It is no secret that the caste system originally was horizontal and flexible.. and later abused by Brahmins… howevermuch of this has died down in the last 50 years.. significant preference is given to the lower castes in the political, economic and education fields..
Yes.. there is still some social discrimination, specially in the smaller cities of India.. and there is definite room for improvement.. but the days of systematic abuse by the upper castes are gone.
