I agree with Mehroo Kharegat ("A second arm,” Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, June 21-July 6, 2019) that discrimination against professional pallbearers and treating them like an untouchable caste must be stopped immediately. The prayers performed by priests for the dead are negated by such segregation.
All forms of discrimination, whether against pallbearers, women or behdins who volunteer to serve as priests, are sinful as our religion believes in the equality of all human beings. Excuses made under the guise of mystical explanations like the rays (Frado) emanating from persons of different castes must be rejected. White supremacists have also made similar excuses about......