Question

Write short note.

Casteism

Answer 1

1. Casteism refers to loyalty to one’s own caste before loyalty to the nation. Caste ties are so strong that people are inclined to think in terms of caste before the nation.
2. Casteism may lead to members of a particular caste protecting their own caste group through social service, education, medical, and other welfare schemes. This can restrict interaction in society and leads to several problems.
3. When such caste loyalty takes political overtones, it becomes dangerous. This is because cast members take their biases and prejudices into politics. Moreover, castes having numerical strength rise up through politics. Those who win the elections then favour their caste groups in various ways. As a result, the problem of national integration becomes very serious.
4. The caste system continues to influence the mindset of people despite laws, urbanisation, industrialisation, and education. In modern India, it has become a means for competing for access to resources and power.
5. Caste-based discrimination is a major hurdle for national integration. People who seek to weaken the unity of the country create divisions and rifts in the name of caste, creed, and culture.
6. The feeling of social neglect among scheduled castes has also disturbed the sense of ‘we feeling’ and unity in the country.
7. The caste prejudices and caste atrocities resulting from excessive caste-based loyalty pose a threat while achieving national integration.