As India considers its next step as the 21-day national lockdown nears its end, poet and comedian Varun Grover's Twitter thread on how people have failed to realise their privilege sparked a debate. Grover took to Twitter to share an incident he witnessed recently while buying vegetables. He spoke of how one couple tried to pay less than the amount quoted by the seller. According to Grover, the couple bought vegetables worth Rs 315, but paid only pay Rs 300 and had walked away "with a casual wave of hand". It was only after the vegetable seller protested that the couple agreed to pay. But they still paid five rupees less. Y'day while waiting to buy vegetables at the nearby sabzi stall - a couple just ahead of me made me realize (yet again) one of the defining features of the urban elite. They bought stuff worth INR 315 & then started walking off after paying INR 300 with a casual wave of hand. — वरुण 🇮🇳 (@varungrover) April 8, 2020 Grover pointed out that vegetable prices in his city haven't risen. Sabzi waala said tamaatar 20 rupaye kilo hai, kidhar mehenga hai? They looked at each other, deciding a number in their cold-gaze secret language, and the man took out a 10 rupees note and handed it over with a look of ehsaan. — वरुण 🇮🇳 (@varungrover) April 8, 2020 Although the seller didn't protest after getting Rs 10, Grover said he told the couple that they should be ashamed of themselves. He said that they stormed off after a brief argument. I told him you are trying to pinch this guy - an essential worker in these pre-apocalyptic times - of INR 5. FIVE! Don't you find that shameful? After repeating who are you a couple more times & probably not in the mood for longer sentences he ended it with "FUCK YOU" & left. — वरुण 🇮🇳 (@varungrover) April 8, 2020 Grover said that while the seller didn't object, it was about much more. "I understand - probably those five rupees mean nothing for both the parties in this case but decency, respect, and fairness is a social contract that should get stronger in times of distress," he tweeted. He criticised the urban elite for letting their feeling of persecution trump all other emotions and for believing that they were entitled to decide how the less privileged lived as well: For urban elite - with all their privilege & money - the feeling of persecution complex STILL trumps all other states of being. In this imagination, everyone out there is planning to dupe them & they must choose distrust over decency, bad faith over good to save themselves. — वरुण 🇮🇳 (@varungrover) April 8, 2020 Everyone out there is an OTHER they don't want to interact with and still believe they know everything about. They can decide the right price of veggies, how much an underprivileged person should eat, what they should eat, and when they should stop asking for more. /end rant — वरुण 🇮🇳 (@varungrover) April 8, 2020 The thread started a conversation with people discussing the lack of empathy shown by many. People also criticised the couple Grover had mentioned and pointed out the double standards of the urban elite. Here's how people reacted: I feel angry when i hear people boasting about how they are making food and snacks for the building watchmen. Whats there to boast. Its their own need. These people are away from family and endangering their life and yet we want to feel loke the benevolent one. — Onir (@IamOnir) April 8, 2020 Thread. I'd love to see this couple try these antics while paying the bill at More, Spencer's or Namdhari's. or while paying for these vegetable CoD on Amazon, Big Basket or Flipkart. — Karthik (@beastoftraal) April 8, 2020 The sense of entitlement of the Indian upper middle class is extraordinary — Kiyomizu. Flatten The Damned Curve. (@1971Kiyomizu) April 8, 2020 These are the same urban elite who take pride in not giving the subzi waala his due earning but are super happy to pay for an over prices watch or a computer because they know they can bully the poor.. makes me so mad .. — Kanupriya Misra (@KayPee1703) April 8, 2020 I don't get it why the middle class negotiate with daily wage workers for meagre amount of money while happily pay highly raised amounts at restaurants and malls. — Heena Naz (@i_stan_mnm) April 8, 2020 Same people will happily pay extra for same vegetables sold from a fancy retail store. — Nitin Sinha (@NsNitinsinha) April 8, 2020 The same nut cases would live a tip at a fancy restaurant when dining out with friends just to show off. — Anthony Joseph (@anthonyjos) April 8, 2020 That would have been epic.but Elite Class a-hole would probably have stepped up for a fight since one dared to compare him to a poor man. — বিদ্রোহী কবি (@shackmaster) April 8, 2020 Paying essential workers less in this time of distress is such a shameful act. And they are banging plates and lighting diyas for show off that they care about society too mch !! Whats this nonsense.#Hypocrisy — ● ∩⊙ ⊙∩ε ● (@manishajain786) April 8, 2020 Disgusting. Why are people so callous? In these times when everyone is offering extra money why are some people like this? Urban elite. yes. Believe me people in villages are large hearted. Always experienced it. — mRiDuAL (@writingdoll) April 8, 2020 In fact if he's your regular veg n fruit vendor it makes sense to advance him some amount. It's win-win situation. He is funded in diff times and for the customers, u r his priority cust n there is no exchange of currencies. It also saves precious times n crowding. — Abhijit Sengupta (@abhijitsgoap) April 8, 2020 This is simply despicable. Definitely isn’t how you “save money”. — Rahul Raj (@startupkesari) April 8, 2020 apathy of urban elite is the most repugnant part of Indian society. They underpay their domestic help, driver, guard etc., then take pride in their lifestyle - 'look where hardwork can get you!'. The baksheesh calculatedly handed to them during festivals is peak charity for them! — Rashdah (@rashdah_) April 8, 2020 Money can't get you decency.can't get you character. — Biswas Mishra (@Lakdoo) April 8, 2020 The urban elite is vicious, petty & insensitive AF. So many don't want to pay their maids, even in such horrible times are hoarding on necessities & the worst is bargaining with a daily wager These are the same who want taxes reduced&Ambani to spend less on his daughter's wedding — Srishti Rajiv Sharma (@SrishtiRajiv) April 8, 2020 This is beyond disgusting. It's funny how people confuse basic decency as acts of kindness. One may be incapable of empathising, but is at least capable of behaving with a little dignity. — Sudipta Purkayastha (@sudiptap30) April 8, 2020 Across India, local vendors and grocery shops have had been tasked with ensuring people don't run out of supplies while trying to slow the spread of the disease. As far as the availability of food is concerned, the country has more than adequate stock. Also, thanks to a surplus monsoon, a bumper rabi crop is on its way. However, getting the food to plates could prove to be a problem, with a majorly disrupted supply chain, Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandis shut, and inter-state movement of goods restricted. The extent of the distress the country might have to feel will depend on how soon and how effectively the links between field and table are restored.
