The mark of a man

The ongoing moustache protest is only the latest blot on the face of a nation that has failed to ensure even the safety of the Dalit community

A turf war has broken out in Gujarat, and at the centre of it is the innocuous moustache. Often seen as a sign of masculinity, it has overnight become a weapon of protest and identity assertion.
 
After some Dalit men were allegedly attacked by Rajputs for sporting a moustache, a privilege they believed only upper castes have the right to, over 300 Dalits from villages around Sanand in Gujarat have turned to this very symbol of dominance to lodge their protest and challenge their oppressors. They have put up a logo of a twirled moustache with a crown beneath