hurt by his writings. We will continue our protests in AP and Telangana till he apologises or withdraws his book.”
