Decoding Casteism In India: How The Indian Society Is Secretly Glorifying Casteism?

As per the census 2011, over 40 percent Christians in India are considered Dalit Christians.

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The caste system in India has a long and complex history. Scholars and historians have different viewpoints to argue the origin of casteism in India. However, caste-based discrimination is considered an unlawful and punishable offence. Article 17 of the Indian Constitution says: “Untouchability” is abolished and its practice in any form is forbidden. The enforcement of any disability arising out of “untouchability” shall be an offence punishable in accordance with the law. But, why untouchability and other caste-based discrimination still practised in India? Let’s know why Indian Society is not ready to end the casteism.

Glorifying The Casteism 

Recently, a journalist, while covering the Bihar Assembly Election 2020, asked an elderly man about Vikas (development, which is a common Indian name for a boy too), and misinterpreting Vikas (development) with a man, he replied ‘he couldn’t see it’. The video was shared on social media and nearly in no time went viral. But there was some serious issue to concern. The journalist asked the elderly man about his Jaat on live reporting with no hesitation as he was asking for his last name.   

https://twitter.com/UtkarshSingh_/status/1316806291365351424?s=19

The video raises some serious questions. If a journalist can ask someone his caste on live reporting, we can imagine how deep the caste system would be in the Society. How common topic it would be to discuss while proposing marriage proposal, getting jobs, buying or renting homes, and how objectionable the entry in temples, burying/cremating the decease, or eating with upper castes would be.   

The video is from the Indian state Bihar, and when I asked my fellows, they said it is quite common there to ask someone’s caste. Ankit Kumar, a journalist who belongs to Bihar, said, “Casteism is very prevalent in Bihar. Although conflicts between two castes have decreased, there is still a tussle amongst communities. Where, the upper caste is in majority, they run the village as per their convenience and where lower castes are in majority, it is little difficult for upper castes to live with full freedom. Caste is a very big factor in elections as leaders tend to favour their own community once they win the election.”

The caste system is deeply rooted in the Indian Society, especially in rural India where it is not even covered, but promoted. Over 60 percent Indian population lives in rural India, which consumes the toxic casteism and hate speeches regularly. No wonder why the caste-based crimes are on surge in the rural Indian areas.

How well connected it is with the Indian Society?

Caste-based discrimination starts with our morning newspaper. The section where people find “suitable” groom and bride. The section which is full of different caste, varna, and jati, in fact, with the skin colour too. People are advertising their castes on national newspapers, the press is publishing it, and the government is allowing. However, there is nothing objectional or at least offensive, but this is indeed a practice and promotion of the caste system. 

In big cities like Delhi and Mumbai, people still suffer from caste-based discrimination. The lower caste people still struggle to find a home to rent in the upper caste community. In rural areas, people have specific shops, saloons, restaurants, and dairy to visit. Casteism in India seems to be an infinite never-ending loop. 

Casteism – Not Limited to Hinduism 

Untouchability and the caste system is highly studied in Hinduism, while it is rarely discussed in other religions. It would be surprising for many people that the term Dalit is not only linked to Hinduism, but there are also Dalit Muslims, Dalit Christians, and Dalit Sikhs too. 

There are 14.2 percent Muslim population (as per 2011 census) in India. However, many Muslims are decedents from local converts which converted from Dalit Hindus to escape the caste-based discrimination. In the video mentioned above, when the journalist asked for his jaat, the man replied he is a mochi (a cobbler), which is an occupation majorly done by lower caste, including Muslims. Similar to Hindu Dalits, Muslims Dalits are also considered untouchables, and the term arzal (inferior) is often used for them. There are small researches that show the untouchability in India exists in other religion too.

As per the census 2011, over 40 percent Christians in India are considered Dalit Christians. The Dalits in every religion face discrimination. They are not allowed to sit with upper caste, buried with other decease, married to upper caste (even in Christianity, Islam, and Sikhism). In India, one cannot escape from the casteism, even after converting to other religions. 

Recent Caste-based crimes in India 

In 2018, a Dalit Christian Kevin P Joseph was killed after he applied to register his marriage with Neenu Chacko, 21, also a Christian. The boy was killed by girl family.

2. On May 30, 2020, a Dalit boy was shot dead by upper caste men for praying in the temple in Uttara Pradesh’s Amroha.

3. On September 25, 2020, two children were killed by upper caste men for defecating in fields.

4. There were cases reported in Bihar where a section Muslims denied the entry of Dalit Muslims into graveyards on the grounds of lower caste status.  

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