Chris Richards - Boston:

If we "enlightened" capitalists are so smart, why are we sending all our jobs to India?

Is it better to live in a society where a corporate CEO makes more in a day than the average working man makes in a year?

How advanced is THAT?

Robert, Davie, Florida, USA

If India abandoned its caste system and adopted a purely libertarian society with a purely free market, I could only imagine how much prosperity Indians worldwide would have. The caste system is ridiculous, especially for such a highly intelligent race.

Chris Richards, Boston, USA

"They should adopt communism at least in theory where every one is equal

David, Weymouth, Dorset"

In communism, everyone is equally poor, and equally a slave to the State. India should adopt a laissez-faire capitalist libertarian society. Only then can Indians prosper.

Chris Richards, Boston, USA

@ Dias in Colombo:

JNS used the name Bombay to reference the fact that he blames the current mess of Indian affairs on the Brits. He's probably not that far off. From what I understand, the caste system that the Gujjar are trying to exploit was instituted by the Raj. The Hindu system is different

Jaime, Houston, Republic of Texas

JNS in Bombay is wrong, and Amanda in Brisbane doesn't get sarcasm.
By the way JNS, Bombay is the name given to Mumbai by the British -why are you sticking to it? And as Sam pointed out the Caste system is something Bharatians made and adhered to by themselves.

Dias, Colombo,

It's not good to read, so much being read & said on a single piece of news. Folks it's a socio-political logger heads situation with Indian bureaucracy making fun of democracy and the media filling there columns and air time to fullfill there means. Let's be more serious to issues of war& famine

Peyush Singh, MUSCAT, Oman

It's a very weak argument to blame the British, given that India has been independent for 60 years (at least 3 generations).

India keeps the system because the discrimination suites those who consider themselves an "upper" caste.

Clive, Surrey,

Not really Boris, those times are gone!
It was a natural progression in our development as a nation to go out and rule the world, but we have grown out of that now.
What we dont now need is for others to come and do the same to us! Althought some would say we deserve it....

mark, London, UK

Sam the british raj wasn't in existence in 1000 BC. The british (an english in particular, speaking as a welsh person) did some dastardly things, but they cannot be blamed for a system a 1000 years old in India

Amanda, Brisbane, Australia

This modern caste system is a arbitrary because is ascribes work qualifications based on birth. Who would go to a brain surgeon simply because his parent is a brain surgeon? Castes must be divided by true qualification not birthright. Work divisions cannot be legislated-- they are there by nature

Charlie French, Metry, USA

JNS, you are absolutely right. When the British Raj established the caste system in 1000BC, they could never have dreamt it would last for so long.
You should be an historian.

Sam, London, UK

It would be better for those people ruled by Englishmen. Chaos is unacceptable.

Boris Ford, Surrey,

They should adopt communism at least in theory where every one is equal

David, Weymouth, Dorset

Oh dear Why not have equality for all?
Of course the Brahmins and the upper castes wouldnt be able to stomach that
The plain fact of the matter is that the people in power who are old enough to remember the caste system and the term scheduled caste is a term of snobbery when applied.

Henry North, London, UK

And we say the class divide over here is big.

Howard, Manchester,

Being an Indian(and brahmin- the so called highest caste) I feel sad for the state of affairs.Though I would not say the reservation (of as much as 60% in some states) drew me out of India, it made me rethink my plans for the future.Indian politics of divide& rule is the culprit-y blame Brits alone

Maverick, Edinburgh,

The Hindu caste system was initially created as a social division of labour, with four castes - Brahmins (priests, teachers), Kshatriyas (rulers, soldiers), Vaishyas (artisans, farmers etc) and Sudras (manual labourers). These were NOT inherited/married into
The current sytem is Indian not Hindu

Ben S, London, England

One , maybe two generations and it wont matter anyway, the fuel and food crisis thats coming will make all classes eat the same food and transport themselves the same way. Class , money , percieved status will all fall away to the greater force of world government and rationing allottment.

neil, bunbury, australia

The rewards of British colonialism

JNS, Bombay, India

Hindu religious ideology never accepts the caste discrimination. In the epic Ramayana Lord Ram went to meet a low caste women and ate the food she gave to him suggesting that Hindu gods are against such discrimination. Also Hinduism can have multiple gods without any restriction. A Plural religion.

Vijay, Not , India

The cast system in institutional apartheit and called religion

T.Andre, London,

"press their unorthodox demand — to be downgraded to an even lower social status"

That is the most hilarious story that I have ever read. lol

jayil, london, uk