By Ahmad Adil
NEW DELHI (AA) - Earlier this month, when a nine-year-old boy from a lower-caste Dalit community in India's Rajasthan state died after he was beaten by his teacher allegedly for drinking water from a pot meant for upper caste teachers, it brought to the fore the conditions of the Dalits in the country.
India's caste system divides Hindus into four main categories -- Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. Outside this are the Dalits, or the untouchables.
Over the years, there has been a rise in cases registered by the authorities of anti-Dalit crimes in the country, say experts and activists.
According to official data, 50,291 cases were registered in 2020 of crimes committed against Scheduled Castes, essentially the lowest in the Hindu caste hierarchy, an increase of over 9% from those registered in 2019.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Prof. Vivek Kumar, a sociologist associated with the Centre for the Study of Social Systems at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, said there is a need for the implementation of laws in both letter and spirit.
"The atrocities (committed) against Dalits are an age-old problem and they have become more visible now because it is the visibility through a lot of media attention," Kumar said, adding there is a consciousness among the Dalits that they "are not there to take things lying down."
He said there is a need to see whether there is a proper implementation of existing laws.
"The biggest problem is that right now, culprits don't get the required punishment in letter and spirit and they don't feel afraid of the law of the land," he said.
"We have to think over that how effective the law is implemented and how the culprit is brought to book as soon as possible because justice delayed is justice denied."
- Political representation
Raam Singh, a New Delhi-based anti-caste and disability rights activist, told Anadolu Agency that he faced discrimination during an interview by an upper caste professor.
"If you are a Dalit, it (discrimination) is bound to happen," he said. "We have seen it."
He said the situation for Dalit people who were exploited earlier continues to be the same.
"I don't think the situation has changed for Dalits in the country. It is more or less the same," he said. "The exploitation of Dalits continues even after 75 years of (India’s) independence."
India celebrated its 75th independence anniversary this month.
"It is the government database which reveals the present picture of Dalits in the country. There are killings and rapes and there are cases of untouchability still being reported even today," he said.
Singh said Dalits are not getting sufficient opportunities, and to bring changes on the ground, more political representation is needed.
"There needs to be more representation of Dalits in every field. I think once there are more opportunities and representation, things would start improving. Also, political representation is very important, which would help bring some changes on the ground," he said.
Prof. Kumar echoed Singh's views.
"Dalits themselves have to hold political power. If power comes to them, that will make a difference," he said. "There has to be an effective political representation where Dalits can make a difference in decision-making power."
- Reformation of law
Krishna Swamy Dara, a political scientist and assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at New Delhi-based Jamia Millia Islamia university, believes the "legal system" is fundamentally in the "hands of casteists."
"A radical reformation of the law and giving teeth to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes Commission and the appointment of the officers in the commission should be scrutinized by the public immediately," he said.
Last month, the Indian Home Ministry in reply to a question on incidents of atrocities and attacks on Dalits in the country said the "responsibilities of maintaining law and order and protection of life and property of the citizens, including SCs, rest with the respective state governments."
The ministry has "been issuing advisories to states and union territories from time to time for effective implementation of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and rules," it said.