EMERGING NEW CASTE SYSTEM

Undoubtedly the bane of Indian society, according to present-day sociologists, is its caste system based on Manu’s prescription for division of labour which, once confined to Hindu society, extended its influence to other imported religions like Islam and Christianity. Astonishingly, this evil did not spare Sikhism too – a religion which was born basically to get rid of the caste system that was dividing the Hindu society. What Punjab had witnessed very recently was primarily the blow out of tension between upper caste Jat Sikhs and Dalit Sikhs, the fuse for which was lighted in far away Vienna. This is unimaginable given the fact that this religion founded 500 years ago to protect Hinduism and at the same time to get rid of its evil practices like caste system.

We have enough evidence to show that even Church in India is not according equal status to Dalit or low caste converts though they have been converting them citing caste as the most obnoxious phenomenon of Hinduism. Oh yes, idol worship too was another reason. But now, most of the Churches in Tamil Nadu and Kerala are so designed with the same architecture that you can’t differentiate it from a Hindu temple. You have garlanded statues of Mary or Jesus beckoning you with Dwajasthambam (flag post) in silver or gold in front of the Churches, Car festivals, Girivalam (Circumambulation of the church located on hillocks), Urala Sevas and Aaratis. Perhaps, the Church’s strategy is also similar to Hinduism’s spirit of assimilation as it did in the case of Buddhism.

Even Indian Muslims are unable to isolate themselves from the Varnas and that is the reason we are witnessing Commission after Commission identifying backward class or most backward class Muslims. 26/11 terror accused Kasab was traced to a caste whose profession was butchering. People like Kasab, after all belong to the same Indian gene though the circumstances might have placed him on the other side of the man-made border.

All this boils down to one undeniable factor. Yes, in the name of caste system atrocities were committed and a section of humanity was denied basic rights and privileges. Everyone, including the orthodoxy in the Hindu fold, realise today that casteism is a crime against humanity. But, why does it refuse to go away, and on the contrary spreading its tentacles to other religions in the country. Is it because there is some virtue that goes with the inherent nature and psyche of a society which accepts division of labour in some form or the other minus its inhuman taboos?
Let’s come to the brass tacks. What is the most unedifying and unacceptable character of the caste system as we understand today? It is the fact that ‘caste’ is inherited. The caste label sticks to you as you come out of your mother’s womb. If your father is a cobbler, you are also born as a cobbler, never mind the merits that you may have otherwise. Though there are instances that people not born to an upper caste parentage rose to dizzy heights in politics, religion, literature and social life, they are only exceptions and not rule. Birth has always determined one’s social status.

What is happening today? Are we not creating a new caste system in which birth alone determines one’s rise to positions of power? Is it not the birth that gives a special status to Rahul Gandhi though there may be thousands of such youngmen with better ideas and therefore had an opportunity that was denied to others? May be, media is so enamoured of Indira Gandhi’s son, grandson, grand daughter that it describes in great detail the body and body language of Priyanka or Rahul and if they open their mouth it becomes news even if they blabber. During the poll campaign media made special efforts to show case scions of Nehru dynasty as part of a well thought out strategy. Forget the media as it never gets its priorities right. But, to be fair to the first family of the Congres party which may think that it has the divine right to rule this country atleast by proxy, this new caste system is present in every other party.

We have seen the spectacle of DMK patriarch Karunanidhi making an unabashed demand of ministerial positions for his son, daughter, nephew after clearing the way for his son Stalin (by his second wife?) to succeed him as the party chief and chief minister as well. What is the merit or qualification of Kanimozhi or Azagiri to be in power politics except that they are the scions of Karunanidhi. There was a joke that “Thank God Karunanidhi does not have a third wife, otherwise, children of third wife also might have become claimants”. NTR’s family is no exception. K Chandrasekara Rao of TRS has already inducted his son, daughter into politics. Mulayam Singh Yadav is asking his son Akhilsh Yadav to take care of the party in UP after making his brother leader of the Opposition in UP assembly. Former Speaker PA Sangma makes his 28-year old daughter a minister and his party leader Sharad Pawar made the succession game clear by inducting his daughter. Omar Abdullah succeeds Farooq Abdullah in Kashmir, Asaduddin Owaisi succeeds his father Salahuddin Owsaisi, Yeddiyurappa makes his son an MP though Jaswant Singh failed in his attempt to get his son Manavendra Singh elected to the Lok Sabha. When there were legal constraints, Lalu made his wife the chief minister of Bihar. Bal Thackeray grooms Uddhav to succeed him. So goes the list, and it is never ending.

As we had a number of kingdoms in the past before India became a nation-state, we now have a number of dynasties – Nehru dynasty, Karuna dynasty, NTR dynasty, Mulayam dynasty etc, and they have come together to form a new caste – Modern Kshatriya caste. They and their descendents alone have the right to rule. As in the old caste system, birth is the determining factor. Interestingly, this new Kshatriya caste cuts across religious and party lines. Well, an improvement upon Manu.

Who are the Sudras? The party workers who only slog and don’t get access to their leaders after they get elected. They only wait outside the corridors of power as ‘untouchables’.

We do have modern Vysya caste as well. That is the India Inc where again birth determines the successor – whether it is Ambanis, Tatas, Birlas, Singhanias, Bajajs.

Who will have the last laugh in the re-emergence of caste system? Who else, if not the infamous Manu who codified Hindu social order!!