INDIA'S CASTE RULES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16869, 5 February 1929, Page 10

INDIA'S CASTE RULES

"THE UNTOUCHABLES" BARRED FROM DRAWING WATER LUCKNOW, December 7. High caste is high, low caste is low, and never the twain shall meet. This truth was demonstrated forcibly to-day, when .i deputation front India's -ldepressod classes" submitted demands to the Simon Commission. There .are over 12,000,C00 of these unfortunate people in the United Provinces suffering from great disadvantages, which they hope may be l'emoved with the aid of the British,, whom they regard as their only friends. They may noU be quite so depressed as their non-caste brethren in Bombay, but at 1 lie same time they are largely dependent for their political rights, such as those are. on elected Hindus, and, to a smaller degree, on Mohammedans. Bitter experience has taught, them that, despite! education and enlightenment, Hinduism prevents high-caste! persons from associating with "untouchables^" Thus in these provinces "untouchables" are not allowed to draw water from the public wells. They are permitted to leave their pitchers beside Iho wells in the hope that a kindly-dis-posed Hindu will draw water and fill them, but if no member of a caste does this they either go thirsty or run the risk of defiling the wells, with consequent unpleasant circumstances if they are found out. A member of the deputation, a wealthy "untouchable," described how success could not remove* the caste bar. When this man—a successful merchant—desires to visit, a neighboring village he may do so, but only provided that be niake.s a circuit round the orthodox Hindu quarter. The main road is denied to him. DRIVEN FROM A TEMPLE. Recently when the daughter of a rich "untouchable" was married, the wedd.ing procession had to go through bywuy f s in order to prevent pollution of the Hindu area. A short time ago several noil-caste Hindu luuiidrywoiueri passed inadvertently a Hindu temple at Benares. They were immediately- sei/.ed by the temple officials, beaten anil driven oat of the. street on to the cattle road.

The "untouchables" demand special representation on the Provincial Council. At present only one membor of the "depressed classes" is nominated to represent 12,000,000 of his fellow-men—-over 50 per cent, of Hie population of tlie United Provinces. They ask for political representation in proportion to, population. Sir John Simon admitted that a downtrodden people required adequate political Representation and protection. The question was. however, he said, how to accomplish this. Of the various possible methods, perhaps the most satisfactory would bo the nomination of members by a superior authority, for in this way, probably, their interests could best be looked after, and there would be little likelihood of influence by Hindu money-lenders, which might be .exerted if fihe deletion principle were adopted.