The death of a bright research scholar, Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad University has opened up a Pandora’s box which all political parties are trying to make political capital from. Vemula was a Dalit and going through his Facebook Page we are privy to his thoughts. He vehemently deplored the caste system and saw it as a prison from where individuals like him can never escape. His suicide note is a narrative of pessimism and utter disgust with what he has been subject to within the university campus, including the rustication and social ostracism unleashed by the University Administration against him and four others, all of whom are actively involved with the Ambedkar Students’ Association (ASA).
Caste has become the single biggest cause for social disorder in this country. How can there be equal growth and progress when huge chunks of the population are condemned to face the brutal fate of belonging to the caste of untouchables. Dalits face discrimination within institutions of learning and at the work place. The so-called high castes such as the Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaisyas will not eat or drink from the hands of a Dalit. The Dalits who fall under the Scheduled Castes category and the tribals (including those from North East India) who are listed as Scheduled Tribes have been classed as backward because of their socio-economic disadvantages. There are seats reserved for them in educational institutions and in employment. This is not taken kindly by the other castes who feel they are cheated of their space in the scheme of things.
The Dalits and tribals are also amongst the poorest. There is enough research that informs us that equal societies almost always do better on human development indices than unequal ones. Scandinavian countries are way ahead of most others because the virus of racism and non-egalitarianism has not afflicted them. India is fighting a losing battle with the caste system which seems near impossible to eradicate. On the contrary caste identities seem to have further hardened. It will take a radical transformation of mindsets, rather than government action, to make caste irrelevant in India. The sooner that happens the better for this country!