Reply #23: Where does it say that cleaning the toilet is 'lower caste stuff'?

[smitra]

Yes, in the old days, that was considered work for the so-called 'untouchables'. But that was one of the major issues that Mahatma Gandhi fought against. If anyone remembers the movie 'Gandhi', you would see that he asked his wife to clean the toilet, saying that no one should denigrate any kind of work.

You seem to think that is exclusively the case even nowadays, everywhere in India. The situation - especially in the cities - is no different than what exists in this country, where many have maid service to clean the toilets. I know plenty of middle class people (possibly upper middle class) where I live who have maid service that comes in a few times a month and clean the toilets. In India, more people (like my parents who are middle class by any standards) can afford to have someone come in for a few minutes every day to clean the toilets. They treat them just as fairly as most people who have maid service here treat them - that is, pay them regularly every month, and that is it. And on days they don't show up, my parents do the cleaning job themselves.

Amazing to see the extent of ignorance on this liberal board about other countries and cultures that are different from your own. Some people never seem to lose even the most minor opportunity to denigrate others. I have to say that I wonder if the level of contempt shown would be the same if the culture they were talking about was a 'white' one.