Untouchability

Untouchability is the practise of discrimination against various individuals and groups on the basis of their caste and occupation. Untouchability has been practised for an extremely long period of time. It is based on the Indian caste system. Untouchables frequently face inhuman treatment as a result of their lower caste status. They have borne the brunt of various forms of discrimination in almost all aspects.

The term Dalit, which refers to untouchables, is derived from the Sanskrit word for broken or despised. The common belief that untouchability exists only in India is not true, as it also exists in other countries like Japan, Tibet, and Korea.

Instances of Untouchability

• Interfering with anyone’s attendance or prayer in a place of public worship (Like Temple, Majid, Church)

• Refusal to enter any store, hotel, nightclub, or another public amusement facility

• Restriction on the location of public services, such as a reservoir, a tap, or other sources of water, a road, a public pasture, or a crematorium

• Insulting someone who belongs to a scheduled caste (SC, ST, OBC)

• Refusal to admit individuals to hospitals, educational institutions, or hostels dedicated to the public good

• Refusal to sell or render services to anyone

• Expecting them to do derogatory jobs like cleaning the gutter, cleaning shoes

• Denying them basic human rights

The Indian Caste System

In Hinduism, caste-system has its roots in Varna system. There are primarily four varnas – Brahmina, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra. Avarnas is the fifth varna, and the lowest of them; considered so low that it is not considered a part of caste classification at all. The higher caste like Brahmins are considered pure and the lower-caste, i.e. Avarnas are considered impure or polluting. They have been the victims of untouchability for they are regarded as ‘lower-caste’ people. Derogatory terms like ‘bhangi’, ‘chamaar’, ‘chuda’, etc are used to insult them. 

 In the olden days, the profession of a person largely depended on what caste they belonged to. Someone born into the kshatriya caste, for example, was a warrior and Vaishyas were traders. Avarnas were employed in menial jobs that were (and still are) considered physically polluting like:

1. Scavenging,

2. Cleaning toilets,

3. Killing animals (like fishing, butchering),

4. Cremating and handling dead bodies, and

5. Dealing with human excretions

 Anyone involved in such tasks was considered ‘impure’ and thus, not allowed to come in contact with the upper-caste people and their belongings. Thousands of people suffered due to this practise, and it created a society that was uneven, where a section of people were denied rights and opportunities because of their caste.

Abolishing Untouchability

Two leaders whose names cannot go unmentioned while talking about abolishment of untouchability are Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. Mahatma Gandhi called them ‘harijans’, meaning the children of god. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar called them ‘dalits’, the term still widely used today. Social activists like Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule worked tirelessly to put an end to untouchability.

Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Ambedkar had their differences while fighting for abolishing untouchability, but their end goal was the same. Gandhi wanted to abolish untouchability, whereas Ambedkar wanted to abolish the root of the problem which was caste-system. 

After numerous movements and struggles, the Indian constitution adopted the motion that untouchability should be abolished. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the man who drafted the constitution, put enough provisions for their upliftment in society.

There is a dedicated article in the Indian constitution that protects their rights. Article 17 of the constitution aims to empower dalits, and makes untouchability a punishable offence. If any person practices untouchability, then they would be punished by the court no questions asked. 

Reservation System: To ensure that dalits are not denied entry into educational institutions and government jobs and that they are not at a disadvantage because of their social and economical conditions, there is a reservation system in place. As per this, the marginalised communities like the Other Backward Communities (OBC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and scheduled castes (SC) are provided reservation, i.e., a certain percentage of seats would be reserved for them. 

How Much has Changed?

Thanks to the legal provisions, untouchability has drastically declined in the country, especially in urban areas. Dalits now have equal rights and they have representation in the political, economic, and social arms of the society. Reservation has ensured that they get proper education, jobs, and promotion.

However, there is still a long way to go in completely eliminating untouchability by roots. It is still very much prevalent in rural India. In modern society, discrimination against them arises from the reservation system. People from the upper-caste section feel that reservation has reduced their chances of getting into a good college and securing a job. People from the marginalised community are often disregarded for availing of the benefits of the reservation system. In this regard, the distinction between upper and lower-caste still exists and very little progress has been made to eliminate the root cause, i.e., the caste system.

Conclusion

Now you have a detailed understanding of what is untouchability and which article of the constitution abolishes untouchability. It is a tool of oppression of a group of people based on their caste, something which they have no control over. People belonging to lower-caste are subjected to discrimination and expected to do jobs that are considered demeaning. For their upliftment and to create a society that is equal and just, untouchability has been recognized as a grave crime by the Indian constitution.