Not Reservations, Caste is the real problem
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Abhijit K
May 23, 2006, 4:09:07 PM5/23/06
to BM_discussion
Dear All,
Please bear with me, as this mail is likely to be lengthy, owing to the breadth of issues involved. What is happening today, has happened before. Mandal-I events in 1989-90 were no different from what is happening today. Reservations happened then and likely they will come happen this time also, as no political party has the will to stop it. I will refrain from talking about the distinctions in the quotas, because I am trying to address a different point of view.
Reservations have a history and that history is based on the history of thousands of years before that. The reason given for advocating reservations has been to do away with the injustice of thousands of years. Indeed, injustice has happened. So-called upper castes oppressed the so-called lower castes for ages. Things still continue to large extent. The so-called upper castes still humiliate, torture, deny opportunities, and boast of their "superior" status, in various parts of the country in various ways. But there are also lot of so-called upper-castes who have changed, do really believe in equality and practise it. The other side of the story is also true. There are still millions of so-called lower castes who were and are being denied opportunities, despite having merit. And there are those so-called lower castes who having benefited from the quotas, still keep reaping the benefits again and again, thus denying opportunity to the really deserving ones.
For me, both those opposing and supporting reservations are not very different. Both of them will serve only one purpose in the long term: Divide the society more. If quotas happen again, that won't stop those opposing from agitating further and if they don't happen, that won't stop the demand for quotas. Both sides are just becoming victims of the politics - and dividing the society more. Their stands are doing nothing, but adding to the distrust in different sections of society - distrust that has existed for ages.
There are two sides and they will fail to convince each other , as they are both standing on the same un-equal ground - caste. The cries of the students opposing quotas, will be ignored, because they were born in a so-called upper caste. Their saying that we believe in equality, does not have an appeal to the other side because they are still standing on their caste. The demands of the lower-castes originate because they get an "inferior" status, conferred by birth. For them, the so-called upper castes are still trying to retain their supremacy of thousands of years and they have to struggle to get the equal status. Reservations, for them, is a right and tool for equality . In fact reservations in education and jobs still don't give them full equality. Can a so-called Dalit become a Shankaracharya? The inequalities are not created by the reservations or the merit or the education. They are conferred upon people by their birth, by giving them a caste. Reservations have origin there. The inequalities created by caste is the real reason.
Any reader of history will acknowledge that the notions of division of society in Hinduism kept changing. For me Hinduism is a great religion that teaches tolerance and distinguishes itself by allowing change with time. The religion has changed with time, the society has also changed accordingly. The original profession based Chaturvarna system degenerated into birth based casteism due to selfish motives of some so-called upper castes. Caste is definitely not an "integral" part of the religion, as the religion permits so many sects and beliefs. The caste system itself has changed so much with time to allow for arguing that it is a basic feature. Hinduism is that compassionate religion which can be adhered to even by Nastiks. It definitely permits a person without a caste.
The solution lies in eliminating the real cause, the caste. This may sound radical to some and foolish to some. But I am convinced that as long as caste stays, there is no end to the friction in the society. Selfish politicians will keep exploiting the society and people using it as a tool. A real unity of the India can't be achieved unless caste-system goes. How do we do that? How do we bring true equality in existence and establish a trust in society? It will require great strength and courage for doing it. It will take time, but let a beginning be made. Let us turn this crisis into an opportunity for the unification for the society. BM had this vision of caste-less society since its inception. Lets give up our caste and second-names/surnames that indicate our castes. Lets pledge that we will not give any caste and surname to our offsprings. Lets appeal it to everyone to display their belief in equality by giving up their caste, surnames and destroying the inequalities that were thrust upon. I humbly appeal all BM members, let this second freedom struggle of India, free it from the curse of birth-based inequlities. Lets unite in the true sense!
I pledge that I renounce my caste and my surname. I demand for equality among all in all respects.
Vande Mataram,
Abhijit
--
Abhijit K
BM_Mumbai.
www.geocities.com/abhijit1303
www.bharatudaymission.org
Please bear with me, as this mail is likely to be lengthy, owing to the breadth of issues involved. What is happening today, has happened before. Mandal-I events in 1989-90 were no different from what is happening today. Reservations happened then and likely they will come happen this time also, as no political party has the will to stop it. I will refrain from talking about the distinctions in the quotas, because I am trying to address a different point of view.
Reservations have a history and that history is based on the history of thousands of years before that. The reason given for advocating reservations has been to do away with the injustice of thousands of years. Indeed, injustice has happened. So-called upper castes oppressed the so-called lower castes for ages. Things still continue to large extent. The so-called upper castes still humiliate, torture, deny opportunities, and boast of their "superior" status, in various parts of the country in various ways. But there are also lot of so-called upper-castes who have changed, do really believe in equality and practise it. The other side of the story is also true. There are still millions of so-called lower castes who were and are being denied opportunities, despite having merit. And there are those so-called lower castes who having benefited from the quotas, still keep reaping the benefits again and again, thus denying opportunity to the really deserving ones.
For me, both those opposing and supporting reservations are not very different. Both of them will serve only one purpose in the long term: Divide the society more. If quotas happen again, that won't stop those opposing from agitating further and if they don't happen, that won't stop the demand for quotas. Both sides are just becoming victims of the politics - and dividing the society more. Their stands are doing nothing, but adding to the distrust in different sections of society - distrust that has existed for ages.
There are two sides and they will fail to convince each other , as they are both standing on the same un-equal ground - caste. The cries of the students opposing quotas, will be ignored, because they were born in a so-called upper caste. Their saying that we believe in equality, does not have an appeal to the other side because they are still standing on their caste. The demands of the lower-castes originate because they get an "inferior" status, conferred by birth. For them, the so-called upper castes are still trying to retain their supremacy of thousands of years and they have to struggle to get the equal status. Reservations, for them, is a right and tool for equality . In fact reservations in education and jobs still don't give them full equality. Can a so-called Dalit become a Shankaracharya? The inequalities are not created by the reservations or the merit or the education. They are conferred upon people by their birth, by giving them a caste. Reservations have origin there. The inequalities created by caste is the real reason.
Any reader of history will acknowledge that the notions of division of society in Hinduism kept changing. For me Hinduism is a great religion that teaches tolerance and distinguishes itself by allowing change with time. The religion has changed with time, the society has also changed accordingly. The original profession based Chaturvarna system degenerated into birth based casteism due to selfish motives of some so-called upper castes. Caste is definitely not an "integral" part of the religion, as the religion permits so many sects and beliefs. The caste system itself has changed so much with time to allow for arguing that it is a basic feature. Hinduism is that compassionate religion which can be adhered to even by Nastiks. It definitely permits a person without a caste.
The solution lies in eliminating the real cause, the caste. This may sound radical to some and foolish to some. But I am convinced that as long as caste stays, there is no end to the friction in the society. Selfish politicians will keep exploiting the society and people using it as a tool. A real unity of the India can't be achieved unless caste-system goes. How do we do that? How do we bring true equality in existence and establish a trust in society? It will require great strength and courage for doing it. It will take time, but let a beginning be made. Let us turn this crisis into an opportunity for the unification for the society. BM had this vision of caste-less society since its inception. Lets give up our caste and second-names/surnames that indicate our castes. Lets pledge that we will not give any caste and surname to our offsprings. Lets appeal it to everyone to display their belief in equality by giving up their caste, surnames and destroying the inequalities that were thrust upon. I humbly appeal all BM members, let this second freedom struggle of India, free it from the curse of birth-based inequlities. Lets unite in the true sense!
I pledge that I renounce my caste and my surname. I demand for equality among all in all respects.
Vande Mataram,
Abhijit
--
Abhijit K
BM_Mumbai.
www.geocities.com/abhijit1303
www.bharatudaymission.org
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