Buddhists and Jains.[63]
Jains
Jains also practiced caste system in places like Bihar. For example, in a village called Bundela, there were a few 'jaats' (or groups) in the Jain society. A person belonging to one 'jaat' could not intermingle with a Jain belonging to another 'jaat'. They also could not share food with the members belonging to other 'jaats'.[64]
Sikh
The Sikh Gurus firmly denounced the social hierarchy of the caste system. They preached that all sections of society were equally important and laid particular emphasis on merit and hard-work as essential aspects of life. Out of 140 seats, 20 are reserved for low caste Sikhs in the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee. Nevertheless, the quota system has been criticized due to the lack of meritocracy.[65]
Criticism
There has been severe criticism of the practice of caste system from noted scholars within and outside of India.[71]
Historical criticism
Both Buddha and Mahavira severely criticized and opposed the caste system. They instructed their followers to break the shackles of caste system. Many bhakti period saints like Guru Nanak, Sant Kabir, Sant Chaitanya, Sant Dnyaneshwar, Sant Eknath, Tukaram and Ramanuj, disapproved of all caste-based discrimination and invited disciples from every caste. Several Hindu reformers like Swami Vivekananda believed that there could not be any place for caste system in Hindu society. A 15th century saint Ramananda invited people from all castes, including untouchables, to become his followers. Most of these saints belonged to the Bhakti movements in Hinduism which happened during the medieval period that rejected casteism.
During 19th Century, the Brahmo Samaj under the leadership of Raja Ram Mohan Roy actively worked against the practice of untouchability and casteism. The Arya Samaj which was founded by Swami Dayanand also condemned discrimination against Dalits. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and his follower Swami Vivekananda created the Ramakrishna Mission that campaigned for the emancipation of Dalits. Several upper-caste Hindus like Mannathu Padmanabhan took part in such movements to abolish the practice of untouchability against Dalits. Padmanabhan gave access to his family temple to Dalits for worship. Narayana Guru, a devout Hindu and a recognized authority on the Vedas, criticized casteism and worked for the social rights of lower-caste Hindus.
The first upper-caste temple to liberally welcome all Dalits into its fold was the Laxminarayan Temple of Wardha in the year 1928; spearheaded by a social reformer Jamnalal Bajaj.[citation needed]
The caste system has even been criticized by several Indian social reformers. Reformers, such as Jyotirao Phule and Iyothee Thass, claimed that the so-called lower caste people were the original natives of India, who had been conquered in battles in the ancient past by erstwhile 'Brahmin invaders.' Mahatma Gandhi coined the word Harijan, literally meaning Sons of God, to describe the untouchables. B. R. Ambedkar, born in a Hindu Dalit society, was a severe critic of the caste system. He promoted the Dalit Buddhist movement in India, and espoused his followers to desert Hinduism, and convert to Buddhism. India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, due to his own relationship with Dalit social reformer Ambedka
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