Casteism

The Indian social system is caste-bound. Though the forms of caste oppression have undergone changes, the content of caste domination, subordination, oppression and exploitation remains the same. A number of castes are placed in subordination and superordination to each other in relation to the status of Brahmins. Stratification based on caste system not simply implies division of labour in Hindu society but this pattern of division in Hindu society solidified its base and members of a particular caste identified themselves only with their own caste. Thus narrow caste loyalties developed the feeling of superiority / inferiority among the members of a particular caste and simultaneously undermined the interests of other castes and ultimately led to the ignorance of human values and social welfare. This partial or extreme one-sided loyalty may be termed as casteism. Casteism has led to many problems in Hindu society and has become a major threat to national integration because of its divisive tendencies.

According to N. Prasad, ‘Casteism is the loyalty to the caste translated into politics.'

K. M. Pannikar holds, ‘Casteism is the loyalty to the subcaste translated into political. This is unavoidable as long as the conception of subcaste exists, for that is the one permanent loyalty that the Hindu has inherited. In fact, no organization of society on the basis of equality is possible so long as the subcaste exists.'

Kaka Kalelkar considers casteism ‘an overriding, blind and supreme group loyalty that ignores the healthy social standards of justice, fair play, equity and universal brotherhood.