wrt the 'revisionistic' nonsense that: HARD CORE MG supporters voted AGAINST "Bhau" and his plan to merge Goa with Maharashtra + the claim that 'a family' (presumably MG) or for that anybody, voted in a referendum for Goa's STATEHOOD ...., I facetiously asked a few questions including this one:
**********What next? The Portuguese invented the Caste System of India ?*********** Rajan Parrikar wrote thus in response: The Portuguese did invent the caste system. (Caste, from "casta" in Portuguese.) The terms used by the Hindus for societal classification are "varna" and "jati." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varna_(Hinduism) MY RESPONSE: My dear Rajan, Even though, I am not a fan of "Wiki", I Thank You for reminding me about "Varna" et al wrt the Caste System of India. Please vide reference [1] infra. Yes, I too believe that COLOUR was and is one of the methods by which Indians continue to discriminate a la Apartheid. If one looks at the so called honour-killings, I believe that JATI is also used for discrimination and abuse. Incidentally, there have been some interesting Court cases (India) relating to "ditching the woman" on the basis of "Jati" .... and the court's finding of rape. That and the infra reference[1] article having been noted, I am not very sure that I can accept your statement that the Portuguese INVENTED the Caste SYSTEM. I just cannot give credit for the 'Invention of a System" to somebody who merely coined a Term to describe the prevailing System (in this case....a SYSTEM of discrimination). BTW: I also find it hard to accept that Al Gore invented the internet, or that any Catholic Goan was primarily responsible for the infamous Goa Government financed (I could be wrong here about the financing) VideoCD; a self proclaimed Commie Goan ...yes; a "katlick" Goan .... may be but NOT a Catholic Goan. with the best of wishes jc Ref [1] http://www.colaco.net/1/caste.htm
