The caste system in India
Caste system in India - As champions of equality and freedom, the U.K. is beginning to learn the horrible truth of what is really happening in some of its communities. There exists an old system of classification that threatens to tear families and communities apart. It is the caste system.
But is it really modern day discrimination? Or is it merely the relic of an Indian culture maintained as part of a tradition? Within this article, there are some firsthand accounts from British-Asians on their experiences of the caste system in Britain.
Sunny and Simi would stay that it is modern day discrimination. Both had met while working together in a solicitors practise in England. Soon after meeting, they were engaged, then married and then starting their own family. But all of this was overshadowed by a rather ugly shadow.
Caste system in India - Sunny was, as is referred to in the caste system, an 'untouchable', a man from a lower caste. His wife, Simi, was from a much higher caste and so their union was forbidden.
Simi was harassed by her employers for bringing shame onto her caste and family. Sunny was fired.
"It has all come from the fact that we got married and they cannot accept that she has not followed their code of conduct," Sunny says.
This story is a strong indication that the Indian caste system is alive and being practised in Britain. The caste system itself is a system that classifys people at birth into a 'caste' to indicate their place in society.
Those who are from the lowest caste, known as 'untouchables' are often beaten at work, discriminated against, and are remarked as only good enough to clean toilets in India. The situation seems to be just as bad for untouchables in the U.K.
During their time at the solicitors firm together, both Simi and Sunny were subject to harassment and abuse from their high caste Asian bosses. But because there is no mention of caste discrimination in equality legislation, there was no remedy for the couple. Had one of them been white, black or any other ethnicity than Indian, there would have been a case.
But this may all be about to change, as Peers became aware of the plight of such British-Asians as Sunny and Simi. The Peers agreed that a clause will be inserted into the Single Equalities Act which will allow the Government the power to forbid caste discrimination.
Whitehall are due to release a study into the true extent, severity and impact of caste discrimination in late September.
It would not be surprising for the report to illustrate a rather troubling picture. It has been seen that caste prejudice can lead to 'honour killings'. Samaira Nazir was murdered by her father in 2005 for loving a man outside her caste.
But there is opposition to a caste equality law. Hindu organisations, who have been blamed for creating and maintaining the caste system, are deeply offended by the implications that their faith advocates discrimination and prejudice.
The Secretary-General of the Hindu Forum of Britain, Bharti Tailor has stated "What worries me is that they are saying it is my Hindu community that discriminates. I object to this community being specifically targeted when I feel that it is untrue. What about the Royal Family? Just think about it in that context. Is that not caste?"
All of this is overshadowed by an announcement of the Indian Government to reintroduce the caste question into the national census.
The last time Indians were counted by their caste was 1931. However, there is the problem of Indians looking to climb down the caste ladder. This is because of the added benefits that the lower castes receive from the Government in order to compensate for their assigned caste.
But many commentators have remarked that merely asking the question could result in the dividing of society and provoke violence.
But is it really modern day discrimination? Or is it merely the relic of an Indian culture maintained as part of a tradition? Within this article, there are some firsthand accounts from British-Asians on their experiences of the caste system in Britain.
Sunny and Simi would stay that it is modern day discrimination. Both had met while working together in a solicitors practise in England. Soon after meeting, they were engaged, then married and then starting their own family. But all of this was overshadowed by a rather ugly shadow.
Caste system in India - Sunny was, as is referred to in the caste system, an 'untouchable', a man from a lower caste. His wife, Simi, was from a much higher caste and so their union was forbidden.
Simi was harassed by her employers for bringing shame onto her caste and family. Sunny was fired.
"It has all come from the fact that we got married and they cannot accept that she has not followed their code of conduct," Sunny says.
This story is a strong indication that the Indian caste system is alive and being practised in Britain. The caste system itself is a system that classifys people at birth into a 'caste' to indicate their place in society.
Those who are from the lowest caste, known as 'untouchables' are often beaten at work, discriminated against, and are remarked as only good enough to clean toilets in India. The situation seems to be just as bad for untouchables in the U.K.
During their time at the solicitors firm together, both Simi and Sunny were subject to harassment and abuse from their high caste Asian bosses. But because there is no mention of caste discrimination in equality legislation, there was no remedy for the couple. Had one of them been white, black or any other ethnicity than Indian, there would have been a case.
But this may all be about to change, as Peers became aware of the plight of such British-Asians as Sunny and Simi. The Peers agreed that a clause will be inserted into the Single Equalities Act which will allow the Government the power to forbid caste discrimination.
Whitehall are due to release a study into the true extent, severity and impact of caste discrimination in late September.
It would not be surprising for the report to illustrate a rather troubling picture. It has been seen that caste prejudice can lead to 'honour killings'. Samaira Nazir was murdered by her father in 2005 for loving a man outside her caste.
But there is opposition to a caste equality law. Hindu organisations, who have been blamed for creating and maintaining the caste system, are deeply offended by the implications that their faith advocates discrimination and prejudice.
The Secretary-General of the Hindu Forum of Britain, Bharti Tailor has stated "What worries me is that they are saying it is my Hindu community that discriminates. I object to this community being specifically targeted when I feel that it is untrue. What about the Royal Family? Just think about it in that context. Is that not caste?"
All of this is overshadowed by an announcement of the Indian Government to reintroduce the caste question into the national census.
The last time Indians were counted by their caste was 1931. However, there is the problem of Indians looking to climb down the caste ladder. This is because of the added benefits that the lower castes receive from the Government in order to compensate for their assigned caste.
But many commentators have remarked that merely asking the question could result in the dividing of society and provoke violence.