We are one nation but still not one society
After independenc3e and adopting this democracy, we could become one nation. Our policy of Secularismism had worked well and all who are elected for our August Houses take oath of the Constitution and follow this secularism and nothing is done here in these August houses against any religion
But still our society is divided on the basis of religions and castes and because of this division we could not establish one society. Even laws and customs are different. People are still having their own religions and have become fundamentalists and there is further division of society on the basis of castes. Among Hindus and Sikhs these castes and division has become traditional. Even matrimo9nial alliances are allowed. Colonies are different and even places of worship are different. Even cremation places are different and social gatherings too are prohibited. The cstes are high, low and and low castes people are kept apart and even untouchability had been here and is still continuing.
There had been reformers, but all efforts made could not succeed and still these caste barriers are clear and permanent. We tried to raise status of low castes by giving them reservations and so many concessions, but in spite of all our efforts, much could not be done and this method worked against low caste people because they are identified on reserved seats and this identification could not allow them to merge in the main society. In stead of reservation, had we started providing helps to poor people and had we stopped identification of castes and no record in government side, people could have forgotten the names of castes in
these seven decades. Let us try this method and even then it would take atleast one century when people shall be able to forget names of castes and that would be a casteless society. Even names of religions should not be in government records. There is no possibility of uniting society, but still we must try because this divided society often disturb our national unity.
Advocate
Dalip Singh Wasan,
E mail
dalipsinghwassan@yahoo.co.in