NEW DELHE: Untouchablility forbidden by law is still practiced in different forms in the country, says a Govt report tabled in Parliament in the second week of August.

A majority of the scheduled castes, particularly in rural areas, suffer from Untouchablility or social discrimination based on caste System, according to the report prepared by the Welfare Ministry.

Inspite of great changes in the history of India, caste has remained an important factor in deciding the destiny of every Hindu in our country, says the report, prepared to meet a mandatory requirement listing steps taken by the states under the Protection of Civil Rights Act in 1986.

Even now, in rural areas, the scheduled castes are not allowed to draw under the common well not served tea in tea shops, not allowed to pass through caste Hindu localities wearing chappals, prohibited to ride horses during their marriages, to quote a few examples, it says,

Caste Conflict

The report says a breach of any ‘of the customs dictated by the caste Hindus leads to caste conflict.

In urban areas, Untouchablility is not practiced that openly. It is most. Covert in its form.

Although we have got the freedom to manage our affairs, yet the light of liberty is yet to reach the dark and the dingy comers where a sizeable population of the country is serving, Welfare Minister Rajendra Kumari Bajpai says in a foreword to the report.

The report says for proper implementation of the Protection of Civil Rights Act in the country, the Centre is coordinating the various steps taken by the states by providing matching grant for strengthening the administrative machinery to eradicate untouchability.

Law no use

 It says in view of the fact that the enactment of laws alone will not bring about the desired results without ameliorating the socioeconomic condition of the scheduled castes a new strategy for their economic development has ‘been evolved.

The strategy consists of three components: Formulation of special component plans for the scheduled castes by the states and the central ministries, special central assistance and setting up of scheduled caste development corporations in the states.

The special central assistance allocation for the Seventh Plan was Rs. 930 crore.

So far, 18 states and three union territories have set up scheduled castes development corporations to act as catalysts between the poor entrepreneurs and financial bodies for their economic development.

Inhuman practices

Guidelines have also been issued by the Centre to the states: detailing a package of precautionary, preventive and punitive measures for dealing effectively with cases of crime and untouchability against the scheduled castes.

The report says the inhuman practice of removing night soil and filth by scavengers is greatly responsible for perpetuating untouchability.

The members of the scheduled castes engaged in this unclean operation have customarily been assigned the lowest position in the caste hierachy in the country.

Since 198091 the liberation of scavengers has been taken up as a centrally sponsored scheme and states have been asked to prohibit the construction of new latrines requiring carriage of human waste manually.

 

Article extracted from this publication >>  October 13, 1989