© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
There’s no denying the fact that caste-based discrimination can be found in deep crevices of India’s socio-political environment but will it still be a concern if it’s a matter of someone’s life and death? That too, of a 3-year-old. A blood donation app called Blood+ tweeted requirement of a blood donor from “Kamma caste”, a landholding group falling in the category next to Brahmins in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
The app that describes itself as “Social Blood Donation App” wrote, “#Hyderabad ONLY Kamma Caste Donors, O+ ve blood needed at Max Cure Hospital. 3 yr old CHILD. Pls call 8063266677. Aug 19. Via ShekarNews”.
People on social media were outraged at this ‘selective’ requirement and many shared their shock after reading this. “What if a Kamma caste donor doesn’t come forward? Will they let the child go without blood?” said a user.
The handle has apologised for tweeting this casteist post calling it an accident. “We are sorry if you were offended by an earlier tweet. We want to help others and are repeating info we get. We will now take greater care. Thank you for bringing the issue to our attention. We have since deleted it and would advise no further retweets. It was an accident,” they said. The tweet was also shared by another blood donation group called Blood Donors India.
Many users also said that the requirement is fake as the source -ShekarNews- is known for it’s casteist views they claim. “to cry on one caste, this shekarnews stooped to such low by posting fake news and ur endorsing it,” said a user.
The number given in the tweet is not available and the Twitter handle @shekarnews does not exist anymore.
