Somehow we have returned to literal Manusmriti tier definitions of Upper Caste vs Backward Caste with former being twice-borns and latter being Shudras. Affirmative Action is so tempting it makes people want to embrace being a Shudra than have anything to do with Dvijas.

Savarnas (all four varnas) hould have formed a common identity in Indo-Aryan speaking parts of India. The lure of central/state government jobs and easy leaps in university admissions was so strong it made Shudras reject any assimilation attempts and embrace being backward. This is one of the main reasons caste will never die.

North Indians have more or less the same blood, speak the same languages and worship similar Gods. There were slight differences in culture and diet but they could easily have been ironed out with Sanskritization like Arya Samaj did in Punjab & Haryana.

An outdated and backward system like caste should have been done and dusted by now. But here we are now, fucked due to the greed and cowardice of so many people.
You can curse Mandal because it single handedly assured a much lower quality of life for you and your kids, and a shaky future for Hinduism.

Baniyas, Brahmins, Kayastha, Khatri, Rajput, Bhumihar, Saini, Ahir, Kurmi, Gujar, Jat together probably make up like 50% + of all of North India? Imagine if they were all one giant voting bloc with common identity, language and culture.
Very hard task sure, but this was the ONLY task that was worth spending time and effort on last 80 yrs of independence and even 100-120 yrs before that ever since caste awareness spread into mainstream after British rule. Yet all we have done so far is fucking increase those differences rather than homogenize them.