THE caste system has degraded a mass of human beings – educationally, culturally and economically. In the present context of modernisation, the caste system, being reactionary and restrictive, stands as a villain of social upward mobility.
The atrocities on Dalits are increasing by day. The caste system has been a stumbling block to progress and development in India. It is the anti-thesis of democracy and directly negates the fundamental right to equality, guaranteed to all citizens by the constitution. Caste is not only playing a dominant role in Indian politics, but also occupying the centre stage in social life as well. Article 14 is emphatic that “The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India.” And as per Article 17, “Untouchability is abolished and its practice in any form is forbidden.” There are numerous laws protecting the Dalits and the depressed classes but they remain merely on paper because of the failure on the part of the state to enforce them.
Untouchability continues to be practiced and atrocities on Dalits remain unabated. The evil consequence of the caste system is that it promotes exclusiveness, touch-me-not(ism) and shunning social relations with the so-called low caste people. This social segregation is unknown anywhere in the world. It has led to nearly 17% of Indian population being treated as ‘untouchables,’ whom Gandhiji called Harijans. The stigma of birth is held against them throughout their life, no matter what their achievements are. The depressed classes have been excluded from the common social life of villages, as they are forced to live in separate ghettoes of their own, away from the caste Hindus. The practice of untouchability is predominant, cutting across the social hierarchy.
The Dalits – people at the bottom of the social structure – are denied human dignity and equal opportunity of growth and development. The caste system has degraded a mass of human beings, giving them no opportunity to get out of that condition – educationally, culturally and economically. In the present context of modernisation, the caste system, being reactionary and restrictive, stands as a villain of social upward mobility. According to a report of the Human Rights Watch, the “Dalits and indigenous people continue to face discrimination, exclusion, and acts of communal violence.” And though the “laws and policies adopted by the Indian government provide a strong basis for protection,” they “are not being faithfully implemented by local authorities.”
In Rajasthan, between 1999 and 2002, the crimes against Dalits averaged at about 5024 a year, with 46 killings and 138 cases of rape. Recently, two Dalit children were burnt alive in Haryana’s Sunped village of Faridabad district and a 14-year-old Dalit boy died under mysterious circumstances. A Dalit in mid-forties, Badan Singh committed suicide in his house in Bhatla village of Hisar district, Haryana. He was pressurised by the police not to give any statement in his cousin Gurbachan Singh’s suicide case, since he died following a dispute with his employers, who happened to be upper caste Hindus. A young Dalit, Huchangi Prasad, was attacked for criticising the caste system in his book ‘Odala Kichchu.’
These are not stray incidents. The atrocities against Dalits are committed across states throughout the country under different political dispensations. The social discrimination of Dalits is total. General V K Singh’s statement, “If someone throws stones at a dog, the government is not responsible,” is an indication of a regressive mindset that justifies the atrocities by the upper caste people.
We need a mass social movement to educate the people about evils of the caste system and the damage it is inflicting on the social fabric of Indian society. The evils of caste system and gender inequality should form an integral part of our secondary school curriculum.
The Khap panchayats impose their diktat on the people in the name of custom and tradition. They justify ‘honour’ killings. They are a law unto themselves. The State’s writ does not work on them. Even young people, though they receive modern education and are active on social media, have not come out of caste prejudices prevalent in the society. Their mindset is not much different from the medieval mindset of the illiterate and semi-literate elders.
The depressed classes are denied social status. In spite of the IT revolution, we are not able to bring about the desired social transformation because of caste prejudices and the social stigma that continues to be attached to birth. Even in advanced countries like the US, which witnessed the golden age of technological innovation, social mobility has stagnated. This realisation has made Kentaro Toyama, author of the book ‘Geek Hersey: Rescuing Social Change from the Cult of Technology,’ to quit Microsoft to work on social issues.
This is even truer in developing countries like ours where socio-economic inequalities are greater. Social discrimination based on caste system in India is depriving the under privileged and the Dalits of equal opportunities of education and upward social mobility. We should address earnestly the social issue afflicting the Indian society, if we have to secure our freedom and democracy and emerge as a strong modern nation state.
The writer is author of ‘Nehru and World Peace’, Professor of Political Science and a retired Principal, Founder Secretary, Association of Indian College Principals.
