Annihilation of Caste

Content:
INTRODUCTION:
Social reform:Is that political reform is really possible without social reform?
Is social reform is necessary for economic reform?
True face of this cast system
It is not to preserve the racial purity
It prevent from forming real society or nation
It prevents the upliftment of aboriginal tribe
It prevents the Hinduism from being a missionary religion
It deprives Hindu from mutual trust, fellow-feeling and also hindrance in reform
Chaturvarnya:Impossibilities and difficulties in practice:
Eradication of cast system: Conclusion

INTRODUCTION:
On 12 December 1935, a letter, written by the secretary of Jat- Pat Todak Mandal is an anti-caste
organization situated in Lahore, asked to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar to deliver a speech on the cast
system in India at their annual conference.

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar prepared a speech and tittle given to that speech was ANNIHILATION OF
CASTE in which he discussed various aspect of cast system. But this conference was withdrawn
after that he published that speech in his book. 1That speech translated in various languages
Marathi, Tamil, Hindi, Panjabi etc.
Dr. B.R.Ambedkar is very well aware of the situation which is going on in India and why not, he
faced that situation and he knows how hard is to survive in that kind of situation. He knows that
the Mandal will be asked by many political Hindus, why it has called him in this honorable
place. One thing he mentioned in his book which is quoted in a phrase that is to them (Hindu) I
am like a snake in their garden2. For them I am not a persona grata3. But he is very happy with
the decision of mandal, to invite him for giving speech on cast system in India, in spite of
knowing that they may be criticized for this. But dont worry; I am always there to help those
people or any organization who is taking initiative for social reform.

Social reform:Path of social reform is full of critics and only few friends are there to comply with your thought.
He has given a very well example of National congress, mainly it is a political organization

1 ANNIHILATION OF CASTE (ISBN 978-8189059637)

2 Roy, Arundhati. Annihilation of Caste: The Annotated Critical Edition, 2014. Page 207 Para12
3 Roy, Arundhati. Annihilation of Caste: The Annotated Critical Edition, 2014.Page 209 Para 14

which handles all political issue and social conference4 was engage to see the social aspect. In
starting it works well but after some time there was only focus in political reform and there is no
focus on engagement of social conference and because of this social reform party get extinct.
Very important question is raised by Dr. Ambedkar that is the formation of political reform is
really possible without ant social reform? He is a very innovative mind person he doesnt only
want change in just societal aspect, apart from this he focused on religious, political, and
educational worlds as well.
Is that political reform is really possible without social reform?
Take an example of national congress divided in to two wings that is political reform party and
social reform party and ultimately the result of that division is vanishing of social reform party.
There is another event that is a speech delivered by Mr.W.C. bonnerji in 1892 in Allahabad; he is
a president of eighth congress session. Mr. Bonnerji said: I for one have no patience with those
who saw we shall not be fit for political reform until we reform our social system. I fail to see
any connection between these two.5
According to Dr.B.R.Ambedkar, there is a connection between these two terms, he takes the
example of untouchables. How they treated by the people. What is the behavior toward them?
There are various rule made by the Brahman which are like this:The rule of Peshwas in Maratha country6 is that when Hindu is coming from the street, lest he
should pollute the Hindu by his shadow7, if they want to split must split in that jar otherwise if it
fall on the earth then it may pollute a Hindu who unknowingly tread on it. They were not allowed
4 The Social Conference was founded by Mahadev Govind Ranade in 1887, two year after the founding
of the INC. It was meant to serve the social arms of the congress.
5 Roy, Arundhati. Annihilation of Caste: The Annotated Critical Edition, 2014. Page
213Para 6
6 The Peshwas were initially ministers under Shivaji who founded the Maratha Empire in seventeenth
century western India.
7 Roy, Arundhati. Annihilation of Caste: The Annotated Critical Edition, 2014.Page 214Para 2

to go to the government school, Hindus were assaulted the women because they were fetching
water in a metal pot.
Approx. twenty two villages in the Indore district has informed that if Balais want live with
Hindu then you have to comply with these terms: 8 like Balais must not wear gold-lace-bordered
pugree, they must not wear fancy dhoti, their women must attend all cases of confinement etc.
and there are some more categories mentioned by the Brahman to do or not to do.
Balais community didnt want comply with that rule and ultimately the result was that they were not
permitted to take water from well, they were not allow to graze their cattle.
Sumita narula correctly mentioned in his book9 that they were not permitted to take water from well, not
to wear shoes in front of upper cast, not to enter in the temple, they were also not permitted to share same
tea stall to drink something.
Ambedkar asked few question to political mended Hindus. "Are you fit for political power even

though you do not allow a large class of your own countrymen like the Untouchables to use
public schools? Are you fit for political power even though you do not allow them the use of
public wells? Are you fit for political power even though you do not allow them the use of public
streets? Are you fit for political power even though you do not allow them to wear what apparel
or ornaments they like? Are you fit for political power even though you do not allow them to eat
any food they like?"10
I think every prudent man is having no answer to this question, and the reason behind the
extinction the extinction of social reform party is diversion from the path. There is a requirement
of Reform in Hindu family and reform in Hindu society. First on covering the aspect of child
marriage, widow remarriage etc. and the later one covering the aspect of abolition of caste
system. They (social reform party) not focused on any aspect and they totally boycott this aspect
8 Roy, Arundhati. Annihilation of Caste: The Annotated Critical Edition, 2014.Page214Para 30
9 Broken People: Caste Violence against India's "Untouchables."
10 Roy, Arundhati. Annihilation of Caste: The Annotated Critical Edition, 2014.Page 218 Para 1

they only concern with the reform of high caste11, and this is the only reason for extinction of
social reform party. Problem is that anyone who is a head of particular group or organization or
particular party, they all were Hindus and they only thought about Hindus and never bothered
about the cast system and this is the only reason Jat-Pat-Todak Mandal get separated from
militantly anti-caste wing.
Ferdinand Lassalle had rightly said that political constitutions have value and permanence
only when they accurately express those conditions of forces which exist in practice within a
society.
Percival Spear rightly said that Neither politics nor war provides a key to the meaning of
Indian history, Instead in society and culture are to be found the processes which give
significance to Indias past, and its present
There are lots of histories which prove this that is if you want to be politically empowered then
you must have to focus on societal aspect. Arab has to go through religious revolution before
come in political power, Chandragupta preceded by religious revolution by Buddha.
Is social reform is necessary for economic reform:Yes, without social reforms it is not possible to bring reform economically and may you have lots
of property and I appreciate that because that is necessary for economic reform but you cant
ignorant toward social reform. Economic reform is like a precedent to social reform and not just
this economic reform only every kind of reform is precedent to social reform.
Take an example of present era, every developing country focusing on development in social
sector. Economic reforms in some countries, in recent times have sought to address plaguing social
concerns12. Few examples are, providing job to unskilled workers. This helps in lowering their
poverty and improvement in their living slandered. Providing basic social facilities etc.

True face of this cast systemIt is not to preserve the racial purity:11 Term added in 1997
12 http://finance.mapsofworld.com/economy-reform/social.html

Some has taken a defense that cast system is only to preserve the racial purity and purity of blood
but it was proved wrong. These all things are the creation of their dirty mind. A paper 13 written
by Dr. D.R.Bhandarkar in which he mentioned that Marathas, Rajput even Brahmans, they all are
aliens means having foreign strain in their body. Then how they talk about purity if they are not
pure. Prof. Vilas Kharat14 had written an article in which he said that Michael Bamshad had
published a DNA report on human genome internationally. In which he (Michael Bamshad)
had mentioned that Brahman were foreigners and they are hiding this fact.
It prevent from forming real society or nation:He (Ambedkar) told that Hindu are like a rat living in his own hole, having no interest with the
others. He rightly said that in them there is lack of consciousness of kind and the only
consciousness in them is the consciousness of cast. So think if their thought is like this then how
they able to form a real society or nation. Take an example of present era a man belong to a Dalit
family killed by the mob of Hindus and the reason behind the killing is that, he has eaten a cow
meat but the evidence shows that he and his family hadnt eaten cow meat ever. But this is not
relevant to this. Relevant part is that they killed a man for just eating cow meat, even judges
thinks hundred time to give death penalty or not, then who they (Hindu) are to decide to kill and
because of this kind of activity only they are not able to form a real society. Our Prime Minister
had said while addressing in a second anniversary of myGov that those are calling them self a
cow savior and behind this they are doing non-human activity, against them we should take
strong action; now see how he and his government does this.
It prevents the upliftment of aboriginal tribe:According to him (Ambedkar) thirteen million people leaving their life like an animal and no one
is taking care of them, Hindu is just busy in protecting his cast. Not providing them a proper
education facility, any hospital to Aid them etc. Ambedkar blaming the Hindu because they
because they bifurcated them and exempt them from taking all privileges. He only wants that
Hindus were add them (tribal) in their society and treat them like their people, but Ambedkar
fails in doing that and still today tribal were facing problem. I want to share one problem a group
of people from 28 villages from Nandurbar district went to collector office with the charter of
demand but they dont get any assurance and then they start protesting in door of collector office.
Collector called the police officer. Police came and arrest the entire person and one important
thing is to notice is that most of them were women, they produced before the court and send
them in judicial custody for seven days. If you ignore them like this create serious problem. You
know these militants, terrorist, who are they? They are people like them only who ignored by the
other group, and not taking care of them and treat them like an animal.
13 "Foreign Elements in the Hindu Population"
14 Director, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Research Centre, New Delhi. Editor

It prevents the Hinduism from being a missionary religion:Unlike the other religion like Christian and Muslim, Hinduism not sphered in other country and
the reason behind this is the cast system. Within the Hindu religion, there is lots of option to
choose, there is different-different god and goddess. Within Hindu religion I think more then
lakh god and different-different group prays different-different gods. Its really confusing. Now
suppose that the a person want to convert himself in to a Hindu then which god he use to adopt
and this is more confusing than previous problem and because of all this confusion only other
people were not want to adopt this religion.

It deprives Hindu from mutual trust, fellow-feeling and also hindrance in reform:Unity among Sikhs and Muslims known to whole world. They never feel alone in any kind of
situation weather it is war or anything. Because they know that their people always stand there to
protect. Stephen knap in an article15 has written that Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhism etc. they
are the strong section of the society and they can do anything to protect their culture, traditions,
customs etc. But Hindu were not able to drive this kind of strength. Now question arises what
makes them unite and Hindu were not able to develop this kind of feeling. It can associate with
the mode of living. Like in Mohammedans and Sikhs, their mode of living produces fellowfeeling. A book16 written by Ghanshyam shah, in which he mentioned that, there is cast system in
other religion (Non Hindus) also but there caste system is different from the cast system
prevalent in other religion. In other religion sound comes from conscious that is yes there is ties
exist but in Hindu this type of conscious ties doesnt exist. Among non-Hindu there are many
things which hold them together but this is not in Hindus. That In Muslims there is social cement
which makes them Bhai (Brother). This kind of cement is not there in Hindu culture and they
only thought about, how to dominant over the lower cast people. There is no bifurcation you will
find in any religion on the basis of cast weather it is Muslim, Christian, thats why these religion
sphered in whole world. But cast system is there in Hindu and because of this reason only Hindu
religion hated by Dr. Ambedkar.
Chaturvarnya:Arya samajists and their ideal of social organization is Chaturvarnya they divided the society
not on the basis of birth but on the basis of worth but the problem is that if they are dividing on
the basis of worth, then why they insist on labeling people as Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya,
Shudra. According to Dr. Ambedkar this system of social organization Chaturvarnya
15 Hindu must unite or face extinction.
16 Caste and Democratic Politics in India

practically impossible and it is very harmful. The principal lies in Varna that is not only
fundamentally different but also fundamentally opposed thats why this is the most vicious
system.
Impossibilities and difficulties in practice:
Idea of chaturvarnya is totally based on worth, so first difficulty raised in practicing
Chaturvarnya is suppose someone has acquired status based on birth not based on worth. Then
the question arises here that weather you compel that person to vacate that status or allow them
to continue with that. I know there is no answer of this question with the protagonist and
protagonists were totally blank on this.
Second problem is the idea of Chatuvarnya itself. There is a division in to four classes that is
Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra. Priests, scholars and teachers come under the category
of Brahmin. Ruler, warrior and administrator are categorized under Kshatriya. Artisans and
merchants come within Vaishya and all laborers and service provider come within the categories
of Sudras. Now look, is that practically possible to categorize everyone within this four class
only. During first millennium B.C. Shudras getting develop at faster rate and because of this fifth
layer emerged that is untouchables, they were comes under the category of Avarnas. These
people get the position of permanent impurity and their function is serving the top layers of
Vernas.
Third problem is the problem related with the women that is whether they were get the status on
the basis of four Vernas or they take the status of her husband. Now suppose if they takes the
status of her husband then it oppose the underlined principle of Vernas. Now suppose if
classification is based on worth then that classification is nominal or real. If it is nominal then
classification made under Chatuvarnya is totally wage and useless and if it real then protagonist
has to prove that consequences of Chatuvarnya apply on women. In Hindu society you rarely
find any women to be a priest, soldier, and those who thinking about this comes within the
categories of bold person or I should say they declared as a mad person. They are mostly
teachers, barristers etc. If I see the logical outcome of hatuvernya then women must be a soldier
and priest, but this is not really happening, this entire problem makes these Chatuvernya
practically impossible.
Eradication of cast system:It was asked to Ambedkar that, is there any solution to eradicate this cast system? As everyone
knows that we are a social animal and we love to be social, then which type of society do you
want. He gives reply that society which contain liberty, equality, Fraternity. The individuals must
be liberated. Every individual having liberty of thought, expression, and belief etc. everyone
should is free to do whatever they want to do, everyone should be treated equally, every
individual should bound together as a brother and Statesman has to ensure that there should be
proper and effective law and everyone should be should be treated equally under this law, like

should be treated like and unlike should be treated unlike. Very well said by Jean-Jacques
Rousseau in his book17 Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.
According to Ambedkar there is another way to eradicate this cast system is the rejection of
Shastras. He told that problems arising not because of people are following this cast system but
because that is a part of their religion, means that is written in Shastras and if that is written in
Shastras then deeply religious people have to comply with it. Apart from rejecting the Shastras,
he also focused on abolition of sub caste system. In sub caste system you will find that people
belong to same Verna and within same Verna superiority and inferiority is there e.g. Brahmans
who lives in north is socially inferior then those who are living in south. There are nine sub
category of Brahman and they all are different and they all are different in their character. Gaur
Brahmin belongs to Panch Gaurs of north India belongs to Vedic Aryan tribes. In Bihar, majority
of Brahmins are Kanyakubja Brahmins, Saryupareen Brahmins, and Bhumihar Brahmins, bhatt
Brahmins and Maithil Brahmins with a significant population of Sakaldiwiya or Shakdwipi
Brahmins. The Brahmins of the mountains and valleys of Kashmir, north of the Pir Panjal Range,
are called Kashmiri Pandits. They are a Dardic community with a very complex and ancient
culture. If this kind of difference is not there then this inferiority and superiority will also get
abolished. So if this kind of difference is arising then it must be abolished.
Conclusion:
This full focus of this Essay is on caste system which is prevalent in India. How this cast system
was getting start and how it affect the people (who are the victim of this caste system). Various
issue covered under this essay like weather it prevent the racial purity or not, weather it produce
hindrance in uplifting of tribal or not, is this caste system truly can form a real society and
everyone knows that mutual trust is very much required to live in a society, so issue is whether it
deprive the mutual trust feeling or not. According to Dr. Ambedkar main problem of this caste
system arises from the Shastras and chaturvarnya system and the solution to eradicate this caste
system is stop believing in Shastras and stop practicing this Chaturvarnya system, according to
him this is the only way to eradicate this caste system.

17 Du contrat social ou Principes du droit politique; 1762)