DALITS
VIOLENCE AND STRUGGLES FOR RIGHTS
Keywords:
Dalits, Rights, ReligionAbstract
Dalits are a people broken, exploited and forgotten. There are around 200 million Dalits who are formerly known as the Untouchables or the Outcastes in India. The origin of the status of Dalit goes back to the more obscure pages of history. The Dalits are believed to be the ancient Dravidian race, the original people of the Indian subcontinent. The degradation of the Dalits is probably a product of the Aryan invasion, with the dominant Aryans reserving the higher status for themselves and relegating the darker skinned, native inhabitants to lower and untouchable status. History is witness to the violence and the violent encroachments on human dignity and human rights of the Dalits. This article looks at the violence and oppression on Dalits, the assertion of Dalits for their human rights, their rights on religion, politics and education to bring about the reality of freedom, justice and peace paving the way for a dignified life.
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