Brahminism is a value system that argues that caste discrimination is sacred, Sunny M. Kapikkadu, social activist, has said.
In his lecture on the ‘Conflict between Brahminism and the Constitution’ at an event held in memory of writer Pradeepan Pambirikunnu here on Thursday, Mr. Kapikkadu said that the term ‘Brahminical dominance’ has nothing to do with Brahmins, who constituted less than 3% of the State’s population.
He said that Brahminism was what determined the power structures of our society and its basic characteristic. “Brahminism is a denial of democratic concepts such as equality, fraternity, and freedom. Those who practise it claim that caste discrimination is quite a natural thing and they depend on philosophy, mythology, epics, etc. to justify caste. It is a value system that argues that discrimination is a godsend,” he said.
Mr. Kapikkadu said that the socio-political renaissance of the early 20th century was against this Brahminical dominance and that it upheld the freedom of the individual. The Indian Constitution drafted by B.R. Ambedkar too proclaimed the right of citizens for social justice, equality and freedom of religious worship.
Mrudula Devi S., another social activist, who spoke on ‘Social justice and constitutional justice’, claimed that our society had often failed to provide the legal protection guaranteed by the Constitution to women. She pointed out that this was a result of the failure of the socio-political renaissance, which, according to her, benefited only “the middle classes” who had land and money. “The social reforms were mainly male-centric too. The Dalit and adivasi women did not come under its purview. Their condition remained the same,” she added.
