By Zile Singh

It is an interesting question raised by eminent people in India and abroad. The Indian society, even if it forms part of the Diaspora, is very complex and heterogeneous.  It is rightly said that all five fingers are not equal. So are the five castes in India:  Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaisya, Shudra and Ati-Shudra. In fact, castes are not only in Hinduism; these are in other Indian religions also, e.g., Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. Caste is a condemnable reality in India. One is born, brought up and dies in caste boundaries irrespective of his/her merits and demerits.  To cross these boundaries is like crossing swords.     It is a boon to some; for some it is a curse. Leave aside caste, nothing is beyond praise, condemnation and derogation in general. We sing a different tune on different occasions.  We sing from the same hymn or song sheet and present a united stand in public by not disagreeing with one another but in private we sing a different song.  Also, we damn someone or something with faint praise implying condemnation and derogation. A quotation from a 1994 Canadian Defence Quarterly, “True there is the occasional condescending nod to those who served, but this frequently amounts to damning with faint praise.” The Spectator, in 1998 wrote, “Some of the media were critical of the photo… That did not stop them all running it on the front page.  You are damned if you do and damned if you don’t.”

About the word ’Dalit’ one can imagine that over time, as the alphabet ‘A’ stands for Apple and ‘C’ for Cat, ‘D’ will stand for Dalit in English language Primer.  One may be aware that some years back there was a countrywide movement, perhaps on the behest of the Indian government, that instead of the word ‘Dalit’, the nomenclature ‘Scheduled Caste’ should be used for all purposes as recognized in the Indian Constitution. Consequently, Dalits all over the country and abroad protested and said that they were more comfortable with the word ‘Dalit’ than the Scheduled Caste. The government gave in. As the “Black”mattersin the United States, so matters “Dalit” in India. Though it is a double-edged sword. “Caste Matters” is another movement dear to many. Sometime back “Caste in Canada” also was in the air in Surrey. In early seventies of the last century, Dalit Panther Movement in India had its heydays. 

The present Chief Minister of Punjab is in the limelight due more of his being a Dalit than otherwise. Otherwise, he was an ordinary Minister in Punjab like many others of his Cabinet colleagues. He was not even the last in the line for the post of Chief Minister. When the Congress party in Punjab was in teeters, he became appropriately handy to ward off the crisis.  He is not the first one in political turmoil as saviour, when there were religious turmoil people from lower castes have come forward to prove their salt.  He has a tag of becoming the Chief Minister from the rags.  He has travelled the tumultuous political journey step by step from a village Sarpanch to a State’s CM. He started alone as an ‘Independent’ from the den of the higher caste. It is also a fact that in a particular style of democracy, there have been examples when reputationwas got without merit and lost without crime. 

More than anybody else, the 32% Punjabis, belonging to the different Dalit communitieswere jubilant on his elevation in the unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances. In mechanical terms it is called “to prime the pump.” A small quantity of water needs to be poured before a mechanical pump begin to function. We all are watching the drama unfolding within a week of his taking over.  Will these 32 per cent come to his rescue? Some of them will fight against him tooth and nail.  There is a tsunami of demands on him to set Punjab on the right path.  The Dalits expect a magic wand from him as if he will remove all their sufferings overnight.  Let us wait and watch.  Will the CM be able to “Juan ki tuan dhardinichaddaria– Kabir”?In these circumstances, will he be able to safeguard his persona? Will he remain a ‘man of the moment’? Or, after the whirlwind is settled down and fortune favours the Congress in the ensuing elections, will he be accepted as the next Chief Minister? If not, then certainly of his being a Dalit would be a derogation. An undue interference in his work by others, is certainly a derogation. 

What one can understand of the Caste system is that, “We cannot live withcaste; nor can we live without it.” In a particular style of democracy, caste favours both - the high and the low.  In Punjab, all prominent political parties are vying with each other to put up a Dalit face as  a Deputy CM.   The Congress took the lead as a ‘compromise formula’ to save their power going under the heels of the Centre. A non-functional and divided elected government can lead to the President’s Rule.  

If one can be proud of proclaiming, “Say with pride that I am so and so – high or low; then why should there be any objection if one is told in the same terms by others.  If one is happy with his caste, let one be. 

Zile Singh is a well respected Columnist, Writer and a Vipassana Meditater. He has a Post-Graduate Diploma in Human Rights.  He can be reached at zsnirwal@yahoo.ca