India is a victim of caste-based politics for decades now. But the question is will India ever be able to wrestle itself out of this huge mess? The answer is NO.NEVER. My research says no one can be a leader by just talking logical and development. People in masses do not gather to hear about new economic plans or investment reforms; people only gather in masses only if their EMOTIONS are attached to it. When you can easily wash your hands off your duty by promising reservations, why trouble yourself by taking the route of Development?
Well to some extent we can’t blame the politics solely for this. It’s not the political leaders who are leading caste politics. They are just the tip of the iceberg. Underneath, there is caste distance and rivalry. True, this has vanished among a thin silver of “liberals” but this is just silver. Below the line runs a strong belief in caste, color, tribe, religion, gender roles, and language. There’s no point in saying that political leaders do not work along the lines of traditional identities. That’s how India is. Whether it’s Dalits coming together or Rajputs coming together- all fighting for something that happened ages ago. So yes, these varied unexplained identities are important to Indians, and hence politicians will continue to use them.
Now if we look deeply in Jignesh Mevani’s cry for Dalits, we’ll get a clear picture of how he is the latest pawn in the new strategy of Congress and Left to raise caste based mutinies in India to dislodge BJP. Jignesh will move around just like Kanhiya Kumar, will make lots of noise and fuse and accusations against BJP, RSS, and upper castes. 70 years of reservations, tears from Congress and Leftists have done nothing for Dalits. They are still discriminated and poor.
What has changed are only the people shouting for their cause. Our leaders have mastered the policy of divide and rule and we are comfortable in abusing such policies sitting on the couch but come out on roads when they command us. This is probably because caste is not only beneficial to them but also to us. That’s why caste-based politics is becoming deeper rooted with each new day. Because we want people in positions of power to listen to our woes and concerns. So the division of castes remains the ineluctable and ineradicable feature of our society. The politics of caste and the caste of a politician can make or mar a power struggle.
We only let them create chaos over caste and we only suffer in the hands of politicians. We only let the goons kill in the name of castes. We want our caste to progress, not the nation. We have become the slaves of the caste centric ideology and that’s a shame and that what makes caste politics immortal.
