• UGI USER
  • Dec 15, 2023
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ONLY CASTE THAT MATTERS

Sant Kabir Das emphasized an egalitarian society, as reflected in his couplet urging to inquire about knowledge, not caste.

Historical Caste-Based Social Order:

  • India grappled with a hierarchical social order, predominantly based on caste, influencing societal judgments more than individual talent or skills.
  • The Varna system initially assigned caste based on a person’s profession, but over time, it led to societal stagnation and imposed stigmas on certain occupations.

Caste-Based Discrimination and Social Stagnation:

  • Caste-based discrimination dehumanized individuals, fostering a sense of inferiority and inhibiting rebellion.
  • Social and political reformers challenged caste-based discrimination, but political parties often exploited caste divisions for electoral gains.

Government’s Inclusivity Politics:

  • Prime Minister disrupted caste-based politics with a focus on social justice, inclusion, and poverty alleviation.
  • Governance shifted towards inclusivity, aiming to address centuries-old discrimination and restore dignity.

Inclusive Governance Initiatives:

  • Various schemes, such as
  • PM Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan,
  • PM Vishwakarma Yojana,
  • Ujjawala Yojana, and
  • Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, target marginalized sections with dignity-restoring names.
  • Aspirational districts, positive nomenclature, and a focus on development beyond traditional metrics highlight the government’s commitment to people’s aspirations.

Poverty Alleviation and Inclusive Growth:

  • Over 13.5 crore people lifted out of multi-dimensional poverty in the last five years.
  • Significant declines in multi-dimensional poverty from 24.85% in 2015-16 to 14.96% in 2019-2021.
  • Government schemes prioritize access to sanitation, nutrition, cooking fuel, financial inclusion, drinking water, and electricity, benefiting people irrespective of caste.

The focus is on dismantling caste by making it irrelevant, allowing people to return to traditional work without being constrained by a hierarchical social order.