By Aman Bagaria
The term Dalit, which loosely translates to oppressed, was used as early as the 1930s for the Depressed Classes. B.R. Ambedkar was amongst the first to talk about all such depressed classes as one and to strive to attain basic rights for the group, as a whole. Despite the aforementioned definition, the term has attained a new cultural context to include all those who have been broken down by those above them in a deliberate and active manner. It now has been expanded to include the landless and poor peasants, the Scheduled Tribes and all those who are being exploited socially, politically, economically and in the name of religion. One in every six persons in India is a Dalit and yet, due to the existing caste hierarchy, they are incessantly faced with discrimination and violence which take from them their basic human rights and dignity. One such instance of discrimination and violence has sent tremors throughout the country over the last fortnight in the province of Bhima Koregaon.
Bhima Koregaon
January 1, 1818, had seen British East India become victorious over the Peshwas, with hundreds of Dalits playing a part in the victory of the British in response to mistreatment by high-caste Peshwas. January 1, this year saw another instance of violence against the Dalits on the commemoration of the 200-year-old British victory. An estimated 300,000 Dalits had gathered in the Maharashtra village of Bhima Koregaon for the anniversary memorial. The event turned violent when it was attacked by several right-wing outfits that opposed the event as being anti-national in character. The opposition to the memorial resulted in violence amongst the two groups of people, leaving one dead and several injured.
What followed next was the pent-up rage of a community that is still struggling for its legitimate claim over the nations history, along with its resources and their own rights and dignity. Protests were organised throughout the state of Maharashtra and conditions of peril existed for all citizens alike. This was only one in a recent string of responses against the conditions of violence and discrimination that exist against the Dalits. Previous such responses, like the student uprisings at JNU and any other such uprisings, including the present have successfully been branded as anti-national. The question that comes up is whether celebrating a British victory over an Indian kingdom is anti-national. It seems, in the present case, that the answer to the above question is ‘yes’. However, other such British victories have not been held to the same standards. Celebrations of other such victories are considered far from anti-national and are seen to be more in consonance with Indian nationalism. The answer lies in the fact that differences exist as a result of holding multiple perspectives of the past. It is, therefore, possible to both mourn Bhima Koregaon as a victory for British colonialism and to celebrate it for helping destroy a terrible system of caste apartheid. What, however, needs to be made a note of is the instances of violence and discrimination of the Dalits and the constant oppression that a Dalit must endure.
Human rights situation of Dalits
The Indian Constitution banned the practice of untouchability under Article 17 and the Schedule Caste/Schedule Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act), 1989 has been introduced to combat persecution and discrimination against Dalits. Despite the existence of these legal provisions, the Dalits have found it virtually impossible to access their rights through the legal system. There has been a constant dereliction of social, cultural and civil rights which was practised through religious sanctions in the olden days and through segregation, insult, humiliation and frustrations in the contemporary times. Despite the enactment of legislation for their protection, the crime rates against the Dalits continue to be on the rise.
Education is an instrument of socialisation, which is considered a powerful catalytic agent of change. Over the last 70 years, educational facilities have increased manifold and various special concessions exist including scholarships and incentives, not including the various degrees of reservations at different levels of education. In spite of this, the Dalits still languish in terms of the disparity between them and the upper castes when it comes to education. There has also been a dereliction of economic rights of the Dalits. Caste has played an important role in assigning economic function in the society. About 75% of them are employed in the primary sector of the economy and there have been several micro-level studies that display the land-less state of the Dalits.
A greater issue that exists is the horrific situation of the Dalit women. It has a connection to the status of women in general and Dalit women in particular as prescribed by the Hindu social order. They are doubly oppressed, first for being dependent on men and in the second instance, on the basis of their caste. Another result of caste confrontations is sexual violence against the women with such violence being commonplace in the rural areas for defiance of even the most basic of the caste restrictions.
The way forward
In conclusion, in spite of the existing legal provisions and continuous efforts of the community as a whole, the oppression through segregation, exclusion and discrimination has not abated. Inaction by the police officers may cause discouragement in reporting and registration of cases and result in the shielding of the accused persons. Considerable physical violence is inflicted on members of the deprived and marginalised communities. Time has come that such violence is brought to an end. A democratic movement from the grassroots level has to be launched against discrimination and atrocities as they are more apparent in rural areas. There is a need to change the status quo and discrimination. The Dalit human rights have to be made the centre stage of any political and social movement in the country. The relevance of this class is becoming more and more prominent in the political scene, as they continuously seem to be garnering an increased support for their cause. This has been another cause for an increase in the violence against the class to oppress their rising influence in politics. Dalit rights cannot be attained by the subjects themselves being mere spectators. They themselves have to spearhead this human rights movement and all progressive forces should join them.
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