Indra Meghwal, 9 Years Old

What makes Dalits vulnerable is the lack of sustainable land ownership, with no control over livelihood or common resources and lack of employment opportunities

Ashok BhartiNACDAOR Chairman

As per data compiled by this writer for the National Confederation of Dalit and Adivasi Organisations, based on figures from the annual reports of the NCRB from 1991 to 2020, more than 7 lakh atrocities on Dalits, including 38,000 rapes of Dalit women, have taken place in the last two decades. More than five atrocities per hour have taken place against Dalits in the last five years. It is, therefore, timely to ask if law enforcement is working as it should.

It has been widely reported that the state governments do not implement the Atrocities Act seriously. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in a report published in 2004 — authored by former Secretary to the Government of India K B Saxena — mentioned that many states such as Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, etc. did not constitute special courts as provided in the law. None of the states, except Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, identified the untouchability-prone areas. As happened in the case of Indra Meghwal, denying the registration of FIR on caste-based atrocities is normal across the country, forcing Dalits to mobilise in order to get the atrocities registered. This mobilisation for justice is often seen as a “challenge” to the traditional dominance of upper castes in police, judicial, and institutional structures, including the media.

What makes Dalits vulnerable is the lack of sustainable land ownership, with no control over livelihood or common resources and lack of employment opportunities. But their migration to cities — for education and livelihood — has given them exposure to spaces that are free from traditional caste norms. Educational advancement, an awareness of the law, a strong notion of justice and the constitutional system empowered Dalits. This empowerment, where Dalits claim justice and equal dignity, is manifested in acts such as riding horses in marriage processions, growing and maintaining moustaches, and seeking a just space in cultural and political areas.

These “non-traditional” postures or behaviour by Dalits form the silver lining in the dark cloud of inequality and deserve support. But institutions in India, government or non-governmental, political parties or organisations, religious organisations and their heads, are conspicuously silent on violence against Dalits. This silence is deeply entrenched in societal divides. Unless this divide is bridged, the realisation of an open, vibrant, and democratic society will be a mirage and Dalits’ sense of freedom will be a lie.

The writer is the chairman, National Confederation of Dalit and Adivasi Organisations (NACDAOR)