Thread by @DearthOfSid

Every time stories of caste atrocities get reported, the upper caste Hindus argue that their religion defines caste based on worth and not by birth citing scriptures.

This thread is Dr. Ambedkar's response to this argument, paraphrased, based on the text Annihilation of Caste.

"How are you going to compel people who have acquired a higher status by birth, without reference to their worth, to vacate that status? How are you going to compel people to recognise the status due to a man, according to his worth, who is occupying a lower status by birth?"

"For this, you must first break up the Caste System, in order to be able to establish the Chaturvarnya system. How are you going to reduce the four thousand castes, based on birth, to the four Varnas, based on worth?"

"If an individual is to take his place in the Hindu Society according to his worth, I do not understand why one needs to insist upon labelling men as Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra. A learned man would be honoured without his being labelled a Brahmin."

"A soldier would be respected without his being designated a Kshatriya. If European society honours its soldiers and its servants without giving them permanent labels, why should Hindu Society find it difficult to do so?"

"All reform consists in a change in the notions, sentiments, and mental attitudes of the people towards men and things. It is common experience that certain names become associated with certain notions and sentiments which determine a person's attitude towards men and things."

"The names Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra are names which are associated with a definite and fixed notion in the mind of every Hindu. That notion is that of a hierarchy based on birth."

"So long as these names continue, Hindus will continue to think of the Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra as hierarchical divisions of high and low, based on birth, and to act accordingly. The Hindu must be made to unlearn all this."

"But how can this happen, if the old labels remain, and continue to recall to his mind old notions? If new notions are to be inculcated in the minds of people, it is necessary to give them new names. To continue the old names is to make the reform futile."

"To allow this Chaturvarnya based on worth to be designated by such stinking labels as Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra, indicative of social divisions based on birth, is a snare."

Appendix: Annihilation of Caste published in 1936 is a transcript of Dr. Ambedkar's speech that was supposed to be delivered at an event organised a reformist group of upper caste Hindus.

It is a must read for all Indians.

Read the full text here:
mygov.in/newindia/wp-co…