Question

Why was the struggle of the cast system important in the Indian freedom movement

Answer 1

The caste system was another major target of attack for the social reform movement. The Hindus were at this time divided into numerous castes (jatis).

The caste into which a man was born deter­mined large areas of his life. It determined whom he would marry and with whom he would dine.

It largely determined his profession as also his social loyalties. Moreover, the castes were carefully graded into a hierarchy of status. At the bottom of the ladder came the untouchables or scheduled castes as they came to be called later, who formed about 20 per cent of the Hindu population.