Author – Kapilendra Das

Architect of the constitution of India Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: quotes “Freedom of mind is the real freedom. A person whose mind is not free though he may not be in chains is a slave, not a free man. One whose mind is not free, though he may not be in prison, is a prisoner and not a free man. One whose mind is not free though alive is no better than dead. Freedom of mind is proof of one’s existence”

The most important value for people in the world is “Freedom”. “Freedom” is multi-facets of value. Freedom means being unrestricted having no fear of the future.

72 years back India gained its freedom from British Rule and thereafter became a free and secular nation.

The constitution of India proclaims in its preamble the cardinal objectives which are to be “ Secured by the state for all its citizens” These are : Justice, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.

But after 72 years of independence of India, a significant portion of people though born free are living in fears and tears. They are still under siege and in complete subjection.

It may tempt one to ask and may confront the questions: Where? Who? Why? How?

Around 80% of people belong to SC/ST and OBC are living in the countryside and they are indeed the labouring classes, on whose strength, sweat and toil this free nation survives but they are put on the fringes of the Indian society. They are socially, economically and educationally backwards, deprived and poor only because of the caste system, a unique feature of Indian life. But a truly free, educated and literate country like India can never go socially, economically backwards. In the post Independence era it was Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar who enshrined certain principles in the constitution of India for the protection, safeguards and improvement of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, other Backward classes, Minority and women They are the underprivileged sections of Indian society and the state of becoming better is not so up to the mark till today.

Literally India may be free but it is a developing country and after 72 years of Independence India continues to face different sorts of evils, violence, intolerance and problems. At this time India is facing the problems of farmer’s suicide, child labour, poverty, corruption, unemployment, education, sanitation, drinking water, dowry, power and electricity, health care industry, Kashmir Problems, Naxal Problems, Political Problems, media, crimes and thefts, rape and murder, Terrorism, communism and above all casteism. The only casteism is a deep-rooted problem which is cancer in Indian society especially in rural areas. When we will get freedom from all these then our country will be a truly free country.

Though India has a rich and cultural legacy to be proud India has been plagued by casteism especially in rural areas which persist till today. Both casteism and capitalism are enemies of Dalits and untouchables and only Hinduism is the reason for casteism. That is the very reason Babasaheb B.R. Ambedkar embraced Buddhism in which there is no space for the caste system or caste-based discrimination. From time to time some social thinkers/reformers/mahatma have come into existence and have tried to eradicate casteism. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar also extensively campaigned against social discrimination of untouchables. But untouchables have remained untouchable till today. Untouchability is a crime against humanity. It is deeply embedded in the mind of the upper-caste Hindu. Untouchability is an integral part of Hinduism. Thereby it still exists in Indian society in pernicious form.

With a view to removing social disabilities, discriminations against Scheduled Caste and for their substantial improvement & protection the constitution of India provides and prescribes Social, Economics, Political, Service, Education, and Cultural safeguards under Articles 15, 16, 17, 23, 25, 46, 243, 330, 332, 338, 340 & 341  and major social enactments- the protection of civil rights Act, 1955 and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocity Act) 1989, Rules and Amendments thereof.

Despite the above constitutional, administrative and legal Provisions for the protection and development of Scheduled Caste, they are still suffering from social, economical and educational deprivation and discrimination. They are yet to experience freedom in real sense.

The caste system clearly violates the core principles of liberty, equality and fraternity. The rights of Dalits, women, minorities  ST and OBC are violated within the caste system. Caste in modern India is neither dead nor dormant. It has not disappeared with the dawn of independence but holding a pivotal place in Indian society thereby an invisible war among the people became its permanent order. But Dr. B.R. Ambedkar wanted an egalitarian society. The purpose of preamble is to constitute “ a new society in India based on Justice, liberty and equality.”

India is a home of villages and largely a rural country, where more than 90% untouchables are living and still subjected to a lot of oppression in the name of the caste system and grievously discriminated against in everyday life. They are forced to perform the most menial and degrading jobs.

Though the practice of untouchability and social discrimination is a basic violation of civil rights in rural area the modern form of untouchability is – Dalits are denied access to public water bodies (Wells, water tab, tank) to entry temple and non-dalits houses, tea stall, community baths, barber services, cremation and burial grounds, public places, not allowed to wear shoes, separate seating in panchayats, separate seating in schools, ban on festival and marriage procession on roads, not allowed to vote, discriminatory treatment in the health centre and police station, parade naked, foul their drinking water and so on. They are routinely abused at the hand of police. The upper-caste Hindu freely trample on them without any reason. Hence the Dalits remain as the victims of repression and institutionalized maltreatment and treated as second class citizens in India.

Dalit women bear the brunt of exploitation, discrimination and physical attacks and are facing the burden of caste and have been forced to prostitute for police, village priest, landlord and upper-caste men. They are raped and murdered. Even upper-caste women do not spare Dalit women. When in the Bhanwari Devi Case (1995),  the Hon’ble court ruled that “Upper caste man could not have raped a lower caste woman” and acquitted the accused, it was the upper-caste women who had taken out celebratory processions shame on such “Hon’ble Judge”. (Forward press February 2013 page 15 to 16)

According to the report of the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights, National Crime Records Bureau and the Human Right Defenders in India every day 4 Dalit women are raped, 27 atrocities against Dalits, 2 Dalits houses are burnt, 11 Dalits are beaten, in every 18 minutes a crime committed against a Dalit, in every week 10 Dalits are murdered and 6 Dalits are kidnapped. Many crimes go unreported. Caste related violence has been occurring in India in various forms:- discriminatory and cruel, inhuman degrading treatment, practice and threat of social ostracism, economic boycott etc.

The Constitutional provisions and the statutes have failed to protect the untouchables. On a paper the plethora of laws are there but do not work in the ground because there is a clear lack of will on the part of law enforcement officers.

It is really shocking to note that even after 72 years of Independence casteism and untouchability, a serious blot on humanity persists in India. It remains a great thorn and mystery in the soil of India. Nothing can emancipate the casteism except the destruction of caste system, therefore, Justice Ashok Bhan and Justice Markendey Katju voiced their concerns thus “ the caste system is a curse on the nation and sooner it is destroyed the better”.

Though the deep concern of the framers of the constitution of India for the uplift of the SC/ST/OBC is reflected elaborately in the constitution and they are free from the British rule but they are not free from the clutches and shackles of governance, Economic, Education and casteism. They are yet to experience freedom in a real sense and freedom still to be won.

Today Babasaheb Ambedkar is not with us but in his free India Socio and economic differences have increased manifold. So the thoughts of establishing an egalitarian society based on equality appear like a dream. Along with political campaign, Babasaheb Ambedkar launched a struggle for spiritual enlightenment. He told Dalits that they would remain untouchable as long as they remain within the Hindu fold. They had to renounce Hinduism as it was the root cause of inequality and untouchability.

Even so, the Dalit community can still light a candle of hope by remembering one of Dr. Ambedkar’s statement  “ For ours is a battle not for wealth or power. It is a battle for freedom. It is a battle for the reclamation of human personality and dignity”.

Ambedkar’s concept of social justice stands for the liberty, equality and fraternity of all human beings. It was the only person Ambedkar who fought for the freedom of all Indians. He wanted every single Indian to be free.

Terming Ambedkar as “Mohapurus” (a great man) once Prime Minister – Narendra Modi said “I have seen poverty. I have lived with it and there is a lot to be done for the uplift of the downtrodden of the society to whose betterment Babasaheb Ambedkar was committed. If  Ambedkar had not been there, where this Modi would be.”

Despite legal constitutional provisions as well as affirmative action schemes at the threshold of 21 centaury atrocities against scheduled castes and scheduled tribes are prevailing in India society and Dalits sense hostility and become hostile.

Though India is Independent and democratic country its society is caste-ridden. The caste system, social evil is filled with inequality and injustice thereby democracy has become a mockery owing to this evil.

After 72 years of Independence of India Dalits are the most underprivileged, exploited and tortured and a tolerant section of the society and easiest marker of poverty. Therefore to-day a Dalit can say- “ We are still Dalits (means crushed), still untouchables, still suppressed, still have no human rights, still not free and still have no freedom but we are the ILL-FATED (the untouchables) living in fears and tears.”

Does not casteism bring shame on India, an independent country?

Not only the scheduled caste but also the scheduled tribes and the other backward classes making up 74% of the population of India are exploited, deprived, abused and victimized in a myriad of ways. In fact, they are living and leading a fearful life. They are Independent but voiceless. So a storm of protest is brewing among India’s most downtrodden community.  Though they have right, it is the right to work for the comfort of their masters in the upper caste. They all bow down before their oppressors and can not raise voice and revolt against them. The quote a phrase of Earl Bertrand Russell “The outcaste in India could revolt against their oppressors only when the sheep could revolt against the shepherd”.

Life is a big canvas encompassing liberty, fraternity, fearlessness, freedom, etc which are embedded social equality.

Where there is fear, there is obviously no freedom and the freedom of India does not spread its wings to the lower strata of Indian society.

When 24 x 7 there is a fear, there is a threat and there is intolerance in the mind of people specially belong to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other weaker and disadvantaged groups of Indian society, so where is the freedom?

Let’s be a witness to know how far these movements continue to get the justice, equality and freedom for Dalit.

Author – Kapilendra Das, Social Activist (daskapilendra2012@gmail.com)