india has the largest affirmative programs in the world. people belonging to the so-called lower castes get anywhere between 25% to 60% of jobs and college admissions. can you quote a parallel anywhere else in the world?
if you go to urban india - caste is going, going, gone. india is moving in the right direction and needs to be encouraged.
and pleaseeee the "missionaries" are not entirely blame free. freedom to practise a religion doesnt entitle them to abuse hinduism or call it a cult of the devil / darkness. once you do that there will be repraisals. many of them are simply counting the number of souls harvested instead of practising real religion.
hindus and buddhists are one of the most pacifist people on earth. which country have they invaded or conquered in their history.
They did that for economic reasons (to gain more business from the U.S. and European nations), not because of their religion. Prior to India's drive for economic growth, people of the lower caste were treated worse than stray animals.