Date:05/02/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/02/05/stories/2005020500601002.htm

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Leave it to them

Sir, — This refers to the Supreme Court ruling upholding a High Court verdict that a child born out of wedlock will inherit only the father's caste. Children born out of such relationships should not be denied the benefits the country can extend in the matter of education, healthcare and social security by binding them to the caste of the father.

The laws of the land should be amended to give the child the benefits due to both the parents' castes.

K.A. Madhva Raja,
Hyderabad

Sir, — The caste system is a curse on society. One way to get out of it is to have more people with parents of different castes. But the purpose will be defeated if the child born to a man and woman belonging to different castes is forced to accept the father's caste.

A.S. Chakravarthy,
Chennai

Sir, — The child should not be identified with any caste until he or she is old enough to understand the complexities of the caste system. It should be left to the child to identify with the caste of his or her choice.

P. Ramachandran,
Theni, T.N.