Although articles 14, 15, and 17 of the constitution prevent discrimination based on caste and the concept of untouchability, caste discrimination is practiced in many parts of India, especially in rural areas. The people “considered” to be of lower caste are assaulted, abused, murdered, or even raped.
The year 2022 is said to be modern, but can we consider it modern? Let us look at some examples which depict people’s mentality in 2022:
• Tank Cleaned with Cow Urine in Karnataka After Dalit Woman Drinks Water.
• Rajasthan Dalit Man Beaten for Drinking Water from Pot for Upper Castes.
• Man kills daughter for marrying a boy from another caste.
• Caste Hindu women block entry of SC/ST people in the temple. • Tenkasi shopkeeper held for refusing to sell eatables to Dalit children. • Uttar Pradesh: Dalit teen thrashed by teacher for misspelling word dies 19 days (about two and a half weeks) later.
These examples show how people are still blinded by casteism and are majorly lacking in humanity. This does not sound right, does it? We need to have some better measures to make sure nobody will face discrimination problems. So now let us try to understand more about caste discrimination, its causes, and the workable solutions to bring this discrimination to zero.
What is caste discrimination?
Caste discrimination, in brief, is where society is divided into separate groups, with those with more power at the top and those with little or no power at the bottom who end up suffering physically and emotionally. It involves the violation of the most fundamental rights of people. This is unfair and menial. The leading causes of caste-based discrimination include illiteracy, religious superstitions, and a lack of empathy among people.
Measures to reduce caste discrimination
• EDUCATING THE YOUTH:
It is rightly said, “The future is in the hands of today’s youth.” The youth must be sensitive about this topic. They must be given enough information and show the reality of caste discrimination in society. The youth must know how people considered lower castes are treated. They must be given examples of people’s problems to ingrain empathy. This will ensure a better society in the future.
• AWARENESS IN THE RURAL AREAS:
Caste-based discrimination is widely prevalent in urban and rural areas, but its effects are very hazardous in the rural areas where people are killed, or their houses are set on fire. So, it is crucial to make the people of the rural regions aware that humans are humans irrespective of caste and that everybody has the same emotions and potential to achieve great heights. The laws related to untouchability must be made aware to the people considered lower caste, and strict action must be taken in such cases. People must be mindful of the power they have in hand and must be encouraged to raise their voices in case of any kind of
discrimination.
• SURVEYS IN PLACES WHICH ARE KNOWN FOR PRACTICING CASTE-BASED DISCRIMINATION:
Frequent surveys must be conducted in places known to have a frequent practice of caste-based discrimination. Strict action must be taken in case of any form of discrimination being practiced.
Every human deserves to be treated equally; discrimination is not forgivable. Everyone must make sure nobody around us faces any kind of discrimination, and we must ensure that if anyone faces such discrimination, proper steps are taken to handle the situation. However, it must also be taken care that the measures taken to reduce prejudice are not being misused by the people so that the actions maintain their meaning.
Conclusion:
As each one of us might know, discrimination does no good. “Be the change, bring the change” was something I learned from school, and it is something we must implement in our lives. So, to expect a change in society, we need to bring the change in ourselves. Although we have come a long way in reducing caste discrimination by implementing many laws, it persists in our society. “The very moment we start distinguishing a jay from a sparrow, from that same movement, we become deaf and cannot hear their melodious voice. The same is with humans; if we start looking for differences between each other just to prove our worth, at that very moment, we lose out a sense of embracing the joys of life.”
Written by: Prajwal Nayak
Image Source: Google
NSS IIT Bombay 