The other face of casteism

My previous post highlighted the plight of Dalits and other backward communities.There are some more issues related to casteism.There is an unwritten rule in India that "being secular is being anti-hindu".On the same lines,there is another unwritten rule,that is being followed in some states,bash brahmins and you become a pagutharivaali(means civilized person or literally,people with 6th sense).Most of the politicians starts with this and end up with something like giving reservation to a so-and-so community targeting their votes.This vote bank politics has created a dangerous situation in India.

Now,I think,the reservation in Tamil Nadu is around 69%.According to constitution,it should not exceed 50%.But the then govts made some amendments and has increased the reservations to 69%.It was somewhere around 25% in Tamil Nadu and the then DMK govt increased it to 31%,and in 1980,after suffering severe setbacks in a parliamentary elections,the then CM, Mr.MGR,has increased it to 50%,thinking that the defeat was due to some of the statements made by him earlier.It is said that,once MGR said the creamy layer should not get reservation and some amendments has to be made in the existing reservation system.But in the early 80s,the DMK aligned with congress and MGR was with Janata Party.Janata govt collapsed within 2-3 years and it couldn't keep up people's faith,as a result of which the verdict was completely against Janatha Party and the Congress got a landslide victory.MGR thought the defeat was due to his statements about reservation and increased it to 50%.DMK too thought there is an anti-incumbency against ADMK govt and tactically and undemocratically, the DMK-Congress alliance,dismissed the democratically elected ADMK govt under MGR.But in the elections,again ADMK got a landslide victory and MGR became CM.This clearly shows the reason for defeat in Parliament elections had more to do with the central govt.He shouldn't have increased it to 50%.

Again in 1990s,Jayalalitha increased it to 69% targeting the votebank of backward classes.A blunder in her political career I would say.So,in TN,from 1971,these Dravidian parties(DMK-ADMK) has increased the reservation from 25% to 69%.The thing is,they will feel proud of this act.If you approach sensibly,you will understand the fact that increase in reservation means that there was nothing called development and the state has been completely spoiled.Why was the reservation introduced?It was because of the untouchability and to improve the status of socially suppressed communities.That's why it was introduced on socio-economic basis.But after introducing this pattern of reservation,the then honorable law minsiter,Dr.B R Ambedkar,himself stated that,after a period of time this reservation system has to be amended and it should not be given as in the current format.

A section of society argues that there should be no reservation at all.Everyone should fight in open-general category.People understand the point that,caste is not at all related to knowledge.Every individual is equally talented.There was a guy in my school,who belonged to SC category(this info was shared by one of my teachers in class as a word of praise to him).I do not wish to disclose his name here,since am relating caste here.He is an extremely talented fellow.He got seat in some of the top medical institutions of India(am not sure of whether it is AFMC or AIIMS or JIPMER).Point to be noted is,he got in open general category,he didn't get it on the basis of quota system.So I do agree with the fact that people from all communities are equally talented.

One thing which we have to consider here.He is from a family which has a reasonably good economical background and he was in a developed place.He had opportunities and made use of it.This reservation is for people who don't have such opportunities.People from underdeveloped villages,towns etc. which doesn't have good schools,educational institutions etc.They deserve this reservation.But there is another important thing behind this.Once someone makes use of this reservation and improves his status(not only financially,but also on educational basis too),his children and grand children should not be given any reservation.This is called creamy layer.And one more thing has to be done.A new census has to be taken based on caste honestly.While doing so,the status of people in a particular community will be clearly known.And to be honest,nowadays an elite society in all the communities are enjoying high positions and still making use of these reservations.So after the census,the percentage of reservation based on caste should come down.This process of census has to be implemented on a regular basis and the % of reservation should decrease gradually.

This is what I would like to tell.Giving reservation itself will not spoil the chances of anyone,but implementing it as it is being done now,will.

Now let me get into other(other than reservation) issues of casteism.There is a section of society,which blames Brahmins for anything and everything.It is concerned about the backward classes such that,anything that goes against them is termed a "brahministic attitude".At the same time,they simply make use of their caste name to escape from their mistakes.Now you might think that I will bring in Karunanidhi's statement that "Raja is targeted because he is a dalit",but I will not :D.There was a judge in Karnataka,name P D Dinakaran.There are lot of corruption charges against him.The law should have punished him severely.But the 'secular' political parties played the caste card and he is still a Chief justice in someother state.Not only politicians,even if u take a normal day to day fight,it will be converted into a caste issue.So many educated morons indulge in such nonsense.

The previous DMK govt brought a law that people from any caste can become priest in a temple.Later it was canceled by the supreme court.The constitution says just this:In temples,some rules will be followed since olden days that people from a so and so community alone will be made as priests and they alone will enter into the 'garbagraham'(sanctum sanctorum).Others will not be allowed.This holds good for people of all communities(including brahmins) and this holds good only in the case of garbagraham.So there is no question of untouchability here,anyone can enter the temple,but there are restrictions to enter the garbagraham.

If a new temple is built,in that anyone can become priest.So the law is to protect only the ancient practice and belief, followed in religious places.(In my honest opinion,caste hardly matters..as an individual,am perfectly ok with any person serving as priest).The govt know there is such a provision in our constitution.Then why did they bring this act?To project themselves as the saviors of minorities.

Well,the community which works as priests in temples,is also a minority here.Why can't people project themselves as saviors of this community?They wont,because their votebank cannot determine the outcome of an election.As far as I know,that community to which the priests belong to,is called 'Sivachariyar' community. They will not even eat onions and are believed to be 'physically clean'.And as a continuation of the age-old practice,they work as priests.The temple trust,of-course pays them,but not as much as the missionaries pay to fathers and sisters.Why didn't the govt bring a law that,people from any community(caste) can be made as priests in all churches or mosques?My intention is not to bring such a law,but when people are so cautious and respectful when it comes for churches and mosques,why don't they give same respect to temples and hinduism?

Well,the people work hard to get reservations to backward communities of Islam and Christianity too.But why don't they condemn the atrocities meted out to these backward community people in Christianity or Islam?As I mentioned in my previous post,in some places,Dalit Christians can enter only in Dalit Churches and they will not be allowed into other churches.Why none questions this?Politicians are scared of their vote bank.But what about these so called rationalists and atheists?I saw a debate in Vijay Tv regarding this priest law.It was completely biased and the anchor projected as if the brahmin priests are living a hi-fi lifestyle and only other community people who wants to work as priests,are truly devotional.There were a bunch of rationalists too,supporting the law.This is their principle.There is no God,but non-brahmins should become priests.I don't know what kind of rationalism is this.

If a Muslim is projected as a terrorist,the production house receives warnings.Rajnikanth's Jakkubhai poster itself created lot of controversies among some Muslim groups.If someone speaks against conversions,they are branded communal and the jobless social activists will write columns in Times Of India bashing them.But dialogs like ambaal endha kaalathula da pesirukka(Will Goddess[Parasakthi] ever speak?) are considered revolutionary.There are so many movies which makes fun of Brahmins and their slang and they project brahmins as clowns.If someone condemns this,that is called paarppaniyam(brahminism),Arya budhdhi etc.

I am not accusing that the movies target brahmins alone,but the thing is people raise their voice when it is against other communities and they will not if it is against Hinduism(especially brahmins).Moreover movies should be viewed as movie alone.All said and done,now one need not think that brahmins are saints here.There are few lunatic brahmins who still thinks that brahmin race is the superior on the earth.Even yesterday I came across a post in one of the orkut communities,posted by a brahmin guy that,other community people should always be under brahmins.God save such creatures.The internet is a powerful medium,which can be used for so many constructive purposes.But such caste fanatic idiots(I have also seen other caste communities too ;-)),are using for such malicious propaganda.And this is why people argue that,if such people get power,they will again bring back the practice of untouchability.

Its really disheartening to see some educated people behaving like this.If atleast one person,after reading this post,understands that secularism is not being anti-hindu or anti-Islam,but not disturbing others beliefs,I will be happy.After reading this post,if atleast one person gives up the thought that his caste is the superior or powerful in the world,I will be glad.And I will be really happy,if atleast one person,stops using his/her caste name to escape from their mistake.

This particular post might also brand me an 'Aryan' writer or a 'communal blogger'.But I stand by the following 'Thirukkural':

பிறப்பொக்கும் எல்லா உயிர்க்கும் சிறப்பொவ்வா
செய்தொழில் வேற்றுமை யான்.

Meaning : We can't differentiate people based on their birth(whichever caste/religion/family he/she may belong to).Birth is common to everyone.People can be differentiated only based on their talent in their jobs.