Casteism more in urban areas, opines U R Ananthmurthy

Jnanpith awardee and veteran litterateur Dr U R Ananthmurthy called upon people to remain context free in the process of setting up caste free society in India.

Delivering a talk on ‘Is there any possibilities of living outside caste system in India,’ the veteran writer opined that there is a need to create class society to move away from caste society. A person should go beyond historical context to dawn the civilisation without caste. Each civilization emerged out following unkindly empirical concepts.

There was an emergence of sacrifice in the dawn of each development civilization. Similarly low class men are inevitable for agriculture society. He added that there is a need to come out of context and think about fellow living beings.

Asserting that there is less casteism followed in rural areas, the Jnanpith awardee said that, in villages all religions are as simple as caste and people feel that each one of them follow their caste and the essentialities of religion has not invaded deep into villagers thoughts. “However the scenario is different in urban area.

Caste has become organisational. Everyone should go for caste-free society that sustains plurality. Generally the existence of castism is closely associated and synonymous with plurality in India and also which has become the source of exploitation,” he said. However, criticising others for following their caste ethics does not make one a radical thinker nor he can be proponent of caste free ideologies, he added.

Quoting Ram Manohar Lohia, Ananthmurthy said that if conflicts in class interests increases, one can come out of caste system.

Hence it is essential for one to remain within the perimeters of caste and think of the possibilities of creating class society devoid of castes. He added that awareness on class will help to decrease the intensity of casteism.

He also said that the person who loves God will certainly try giving up all caste ethics, citing the examples of Akkamahadevi and Basavanna. He stressed that universal education system should be given in all schools.