Janhit: India Touches the Stars, Yet Caste Shadows Persist, Etawah Incident Sparks National Outrage | ABP NEWS

While India celebrates its rise as a global power—becoming the world’s fourth-largest economy and marking a milestone with Group Captain Subhanshu Shukla’s entry into the International Space Station—deep-rooted caste discrimination continues to stain the nation’s image. A disturbing incident from Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, has sparked national outrage. On June 21, several Yadav storytellers (kathavachaks) were reportedly assaulted, their hair forcibly cut, and they were publicly humiliated. Visuals show police being attacked and vehicles vandalized as they attempted to control the situation. One storyteller claimed he was forced to touch feet and was beaten for revealing his caste. The incident, widely circulated on social media, has since taken a political turn. While some see it as caste-based violence, others allege deception on the part of the kathavachaks over identity. With both sides presenting conflicting narratives, political leaders from all parties have jumped in, linking the event to upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. This episode underscores a harsh truth—despite India’s progress in science, economy, and global status, societal divides rooted in caste continue to persist. Saints like Kabir and Raidas preached against caste, yet their words still go unheeded in modern India.

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