Untouchables Quotes
They were the “untouchables”. Under English rule and law, they had more opportunity, equality and protection than ever before. They opposed the idea of home rule and passing rule to an Indian parliament and ministers as ol the upper castes would dominate and control the government and would discriminate against them as they had always done before English rule. What they worried about came of to pass, but the Congress Party which dominated much of Indian politics was opposed to the Caste system and went out of their way to make it illegal and to institute affirmative action. However, regardless of the law, the Cast System still exists, and the discrimination is a current problem for India and the untouchables.
Many Indians follow a rigid caste system where all people are born and divided into 5 social castes which are immutable—there is no caste mobility. An “untouchable” –the lowest Indian Caste—even if he make a million dollars—is still an untouchable and the higher casts would have nothing to do with him. Most upper caste people would not allow an untouchable physician to treat him or an untouchable cook to prepare his food. The Caste system is illegal under Indian law, but the majority of the Indians still follow it.
The traditional Hindu social structure established castes – levels of society with Brahmins at the top and untouchables at the bottom. When India gained independence, the caste system was made illegal. Nonetheless, it is still followed by hundreds of millions of Indians. Religiously the Buddhists and the Hindus have had different philosophies. Ilaiah is a Buddhist who opposes the traditional Brahmin social structure and is a supporter of “Dalitization” – a change in the Indian culture to make the Dalits (untouchables) equal de juro and de facto.
Bihar is one of the provinces of India. The minister was particularly popular amongst the poor and the untouchable class, and while he was unable to produce all the reforms he wanted, he put the issues of the underclass on the Radar Screen of Indian politics and vigorously articulated their problems.
