Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev’s comment on Rahul Gandhi over SC/ST and Caste/Varna issues in India | Maangu Review

None of the Sanatan Dharma Ved or scriptures state or claim the “Caste” word. This word has been created by few members of the society for their own gain. Manusmriti or the book “Law of Manu” discusses about a Varna system where the humans are divided into four categories–each serving the society in their own ways. According to Sage Manu, there are four classes of people in the society:

1) Kshyatriya: This is the warrior class. Their duty is to serve the citizens of their nation and protect the nation from enemies. Modern times, these would be the nation heroes safeguarding the nation’s borders, police, fire-fighters etc. Back in the days, the Kings, his ministers, generals (the key leadership) would go to war. This is the not the case today. No politician, president, prime minister or king goes to fight a war. Instead they send others to fight in war.

2) Brahman: This is the teachers class. The only reason this class has been given the highest respect is because knowledge has been considered supreme. In Vedic texts and ancient India, Teacher (Guru) has been equaled with God.

3) Vaishya: This is the merchant class. You need businessmen for your country’s economy to function.

4) Sudra: This is the working class. This class provides the human capital that is required for a country to function. Without human capital, there would be no business, no government, no society.

Facts:

1) There is no Vedic text that states that your Varna is decided by your birth. Meaning, if you are born in a Brahman family (if your dad is a professor), doesn’t mean you are a Brahman as well. You may very well join the Army and change your Varna to Kshatriya.

2) Every Vedic text, including the Law of Manu, states in several paragraphs that you adopt your own Varna by the nature of your work.

3) There is no such thing called Caste. Varna has been misinterpreted as Caste by few politicians in India.

4) The four Varna are a mere classification of people living in a society. It’s not a way to create differences in the society.

5) Less than 1% of people who talk about Varna or caste politics have in fact read Manusmriti.

6) Manusmriti and Kautilya Arthasastra (book by the most successful strategist and professor of political science Acharya Chanakya) urges marriages among all Varna classes.

In order to create a democratic society, first the Indian government needs to get rid of all discriminatory laws that are based on caste or Varna system. By giving a group of people preferential treatment, the law discriminates and puts another group to a disadvantageous position.

1) India should uphold freedom of speech. Just because some group or people find a statement or comment defamatory doesn’t mean the speaker doesn’t have his or her right to opinion. Moreover, the speaker may not be educated enough to understand the meaning of the words or the usage of those words in a sentence. Every sentence humans speak virtually is objectionable or defamatory to at least one other individual in a society. There should be open dialogues where no one should be scared of speaking fearing they may get into trouble for their choice of word.

2) India should ban parties and politicians who create caste or Varna as an agenda. This is the biggest issue India faces that restricts its growth. It’s time to move away from this and focus on real issues — development, jobs, infrastructure.

3) India should get rid of quota system based on caste/varna. This unfair advantage has been exploited by few groups and politicians. Politicians have amassed massive bribes to nominate and appoint for key government positions from every class. Several students have been unable to gain admission in colleges solely because of their so called caste.

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