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Caste is one of the major factors in politics of India. Independent India has seen intense debates over reverse discrimination, caste-based quotas and reservations. Image File history File links Wiki_letter_w. ... Politics of India takes place in a framework of a federal parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of India is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. ... Reverse discrimination includes discriminatory policies or acts that benefit a historically socio-politically non-dominant group (typically women and minorities), at the expense of a historically socio-politically dominant group (typically men and majority races). ... Racial quotas in employment and education are numerical requirements for hiring, promoting, admitting and/or graduating members of a particular racial group. ... Reservation in Indian law is a term used to describe the governmental policy whereby a percentage of seats are reserved in the Parliament of India, State Legislative Assemblies, Central and State Civil Services, Public Sector Units, Central and State Governmental Departments and in all Public and Private Educational Institutions, except...

Before 1980s

Mahatma Gandhi, B. R. Ambedkar and Jawaharlal Nehru had radically different approaches to caste esp. over constitutional politics and the status of "untouchables"^[1]. Till the mid-1970s, the politics of independent India was largely dominated by economic issues and questions of corruption. But since 1980s, caste has emerged as a major issue^[1]. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Gujarati: , Hindi: , IAST: mohandās karamcand gāndhī, IPA: ) (October 2, 1869 – January 30, 1948) was a major political and spiritual leader of the Indian independence movement. ... Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (Marathi: बाबासाहेब भीमराव रामजी आंबेडकर) (April 14, 1891 — December 6, 1956) was a Buddhist revivalist, an Indian jurist, scholar and Bahujan political leader who is the chief architect of the Indian constitution. ... Jawaharlal Nehru (Hindi: , IPA: ) (November 14, 1889 – May 27, 1964) was a senior political leader of the Indian National Congress, was a pivotal figure during the Indian independence movement and served as the first Prime Minister of the Republic of India. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... The 1980s refers to the years of 1980 to 1989. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

Mandal Commission

Main article: Mandal commission

The Mandal Commission was established in 1979 by the Janata Party government under Prime Minister Morarji Desai with a mandate to "identify the socially or educationally backward"^[2]. The Commission was set up to consider the question of seat reservations and quotas for people to redress caste discrimination, and used eleven social, economic, and educational indicators to determine "backwardness." In 1980, the commission's report affirmed the affirmative action practice under Indian law whereby members of lower castes (known as Other Backward Classes and Scheduled Castes and Tribes) were given exclusive access to a certain portion of government jobs and slots in public universities, and recommended changes to these quotas, increasing them by 27% to 49.5%. L R Naik, the only Dalit member in the Mandal Commission refused to sign the Mandal recommendations^[3], as he feared that well-to-do OBCs would corner all the benefits of reservation. The Mandal Commission in India was established in 1979 by the Janata Party government under Prime Minister Morarji Desai with a mandate to identify the socially or educationally backward. ... The Mandal Commission in India was established in 1979 by the Janata Party government under Prime Minister Morarji Desai with a mandate to identify the socially or educationally backward. ... The Janata Party (Peoples Party in Hindi) was an Indian political party that contested the Indian Emergency (1975-77) and became the first political party to defeat the Indian National Congress in the 1977 elections, forming the national government from 1977 to 1980. ... The Prime Minister of India is, in practice, the most powerful person in the government of India. ... Morarji Ranchhodji Desai (Hindi: ) (February 29, 1896 – April 10, 1995) was an Indian freedom fighter and the first non-Congress Party Prime Minister of India. ... Reservation in Indian law is a term used to describe the governmental policy whereby a percentage of seats are reserved in the Parliament of India, State Legislative Assemblies, Central and State Civil Services, Public Sector Units, Central and State Governmental Departments and in all Public and Private Educational Institutions, except... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... Affirmative action (or positive discrimination) is a policy or a program whose stated goal is to redress past or present discrimination through active measures to ensure equal opportunity, for example in education, employment or seats in parliament and/or government. ... The Other Backward Classes (or OBCs) in India are a group of castes officially recognized as having been traditionally subject to exclusion. ... This article talks about the origin of the terms Scheduled Cases and Scheduled Tribes in India Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are communities that are accorded special status by the Constitution of India. ... Racial quotas in employment and education are numerical requirements for hiring, promoting, admitting and/or graduating members of a particular racial group. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ...

A decade after the commission gave its report, V. P. Singh, the Prime Minister at the time, tried to implement its recommendations in 1989. The criticism was sharp and colleges across the country held massive protests against it. Many alleged that the politicians were trying to cash on caste-based reservations for purely pragmatic electoral purposes. Rajiv Goswami, student of Delhi University, threatened self-immolation in protest of the government's actions. His act further sparked a series of self-immolations by other college students and led to a formidable movement against job reservations for Backward Castes in India. Vishwanath Pratap Singh (विश्वनाथ प्रताप सिंघ, born 25 June 1931) was the tenth Prime Minister of the Republic of India. ... Rajiv Goswami (d. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Votebank politics

Many political parties in India have openly indulged in caste-based votebank politics. Look up Votebank in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

In 1990s, many parties Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Samajwadi Party and the Janata Dal started claiming that they are representing the backward castes. Many such parties, relying primarily on Backward Classes' support, often in alliance with Dalits and Muslims, rose to power in Indian states^[4]. At the same time, many Dalit leaders and intellectuals started realizing that the main Dalit oppressors were so-called Other Backward Classes^[1], and formed their own parties, such as the Indian Justice Party. The Congress (I) in Maharashtra long relied on OBCs' backing for its political success^[4]. Bharatiya Janata Party has also showcased its Dalit and OBC leaders to prove that it is not an upper-caste party. Bangaru Laxman, the former BJP president (2001-2002) was a former Dalit. Sanyasin Uma Bharati, former CM of Madhya Pradesh , who belongs to OBC caste, was a former BJP leader. Germans dancing on the Berlin Wall in late 1989, the symbol of the cold war divide falls down as the world unites in the 1990s. ... For the Nepalese party, see Bahujan Samaj Party, Nepal. ... Executive President Vice-President Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister The Union Ministries Legislative Parliament Rajya Sabha Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Lok Sabha Speaker of the House Judicial Supreme Court Chief Justice of the Supreme Court High Courts District Courts Constitution Fundamental Rights and Directive principles Regions States and territories... Janata Dal is an Indian political party which was formed through the merger one of the major Janata Party factions, the Lok Dal and a group of Congressmen led by V.P. Singh. ... The Other Backward Classes (or OBCs) in India are a group of castes officially recognized as having been traditionally subject to exclusion. ... this party is e[1]stablished by dr. ... The BhāratÄ«ya Janatā Party (BJP) (Hindi: , English: ), created in 1980, is one of the two major national political parties in India. ... Bangaru Laxman was minister of state for railways in Government of India from 1999 to 2000. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... ... Uma Bharti (born May 3, 1959, Madhya Pradesh, India) is an Indian politician. ... Madhya PradeÅ›   (HindÄ«: मध्य प्रदेश, English: , IPA: ), often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. ...

In Tamil Nadu, the Anti Hindu^[5] DMK party rose to power under the canard of "Brahmin oppression", resulting in reverse discrimination against the upper caste Brahmins. Many Brahmins have alleged that Tamil and Iyengar Brahmins have left the state, due to a "hostile atmosphere" prevalent against upper castes in the region^[6][7]. Tamil Nadu (தமிழ் நாடு, Land of the Tamils) is a state at the southern tip of India. ... Anti-Hindu propaganda launched by Fundamentalist sects of Christianity Anti-Hindu prejudice is a negative perception against Hinduism, Hindus and Indian or Hindu culture. ... Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is a regional political party in the Tamil Nadu state of India. ... Reverse discrimination includes discriminatory policies or acts that benefit a historically socio-politically non-dominant group (typically women and minorities), at the expense of a historically socio-politically dominant group (typically men and majority races). ... Young Indian brahmachari Brahmin A Brahmin (less often Brahman) is a member of the Hindu priestly caste. ... Iyer, Aiyer, Ayer, Ayyar, Ayyer (Tamil : ஐயர்) are last names used by a section of Tamil Brahmins (a priestly Hindu class / caste from India). ... Iyengar (or Aiyangar) is the name of a community of Tamil Brahmins of South India whose members subscribe to the Visishtadvaita philosophy codified by Ramanuja. ...

Criticism

Back in 1950s, B. R. Ambedkar had criticized the use of caste as a political plank^[8]. He anticipated the limitations of using caste as a political resource and instead, emphasized on eliminating the concept of caste from the society. 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (Marathi: बाबासाहेब भीमराव रामजी आंबेडकर) (April 14, 1891 — December 6, 1956) was a Buddhist revivalist, an Indian jurist, scholar and Bahujan political leader who is the chief architect of the Indian constitution. ...

Further reading

• Bayly, Susan (July 1999). Caste, Society and Politics in India from the Eighteenth Century to the Modern Age. Cambridge University Press. DOI:10.2277/0521264340. ISBN-13: 9780521264341.

A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a permanent identifier (permalink) given to a World Wide Web file or other Internet document so that if its Internet address changes, users will be redirected to its new address. ...

References