Events & Issues

11 August, 2016

Class & Caste Discrimination

CHECK NEGLECT OF DALITS

By Dhurjati Mukherjee

The country is the throes of wails over the indifference and oppression of Dalits, tribals along-with those from lower castes. Yawn, nothing new in this as the lower classes and castes have always been at the receiving end.

Also true, some political analysts regard this as a fall- out of neo liberalism wherein there is an obvious trend in protecting the interests of the rich and even the middle income sections of society. Add to this, the all-round emphasis on the urban sector and stagnation of the rural sector over the years has aggravated the situation.

Obviously, the widening inequality and discrimination of low castes cannot continue for long. This was manifest earlier when the Naxalites revolted against the social order through violent means. Though this problem is more or less under control except in a few places, the recent Dalit upsurge poses a big challenge for the Modi Government.    

Recall, last week Prime Minister Modi not only acknowledged these incidents but described them as “very shameful”. Adding, that divisive elements have been busy politicizing a social issue related to the Dalits. Stating that discrimination amongst people was unacceptable Modi urged there was need to “give due respect to our Dalit brothers and sisters”.   

Specially, against the backdrop of a Dalit Mahasammelan organized by the Una Atyachar Ladat Samity (UDALS) recently, which pledged to break free from the shackles of the century-old practices of disposing off animal carcasses. They also took an oath not to clean underground drains by going down manholes.

Undeniably, the protest meeting not only highlighted the increasing oppression of Dalits and lower castes but also decided to stand up against this humiliation. The meeting was also critical of the Prime Minister for the utter neglect of welfare of Dalits.

However, fearing a backlash a section of the BJP, led by Udit Raj, Chairman of All India Confederation of SC/ST Organizations resolved to hold agitations in various parts of the country in an effort to curb violence and discrimination against Dalits.

The BJP MP hit out at those who talked about nationalism and protecting Hindu religion in the same breath while ill-treating the lower castes and Dalits.  

Notably, Dalit mobilization has gained momentum in recent months after Hyderabad university student Rohith Vemula’s suicide which was reflective of society’s structural issues.

Certainly, reservations have given birth to Dalit entrepreneurs and a middle class which is benefitting from availing Government jobs. But in spite of this or because of this, anti-Dalit attitudes, sometimes leading to violent protests have been on the rise.    

Moreover, according to the National Crime Records Bureau the number of registered cases of anti-Dalit atrocities, notoriously under-reported, jumped by 17.1 per cent in 2013 (compared to 2012) and was 19.4 per cent in 2014. The word ‘atrocities’ needs to be fleshed out, otherwise it will become another bureaucratic, abstract euphemism.     

Pertinently, all turn a blind eye to Article 23 which prohibits bonded labour as also Article 15(2) which states: No citizen should be subject to restriction with regard to access to shops, public restaurants, hotels and places of entertainment, the use of wells, tanks, bathing ghats, roads and places of public resort on the grounds of caste.

Remember, in 1955, the Untouchability (Offences) Act reasserted that Dalits should not be prevented from entering any public place. In 1976, the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act was passed.

Questionably, why did a new, detailed law have to be made that listed instances of “offences and atrocities” in 1989? In spite of all these legal commitments, there has been much difference to the social status of Dalits in society.    

It cannot be denied that even after around seven decades of Independence, in many Indian villages the nature of certain social equations has not changed from what they have been for centuries. Such villages continue to remain what Dr. B.R. Ambedkar called “sinks of localism, dens of ignorance and narrow-mindedness”.

Arguably, how else could one see several incidents taking place where Dalits were being exploited or not being allowed to be equal members of society and even their families remaining out of bounds to temple festivities?

By all accounts these are not isolated incidents. Discrimination against Dalits is widespread and ingrained in the psyche across India, particularly in rural settings. In some places it takes the form of violent oppression, in others it is disguised yet omnipresent.

True, in recent tines the State has been responsive to harassment of Dalits, specially recurring acts and persisting practices against the community.  But this makes one wonder whether State responses and Constitutionalism alone are enough to overcome long-standing social injustice and prejudices in India’s villages.

Sadly, the overall performance sheet of successive Governments has been rather poor as they did very little vis-à-vis emphasizing on Dalit education and bringing them into the mainstream of life and activity.

Shockingly, not even 5 to 7 per cent of Dalits have been able to establish themselves, gain social standing and come out of past stigma. As the political establishment is weighed in favour of upper castes and urbanites, our leaders did not have the vision and initiative to alleviate Dalit sufferings.      

Interestingly, a large numbers of Dalits now in college and university are first generation entrants like deceased Rohith Vemula. This is all the more significant given their difficult living conditions.

A recent survey shows 21 per cent Dalit families living in houses with thatch or bamboo roofs compared with 15 per cent overall, 78 per cent in one or two rooms compared with 69 per cent overall, 35 per cent having a drinking water source within the house compared with 47 per cent overall, 47 per cent have no electricity compared with 33 per cent overall and 66 per cent do not have toilets compared with 53 per cent overall.   

All in all, apart from this backwardness, lack of progressive social consciousness permeating society, Constitutionalism, State actions and political equations simply do not suffice.

It would have helped if the political actors who accommodated Dalits in their Party and governance structures, due to their sheer weight of numbers as a representative section, also believed in and worked as conduits for social transformation.

Consequently, there is an imperative need to give Dalits leadership roles in political Parties so that they could bring issues before their Governments and aid the process of social and economic transformation.  ---- INFA     

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)