(Image courtesy: Newslaundry)
Although caste-based discrimination has been outlawed since the 1950s, it painfully persists.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau of India, there are an average of 45,935 cases of violence recorded each year against the Dalit population.
Through my own advanced research journey of researching the Indian caste system and Dalit discrimination, the evidence I found was disturbing. In 2000, there were 25,455 recorded Dalit atrocities according to India's National Crime Records Bureau. This number drastically rose to 50,291 in 2020.
And you may be thinking that this rise in atrocities is largely attributed to the population rise -- but my continued research doesn't say so.
I took the amount of Dalit atrocities on a decadal basis from years 1981-2001, and measured it against the total number of crimes in violation of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in India. I was able to calculate the percentage of total crimes that were Dalit atrocities, and this number seems to dangerously be on the rise from 1981-2001, and unfortunately not slowing down.
Research like this is often not highlighted enough in order to emphasize the need to work towards ending caste-based discrimination.
Data on Dalits and caste in general is very hard to find. It makes the work of researchers like me even more difficult, and it makes it harder for researchers to inform the public and the government on important decisions to make regarding Dalits and welfare schemes.
A caste census or more data available is absolutely imperative in order for under deserving communities like Dalits to receive welfare and the support that they need. Schemes such as the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan are many times not recorded properly, and sometimes not 100% of the funds allocated actually end up in the hands of the underprivilleged Dalit communities.
As Operation Mooknayak continues its journey on ending caste-based discrimination, we continue to cry out for better data availability on caste. Supporting us leads to more funds directed towards impoverished Dalits in India and better quality Dalit research.
Thank you,
Krishiv Shah -- on behalf of Operation Mooknayak and the constant fight for ending caste-based discrimination.
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