It is of the controversy that which one will be efficient if laid the
policies on the basis of economic status or caste basis. Although to categories
the population of more than one billion is very difficult job in which again
the accuracy and efficiency will be of another controversy. This is the story
of laymen language which is meant to poor Indians.
On another side of the coin,
here the story the diversities of Indian population, the trend of caste and
politics since colonial and how much is associated the caste with modern Indian
politics is how the question is to be cracked its clues. The policy of divide
and rule and communal reward was one example how the politics of caste came to
be seen easily. And in modern India how government target the upliftment of a
cast community or identity community and how a politics emerge from one lower
identity are some clues for me to prove the statement that caste plays a
decisive role in politics in India.
Indian society is filled with division ranging from Hinduism itself to
numbers of identity groups which make the population complete. In Hindu
society, since the beginning, caste is inherited as Brahmin, Kshatriyas,
Veishnav, Sudra which called as Dalits. And moreover this, there are many identity
groups other than Hindu religious hierarchy system like Tamilian, Sikhs, Bhudists,
Muslims and so on.
Some times in politics party system comes not necessarily
into the picture because party system emerges based on different identity
groups and on other side party system is an integral part of Indian democratic
politics. For example, BJP is backed by Hindus majority and upper class Hindu
Society. They try to influence the politics parallel to the ideologies from
where they emerge. For instance, BJP all time try to change even the syllabus
of NCERT text books more connected to Hinduism, not Mughals and British or
Christians.
And in many instances, BJP try to lay the more strict culture of
Hinduism in Indian society because of which it may sometimes tend to anti
secular democracy. In addition, they are more associated with upper class
society. This shows how Indian politics is associated to castes of Indian
societies. And this is the reason that caste plays a decisive role in Indian
politics.
India is a democratic state because of which increases the activities of
the caste. As a political power of the ruling elite gradually pass on the
people in a mass society the impact of caste in felt much more. Sometimes one
caste dominates over the other, due to social conditions. Caste has played a
basic role in the decision making process, for instance the reorganization of
states in India had to grapple with it so that no caste group dominates a
particular territory. Although untouchability has been prohibited by amending
constitution and in enforcement of this Dalits and Adivasies have been given
legal protection as positive measures.
Thus an attempt has been made to create
economic and social equality but these reservations have affected Indian
politics in an unwholesome manner. Groups declared backward are now not
prepared to forego the concessions that accrue to them by the label of
backwardness. Caste has thus become a major obstacle in the establishment of a
casteless society and has cemented communal connections. Even the
politicians are caught in the web.
On the one hand, they would like the
differences and preferences based on caste to be abolished and on the other,
are well aware that these are helpful in securing the vote. They, therefore,
bless the caste organizations and also try to determine their limitations and
contain their influence. This paradoxical situation can, therefore, be overcome
only if the caste entity and the impact it makes on politics is fully
recognized. The preceding lines give the clue to prove that caste plays a
decisive role in Indian politics.
In Indian democratic political system caste
becomes important because politics is highly competitive in this Indian
multi-party system politics. Its purpose is to gain power for certain ends. It
is therefore exploits all kinds of loyalties in the society to gain and
consolidate certain political positions because of which organization and
articulation of support are important in the above process of politics in our
country. Caste is one such organization with which the people are associated.
The link between politics and caste is thus important and in the process both
interact so closely that they are transformed. Party programmes also cut across
caste loyalties and members of one caste may be divided on the basis of
ideological affiliations. Moreover, political connection is a reflection of the
social reality and politics in one instrument which a particular class or group
exploits to strengthen it. Indian democracy is necessarily a practice of
alliance formation. Politicians or political parties forged a grand alliance of
farmer and marginable and deprive communities to get support. In the same way,
Ambedkar concerned about the constitutional provisions for Dalits (as already
mentioned somewhere else above). It is because of the above reasons that I
would confirm that caste plays a decisive role in Indian politics.
To conclude, Indian society is rooted with the
caste hierarchy whether lower or upper or religious or regional because of
which caste is inevitable in Indian politics. Many time upper castes try to hold
the pivotal of the politics and in many situations also lower caste try to take
its positions. As mention above development rural in India is the development
of lower sections of society. This this is the reason that there always
controversy over the reservation of different caste, community or region.
This
process takes the role of politicians and party system in the Indian politics.
In addition, major religious conflict involves the politicians and the
judiciary system whether in the beginning or the ending. Hence, it is not wrong
to say that caste plays a decisive role in Indian politics.
