Today (7th of March), the Madras High Court stated: “This Court agrees unequivocally that there are inequities based on caste present in society today and that they are to be eschewed. However, the origins of the caste system as we know it today are less than a century old. The State of Tamil Nadu has 370 registered castes, and the state is a cacophony of pulls and pressures by groups of persons claiming allegiance to one caste or the other. This ferocity among persons belonging to different castes is also, in part, on account of the benefits made available to them.”
Chennai (7th March): Today, The Madras High Court, while addressing the remarks of State Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Sanatana Dharma, highlighted that the caste system as we perceive it today has roots less than a century old, distancing itself from attributing it solely to the ancient Varna system.
Justice Anita Sumanth stated that while caste-based inequities persist, the current manifestation of the caste system is relatively recent, with Tamil Nadu registering 370 distinct castes, fostering tensions among its people, partly due to the benefits associated with caste affiliations.
The Court emphasized that blaming the ancient Varna system entirely for contemporary caste dynamics is unfounded, stressing that history is marred by instances of caste-based violence, which it unequivocally condemned.
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“This Court agrees unequivocally that there are inequities based on caste present in society today and that they are to be eschewed. However, the origins of the caste system as we know it today are less than a century old. The State of Tamil Nadu has 370 registered castes, and the state is a cacophony of pulls and pressures by groups of persons claiming allegiance to one caste or the other. This ferocity among persons belonging to different castes is also, in part, on account of the benefits made available to them,” the Court said.
Furthermore, the Court clarified that the Varna system historically categorized individuals based on occupation rather than birth, although its relevance today is debatable.
“The Varna system does not contemplate division on the basis of birth but based on avocation. The system was designed to work towards the smooth functioning of society centuries ago, where the chief avocations were identified based on the needs of society. The relevance of such a system today is itself moot.”
it stated.
Background
The petition was filed against Stalin, State Minister PK Sekarbabu, and Member of Parliament (MP) A Raja by the Hindu Munnani, questioning their tenure following Stalin’s controversial remarks at a conference in 2023, where he likened the eradication of Sanatana Dharma to combating diseases like dengue and coronavirus, prompting public outcry.
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“Just like dengue, mosquitoes, malaria, or coronavirus need to be eradicated; we have to eradicate Sanatana,” he said, leading to widespread outrage.
The Hindu Munnani filed writ petitions seeking clarification on the authority of the accused officials to hold public office despite advocating for the annihilation of Sanatana Dharma.
Stalin defended his comments, asserting
“they were directed against the caste system rather than Hinduism itself”.
Although the Court criticized Stalin’s remarks, it refrained from removing him as Minister, citing a lack of legal grounds for disqualification or issuing a writ of quo warranto against him.
