India is a place where people from different communities, religions live together. More than 80% (around 1 Billion) of country's total population (1.2 Billion) is of Hinduism religion. Our country has many good things but some drawbacks also. I want to speak on of most important drawback of the Indian society which is "people's caste based discrimination". I will speak in brief about this so that it will help to understand my problem.
In Hinduism, there is caste based system which is carried forward generations by generations from thousands of years. There are thousands (around 7000!) of "castes" present in the Indian society. People are divided into "upper caste" and "lower caste". Upper caste people have prestige, respect, power in the society. Lower caste is considered as contemn and treated with disrespect. Before independence (the year 1947) from British rule lower caste people were treated as slaves of the upper caste. After independence, some people have changed their behavior but most of the people are still stick to this caste based mentality. Not only this, both "upper caste" and "lower caste" people are again divided into sub-castes.
A person is identified according to his/her caste but not with his/her ability. Each person gives favors to his/her own caste people. I think the Caste system is totally dissolved in everyone's blood.
I am from a lower caste and work as an officer in one of government offices with more than 50 people. Here, some people are from my caste and other are from different castes. My co-workers give more importance to my caste than my working ability. It happens in mostly in every office. Many juniors work under my supervision.
If I try to take action against any lazy, shirker junior person (I want to first of all clear that I don't discriminate people by his/her caste), that person pressurizes me from my seniors who are from his caste.
Even some of my juniors who are from upper caste don't respect me as I am from a lower caste. They taunt regarding my caste.
Few of juniors who are from my caste demands concessions in work, leave with pay and other unauthorized work by blackmailing me by saying that "we are from the same caste and we should "adjust" and "support" our caste people".
There are other officers also equivalent to my post but from different castes. Here also caste-based behavior is there.
Note: Please try to understand that above cases 1 to 4 given above happens with me as I am from lower caste. These cases can be faced by upper caste officers as well but from " opposite " people.
This kind of racism politics, division based on caste taking place in most of the offices in India. I am fade of all such things.
So
A.what should be my behavior at my workplace? How should I respond to both my as well as other caste people?
Or
B.Should I leave them as it is and make a habit of bearing all such things?
Your thoughtful suggestions could be very useful for me in my entire professional as well as social life.