Kudos for a realistic writeup. Caste is social reality, just as racism based on colour is. In the modern educated world, these should not be allowed to rule. But at the same time, it is mature to understand that such attitudes and practices cannot be eliminated, but have to managed.
But RS has strangely missed the most important point about the UP election, namely, that the Brahmins did not vote along religious but along caste lines. Caste for the Brahmins is now no longer a religious but a socio-economic grouping. To some extent, even the Mohammedans now constitute a separate and new caste, in this sense.
This is the big problem for the BJP. If Brahmins start to say that their caste comes first and their religion second, then the entire agenda of the BJP and RSS starts to unravel. How this plays out in the next few years will be interesting to watch.
One final point. As a Brahmin myself, I have observed that very many Brahmins all over the country frequently say that "The Brahmins are the new Dalits in modern India, so badly are they persecuted." !!
RE:Good point, but not complete
by ramji on May 15, 2007 02:08 PM Permalink
ram chander kah gaye siya se eisa kalyug aayega hans chugega data tinka aur kauwa moti khayega
could anybody provide me with a justifiable advantage of any particular caste person becoming a CM or PM or President..? does it matter to our country? Irrespective of cast, creed and religion, if the elected representative does his job with even 60% integrety, the fruits of freedom and governance could be tasted by everyone. It is high time that we understand and realise that while within the mass they do not exhibit hatred between casts/religion, political parties take advantage of the system and create their own vote banks to come to power.
Would anybody be able to prove and justify, that a brahmin/upper cast CM or PM or government did anything in particular favourably to the upper caste/or brahmins or a muslim for that matter to the muslim religion, or a Christian for christians.. we have been witnessing and experiencing the government of people from varied casts and religions but hardly we have experienced governance from them. when we talk about the religion, would there be a single hindu/dalit/christian or any other religion other than muslim to say anything against or negative to our respectable President shri APJ Abdul Kalam?.. we have all accepted him as the best President we have ever seen.. Has APJA made any special favours or advantages to Muslim relision...
The caste card is used by the politicians only to gain power and under the constitution of India, it is next to impossible to favour governance to a particular caste or creed.
What we need to do is respect every Indian and help each other in make a confortable living and enjoy the fruits of freedom. The government should thrive to ensure that the measures taken by them reflects in developments of the state and its people of as a whole.
caste based politics will last only till the people get literacy and general knowledge about independance/democracy.
RE:Caste politics is not long term solution for growth at grassroot level
by asha varghese on May 15, 2007 02:05 PM Permalink
YUP.. caste based politics will last only till the people get literacy and general knowledge about independance/democracy. Very TRUE.. And the politicians whom the ignorant people elect will make sure that those people will never get a proper education..so that the vote bank politics will survive!!! Hats off to Casteism! Hats off to Politicians!! Hats off to Poor uneducated ignorant people.. and Hail India to The Super Power on 21st Century!! Ha! Ha! Ha!
RE:Caste politics is not long term solution for growth at grassroot level
by indian on May 15, 2007 01:48 PM Permalink
as long as crooks like arjun singh are alive in india, we hav to experience such politics
RE:Caste politics is not long term solution for growth at grassroot level
by sunshine on May 15, 2007 01:33 PM Permalink
ur correct . what about RSS s propganda against muslim & dalit . when indian caste system will destroy ? will u come ahead to finish indian caste system?
Ms.Mayavati's victory will, of course, set the media agog with various speculations. The problem with Indian media is that they do not admit the existence of something until and unless it hits their headlines. If Mayavati did not win, how many of our print and electronic media would have discussed the prospects of low caste, or 'Shudraraj', as Swami Vivekananda prophesied in the 1920s? If the BJP or the Congress would have swept the U P poll, the media would have deliberated on the defeat of the lower-caste people in the political arena. This is the basic hypocrisy of all media in every country. However, I doubt, if Ms. Mayavati's anf her party BSP's victory in the U.P.election is going to make any fundamental difference to India's political scene. The Congress-led UPA government is certainly not doing well; this has been reflected in four State polls held since it came to power in 2004. The Congress's problem is, when in power- in Delhi or in the States- it focusses more on mega and macro-issues than on small micro-issues. For example, it spends crores of rupees and wastes reams of paper on insoluble issues like improving relations with Pakistan, or Iranian gas pipeline or solving the Kashmir problem, while the people worry about rising prices and farmers over loss of crops or increasing debt. In 2009 Lok Sabha election, the UPA may lose but certainly the BSP will not be so powerful in just two years to wrest power from it, or edge out the BJP or the NDA-led by it from returning to power. As previously seen, Ms. Mayavati's capture of power in Lucknow induces a short-lived euphoria unless the bees in her bonnet stop buzzing. She would make umpteen mistakes, attract danger by her arrogance and anti-Brahmin gimmicks and her government will fall before completing a five-year term. No, I do not believe, Swami Vivekananda's 'Shudra Raj' is in the offing in India, now or in near or distant future. -Bibekananda Ray from a social visit in Singapore.
The cast will continue in india for another 100 years. Whats important is to develop the sense of humanity and progress. I am sure Mayavati has gathered enouch exp as ex- CM and now she will get in action just like Nitish kumar doing in Bihar.
