Dalit groups accuse venue of being ‘casteist’, seek immediate shutdown of outlet

The Piano Man Jazz Club, a popular venue for live music in south Delhi’s Safdarjung Enclave, cancelled a performance scheduled for Monday night after it received criticism for hosting a performance by a band called “Bhangijumping”.

Flood of comments

The event page on Facebook was flooded with comments accusing the venue of being “casteist” for agreeing to host a band with such a name.

The petitioners wrote, “Bhangi is a scheduled caste community forced into manual scavenging and sweeping work in India. The word bhangi is considered a slur used to describe ‘dirty addicts’ and forward castes use it on each other as an insult, as well as use it towards the Bhangi community to dehumanise and reduce their identity to something associated with ‘filth’ [sic].”

Petition started

A change.org petition was also started by “outraged Dalit Bahujans and Adivasis” to shut down the club and book the offenders under the Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989.

The petitioners also slammed the club owner for calling them “small-minded” and “aggressive” for boycotting the club.

Responding to the allegations, the owner, Arjun Sagar Gupta, said it was never his intention to hurt anyone.

“I apologise for being insensitive and hurting the sentiments of people. I would never again do such a thing, intentionally or unintentionally,” said Mr. Gupta.

‘Comments unjustified’

He, however, said the comments posted on Facebook were “unjustified.”

“We had no intention of shaming or oppressing anybody. However, that sort of name-calling on Facebook was unjustified and unacceptable,” he said.

The band, which has previously performed in the city as well, meanwhile, has deleted its presence from social media.