MUMBAI: In a bold move, Soundala village in Maharashtra’s Ahilyanagar district has declared itself caste-free. The village aims to ensure there would be no caste-based discrimination or caste-based identification of individuals in the village.
On February 5, the Gram Sabha passed a resolution reminding villagers of the Constitution and its Preamble and stating, “From now onwards, in Soundala village, no one will follow caste or indulge in any form of caste practices. We will follow humanity as religion, as that is the only religion that the villagers should follow.”
The resolution reads, “My caste is humanity. The government and community services will be open to all people, not discrimination on the basis of caste. Schools, community hall, temples, well and crematoria will be open to all. No one will write any post on social media that will divide the society. If someone does it, village panchayat will take action. Henceforth, this village is a caste-free.”
It adds that it is inspired by BR Ambekar, Jyotibha Phule, Shahu Maharaj, Chhatrapati Shivani Maharaj and Mahatma Gandhi to establish a caste-free society. The resolution was proposed by Sarpanch Sharad Argade and seconded by resident Babasaheb Bhodak.
The proposal was approved with a majority vote. It includes a penalty for behaviour that violates the Constitution’s ethos. The sarpanch said everyone must follow the new rule. He explained: “These rules are in no way in contravention of laws and the Constitution.”