Caste Issue In India

Caste system:

– The casteism problem in India is a phenomenon associated with Hinduism. Its origin, evolution, and continued existence in India are evident

– The problems of the caste system in India are similar to the western concept of racism. Where in the concept of racism, people are discriminated against by color. In India, people are discriminated against because of the caste system. Discrimination is based on birth, for example, a person’s status in society is determined by his/her caste, in which he/she was born, and that is the sole criteria for establishing his/her societal status

– To put it simply, it is decided during birth whether a person has a higher or lower social status

– It is a pity that even in the twenty-first century, when human society has advanced scientifically to an extent where people are planning to buy land on Mars, Indian society believes in a caste system as a prominent part of their society. Hence there are many problems faced by Dalits (a member of the lowest caste in the traditional Indian caste system) in India

– Caste, also known as Varna or Jati, can be defined as identification based on birth. It is as if you were given a title without asking for it

– Since it is a hereditary system, a child inherits the caste of his father at birth. According to Hindu shastras, the Hindu society is divided into four hereditary castes or Varnas: Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra

– The caste or Varna System is a purely Indian phenomenon practiced primarily by Hindus. Other religions such as Sikhism, Christianity, Islam and many others have also adopted some of these traditions and made their own versions of castesim in the past years

– As previously stated, it is similar to the Western concept of racism, and it can also be compared to the European continent’s Class System

– The class system is also discriminatory. The class system is determined by various factors, including wealth, power, prestige, ancestry or birth, religion, and occupation. In most cases, class is not hereditary, whereas caste is. However, the class system, like the caste system, differentiates or classifies different social groups based on their social standing

– The religious theory explains that different Varnas were created from different parts of the primal Purusha’s (the First Person) body. According to the Rig Veda, which is one of the most sacred religious texts of Hindus; Brahmans were created from his head, Kshatriyas from his hands, Vaishyas from his thighs, and the Sudras from his feet

– According to some theories, the primal Purusha was nothing but God Brahma himself. So, according to them, the various Varnas descended from Lord Brahma, this belief led to the Caste Issue In India

Constitutional Provision Against Caste Discrimination:

– First and foremost, the Preamble to the Constitution depicts India as a nation with socioeconomic and political justice, a country where there is equality of status and opportunity, and where the individual’s dignity is protected, which makes the caste problem in India completely invalid

– The Constitution provides equality under the law (Article 14) and forbids the State from discriminating against any citizen based on caste (Article 15 (1))

– Untouchability has been eliminated, and its practice in any form is prohibited (Art. 17). The Constitution states that no citizen shall be subjected to any disability or restriction solely based on caste or race (Art. 15 (2))

– It gives the State the authority to make arrangements for reservation in educational institutions (Art. 15 (4) and (5)), as well as appointments to vacancies in favour of SCs (Art. 16 (4), 16(4A), 16(4B), and Art. 335)

Reserving the seats for SCs in Lok Sabha is offered by Article 330, State Assemblies by Article 332, and Local Self-Government bodies by Articles 243D and 340T. Moreover, the Constitution protects citizens from social injustice and all forms of exploitation (Art.46)

Acts to prohibit caste discrimination:

To achieve the Constitutional requirement to eliminate the Caste Issue In India, the Parliament also managed to pass many other Acts to end unethical and discriminatory practices against the so-called lower castes. Among these laws are the following:

– In 1976, the Untouchability (Offenses) Act was renamed the Protection of Civil Rights Act

– The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, was also enacted to prevent and deter atrocities against SCs

– The Government has introduced the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Bill, 2013 to eliminate the Caste Issue In India. In the Lok Sabha, it was an aim to prohibit the employment and unjustified jobs of manual scavengers, cleaning septic tanks without protective equipment, manual cleaning of sewers, and the construction of toilets, the bill aims to help manual scavengers and provide them with alternative employment opportunities

– It is yet another piece of social welfare legislation, with a goal is to integrate manual scavengers or caste Valmikis or Bhangis into society and protect them from various socio-cultural and economic discrimination

The most complex challenge in eliminating and eradicating the Caste Issue In India From society is its broad social acceptance. There is no hope for humanity till this changes. Because the law can protect people from exploitation, but it cannot change people’s attitudes towards the so-called upper castes. The young and modern generation may be our country’s only hope for achieving the true meaning of social justice