New Delhi, Nov. 16 -- They stood holding English placards, some of which even had commas. They were serious, and they were angry. The upper classes of Delhi were protesting the abysmal air quality in the capital region before being hauled into buses by constables. The masters were being evicted by the working class. This was not unprecedented, but still unusual, like the fact that Indians were protesting for a better quality of life.

Recently, in Bengaluru and Chennai, too, the upper classes have publicly demanded a better life from the government. In Gurugram, affluent people go around taking pictures of filth and garbage-burning to relentlessly post them on social media. The municipality sulks and does not respond, as it only does so i...