This statement is True.
Casteism refers to loyalty to one’s own caste before loyalty to the nation. Caste ties are so strong that people are inclined to think in terms of caste before the nation. This may lead to caste members protecting their own caste group through social service, education, medical, and other welfare schemes. Caste members take with them their biases and prejudices into politics. They then begin to express their sectarian interests in various ways. People are influenced by them and vote for their own caste members. Those castes having numerical strength rise up through politics. Those who win the elections then favour their caste groups in various ways. In view of all this, the problem of national integration becomes very serious.
Despite laws, urbanization, industrialization, and education, the caste system continues in the mindsets of many people. Caste has become a means for competing for access to resources and power in modern India. Discrimination based on caste is a major hurdle for national integration. People engaged in weakening the unity of the country tried desperately to create divisions and rifts in the name of caste, creed, and culture. The feeling of social neglect among scheduled castes due to suppression by upper castes has disturbed the sense of ‘we feeling’ and unity which has resulted in caste atrocities and caste prejudices. Excessive caste-based loyalty is particularly evident at the time of elections, with political parties wooing members of their own caste for the sake of votes.
