Saturday 13 July 2013

Institutionalized inequality--caste in India

We cannot enforce equality, it has to evolve in human cultures.Caste system is a reality in India. Caste is a cruel form of inequality which has persisted during all ages. We are trying to get rid of caste formations, but it re-emerges as new form of organization. Now Allahabad High Court has banned all election rallies related to caste groups, immediately.
All of us use our caste name as our last name. Our identity is linked to our caste.Caste cannot be wished away so easily, nor should we fear or hate it. Inequality is present everywhere in form of class, aristocracy or zamindari or caste(extended kin group) or tribal groups or racial groups. During elections, we can visibly see that caste is being used to mobilize vote banks. We cannot stop formation of groups may it be caste groups or others. When a section of people that they have been deprived of opportunities, they look for solution. And at this time, an aspiring  leader offers them a solution, they elect that one as their first choice. When a leader talks about "inclusiveness" he talks about that group which has been excluded from the mainstream. It is at this time that a caste group comes to ask him for their rights. When a leader reaches to the problems of the poor people, he realizes how they are being suppressed and he want to make efforts to elevate them( in process elevate himself) Many leaders motivate the suppressed group and wants to empower them and emancipate them from the cruel clutches of the upper castes. It is at this time the "identity politics" comes into being. When a group (caste) seeks its identity to fight for its rights, the election of a leader from that group becomes inevitable.We are evolving a more equal society where the lower group seek equality with the upper groups. Right to Assembly is our constitutional right. And no court can decide how we should assemble (as what group). For electioneering politicians, caste groups are ready made groups with real problems needing urgent solutions. People are seeking equality in an unequal society which denies them that right, And can we really deny a solution to bring equality to an unequal society?
When there is social crime which law or police are inept to address caste emerges again. Few caste communities/ groups got together to protect their women from crimes like rape; they tried to make solutions by themselves. They made a rule: we will escort our women when they have to go to colleges, or to go for shopping etc. Presence of caste communities need not be evil organization. It is a cultural group, an extended kin-group.. It shows ways to form kinship, it teaches how to create good relations among families, and it teaches community living. When such peaceful communities unite to discuss problems, is it termed a banned assembly? These communities need to know how to get their rights, how to be included in this vast nation---that is India. We cannot deny them this right to be heard as a group.  

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