“The Lok Sabha has just cleared the most destructive piece of legislation in India’s history so far. The occasion affords another opportunity to look at the timeless nature of the class system in India. Technically, the trading community is a member of the third varna. In Shah Jahan’s time, as now, they were despised. In that age, they were left alone; In the democracy that prevails today their status, politically, is worse and is no better than that of shudras. In the run-up to the vote on the food Bill, one business leader after another appealed to the powers that be to defer the Bill. To no avail. Their voice carries no weight in matters of state.”-from Mint
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