Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

On caste system

This refers to the two-part article on the caste system by Justice Markandey Katju (Jan. 8 and 9). Although technology has, to a large extent, whittled down caste considerations, the caste system is alive in society. More and more castes are clamouring to be declared backward with the sole intention of grabbing the benefits of reservation. Justice Katju’s contention that the caste system will not last for more than two decades from now will remain wishful thinking unless reservation is done away with.

R. Unni Krishnan,

Kochi

I do not think that the caste system will vanish in 10 or 20 years. The advance of technology, people’s struggles and inter-caste marriages are hardly relevant to the majority. Anyone who saw the gory scenes on the campus of the Dr. Ambedkar Law College in Chennai should know how deep-rooted the caste system is. One cannot expect a change in people’s mindset to occur in one or two decades.

V.M. Vadivelu,

Coimbatore

The article raises hopes for the elimination of caste discrimination. But given the social fabric and practices of rural India, it is not easy to eradicate this social evil.

Ashvani Kumar,

Kanpur

I do not think that a system which is 5000 years old will vanish in 10-20 years. The way the tiny ‘upper’ caste-dominated corporate media campaign against caste-based reservation is proof that caste prejudice is inbuilt in the system. Caste system will not end unless prejudices are removed from the system and people’s minds.

Deepak Yadav,

New Delhi

Justice Katju appears to pin the evils of the caste system and the demise of India as an economic superpower on the British. But a cursory look at the life and times of India’s greatest social reformer Basaveshwara in the 12th century suggests an entirely different viewpoint. The ills of the caste system were deeply rooted in Indian society much earlier. In fact, Basaveshwara who was Prime Minister under the Bijjala King was banished for trying to bring equality and women’s empowerment, and remove untouchability. There is a reference to caste discrimination as early as the Buddha’s time.

Prabhudev Konana,

Austin

The caste system denied basic rights to people just because they belonged to a particular caste. Comparing the Indian caste system with British occupations is unacceptable because in the U.K., there was no discrimination on the basis of one’s occupation.

K. Murali Krishna,

Hyderabad

The caste system is so complex that it is difficult to draw generalisations on it. Castes did not originate in the same manner or at the same time, or possess uniform characteristics, across South Asia. Nor was there a strict correspondence between castes and their generally assumed markers such as physical features, customs and rituals. As for the prediction that castes will be destroyed in a decade or two, they are likely to be reinforced in future for our people’s slogan is: ‘cast your vote, vote your caste.’

P.P. Sudhakaran,

Bangalore

The social engineering of caste discrimination is very deep and profound. Untouchability and caste prejudices exist even in cities although they are practised in a subtle manner.

As for the rural areas, for every Khairlanji and Thinniyam reported in the media, hundreds of Khairlanjis and Thinniyams go unreported.

S.V. Venugopalan,

Chennai

No doubt the caste system has taken deep root but it is not so strong that it cannot be removed by the emerging ideology of the new generation.

G. Ranjith Kumar Reddy,

Hyderabad

Justice Katju says: “In the feudal age the [caste] system did good to India because it corresponded to the feudal occupational division of labour in society … which resulted in the development of productive forces at that time.” What was the ‘good’ that the caste system brought about? Can a person’s pride and self-esteem, the right to do what he or she wants, the right to be treated equally and so much more be traded for ‘stability’ and production? Can a person whose future depends on the group he is born into bear with all that it brings because it helps develop productive forces?

Even if the Scheduled Castes were not tortured (Justice Katju says “It is a myth that today’s Scheduled Castes were always treated with indignity”), they were relegated to the lowest social order for no fault of theirs. The tragedy was no one was allowed to even work his way out of the assigned level. Real peace was enjoyed by the architects of this evil design who guaranteed themselves a safe place for no work. For the ones lower down, it was ‘putative’ peace.

Sonal Singh,

New Delhi

That the caste system had a functional basis was discredited by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Other societies also had a system of division of labour but it did not result in the caste system.

Inter-caste marriages are still a rarity in India. The caste system is thriving and will continue to thrive unless proactive steps are taken to break the barriers among the castes. Positive discrimination is a step in the right direction. The caste system will end if the backwardness attached to certain castes is removed through greater opportunities, resulting in greater social intermingling.

Rony Nandy,

Bangalore

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