Indian Problem or Indian Votebank Politics of Castes

By Dr. O.P Sudrania

Caste or Class Systems versus India in Global Perspective - CHAPTER ONE

The menace of caste in India is more of a political feast than a socio-economical or educational issue. In fact, paradoxically any attempt to improve it has resulted only in worsening of the chasm by alienating the various castes within the society due to the myopic political vision post independence.

Caste Census 2011. Photo courtesy, by Neeraj Bhushan at the Sabarmati Ashram of Mahatma Gandhi. The Devanaagari caption in the picture displays that ‘I have requested for water, not the caste’ is a famous quote. It is a pictorial depiction of Gandhian antipathy against the caste system propagated during the British period in  India. mahatma-gandhi-the-caste-census-2011

I might take this opportunity to clear the mist from the old mistaken identity problem on the etymology of word ‘Hindu’. “At the time, the word Hindu was a secular term which was used to describe all inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent – or Hindustan – irrespective of their religious affiliation. It was only towards the end of the 18th century that European merchants and colonists referred collectively to the followers of Indian religions as Hindus.” More at: Hindu Kush

In fact in Middle East, they still refer to Indians as ‘Hindi’ e.g. in Saudi Arabia.

Indian Problem or Indian Votebank Politics of Castes:

The present UPA II government in India had initiated a latest caste census in India. A retired chief justice of Delhi High Court, also the Chairperson of the Prime Minister’s high-level Committee on the Status of Muslims in India and the UN Special Rapporteur on Housing – Rajindar Sachar asserts, “The fact is that the NSSO’s 61st round by the Government of India of 2004 tells us that OBCs constitute 41 per cent of the total population of India; OBC percentages in some religious communities are, for example, Hindus (42.8 per cent), Muslims (39.2 per cent). More important, by virtue of Article 340 of the Constitution, Parliament passed the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993 constituting the National Commission for Backward Classes for identification of the backward classes and to make special provision relating to such backward classes…” (It is noteworthy, “Muslims are included”.)

He continues further, “Also let us clear one cobweb that even if it is found in the census that the Backward Classes (BCs) are 60–70 per cent, it can make no difference to the strategy of affirmative actions like reservations etc. which are in operation at present. The reason is that the Supreme Court has mandated a maximum of 50 per cent reservation for jobs, education etc. (23 per cent are for the SC/STs)—that leaves 27 per cent which are already being given to the Backward Classes. So the argument of exact number of people belonging to various castes like Vashists, Yadavs, Kurmis, Kapurs will serve no purpose except to create an artificial bond of kinship on one side and unnecessary antagonism to the other castes.¨

There is the argument that if sex and religion in census has not led to friction, why would caste census do? A simple answer is that sex, religion are measures of identity and not divisive in themselves. No doubt vested interests create religious divides, but that does not justify equating caste on the same plane. Can we in the name of caste treat the Yadav landowners or Ministers at par with the Yadav labourers or a Yadav car driver? Similarly it would be as ridiculous to treat on par the Brahmin priest or the Brahamin civil servant and the Brahmin cook or Kapoor businessmen with a Kapur peon. Do we want to go back to the feudal classification and encourage raw casteism?(Although same could be applied to religion also- Author) Let me immediately make a caveat—that the policy of affirmative action for Backward Classes (excluding, of course, the creamy layer) has my full acceptance. However, I am troubled at making caste the central point of all public policies because this will damage the real fight in the society between the haves and have-nots, the rich and poor, irrespective of their religion and caste identities. In fact those progressives who talk so fervently of a classless society must remember that originally caste/ class was synonymous in India…”

He quotes, “Dr Lohia had caustically remarked: “The system of castes is a terrifying force of stability and against change, a force that stabilises all current meanness, dishonour and lie—and that the resurrection of the real India lies in the revolt against caste.”

For Dr Lohia, “it is meaningless to talk of equality while maintaining separate castes. Castes have to be abolished, even their nomenclatures should go.” That religious identity is not as strong as caste was foreseen by Dr Lohia who said: “British rule in India had made use of the element of caste in the same manner that it made use of the element of religion. The revolt against caste is the resurrection of India and only then will India be truly and fully alive.” ”

More at: Mainstream Weekly

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