I was deeply disturbed after watching last Sunday’s talk show in Vijay TV, “Neeya Nana”. The show was a debate between parents who support love marriage and those who do not. At one point in the show when the show host Gopinath asked one side of the participants that to who they would not give their daughters in marriage, most of them, at least 8 or 9 said, “we will not marry our daughter to a boy from a low caste”. Then it was asked to one of the show guests, a Dalit writer on what did he feel about it, he replied, “I feel it is better to die than to live in a nation like this”.
Those that have the feeling of casteism are no less than murderers. I would say that those who make others feel that they are better dead than to live, are guilty under different sections of IPC (Indian Penal Code). Such people are guilty under Section 107 for abetting, provoking, instigating to commit suicide and under Section 306 (Abetment of Suicide); also guilty under Section 196 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 for speeches that are likely to disturb the communal harmony in the country and the likely result of such inflammatory speeches is to create hatred in the minds of citizens against the persons belonging to minority communities and under Section 499 for Defamation (whoever by words either spoken or intended to be read, or by signs or by visible representations, makes or publishes any imputation concerning any person intending to harm, or knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm, the reputation of such person and to defame that person.) They are also punishable under various other sections of Slavery, of Mischief, of Insult and Annoyance.
The most evil, the most corrupting and degenerating element of a society is Casteism. So I thought that “casteism” should speak on itself.
C – I have a brother whose name too starts with “C” and ends with “E”; and we both are five lettered. Guess who is that? Curse! And I am a Curse to the society.
A – I Alienate people, one from the other
S – I am Sin embodied and personified; I also Stimulate people to commit Suicide deeming them as unfit to live in the Society
T – I do not Treat humans as humans, but as subhuman and Teach the same to those who are my ardent followers to do so to others
E – I breach Equality and fill the minds of people with Evil
I – I am one such ISM (a belief or system of beliefs accepted as authoritative by some group or school) that which is making the people of India Irrational
S - I am Sick (in the “Adjective” form) and so people who celebrate me are diseased
M – I am the Mastermind behind many Murders & Massacres in My name; I Misuse people and make people Misbehave with others based on their caste
After being a Republic country for 63 years and a Free nation for 65 years we are still holding on to this evil called “casteism” down the centuries, in this nation. But this can be totally cast off by the younger and the present generation. And can be done only by those who have the “guts” to do it and not by “cowards”. It’s not sufficient that we just talk about it or write about it; its time for some real action, if we would like to see this nation a real Republic, where the supreme power lies in the the body of citizens. Even as we celebrate the 64th Republic Day today let us pledge ourselves to not harbour any feeling of casteism and to wipe it off completely from our country.
Pledge yourself to do these –
- DO NOT write your caste name in any form.
- If your name has a “caste” name attached take the bold step to remove it. Read to know the legal steps to change your name in India - How to Change Your Name Legally in India
- Do not give in to marry the boy or girl from your caste. Make it as your first claim in marriage to your parents to remove “caste” from marriage search list.
While typing this post out in my content editor I noted a red line below the word “casteism” and a suggestion to “Add to dictionary”. No, I did not add this word. Because I am dreaming of a caste-free India where there would be no need for this word, where all would be equals.
Let every time we say the National Pledge (as an oath of allegiance to the Republic of India) “India is my country and all Indians are my brothers and sisters”, let’s mean it and live it!
Do you have any other better and meaningful ways to cast off casteism please share in the comments below. Do you have a story or incident from your life to share on the evils of casteism? Please share below.
“So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27 NLT)
Here is another story that I wrote of a boy named Ravi, the scars of whose life too speak on the evils of casteism, I am Ravi.
That same day, i.e. on 26th Jan (after I wrote this post) I hear a shocking statement in the TV spoken at the Jaipur literary festival; a statement made by Sociologist Ashis Nandy looking at corruption on caste basis and blaming the lower castes for corruption. You don't expect such a statement in a literary festival! Now we know what are those "literates" like! The irony is he says this in the session themed "Republic of Ideas" and on the Republic Day! What a Republic are we? That which still looks down on people and is biased based on Caste?? This evil needs to be eradicated...
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