Gender, Religion and Caste

Gender and politics

– Gender division is a social construct based on societal expectations and stereotypes, leading to a division of labor between men and women.
– Women’s participation in public life and politics is minimal in many societies.
– Women’s movements and feminist activism have aimed to improve women’s status and opportunities.
– Despite progress, women in India still face disadvantages, discrimination, and oppression.
– The literacy rate among women is lower, and they are underrepresented in highly paid jobs.
– Women often face unequal pay for equal work.
– Sex-selective abortion has led to a decline in the child sex ratio in India.
– Women experience various forms of harassment, exploitation, and violence.
– Increasing women’s political representation is seen as a way to address their issues and ensure attention to their concerns.
– India has low representation of women in legislatures compared to other countries.
– Reservation of seats for women in local government bodies has been implemented in India.
– Women’s organizations advocate for a similar reservation in national and state legislatures.
– The bill proposing reservation for women in national and state legislatures is pending in Parliament.

Religion, communalism and politics

– Religious divisions are widespread, and even within the same religion, differences in practice can lead to political implications.
– Gandhi believed that politics should be guided by moral values derived from religion.
– Religious minorities often face discrimination and violence during communal riots, leading to calls for their protection.
– Women’s movements argue for reforms in family laws across religions to address gender discrimination.
– Religion and politics can intersect, and values from different religions can inform political decisions.
– Regulating the practice of religion to prevent discrimination and oppression is acceptable as long as it treats all religions equally.

Communalism

– When religion becomes the basis of a nation, it can lead to dangerous divisions, as seen in the case of Northern Ireland.
– Communal politics arises when one religion is presented as superior and followers are pitted against each other.
– Communalism assumes that followers of a particular religion form one community with the same interests, while different religions cannot belong to the same community.
– This belief is flawed as people have multiple identities and interests beyond religion.
– Communalism manifests in everyday beliefs, political dominance quests, mobilization on religious lines, and communal violence, as witnessed during the Partition of India and Pakistan.

Secular state

– The makers of the Indian Constitution recognized communalism as a major challenge to democracy.
– The Constitution established a secular state with no official religion and guarantees freedom of religion for individuals and communities.
– The Constitution prohibits religious discrimination and allows state intervention to ensure equality within religious communities.
– Secularism is a foundational principle of India, not just an ideology of specific parties or individuals.
– Communalism threatens the very idea of India and needs to be combated.
– A secular Constitution alone is not enough; communal prejudices and propaganda must be countered in everyday life, and religion-based mobilization should be challenged in politics.

Caste and politics

Caste and politics:

– Caste-based social divisions have both positive and negative implications in politics.
– Positive: Caste-based political mobilization has given voice and representation to historically marginalized caste groups.
– Negative: Caste-based politics can perpetuate discrimination, inequality, and reinforce social divisions.
– Affirmative action policies, such as reservations, aim to address historical caste-based injustices and promote social equality.
– Caste-based violence and discrimination remain challenges, requiring continued efforts to eradicate them from the political arena.

Caste inequalities

Caste and its relevance in contemporary India:

– Caste system in India is distinct due to its hereditary occupational divisions and social exclusion practices.
– Efforts by leaders like Jotiba Phule, Gandhi, Ambedkar, and Periyar aimed to eliminate caste inequalities and untouchability.
– Socio-economic changes, urbanization, education, and weakening of caste hierarchies have brought significant changes to the caste system.
– Caste-based discrimination is constitutionally prohibited, but some aspects of caste, such as endogamy and economic disparities, persist.
– Educational opportunities have played a role in the upward mobility of certain castes, leading to a disproportionate presence of upper castes in the urban middle class.
– Caste continues to be closely intertwined with economic status in contemporary India.

Caste in politics

Caste and its role in politics:

– Caste-based politics is rooted in the belief that caste is the sole basis of social community and shared interests.
– Political parties consider caste composition when choosing candidates and forming governments to secure support.
– Appeals to caste sentiment are made by parties and candidates during elections.
– However, elections are not solely determined by caste. Factors like multi-caste constituencies, diverse voting patterns within castes, and other considerations impact electoral outcomes.
– Voters’ attachment to political parties often surpasses their attachment to caste or community.
– Economic conditions, gender, performance of the government, and popularity of leaders also influence electoral choices.

Caste matters in politics, but it is not the sole determinant of electoral outcomes. Various factors shape voter behavior and election results.

Politics in caste

– Politics influences the caste system by politicizing caste identities.
– Caste groups incorporate neighboring castes, form coalitions, and create new caste groups.
– Caste plays different roles in politics, allowing disadvantaged communities to demand power and access.
– Caste politics has empowered Dalits and OBC castes in decision making.
– Organizations advocate for an end to discrimination and greater access to resources.
– Exclusive focus on caste can divert attention from other important issues and lead to tensions and violence.