CASTEISM WORSE THAN RACIALISM
During last fortnight or so, a kind of frenzy has prevailed in the media of this country on the issue of alleged racial treatment meted out to actress Shilpa Shetty who went to England to participate in a reality TV show “Big Brother” by some other participating actors of that country. This has been made a headline story in a good number of Indian newspapers and has also been prime time news at a number of TV Channels. No doubt that the incident requires unequivocal condemnation by one and all. No one should be allowed to follow such condemnable practices while interacting with other human beings. It is sad that such behavioral patterns prevail in the land of Locke, Bentham, James Mill and J.S Mill who were staunch supporters of liberal democracy and utilitarian principle advocating maximum good of maximum numbers.
The real intentions and motive for such disclosures are a matter of debate as the complainant in this case had initially complained through media and subsequently retracted from the earlier assertions. Everyone participating in the show “Big Brother” was paid huge amount for participation and it is gathered from media reports that Indian actress in this case was paid around Rs. 3.5 crores. Hence, it could also be inferred that this could be a gimmick to garner publicity for the programme. Most important thing for a human being is to live in a dignified manner but the complainant in this case did not quit the show.
I am perplexed and the matter which bothers me the most is the issue that how a society which has been so undemocratic, stratified the human being in castes, believes in born high and born low, purities and impurities by birth, denies the rightful dues of downtrodden, exploited the dalits and untouchable communities for time immemorial can morally claim that whatever happened in Britain was wrong. Did they ever take up the issues of exploitation of untouchables and Dalits so vehemently and so loudly in their own land? The answer is a big No. The history of this country indicates that some eminent persons of this country had initiated struggle against racialism in foreign lands for claiming basic right but the same people had miserably failed to obliterate the vicious caste system in India. This system served and protected the interests of powerful few in the Hindu society and to make it permanent, it was provided a divine emergence.
The caste system cannot be treated as division of labor as in no civilized society division of labour is accompanied by unnatural division based on watertight compartments. This is not a segregation based on choice, individual sentiments and individual preferences but based on dogma of predestination. There is no racial affinity in the castes, it is merely a social division of people of same race based on the principles of purity of blood, intermarrying and interdining. It is a social system, which embodies the arrogance and selfishness of a perverse section of Hindu society who was superior enough in social status and has authority to force it on their inferiors. There has been no example in history of mankind where people belonging to same race and colour, eating almost same food, observing same value system and even worshipping same Gods have been exploited, declared socially untouchable, besides attaching a number of impurities to them.
In the mind of Hindu, there exists a consciousness of caste. This is the main reason why this country cannot be called a well-knit society or a nation. The Caste system prevents common activity and by doing so it has prevented Hindu society from becoming a collective and unified society observing collective and unified life thus killing the spirit of communion. It has been all along propagated by the holy men that in the eyes of God all men are equal but in actual practice they are fastened in the different castes from the very birth. Caste has killed public spirit, destroyed sense of public charity, and made public opinion impossible. In Hindu society and social order a man’s public identity is his caste, his duties are towards his caste, his loyalties are towards his caste, virtues and qualities have become caste ridden and so happened in the case of morality. There is no sympathy towards the deserving.
The caste is based on the principles of purity of race and blood.It is a social system exemplify the arrogance and selfishness of perverse section of Hindu society who have been superior enough in social status to prescribe it as a divine law and who had authority to force it on their inferiors. It has completely demoralized and disorganized the Hindu society. A caste has no connection to other castes except when they are in conflict with section of other religious groups. The caste consciousness amongst the Hindu society is so strong that wherever the Hindus go in this universe, they take their caste along for practicing.
Once upon a time, Hindu religious philosophy may have been a missionary philosophy that is why it could spread far and wide but it ceases to be a missionary religious philosophy and massagers of equality, love, affection and humanity when it allowed the ugly Caste system to emerge. The situation was further worsened when divine dispensation was ordained on the Caste system by intellectual-
also of Hindu society. ‘Ahinsa Parmo Dharma’ is publicized as cardinal gospel of truth in Hindu society. This is not true, the conditions prevailing in Hindu society could be und- erstood in the words of Morris, “The great treading down the little,the strong beating down the weak, cruel men fearing not, kind men daring not and wise men caring not”. This is surely due to the Caste. The caste has not allowed the comm- union to build and pitched people against each other for benefits of few high placed in the hierarchy of Hindu social order. This caste system has prevented Hindus from becoming a one unison and integrated wholesome group of people.
The names Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudras are associated with a definite and fixed notion in the minds of every Hindu. This notion is based on hierarchical order starting with Brahmins at top and Shudras at bottom and is based in birth. This is further compounded and made complicated by notions, sentiments, mental attitudes, purities and impurities attached with each group. So long as these notions, sentiments, mental attitudes remains, it cannot be said that caste from Hindu social order has evaporated. Even today these notions, sentiments, mental attitudes determines the person’s behavior and attitude towards others in Hindu society. No amount of reforms will become fruitful till old caste based notions, attitudes and sentiments are prevailing in the minds and are reflected in behavioral patterns by the socially high towards socially low.
The scheme of four (chatur) Varna resembles to the Platonic utopian ideas on division of labour propounded in his treatises “Republic”. It is not possible to slot human being in the pigeonholes. But Chatur Varna system has usurped all the rights and claims of Shudras for many thousand years. It was the ugly design and scheme by which Shudras were denied education and wealth and were not allowed to bear arms. This was a grand design hatched to keep them as a slave and subservient to other higher castes.
Hindu social order is an uneven field. As all of us know that uneven fields do not produce best and maximum yield. Hence for the best yield, the field of Hindu social order is required to be leveled and made even for best of this country. The barriers set forth by caste in form of notions, attitudes, social purities and impurities needs to be shunned and buried down deep by Hindu society if it wants to become a unison and integral whole.
No modern sovereign state can aspire to become a power at world stage if it tries to denigrate, demoralize and rob opportunities from social groups on the basis of caste and color. This fact was realized in USA long back and affirmative action with clear consciences and dedication were made to improve the conditions of black people. But same clear consciences, honest and dedication do not prevail in this country. This compels me to ponder upon the question ‘Will India ever become a power in the World without social democracy / social equality?’ If I have to answer this question today, the answer would be No because Casteism prevails strong in the minds of Hindu society and it is a vicious system that diminishes, paralyses, and cripples the people from helpful and collective activities.
Each community irrespective of their social hierarchy, have legitimate and equal rights over the resources of this country, artificial segmentation based on caste is a biggest hindrance in building a vibrant community of people in this country. It would be appropriate for all concern to delve upon the issue of caste in all sincerity. The concerns for upliftment of dalits, backwards and minorities have to be sincere supported by proper environment adequate opportunities and resources. The concerns and actions have to be real not symbolic and perfunctory.
Note:-
This article was written when allegations of racial discrimination was made by the Indian participant who went to England to participate in a reality TV show “Big Brother” by some other participating actors of that country. This piece was also published in many newspapers.
Rajinder Kashyap,
New Delhi
No comments:
Post a Comment