THE LIBERATOR OF UNTOUCHABLES  BHARAT RATTAN BABA SAHIB DR. B. R. AMBEDKAR “The Hindus wanted the Vedas and they sent for Vyasa who was not a caste Hindu. The Hindus wanted an Epic and they sent for Valmiki who was an untouchable.The Hindu wanted a Constitution, and they sent for me. ……………..Dr. B.R. Ambedkar   Rajinder Kashyap New Delhi. 0091-11-987-355-9415 The condition of untouchables prior to the birth of Babasahib was worse than the animals. They were pushed in filthy and inhuman trades, made to settle on the outer precincts of human habitations, survived on remnants foodstuffs, forced to indulge in menial works, deprived and denied opportunities of education, trade and commerce and government service. They were forced not to strive for any social, political or religious rights, rather all their rights were usurped. The Hindu society believed that to perpetuate atrocities on untouchable is their pious and religious duty and such actions have authority of their scriptures. Such gruesome and horrific was treatment of untouchables in Hindu religious and social system that it even took away the spirit of protest and they resigned to their fate and took this exploitation as result of their past deeds or bad karmas. The untouchables were called a part of Hindu social order despite not being allowed to fetch water from wells, prohibition on entry into Hindu temples, prohibition on touching caste Hindus, prohibition of wearing gold and silver jewellery, prohibition on entering the houses of caste Hindus. Such tights and well planned were social fetters around them that they never dreamt of a better life for them. These restrictions were imposed upon them in the name of religion. The life of untouchable was worse than a life of serf or slave as it was full of slavery, insult and brutal poverty and the worse was that all doors for getting out were tightly closed by the Hindu social and religious system.  It was a reality that an untouchable was born as a slave and died as slave. This so called land of saints, gurus and god men was like a hell for untouchables. Seeing their destitute conditions, great Muslim poet Sir Iqbal lamenting on the conditions of untouchable and had said that the Life of untouchable Shudra is like a ghetto in Hindustan….             On the name of religion, they were insulted everywhere. In was written in the Hindu scriptures that Women and Shudras do not have right to education, in such a situation the doors of schools were closed for them. The untouchable Shudras were entangled in social and religious vicious circle, which they were unable to break, and were resigned to their fate. They were spread across the country in various provinces and the restraints and the prohibitions imposed upon them also varied from state to state. In the rule of Peshwas, the Shudras were made to bear small earthen pot on their chest for spitting and tie broom behind them for cleaning their footmarks.  They were made to wear a black thread as a mark of identification. They were not allowed to enter the main cities and habitations where caste Hindus lived and were made to stay outside the villages. The shopkeepers of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh used to take money through a big wooden spoon after selling their goods to untouchables. The things sold were never given in hand but were thrown from a distance. They were made to wear a feather of cock in their headgear for distinct identification. This was being done to avoid any pollution through touch. They were not allowed to drink water from charity hand pumps and taps. In southern part of India, the compliance to Hindu religious and social order was rather strict, hence, the conditions of untouchables were worse there. Even the shadow of untouchables is said to have a polluting effect on caste Hindus and their foodstuffs, a reasonable distance was prescribed by the Brahamanical scriptures. In Malabar state, the untouchables were not allowed to walk on the roads leading to temples. The untouchables were not allowed to have music bands in their marriage party and their marriage parties were strictly prohibited to pass from higher caste Hindu habitations. Everyone has to walk as neither horse nor palanquin was allowed. If they ever touch the utensils of higher caste Hindus, mere cleaning by washing was not enough, the utensils were put in fire for cleaning the impurities. Due to such inhuman conditions, no respectable and reasonable sources of earning livelihood were available to untouchables. The utmost poverty and illiteracy of thousands of years placed them in pathetic conditions. Their exploitation reached the most inhuman levels beyond imaginations. In such a condition the Liberator was born on 14th April 1891 in Mhow Cantt. In Madhya Pradesh state. He was strong willed, self confident, brave, hardworking, merciful, intelligent person having qualities of becoming a great man from the very beginning of his childhood. Being untouchable, he also had to suffer insults and discrimination innumerable times at the hands of Hindus society. Such incidents had left indelible impressions on the tender mind of young Ambedkar and made him stronger and stronger to fight the evils of untouchability prevailing in Hindu social system and Hindu religion. He took a firm decision to Liberate untouchables from the chains of thousands of years of slavery, inhuman life and earn civil and political rights for them through constant struggle. He prepared his strategy and started working on it. Even prior to Baba sahib, a number of reformers, saints and mahatmas had born amongst untouchables and worked towards the cause of upliftment of untouchables but they failed to diagnose the ailment and hovered around the outer peripheries of untouchability. Unless correct ailment is identified, no proper treatment could be possible for ailing patient, how so ever good doctor may be examining a patient. The ailments suffered by untouchables required a competent, knowledgeable, qualified doctor who could diagnose the problem properly. Baba sahib was first person the history of untouchable people who could identify the causes of problems. For this purpose, he deeply studied the Hindu scriptures. He arrived at conclusion that Hindu scriptures are responsible for perpetuating inhuman miseries in form of untouchability, prohibition of education, poverty, and social alienation of untouchables. He held the view that the germs of untouchability prevail in the Hindu religion and the Hindus dutifully practice untouchability as there religious duty. After years of study, investigations and examination, he arrived to conclusion that till the untouchables keep believing in Hindu scriptures they will keep on getting exploited by the Hindu social system. Babasahib exhorted his people by saying; “Lost rights are never regained by appealing to the consciences of usurpers but through constant struggle and sacrifice. Only goats are used for oblation and not the lions.” He was of the firm views that till four Varna remains in Hindu social system and has backing of Hindu scriptures, the untouchables will remain untouchable. The foundation of Hindu religious order is based on hatred and inequalities towards untouchables. He fought for our cause with utmost aplomb at three Round Table Conferences in London and this is a history which none of the untouchables can afford to forget. He fought relentlessly with the leaders of Hindus for political rights and got it for his people besides winning right to equality, justice, education and government service. It is due to his efforts that today the untouchables enjoy civil and political rights in this country. He asserted upon his people to Educate, to Unite and Agitate. I do not know to what extent it is true that the mere touch of the Lord Jesus restored life in leapers and dead men. But people of my grandfather’s generation tells me that they have seen such a man who was born in the ranks of untouchables of this land and was their Liberator.  9 My head bows thousand times to pay respect from deepest of my heart to my Liberator who is a doyen of humanity and a Bodhisattva like Lord Buddha.    ******************** This appeal was addressed by Mr. Rajinder Kashyap to hundreds of people of areas in Gurdaspur District in Punjab India located on Indo-Pak border during last week of December 2006. It evoked a tremendous response. Committed missionaries of Ambedkar movement launched a mass contact programme by going from village to village. As a sequel to this, on 14th April, hundreds and thousands of Dalits would be attending Floral Tribute and mass awareness campaign at Dinanagar, District Gurdaspur, (Punjab) India under the Banner of Dr. Ambedkar Chetna Manch.   DR. B. R. AMBEDKAR “Lost rights are never regained by appealing to the consciences of usurpers; it is gained by constant struggle and sacrifice. Only goats are used for oblation not the lions.” Dr.  B. R. Ambedkar RAJINDER KASHYAP For last some time I was thinking of writing to you on the issues concerning all of us as a collective group of people. I know, in whatever profession we are and wherever we may have been, are doing well in our work and profession. We could attain this level due to the foresightedness of our forefathers most of whom migrated from their earlier homeland leaving behind whatever little assets they had and settled at this place keeping in view the future of their coming generations. All of us know that our parents and forefathers had meager resources but they were very enlightened and visionary people. They settled at this land, which had reasonably easy access for availing opportunities on the educational front. Most of us did not have to walk for hours together to have access to schools. This facilitated most of us to going to schools and avail educational facilities. I am happy that most of us grabbed all those opportunities which came our way with both hands and kept our march ahead despite great difficulties. Our forefathers and parents had a vision and burning desire to chalk out a path of development and well being of their coming generation. We should never forget to pay our gratitude towards them for their tireless efforts of bringing us to this level.  This country of ours had attained independence a decade and a half prior to the birth of most of people of my generation and the new Constitution that was adopted gave a number of Rights and envisaged a progressive future path of development of everyone irrespective of caste, creed, religion etc. The main architect and framer of this Constitution was none other than our savior Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. The rights, which we enjoy today in what so ever limited manner, are gained by struggle and sacrifice of Baba Sahib Dr. B.R. Ambedkar who fought for his whole life for our cause. If we can muster two times meals today for us and our beloved one, it is due to the efforts of Baba Sahib. If we are able to live in a little dignified manner, it is because of his efforts. But it is sad that most of us are forgetting the sacrifices he made for us and are failing to remember our liberator. If this situation continues, I am fearful that coming generations of Dalits and untouchable (who are now called as Scheduled Castes) in our land may not even believe that Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, a highly educated, democrat, intellectual, philosopher, social scientist, social reformer, a visionary of modern India and who fought for our rights was born amongst us and was our savior and ‘Taranhar’. I have not seen God, and I also do not have any desire to see such a God whose disciples perpetuate all kind of barbarian   atrocities on all of us everyday. Baba Saheb is my God and has to be the God of every scheduled caste or Dalits or untouchable. Due to his struggle and untiring efforts we could achieve whatever little we have achieved so far. Don’t you feel that we owe some obligation to Him? And if your answer is yes then why have we failed in our responsibilities so far in treading the path shown by him. All of us must do something in a dignified and befitting manner collectively to remember Baba Saheb as and when appropriate occasion comes. Let’s make a beginning and I feel that with the involvement of all of us we definitely shall succeed. No one else knows better than all of us the value of education, as most of us neither have any land nor any business to fall back upon. Its only education, which can get us some job or work and could save us from hunger and provide us a dignified living. Therefore, I feel that it is our pious responsibility to ensure that all of us are educated and our children do well in their education.   “Man cannot live by bread alone, He has a mind which needs food for thought” ………Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Some of our brothers and sisters due to sheer conditions prevailing with them may not be in position to afford education of their children and those children would be deprived of their education and opportunity to move ahead. Lord Buddha has said that “communion” is very important for progress and collective good of community of people. I sincerely request you to ponder upon, if collectively we could formulate some mechanism in this direction, which would be of some assistance to our brethrens. If our efforts can produce even one professional it would be of immense satisfaction and we can feel proud. In today’s world, knowledge is power and in changing scenario, the dimensions of educations are also changing. I feel that all those amongst us who are in the field of education, can spare a little time and extend a helping hand to our children so that they can perform well. I know it will take time, but we need to build a modern resource center containing books, papers and other materials on various matters concerning all of us. Baba Sahib was a philosopher, thinker, social revolutionary and democrat to the core. He has generated stockpiles of literature on various matters. We must know his philosophy and his teaching for our good. The teaching would make us aware about our friends and foes. I am sad that most of us have time for everything else except making us aware about the teaching and works of Baba Sahib. It would be a commendable effort if we collectively do something in this direction. All of us have heard the story during our school days on the theme of strength of Unity wherein an old farmer tries to demonstrate the strength of four sticks together to his sons. United we stand and divided we fall. If all we can stand together we can do whatever we want to. These are few thoughts, which always come to my mind and I felt that I must share with you. It requires collective efforts and participation of all of us to build a social platform for community. I have used quotations and picture of Bharat Ratan Baba Sahib Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in my letter, who for me is a God for Dalits and untouchable and he is the only one who has worked for our cause in the history of civilization of this country. Through this request, I appeal to you to let’s us find time sometime during end of December 2006 at our own village to discuss these matters collectively without any further delay. Jai Bhim, +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Messiah of Dalits and Downtrodden - Babasahib Dr. B.R. Ambedkar - Rajinder Kashyap One may love it or one may hate but one has to accept and acknowledge the fact that Ambedkarism has been a movement of assertion of downtrodden in the history of India in recent times. Ambedkar has been a voice of downtrodden of this country and for their cause he has dedicated his whole life and works. Dalits have placed Ambedkar at the top of the world and he is no less than a God for them. He wrote extensively on the problems of Caste, Muslims, minorities and women in India. He richly contributed towards constructions of democratic independent India.  Bhim Rao Ramji Ambedkar was born on 14th April 1891 at Mhow, a small town in the then princely state of Indore state. He was the fourteenth child of father Ramji Sakpal and mother Bhima Bai belonging to the Mahar caste, which was considered a low untouchable caste by the caste Hindus. The Mahars were, however, among untouchables and were considered to be a sort of martial race. They were considered important army strength in Maratha army from time of Shivaji.  The grandfather, farther and six uncles of B. R. Ambedkar were in the army all of them were holding the rank of Subedar Major, which was an achievement in the Indian Army under the British. The father of B. R. Ambedkar was a Subedar Major in army and was a teacher in Army School.      The young Ambedkar, at a very tender age had to face humiliation and disgrace at the hands of upper caste Hindus when he started education in primary school. He was made to sit outside the classroom so that his presence did not pollute other boys. He and his brother were not allowed to drink water from the school well and they had to often remain thirsty the whole day. Bhimrao’s attitude towards Hinduism and its rigidly and deep-rooted caste system could be traced to these insults and humiliations suffered by him at an age when a young mind makes impressions about things around him.     During study in school Bhimrao used Ambavadekar as his surname and the same was derived from their ancestral village called Ambavade. A benevolent and compassionate teacher becoming interested in young, well-mannered and humble Bhimrao changed his surname to Ambedkar and he came to be known as Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar. He passed his matriculation examinations in 1908 and completed his graduation in 1912 on the scholarship given by Maharaja of Baroda, Sayajirao Gaekwad. He completed his Master of Arts and doctorate in Economics from Columbia University, Master of Science and Doctorate of science in economics from London School of Economics and Political Science, Barrister at law from Grey’s Inn, London. It was an achievement par excellence for a small town untouchable boy at the end of 19th century to attain such high education and high degrees. This superior educational knowledge further boosted Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar to vigorously purse the cause of downtrodden and also to lead the growing movement of India’s downtrodden. The mixture of several factors like the openings of mobility provided by British colonial rule, the help of a few progressive and far sighted individuals, wealthy and upper caste social reformers, sacrificial support from his family besides his own sheer grit and determination contributed immensely towards his success.           On completion of his studies he came back to India in 1924 and in compliance to the bond which he signed before with Maharaja of Baroda for scholarship went to serve the Princely state and was appointed as Military Secretary to the Maharaja. He found it utmost difficult to find a place to stay in Baroda. He wrote and narrated in one of his speeches; “Neither a Hindu nor a Moslem was prepared to rent out a house to me in any locality, I decided to get accommodated in a Parsi Dharmsala. After having stayed in America and England, I had developed a fair complexion and impressive personality. Giving myself a Parsi name, ‘Adalji Sorabji’….. But soon the people got the wind of the fact that His Highness of Maharaja Gaekwad of Baroda had appointed a Mahar boy as an officer in his Durbar. My living in Parsi dharamsala under the assumed name gave rise to suspicion and my secret was out soon.” So he tendered his resignation to Maharaja and left for Bombay, once Maharaja of Baroda came to know the behavior meted out to Ambedkar in Baroda he waived the condition of 10 years service in the State of Baroda stipulated at the time of granting him scholarship for higher studies. Besides legal practice at Bombay High Court, he also started active public career as a social worker, a politician, a writer and an educationist. The indications of his activities and his future mission of his life he gave even before he left for England the second time. He brought out a Marathi fortnightly, Mook Nayak from December 1919 to June 1920. He was emerging as a leader of the downtrodden and in that capacity he gave evidence before the Southborough Reforms (Franchise) committee, claiming political rights for the Depressed Classes. He was getting involved more and more in the social and political activities and a big step forward was initiated by him in this direction by organizing  ‘Bahishkrit Hitkarini Sabha’ in 1924. The main objectives of the Sabha were; to promote and expand education among the Depressed Classes by opening hostels or by employing such other means as may seem necessary or desirable; to promote the spread of culture among the Depressed Classes by opening libraries, social centres and classes or study circles; and advance and improve the economic condition of the Depressed Classes by starting industrial and agricultural schools. He started four boarding houses in the Bombay Presidency in five years. He vehemently attacked the village life structure in India; termed as a cesspool of Casteism and a breeding grounds of untouchability in Hindu society. The need for such boarding houses arose because high caste Hindu students would not like to live and dine with the untouchables. These hostels proved a boon for the ‘low-caste’ students. He also started some newspapers and journals to spread the message of the Sabha as he felt that speeches, meetings and resolutions passed in those meetings were not enough.      In addition to advocating, urging and writing on the problems of untouchables, Ambedkar adopted the method of agitation to get justice for  untouchables. In March 1927 he led his followers to Chavdar Talen (Chowdar Tank) a public tank in Mahad. The Untouchables were not allowed to drink water from the tank. Ambedkar and his supporters during this agitation marched to the tank and drank water from the tank and broke age-old pitiless custom. He firmly believed that the ancient Hindu Law Book namely Manusmriti was the mother of caste system and untouchability in Hindu society, therefore, he burnt a copy of Manusmriti in a protest against the caste system. These agitations and leadership capabilities of Ambedkar established him as a leader of the downtrodden and the then government also acknowledged this when he was nominated to the Bombay Legislative Assembly for which he remained a member and served competently from 1926 to 1934. During his stint as a member of Bombay Assembly he introduced several bills for the welfare of the untouchables, peasants and workers, but most of these were not passed because the majority was with the orthodox members. In 1928 he was appointed as a lecturer in the Government Law College, Bombay and subsequently its Principal. In 1935 he was made Perry Professor of Jurisprudence, which was a coveted honor.      He represented the causes of untouchables and other downtrodden as a delegate to the three Round Table Conference held in London (1930-33). During these conferences he advocated forcefully that the untouchables were a minority and should get the same treatment like other minorities such as Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and demanded separate electorates. During Second Round Table conference which was attended by Gandhi as the sole representative of the Congress, there was confrontation and sever argumentations between Gandhi and Ambedkar. As there could not arrive any consensus between delegates the British Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald was authorized to give the award / verdict on the conference. The decision that came out after the Conference is called as Communal Award and was announced on 17th August 1932. As a result Ambedkar won separate electorate for Depressed Classes. This was not taken kindly by then leadership and was not acceptable to Gandhi, he undertook fast unto death and Ambedkar was pressurized and coerced to yield to the wishes of Gandhi and Poona Pact was signed. As per the pact, the reservation of seats reserved for the Depressed Classes in the provincial as well as central assemblies were increased but the separate electorates were abolished. However, he was established as a tall, knowledgeable and undisputed leader of the Depressed Classes. He often used to say, “Mahatma’s have come and Mahatma’s have gone, but the untouchables have remained untouchables.”  He exhorted his followers to struggle for their rights in the Hindu society. He said, lost rights are never regained by appealing to the consciences of usurpers but by constant struggle and sacrifice, only goats are used for oblation not the lions.      Ambedkar wanted to establish himself as a political leader and he founded the Independent Labor Party in October 1936, which captured all the seats in the Bombay Presidency that were reserved for the Scheduled Castes. In April 1942 he floated the Scheduled Castes Federation as an all India party bringing all the Scheduled Castes under its banner. He attached utmost importance to the education for his communities. One of the main objectives of the Bahishkrit Hitkarini Sabha was to provide facilities for the children of the untouchables to pursue purposeful education in schools and colleges. He founded Peoples Education Society in July 1945 and that established a number of colleges in the Bombay Presidency for the Scheduled Caste students including the Siddhartha College Bombay. He was nominated as a Labour member of the Governor General’s Executive Council. Ambedkar’s contribution in drafting the Constitution for independent India is unquestionable. Infact, he single handedly drafted the Constitution for independent India. He spent long hours in converting the discussions and discourses of the Constituent Assembly in appropriate legal language in form of the Constitution, rich and deserving tributes were paid by the learned members of the Constituent Assembly. He was called as modern Manu who gave India a new and democratic regime, paying a rich tribute to Ambedkar for his tireless efforts in making the Constitution, another fellow Maharashtrian said “ I call this Constitution the Mahar Law because Dr. Ambedkar is a Mahar and now…….we shall have the law of Manu replaced by law of Mahar and I hope that unlike the law of Manu under which there was never a prosperity in the country, the Mahar law will make India virtually paradise”. He cautioned the nation of fallouts if the nation failed to realize the needs of becoming a nation and not working towards creating a nation where Liberty, Equality and Fraternity is vibrant. His last speech at the time of acceptance of new Constitution was a peak moment in Ambedkar’s life. The modern Manu is a symbol of progress and advancement for the Dalits and downtrodden in independent India.   Seeing brutal, heartless, vicious and exploitative caste system and unwillingness on the part of Hindus to correct this he stated “ I was born a Hindu and have suffered the consequences of untouchability. I will not die as a Hindu.”  In 1940 he republished Laxmi Narasu’s ‘The Essence of Buddism’ and subsequently wrote a book ‘The Buddha and His Dhamma’ explaining the meaning and significance of Buddhism.  He along with his wife and 0.4 millions followers took Diksha and administered the vow to his followers. The followers in their collectively vow committed themselves to new life free from the system of high and low and never ending violence sustained under Hinduism.        Ambedkar fought a different war of freedom for most oppressed sections of society in India. His freedom struggle was based on the principles of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity, these were first announced during French revolution, further taken to US Liberation war and subsequently affected the societies and groups of people across the countries in the whole world. He was a great nationalist, democrat and a firm believer in social justice. He was a vociferous writer and thinker and social reformer. During is lifetime he wrote many books and left behind a massive collection of notes, writings essays and other unfinished works on various subject matters. ********** CASTEISM WORSE THAN RACIALISM Rajinder Kashyap        During last fortnight or so, a kind of frenzy has prevailed in the media of this country on the issue of alleged racial treatment meted out to actress Shilpa Shetty who went to England to participate in a reality TV show “Big Brother” by some other participating actors of that country. This has been made a headline story in a good number of Indian newspapers and has also been prime time news at a number of TV Channels. No doubt that the incident requires unequivocal condemnation by one and all. No one should be allowed to follow such condemnable practices while interacting with other human beings. It is sad that such behavioral patterns prevail in the land of Locke, Bentham, James Mill and J.S Mill who were staunch supporters of liberal democracy and utilitarian principle advocating maximum good of maximum numbers.  The real intentions and motive for such disclosures are a matter of debate as the complainant in this case had initially complained through media and subsequently retracted from the earlier assertions. Everyone participating in the show “Big Brother” was paid huge amount for participation and it is gathered from media reports that Indian actress in this case was paid around Rs. 3.5 crores. Hence, it could also be inferred that this could be a gimmick to garner publicity for the programme. Most important thing for a human being is to live in a dignified manner but the complainant in this case did not quit the show.  I am perplexed and the matter which bothers me the most is the issue that how a society which has been so undemocratic, stratified the human being in castes, believes in born high and born low, purities and impurities by birth, denies the rightful dues of downtrodden, exploited the dalits and untouchable communities for time immemorial can morally claim that whatever happened in Britain was wrong. Did they ever take up the issues of exploitation of untouchables and Dalits so vehemently and so loudly in their own land? The answer is a big No. The history of this country indicates that some eminent persons of this country had initiated struggle against racialism in foreign lands for claiming basic right but the same people had miserably failed to obliterate the vicious caste system in India. This system served and protected the interests of powerful few in the Hindu society and to make it permanent, it was provided a divine emergence.  The caste system cannot be treated as division of labor as in no civilized society division of labour is accompanied by unnatural division based on watertight compartments. This is not a segregation based on choice, individual sentiments and individual preferences but based on dogma of predestination. There is no racial affinity in the castes, it is merely a social division of people of same race based on the principles of purity of blood, intermarrying and interdining. It is a social system, which embodies the arrogance and selfishness of a perverse section of Hindu society who was superior enough in social status and has authority to force it on their inferiors. There has been no example in history of mankind where people belonging to same race and colour,eating almost same food, observing same value system and even worshipping same Gods have been exploited, declared socially untouchable, besides attaching a number of impurities to them.    In the mind of Hindu, there exists a consciousness of caste. This is the main reason why this country cannot be called a well-knit society or a nation. The Caste system prevents common activity and by doing so it has prevented Hindu society from becoming a collective and unified society observing collective and unified life thus killing the spirit of communion. It has been all along propagated by the holy men that in the eyes of God all men are equal but in actual practice they are fastened in the different castes from the very birth. Caste has killed public spirit, destroyed sense of public charity, and made public opinion impossible. In Hindu society and social order a man’s public identity is his caste, his duties are towards his caste, his loyalties are towards his caste, virtues and qualities have become caste ridden and so happened in the case of morality. There is no sympathy towards the deserving.  The caste is based on the principles of purity of race and blood.It is a social system exemplify the arrogance and selfishness of perverse section of Hindu society who have been superior enough in social status to prescribe it as a divine law and who had authority to force it on their inferiors. It has completely demoralized and disorganized the Hindu society. A caste has no connection to other castes except when they are in conflict with section of other religious groups. The caste consciousness amongst the Hindu society is so strong that wherever the Hindus go in this universe, they take their caste along for practicing.  Once upon a time, Hindu religious philosophy may have been a missionary philosophy that is why it could spread far and wide but it ceases to be a missionary religious philosophy and massagers of equality, love,affection and humanity when it allowed the ugly Caste system to emerge. The situation was further wor- sened when divine dispensation was ordained on the Caste system by intellectu- als of Hindu society.  ‘Ahinsa Parmo Dharma’ is publicized as cardinal gospel of truth in Hindu society. This is not true, the conditions prevailing in Hindu society could be und- erstood in the words of Morris, “The great treading down the little,the strong beating down the weak, cruel men fearing not, kind men daring not and wise men caring not”. This is surely due to the Caste. The caste has not allowed the comm- union to build and pitched people against each other for benefits of few high placed in the hierarchy of Hindu social order. This caste system has prevented Hindus from becoming a one unison and integrated wholesome group of people.  The names Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudras are associated with a definite and fixed notion in the minds of every Hindu. This notion is based on hierarchical order starting with Brahmins at top and Shudras at bottom and is based in birth. This is further compounded and made complicated by notions, sentiments, mental attitudes, purities and impurities attached with each group. So long as these notions, sentiments, mental attitudes remains,it cannot be said that caste from Hindu social order has evaporated. Even today these notions, sentiments, mental attitudes determines the person’s behavior and attitude towards others in Hindu society. No amount of reforms will become fruitful till old caste based notions, attitudes and sentiments are prevailing in the minds and are reflected in behavioral patterns by the socially high towards socially low.  The scheme of four (chatur) Varna resembles to the Platonic utopian ideas on division of labour propounded in his treatises “Republic”. It is not possible to slot human being in the pigeonholes. But Chatur Varna system has usurped all the rights and claims of Shudras for many thousand years. It was the ugly design and scheme by which Shudras were denied education and wealth and were not allowed to bear arms. This was a grand design hatched to keep them as a slave and subservient to other higher castes.  Hindu social order is an uneven field. As all of us know that uneven fields do not produce best and maximum yield. Hence for the best yield, the field of Hindu social order is required to be leveled and made even for best of this country. The barriers set forth by caste in form of notions, attitudes, social purities and impurities needs to be shunned and buried down deep by Hindu society if it wants to become a unison and integral whole.  No modern sovereign state can aspire to become a power at world stage if it tries to denigrate, demoralize and rob opportunities from social groups on the basis of caste and color. This fact was realized in USA long back and affirmative action with clear consciences and dedication were made to improve the conditions of black people. But same clear consciences, honest and dedication do not prevail in this country. This compels me to ponder upon the question ‘Will India ever become a power in the World without social democracy / social equality?’ If I have to answer this question today, the answer would be No because casteism prevails strong in the minds of Hindu society and it is a vicious system that diminishes, paralyses, and cripples the people from helpful and collective activities.  Each community irrespective of their social hierarchy, have legitimate and equal rights over the resources of this country, artificial segmentation based on caste is a biggest hindrance in building a vibrant community of people in this country. It would be appropriate for all concern to delve upon the issue of caste in all sincerity. The concerns for upliftment of dalits, backwards and minorities have to be sincere supported by proper environment adequate opportunities and resources. The concerns and actions have to be real not symbolic and perfunctory.