The caste system was inextricable from Indian religion in earlier days. The castes were connected with the divine order of things and with reincarnation. The Brits managed to cut back on some of the established customs, like suttee. And Ghandi's movement led to freeing the Untouchables.
But the strict, fanatical Hindus who go around murdering Christians and burning churches would pretty certainly like to restore the caste system if they had the power to do so. And probably burn widows, too. The question is, do they have the power to turn back the clock on things like that? Hopefully not. The leaders of Hindu nationalism are pretty ruthless, but they just don't have the kind of following any more that the Muslim leaders have.
The Indian religion does have caste. But it isnt hierarchical. For example the greatest epic of hinduism the ramayana was written by Valmiki a so called lower caste. The Hindu god Krishna was born a cow herd another lower (and one of the most powerful castes in india today) Most of india's saints and its religious leaders today come from the so called lower castes.
The Brits managed to exploit caste divisions and created a theory of lower and upper castes. This helped the british to divide and conquer the natives and i daresay in promoting prosleytisation. This theory of "lower" and "upper" caste has no correlation to political or economic power. For example the brahmins in india are well educated but not economically well off.
As it is india is witnessing a social revolution where it is "advantageous to be a lower caste"!!!! by the way much of the hindu right is also made up of lower castes including the man quoted in this article Mr.Modi.
But the strict, fanatical Hindus who go around murdering Christians and burning churches would pretty certainly like to restore the caste system if they had the power to do so. And probably burn widows, too. The question is, do they have the power to turn back the clock on things like that? Hopefully not. The leaders of Hindu nationalism are pretty ruthless, but they just don't have the kind of following any more that the Muslim leaders have.
If the leaders of hindu nationalism are ruthless they would have made india an extreme right wing dictatorship when they were in power. But they lost an election and exited out of office. As regards to that comment about burning indian widows - i would attribute that to anti hindu propaganda.
With the islamic threat it doesnt make any sense for us to go and keep baiting hindus as some christians extremists are trying to do. We need the buddhists, atheists, hindus, zorastrians on our side and not against us.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1507163/posts
India's RSS urges war against 'evil' of casteism
IANS/ The Times of India ^ | Saturday, October 22, 2005 02:14:11 pm | IANS
NEW DELHI: Expressing concern over caste-based political and social conflicts, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has urged Hindus to "get rid of this evil at the earliest".
"Hindu society should take all necessary measures to ensure entry and access to every Hindu, irrespective of his caste, to their homes, temples, religious places, public wells, ponds, and other public places," a resolution adopted at the three-day national executive meeting of the RSS said.
Around 350 RSS volunteers met in Chitrakoot in Madhya Pradesh to brainstorm on several issues, including its ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has been dogged by infighting.
After discussing the issue of casteism on Friday, the first day of the meeting, the organisation concluded that "caste-based untouchability" and "feelings of high caste and low caste" were the main evils haunting the Hindu society.
"Unfortunately, such incidents occur in society even to this day, manifesting the worst form of caste discrimination," the resolution posted on the organisation's website said.
"Hindu society will have to get rid of this evil at the earliest," it said.
Appealing for social harmony and Hindu brotherhood, the organisation warned the community against the political parties, which it said had been drawing "political benefits" out of casteism.
"Inventing caste based new conflicts in the Hindu society for the sake of political benefits has become a trend of many politicians these days."
"Treacherous elements are also joining hands in this. To create the vote banks, these politicians are encouraging caste-based rivalries, which result in creation of various caste based clashes," the resolution said.
The RSS also has urged the political parties to keep away from "caste politics" which caused "deep divisions" in the society and to give an "Indian culture" to the democracy.
Citing instances from the Hindu epics it said the religion always stood for lower caste people.
"No religion or sect is inferior to others. The whole society should be aware that every sect and caste of Bharat has a glorious history."
The national executive has appealed to all sects and castes that they should not look down on other sects and castes. "The entire society should fully realize the essence of 'Na Hinduh Patito Bhavet' (No Hindu shall ever come to grief)," the resolution said.
Interestingly, the RSS has been criticised by secular Indians for its Hindu supremacist philosophy and its frequent campaign against other religions, particularly Islam and Christianity.