Growth, Disparities and Inclusive Development in India by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9789811364433
Publisher: Springer Singapore

2 The Sociopolitical Context

The state of U.P. has the largest SC population in the country. Although the Other Backword Class (OBC), as a social group constitutes the highest proportion of the state’s total population, the proportion of SCs is higher than other major socio-religious groups. The existence of caste complexities in the state can further be understood from the very fact that apart from the upper castes, there are as many as 66 subgroups belonging to the SCs and another 79 subgroups designated as OBC groups (Srivastava 2012). Although there has been a major improvement in the social status of the SCs in the state (Prasad et al. 2010), development amongst the SCs has, however, been lopsided. ‘Over the past one decade, the Jatavs, who have become economically well-off as compared to most of the other sub-caste groups, are emerging as an assertive caste, and have stood up to the oppressive forces in the state’ (Parashar 2011). With the presence of several caste groups in mainstream society, a strong caste tradition especially in the rural areas is deeply embedded in the social fabric of the state. Caste-based hierarchy also largely governs the social relationships between various caste groups in the state. Amongst other states, U.P. has the dubious distinction of being home to the highest incidence of atrocities against SCs, and it substantially contributes to the national atrocity rates.

Another precarious issue is that caste has also been a dominant factor in the state politics. Unlike many other states, caste-identity-based politics is more explicit. The political role of caste identity also continues to define the social relationship amongst social groups. As Srivastava (2012) observes, ‘In U.P., people don’t cast their vote, they vote their caste’. The leaders representing the interests of different caste groups also symbolize their aspirations. This sometimes permeates enough confidence amongst the suppressed caste groups to assert their identity. While the support base of caste groups plays an important role in terms of political power in the state, it also creates the grounds for further dividing of the people a caste configuration.

A matter of serious concern is that the persistent use of caste in different political categories not only serves to exacerbate tensions between various caste groups but also forces one group to see another as nothing more than a competitor for patronage and resources (Mahmudabad 2012). This results in increasing resentment and alienation amongst different caste groups. The manipulation of caste identities for political agenda sometimes also fuels inter-community antagonism. With caste politics trying to capitalize on the support of different caste groups, there has been an increasing trend of caste groups asserting themselves in various spheres of life and harbouring hostile attitudes towards other caste groups. All these lead to increasing violations of civil rights and atrocities against the lower castes (Kumar 2008; Rawat 2011). Thus, with the issue of caste domination prevailing both in social and political life in U.P., conflicts between social groups continue to be on the rise.

Nonetheless, the rise in caste-based atrocities

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