Rohith Vemula: An Episode of Institutional Casteism
Rohit Vemula was a Dalit PhD scholar at Hyderabad Central University who was a vocal member of Ambedkar Students' Association (ASA) that fights against caste issues. ASA had friction with...
Understanding Caste
Caste has been a defining feature of Indian society for millennia. Understanding it does not require delving into speculative debates about its origins, as caste has continually evolved. What castes...
Dalits in Karnataka Up in Arms Against the Government
In the 2023 Assembly elections Congress party under the able leadership of Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar romped home with a brute majority garnering 135 out of 222 seats. After overcoming...
Manjolai: A History of Violence and Exploitation
Manjolai, a picturesque hill station in the Ambasamudram Taluk of Tirunelveli District, is renowned for its world-class aromatic organic tea and cardamom production. However, beneath its beauty and aroma lies...
The Dravidian Panther’s Tryst for Socialism
"Our vision is to implement Socialism and Communism in this country. To achieve this, emotions like faith and the concept of God must be eradicated from people's minds. If we...
Sub-categorization of Scheduled Castes: A Step towards Hindu Rashtra
The Supreme Court's recent verdict on August 1, 2024, allowing the sub-categorization of Scheduled Castes for reservation purposes raises concerns about the future of Dalit unity, social justice, and the...
Origin of Caste: Part IV
The Hindutva ideologues have developed a theory that Muslim rule is responsible for the rigidity of the caste system. One of them explains “When Islamic invasions started from the 9th...
Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav and Ambedkar!
First Scene: As part of the nation's 75th anniversary of independence, there was a widespread exhibition of banners commemorating the "Azadi-ka Amrit Mahotsav" across the country. These banners prominently feature...
Origin of Caste: Part III
To understand the essential features of the caste system and its development, it is important to distinguish between jati and varna which together constitute the basis for the caste system....
Origin of Caste: Part II
The earliest ideological resistance faced by the caste system were from the Shramanas. The Shramanas were wandering spiritual seekers who came from non-Brahmin castes. They lived in forests as a...