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London: The Hindu Council UK (HCUK) has alleged that the prominent British members of Parliament are misled by Christian groups.
The Council claimed that caste discrimination does not exist in Britain - and that caste, in any case, was created by the British in India.
“Today, we are putting the record straight. We are also naming and shaming those who spread misinformation about Hinduism and its relationship to caste in an ill-disguised attempt to vilify the Hindu people and cause division within our community," said HCUK general secretary Anil Bhanot.
Bhanot claimed in his foreword to the report that ruling Labour Party MPs Rob Marris and Jeremy Corbyn, “who are lobbying the Department of Communities and Local Government to legislate against caste discrimination, may have been misled by Christian groups who want, quite simply, to "save" people from the ‘falsehood" of Hinduism and convert people to Christianity."
“Caste has been the subject of ill-informed comment for too long," Bhanot said in a statement Thursday.
The report"s author, Raj Pandit Sharma, added that the caste system had been created by the British during their colonial rule in India.
“It was the British who single-handedly formulated the caste schedules that remain in place today," Sharma wrote.
“The evils manifest in the current form of the caste system cannot be ascribed to the Hindu faith. The current adulteration of the Hindu ‘varnashram" system is a direct result of generations of British colonial bureaucracy."
The group said the report was the result of several months of research by Sharma, a member of the HCUK"s executive.
Accusing some anti-caste groups in Britain of “seeking government legislation and government funds to tackle this supposed problem", the HCUK said: “Caste, as described in the Hindu scriptures, is not determined by birth."
“It is no joke to have to ward off concerted misinformation campaigns from UK parliamentarians who really ought to know better," Bhanot said.
While Corbyn is a prominent left-wing campaigner for human rights and race relations, Marris was among several ruling party MPs who attended a Diwali function hosted by Britain"s longest-serving Asian MP Keith Vaz in the House of Commons last year.
Caste, the group said, is “assumed by most non-Hindus to be always a gross form of unjust discrimination, an alleged feature of Hinduism so maligned it justifies attempts by Christians to convert Hindus here in the UK, in India, and elsewhere."
It, however, acknowledged and condemned what it called the “abuse of varnashram" in India. |
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Posted on February 15th, 2008
There is a reason to believe that the British had meddled with other social issues also. For example, it is the ritisdh who introduced the “manual scavenging” through the introduction of dry latrine in India.
Manual scavenging is manual removal of excreta (night soil) from “dry toilets”, i.e., toilet without the modern flush system, especially in the Indian subcontinent.
The system of building public toilets and employing people to remove the excreta was introduced during the British rule in India perhaps in the late 19th century when municipalities were organized. The toilets often used a container that needed to be emptied daily.
Such toilets appear to have been unknown in ancient India. Since most settlements were small and surrounded by fields or forests, people used to just walk out. During the early British period, the sizes of the towns grew, requiring a need to public sanitation.
Chamber-pots were used by aristocracy in Europe, where there was often a need to avoid going out in the cold. A chaise percée was brought in when needed.
Manual scavenging is said to have started in 1214 in Europe when the first public toilets appeared. The water closet was invented by John Harrington in 1596. In 1870, S.S. Helior invented the flush type toilet, and it became common in the western world. This caused other types of toilets to disappear in the western world. All surface toilets were abandoned in western Europe in mid-1950s.
For the British introduced the first sanitation Bill in India in 1878, which made the construction of toilets compulsory even in huts in Calcutta (now Kolkata), then the capital of India. The Bill also proposed the construction of public toilets.
Posted on February 17th, 2008
As Vedaprakash points out under “Dalit Precept, practice and politics”, the British Census Commissioner and the Mohammedans have definitely colluded and played havoc in Indian society.
Ironically, Ambedkar has pointed out this!
Posted on April 13th, 2008
There is a misconception that Hindu scriptures sanction the caste system.
Colonialists, politicians, sociologists, and proselytizers of Islam and Christianity have used Smritis to denigrate Hinduism. The Manu Smriti is a later work that does not form a part of Hindu Scriptures, so it is of questionable relevance. Vedas speak of nobility of entire humanity (krinvanto vishvam aryam), and do not sanction any caste system or birth-based caste system. Vedas are all-embracing, and treat the entire humanity with the same respect and dignity.
Innumerable mantras in Vedas emphasise oneness, universal brotherhood, harmony, happiness, affection, unity and commonality of entire humanity. Mantra 10-13-1 (Rig Veda), addresses the entire humanity as divine children (shrunvantu vishve amrutsya putraha).
Mantra 5-60-5 (Rig Veda), the divine poet declares, “All men are brothers; no one is big, no one is small. All are equal.” Mantra 10-191-2 (Rig Veda) calls upon humanity to be united to have a common speech and a common mind.
Mantra 16.15 (Yajur Veda) reiterates that all men are brothers; no one is superior or inferior.
Mantra 3-30-1 (Atharva Veda) enjoins upon all humans to be affectionate and to love one another as the cow loves her newly-born calf. Underlining unity and harmony still further, Mantra 3-30-6 (Atharva Veda) commands humankind to dine together, and be as firmly united as the spokes attached to the hub of a chariot wheel.
Hindu scriptures speak about four Varnas. ‘Varna’ which means to select one’s profession and this isn’t caste or birth-based. Varnas in Bhagavad Gita are based upon Guna (Aptitude) and Karma (Actions). Regardless of individual Guna and Karma, Vedas treat the entire humanity with the same respect and do not sanction any caste system or birth-based caste system. Depending on one’s Guna and Karma, every individual is free to select his own varna i.e. profession.
Bhagavad Gita, which contains the essence of Vedas and Upanishads, has many Shlokas that echo the Vedic doctrine of oneness of humanity. Lord Krishna declares that He is the friend of all creatures (Suhridam Sarva Bhutanam) and reiterates that the Lord has the same affection for all creatures, and whosoever remembers the Lord, resides in the Lord, and the Lord resides in him. As per Bhagavad Gita, the Lord resides in every heart (Ishwar Sarva Bhutanam Hrudyeshe Tishthti).
According to Gautam Buddha, (in Dharmapada, 402-422), an Aryan is one who follows the Aryan Eightfold path and a Brahmin is one who attains the stage of ‘Arahant’ or supreme knowledge. “In whom there exist both truth and righteousness, pure is he, a Brahmin is he. He is free from impediments, free from clinging” (Dharmapada, 393-396).
Sri Krishna in Bhagvad Gita said, “I look upon all creatures equally; none is less dear to me and none more dear” (Ch 9, verse 29).
Posted on April 14th, 2008
Yes, people have to read and understand.
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