THE CASTE SYSTEM AND ITS INFLUENCE ON POST-INDEPENDENCE INDIA

India's caste system, which classify Hindus into different societal groups according to their
work and birth. In the system, Hindus are divided up into four classes based on the principle
of "varna," which literally means "colour" and shows the underlying discrimination. The four
Varna are: the Brahmins (the priestly and educated class); the Kshatriyas (the ruling,
administrative and warriors clan); the Vaishyas (artisans, tradesmen, farmers and merchants);
and the Shudras (manual workers for all the above classes). There are also people who fall
outside the system known as "untouchables," although the term is somewhat contentious, it
changes as per convenience.
Immediately after India attained independence in 1947, the country introduced laws to make
discrimination against lower castes illegal and to improve their socioeconomic positions. In
the post-Independence period, the democratic form of government based on adult suffrage,
meant a competition for political power through elections and subsequently reinforced the
caste-identities. The major changes in the economic position of certain castes, which though
classified as “backward”, has led to the growth of the new rich peasant farmer classes. These
classes of the middle castes are seeking to safeguard their position visa-a-vies the higher
castes on the one hand. The upper class who enjoyed autonomy over the years are resisting
challenges to their position from the poorer classes and landless labourers of the lowest
castes. The increasing economic ability and power in the hands of these new rich middle
castes is finding expression in their role and control of political institutions through way of
power. They seek to protect essentially their economic and political interests as caste interests
as a whole and this finds expression in terms of increasing political polarisation on caste
lines. Thus, party organisation, political mobilisation, voting get deeply influenced, among
other factors, by caste considerations. As these caste have faced discrimination over the years
and want to continue to uplift their position and join the creamy layer on the top.

The influence of caste system can be broadly characterised into three aspects i.e. Social,
Political, Economical. These aspects can be seen vividly as these factors influence the
thinking of masses of different caste groups.

Taking political aspect into consideration in the current Indian political spectrum and taking
examples since independence, India never had a Prime Minister who belonged to the
Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe since India got independence. Similarly in previous
Prime Ministerial terms of our country we have had twelve Prime Minister all belonging to
Hindu Upper Caste apart from Deve Gowda. It makes India a more of a less representative
democracy where there is no or little representation of the lower strata.

These classes were not rigid and closed. No one was Brahmin or Shudras by birth, everyone
was free to attain the highest social dignity by working hard. The classification was based on
some engraved principles i.e. heredity and economic status of labour. Thus, it always
preserved the social integration. But somewhere along the line it created hindrance in way of
social progression. Moving forward to the second most important aspect i.e. the Social
aspect. Instead of remaining as a force which was supposed to unite everyone as it was in its
past, caste system become a dividing element in Hindu society. It divided the Hindus into
hundreds and hundreds of sub-caste groups and sects. Bad Blood and hatred has replaced the
feeling of mutual respect and sympathy amongst the members of different strata of caste.
Equal Opportunity in terms of jobs, other skilled employment were denied even if the lower
caste were equally qualified to do the job.

This difference between ups and downs of caste gradually developed into the worst form of
untouchability which pushed a major section of population to a state of lower than of an
animal. This division of society into high and low has cast its shadow of doubts on all aspects
of Hindu society as a whole. The women were the worst hit by the continuous disintegration
as for caste sake they were married at a very young age making them vulnerable to all he evil
of the society. Women weren’t allowed to remarry and were instead compelled to burn
themselves with their husbands’ dead bodies, the practice of which we call Sati. It retarded
the growth of brotherhood and instead separated caste by denying any social intercourse.

The caste system is undemocratic in all means as it denies equal rights to all irrespective of
all the problems stated above. Thus, caste system has been undemocratic in all means and
created divide amongst the people who were once together. Hence, defeating the purpose of
why it came into existence and totally negating the other aspect which was upliftment of all
with equal sense of opportunity.

Hence, in spite of all the savings of the priests, caste is simply a crystallised social institution
which often doing its service is now filling the atmosphere of India with stink.