Now elections of Lok Sabha are out but it has left a question unanswered about caste system in India. The caste  issue proved key to the opposition’s stunning success in India’s election.

This year’s Lok Sabha  election was around caste and development.

During the first phase of polling, the BJP’s campaign had focused on peripherally on the Ram Mandir but stressed on the “Viksit Bharat” narrative and development issues.

After seeing  caste based  campaign  by I.N.D.I. Alliance,  BJP’s ‘Viksit bharat’ narrative was also  replaced by a strident campaign concentrating on majority population of India.

Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi’s speeches highlighted a commitment to protecting the Constitution and addressing the issue of caste-based injustice in India. He pledged to undertake a caste census to reveal the extent of disadvantage and concentration of wealth in society.

He also pointed out the government’s centralisation of power, as well as the upper caste-dominated media’s adulation of Modi and its inattention to issues of unemployment and inflation.

RJD patron Lalu Prasad Yadav, who  is also part of the I.N.D.I. Alliance, warned the BJP intended to change the Constitution to end caste-based affirmative action. Though this was denied by Modi, the allegation seemed to strike a chord with voters.

Demand of Caste census in Bihar, West Bengal and other states was meant only for polarisation of the vote bank politics not for real upliftment of backward castes. The real upliftment can only be achieved by sabka sath sabka vikas.

During the campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a string of speeches that were widely seen as Islamophobic, in which he accused the opposition I.N.D.I. Alliance of favouring Muslims.

Set back to BJP due to caste politics

BJP led NDA  did not perform as well as expected in the election, suffering major losses in its heartland northern Indian states.

The BJP had sought to ameliorate this tension by promoting welfare schemes and accusing the secular opposition of colluding with Muslims to deprive the Hindu lower-caste poor. BJP’s plank sabka sath sabka vikas could not materialized in the ground realty  due to caste based politics in India.

In election, Modi also claimed to have replaced traditional forms of caste stratification with four new castes of welfare “beneficiaries” – women, farmers, the youth and the poor.

The government’s welfare schemes of paltry cash transfers, small loans, food rations and subsidies for private goods like toilets, which sought to compensate for the stagnation of incomes and lack of jobs could not sustained due  caste politics . Spending on health and education by Modi’s government, which could have transformative effects on society, has languished.

About the Role of Caste in Indian Politics

The biggest surprise for the BJP were its heavy losses in its heartland state, Uttar Pradesh. It also lost prominent seat of Ayodhya due to caste politics only as  Samajwadi Party  has given the ticket to Pasi samaj candidate who won the election inspite of a lot of development work done by Yogi government in Ayodhya.

In this election, the Samajwadi Party  appears to have fashioned a new, broader caste coalition.  PDA perspective. Pichchde (backward classes), Dalits and Alpsankhyak (minorities), coined by Yadav has likely paid SP dividends.

The result and voting pattern  most of the State- Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar , West Bengal etc  was around caste fixations.

The role of caste in Indian politics is a significant and influential aspect of the country’s political landscape. Here are some key points to understand:

• The caste system is not new in India, the  Britishers  used it to justify their rule and it led to conflicts among different castes.
• The Mandal Commission put a dent in Indian governance by identified backward classes primarily based on caste membership.
• Reservation policies aimed at social justice inadvertently fueled the politicisation of caste, while the Mandal Commission’s recommendations intensified Other Backward Classes (OBC) politics.
• To curb this Modi government has given reservation to EWS based on economic status of the family which is more justified than the caste based reservations.

Caste’s Impact on Electoral Politics and Voting Behaviour

In the diverse and dynamic landscape of India’s electoral politics, the influence of caste remains a potent force, shaping voter behaviour, political strategies, and the overall democratic process. It was proved in recent Lok Sabha elections.

Regional parties, with a more local focus, frequently form alliances based on caste equations to improve their electoral prospects. These caste-based coalitions add additional layers of complexity to the national political scenario.

Voters often align themselves with candidates from their caste or those perceived to champion the interests of their caste.

The emergence of leaders who transcend caste affiliations and appeal to a broader electorate reflects evolving voter aspirations.

The youth of today want to change the caste system

Instead of equality in the society, the caste based polarisation will not be fruitful for India’s development. It would widened the gap among the caste in modern India. This leads to both cohesion within castes and potential tensions between them. The speed of development will be in reveres gear due to caste politics in Indian democracy

“There are a lot of things that need to change in this country, but the people who are implementing these laws continue to be from a dominant caste and don’t think change is a priority.” That’s where Ms Pallical says the struggle is, however, she and others will keep working to abolish the caste system and take India to equality.

Most of the people in India are of the opinion that all caste-based reservations should be abolished. “Reservations serving the policy of divide and rule, says Retd Justice Markandey Katju

Our politicians use reservations for their vote bank politics. So the real purpose of reservations is not to benefit the dalits and backward caste but to benefit the politicians.

Caste reservations have  perpetuated the caste system, instead of helping in destroying it. Caste is a feudal institution, which has to be destroyed if India is to progress, but reservations further entrench it.

The time has now come when all Indians, including dalits and backward caste people , see through this political fraud and charade, and demand the end of all caste-based reservations.

It is important to note that the Indian Constitution, adopted in 1950, prohibits caste-based discrimination and promotes equality and social justice for all citizens.

Article 14 guarantees equality before the law and equal protection of the laws for all individuals. It prohibits discrimination on grounds of caste, religion, race, sex, or place of birth.

Article 17 explicitly abolishes untouchability, which was a practice associated with the caste system, and makes it an offense punishable by law.

Over time, inter-caste marriages have increased, especially in urban areas. This trend reflects a gradual shift towards breaking down caste barriers and promoting social integration.

There is an urgent need to introduce electoral reforms to reduce the impact of caste-based voting and reduce the dominance of caste-based identity politics.

The social organisations can lead social movements and initiatives that challenge caste-based discrimination, promote inter-caste harmony, and foster social equality. Civil society organizations, activists, and community leaders can play a vital role in driving these reforms.

Disclaimer: The present article is for education purpose only.  It does not have any biasedness to any political party. 

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