Suraj Milind Yengde in his new book, ‘Caste: a Global story‘ traces global footprint of the anti-caste struggle and how caste and caste-based discrimination become a global phenomenon.
Recent cases of caste-based discrimination have been found in top companies like Cisco and higher education institutions in the United States of America. First time, worldwide public discussions are taking place on caste and caste-based discrimination issues. The Cisco and United States university campus incidents were recorded due to the awareness of the global reactions that occurred in the widely publicised case of the institutional murder of Rohith Vemula, a Dalit, in Hyderabad Central University. In this context, the international community endeavours to understand what caste is and caste-based discrimination, and what mechanisms should be developed to address caste-based discrimination in campuses, public institutions, and day-to-day life.
The book, “Caste: A Global Story,” attempts to explore, analyse, and observe the Indian caste society from the perspectives of those subjected to it as well as outsiders. This will serve as a prelude to a detailed study of castes globally. The book sets the story on caste centred on India’s hierarchical society and the various forms it takes worldwide (p.21). The author divided his book in six important chapters to explore academic, concepts of caste, caste based discriminations, Dalit response to Black Literature, and caste and race; for the author, it is the prominent voices such as ‘Dalit-Black Live Matters’ along with initiation of the study of caste outside of India like in Trinidad, Cosmopolitan Dalit universalism, and chapter addresses biography of Dalit Agonism- field notes from the Diary of an archivist.
There has been various attempt to study caste by many prominent scholars such as Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents By Isabel Wilkerson (2023) Ambedkar in London: William Gould, Santosh Dass, Christophe Jaffrelot (2024), The Evolution of Pragmatism in India by Scott R. Stroud (2023), Becoming Babasaheb: The Life and Times of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (Vol.1): Birth to Mahad (1891-1929) by Aakash Singh-Rathore (2023), and The Trauma of caste by Thenmozhi Soundrarajan (2022). This latest work on the topic by Suraj Yengde explores the historical development of caste and caste-based discrimination beyond time and space. This recent chain of work, based on historical investigation, ethnographic research, and personal story narrations by diaspora, comparative studies of caste and race by social scientists explore and highlight the lived experience of the downtrodden communities and individuals. In this context, Ambedkar’s theoretical writing and his experience during his university days in the United Kingdom and the United State help to understand global inequality and the nexus of caste-race hierarchy. Suraj explores the connection between the anti-caste movement in India and a similar kind of discrimination outside of India. For instance, organisations working on anti-caste connected Dalit lived experiences and experiences of Blacks in the US in order to develop a campaign like Dalit Lives Matter, similar to Black Lives Matter.
In the chapter Affairs of Letters: Dalit responses to Black Literature, the author mentions that it is not about literary analysis nor an exercise in comparative literature, but to find out the persistence and map out the history of the one-sided love affair of the Dalit community with Black American literature. And looking critically at the emergence of a literary response to caste and its institutions, and the growing divergence. While mapping it out, he found that the relationship between Dalit and Black literature solidarity has been largely a ‘one-sided’ (p.88) affair. This observation makes sense to a large extent as most of the Dalit literature published in regional languages like Marathi, Hindi, Tamil, and Kannada etc. Despite this limitation, Dalit literature always promotes universal solidarity and an egalitarian society for all oppressed communities by invoking the idea of justice, equality, and freedom.
In one of his seminal works, ‘Castes in India: Their Mechanism, Genesis and Development’, Dr. Ambedkar’s observed that, “If Hindus migrate to other regions of earth, Indian caste would become a world problem”. Recently that observation become alive when cases of caste discrimination in UK and USA by the upper caste Indian diaspora were reported similarly, in the year 2021, a federal lawsuit in the USA was filed for caste discrimination in against a Hindu organisation named Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). It was alleged the BAPS exploited more than 200 workers (11, Nov, 2021, Aljazeera). In fourth chapter, Suraj also traces caste and caste practice in Trinidad. He observed “Their (Indian origin community) Hindu and caste identity was and continues to be primarily shaped by a brahman-centric form of rituals” (p.141). He also mentioned that caste based occupational category exists among the Indo-Trinidadians. For example, the Pandits Council of Trinidad and Tobago, which is the accredited body of 500 pandits (brahmins), controls the religious aspect of the Hindu community. For a non-Brahman member to obtain membership and become a priest is almost impossible because of caste restrictions. (p.148). Suraj explores how caste practices continue and also their connection with the Indian Hindu fundamental RSS in maintaining such traditions with the upper caste organisation of Trinidad and Tobago.
Chapter on ‘Cosmopolitan Dalit Universalism: Dalit Activism and the Promise of an Anti-Caste World’, is a quite interesting one. It presents a fresh look at how the caste system travels not only to the UK and the US, but also to other parts of the world, through the Dalit diaspora, including Malaysia, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, etc. It initiated the nurturing of Amebdkarite consciousness by various anti-caste Dalit organisations in particular countries where they get settled (p.207). The Dalit diaspora plays a significant role in galvanizing Ambedkarite consciousness at the international level, with the help of anti-caste thinkers and ideologies such as Buddha, Phule, Periyar, Guru Ravidas, and Kabir. Since most of the Dalit diaspora comprises labourers such as construction workers, supermarket staff, drivers, hotel staff, and cleaning staff, therefore they their life has not been easy. Despite their economic conditions and limited time, they try to develop and maintain Dalit consciousness by celebrating events such as Ambedkar’s birth anniversary or backing Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) by generating funds and support. One must appreciate Suraj Yende’s work for the detailed research to understand ethnographic and cosmopolitan Dalit universalism.
Ambedkar’s philosophy is deeply rooted in the concept of universalism, which seeks to reclaim human dignity and rights for individuals regardless of caste, class, or gender. His fight against caste discrimination falls under the principle of social justice. Dr. Ambedkar had a connection with the American public and intellectuals of black consciousness, like W. E. B. Du Bois. Both had addressed Black and Dalit discrimination with the help of the principle of universal human rights. This historical connection was explored by the author through tracing similar stories of lived experiences of discrimination by Black and Dalit people, though in two different worlds.
To sum up the review of the book, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Suraj Milind Yengde has brought out a well-researched work on cosmopolitan Dalit universalism. This book reflects deeply on the origin and development of six particular aspects of the themes. In a nutshell, it contributes a significant insight into the anti-caste/race struggle across the world. It was disappointing to see such a small foreword written by a Nobel laureate, Amartya Sen. We were expecting more from a philosopher. It was personally disappointing for me. Suraj’s way of writing and analysis is remarkable. The book also has an extensive appendix, references, and stories based on the lived experience of caste and race discrimination from different parts of the world, which make the book very enriching. The book is essential reading for all kinds of people.
By Sanjay Kumar
Dr. Sanjay Kumar, currently associated with Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. He is ICSSR Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Centre for African Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Sanjay Kumar researched socio-economic and political Implications of Black consciousness in South Africa and Dalit consciousness in India.
Courtesy : Counter Currents
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