Caste System

Caste System “In that Country the law of religion, the laws of the land, and the law of honour, are all united and consolidated in one, and bind a man eternally to the rule of what is called his caste”. Edmund Burke

The system continues to determine political, social and economic life of a billion people in South Asia. The caste system, straddling across the scrawny shoulders of the untouchables, is like that old man in Tolstoy’s story, who has all the sympathy for the poor bearer and would like to do anything but to get off his shoulder. The most significant aspects of caste are its ability to resurface without a trace of remorse on the part of the perpetrator. It is like that chemical addition which once had makes you vulnerable to its guiles forever.

Brief information about caste system in India Indian society still remains in a semi feudal

and semi capitalists mode of production relation. Caste system serves this mode perfectly. The pyramid of Indian society remains aloft on the shoulders of these millions of dalits who forgo their human rights so that people can say India is shining. However two thousand and eight hundred years ago, lord Budha took up the challenges to end the caste system. In the modern times, Bhakti movement, gave birth to Kabir, Raidas, Late Periyar, Savitri

The danger faced by the caste dictatorship

created a new link in communal fascism and imperialism . Till all progressive powers joined hand to crush Brahminism from its roots, till then Manu patriachal dictatorship would persist and flourish. Although very little can be attained so quickly such time communal fascism not get crushed. The typical danger is from Indian Hindu communal fascism to the entire globe is that every fifth person in the globe is Indian.

The caste system, straddling across the

scrawny shoulders of the untouchables is like that old man in Tolstoy’s story, who has all the sympathy for the poor bearer and would like to do anything but to get off his shoulder. The present population is 14% of the total population of India i.e. around 70 million. Dalits has an appalling rate of literacy it is mere 32% and the total national literacy rate is 63%. The women literacy rate is 23% and only 6% dalits own land. Most of them labour in someone else field or

Atrocities done with the dalits While breaching the unwritten law of the

caste hierarchy now the person shoot,  village burnt and  the women raped  Beating the residents The lower caste the entire community is punished when a person from the upper caste commits a crime. The judgment is not given by the court but from the member form the upper caste.

Example 1. One such incident which happened in

Narkati village of Kaimur range of Uttar Pradesh. When a similar upper caste police raided the village a five year old girl cried out loud since she was afraid of strangers. This small girl Anjali was beaten by the policemen. A complaint was lodged with NHRC. Indian Peoples’ Tribunal headed by the Justice Sukumaran was appointed but no action taken yet. 2. A district Judge before occupying the chair used by his predecessor, who happened to be from a lower caste, conducted some

Achievement • The main thrust of the political intervention

has been in the shapes of reservations in the Government posts without adequately making them empowered to get a rightful and dignified place in society. • The mainstream politics in India has only recently and reluctantly acknowledge the space of Dalits.

Lets join hands together and make a better world for future generation