I do hope everyone reads this article which clearly spells out the status of casteism in India - here is the critical part:
" According to experts, the brouhaha has as much to do with politics as with economics and human rights. First,** it is not in favor of vested political interests to eliminate the caste system in India**** as Dalits form a lucrative vote bank.** In fact, in a country of a billion-plus population, it would be foolhardy to fritter away this attractive political constituency that dominates large swaths of India. "