POLH/C-4,UNIT-3,RELIGION AND CASTE POLITICS(DEBATES ON

SECULARISM,COMMUNALISM,CASTE IN INDIAN POLITICS)

ROLE OF RELIGION IN INDIAN POLITICS

In the Indian way of life religion plays an important role and the basis of our day-to-day life is
religion. Political leaders right from the beginning felt that if there is any possibility of retaining
unity in India, it should be by remaining secular. That is why Gandhiji had been preaching
brotherhood among the different religious groups. Nehru was a strong supporter of secularism.
Their efforts could not divorce religion from politics rather in politics the vested interests started
exploiting caste and religion for gaining political advantage. With the passage of time India was
divided into Pakistan and Bharat only because two nations theory was accepted by the Britishers.
Even after Independence, the religious fervor could not be finished because the trail of the
memories of the partition haunted the minds of the people, Still India managed to keep the
communal forces under check.

There are different religions in India and the significant ones are Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism,
Jainism, Christianity, Islam and Farsi. The thoughts and confidence of every single religion
contrasts somehow or the other. Religion assumes a critical part in Indian Politics. Religion and
Politics exists together in India.

The India’s partition of 1947 was arguably the backdrop to formation of political groups and
institutions that emerged on religious divide. Thought to be the solution towards political
differences between the Hindus and the Muslim, the 1947 partition itself was the course of major
political pressures in India. Majority Hindus differ between themselves, Muslims have different
religious ideologies and Christians, and other minority groups differ as well. BJP, Ram Rajya
Parishad, and RSS who were the most anti-congress parties continually existed on the foundations
of Hinduism or Hindu nationalism. Contrary to its opponents, majority of Muslims commenced
with their support over Congress secularist party. the political parties of India may be grouped as
religion-leaning and secularism-leaning. Secularism in India began to face turbulent weather
with the revival and strengthening of religion-leaning political parties in the country. It is
feared that if it succeeds there is a possibility that many other political parties with caste and
religion as the basis may come up.
. Mixing of religion with politics is a dangerous trend because religious attitude is diametrically
opposed to democratic feelings. Religion encourages fanaticism and suspends our reasoning power
and we repose full faith in leaders. We are prepared to make sacrifice because sacrifice will be
considered martyrdom. This mental attitude is directly opposed to democratic spirit. Democracy
demands open mindedness, universal brotherhood and thinking based upon reason and capable of
taking its own decision. If religious forces are allowed to become powerful there will be
disintegration of the nation and sovereignty of the State will be in danger. There are a large number
of religions, castes and sub- castes in India, and unfortunately some of them are opposed to one
another as far as their practices are concerned. Under such circumstances, there is no possibility of
keeping them together if once there is fragmentation.

RELIGION AND THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA

The framers of the Indian Constitution did not, explicitly opted for the concept of India to be a
secular state.”Secular” was not there in our constitution when it came into the being. It was in this
manner joined into the prelude of the Constitution by the 42nd Amendment Act of 1976. One of
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the rights ensured by the Indian Constitution is the privilege of Freedom of Religion. As a secular
country, each national of India has the privilege to the opportunity of religion, The Constitution
grants freedom to every person to profess, practice and even propagate their religion subject to
some reasonable restrictions – viz., public order, health and morality (Art. 25). While every
individual has the right to profess, practice and propagate his or her religion, religion is observed
collectively and needs space for social functions. The space for collective observance is ensured by
Article 26 which provides that religious denominations or sections thereof have the right to
establish and maintain institutions for religious and charitable purposes and to own and acquire
movable and immovable properties and to manage its own religious affairs.

The right to freedom of religion is all around depicted in the Articles 25, 26, 27 and 28 of Indian
constitution.

The Indian Constitution guarantees certain fundamental rights which were described in articles 12
to 35, which shape Part III of the Constitution. Among these articles, art., 25 and 26 are the two
key articles ensuring religious freedom.

Clause (1) of article 15 coordinates the State not to oppress any resident on the ground just of
religion, race, standing sex or place of birth or any of them

1. "Article 14": grants equality before the law and equal protection of the laws to all.
2. "Article 15": enlarges the concept of secularism to the widest possible extent by prohibiting
discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.
3. "Article 25": Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of any
religion.
4. "Article 26": Freedom to manage religious affairs.
5. "Article 27": Freedom as to payment of taxes for promotion of any particular religion.
6. "Article 28": Freedom as to attendance at religious instruction or religious worship in certain
educational institutions
.
SECULARISM
British writer George Jacob Holyoake used the term “secularism” for the first time.
It means the separation of religion from political, economic, social and cultural aspects of
life, religion being treated as a purely personal matter.
Secularism is most commonly defined as the separation of religion from civil affairs and the state,
and may be broadened to a similar position seeking to remove or to minimize the role of religion in
any public sphere.The term "secularism" has a broad range of meanings, and in the most schematic,
may encapsulate any stance that promotes the secular in any given context. The purposes and
arguments in support of secularism vary widely, ranging from assertions that it is a crucial element
of modernization, or that religion and traditional values are backward and divisive, to the claim that
it is the only guarantor of free religious exercise.
▪ . The term “Secular” means being "separate" from religion, or having no religious basis.
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▪ A secular person is one who does not owe his moral values to any religion. His values are the
product of his rational and scientific thinking.
▪ Secularism means separation of religion from political, economic, social and cultural aspects of
life, religion being treated as a purely personal matter.
▪ It emphasized dissociation of the state from religion and full freedom to all religion and
tolerance of all religions.
▪ It also stands for equal opportunities for followers of all religions, and no discrimination and
partiality on grounds of religion. and equal opportunities to follow all religions.
▪ The ‘secularism’ is akin to the Vedic concept of ‘Dharma Nirapekshata’ i.e. the indifference of
the state to religion.

What is Indian Secularism?

1. In India, the first face of Secularism is reflected in the Preamble of India where the word
‘Secular’ is read.
2. Indian Secularism is also reflected in its fundamental rights (Article 25-28) where it
guarantees each of its citizens the right to practice any religion.

In the words of P B Gajendragadkar, a former Chief Justice of India, secularism is defined as ‘The
State does not owe loyalty to any particular religion as such: it is not irreligious or anti-religious; it
gives equal freedom to all religions.

Philosophy of Indian Secularism

▪ The term ‘secularism’ is akin to the Vedic concept of ‘Dharma nirapekshata’ i.e. the
indifference of state to religion.
▪ This model of secularism is adopted by western societies where the government is totally
separate from religion (i.e. separation of church and state).
▪ Indian philosophy of secularism is related to “Sarva Dharma Sambhava” (literally it
means that destination of the paths followed by all religions is the same, though the paths
themselves may be different) which means equal respect to all religions.
▪ This concept, embraced and promoted by personalities like Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi
is called ‘Positive secularism’ that reflects the dominant ethos of Indian culture.
▪ India does not have an official state religion. However, different personal laws - on matters
such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, alimony varies with an individual's religion.
▪ Indian secularism is not an end in itself but a means to address religious plurality and sought
to achieve peaceful coexistence of different religions

Secularism and Indian Constitution

Various provision of the Indian constitution clearly incorporates the basic principles of Secularism.

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With the 42nd Amendment of the Constitution of India (1976), the Preamble to the Constitution
asserted that India is a “secular” nation. The meaning of a secular state is that it does not prioritize
any one religion for the country and its people. Institutions started to recognize and accept all
religions, enforce parliamentary laws instead of religious laws, and respect pluralism.

Articles of Provision for secularism

Indian
Constitutions

Article 14 and The former grants equality before the law and
Article 15 equal protection of the laws to all while the later
enlarges the concept of secularism to the widest
possible extent by prohibiting discrimination on
grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of
birth.

Article 16 (1) Equal opportunity to all citizens in matters of

public employment and reiterates, no
discrimination on the basis of religion, race, caste,
sex, descent, place of birth and residence

Article 25** ‘Freedom of Conscience’, that is, all persons have

equal right to freely profess, practise and
propagate religion.

Article 26 Every religious group/ individual has the right to

establish and maintain religious and charitable
institutions and to manage its own affairs in
matters of religion.

Article 27 the state shall not compel any citizen to pay any
taxes for the promotion or maintenance of any
particular religion or religious institution.

Article 28 allows educational institutions maintained by

different religious groups to impart religious
instruction

Article 29 and Provides for the cultural and educational rights to

Article 30 the minorities

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Article 51A obliges all the citizens to promote harmony and
the spirit of common brotherhood and to value
and preserve the rich heritage of our composite
culture.

Secularism – Facts
The list given-below mentions a few important facts about Secularism .

• The word ‘Secular’ was added in the Preamble of India by the 42nd Amendment Act
• Fundamental Rights of India strengthen the secular fabric of the country
• Secular character of the Indian Constitution stands as a basic feature of it and cannot be
amended by any act
• In the Bommai Case 1994, the Supreme Court upheld the validity of ‘Secularism’ as the
basic feature of the Constitution
• Secularism is sometimes understood with two concepts:
• Positive
• Negative
The negative concept of secularism is the Western concept of secularism. It connotes a complete
separation between the religion (the church) and the state (the politics).
This negative concept of secularism is inapplicable in the Indian situation where the society is
multireligious
The positive concept of secularism is reflected in India. The Indian Constitution embodies the
positive concept of secularism, i.e., giving equal respect to all religions or protecting all religions
equally.
Secularism is a fundamental reality of India’s fabric hence any state government pursuing anti-
secular politics is liable to action under Article 356

Secularism in India Vs. Secularism in West

The difference between Indian Secularism and Western Secularism is given in the table below:

Secularism in India Secularism in West

Indian citizens are given a fundamental In the West, typically The

right to religion however, this right is USA, the state and
subject to public order, morality and religion are separated and
health. both don’t interfere in
affairs of each other

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There is no one religion that dominates Christianity is the most
Indian society as a citizen is free to reformed, caste neutral
practice, profess and propagate any and single dominant
religion religion in the state

India, with its outlook, focuses on intra- West doesn’t focus on

religious aspects and try to remove the intra-religious aspects of
stigma (if any) attached with any religion Christianity and let the
on the society religion act on the society
as it is

Due to accessibility to many religions, Since Christianity is the

there are inter-religious conflicts and the one dominant religion,
Indian government has to intervene to the focus is less on inter-
maintain peace and harmony religious conflicts

In India, due to the presence of multiple West, by far, focuses on

religions and multiple communities, the the equality and harmony
government has to focus on both. among the people of the
Example, Article 29 grants protection to same religion
both religious minorities as well as
linguistic minorities.

With the presence of multiple religion, The role of religious

the role of religious bodies also gets bodies is very small in
enhanced and it furthers their role in national politics
Indian politics

Indian states can aid religious institutions States don’t aid religious
institutions in the West

Secularism Examples

1. India is a secular country – It doesn’t attach its politics with any religion.
2. Indians celebrate all festivals or they have entire freedom to celebrate any religion in the
country regardless of their caste and creed.

Problems of Secularism in India

The Indian State, inspite of constitutional guarantee for liberty of the individual and the liberty of
corporate religious bodies, intervenes in religious matters. Some of the important factors which have
impeded the growth of normal secularism in India are as follows:
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1.Problem of Uniform Civil Code:

Muslim Indians have Sharia-based Muslim Personal Law, while Hindu, Christian, and Sikh Indians
live under common law.
till now no progress has been made in the evolution of a uniform Civil Code and today its
adoption appears to be more problematic than it was at the time when the Constitution was
framed.
2. Politics and Religion:
separation of religion and politics in India. The political parties in India have tended to use
religion and caste factors for the promotion of their political interests and thus greatly undermined
the secular values. This failure of the leadership has thwarted the progressive
3. Failure of the Government in Evolving a Just Economic Order:
The common masses suffering from deprivation and grinding poverty could not develop any faith
in the polity which failed to provide them basic necessities and consequently did not attach much
importance to secular values.
4. Cultural Symbols and Secularism:
Many public rituals and ceremonials like bhoomi pujan, breaking of coconuts on inaugural or
auspicious occasions, performing of ‘aarti’ and applying to ‘tilak’ to distinguished guests are
perceived by Hindus as cultural or nationalistic expressions, but to non-Hindus these are
manifestations of Hindu culture. Such rituals are performed even on state functions and therefore,
create unnecessary misgivings about the neutrality of the State.The confusion between “Hindu” and
“Indian” has largely arisen in the last forty year

5. Minority Group Perceptions:

Apart from education and jobs, prejudice and discrimination are perceived as operating in
the matter of intergroup violence and conflict. There is now ample evidence to show that at
times the administrative machinery of the State does not operate impartially at the time of
communal riots The minorities are in fear of the giant majority
6. The Defective Educational System:
The defective educational system which has encouraged the people to think in terms of groups and
communities, has also failed to inculcate secular ideas in the minds of young students and promote
feeling of mutual give and take.

7. The Distortion of the Constitutional and Democratic Institutions:

The Constitution and the political institutions have not worked the way they were envisaged by the framers
of the Constitution. Certain religious political parties have made free use of factors like religion, caste etc. to
secu e votes. All this has hampered the growth of a true secular polity in the country
Disadvantages of Secularism:
Some disadvantages are given below-

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1. Political parties take advantage of this by influencing people in the wrong way.
2. The minor community always have a fear of getting suppressed by major one.
3. Different religion has different laws and norms of their own as a state has no interference
.Advantages of Secularism:

Some advantages are given below-

1. Secularism protects both believers and non-believers:

Secularism seeks to ensure and protect freedom of religious belief and practice for all
citizens. Secularism is not about curtailing(1) religious freedoms; it is about ensuring that the
freedoms of thought and conscience apply equally to all believers and non-believers alike.
2. Religious Freedom:
Secularism seeks to defend the absolute freedom of religious and other beliefs. Secularism
ensures that the right of individuals to freedom of religion is always balanced by the right to be free
from religion.
3. Secularism is about democracy and fairness:
In a secular democracy all citizens are equal before the law and parliament. No religious or
political affiliation gives advantages or disadvantages. Secularism advocates human rights above
discriminatory religious demands. It upholds equality laws that protect women, LGBT people, and
minorities.
4. Equal access to public services:
We all share hospitals, schools, the police, and the services of local authorities. It is
essential that these public services are secular at the point of use so that no-one is disadvantaged or
denied access on grounds of religious belief. All state-funded schools should be non-religious in
character, with children being educated together regardless of their parents' religion.
5. Secularism is not atheism:
Atheism is a lack of belief in gods. Secularism simply provides a framework for ensuring
equality throughout society – in politics, education, the law, and elsewhere, for believers and non-
believers alike. Atheists have an obvious interest in supporting secularism, but secularism itself
does not seek to challenge the tenets of any particular religion or belief, neither does it seek to
impose atheism on anyone.
SCOPE
The scope of secularism in India is enormous. It is the only medicine which can bring this country
out of the cancerous effects of religious politics and violence. It is what can soothe the minds and
hearts of billions who would otherwise be baying for the blood of the ‘other’ man. Secularism is
what binds a democratic nation. Before development takes place or we become economically
strong as a nation, we must ensure internal peace in the country and draw up a resolution whereby
we will do anything and everything to maintain this peace. This peace can only be obtained and
preserved by the spreading and sharing of secular values and value systems. Today it is secularism
which keeps religious forces at bay who at the first instance will try to stoke violence and hence
communal problems. Secularism also has a large scope in the upliftment of the religious backward
classes and the minority groups to make sure they do not feel alienated from mainstream Indian
way of life. We need to ensure that a chunk of the overall national development must help in their
development too, thus removing the sources of religious discord. From one viewpoint, it is
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ordinarily felt that secularism is the answer for religious brutality in India, particularly concerning
clashes between Hindus and Muslims

COMMUNALISM IN INDIA

As the definition goes, Communalism is described as an ideology stating the division between
states (people, groups of people or communities) on the basis of ethnicity, religion, beliefs, values,
etc. The difference of two or more religious, ethnic and social communities can sometimes produce
clashes in the society

Communalism is a political philosophy which advocates followers of a particular religion to have

political allegiance to their own religious community. It assumes that the followers of a particular
religion will have common interests that differ from other religions. In essence, communalism is
opposed to secularism and even humanism. in the western world communalism is defined
differently. According to socialist Murray Bookchin, communalism is “a theory or system of
government in which independent communities participate in a federation.” But, in the context of
Indian sub-continent, the term communalism is associated with tensions between various religious
communities. Communalism is an ideology in which a minority receives unequal treatment from
the majority, on the basis of religion, culture and ethnic characteristics

The ideology that rises from the religious pluralism, and is to be considered as a social menace.
Communalism can also be defined as a tool that is given rise to, in the presence of diverse
religions, to gain political benefits in a state.
As a point of debate, the issues attached to Communalism are:

• It is a threat to national integrity

• It is a catalyst to political and social tensions in the state
• It leads to divisions between the people, groups of communities or groups of states in the
country
• It is attached to the rivalry of one religion, beliefs, values etc. against another’s.
• Active hostility or opposition towards others’ religions and beliefs often lead to issues in
society
Characteristics of Communalism:
(i) Communalism is an ideological concept,

(ii) It is a complex process,

(iii) It has a broader base which encompasses social, economic and political aspects for its
manifestation
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(iv) It causes rivalry, violence and tension among masses,

(v) It is used by the higher class people and elites as an instrument for division and exploitation of
the communal identities of the poorer sections of their co-religionists.

(vi) Communalism is simply engineered by opportunistic political and economic interest of

contending groups and factions within a political party or by political parties.

(vii) It strikes at the roots of democracy, secularism and national integration.

(viii) Its effects are disastrous.

Types of Communalism –
Though the concept ‘Communalism’ is one topic; to make it simpler sometimes, it is defined in
three ways:

1. Political Communalism
2. Social Communalism
3. Economic Communalism

A brief description of these three types of Communalism is given below:

Type of Description of Communalism

Communalism

Political To survive in the sphere of politics, leaders tend

Communalism to implicitly promote the idea of divisions
among the communities. This gives rise to
political communalism where different sets of
people are divided into political lines and
ideologies

Social When the societies’ beliefs divide these into

Communalism different groups and lead to rivalry among each
other, it further leads to Social Communalism

Economic The difference in economic interests of the

Communalism groups of people or communities, leading t
further clashes in the society, can be termed as
Economic Communalism

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Reasons behind Communalism

The major factors that contributed towards the emergence and growth of communalism in modern
India involves:
▪ British Imperialism and their Policy of “Divide and Rule”.
▪ Disappointment and disaffection among young and aspiring middle class youth, caused by
stagnant agriculture, absence of modern industrial development and inadequate employment
opportunities, which is being exploited by political opportunists.
▪ Hindu and Muslim revivalist movements
▪ A communal and distorted view of Indian history, taught in school and colleges played a major
role in rise and growth of communal feelings among the masses.
▪ Separatism and isolation among Muslims.
▪ Rise of communal and fundamentalist parties.

Factors Responsible for Communalism

▪ Divisive Politics – Communalism is often defined as a political doctrine that makes use of
religious and cultural differences in achieving political gains.
▪ Economic Causes – Uneven development, class divisions, poverty and unemployment
aggravates insecurity in the common men which make them vulnerable to political
manipulation.
▪ History of Communal Riots – Probability of recurrence of communal riots in a town where
communal riots have already taken place once or twice is stronger than in a town when such
riots have never occurred.
▪ Politics of Appeasement – Prompted by political considerations, and guided by their vested
interests, political parties take decisions which promote communal violence.
▪ Isolation and Economic Backwardness of Muslim Community – The failure to adopt the
scientific and technological education and thus, insufficient representation in the public service,
industry and trade etc has led to the feeling of relative deprivation among Muslims.
▪ The resurgence of Hindu-Muslim economic competition, especially among the lower and
middle class strata has fuelled the communal ideology.
▪ Administrative Failure – A weak law and order is one of the causes of communal violence.
▪ Psychological Factors – The lack of inter-personal trust and mutual understanding between
two communities often result in perception of threat, harassment, fear and danger in one
community against the members of the other community , which in turn leads to fight, hatred
and anger phobia.
▪ Role of Media – It is often accused of sensationalism and disseminates rumours as "news"
which sometimes resulted into further tension and riots between two rival religious groups.
▪ Social media has also emerged as a powerful medium to spread messages relating to communal
tension or riot in any part of the country.
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Tendency of the Minorities:
▪ The Muslims fail to be intermingled in the national mainstream. Most of them do not
participate in the secular nationalistic politics and insist on maintaining tor separate identity

▪ Orthodoxy and Obscurantism:

. There are strong elements of conservatism and fundamentalism among the Muslims. Such
feeling has prevented them from accepting the concept of secularism and religious tolerance.

Impact of Communalism
1.On Politics
• Organization of political parties on a communal basis.
• Voting in elections also happens on a communal basis.
• Large scale riots near elections to polarise voters.
2. On Society
• It has created a wide rift among the people.
• Hampers unity of the nation and creates various sub-national feelings.
• Curbing of Progressive voices. E.g. Voices for the abolition of Triple Talaq is being
opposed.
3. On Economy
• The vandalization of public property like burning of buses, trains etc.
• Badly impacts the investor’s confidence.

Ways to eradicate/Curb Communalism

1. Building solidarity and assimilation of various religious groups by fostering a secular
culture, e.g. celebrating each other’s religious festivals.
2. Swift and prompt response to radicalization by a militant group on social media through
police action and psychological counselling.
3. Ensuring that political parties refrain from using religion in order to h votes through strict
vigilance by institutional mechanisms such as the Election Commission.
4. The Parliament should frame stern laws against communal violence.
5. CBI or a special investigative body should investigate communal riots within a stipulated
time frame. Further, special courts should hear such cases for quick delivery of justice to
victims.
6. A pluralistic settlement where members of different communities live should be encouraged
by removing existing barriers as religious segregation strengthens communal identities and
reinforces negative stereotypes of other religious groups.
7. Government should not ban minority practices in order to appease the majority group. E.g.
the state should not show a preference for vegetarianism.
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8. Uniform Civil Code should be formulated and implemented with the consensus of all
religious communities so that there is uniformity in personal laws.
9. Equal Opportunities Commission should be formed.
10. The state should show zero Tolerance toward riots.
11. Promote the Indian ideology of Vasudeva Kutumbakam, i.e. the whole world is a family.

12.There is need to reform in present criminal justice system, speedy trials and adequate
compensation to the victims, may act as deterrent.
13. Increase in representation of minority community and weaker sections in all wings of law-
enforcement, training of forces in human rights, especially in the use of firearms in accordance
with UN code of conduct.
14.Codified guidelines for the administration, specialised training for the police force to handle
communal riots and setting up special investigating and prosecuting agencies can help in
damping major communal disgruntlement.
15. Government can adopt models followed by countries like Malaysia that has developed early-
warning indicators to prevent racial clashes.

16.A pro-active approach by National Foundation for Communal Harmony (NFCH), the body
responsible for promoting communal harmony is needed.
17.NFCH provides assistance for the physical and psychological rehabilitation of the child
victims of communal, caste, ethnic or terrorist violence, besides promoting communal
harmony, fraternity and national integration.
18.A legislation is required to curb the communal violence. Communal Violence (Prevention,
Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2005 must be enacted soon.
19. Abolition of Communal Parties:

CASTE IN INDIAN POLITICS

Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a

style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social
interaction and exclusion based on cultural notions of purity and pollution.Its paradigmatic
ethnographic example is the division of India's Hindu society into rigid social groups, with roots in
south Asia's ancient history and persisting to the present time.
The English word caste (/kɑːst, kæst/) derives from the Spanish and Portuguese casta, which,
according to the John Minsheu's Spanish dictionary (1569), means "race, lineage, tribe or breed".
The closest Indian terms are varna, meaning “color” or “class,” and jati, meaning “birth.”
According to Charles Horton Cooley, caste is “when a class is somewhat strictly hereditary, we
may call it a caste.” Anderson and Parker, “Caste is that extreme form of social class organization
in which the position of individuals in the status hierarchy is determined by descent and birth.”

The traditional Hindu castes include:

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• Brahmin – the priestly and teacher caste. Salvation (moksha) is achieved through Jnana
yoga (learning and knowledge).
• Kshatriya – the ruler and public service caste (traditionally, the warrior caste). Moksha is
achieved through Karma yoga (good works).
• Vaishya – the business and merchant caste. Moksha is attained through Bhakti yoga
(devotion to the Divine).
• Sudra/Dalit – the semi-skilled and unskilled workers. Moksha is also attained through
Bhakti yoga.

Traditionally, the caste system did not include the lowest members of society, who were known as
the “untouchables.” That term is now politically incorrect and they are typically included in the
Sudra caste.

The caste system’s characteristics

1. Society’s Hierarchical Division
The caste system’s primary characteristic is the division of its participants into several degrees. For
instance, the Brahmins are given the highest grade in the Hindu caste system and are thus
positioned at the top of the caste hierarchy. Likewise, the so-called “untouchables” are put on the
lowest rung of the caste structure
. 2. Social Relationship Restrictions
The concept of “pollution” exists in the established caste system. It implies that a man of a higher
caste would become “polluted” by the touch of a lower caste man, especially an “untouchable.”
Even his shadow is said to taint a guy of a higher rank

3.Restriction of Eating Practices

The caste system places limitations on members’ eating habits. The regulations essentially relate to
who should receive what food and from whom.

4.Limitations on Career Choice

There is no occupational mobility, and there are limitations on “low-caste occupations” being
taken up by high caste individuals and vice versa.

5. Marital Restrictions
This marriage law stipulates that a person must marry someone from their own community.

6. Religious and civil disabilities

The unclean classes are often forced to dwell beyond the city limits. Particular castes are barred
from certain areas of the town or hamlet in southern India. The Mahars and Mangs were reportedly
forbidden from entering Poona’s gates after evening and before morning. The impure castes were
not allowed to access the wells other castes utilized anywhere in India.
ROLE OF CASTE

Indian politics since independence has been tangled up with four main key identities of language,
religion, caste and tribe. While the language in the early days of Indian politics led to the creation
of the states, in later years the identity of caste began to play an incredibly prominent role in India’s
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vote bank politics. Caste as an institution is embedded in Indian society, it has changed and
moulded itself to fit in the modern democratic politics. Caste and casteism that accompanied
caste have never disappeared in India.. Caste plays a very important role in shaping the nature of
Indian politics. Many political parties in India have indulged in caste-based votebank politics.
Parties such as Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Samajwadi Party and the Janata Dal claim that they
are representing the backward castes, and rely on OBC support, often in alliance with Dalit and
Muslim support, to win elections
Caste and politics have become inextricable elements of Indian politics. Theoretically, caste and
democratic politics represent opposite value systems, as caste is hierarchical while democracy
thrives on equality and freedom of the individual. Despite the contradictory nature of their value
systems caste has laid its imprint on the Indian political system .
Societal stratification, and the inequality that comes with it, still exists in India,and has been
thoroughly criticised. Government policies aim at reducing this inequality by reservation, quota for
backward classes, but paradoxically also have created an incentive to keep this stratification alive
according to sociologist Arvind Shah. The Indian government officially recognises historically
discriminated communities of India such as the untouchables under the designation of Scheduled
Castes, and certain economically backward castes as Other Backward Class.
For political/government purposes, the castes are broadly divided into

• Forward Castes (30.80% of the population)

• Other Backward Classes (OBC) (about 41.0% of the population)
• Scheduled Castes (about 19.7% of the population)
• Scheduled Tribes (about 8.5% of the population)
The Indian Muslims (14.2%), and Christians (2.3%) often function as castes.
Official lists are compiled by states recognizing the OBC, Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled
Tribes. The dividing lines can be ambiguous, several castes have demanded a lower rank so that
they can avail the privileges offered. The term upper caste also refers to forward castes,
SC/ST Reservation system
In 1954, the Ministry of Education suggested that 20 per cent of places should be reserved for the
SCs and STs in educational institutions with a provision to relax minimum qualifying marks for
admission by 5 per cent wherever required. In 1982, it was specified that 15 per cent and 7.5 per
cent of vacancies in public sector and government-aided educational institutes should be reserved
for the SC and ST candidates, respectively
Mandal commission
The Mandal Commission was established in 1979 to "identify the socially or educationally
backward" and to consider the question of seat reservations and quotas for people to redress caste
discrimination. In 1980, the commission's report affirmed the affirmative action practice under
Indian law, whereby additional members of lower castes—the other backward classes—were given
exclusive access to another 27 percent of government jobs and slots in public universities, in
addition to the 23 percent already reserved for the Dalits and Tribals. When V. P. Singh's
administration tried to implement the recommendations of the Mandal Commission in

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1990, massive protests were held in the country. Many alleged that the politicians were trying to
cash in on caste-based reservations for purely pragmatic electoral purposes..

CASTE IN INDIAN POLITICS

Politics is a part of society; it cannot function in a vacuum. It is influenced by a myriad of

social forces, caste is one of them. Caste influences the political attitude in the following ways:
• Caste as a social stratification system has influenced the socio-economic and political
scenario of the society.
• Political socialization: Caste values and caste interest have determined and altered the
political thinking, awareness, and participation of the masses to a great extent.
• Nomination of candidates: Owing to the process of political socialization caste has influenced
the nomination of the candidates and increased caste consciousness among the people.
• Influence of caste on political propaganda of the parties: The political parties keep the caste
affiliations of the candidates in mind while nominating them from particular constituencies,
the propaganda of the parties is also greatly determined along caste lines.
• Caste and Voting behaviour: Votes are demanded along caste lines. Caste determines and
shapes the nature of election campaigns and voter turnout.
Caste, as we see, is an indispensable component of Indian politics, its influence on politics and
society, in general, has its positive and negative impacts on the nature of the Indian federation .

The Positive effects of Caste on Politics are as follows:

• Caste Solidarity: In the last hundred years there has been an increase in the feeling of caste
solidarity. The educated leaders have collected funds to help the poorer members of the caste,
organized caste conferences, built caste hostels, hospitals, cooperative societies. GS Ghurye
had argued as early as 1932 that the attack on caste hierarchy is not the end of caste in India it
has, in turn, generated a new sentiment of ‘caste solidarity’ which can be described as caste
patriotism.
• Caste Groups and Alliances: The British government gave a considerable concession to the
people of backward classes in India under their rule. To take advantage of these opportunities,
the traditional caste groups made alliances with each other thus forming bigger entities. This
laid the foundation of caste groups and alliances which continue to mobilize and consolidate
people of the same caste even today.
• Caste and Empowerment of the Disadvantaged: It has given people of the disadvantaged
community to demand their fair share of power. Caste politics has given people from Dalit and
Backward Castes to gain better access to decision-making. Caste solidarity has turned into
their safety net guaranteeing them better representation.
• Caste as a Cohesive force in Indian Politics: it is a source of unity among the members of the
group and acts as a cohesive force.
• The prevalence of caste politics in India has led to the enactment of legislation to protect the
rights of the disadvantaged and marginalized. For instance: Protection of Civil Rights Act
1976.
• The caste-based political parties are also solving the problems of the people belonging to the
lower castes thereby mobilizing them and making them politically aware.

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• Caste associations have also played a role in spreading the culture of democratic politics in
areas that were previously governed by tradition.
• The caste associations also act as pressure groups that reinforce the views of the people
belonging to the lower caste thereby giving them their due representation in the political arena.

The Negative effects of Caste on Politics are as follows:

• Caste as divisive in Indian Politics: caste has often led to an unhealthy struggle for power and
has fragmented the society into various caste groups.
• Increase in social and political tension: the provisions guaranteed for the protection of the
Scheduled Castes and Tribes have led to dissatisfaction of the other sections of the society
leading to an increase in the social and political tension.
• Regional political parties are also supporting dominant caste groups and mobilizing people
along caste lines thereby hampering the spirit of harmony and solidarity of the Indian society.
• The caste factor has also affected the policies and decisions of the government. They tend to
favour the dominant caste groups and make policies favouring these groups, thereby leading to
the alienation of the vast majority.
• Caste politics also goes against the ideals of democracy which profess equality, and solidarity.
Caste politics can also divert the attention of the government from pressing issues like poverty,
development, and corruption to caste violence and tension.
Caste is constantly evolving and constantly changing its dynamism concerning Indian politics. As
Sudipta Kaviraj says that there is a continuous process of churning of caste phenomenon in
India. Its basis and modality of functioning are constantly changing through electoral politics,
economic development, and cultural change. The Indian Constitution has taken several steps to
promote equality and pursue concrete measures such as Reservation for Scheduled Castes and
other welfare measures for the minority section, these measures have no doubt made some dent
but the institution of caste is far from gone.

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