BODHADHAARA: CASTE OF INDIANS-A New Movement Is Building Up

BODHADHAARA: CASTE OF INDIANS-A New Movement Is Building Up

CASTE OF INDIANS-A New Movement Is Building Up

‘Mention Your Caste as Indian”

New Delhi, May 16

MENTION ‘Hindustani’ as your caste. This was the consensus arrived at a symposium on Caste-based census by prominent people like former Union Minister for Civil Aviation Arif Mohamed Khan.

Amid demands for Caste-based census the symposium, which was held here on Saturday evening, announced the launch of a movement ‘Meri Jaati Hindustani’ (My caste is Indian). Khan, former MEA Secretary J.C.Sharma and others also decided to set up a committee to transform their initiative into a mass movement. It is aimed at motivating people to write “Indian” as their caste in the census form.

“Even if only 4 crore to 5 crore people write their caste as “Indian” or whatever they call it in their mother tongue, this will be a huge success and will help more and more citizens to follow the suit”, Khan said.

He said the number of people believing their caste as ‘Indian’ was not less, but they were unorganised and not instituted.

The movement is bringing in those people to motivate others. The demand for a caste-based step is a conspiracy to divide the country, the participants said, adding they did not oppose if someone mentioned his or her caste.

Senior journalist Ved Prathap Vaidik said people need a new caste – Indian. It is caste not by birth but by choice, he said.

No class no caste

The goal of Indian Constitution is to create a casteless and classless society, but the caste census is disgrace to Ambedker’s dream, Sharma said.

( The New Indian Express, Kochi, P.10, May 17,2010)

What do you think about this new movement? The majority may prefer to be known according to their caste by birth. But for those to be placed otherwise, this is a reasonable option. But as long as there is reservation, protection. discrimination, negotiation and all things on the basis of caste, people will prefer to stick on to the existing system- either to enjoy its benefits or to exploit its possibilities or to revenge its atrocities..However caste is a reality in the Indian context. A physical reality!.And in existence here for many many generations!!. Those sections who were on the receiving end of all types of caste-discriminations has a right to claim compensation from the society for their age-long sufferings. Hence the new concept will not get the support of them and they are the majority in our population.The contradiction is that they are the oppressed and they are the opposers as well.