Caste has divided us. I wish it should be completely abolished

Hear now the solemn cry of Vijay Sethupathi: “Caste has divided us. I wish it should be completely abolished from our society.” These words are not mere complaint, but a plea, born from centuries of suffering and silence. The voice rises against walls built by men, walls that have cut brother from brother, neighbor from neighbor, soul from soul. What is caste, if not a chain forged in arrogance, binding the spirit of humanity and blinding men to the truth that all are equal in the eyes of creation?

The ancients, in their wisdom, often warned that division breeds decay. A people united can move mountains, but a people divided devour themselves. Caste is such a division—an ancient scar upon society, where birth, not virtue, decides worth; where lineage, not deeds, determines dignity. Against this, Sethupathi’s wish resounds like a clarion call: to abolish the old order, to shatter the chains of pride and prejudice, and to build a society where men and women are measured not by caste but by their humanity.

History gives us the towering figure of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, born into the Dalit community, condemned by caste to a life of indignity. Yet through learning and courage, he rose to challenge the very foundations of oppression. He became the chief architect of India’s Constitution, enshrining equality before the law and striking at the heart of caste discrimination. His life stands as a testament that the walls of caste, though ancient, are not eternal. With knowledge, unity, and courage, they can be torn down.

Yet, let us not deceive ourselves. Though laws may change, the poison of caste lingers in the minds and hearts of men. It appears in whispers of superiority, in silent exclusions, in customs that pretend to be tradition but are in truth chains. The battle Sethupathi points to is not only against institutions, but against the very habits of thought. To abolish caste is to transform the inner eye, to learn to see not rank or clan but the shared breath of humanity.

The lesson is clear: divisions built on falsehood must fall if a society wishes to endure. Just as kingdoms fell when they oppressed the poor, so too will a nation falter if it clings to the lie of caste. The true greatness of a people is not measured in temples, riches, or armies, but in their ability to look upon the lowliest and see a brother, a sister, a child of the same earth. Unity is the soil in which justice grows; division is the desert where compassion withers.

Therefore, O listener, take this charge upon yourself: do not repeat the words or deeds that strengthen caste. Break the cycle in your home, in your friendships, in your work. Honor those who are despised by society. Teach your children to see beyond the veil of false divisions. Speak against injustice even when it is clothed in the garb of culture. For the abolition of caste begins not only with laws, but with hearts awakened to the truth of equality.

And so, let Sethupathi’s wish become our vow: “Caste has divided us. I wish it should be completely abolished from our society.” Let these words echo in every street, every school, every temple, until the chains are no more. For the day caste is abolished will be the day humanity walks more fully into its destiny—a destiny not of division, but of brotherhood, compassion, and unity.