Why Kerala CM V.D. Satheesan’s “Menon” Oath Stirred a Caste Debate
Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan took oath as “Vadasseri Damodara Menon Satheesan,” unlike earlier occasions where he had dropped “Menon,” an upper-caste surname. Days later, he went to the Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple and offered thulabharam (ritual weighing) with butter, a ritual in which a devotee is weighed against an offering made to the deity. Coming within a week of the formation of a Congress government, the two decisions have triggered unease in the state because the party had projected itself as secular and inclusive.
How a Dalit Worker Was Lynched in ‘God’s Own Country’
A Dalit migrant worker named Ram Narayan was lynched in Palakkad, Kerala, by a group of men who accused him of theft and claimed he was an “illegal immigrant” from Bangladesh. The killing shows that even in Kerala, often seen as resistant to radical Hindu nationalist politics, some people now feel entitled to act on hate and deliver “punishment” without due process. It also shows that for a section of the public, the state no longer holds exclusive authority over justice.
Suicide of Senior IPS Officer Reveals Caste Bias at the Heart of State Power
A senior police officer on Haryana has died by suicide, leaving behind an eight‑page note directly accusing serving and retired senior officers of caste‑based discrimination, humiliation and harassment, naming them individually. The state, understood as the guarantor of rights and equality, appears not only unwilling but also incapable of confronting caste injustice, even within its highest institutions.
Uttar Pradesh’s Ban on Caste-Based Gatherings Could Silence the Marginalised
The Uttar Pradesh government has issued a directive banning caste-based political rallies, describing it as a step to preserve national unity and public order. However, the measure restricts democratic rights for communities that depend on public assembly to resist caste discrimination. It also represents a significant expansion of state power in ways that appear aligned with political interests.
Why Work and Descent Still Define Human Worth for Millions Worldwide
Caste is not new to Indians or many South Asians. For centuries, Dalits have faced deep-rooted discrimination, exclusion and poverty because of a rigid social order that links a person’s descent to their assigned work. But this kind of inherited inequality is not just an Indian story. Over 260 million people across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and even North America face similar treatment. Addressing it will require both building a coordinated, global institutional response and confronting the deeper human impulse to rank and divide.
Why Does the Government Fear a Caste Census?
The central government’s gazette notification for India’s upcoming 2027 census omits the word “caste.” This, despite earlier public assurances that caste data would be collected. The absence of explicit mention has triggered accusations of deliberate evasion. Is the reluctance tied to the disruptive potential of a full caste enumeration—one that could unsettle the ideological foundations of Hindu nationalist politics?
Bihar Dalit Girl’s Death: Why We Mourn Some Victims and Ignore Others
Why don’t we often feel moved, angry or responsible when we read about tragedies in the news? The recent death of a 10-year-old Dalit girl from Bihar, raped and left in critical condition in an ambulance, may have saddened us for a moment, but not enough to make us act—not even to express outrage online. But this wasn’t the case after the 2012 Nirbhaya Delhi gang rape. Let’s turn to psychology to understand what makes us pick and choose whose suffering we mourn.
Phule’s Fight Against Caste Still Resonates as Film Brings His Legacy to Screen
A new biopic on 19th-century social reformer Jyotirao Phule and his wife Savitribai Phule, titled “Phule,” is now running in Indian theatres, drawing attention to enduring divides over caste, education and equality nearly 150 years after his death.
Two Key Issues with UGC’s Draft Rules on Caste Discrimination
The University Grants Commission’s (UGC) newly proposed regulations on caste discrimination in higher education have drawn criticism on two main fronts: first, for not providing clear, specific descriptions of discriminatory actions; and second, for introducing penalties for “false” claims.
Rape in Kerala: Does Middle Class Overlook Dalit Women’s Safety?
India’s middle class appears to care about women’s safety only when the woman in question belongs to a privileged caste or social class, leaving countless vulnerable women neglected. This may explain the absence of public outrage and the minimal reaction to reports of a Dalit teenager who suffered rape and abuse for five years in Kerala.
RSS Takes 8,000 ‘Vulnerable’ Dalit Students to Maha Kumbh
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is reportedly hosting around 8,000 students, who are underage, from Dalit and disadvantaged communities at the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. The aim is to familiarise them with Hindu traditions and Indian culture, preventing them from becoming vulnerable to religious conversions. However, this move undermines the autonomy and sovereignty of the Dalit community and contravenes the Indian Constitution.
Haryana’s Villages Turn to Vigilantism in Their ‘War on Drugs’
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini’s “war on drugs” is reportedly being bolstered by vigilantes, resulting in a rise in casteism, which is not the only adverse outcome. Similar experiments in other countries have demonstrated that such measures can lead to extremely dangerous and long-term consequences.