How divisive are caste associations?

An insight into the nature and functioning of caste associations should give us an answer to the question "How divisive our caste associations are?". Caste associations are said to be the embodiment of all the characteristics of their caste. The nature and functioning of caste associations reflect the castes perspective on various issues pertaining to education, gender, religion, occupation and politics. Here the various studies on caste associations are reviewed which justify the study of caste through its caste association.

The caste associations especially the ones which are mostly occupational in nature are said to function like any other trade union of the present day. According to Venkatesu (2005) these associations continuously put pressure on the government through petitions, memorandums, demonstrations, dharna and public meeting to negotiate the policies that concern their work conditions and livelihoods. These associations have also continuously placed their demands for protecting the economic base of their caste by forming cooperative societies. Recognising the social deprivation of their caste members these associations are said to have established hostels for their students, trusts for the scholarship and cooperative banks for aiding the financial activities of their caste members. Another prominent aspect that author mentions is the emergence of federation of the different caste associations to make a collective demand on certain common issues. These federations are said to be consolidating the heterogeneous castes identities debunking the usual labelling of caste associations as being divisive. This shows that based on the issues that concern their caste members caste associations show flexibility in including or excluding other castes.

Dushkin (1980) in her study of caste associations located in Bangalore points out that the most striking feature of caste associations as compared to non caste associations is their ability to change. Unlike non caste associations which tend to be functionally more specific, caste associations are said to have no limitations. Advancing the interest of caste members, strengthening the solidarity and providing community services is said to have provided a wide range of possibilities for the functioning of caste associations. Author claims that the caste associations tend to survive longer than non caste ones because of their sensitivity to the changing needs and aspirations of the caste members. They are also said to aid their caste members to adapt to the changing social, political and economic conditions.

Rudolph et. al (1960) gives us much deeper understanding about caste associations. Authors argue that caste associations provide channels of communication, leadership base and organization to caste members that enable them to overcome the political illiteracy and participate effectively in the democratic politics. With the penetration of liberal and democratic ideas caste associations are said to have moved from demanding the temple entry, prestigious names and histories towards pressing for the role in administration, politics and education. Authors also credit the caste associations for educating the politically illiterate masses in the methods and values of political democracy. Talking about leadership in caste associations authors suggest that leadership roles are no longer hereditary. Any of the caste member who is able to articulate and represent the purposes of caste association is allowed to take up the leadership role. At the organizational level because of the shared sense of culture, character and status the solidarity among the members of caste associations is observed to be much higher.  

The authors also bring to our attention that the liberating role of the caste associations is often ignored while condemning them as self interested and partial. Here they refer an instance of Shanans of Travancore who fought for their women’s right to go about with an upper cloth which was restricted by the customary rules of higher castes. Authors point out that caste associations are usually condemned by the economic planners, civil servants and the political ideologues as public good in such a case has to be worked out through interaction and accommodation of many group purposes. This is seen as morally degrading and intellectually unsatisfactory as they consider state as having an exclusive role in the formulation and execution of public good. Instead caste associations on the whole are said to play a vital role in exercising political freedom through group self governance which in turn contributes to the process of finding an approximation to the public good while also protecting the freedom of the groups and individuals.

Annual caste conferences are a regular feature of the caste associations. Rao (1968) studies the role of caste conferences in the case of Yadava caste association. The author points out that most resolutions with respect to education, employment and occupation are taken by caste associations in such conferences. Further the author suggests that the caste conferences apart from reflecting the aspirations and opinions of a section of population they also shape decision making in some spheres at national and state levels. These conferences are used by the political elite of the caste to arrive at the specific strategies to promote both the interests of the caste members and themselves. It also gives an opportunity to political elite holding positions at different levels of the state to share and exchange ideas.  In return they are said to get an assurance of support from the caste members. This support is used by them to put pressure on the state to get certain decisions in cases where they themselves do not have the authority to take decisions. These conferences host delegates from both local and far off states giving it a nationalistic character. Another prominent feature of the caste conferences is that it cuts across political parties. The delegates belonging to even rival political parties are willing to share the same stage in such conferences who otherwise prefer not to see eye to eye.

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