Round Table India
If Hindus migrate to other regions on earth, Indian caste would become a world problem.
~ Babasaheb Dr. BR Ambedkar, Castes in India (1916)
A new initiative by activists in the UK to combat caste: http://casteintheuk.org/
This website has been started in the wake of the UK government’s announcement calling for an open and public consultation on Caste in Great Britain and Equality Law to ensure there is adequate legal protection against caste-based unlawful discrimination. The government needs to hear from the UK residents – of South Asian origins and others – as to how individuals and groups should be protected against discrimination on caste grounds.
As predicted by Babasaheb, with the mass migration of Hindus to other countries, caste has become a global problem. One of the countries which face strongest caste discrimination is the UK. Several newspaper reports and academic works address the caste problem in the UK.
Here are a few:
Britain Tries To Interest India-Origin Voters With The Idea Of Caste Legislation http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/06/08/britain-tries-to-interest-india-origin-voters-with-the-idea-of_a_22132613/
Why is the UK government wheeling back on legislation against caste discrimination? https://www.opendemocracy.net/uk/amrit-wilson/why-is-uk-government-wheeling-back-on-legislation-against-caste-discrimination
Liberal Democrats vow to end caste bias http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/lib-dems-vows-to-end-caste-bias/article18474850.ece
Caste divide is blighting Indian communities in the UK, claims report https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/jul/04/india.world
It is clear that caste is a serious problem in the UK, and is even now being discussed as one of the significant points in the recent elections. While the government is working out a policy to end caste discrimination, some Hindu organizations have opposed this move. Please see:
Why are UK Hindus against a caste law? http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-38663143
There are voices of support from both the left and the right. Liberal Democrats have made the removal of caste discrimination as one of their main agenda points, going into the recent polls. The Conservatives too, have shown support and are already taking steps towards this direction. They are currently in power in the UK government and have taken cognizance of the widespread caste discrimination on their soil. The UK government has kicked off a public consultation on caste. This issue is of a deeper significance in light of the recent polls, which ended in a hung assembly.
Some activists have gathered resources and put up a website:http://casteintheuk.org/.
The website has information relating to caste discrimination in the UK, what the government is doing to end this discrimination, and other resources pertaining to law and guidelines.
The immediate challenge is to raise awareness about a questionnaire that is offered by the UK government. The government is seeking consultation from people of Indian origin about the proposed inclusion of caste discrimination in the “Equality Act 2010”. The questionnaire seeks to understand from the people of Indian origin, the nature of caste discrimination, and to gather their opinion about ways to combat it.
Please spread the word among your friends and acquaintances in the UK. With the possibility of a power handover in the UK, this issue could well be at the forefront of national policy.
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Direct link to the questionnaire:
https://consult.education.gov.uk/government-equalities-office/caste-in-great-britain-and-equality-law-1/
