We had a quiet Diwali dinner with some South Asian literati here in Cambridge, Mass. No fireworks, but some useful clarity especially about the need for a unified South Asian voice, and where Brown Pundits fits in.
Threads, Fire, and a New Warrior Class
Kabir remains catnip for the Commentariat or as Iāll now call them, the Saffroniate (Brahmins or Brahminised). They pretend otherwise, but the numbers donāt lie. The threads light up when heās around and yes, Iām aware of the layered joke: threads mean something else too, especially to our youngest Pundits-in-training. Continue reading Fire and the Saffroniate
A week ago, I imposed an interdiction on Kabir ; a move I felt was necessary at the time, not because of his views, but because of the manner in which they were expressed. His tone, his dismissal of this platform, and his tendency to escalate rather than de-escalate all contributed to that decision. But now, I find myself wondering: was Kabir right about Brown Pundits?
Since his departure, the commentariat has gone unusually quiet. Threads that once sparked with disagreement, energy, and engagement have gone still. There is a strange calm but it feels like the calm of a museum, not a marketplace of ideas. And whatās become increasingly clear is that the āpeaceā has come at a cost. That cost is vibrancy. That cost is friction. That cost is participation. Kabir, for all his faults, drew fire, and fire draws people.
This raises a more fundamental question: am I overestimating the commentariatās interest in the core mission of Brown Pundits? Were people here for civilizational dialogue, or were they here for the masala of Indo-Pak antagonism? Itās disheartening to admit, but the numbers speak for themselves. Kabir had been blocked years before (not by me), and when I released Loki from his cage, well on his return, so did the attention. Continue reading Was Kabir Right?
Iāve made a decision: Kabir will no longer be allowed to comment on Brown Pundits.
This isnāt about silencing the only active Pakistani Muslim voice here. Nor is it about shutting down disagreement. Itās about something more basic: respect; for this space, for conversation, and for the people who show up in good faith.
Earlier today, I had to invoke the five-comment deletion rule after one of Sbarrkumās replies crossed a line. He impliedgrotesque accusations. Iāve said it before: all life is sacred. That kind of slander wonāt stand. Ever.
The admins have asked me for some time to be firmer. Iāve held back. I value openness. But Brown Pundits is not a free-for-all. We care about how people argue, not just what they argue.
Iād meant to write something calmer after yoga. Because I care about this project. I believe in it. BP must be a place of respect. That comes from a deeper idea; dharma, a commitment to plurality and balance. Even when we fall short, thatās the standard we aim for.
Iām not saying India, or the BP commentariat, always gets it right. Sometimes, on topics like caste, we speak from a place of blind privilege. And as the founder, I know my voice carries weight. Thatās not always fair.
But this is the key: we must disagree with grace. And Kabir doesnāt. His tone is often scornful. He treats this space as beneath him.
Over the years, Iāve seen something: for many Pakistanis, the deepest value is ‘Izzat; honour and status. It often matters more than truth. But that ‘Izzat seems to vanish in the face of powerāespecially when that power is Western or Arab. Kabir speaks glowingly of āthe West.ā But when it comes to Dharma Asia, he sneers.
That sneer has been aimed at Brown Pundits. And I wonāt allow that anymore. Kabir may see BP as ālesser,ā unworthy of his respect. You donāt get to sneer and stay.
This isnāt a permanent ban. But it is an interdiction. Kabir is welcome to focus on his Substack. I wish him well. If he ever wants to return, he can contact me directly. But that will require real contrition; not performance.
Let me end with this: this is not about politics. People here hold strong views; on India, on Palestine, on religion. Thatās not the problem. The problem is contempt. Mockery. Scorn. Brown Pundits will always welcome hard conversations. But only if theyāre honest. And only if theyāre respectful.
