Rajni Kothari Caste In Indian Politics 15.pdf Jun 2026

Kothari notes that the caste dynamics in Indian politics have undergone significant changes over time. In the early years of India's independence, the Congress Party, with its secular and inclusive ideology, sought to transcend caste divisions. However, as the party's dominance waned, caste-based parties and alliances began to emerge, reflecting the growing assertiveness of marginalized castes. The rise of parties like the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) exemplifies this trend, with their focus on representing the interests of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

Kothari challenged the Western modernist view that politics would simply erase caste. Instead, he argued that caste became the primary vehicle for democratic mobilization. Rajni Kothari Caste In Indian Politics 15.pdf

– His solo-authored classic. Chapter 3 or 4 often deals directly with caste. “Page 15” in this book (depending on edition) falls early in the second chapter, where he introduces the concept of the “Congress System” and its caste underpinnings. Kothari notes that the caste dynamics in Indian

The most probable source document for this filename is Kothari’s groundbreaking essay, (1970), which served as the introductory chapter to the influential edited volume Caste in Indian Politics (Orient Longman, 1970). Alternatively, it could refer to a section of his magnum opus, Politics in India (1970). The rise of parties like the Bahujan Samaj