RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat on Caste System

 

  RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat on Caste System

Caste system in India based on the Laws of Manu was one of the most challenging and responsible factor for India losing its independence in the past and also remained a major obstacle in the socio-economic development of the country till date. It never allowed India to be a comprehensive and inclusive society and

tended to divide the people on the basis birth and not worth. In spite of the fact that caste system has been abolished in the constitution of free India and all the citizens of India that is Bharat are equal before the law yet the scourge of caste system persisted in one way or the other. It is not only inhuman but also an anti thesis for the much needed harmony in the society. The main stream of the society and polity of the country are still struggling to change the mindset of the upper crst of the society and bring about Samrasta, equitable social order as visualized by our fore-fathers in the changed scenario. I always felt that our socio-cultural outfits never did their best to change the system in the name of so called Aastha on one hand and on the other; the ruling dispensations did not show political will to take the issue head on. It is a matter of gratification, of late; some fresh air has started blowing. The recent take on the caste system by no other than one of the top men in the socio-cultural hierarchy, RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat, has taken the courage of addressing the issue of caste system by putting the things in its perspective in the larger good of the country. Thank you Sir, I stand by you and wish that we take the matter seriously and save our beloved country and the society from these inhuman and degrading effects of caste system becoming a major hindrance in our development.

Before we proceed further, let us see as to who invented caste system in India? I am not a historian or a dharma Guru and may not know the so called religious explanations. I, as usual consulted the Google guru which informed me and I quote, “the caste system is a clever device invented by the Brahmins in order to place themselves on the highest ladder of social hierarchy.  It further adds. “Caste is a Brahmnic child of Indo-Aryan culture cradled in the land of the Ganges and then transferred to other parts of India.” Yet another assertion is, “caste system is a class structure that is determined by birth. Loosely, it means that in some societies, the opportunities you have access to depend on the family you happened to be born into. It is enough for a layman to understand that caste is manmade and has nothing to do with religion as such.

RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat speaking at a function in Mumbai on Guru Raavidass Jayanti on February 5 made an important statement on the caste system and urged all of us to discard the degrading an uncivilized system  said, “Based on scriptures, what the Pandits say is a lie. By getting entangled in this imagination of superior and

inferior castes, we have lost our way. This delusion has to be done away with.” "We are misled by caste superiority illusion and this illusion has to be set aside," he added. Mohan Bhagwat took on, and rightly so, on the caste system and said candidly "No one is high or low. On the basis of scriptures, scholars talk about caste-based highs and lows – they are lies. We have been confused by being trapped in the idea of caste. This confusion should be removed." Let us stand behind Mohan Bhagwat in this fight to eradicate the scourge of caste from the face of India for which the great Guru Ravidass and the modern Gurus like Babasaheb Ambedkar showed us the way to make our society clean of its ills. It is a matter of satisfaction to note that it is not for the first time Mohan Bhagwat has said his mind on the subject. In October 2022, speaking at a book launch in Nagpur, Bhagwat had said that “varna” and “jaati” (caste) should be completely discarded, adding that “the caste system has no relevance now… everything that causes discrimination should go out lock, stock and barrel.” He further explained his thinking on the subject as hosted in RSS-linked ‘Samvada’ website quoted Bhagwat as having said in Karnataka: “The main problems of Hindu society such as untouchability, differences and inequality exist mainly in the mind. These problems do not exist in the scriptures… These problems have existed in our minds for many generations and their solution will take time. We have to slowly work to remove them from our minds.” I wrote about this in my blog which may be accessed at: diplomatictitbits.blogspot.com/2022/10/rss-chief-on-varna-and-caste-cursory.html

These thoughts of Mohan Bhagwat have created flutter in many orthodox and vested quarters in the society. It has been reported in the media that even the RSS media head, Sunil Ambekar has given some clarifications on the far reaching statements in the face of obvious but unjustified opposition from the Thekedars of dharma, the Hindu priestly class. With the opposition latching on to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s statement that caste system was not ordained by God but created by “Pandits”, RSS media person clarified  that by “Pandit”, Bhagwat meant “intellectuals” and not Brahmins. He added: “Sarsanghachalakji always speaks about social harmony. What he was saying is that everything that people may interpret from the scriptures may not be right. And he was talking about the experience of Sant Ravidas. No one should take it in the wrong context and hurt social harmony. The RSS has always spoken against untouchability and protested against all social divisions.”

With or without clarifications, let us, to my mind, take Mohan Bhagwat’s statements at their face value. It is up to him to see how he defends himself. It is his problem. Why I say so is because some of the vested interests on the other side too tend to doubt the

credentials of Mohan Bhagwat. We are interested in a casteless society as stipulated in the constitution of India. Any effort, big or small, in bringing about Samrasta in the society should be appreciated and supported. There is no other way as Babasaheb said, “Political democracy has no meaning if it is not transformed it into a social and economic democracy” From where the caste system came? Who created it? How did it flourish? These questions are irrelevant to a common man like me. Leave it to Pandits the so called intellectuals to break their heads on these useless excercisaes. We are interested in eating Aams (mangoes) and not counting Guthalies (mango stones). We want casteless society to live in harmony and with dignity. It will be a befitting tribute to Guru Ravidass who thoughtfully said in his vani:

कह रविदास खलास चमारा;

जो हम शहरी सो मीत हमारा.