Dear Editor,
In my novel, The Silver Lining, awarded the Guyana Prize for Literature, 1998, there is a distasteful character, Anil, who was in the habit of antagonizing his peers and opponents by flaunting his high caste at them. Later denigrated “a zero”, he lost his social pedestal and was reduced to virtual insignificance.
Permit me to indulge in a few lines of commentary from the novel on the issue of the relevance of casteism in today’s society.
“The caste system is perpetuated mainly by fanatical religious activists. The caste system or class system is a yoke on the people’s back. It pre-destines some to servility and others to rulership by virtue of birth alone, and as such stifles the creativity, industry and mobility of the so-called lower classes. Their ingenuity, aspirations, accomplishments are totally discounted. I think people should not be born into positions of authority, for indeed a lot of imbeciles would be ruling; rather rulers should be elected by virtue of their academic and or social accomplishments…”
Indeed, casteism is the most irrelevant, repugnant and antediluvian system that is being foisted or perpetrated on modern society – even in today’s India. But it is even more repugnant in Guyana, a racially heterogeneous society.
It is therefore even more putrid that a person holding the highest legal position in a government, should desecrate that office by flaunting his caste. The integrity of this office has been severely tarnished. I therefore call on the current holder of this office to demit immediately.
I would also very much like to see all the previous holders of this prestigious office who are living, not to sit silent with their mouths stuffed, but come out openly and make a statement in the name of social justice.
Yours faithfully,
Gokarran Sukhdeo
