As the government of India is seriously considering the question of undertaking caste census, we, inter-caste couples, request that a census of inter-caste couples, who have chosen to lead a life away from the casteist social order, be undertaken.
Our Constitution envisages a casteless society. But our social order is basically caste-ridden. The Supreme Court has said that the caste system is a curse. The sooner it is destroyed, the better. For that to happen, inter-caste marriage is the only remedy. In fact, such marriages will be in the nation's interest. Throughout India, crores of people have married across castes, discarding the oppressive caste system. They relinquish all rituals and practices connected with their caste. They go straight to the Registrar of Marriages, get their marriage registered and start to live as man and wife. Their offspring are naturally casteless.
The National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution set up under the Chairmanship of Justice M. Venkatachalaiah, former Chief Justice of India, in 2000 has recommended a separate reservation of 0.5 % to the sons and daughters of inter-caste couples. It should be considered reservation for the casteless. Inter-caste marriage is considered a “dishonour” by the caste-ridden society. Hence it ostracises such couples and social sanctions are imposed on them.
Even where marriages are tolerated, a certain degree of subtle and not-so-subtle social excommunication is practised against them. Such couples plough a lonely furrow living away from society. So it is not justifiable to identify the inter-caste couples and their offspring as belonging to either of the castes. If caste census is decided upon, a census of the casteless couple, namely inter-caste couples and their offspring, should also be undertaken.
If the caste-oriented political parties could champion the cause of a caste census, it is the government's duty to see that people outside caste are also enumerated and identified so that reservation and other benefits could be given to them.
(The writer is State president, Tamil Nadu Inter-Caste Married Couples Association)
