Journalist Raghav Trivedi appeared on the Lakshya Speaks Podcast (Dec 13, 2025) to discuss religion, caste hierarchy, and social power structures in India.
Trivedi cited a controversial claim attributed to RSS ideologue M.S. Golwalkar regarding Namboodiri Brahmins in Kerala, arguing it reflected historical caste hierarchy.
Trivedi questioned why priesthood and religious knowledge remain restricted to certain castes, citing social practices and incidents where non-Brahmins allegedly faced resistance in performing religious roles.
Religion, a question of identity that initially began as a faith system, has increasingly taken the form of a political ideology. People from one religion often view others with suspicion. In India — a country that constitutionally follows secularism — debates around religion become even more intense. Religious issues in India are often linked to deep-seated communal tensions, along with challenges such as caste-based hierarchy, forced conversions, and the political instrumentalisation of faith.
In an episode of the Lakshya Speaks Podcast published on December 13, 2025, the guest was investigative journalist and ground reporter Raghav Trivedi. Trivedi is known for his on-ground reporting and investigative work in India’s highly charged political environment. Originally from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, he has worked with digital news outlets such as Molitics and National Dastak. During the interview, he also spoke about religion, caste, and issues within Hindu society.
Trivedi referred to a controversial claim he attributed to RSS ideologue M.S. Golwalkar, saying it appeared in the magazine Organiser in 1961. According to Trivedi, Golwalkar wrote about Namboodiri Brahmins in Kerala, suggesting that Brahmins from North India were settled there to “better the human species” through what he described as cross-breeding. Quoting the claim, Trivedi said, “Cross-breeding was done so that any woman in the society should have her first son from a Namboodiri Brahmin so that the breed becomes better.”
Trivedi used this example to argue that such ideas historically attempted to justify caste hierarchy and social control. He added that this mindset assumes that only one specific caste should dominate positions of power in society.
From there, Trivedi shifted the discussion to how caste hierarchy still appears in everyday language and social behaviour. He pointed out that certain caste titles are treated with respect while others are rarely acknowledged in the same way. As he said during the podcast, “It will be called Panditji only… Yadavji is not called.” He further asked, “Has anyone ever said Loharji?” Through this example, he argued that language itself reflects deeper social hierarchies.
See Also: “Islam is not a religion of peace. Islam is a religion of Conquest,” says Writer Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Trivedi also spoke about the long-term effects of caste inequality, describing it as “an exploitation of 2,000 years.” According to him, centuries of social exclusion have had lasting consequences for many communities. He argued that if someone has been denied opportunities for generations, expecting them to compete equally becomes unfair. As he said, “For 2,000 years a man has lived on what others left for him, and then you expect him to fight on the same level.”
He further questioned why priesthood is treated differently from other professions. Trivedi explained that occupations such as blacksmithing, carpentry, or weaving are considered ordinary work, while religious authority is often treated as sacred and restricted. As he said in the podcast, “The one who works with iron is a blacksmith… the one who weaves is a weaver. But the one who worships becomes a priest — and that is not treated as a profession. But as Dharma”
According to Trivedi, religious roles should be open to anyone who studies and practices them. He criticised the idea that certain castes control access to religious education. “Brahmins decide who will study and who will not,” he said, adding that those who are denied education are later labelled as uneducated. He questioned this practice by asking, “Did you let them study? Did you let them enter the temple?”
To illustrate this point, Trivedi mentioned an incident from Uttar Pradesh, where a Yadav man who attempted to recite religious Kathas was allegedly beaten. Referring to this example, he raised a broader question about caste restrictions in religious practice, asking: “Who decides that if you belong to a particular caste, you can only do certain kinds of work?”
[VP]
Suggested Reading: