Caste Movement in India

For Prelims: Political Parties, Caste Census, Sub-categorisation, Criminal Tribes Act, 1871, 1857 Revolt,
Satyashodhak Samaj, Gulamgiri, Mahad Satyagraha, All India Depressed Classes Association, Independent
Labour Party, India Scheduled Castes Federation, Self-Respect Movement, Poona Pact, Harijan Sevak
Sangh

For Mains: Caste Movement in India and its Impacts

Source: IE

Why in News?

Recently, many political parties called for a new Indian caste census after the Supreme Court's judgement
on sub-categorisation within reserved castes.

Caste is often considered as central to South Asian society much like race in the United States,
class in Britain, and faction in Italy.
The last caste census at national level India occurred in 1931 during British rule.

What is the History of Caste Movements in India?

Historical Context: By the end of the 19th century, caste began to obtain ubiquitous meaning
in the daily lives of Indians.
Definitions of caste often revolved around Brahminical notions of purity and
pollution, and often aggressive resistance to such notions by lower castes.
Castes remained ‘constrained within watertight social compartments,’ with ‘social
mobility’ between them prohibited by inter-caste marriages.
Colonial Legislation: Colonial administration brought legislation like Criminal Tribes Act, 1871, in
North India, and later extended to the presidencies of Bengal (1876) in East and Madras
(1911) in South.
It authorised the colonial state to designate entire communities as criminals.
This designation was often rooted in pre-existing biases about certain caste or tribal
groups, reinforcing negative stereotypes and institutionalising them through law.
They were considered too inferior in their jati and varna traits to be employed in the
colonial army and state apparatuses.
The Act continued till 1949 and was replaced by the Habitual Offenders Act, 1952.
Divide and Rule Policy: The 1857 Revolt which was apparently led by upper class hindu and
muslim elites forced British leaders to push for a more diverse Indian army and colonial
offices and reduce the presence of one community dominance in these roles.
Thus, caste emerged as an important criterion in provincial education and employability
of candidates in government service.
Caste was recognised as a potential obstruction to the emergence of nationalist
sentiments and helped in perpetuation of British rule in the subcontinent.
What were the Key Figures in Caste Movements?

Jyotiba Phule: He was a 19th century Marathi activist and founder of the Satyashodhak Samaj
and was among modern India’s first anti-caste ideologues.
He wrote Gulamgiri (1873), an account of the plight of ‘untouchables’ in India that paid rich
tributes to Muslim rulers, Christian missionaries, and the British administration for
instilling egalitarian consciousness in Indian society.
He also introduced the word ‘Dalit’ (‘untouchables’ or broken people) into the lexicon of
anti-caste movements.
He promulgated his version of the Aryan invasion theory and projected texts like
Manusmriti as exploitative and oppressive towards the nation’s indigenes and tribes.
Phule’s mobilisation of anti-caste ideas later inspired BR Ambedkar.
BR Ambedkar: He mobilised Dalits and members of depressed classes with the slogan, ‘We
must become a ruling community.’
In 1927, he led the Mahad Satyagraha to agitate for the rights of ‘untouchables’ to draw
water from a public tank in Mahad, in Maharashtra, that was hitherto denied to them by
leaders of privileged castes.
In December 1927, Ambedkar publicly set fire to the Manusmriti which was seen as the
source for perpetuation of the caste system and the practice of untouchability.
In 1930, he founded the All India Depressed Classes Association.
Before the colonial administration, Ambedkar and Ambedkarites agitated for a separate
electorate for Dalits and depressed classes.
Other Initiatives by BR Ambedkar were Independent Labour Party (1936),All India
Scheduled Castes Federation (1942) etc.
M C Rajah: The first major 20th century event of pan-Indian Dalit movements was the All India
Depressed Classes Leaders’ Conference at Nagpur, in 1926.
It resulted in the formation of the All India Depressed Classes Association, presided by
Rao Bahadur M C Rajah, and with Ambedkar as one of its vice presidents.
Periyar: In the Madras Presidency, Erode Venkatappa Ramasamy (or Periyar) founded the anti-
Brahminical Self-Respect Movement.
It became an important foundation in his rise to become the leader of the Justice Party in
1939.
Mahatma Gandhi: After the announcement of separate electorates (under Communal Award)
for Depressed Classes, Gandhiji decided to go on a fast unto death to protest against this
supposed ‘vivisection’ (cutting) of the Hindu community.
Gandhi and Ambedkar signed the historic Poona Pact 1932 which secured joint
electorates for all Hindus and awarded a reservation to the depressed classes of
nearly double the number of seats in Communal Award.
In 1932, Gandhi founded the Harijan Sevak Sangh for eradication of untouchability and
caste upliftment but Gandhi’s focus on varnashrama was not liked by Ambedkar.
Reversal in British Policy: Given the imminent pressures of the Partition of the subcontinent,
the Ambedkarite movement was gradually overshadowed by the need to build India’s
constitutional frameworks.
By 1945, the colonial administration chose to depoliticise caste during the transfer of
power for an united India.

What is the Difference Between Gandhi's and Ambedkar's Ideologies?

Aspect Mahatma Gandhi B.R. Ambedkar
Views on Freedom Freedom must be wrested from Expected freedom to be
authority by the people. bestowed by rulers.

Democracy Sceptical of mass democracy; Advocated parliamentary

preferred limited government democracy as a means for
and local self-rule. pressure and advancement of the
oppressed.
Political Ideology Believed in non-violence and Inclined towards liberal ideology
practical alternatives to with emphasis on institutional
 ideologies. frameworks.
Views on Village System Supported 'Gramraj' (village Criticised 'Gramraj' for
self-rule) as true independence. perpetuating caste and social
inequalities.
Approach to Social Reform Used moral persuasion and non- Emphasised legal and
violent methods for change. constitutional reforms,
opposed the use of force.
View on Untouchability Addressed untouchability as a Criticised Gandhi’s approach;
moral issue, promoted 'Harijan' viewed untouchability as a major
as a term. issue to be addressed by legal
means.

Religion and Caste System Believed caste system was a Denounced Hindu scriptures for
degeneration of varna; not a perpetuating caste and
religious mandate. untouchability.
Legal vs. Moral Approach Emphasised moral and ethical Preferred legal and
approaches to solve issues. constitutional methods for
reform.

Drishti Mains Question:

Q. Discuss ideological differences between Mahatma Gandhi and BR Ambedkar. Also, give a brief account
of the caste movement in pre-independence India.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Prelims

Q.With reference to the history of ancient India, which of the following statements is/are
correct? (2021)

1. Mitakshara was the civil law for upper castes and Dayabhaga was the civil law for lower castes.

2. In the Mitakshara system, the sons can claim right to the property during the lifetime of the father,
whereas in the Dayabhaga system, it is only after the death of the father that the sons can claim right to
the property.

3. The Mitakshara system deals with the matters related to the property held by male members only of a
family, whereas the Dayabhaga system deals with the matters related to the property held by both male
and female members of a family.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 3 only

Ans: (b)
Q.The Vital-Vidhvansak, the first monthly journal to have the untouchable people as its target
audience was published by (2020)

(a) Gopal Baba Walangkar

(b) Jyotiba Phule

(c) Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

(d) Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar

Ans: (a)

Q.Satya Shodhak Samaj organized (2016)

(a) a movement for upliftment of tribals in Bihar

(b) a temple-entry movement in Gujarat

(c) an anti-caste movement in Maharashtra

(d) a peasant movement in Punjab

Ans: (c)

Q.Which of the following parties were established by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar? (2012)

1. The Peasants and Workers Party of India

2. All India Scheduled Castes Federation

3. The Independent Labour Party

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (b)

Mains

Q.“Caste system is assuming new identities and associational forms. Hence, caste system cannot be
eradicated in India.” Comment. (2018)

Q.Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, despite having divergent approaches and strategies, had a
common goal of amelioration of the downtrodden. Elucidate. (2015)

Q.Debate the issue of whether and how contemporary movements for assertion of Dalit identity work
towards annihilation of caste. (2015)
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