Caste Survey in Bihar: Fanning the Evil of Social Discrimination

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 5 October 2023 Does any sane and sensible individual approve of this caste survey in Bihar? To me, this is so regressive. We're still stuck in primitivism and social apartheid. Do we have any moral right to condemn the racial and colour discrimination, still prevalent in the western world? Have we really evolved? I've serious doubts and reservations in accepting humans' so-called mental advancement. This state-level survey is indicative of the fact that we've officially accepted and institutionalized casteism in India. This is disgusting. Instead of jettisoning the very concept of castes, we're promoting it at national level! Religion defines your existence. Then, caste seals your fate. Are state governments and people of India aware that it's an individual's constitutional right not to disclose his/her faith and caste anywhere? The SC also bestows this fundamental right upon every individual that revealing one's religion and caste is optional, never mandatory. No one and no agency in the country can force you to reveal your faith and caste. This is a criminal offence. Yet, everywhere and in every organization in India, you need to disclose your religion and caste. If you don't. You're rejected. While filling out forms in schools, parents have to put their wards' religion and caste, though a few parents have begun to challenge this reprehensible clause and they all have won as well. But what about a majority of meek and moribund Indians who still have a religion and caste which they carry like a dead albatross around their necks? However, there's a silver lining. In the recent caste survey in Bihar, 2,146 people said that they had no religion. A fewer number said that they had no religion and also no god but the survey hasn't yet disclosed the number of such people who said they didn't have a religion and god. It's time, the 'educated' and 'enlightened' Indians rejected this very idea of caste and religion. Even better, if they can part with their truckload of gods and deities. But this will still take centuries to happen at a collective level. Until that happens, continue to emblazon your religion, caste and sub-caste on your forehead like a cheap commodity in a socially divided market, sorry, society. ------ A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URl: https://newageislam.com/current-affairs/caste-survey-bihar-evil-social-discrimination/d/130825 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism