Kerala boasted of a development model. The false claim of development was busted by the massive floods that wrecked the state infrastructure and left many, particularly Dalits and Adivasis, homeless and deprived. Kerala opened its castiest fangs once against against the Dalits. Many horror stories of discrimination are coming out which can shame the humanity and so-called left movement in Kerala.

Though the disasters hit everybody equally, it does not affect them equally. It affects the poor who are in many cases Dalits and Tribals more than the rich and well to do classes. It started from this position of vulnerability of the Dalits/Adivasis. For examples, the houses of the Dalits are not pucca houses and in comparison with the houses of the non-Dalits, they often have thatched and with temporary roofs. That is the reason why when the flood came, the worst affected were the Dalits and Tribals.

When the people from all different castes shifted in various government shelters, relief camps, schools, churches, and other public places, upon their arrival, they were segregated into castes. The Dalits were treated unfairly in the accommodation and they are/were allotted inferior places. They were penned in the small rooms, but the caste Hindus got enough place to spread their bodies.

When it came to serving food, the best food was served to the non-Dalits while Dalits were given inferior food. Similar things happened in the distribution of clothes: the old for the Dalits and the new ones for the non-Dalits!!

In all the relief camps, the casteist slurs and abuses are hurled on the people from the Dalit background. Now that the schools must be started, the Dalits have nowhere to go causing human crisis among them.

Author – Mangesh Dahiwale, Human Rights Activist

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