CHAPTER II
FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR UNTOUCHABILITY
The Hindu religion is a unique religion in the world which
confers the status on an individual on the basis of birth, not to be
eliminated at any time during his or her life time. It has declared
some groups as untouchables and unapproachable. These groups of
persons have been separated, segregated, and isolated from other
groups of Hindu society. The disabilities conferred on these
persons on the basis of their birth came to be known as
"Untouchability".
The
"Untouchability"
has
acted
like
a
straitJacket hindering individuals freedom and social unity. There
are various factors, which are responsible for untouchability. But
the most important factor, responsible for untouchability among
Hindus, is the caste system.
1. DEEP- ROOTED CASTE SYSTEM
Untouchability in the Indian social structure has its roots in
the caste-system which forms the "Kernel " or "the steel frame" of
Hinduism which originated from the time of Aryans migration to
this sub-continent.
The literary records of these Aryans culture are not only the
earliest but also contain the first mention and continuous history of
the factors that make the caste. All the literary accounts of the
important aspects of the caste center round the four orders( ie
Chatur-Varna) in Hindu society, namely Brahmin, Kshatriya,
Vaishya and Shudra, and not the multifarious groups which are the
33
present day castes. In Purushaskta a reference has been made to
four orders of society as emanating from the sacrifice of the
Primeval Being. The names of these four orders are given there as
Brahamana , Rajanya, Vaishya and Shudra. They are said to have
come respectively from the moUth, the arms, the thighs and the feet
of the Creator. The particular limbs associated with these divisions
and the order in which they are mentioned probably indicate their
status in the society of the time, though no such interpretation is
directly given in Purushaskta.
The Taittiriya Samhita also describes the origin of these four
classes to the four limbs of the Creator and adds an explanation
about the status of these four classes. The Brahmins are declared to
be the Chief because they were created from the mouth, punning on
the word "Mukha" (mouth and Chief). The Rajanyas are vigorous
because they were created from vigour. The Vaishyas are meant to
be eaten referring to their liabilities to excessive taxation, because
they were created from the stomach. The Shudra, because he was
created from the feet is to be the transporter of others and to subsist
by the feet. Even in Rigveda, the Shudra is described as "the
servant of another" to be expelled at will and "to be slain at will"1
The Manu Smrithi prohibited the Shudras to wear decent cloths,
precious metallic ornaments or even to use decent utensils, food
and drink. The Shudras, thus, occupied the last rung in the social
ladder of the caste system in the Hindu Society. Impregnable walls
of separation with graded inequalities have been among different
castes in Hindus. The Shudras were made to serve the society in
34
menial jobs as slaves and serfs. Caste system segregated them from
the main stream of the rational life and prevented them from
becoming a part of integrated society with fraternity and affinity.
They were denied even access to potable water sources, education,
cultural life and economic pursuits. They have been made to live as
beasts of burden at the outskirts of the Villages, towns, slums etc.
This had led to the abominable and obnoxious practice of
Untouchability, depriving them of social intercourse, educational
and cultural development and were condemned as worse than
animals.
Much of the stigma against the lower castes and in particular,
the outcastes or chandalas, has been strengthened and justified
through the religious concept of "ritual purity". Manual work was
regarded as essentially unclean, and those associated with it could
not be allowed to enter into intimate contact with the higher castes,
and in particular with the Brahmins, who performed religious
ceremonies before which they, too had to purify themselves by
bathing. The chandalas, in particular, were not allowed to be near
the preparation of food for higher castes or to enter into temples.
Eventually their touch and even their shadows were considered to
be polluting resulting in
the Chandalas becoming so called
Untouchables and even un-approchable.
ORIGIN OF CASTE -SYSTEM :
Untouchability is by-product of caste system. To know the
genesis of untouchability without knowing the origin of Caste
35
system is impossible. So for knowing the factors responsible for
origin of Untouchability, one is required to know the origin of the
caste system.
A number of theories have been advanced to explain the
origin of the caste in India but no one properly explains it because
it is so much complicated that it is difficult to recognize any
particular factor responsible for its origin. Whereas Risley explains
its origin due to racial differences, Nesfield and Ibbeston refer to
occupational factors, Abbe Dubois refers to the role played by
Brahmins and Hutton refers to belief in Mana in its origin. The
following are some of the important theories about the origin of
caste:
(A) TRADITIONAL THEORY:
The traditional theory believes that the Caste system has been
established by Divine Ordinance or at least with divine approval.
According to S. P. Nagendra4 "the traditional theory views the
Caste system as a normal and natural system. " This theory has two
versions: mythical and metaphysical:
The mythical version regards four varnas as four castes and
believes that these four "castes" have emerged from different parts
of Brahma's body. The Brahmins came from his mouth; Kshatriya
from his arms; Vaishya from his thighs; and Shudras from his feet.
It considers castes as a naturally determined organization of social
functions and explains the membership of an individual in a
particular caste in terms of Karma and Dharma Doctrines.
According to the Karma Doctrine, a man is born in a particular
36
caste because of his actions performed in his previous incarnation.
If he had performed better actions, he would have been born in a
higher caste. According to the Dharma Doctrine, a man who
accepts the caste system and the norms of his particular caste, is
living according to dharma, while a man who questions them is
violating dharma. Living according to dharma is rewarded while
violation of dharma is punished, both here and hereafter. If he
observes the rules of dharma, he will be born in his next birth in a
high and rich caste, otherwise he will be born in a low and poor
caste.
The metaphysical
version
explains
the
fixed
function,
hierarchy and other characteristics of caste. Each caste has a
separate function (i.e. Brahmin's work is to teach and instruct;
Kshatryas work is to defend the empire; Vaishya's work is to
provide food for others; and Shudra's work is to serve others) and
this function is determined by the nature (Swabhav) and the
qualities (guna) of the caste members. According to the Hindu
view, Swabhav of an individual comprises two sets of qualities gotrika and namika. The former are the hereditary qualities which
the individual inherits from his gotra (lineage) and which he shares
with all the members of his family; and the latter are the individual
qualities which are specifically one's own and which does not share
with any other member of his family. It is the gotrika qualities
which determine man's ascriptive nature and entitle him the status
in a Jati (Caste).
37
Swabhav (nature) and action (occupation) can not be
separated from each other. This explains another characteristic of
Caste, namely, the fixed occupation. Factions are of two typesordinary and extra-ordinary. The former require no special skills
for their performance and the latter require specialized knowledge.
The extra-ordinary functions are again of three types; Technoeconomic function, politico-legal functions, and cultural- religious
functions. The first are means oriented, the second are endoriented, and the last are agent-oriented. Since the agent-oriented
cultural- religious functions aim at the ultimate end of life, the
people who perform them get the highest status in society. On the
other hand, those who are engaged in ordinary functions get the
lowest status.5 The Shudras. are,thus, given the lowest status in
Hindu society on the basis of this theory.
(B) BRAHMANICAL THEORY:
According to Abbe Dubois the caste system in Hindu
originated and developed because of Brahmins. He maintains that
the caste system is an ingenious device made by Brahmins for
Brahmins. Brahmins imposed restrictions on eating and drinking,
marriage and social relations etc with non - Brahmins to preserve
their purity necessary for the sacerdotal functions they were to
perform. At the same time they gave themselves a high status and
special privileges and prerogatives in the Brahamanas and other
books and declared all others as inferior to them.6
Ghurye also believes in the role of Brahmins in the origin of
caste and supports the Brahmanical theory. According to him
38
"caste in India is a Brahmanic child of the Indo-Aryan culture,
cradled in the land of the Ganga and Yamuna and thence
transferred to other parts of the country. "
(C) RACIAL THEORY:
The most ardent exponent of this theory was Herbert Risely.
He has also been supported by scholars like Ghurye, Majumdar,
Westermarckh and others. According to this theory, the clash of
cultures and contact of races crystallized caste in India. The
migrant Aryans had their own ideas of ceremonial purity. They
considered the original inhabitants as inferior to them. Besides, the
Aryans were essentially patrimonial in nature while the local
population, whom they conquered were matrilineal. They married
with the daughters of the aboriginal but refused to give their
daughters to them. If there happened a marriage between aboriginal
male and Aryan female, the children of such marriages had to be
assigned the lowest position in the society and were called
chandals.
They
have
been
treated
as
Untouchables
and
unapproachable. The untouchability was practiced against these
persons. Thus the origin of the group of "half-breeds" as well as
the feeling of racial superiority ultimately became responsible for
the origin of the caste system.
According to G.S. Ghurye the Indo-Aryans comprising the
Romans, the Iranians, the Spanish, the Portuguese and Anglo Saxon
being civilized and fair in colour called themselves as "ARYA" and
described the native population as "darkcolour" people without
noses, applied to them the term "Dasa" which in Iranian language
39
stood for "enemy" .In matters of religious faith and practice they
began by stigmatizing the faith and practice of the natives.
(D) OCCUPATIONAL THEORY:
Nesfield, the propounder of this theory and his supporter
Denzil Ibbetson believed that the origin of Caste has nothing to do
with racial affinity or religion but it is mainly due to functions or
occupations. Nesfield
occupation
maintains that the technical skill of the
was passed on hereditarily
from
generation to
generation and because of practicing the same occupation over a
long period of time "occupational guilds" came into existence
which later on came to be known as castes. The hierarchy in the
caste system was the result of the feeling of the superiority and
inferiority of occupation. According to him, the rank of any caste
as high or low depends upon whether the industry represented by
the caste belongs to an advanced or backward stage of culture.
Explaining how the Brahmins got the highest status in the
collective caste hierarchy, he says that Brahmins were specialized
in the occupation of sacrifices, hymns and rituals. Since sacrifices
were very important in the social life of the people, the Brahmin
became the most important and respected people in the society.
Brahmin was thus the first born of castes, the model upon which all
Q
other castes were subsequently formed. The persons who were
engaged in the menial occupations like scavenging or removal of
carcasses etc. became Shudras and according to the nature of their
work they got the lowest status in Hindu society. Because of
impurity of their occupations they were subjected to untouchability.
40
(E) KETKAR'S THEORY:
Ketkar traces the origin of castes from the early tribes and
psychological prejudicial tendencies of human-beings. He believes
that castes are developed tribes or converted classes. Numerous
tribes which were living in different parts of India existed as
different units and after the custom of endogamy was introduced,
they did not fuse. Many of these tribes were in struggle with each
other because their heads quarreled either over boundaries or
because a person from one tribe had kidnapped a girl from other
tribe. Because of these conflicts, people avoided other tribes in
marriages and social relations, etc and confined social interaction
in all respects to the members of their own tribes.
Regarding the "Psychological" explanation, he starts with
the psychology of the most important element of endogamy in the
caste system. According to him, endogamy came to be practiced
because of three factors: (i) due to the feeling of sympathy and
affection for the members of one's own group, (ii) to maintain
blood purity, and (iii) because it makes social adjustment with the
partner easier. Feelings of superiority and inferiority is either the
cause or the result of endogamy. A race of the people who regards
itself as superior to another will not intermarry with one that is
thought inferior. This is the psychology or hierarchy or superiorityinferiority due to endogamy. Pschogically analyzing the restrictions
on social interaction, Ketkar points out that if an individual can
degrade himself in his own caste by deviating from the caste
norms, why can not a caste degrades itself in society when all its
41
members deviate from caste norms or by taking to a "degrading"
occupation or by permitting the use of wine and meat or social
customs like polygamy, bride-price and marrying a girl at high age
9
Degraded people and groups are always looked at with contempt.
(F) HUTTON'S THEORY OF MANA:
Hutton has emphasized on the primitive conception of Mana
in the formation of Castes. According to him, mana is a mysterious
impersonal power attached to individuals, objects, and places. It is
believed to have powers to harm people. Whenever the belief in
mana prevails, a corresponding belief in the value of taboo as a
protective measure is also found. Taboos were, therefore, imposed
on communality, inter-marriage, and inter-action etc to save
members of one's tribe from the mana of other tribes. Hutton holds
that the tribals consider the food of strangers as dangerous. The
restriction on sharing food with others and having contacts with
them is based on the belief that these (food and contacts) may be
infected with the dangerous soul matter of strangers. It is such
belief that led to the origin of the commensal taboo, like
commensal taboo, other taboos were, also, imposed to save people
from the mana. It was largely the social and political impact of the
Rig-vedic invaders with their definitely graded social classes that
was responsible for introducing the principle of social precedence
into a society already divided into groups, isolated by taboos.10
It may be maintained that the superiority feeling of the
Vedic-Aryans over the native due to the racial differentiation,
occupational
distinctiveness, the monopolistic
42
priesthood
of
Brahmins and the religious ideas of ceremonial purity and pollution
first applied to Shudras in connection with the sacrificial rituals
and then expanded and extended to other groups because of the
theoretical impurity of certain occupations were important factors
for the origin of "untouchability" and caste system in India.
Untouchability is, thus, the historical contribution of the caste
system. It has become a curse to our country for centuries long, the
Hindus have been cursed, for they have deprived their brothers and
sisters equal rights. The caste system even in today's India, is so
troublesome organization that it has created wide gaps between
man and man. They are becoming wider day by day. They could
not be bridged upto this day. The caste system has not only divided
the Indian society, but has also made it static and paralyzed.
According to Dr. Ambedkar "Caste system and Untouchability
stand together and will fall together. The idea of hoping to
eradicate Untouchability without destroying caste system is an
utter futilely. "u
But one unique and surprising feature of Hindu society
towards the Untouchability has been that the upper caste Hindu
persons, who did not allow a male scavenger or sweeper to set with
them on the same cot and even in their home also considered their
shadow to pollute them, used to sleep with the woman of these
scavengers and sweepers and to have to put up these women with
obscene and even these other caste Hindus cohabited with them.
This practice is, still, common in our society. Not a single day
passes when such type of incidents do not occur in Indian society.
43
2.
RIGID AND BIASED RELIGIOUS LITERATURE
Hindu society accepted Vedas as religion. The Vedas assign
the highest place to the Brahmins and the lowest to the Shudras.
Once the feelings of "low and high" got religious sanction, they
gripped the mind of Hindus who followed everything blindly and
the Brahmanic domination was then deeply rooted in social life.
Even an ignorant and stupid Brahmin was considered to be
worshipable. When a man becomes selfish, his nature changes. The
Brahmins know that their social and religious rules were wrong, yet
for securing their self-interests, they advocated for their defence
and tried to impose themselves upon the entire society. For
satisfying their selfish motives, they did make exploitation as their
business. The Brahamins gave rise to orthodoxy and blind faith,
whenever there was any revolt against their "samaj Vyavastha"
they became careful and modified rules according to the needs of
the people, but keeping in mind their selfish motive. They always
tried to maintain the Brahamanic supremacy even in the midest of
violent changes. They always raised the status of Brahamins from
time to time. For doing so, they did all sorts of mischief and frauds
even befooled the Kings for maintaining their prestige and power.
The Brahamins inserted new fictitious stories and shlokas in the
entire religious literature. After the Vedic age, all religious texts
were written with all kind of
blind beliefs and fictions. The
eighteen Puranus are full of dogmatic beliefs and unbelievable
exaggerations. The Brahamins are responsible for writing such
books. Distorting the true image of mankind, the Brahamins
44
produced the fraudulent texts like Puranas, Smrities and Dharmasutras.12
In Hindu Varna Vyavastha as described in Dharma-Sutras,
the Brahamins always exploited the Shudras in the name of
religious Granthas. The Shudras were declared servants without
paying anything to them. They were kept away from all social,
economic, political and religious facilities and rites. Vedas were
not recited
in their presence as they were considered as
"Untouchables". Shudras were given torn-cloths to bear, the
remants of food to eat and huts to live in. They always led their life
in penury. Even the Hindus incarnation, who were born on earth
with Godly features, always killed the Shudras, The incarnate God,
Ram, who was worshipped by all Shudras, killed the Shudra Rishi
1 ^
like Sambuka.
The temples which were built by the labour and
blood of Shudras, were closed to them. They had no right to enter
the Hindu temples. Even the shadow of a Shudra was pollutable.
The entire Shudra mass of people was driven into all sorts of
hardships under the name of Hindu religion.
On the other hand, the Brahmins, in the name of religion,
considered themselves as equivalent to Devas. By writing fantastic
things, the Brahmins beguiled the entire society and took full
advantage of people's ignorance and poverty. They inserted certain
cunning verses and passages in Vedas, Shastras, Upanishadas,
Ramayana, Mahabharata for protecting their self-interests. For
example, Manu, befooled the people by saying that one gets
salvation (moksha) by serving the Brahmins i.e. to be born in a
45
higher caste in his next birth. The Brahmin is the guru of all four
varnas. To serve Brahmins is the greatest duty and to serve others
is the greatest sin. One gets heaven by giving dana to Brahmins. If
a king takes a Brahmin's property, he shall go to hell
let a
Kshatriya do, whatever a Brahmin wishes to do. If one kills a
kshatriya or a Vaishys, one becomes sacred only by giving a cow to
a Brahmin as a gift.14
According to Devi Bhagwata Purana, one should offer
delicious meals and good cloths to Brahmins. If a man of higher
castes kidnaps the wife of Brahmin, he becomes a Shudra. All sins,
however, are destroyed by village-gifted (grama-dana) and Bhumidana (land-gift) to a Brahmin. If one asks for returning a thing
already offered to a Brahmin, one goes to the hell called,
"Rauraba". In all beings, the man and among human beings, the
Brahmin is superior. By offering a daughter to a Brahmin, one get
birth in 'Chandraloka'. By offering a village to a Brahmin, one
goes to
'Vaikuntha'
(Supreme
Heaven); and
one
reaches
'Chandraloka' if one offers milk and fruit to a Brahmin.15
The Brahmins, thus, did all moral-immoral acts in order to
maintain their prestige and supremacy by introducing numerous
distorted rules in Dharma Shastras and gave religious sanction to
the most inhuman practice of 'Untouchability'.
46
3. PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTOR:
The practice of 'Untouchabilty' continued to remain in
operation for centuries in our country and habitual obedience
developed with the passage of time among the Shudras. They
tolerated it, psychologically in the name of religion. The Shudras
considered themselves as inferior to other castes not only because
of compulsion but also due to psychologically developed inferiority
complex. They were also convinced that it has been ordained by
God that they are inferior to others and human beings have nothing
to do with it. The Shudras were convinced in allowing the practice
of Untouchability in the name of 'Param-Dharma.' that they will
get moksh after their death.
On the other side also, the psychological make-up sawarnas
have also not been prepared to mingle the Shudras among
themselves and to permit them to have equal and fraternity status.
Some sawarnas still have inborn hatred for these people. These
upper caste people think that these lower caste people have no right
to education and self-respect. Dr. Ambedkar, on the psychological
aspect of upper caste pointed-out; "Untouchability is not a short or
temporary feature, it is a permanent one. To put it straight, it can
be said that the struggle between the Hindus and the untouchables
is a permanent phenomenon. It is eternal, because the high caste
people believe that the religion which has placed you at the lowest
level of the society is itself eternal. No change according to time
and circumstances is possible. You are at the lowest rung of ladder
today. You shall remain lowest forever"16
47
4.
LACK
OF
SOCIAL
AWARENESS
AMONG
SCHEDULED CASTES:
Untouchability is a long-standing social evil, the upper caste
people do not allow the dalits to take water from common wells,
pumps, pitchers in schools. There are many shops, particularly in
south India,where the dalits are either refused to be served or
discriminatory treatment is given to them. They are required to use
separate utensils, tumblers or cups. Even Dalits are obstructed to
use common pathway. Dalits are even denied access to education,
cultural life and economic pursuits. This social discrimination
arising out of the practice of untouchability and the age old urge to
subjugate the weakest of the weaker sections of the people make
Dalits vulnerable and victims of atrocities. Untouchability is a
diabolical contrivance to suppress and enslave humanity.
Dr. Ambedkar in his hard-hitting speech on the social causes
of untouchability appealed to the Dalits:
" In order to have a clear understanding of untouchability
and its practice in real life, I want you to recall the stories of the
atrocities perpetuated against you. The instances of beating by
caste Hindus for the simple reason that you have claimed the right
to enroll your children in government schools, or the right to draw
water from a public well or the right to take a marriage procession
with the groom on horseback, are very common. You all know such
instances, as they happen before your eyes. But there are several
48
other causes for
which • atrocities
are
committed
on the
untouchabales by the caste Hindus which, if revealed, surprise
foreigners. "
In his speech Dr. Ambedkar has also cited the cases of
beating of harijans for reasons they used to put on cloths of good
quality or used utensils made of copper or they put on the sacred
thread (A visible symbols worn by High caste Hindus) or they
refused to carry dead animals and eat carrion or bowing down
before caste Hindus. These Harijans have also been beaten when
they walked through the village with shocks and shoes for taking
water in a copper-pot while going out to the fields to case
themselves. Harijans houses were burnt because they had brought
the land under cultivation. Harijans were not allowed to enter in the
village and the weapon of boycott was used by upper caste Hindus
against Harijans. These upper castes Hindus have made the harijans
daily life unbearable.
He further pointed out:
"The problem of Untouchability is a matter of class struggle.
It is a struggle between caste Hindus and the Untouchables. This is
not a matter of doing injustice against one man. This a matter of
injustice being done by one class against another. This struggle is
related to social status. This struggle indicates how one class
should keep its relationship with another class of people. The
struggle starts as soon as you start claiming equal treatment with
others. Had it not been so, there would have been no struggle over
simple reason like serving chapatis, wearing good quality clothes,
49
putting on the scared thread, fetching water in a metal pot, sitting
the bridegroom on the back of a horse etc. In these cases you spend
your own money, why then do the high-caste Hindus get irritated?
The reason for their anger is very simple. Your behaving on par
with them insults them. Your status in their eyes is low, you are
impure you must remain at the lowest rung. Then alone will they
allow you to live happily. The moment you cross your level the
struggle starts. "17
The framers of the Constitution of India through provisions
of the Constitution landed hard on the caste system and abolished
all forms of discrimination once and for all. The Constitution of
India has not recognized the caste disabilities. It provides for
securing political, economic and social justice to all the citizens of
India. It has also given them the liberty of thoughts, expression,
belief, faith and worship. The Constitution has also guaranteed to
all citizens for equality of status and opportunity and it has
recognized the principle of fraternity assuring the dignity of the
Individual. The Constitution of India has laid down for a system
which is based on the principle of social justice. Not only the
Constitution of India has granted equal status to all its citizens but
also the laws enacted after independence have treated all the
persons equally. It has also been essential in a democratic country
to maintain a balance between freedom and justice to meet the
aspirations of dalits. The law-makers think that unity of different
castes of Hindus cannot be brought by "blood and iron" but it is
possible by softer and by the more enduring methods of tolerance
50
and human approach. Unfortunately this approach of law, hitherto,
could not get full sanction of social out-look of the upper caste
Hindus towards dalits. Their social outlook towards dalits is still
same as it has been. The majority of dalits are poor and under utter
poverty as well as they are still illiterate. So they are not fully
aware about their social, legal rights.These illiterate and poor
people smarting from ages under social stigma can not find dignity
in society only through enactments, but the society at large has to
do it for them.
5. UNCLEAN OCCUPATIONS:
The Scheduled Castes have been known for their century old
association with invariably unclean and degrading occupations such
as scavenging, removal of carcasses, night soil, beating the drum at
funeral etc. These impure occupations are still followed by the
majority of the people belonging to Scheduled Castes. These
persons are viewed in the eyes of other Castes Hindus as being
permanently in a state of pollution. Pollution is considered as
contiguous. The orthodox High Caste Hindus deny the Scheduled
Castes access to many areas of social and religious life. These
Dalits may not freely enter temples used by the upper castes, draw
water from the village wells or even live in the center of the
village.
As regards the low status of Scheduled Castes on the basis of
occupation, there are various theories . According to some, it was
the impure occupations pursued by some of the Scheduled Castes
which made the caste Hindus treat them as untouchables. And
51
according to others, it was because of their low status they were
allowed to have
only such occupations which the caste Hindus
would not accept.
Von Filerer-Haimendorf,
an anthropologist believes that
untouchability is the result of an unclean and ritually impure
occupation. According to him,
" The poorer classes...are likely
to live in squalor such as is seldom found in rural environment,
where their occupation, such as the dressing and tanning of hides,
added to the unhygienic conditions of their quarters, the upper
classes may well have felt a certain revulsion to close physical
contact and this may have resulted in the banishment of the people
of such 'Unclean' occupations to the outskirts of the settlements. In
a society where personal cleanliness is largely identified with
ritual purity and the idea of pollution is an highly developed as
among the dominant Hindu castes, the 'Unclean' occupations of
certain menial classes would obviously have excluded them from
the participation in many ritual activities. They and their work
would have seemed not only repugnant , but fraught with the
danger of pollution and they themselves may gradually have been
treated as Untouchables
"19
Although 'Untouchability' stands abolished under Article 17
of the Constitution and every citizen of India irrespective of caste
is free to carry on any occupation, trade or business and the
Untouchability still shows itself in some form or other, more
particularly in rural areas. Where these Scheduled Caste members
52
deny to perform traditional caste service, they are subjected to
atrocities by other Caste Hindus.
6. ILLITERACY:
Indian social structure is such that the dalits have always
been the target of exploitation and subjugation because of their
illiteracy, poverty, superstition and ignorance. According to a
Sanskrit proverb
"Vidya bihin pashu" meaning that without
education, a man is just like an animal. Education widens the mind
and encourages an exploration of ideas and action. It is related to
the social structure that it endorses or wishes to change. Because of
the illiteracy the down-trodden people belonging to Scheduled
Castes use to pass their lives in the filthy position. They have no
right to hear even a word of Veda. On the importance of education
for removing the caste struggle, Justice Chinnappa Raddy of
Supreme Court in K.C. Vasantha Kumar v State of Karnataka
observed; " the real conflict is between the class of the people who
have never been in or who have already moved out of the desert of
poverty, illiteracy and backwardness are entrenched in the oasis of
convenient living and those who are still in the desert and want to
reach the oasis. There is not enough fruits in the garden and so
those who are in, want to keep out those who are not. "
The benefits of education has not been availed by the large
population belonging to schedules castes. Masses of Harijans,
living in rural areas, are still ignorant and illiterate. By and large
they are unable to avail the fruits of reservation in education
specially meant for them. They do not even send their children to
5.1
the schools and colleges for. education which is not only the key to
open the minds of Dalits but also a means for securing the
employment. Due to illiteracy they are normally subjected to
Untouchability.
7. E C O N O M I C CAUSES:
Poverty and penury made the dalits as dependants and
became vulnerable to oppression. The lack of resources made them
to economic and social-boycott. This was due to the system of
Untoucability which has been gold-mine to Hindus. According to
Dr. Ambadkar,
"Untouchability was not only a system of
unmitigated economic exploitation. But it was also a system of
uncontrolled economic exploitation. This was because there was no
independent public opinion to condemn it and there was no
impartial machinery of administration to restrain it. " He was also
of the view that in swaraj the untouchables would get no privileges
but the perpetuation of slavery.
Even today the slightest attempt of the dalits to assert
equality or its perceived exercise receives the ire of the dominant
sections of the society and the dalits become the object of atrocities
and oppression. The upper caste Hindus look-upon them with
hatred and jealousy. In rural areas where the vacant land, allotted
by government to the members of scheduled caste, has caused
discontentment among many caste Hindus which leads to clashes
between dalits and other caste Hindus. Dalits are not allowed to
take possession. Whenever they have got possession of the land
with the state help, they are either evicted from the land or their
54
• /
• • .
*
\ c c . •"-
.. '
-•
y
...'
crops are forcibly ^harvested oivs'tanding crops are damaged by the
higher caste Hindus the'dalits are not permitted to irrigate their
field from the common well, tube-wells or canals.
The exploitation by non-scheduled castes/ scheduled Tribes
by their employers is very common. These persons either do not
pay the minimum wages or forces the dalits to remain bondedlabour. Business rivalry is also common in rural areas. It has been
the general experience that atrocities on the dalits are generally
committed by the caste Hindus, who have vested economic
interests and this tendency is getting accentuated by the measures
taken by the government to confer economic benefits on the
Scheduled Caste. The situation is further is aggravated by the fact
that the Scheduled Caste are now demanding economic and social
equality with the higher and middle castes.
Their abject poverty and dependence on the upper classes in
rural Indian for livelihood, thus, stands a constant constraint to
exercise their rights social, legal or Constitutional, though
guaranteed. Dalits have neither money, capacity, influence nor
means to vindicate their rights except occasional collective actions
which are defeated or flittered away by pressures through diverse
forms. Consequently most of the Dalits are continuing to languish
under the yoke of the practice of Untouchability.
8. POLITICAL CAUSES
In modern India, Our Constitution has extended full legal and
civic equality to scheduled castes. The Universal Adult-franchise
and common electoral roll for the constituency and eligibility of all
55
citizens for inclusion in it. are designed to insure political justice
and equality. The guarantee of one man one vote, nondiscrimination on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place
of birth and provision for representation in proportion of their
population on the basis of reservation of seats in the Lok Sabha,
State Legislatures, village Puchayats, Municipalities and other
civic local bodies are intended to make the members of the
Scheduled Castes and Untouchables equal citizens of the Republic.
Unfortunately, even today, political rivalry is very common
in our society. There are so many complaints that the members of
Scheduled castes are not allowed to contest elections particularly in
villages and they are harassed. The Scheduled Castes persons are
normally compelled either not to caste their votes or to cast votes
for candidates or party to whom the upper Hindu Caste people
desire to caste vote. Sometime it also happens that their votes are
cast by other castes persons. Whereby they are deprived from their
franchise rights. Whenever the dalits get elected on the reserved
seats. They are subjected to atrocities because of their being of low
castes. Recently 60 year-old. Prabhpati Ram, the Sarpanch of Dayal
Ka Nagal, in Neam ka Thana Tehsil in the Rajasthan, his wife and
son were beaten up by the dominant Jat community on the evening
of July 28, 2001 on the main grouse that he is non-Jato$4Harijan
"Jats had also obstructed him while doing the Panchayat work.23
The very famous incident of Varanasi, where the statue of Swami
Sampurnanand which was unveiled by then Dy. Prime Minister of
India, Shri Jagjevan Ram in February 1978, was believed to have
56
been defiled and later on purified ceremoniously with water
brought from Ganga with all religious fervour. In another incident
at a dinner which was hosted by the speaker of the Rajasthan
Legislative
Assembly in honour of then Chief Minister Shri
Jagannath Pharia, the wife of the speaker trembled to serve food
to the Chief Minister thinking to have polluted.24 Justice Shri
Sabhagmal Jain, while addressing a joint meeting of the Sanyukta
Sanstha Manch pleaded for the abolition of reservation for SC/ST
in Lok Sabha and State Legislatures on the ground that it is the
denial of the right of equality.
There are various cases of like
nature where the members of Scheduled Castes were subjected to
discrimination in political arena. Identity of communities on any
basis in political arena thus gives rise to a sense of separateness,
which in course of time tends to create a chasm, which is very
difficult to bridge.
9.
OTHER CAUSES
There are various other causes on the basis of which
untouchability and atrocities are committed against the members of
Scheduled Castes, namely :
(i)
RESERVATION, RELAXATION AND CONCESSIONS
IN FAVOUR OF SC:
Reservation in favour of Scheduled castes in different
bodies and many relaxations in jobs in their favour as well as
certain concessions given to Scheduled Castes by Government
often led to protests and agitations because of selection, in public
employment, of less qualified and less experienced candidates and
57
rejection of better candidates. The policy of reservation has created
a wide gap among various castes of Hindus instead to bridge it up.
(ii)DEMOLITION /FORCIBLE OCCUPATION OF HOUSES/
SHOPS OF S.C.
For the welfare of Scheduled castes, houses and colonies are
built by the Government under Indra Avas Yogna on the vacant
land or on the lands acquired from the persons belonging to other
Castes. There are often complaints that the members of Scheduled
castes are not allowed to take possession of the houses allotted to
them. If they are able to get possession they are forcibly evicted
from the houses by other caste Hindus and their houses are also
demolished by other Caste Hindus.
(ii)
CHARGES OF THEFT/LOOTING/DOCOITY
Dalits are, by and large, are poor and downtrodden. The
general outlook of the society is that crimes are mainly committed
by poor and downtrodden. Whenever any theft / looting or dacoity
was committed, these upper caste people [^that the offences was
committed by dalits. They falsely implicate dalits in criminal
offences.
(iv) MISUSING OFFICIAL POSITION FOR HARASSING SC
PERSONS:
In government services, majority of persons are from the
upper castes Hindus. On account of caste biasedness and apathy
they misuse their official position discriminating against the dalits
and harass them. Various complaints have been lodged before
National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
58
about the harassment of the- members of Scheduled Castes even by
the police who are the protectors of law.
(v) ILLICIT RELATIONS BETWEEN MEMBERS OF SC AND
NON-SCs
One astonishing feature of the Hindu society in respect of
untouchability is that the persons of Upper Caste Hindus have been
co-habiting with the women of Scheduled castes. But where maleScheduled caste had such relation with the women of upper caste
Hindus then the whole caste of dalits is harassed by upper Caste
Hindus. Even for teasing the women of upper caste by Scheduled
Caste person, the dalits are subjected to inhuman treatment.
(vi) DISPUTES OVER DRAINAGE AND OTHER PROBLEMS:
The Constitution of India has given a fundamental right to
every citizen of India irrespective of caste, creed, religion to carry
on any profession, trade and business. But the society still consider '
that the cleaning of road and drainage is the work of Scheduled
castes. Whenever the members of Scheduled Castes deny to do
these menial work, they are either compelled to do these works or
subjected to atrocities by other upper caste Hindus.
Untouchability is, thus, the result of multifarious factors like
religious, social^ political, economic and psychological. Dalits are,
nowadays, not only subjected to untouchability
. but they are
also subjected to various types of atrocities because of these factors
But the genesis of these factors lies in the Caste system which is
the key-stone of untouchability.
59
1. Ghurye,G.S.
. References
Caste and Race in India
(Bombay,
Popular
Prakashan 1990) p.50
2. Cr. L.R. (SC) 1993 p.76
3. Khan, Shoab, Reservation Policy : Social Justice, ( A thesis for
Ph.D. submitted to A.M.U. Aligarh) p. 17
4. Nagendra. S.P.Tb wards the Sociology of Culture 0968) p.262
5. Ahuja, Ram Indian Social System (Jaipur & Delhi Rawat
Publication Ed. I 1994) ps.249,251
6. Ibid,P-252
7. NesfieldJ?nef view of the Caste system of the
North-western
Provinces and Oudh (1885) p.88
8. IbicLps 171-172
9. Ahuja, Ram. op.cit ps 262-63
10.
Ibid ps.265-266
11.
Cr.L.R. (SC) 1993 p.77
12.
Sagar, Sunder Lai. Hindu Culture and Caste system in India
(Delhi, uppal Book store, 1995)ps.120-121
13.
Ibid, p.87
14.
Ibid.pM9
15.
Ibid, p.120
16.
Cr.L.R. (SC) 1993 p.77
17.
Ibid, p.76
M-A Ibid p.ll
60
18.
Singh,Gurubax. Commentary on the Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989
(Jaipur,
-Daminion Law Depot Ed-I, 1991) p.20
19.
Ibid, p.\04
20.
Venugopal, P. Social Justice And Reservation (Emerald
Publishers 1998) p.31
21.
Prakesh, Prem. Ambedkar, Politics and Scheduled Castes
(New Delhi, Ashish Publishing House 1993) p. 122
22.
Cr.L.R. (SC) 1993 p.79
23.
Hindustan Times, Edition Jaipur. August 8,2001
24.
Cr.L.R. (SC) 1993 p.79
25. Hindustan Times, Edition- Jaipur.July 18, 2001
61