Need for caste-free society!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) July 10, 2010 -- Need for caste-free society!
R L Francis

Group of Ministers GOM will soon proclaim its decisive verdict on inclusion of caste in the census. At present census is being conducted in the country. Succumbing to the stiff pressure of many of its allies in the ruling coalition Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had announced in the upper house of parliament that cabinet will soon take positive decision on the issue. Now, it seems that government is trying to find ways and means to tackle the problems likely to arise after the caste census as it will inevitably lead to chain reactions. Setting-up of GoM is first step in the direction.

Caste has historically been a potent tool to serve the ulterior motives of all those who believed in the philosophy of ‘Divide and rule’. After the revolt of 1857 India was in the grip of wave of nationalism. Britishers used the tool of caste census to sow the seeds of division in the society. Caste was included during census of 1871 to 1931. This had stark impact on the society and it can be explicitly inferred that Britishers were quite successful in their vicious agenda. Many caste based organisations created chaos in the society and i sowed the seeds of conflict. Caste was dropped from the census from 1931 on the ground that it widens the rift in the society after the vehement protest of Congress. To consolidate itself in the country, Britishers made lot of experiments with ‘Varna system’ prevalent in Hindu society. They tried to divide Hindus and Vanvasis (Tribal) and dalits through smart machinations. Some of the castes were even declared as ‘criminal tribes’ by making separate law for them. This was the basic reason not only caste was included in the first census conducted in 1891 but also there scope and definition were included. This was precisely the reason Britishers successfully mobilised some of the castes.

Caste is an irrefutable truth of Indian society and it has multilayered social, economical and political structure. It is a historical fact that millions of people suffering from caste abuse took the shelter of Islam and Christianity. Many reformist Hindu leaders realised this inherent danger in Hindu society and tried to wipe out the multilayered sophistication of caste system. Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi analysed caste on the basis of work and character. They failed the shrewd machinations of Puna through Puna Pact.

Those lower-caste people converted into Islam and Christianity are not feeling comfortable. Both of these religions progressed but there has not been remarkable shift in the lives of these deprived sections of society. After the end of British rule in the country missionaries started demanding to put these lower-caste converted people in the list of lower castes as decided by constituent. But, makers of constitution did not accept the proposal fearing increase in conversion that will disrupt peace and harmony in the country.

As per guidance of World Church Council (WCC) and Vatican; Indian church has been demanding for constitutional amendment to put these people in the list of Hindu scheduled castes. The logic of church is simple-Converted Christians are facing brunt of discrimination on the name of caste. Muslims first rejected the existence of caste in their society but now they see benefit in realising this reality. Muslim leaders are on the foot-steps of church. Setting up of ‘Sachhar committee’ and ‘Rangnath Misra Commission’ is the consequence of pressure of this sustained lobbying. Both of these commissions have advocated for reservation on caste basis. However, commission has accepted that they do not have reliable figures of castes in ‘Christianity and Islam’.

In 2001 church had strongly demanded inclusion of caste in the census and Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment had supported this demand. However, Atal Behari Vajpayee led government did not succumb to this demand. Some of the church leaders had even sent legal notice to Registrar General of Census alleging that questions put to the citizens, and the enumerators' manual on Religion of Scheduled Castes, violate secular and freedom of faith guarantees of the constitution. Church was uncomfortable to the fact of asking religion based questions. After the formation of United Progressive Alliance government ‘Non-governmental church organisations’ have stepped up their effort to include caste in the census. This issue was also raised in the advisory council meeting of UPA in 2005. Senior journalist Ram Bahadur Roy has written in a column that the then chairperson of advisory council Sonia Gandhi wanted to know the view point of other political parties on the issue. Many people do believe that Sonia Gandhi is in favour of inclusion of caste in the census and this is precisely the reason a large section of Congress feels that caste based data will be compiled sooner or later.

Honestly speaking caste census will not serve purposes of Christians and Muslim in a big way. On the other hand they will be forced in the same system that has forced them for conversion. Today, thousands of organizations and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) are trying to sow the seeds of equality in the Hindu society. At 30th June a delegation from an organisation ‘Meri Jaati Hindustani’ led by Dr.VedPratap Vadik met Home Minister P Chidambaram and registered protest on the issue on the inclusion of caste in the census. Our view is that even if there is caste based discrimination in Islam and Christianity, it is the duty of religious leaders to change this practice. Inclusion in the lower caste category is not a solution to the problem. This will only aggravate the situation and will not ameliorate.

When constituent assembly had made provision of reservation for dalit Hindus- who were also majority-Hindus had accepted this. ‘Right to equality’ was sacrificed in favour of dalit sections that faced the brunt of caste abuse from thousands of years. The move of constituent assembly was widely perceived as compensation to those suffering. However, today every person and leader wants reservation to serve their own purpose. Makers of constitution had imagined for caste-free society and United Progressive Alliance government should respect it.

R L Francis

National President
Poor Christian Liberation Movement