Can 'upper caste' Hindus ever accept Dalits as equal humans?

25 September, 2012

Now we have got used to reading our morning newspapers with headlines that a Dalit girl has been gang-raped or a Dalit farmer has been shot dead for failing to repay loans. They have unfortunately become worse than second class citizens in our country that boasts of 'sanskriti and parampara'.

DALITS ARE treated worse than animals in most parts of the eastern Uttar Pradesh and some parts of Bihar. They are murdered, brutally beaten by the police/ local Thakurs, the ladies are dragged out of their homes, stripped and raped in the presence of the children.

But why this injustice with this poor class? Is it because they are born in poor Dalit families for no fault of theirs. Who made these castes? Yes, it’s only we the higher class - the custodians of the society with plenty of wealth and lately our politicians have also joined the chorus.

At times, they are tied to a tree for days together without any food and water and their fault – they failed to repay a small loan. It can't get worse than this. Once five members of a Dalit family were shot dead allegedly by the members of the same community over a land dispute at Aminabad village in Etawah district, UP.

The Dalits never dare to go the police station in the first place and even if they muster the courage to do so, their complaint, on one or the other pretext is never registered. The policemen – custodian of our law and order would consider to register a complaint only if the poor Dalit pays a bribe.