Why we need a casteless society?
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Caste is a regressive social system which is undemocratic in every aspect
and untouchability is its most cruel form. The slogans of the French revolution
Liberty, Equality and Fraternity have aroused the entire humanity to fight against
the social evils. Caste, the social evil of India is yet to be abolished.
Caste is like a slow acting poison. It divides! It divides the people, divides
the society, divides the country. Caste places one section of the society
against another. Caste never unifies the society as a whole. Caste always
disunites. So naturally caste is a hindrance to the development of the society.
The legendary Greek philosopher Aristotle has said that "Man is a social
animal". He said “Man is by nature a social animal; an individual who is
unsocial naturally is beneath our notice. Society is something that precedes
the individual.” Aristotle has clearly said that man cannot live in isolation.
Man cannot advance individually.
Our caste system works against the concept of Aristotle. It has made
India into a sectarian society. The men of India are unsocial. The unification
of the society and the feeling of oneness is must for any society to advance.
Caste works against all these spirits and therefore advancement of the
society is seriously compromised.
A caste ridden society and casteless society are distinctly different.
A casteless society will move forward while a caste society moves
backward. Caste is a stumbling block and no meaningful development
is possible with caste centred society. A caste society is a CURSE while
a casteless society is a BLESSED one.
Mahatma Gandhi has considered the untouchability as a SIN. He had revolted
against it since his young age. In independent India, laws were enacted
terming untouchability a criminal offence and stringent penal actions
were prescribed. Consequently untouchability in India was eradicated
to a great extent.
Legal actions and punitive measures have proved to be successful
in eradicating the untouchability. But annihilation of caste is not easy.
Caste works in the mind; it dwells in the brain. it comes right from the
birth. When a child is born, caste is also born along with. A birth
without caste is unthinkable in India now.
Annihilation of caste as dreamt by Dr Ambedkar is still an unfinished
agenda. Dr Ambedkar had valiantly fought against the caste system and
untouchability and succeeded significantly. He gas guaranteed social justice
to some extent through reservations in education and employment. But then
caste is not yet annihilated.
Our history shows that in various parts of India many social reformers had
fought against the evil caste system. In Tamilnadu, to quote a few,
EVR Periyar, Ramalinga Vallalar, Poet Bharathiyar, Iyaa Vaikundar and
Narayana Guru in Kerala are exemplary fighters.
Caste is still alive but the fight against it is on and on. Indian people
will succeed one day in their fight against the caste, and the day will
dawn and we all will witness the birth of a new India which is CASTELESS,
CREEDLESS and CLASSLESS. Let us strive hard and march on.
I earnestly hope that such a mighty India will blossom within our lifetime.
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