In this article you will learn about Casteism in Indian Politics and the nature and role of it.
Caste and Casteism in Indian Politics
The nature and role of casteism can be discussed as follows :
Caste and Political Socialisation
Different people of different caste groups have their loyalties behind different political parties and their principles and ideologies. Right from one’s birth, an Indian citizen inherits a caste and grows up as a member of a particular caste group. He either belongs to one of the ‘High Caste’ or to the ‘Scheduled Caste’. In the process of picking up his political orientations, beliefs and attitudes, he naturally comes under the influence of caste system or groups and casteism. ‘Caste Interests’ and ‘Caste Values’ influence his socialisation and consequently, his political thinking, participation and perceptions. He begins banking upon caste unity and solidarity for occupying and performing a leadership role in society.
Caste and Leadership Recruitment
Caste also influences the process of leadership recruitment. This is particularly true of ‘Caste conscious’ people of states like Bihar, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. In Haryana the leadership comes either from Bishnois or Jats and Brahmins. In Andhra Pradesh the Kammas, or the Reddys and Valamas provide state leaders. Similar has been the case in almost every other state.
Caste and Party Politics
Caste factor is a component of Indian party system. Some of the political parties have direct caste bases and support while others indirectly bank upon particular caste groups. BJP has been largely recognised as a party Hindu caste and it gets full support from all over people of Hindu caste. In particular, some regional political parties stand as the main element influenced by the caste factor. The AIADMK and DMK are the non-Brahmin rather anti-Brahmin political parties of Tamil Nadu. In Punjab, Akali Dal has a Jat based identity and it also stands influenced by the issue of Jats vs non-Jats. BSP banks upon the support of the lower caste people that is the Scheduled Castes. All political parties use caste as a means for securing votes in elections in India.
Role of Caste in Election Politics
The caste factor continues to play a major role in electoral politics in India. All political parties give special weightage to the caste factor in selecting their participants and candidates, in allocating constituencies to their candidates and in canvassing support for their nominees in the elections. In constituencies predominated by Jats, Jat candidates are fielded and in areas predominated by Muslims, Muslim candidates are fielded. Even the ‘secularist parties’ take into consideration caste factors in selecting their candidates.
In the election campaigns, votes are asked and demanded in the name of caste. No one can disagree when N.D. Palmer observed, “Caste considerations are given great weight in the selection of candidates and in the appeals to votes during any election campaigns.” In elections, caste acts as the most major party and caste groups are trapped for committed support.
Role of Caste in Government-Making
Caste also plays a basic role in the decision-making process because it is a major feature of Indian society and acts as a key factor in various processes of politics. Even the issue of reorganisation of states is handled with an eye on the prevention of undue predominance of a particular caste community or group in a particular territory. Caste factor influences the decisions and policies of the state government. The political party in power tries to use its decision-making power to win the favour of major caste groups. Most of these parties always try to nurture the people belonging to Scheduled Castes as their vote banks. Recently, Dalit-Brahmin approach has been adopted by the BSP. Whenever these political parties get a chance to rule their respective states, they always use political power for furthering the interests of the caste groups which support or can support their regimes. The caste factor always acts as a determinant of people’s voting behaviour, their participation and the party structure and even the government-making process.
Caste and Local Politics
In the Indian rural context, caste has been a plank of mobilisation, representation and leadership, a channel of communication, and a linkage between the electorate and the political process. The role of caste in the working of institutions of local self-government and the Panchayati Raj has been a known reality. We can go to the extent of recording that caste based factionalism in India has been the most major hindering factor in the organisation and effective working of Panchayati Raj and Urban local institutions.
Caste Violence
Caste based violence also very every often finds its way into Indian politics. The traditional differences between higher castes and lower castes have acquired a new strength. These are often converted into a fierce and violent struggle for power in society. The growing intimidation of the lower caste by the higher or even the intermediary castes, has been becoming a part of rural India’s political reality. In states like Maharashtra, Haryana, Bihar, Rajasthan and UP, caste violence has raised its head even in some urban areas.
Thus, caste, caste system or casteism continues to play a major role in all dimensions of Indian politics. Gujjar politics, Jat politics, Dalit politics and similar other terms reflect the presence of caste approach to politics.
This article on Casteism in Indian Politics is contributed by Dipshikha Anand. If you like LawStudyPoint.com do follow us on our Twitter handle.