“There is no caste in blood. “
Edwin Arnold
Edwin Arnold
“I have no race prejudice. I think I have no colour
prejudices or caste prejudices nor creed prejudices. Indeed, I know it. I can
stand any society. All that I care to know is that a man is a human being --
that is enough for me; he can't be any worse.”
Mark Twain
It is a feeling these days.
In
my younger school years and subsequent years of growth, the history which was
taught to us said it was Brahmins who started the “Varna Pratha” – the caste system. The language used in those
history books used to be very negative and the system itself was projected in a
derogatory way. The caste system – consisting of Brahmins on the upper most rung and Shudras at the lowest ebb of the society, used to show & make
a clear-cut divide among the people. It is said that this Pratha was started by Brahmins to crush the lesser privileged and
poor of the society. We were taught what our political masters of the
concurrent time wanted us to read – and not what academicians wanted to teach. More
on the education system later on, but let’s focus on the subject at hand.
A
second look and a fresh perspective are required to look at the caste system
once again.
Brahmins thought that by having a demarcated line in the
works assigned to the people, the society can function smoothly. It may be
relevant at that time and the Pratha
may have started on a very positive note. As everyone knows, the vested
interests always get their way to spoil anything & everything which
obstructs them. So, some people with vested interest started exploiting the
caste system to suppress the poor & needy. The frustration rose and a good work-oriented system became a people-oriented system of exploitation
& suppression. It became sick.
Later
on, a slow but steady mass movement to eradicate the evil of casteism was
taken. During the British Raj and later Independent years saw most of the work
done to bring the society at par and equal amongst all. The society without any
bar on caste, creed, religion & colour was dreamt of. A lot has been done
and much is still to be done.
Do
you know how this age-old system is affecting us these days? We have new age Brahmins and renamed Shudras in the society now – in the form
of current governments acting as Brahmins
and ‘Others’ as Shudras. Irrespective
of the political party, every government in the recent decades has widened the
divide and deepened the crack. It is all because of their vote-bank politics
and a mindset to NOT to educate the poor. Instead of providing an equal
opportunity platform for all human-beings
(pun intended) to work and perform, governments have given certain weightages
to a few class people and snapped some privileges from the other class. For
example, I am categorized as a person from “General Quota” or “Others” in the
statutory requirements because I don’t fit in any of the 10-15 privileged
categories. I fall last in the list due to the mis-fit in any of the categories. I feel left out and
under-privileged. I see myself nowhere. See… the change in feeling. This is the feeling these days in me.
- I see a lot of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Jains, Christians and Parisis but I don’t see God’s own Creations.
- I see a lot Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Class, Other Backward Class but I don’t see the real Class people.
- I see a lot of Brahmins, Khatris, Vaishnav, Baniya, Catholics, Prtoestants, Shiyas and Sunnis but I don’t see a real Human Being.
- I see Gujaratis, Marathis, Punjabis, Biharis, North Indians, South Indians and Mumbaikars but I don’t see a real Indian.
- I want to see….. REAL CLASS PATRIOTIC HUMAN BEINGS.
Coming
back to the age-old caste system, we assume that the intentions were good but
as we saw, the result was bad or worse- evil. And, in the current scene
unfolding before us the picture behind
the curtain getting clearer, aren’t we repeating the same mistakes what Brahmins did centuries ago.
By
the provisions of our Constitution, equal opportunities for all people
irrespective of the caste are to be created and it is the responsibility of the
government. So, provide equal opportunity platform instead of immunity to a few
class. Arrange for free education to the under-privileged and develop their
brains to compete in the world rather than providing them a protective tunnel
to avoid hail-storm of the reality. Make stronger citizens rather than
religious and caste fanatics. Protectionism will make our society weak and
India, as a country, will have poor representation in the world affairs. We are
in abundant quantity, so, now, let’s provide quality.
Surprisingly,
to whom I am addressing the feelings!! My suggestions in the above paragraph
are not addressed to any one in particular, but to all concerned and aware
citizens. My views are purely mine and an inch closer to practicality.
-- Brijesh Khanna
Surat
PS: If my name prompts you to think on caste
lines, I am a ‘Kshatriya’ by the old Varna Pratha but I’d rather be called as
a human being first.
