BJP’s Ram Madhav took party workers to Khan Market to celebrate the Lok Sabha victory to assert the “new political ideology and culture,” that is strengthening in India. He recently wrote, “Khan Market cacophony of pseudo-secular/liberal cartels held a disproportionate sway and stranglehold over the intellectual and policy establishment of the country.” This came after PM Narendra Modi’s jibe at “Khan Market gang”.
ThePrint asks: Why does the Right-wing want to ‘occupy’ Delhi’s liberal hotspot Khan Market?
Now that BJP is firmly ensconced in Lutyens’ Delhi, Right-wing is demonising Khan Market
Shivam Vij
Contributing editor, ThePrint
Before 2014, Narendra Modi’s supporters had turned Lutyens’ Delhi into a term of abuse. The seat of power, occupied by the Congress-led UPA, was projected to be antithetical to the masses of India. Now that the BJP is firmly ensconced in Lutyens’ Delhi, Right-wingers have found another geographical location to demonise: Khan Market. If not Khan Market, they’ll come up with something else. It could have been the India International Centre but that stopped to matter much in 2014 itself.
Demonising liberals as the enemy of the nation is neither new nor surprising in Right-wing politics. The derision of Khan Market was carried out by those who hop, skip and jump from one five-star hotel lobby to another. The increasing attack on “Khan Market” is a metaphor for the Right-wing’s desire to carry out complete domination of thought. There will be no space left for dissent. They will come for Varanasi’s Pappu Chai Shop too.
The Right-wing desire to occupy Khan Market is not to be taken literally. Having conquered “Lutyens” (making Congress irrelevant), the majoritarian Right wants to conquer “Khan Market”, that is, the independent, non-party aligned Left-liberals who don’t subscribe to the idea of a majoritarian state where non-Hindus are second class citizens. The “Khan Market” obsession of the Right-wing is an open declaration of war against freedom, dissent, criticism and questioning.
Ludicrous as it may sound, but “Khan Market” shall resist.
Khan Market represents aspiration for anyone new to Delhi — it’s the place to be bumped into
Kaveree Bamzai
Senior journalist
To all those who want to occupy Khan Market, established in 1951 for refugees from North West Frontier Province and named after Khan Abdul Jabbar Khan, the younger brother of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (popularly known as Frontier Gandhi), perhaps they would like to spend some time among the car repair shops of the adjoining market as well? After all, it is named Prithviraj Market, after one of Delhi’s most famous rulers Prithviraj Chauhan, but it is not to be confused with Prithivraj Road, home of some of the most expensive real estate in the world.
But the obsession with Khan Market has much to do with those who frequent it for its pricey restaurants and pricier stores. It’s a place to be seen and to be bumped into, even if you’re buying a humble sitaphal — sorry, butternut squash — and perfectly round baingan — oops, aubergine.
Khan Market represents aspiration for anyone new to Delhi not because of money, but because of the lineage of that money. Knowing Mithilesh, the uber knowledgeable assistant in the bookshop Bahrisons, or recalling Empire Stores, now the location of a bank, where you’d get imported food, from ham to sardines, marks you out as a member of the elite because it suggests you had the advantage of geography (being born in the Capital) and sociology (to a family that knew the value of good books and fine food). No amount of shopping at Foodhall or Emporio mall can make up for the accident of birth.
Also read: Sushi stop for Gandhis, jewel jaunt for Smriti Irani: Khan Market truly a Lutyens’ darling
Flawed to assume ‘Khan Market gang’ as default liberal. So, Modi’s jibe could very much apply to his own
Ruhi Tewari
Associate editor, ThePrint
Tolerance is a virtue the Indian society appears to be losing fast and the ‘occupy Khan Market’ movement by the Right-wing aptly reflects that.
This is more symbolic than anything else – to show the dominance of a surging Right-wing (which is buoyed by the Narendra Modi-led BJP’s dizzying mandate in this election) over the ‘liberal’, the ‘elite’ and the ‘privileged’. Or ‘naamdaar’, as Modi likes to call them.
He gave the clarion call by taking a stinging swipe at the “Khan Market gang” in an interview to The Indian Express, his ecosystem was quick to take the hint and the ‘movement’ against the plush Lutyen’s Delhi market began.
However, there is one point most seem to be missing. Khan Market may be posh and elite – catering to a certain class of people – but there is no way to tell if it really is ‘liberal’. People of all political and ideological hues visit it regularly, use it as their most frequented hang-out and congregate there.
To be sure, the use of ‘Khan Market’ as a symbol of the liberal is more metaphorical than much else, but even this metaphor is flawed. Especially now, when the elite in Delhi is fast changing, replacing the old with a new set – thanks to a changed regime in power that has ushered in an entirely new ecosystem. So, the next time Modi refers to the “Khan Market gang”, he could very much be referring to his own.
Also read: Why Lutyens’ neighbourhoods like Khan Market are way more inclusive than you think
Khan Market is a big tent, which occupies both the elite liberal and the ‘Right’
Snehesh Alex Philip
Senior associate editor, ThePrint
It is absolutely wrong to assume that Khan Market is a liberal hotspot. What it is, however, is the pulse of the elite central Delhi, dominated by Lutyens where 99 per cent occupants are ministers and politicians, besides of course the rich of South Delhi.
Khan market is one place where you will find not just leaders from the Congress and other opposition parties but also the suave and young politicians from the BJP.
It is the place that the elite go to wine and dine besides of course shopping for exotic fruits and meat.
One often runs into senior bureaucrats, intelligence officials and children of top leaders enjoying a piece of cake at The Big Chill Cakery or some old fashioned Chinese food at China Fare.
Another place for political spotting, besides the numerous watering holes and restaurants, is Anokhi, where one can get good cotton clothes and home furnishing as well as at Good Earth.
The term “Khan Market Gang” was originally coined by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as a dig at a group of young MPs from entitled backgrounds who often ate there during Parliament lunch breaks. It’s an altogether different thing that Jaitley’s own kith and kin can be spotted there.
No matter how one puts it, Khan Market is a big tent which occupies both the elite liberal and the ‘Right’.
The Khan market is essentially a “market”. May be the name Khan in its title has a history. But it is a secular market which attracts people of all walks of life. But our ruling party, its top leaders and its mentor RSS have an islamophobia. That is why they despise the name Khan as their usual practice. But market is a market by whatever name you call it.
A Khan Market where Non Hindus are not second class citizens but true equals and put Bharat first and foremost and way ahead of Qom.
and firm believers in Uniform Civil Law ( yup Sabarimalai is a problem… Hey no one is perfect ).
And no distortion of History… Sorry Romila Thapar.. Your time is over.
Sorry Sheila Dixit, somebody did murder Jessica.
A Khan Market where Organized Religious Conversions ( funded by NGO who are in turn funded by USA to prey on poor hungry tribals ) are banned.
Why not?
“ Right “ is a rough diamond that might need a little cutting and polishing. Watched a programme on NDTV compered by Ms Sarah Jacob. A gentleman called Rajat Sethi kept interrupting senior journalists Vinod Sharma and Arfa Sherwani. Did a Google search and discovered that he has been to both IIT Kharagpur and Harvard.
Smart choice of words – conquer, occupy, attack etc. Voicing opinion or dissent is understandable but creating a narrative by writing such articles is whole new level.
I don’t suppose Government can “occupy” or “conquer” any place as such. However I can understand your apprehensions. I am no anti or pro anyone but I suggest that the knowledgeable authors present a comprehensive view rather than always bashing a particular group.
I discovered Khan Market quite by accident, on extended trips to Delhi, staying at Delhi Gym. Fresh fruit, beer, books and magazines, confectionery, toiletries, a few gift items. Fell in love with the place. Occasionally a VIP would turn up, with commandoes, for the rest regular folk. 2. Some things flow with power and privilege. The children of ministers now study in Doon School and Ivy League colleges in the US. Accept good fortune with grace. Don’t carry such a massive chip on the shoulder for so long. Dekhte dekhte, nizam phir badal jaayega.
Whole of the ThePrint Team is living in fool’s paradise…. The grand crushing of the peers of Khan Market Gang has not prevailed good sense to the Gang… You people could not understand the aspirations of the poor people of this country…. Bcoz of the outpouring support of the Gang, the Piddi and his company of Looters thought to climb to the power….. The Gang could not understand that more than 85% people of this country don’t read or watch English Newspapers and TV channels….. And moreover those who buy English Newspapers, only 25%, mostly retired and out of the sync, read the full newspapers…. And out of that only 10% reach and understand Editorial page even…. ThePrint team is far away from the reality on the ground level…. One thing more, these Liberads are Pseudo Liberads and not truly Liberals say Centrist….. These Liberads are purely ultra Leftist in their thought process and activities… Why no industrialists want to set industry in Bengal even under Mamta Govt….. Where Bhadralok of Bengal has vanished without presence of Right Wing…. Why UP, which has given all the PMs to this country, is still backward…. Why most of the labour class of 24-25 years of age in Delhi or other Metros from UP, Bengal and Bihar are illiterate rather Angootha Tek…. Hope Khan Market Gang will now come out of their hollow Leftist liberal approach…. And see the reality on the ground…. Also hope ThePrint will publish the rejoinder to your one sided view to save your peers and your earnings also….
This write-up reminding me the political hub “Indian Coffee House” situated at the centre of the Connought Place (now Rajiv Gandhi Chowk). This coffee House provided the place to discuss the numerous matters on political issues by way of taking sip of coffee with their lips and special style., even taking puff of ciggerettes at very reasonable rates.