RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat recently broached a sensitive topic that created quite a flutter on the internet, especially among the broad range of diverse non-left supporters, who took to social media to express their views on the matter. Speaking at a book release function in Nagpur, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat called for the discarding of concepts such as varna and jaati, adding that the caste system has no relevance in the present age.

Describing caste and varnas as the relics of the forgotten past, Bhagwat said everyone thinking in the interest of society should consign the social stratification system to the bins of history.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat calls for discarding the caste system and varna

“Concepts of ‘Varna’ and ‘Jaati’ (caste) should be forgotten… today if someone asks about it, everyone thinking in the interest of society should tell that ‘Varna’ and ‘Jaati’ (caste) system is a thing of the past and should be forgotten,” Bhagwat said.

Citing the book that was launched, Vajrasuchi Tunk, written by Dr Madan Kulkarni and Dr Renuka Bokare, the RSS ideologue averred that social equality was an integral part of the Indian tradition but was forgotten, which led to distortion and resulted in damaging consequences.

Mr Bhagwat, who has never minced his words, even on complex issues such as the caste system and alarming population explosion in the country, said that while the caste system and varna originally did not have discrimination and had its uses, they must be forgotten in the 21st century, underscoring the dynamism of Hinduism and Vedic faiths that embrace evolution with time.

The RSS chief said, “Everything that causes discrimination should go out lock, stock and barrel.”

He added that admitting mistakes is a sign of self-assurance and confidence, and one should not have problems accepting them. He said that previous generations made mistakes everywhere, and India was no exception.

“There should not be any problems accepting those mistakes. And if you think that by accepting that our ancestors made mistakes they will become inferior, that won’t happen because everybody’s ancestors made mistakes,” the RSS chief added.

And his comments stirred a healthy debate online, with many on the non-left spectrum concurring with Bhagwat’s views, while others raised their scepticism with his stance, unlike the Left ecosystem where dissenting views and opinions often attract pejorative labels and calls for cancellation.

From raising suspicions and doubts over whether it is within the realm of possibility to abolish the caste system to the pernicious effects it may have on Hindu society, Bhagwat’s comments on Jaati and Varna evoked a panoply of opinions, with people extending support, raising alarm, expressing pessimism and much more.

While SM users lauded Bhagwat over his statement, they wondered how forgetting caste is possible with reservations and the SC/ST Act

Many who weighed in on the raging debate applauded Bhagwat for his progressive vision but said that abolition or at least reduction of caste-based reservation, which they argued contributed chiefly to casteism, is imperative to dismantle the caste system. Some even discussed the fate of the SC/ST Act in an event that we get rid of the caste system and varna.

Bhagwat caste

Some hailed Bhagwat for belling the cat and speaking against the caste system. A Twitter user who admitted that he has been a swayamsevak from his childhood days said that Bhagwat’s comments reflected the longstanding position of the RSS, which has always wanted society to progress in a direction where it is not fettered by the shackles of the caste system.

“So how do we align forgetting caste with caste-based reservations and SC ST atrocities act that reminds us of the state-sponsored discrimination every day?” commented another Twitter user.

From voicing caution to outright rejection, a section of social media reject the RSS chief’s comments on the caste system and varna

One social media user commented, “Let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater”, voicing concern that the removal of the caste system might also result in the elimination of something good.

But some were clearly displeased with Bhagwat’s comments and made no bones about their disapproval with his assertion that concepts of Jaati and Varna need to be forgotten. They contended that Jaati and Varna were a mark of symbolic identities and represented the lineage maintained by one’s ancestors and forefathers.

Another school of thought opposing Bhagwat’s stance argued that caste acted as a bulwark for Hinduism against the Abrahamic forces’ imperialism and played a pivotal role in its survival. 

Yet another line of argument that opposed Mohan Bhagwat asserted that forgetting Varna-Jaati meant forgetting one’s identity and heritage, which ultimately attacks one’s Hindu identity.

Some discussed the nuances behind the issue of the caste system and the implications of the RSS chief’s comment

Internet discussion also veered toward more nuanced aspects of the matter, which is often drowned under the outpouring of either condemnation or approval. One Twitter user articulated the conundrum that society faces with respect to the caste system. Caste, he said, is deep-rooted and a part of identity and any attempts to remove it will result in vain. Instead, the focus should be on the removal of hatred that spawns from caste division and not the caste itself.

“Varna is defined by our occupation. Jaati defines our shared ancestry which helps knit people together. You can’t remove these two. What should be done is people should be made proud of their jati and varna but should be taught not to look down on others on this basis,” read a tweet from another user.

The gushing praises, the outright rejections, the contemptuous jibes, and the subtle nuances encompassed the disparate arguments proffered in the ongoing debate triggered by Mr Bhagwat’s comments on the caste system and varna exemplify how complex problems may not have binary solutions, and sometimes, seemingly contradictory stances may sound reasonable and rational in their own right, without cancelling the other.