Caste System Threatens Democracy, Warns Meira Kumar

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar delivered a powerful critique of the caste system during her keynote address at the All India Speakers Conference held at the Delhi Assembly on Monday. Drawing a vivid analogy, Kumar compared the caste system to the parasitic ‘Amarbel’ creeper, which saps the life from the tree it clings to, asserting that democracy and caste-based inequality are fundamentally incompatible.

“Equality and inequality cannot coexist,” Kumar declared, speaking as the first woman to serve as Lok Sabha Speaker. “The caste system wraps itself around society like Amarbel, draining its vitality while masquerading under a false veneer of egalitarian democracy.” She emphasized that true democracy hinges on equality as its very soul, warning that without it, democratic institutions risk becoming hollow and lifeless.

Kumar’s remarks came on the second day of the conference, which was hosted by the Delhi Assembly for the first time to mark the centenary of Vitthalbhai Patel’s election as the first Indian Speaker of the Central Legislative Assembly during British rule. Reflecting on Patel’s legacy, Kumar noted that his struggles against colonial oppression inspired her own tenure as Lok Sabha Speaker, guiding her approach to fostering fairness and inclusivity in parliamentary proceedings.

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The two-day conference, inaugurated on Sunday by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, also saw the release of a commemorative postal stamp honoring Patel’s contributions. The event brought together prominent leaders to discuss the evolution of democratic institutions in India, with Kumar’s speech underscoring the urgent need to dismantle systemic inequalities.

Highlighting the destructive impact of the caste system, Kumar argued that it undermines the principles of justice and equality that democracy seeks to uphold. “Just as Amarbel suffocates the tree it grows on, the caste system stifles societal progress,” she said, urging collective action to root out such disparities to strengthen India’s democratic fabric.

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