Something I learned recently - it is not enough to win the debate but the audience must know that you have won. SV/EVR will readily concede in private that there is no debate, but the audience thinks he won. We havent paid attention to rebuttal in the local idiom.

what about this offensive ? Why rake up SV caste - even if he attacks you by caste directly. Why cant you ignore and talk in general terms?

I wondered long and hard about this. It just doesnt work because the audience is watching ..

Let say you're in a debate about Climate Change and your opponent says 'You are using cunning false arguments your caste is known for it' -- how do you respond if the audience is low info & watching !! Two options

1. Ignore the insult and talk about robustness of CO2 studies data -- you have fallen in the eyes of the audience (low info remember).

2. Address the insult , clear it - and then continue about CO2 data. -- only then you've redeemed

Only easiest way to clear an insult - which is usually a form of a stereotype accusation - is to counter attack and show the mirror. That stereotypes can happen both ways -- and then go on. This requires high skill to calibrate .. can go awry in angry / angst filled hands.

dark dark challenge. But remember the Jungian maxim -> ' in filth it will be found'.

Ideally the audience is of a higher information level that can laugh at these .. but that requires net higher human capital.