The biggest irony ever! Newly-appointed chairman of Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) Yellapragada Sudershan Rao justifies the ancient caste system. He had earlier written a blog stating the merits of caste system. How relevant is it in Modern India?

Incidentally, Golwalkar Guruji, Sarsanghchalak of RSS, in his book Bunch of Thoughts, had also written in favour of the caste system, and stated that caste system had helped to preserve the unity of our society. I wonder how there can be unity in discord?

It saddens me deeply that such primitive thinking exists even today. What social development can we talk of in a nation where such archaic thinking exists? And such people like Sudershan Rao are the custodians of our country’s history? One of the objectives of the ICHR is to have rational presentation and interpretation of history. If the chairman’s interpretation can be so regressive, are we moving backwards or forwards is the question. Really sad.

– Jitendra Awhad
15 July 2014