Many of them are converting from Hinduism to Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhism, etc. They need an escape from teh caste system. India's response in several states has been to pass laws prohibiting anyone from converting to any religion (except, in practice, Hinduism.)
I feel kind of dumb asking this question. Can one tell an untouchable simply by physical appearance? I always thought it was just poverty that caused this separation.
ping
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20070511-1728-india-stateelections.html
Low-caste politician sweeps to power in India’s largest state
ASSOCIATED PRESS
5:28 p.m. May 11, 2007
LUCKNOW, India – India’s most powerful low-caste politician swept into power Friday in the country’s largest state, dealing a political blow to the scion of the powerful Gandhi clan.
Mayawati, a fiery 51-year-old woman who goes by one name, was set to become the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, a vast, poor state that encompasses more than 180 million people and often sets the political agenda for the rest of the country.
“I thank people of all castes and communities who supported my party to achieve this overwhelming victory,” Mayawati, a dalit, or “untouchable,” at the bottom of India’s complex social ladder, said at a news conference.
With results final in all but six of the 403 seats in the state assembly on Friday, Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party had won 202 seats, enough to form a government without a coalition, according to the Press Trust of India news agency which cited state election authorities.
The election will likely slow the rise of Rahul Gandhi – the son, grandson and great-grandson of Indian prime ministers. By Friday afternoon, Gandhi’s Congress party had gained no additional seats in the state assembly despite his relentless campaigning. Gandhi holds a seat in the Indian Parliament, representing a rural district in Uttar Pradesh.
The election was the first serious political test of Gandhi, 36, who is a rising power in the Congress party and – despite his youth and inexperience – already is mentioned as a possible future prime minister. Though the Congress party is not a major force in the state, Gandhi’s campaigning was expected to help boost its political power.
Mayawati forged a powerful coalition that brought together low-caste and Brahmin voters and candidates to force out Mulayam Singh Yadav, the state’s outgoing chief minister whose own support was rooted among middle-caste farmers.
Mayawati, who has been chief minister of the state twice before, lost power in 2003 amid controversy over her government’s approval of a $40 million-dollar tourism complex near the Taj Mahal.
The Uttar Pradesh elections are unlikely to have an immediate impact on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s Congress-led government in New Delhi, though the state often plays a key role in shaping national political alliances. The next national elections are due in 2009.
India’s RSS urges war against ‘evil’ of casteism
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1271540.cms
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.
I perused the whole article, and I don’t see any mention of a single corrective step that needs be taken, that’s not already taken by the Indian government. Care to educate us on how what is essentially a problem of the mindset can be solved by legislation?
While at it, please answer the query earlier. Or will you selectively ignore this again?
Is it too much to ask that Rep. Franks act like a statesman and not an interfering numbnut for Campaign Jubilee?
You folks hvae yet to rebut even one of the statements Congressman Franks makes. Instead, you choose to spread disnformation and attack the messenger with smears.
Now, try addressing the issue for once.