India, the vast expanse of geographic diversity is home to a number of communities, castes, beliefs, traditions, and customs. In India, a caste system organises division of labour and economy in human society. Being one of the most ancient basis of stratifying our society, it can be described as an elaborately stratified social hierarchy distinguishing India’s social structure. It is used to specify group of people having a specific social rank. The society is divided into sections and sub-sections on the basis of the state one belongs to, the language one speaks, caste and so on. Caste is something inherent, i.e. ascribed and it can’t be acquired, it is beyond one’s choice and is decided by one’s birth. We say that India is a democracy, but caste discrimination goes against the spirit of democracy and it is also against humanity.
Some believed that the origin of “casteism” can be traced to the religious Hindu scriptures while some others advocate that it’s the outcome of colonial rule. When British first gained a foothold on the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century, their core concern was profit. The men who administered the territory of the East India Company were more inclined to profiteering than to attempting to establish an effective government. Using the strategy of ‘divide and rule’ they thought that they could control and rule India only by tempering the social structure of the country, and by making the people and groups stand against one another. Caste system has been strongly identified with Hinduism but it has brought into its grasp other religions as well which includes Muslims, Buddhists and Christianity. There are four primary castes in Hindu society and they are based on the occupation one is engaged with- the Brahmins who belong to the top strata-identified with priests and the learned class, the Kshatriyas associated with rulers and warriors, the Vaishyas associated with commercial livelihood and the Shudras were the servile, labours, untouchables which included the toilet cleaners and the ones who cleaned and removed garbage which caused them to be considered as impure and thus ‘untouchables’. They were highly discriminated. They were socially boycotted, were not allowed to enter public places like temples, community centres etc. They were treated like slaves.
Many social activists like Raja Ram Mohan Roy had worked hard to remove this social evil in the pre-independence period. Even Mahatma Gandhi was strongly against caste discrimination. After 1947, the Indian constitution made many provisions for uplifting the weaker sections of the society, special reservations or quotas were made for the backward castes so that they could take equal share in the development of the country. The government also provided financial assistance in the form of employment opportunities, subsidies, scholarships, pension schemes, etc. The Indian government officially recognises the historically discriminated communities of India such as the Untouchables and Shudras under the designation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and certainly economically backward castes as Other Backward Castes.
Today the government is trying their best to create equality among the various castes and creeds by generating various laws and reservations for the weaker sections of the society not only in the social sector but also in the economical, educational, employment as well as the political sector. Whereas on one hand, government is giving importance on development of weaker sections and equality, on the other hand, various protests by different groups of people are rising against the system of reservation or heading protests on demanding separate states. In spite of the development in all the sectors as well as the rural and urban areas, where one is trying to abolish the age old system of caste discrimination, there comes another who is trying for division. Signs of discriminations and divide appear to be void in the world’s largest democracy. Caste related violence and crime in India have occurred despite the gradual reduction of caste discrimination in the country. India has
established itself as a global economic player and an emerging market for the world’s goods. Free from colonial rule, India has become a symbol of equality and free thought. A rising middle class has opened the way for foreign investment and MNC’s. Despite of these changes and a progressive lifestyle, caste continues to dominate the subconscious mindset of Indians. Some want equality, some want separate states, some want their own identity and some say we are all same and the war continues among the people of India. Hence, it’s high time we changed our outlook or else our society will be left far behind by social and ethical standards. Caste, in spite of our technical and economic achievements, will be a shame to our age old culture n heritage.
