Editorial: Republic of Raging Inequalities

As India celebrates completion of 75 years of independence with pomp and fervour, a hard look at the social realities on the ground reveals a gloomy picture; a scenario that is nothing to be proud of. For a vast majority of people, there is still no freedom from discrimination, inequality, exploitation, and atrocities. The Independence […]

As India celebrates completion of 75 years of independence with pomp and fervour, a hard look at the social realities on the ground reveals a gloomy picture; a scenario that is nothing to be proud of. For a vast majority of people, there is still no freedom from discrimination, inequality, exploitation, and atrocities. The Independence Day festivities, often mixed with jingoistic overtones and boastful claims, sound hollow in the face of widening social gulf and growing atrocities against Dalits and other underprivileged sections of society. At a time when India has lined up a string of celebratory events to mark a key milestone in its journey as an independent nation, the shameful incidents of violence against Dailts come as a grim reminder of the deep-rooted social scourge that refuses to go away. The haunting images of a nine-year-old dalit boy being beaten to death by his teacher recently for drinking water from a pot in a private school in Rajasthan prick the nation’s conscience and make one wonder whether true freedom still eludes most of the citizens. What does freedom mean for the Dalit boy who had to pay with his life for seeking to quench his thirst? What does freedom mean for scores of Dalit families in villages across the country who are not allowed to draw water from wells meant for upper castes? No doubt, several laws have been made in the country to prevent atrocities against Dalits, but laws are not magic wands that can simply eliminate social evils. The change must come from within society.

We need to look beyond the laws and identify key social practices across the country that still segregate Dalits—whether in schools, homes, or workplaces — and run communication campaigns involving students and teachers and social activists to bring about the desired change. New sets of actions are needed by citizens, civil society, and governments to advance the socio-economic empowerment of the Dalits. Though economic liberalisation has thrown up new possibilities for economic empowerment of Dalits, it does not automatically translate into social acceptance as rigid social structures continue to stifle their growth. On the one hand, the rural distress directly impacts the livelihood of the Dalits while on the other hand, in areas where there is mobility, there are signs of a violent social backlash against Dalit mobility. Inequality in both income and wealth has increased in recent years, despite a surfeit of welfare models being experimented across the country. There is a growing sense of alienation among the Dalits and other weaker sections because of the continued instances of attacks and discrimination against them. According to the data collected by the Centre for Dalit Studies, as many as 17,835 Dalits were murdered and 85,219 were injured in attacks by the upper castes between 1994 and 2020.

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