SOCIO-CAPITALISM, CASTE DESTRUCTION AND STIFFER NATIONHOOD – THREE PILLS WHICH CAN CURE INDIA

SOCIO-CAPITALISM, CASTE DESTRUCTION AND STIFFER NATIONHOOD – THREE PILLS WHICH CAN CURE INDIA

India is growing - socially, economically and politically. However it has a long way to go before it can become a glaring example for the world or even for some of the developing countries. Here is a look, from a macro level, at what it needs to do -internally and externally  - to clean up it’s act and emerge as strong contendor for the super  power status.

Things which drag down India are - chronic poverty, which manifests itself in massive unemployment, hunger and malnutrition; high levels of corruption at all the institutional levels; divisiveness which usually takes the form of identity politics, mostly in terms of caste and region, but at times of religio-communal nature. And, externally,it’s confused and indecisive approach in countering external threats like terrorism and bullying tactics by it’s giant eastern neighbour.

India needs a far sighted approach to deal with these issues. The first and foremost, it needs a judicious blend of Socialism and Capitalism. We need the development and proliferation of the private sector in some non-priority areas. We need innovation and free growth.

But the prosperity so created should be encashed for public welfare. Government should get more and more money out of surging corporate tax and other direct and indirect tax collexctions. This wealth should be more and more spent on social infrastructure like health and education.

Income and prosperity should not merely percolate down to the lower levels. Rather such a comprehensive arrangement of transformation effected so that the entire national community gets involved, grows and prospers. We need various projects, massive in their size, differing in their nature and type of industry, but linked to each other in a co-ordinated manner, so that they reinforce and strengthen each other leading to a sound, deep and highly stable economic revolution.

But things will become pointless if the hydra headed demon of corruption is allowed to hold sway. We need a very honest man at the top, who selects his efficient and committed team, and they together overhaul the entire functional mechanism of our country. This sounds difficult, but is certainly attainable, if there is a will, and conditions are created in that manner.

Then there is the problem of social inequality as the ugly manifsetation of caste system of yore. Here too we need radical measures. The destruction of caste means destroying it’s inequalities and not necessarily caste itself. But it is clear, once caste inequalities are destroyed, caste will automatically cease to be the pet obsession of Indian masses.

Already we see caste equations changing in various Indian states like UP, Bihar, and others. The legislation of Mandal Commission has indeed empowered the backward castes like never before. However more changes at the grassroot levels need to be enforced. The selection of labours for various development projects like construction of national highways, and the recruitment to mills and factories, at the lower levels, must give preference to dalits, tribals, backward castes, poor among the minorities and upper castes.

Moreover, a massive movement and social crusade against voting for candidates of one’s own castes in the elections, and favouring only one’s own caste members, should be launched. Caste destruction should not merely mean ending inequalities but even purging casteist mentality from the minds of the people.

Finally we need a strong and firm India. In the recent wikileaks expose, it was discovered that US officials were calling India a spineless country, and were denigrating it’s response to terror threats from Pakistan as weak, indecisive and confused. India certainly needs a more pro-active policy towards both it’s western as well as eastern neighbour. India needs to be prepared for even a war with Pakistan and China. It must be well prepared for that, militarily and diplomatically. Fearing is not the right thing. We may be righteous and fair, but if we fear our neighbours of their bullying, we would be reckoned as cowards, which is worse than being an aggressor.

Only an India, which is equal, free, prosperous and fearless can do justice to it’s glorious heritage and it’s vastness, hugeness and greatness.

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CASTE BASED CENSUS – AN AFFIRMATION TO A PROCESS OF RADICAL CHANGE – LET US MAKE CASTE IMPORTANT TO ULTIMATELY OUTSHINE IT

CASTE BASED CENSUS – AN AFFIRMATION TO A PROCESS OF RADICAL CHANGE – LET US MAKE CASTE IMPORTANT TO ULTIMATELY OUTSHINE IT

The institution of caste continues to remain a formidable force in the Indian nation. Right from selection of ‘suitable’ candidates for the elections by political parties to      being the chief criterion for selection of suitable life partners in arranged marriages, caste continues to dominate the mind of rural and urban India, in varying but definitive ways.       

And rightfully so, it has been the basis of social reality in the Indian subcontinent, since thousands of years. And indeed, a stark and cruel reality for millions of ‘commoners’. However, according to several scholars, Caste system, historically, has been a mixed blessing. It has divisively fragmented India, but also effectively sustained it’s vast diversity ; it has ostracized millions into forced ghettos and sub-human living, but at the same time institutionalized division of labour and skills according to heredity and hierarchy, resulting into harmony and order. Caste system has prevented India from disintegrating socially in the events of foreign invasions, but also through it’s ugliest manifestation of untouchability completely destroyed the spirit of egalitarianism.       

Caste system has been a symbol of a well defined and largely inviolable hierarchal social order. We can’t deny this reality. Caste system, in it’s long career, has affected some manifestations. These ugly manifestations clearly are seen in the glaring income inequalities between Forwards Castes on the one side and Backwards Castes, Dalits and tribals, on the other. These manifestations need to be destroyed for the creation of a more egalitarian society.

It is here that we need a complete overhaul. Reservation policy, along with other measures of affirmative action, should be put in their proper perspective. Reservation bar of 50% can be raised, but only if it is genuinely needed. India is a land of unique inequality, it needs special measures to fight this disparity.

Thus this highlights the importance of caste based census. It would give us a much more accurate statistical input about the social and economic status of various castes. And accordingly, a new revised reservation and social justice policy can be effected.

In the last few decades, we have seen the increasing clout of ‘have not castes’. This , per se, is a healthy sign. Caste census will commence a new era, when elimination of social inequalities, will be addressed to, at a war footing. This might lead to a transitory, intermediate stage, where caste would get even more important. But soon this phase will be over, as vertical order gives way to horizontal order.

Thorn has be used to remove other thorns. Similarly caste criterion has to be used to ultimately diminish or even annihilate caste system. If we wish to remove poison from a snake bitten man, we will have to employ harsh methods, there will be pain. “All change is painful”, says Karl Marx. On the same lines, we need to cure society, so there will be some level of unease, disorder, but eventually would lead to equality and order.

The end of social inequality can bring real harmony. And a caste based census is the first concrete step in that direction.

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