What issues did the Dalit Panthers address?
India has been characterised by the rigid caste system that has been well entrenched in the society from time immemorial. It has brought about the worst kind discrimination and exclusion of the outcaste groups who were subjected to inhuman treatment and injustice. Our Constitution has established principles of equality by means of rights and equal opportunities, abolishing untouchability also provides for a system of reservation of seats in education and government employment for SC's and ST's. However, these principles have not been wholly implemented in reality.
A lot needs to done to make these rights and principles a reality. Lower caste groups, who were the victims of a rigid caste system, witnessed oppression and discrimination. Dalits struggled to be respected and had to fight for their self respect. It was their struggle for self respect that consolidated into Dalit Panthers, a militant organisation of the Dalit youth, formed in Maharashtra in 1972 as a part of these assertions.
a. Dalit Panthers were mainly fighting against the perpetual caste-based inequalities and material injustices that the Dalits faced in spite of constitutional guarantees of equality and justice.
b. They demanded effective implementation of reservation and other social policies as the corrective and defensive mechanism to protect minorities from the majorities.
c. They called for government’s attention over instances of social discrimination and untouchability despite its ban.
d. They raised issues related to day- to-day discrimination that they are subjected to and the prejudiced attitude that people continue to hold against them. We may give example of how Dalit settlements in villages continued to be set apart from the main village and how they are denied access to common source of drinking water. Dalit women are dishonoured and abused and worst of all, Dalits faced collective atrocities over minor, symbolic issues of caste pride.
e. They raised issues related to atrocities against them and how they become victims of caste based violence.
f. As a result of sustained agitations on the part of Dalit Panthers, the government formulated the Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe Act of 1989 that seeks to protect their rights and provide protection against any kind of violence or injustice.
g. A larger ideological agenda of the Panthers was to destroy the caste system and build an organisation of all oppressed sections like the landless poor peasants and urban industrial workers along with Dalits.
h. Members of Dalit Pathers have written poems, stories and enacted street plays to highlight the issues of inequality and injustice in the society.
i. They have expressed their dissent and raised their voice through their creative abilities, creating awareness about social ills.
A lot needs to done to make these rights and principles a reality. Lower caste groups, who were the victims of a rigid caste system, witnessed oppression and discrimination. Dalits struggled to be respected and had to fight for their self respect. It was their struggle for self respect that consolidated into Dalit Panthers, a militant organisation of the Dalit youth, formed in Maharashtra in 1972 as a part of these assertions.
a. Dalit Panthers were mainly fighting against the perpetual caste-based inequalities and material injustices that the Dalits faced in spite of constitutional guarantees of equality and justice.
b. They demanded effective implementation of reservation and other social policies as the corrective and defensive mechanism to protect minorities from the majorities.
c. They called for government’s attention over instances of social discrimination and untouchability despite its ban.
d. They raised issues related to day- to-day discrimination that they are subjected to and the prejudiced attitude that people continue to hold against them. We may give example of how Dalit settlements in villages continued to be set apart from the main village and how they are denied access to common source of drinking water. Dalit women are dishonoured and abused and worst of all, Dalits faced collective atrocities over minor, symbolic issues of caste pride.
e. They raised issues related to atrocities against them and how they become victims of caste based violence.
f. As a result of sustained agitations on the part of Dalit Panthers, the government formulated the Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe Act of 1989 that seeks to protect their rights and provide protection against any kind of violence or injustice.
g. A larger ideological agenda of the Panthers was to destroy the caste system and build an organisation of all oppressed sections like the landless poor peasants and urban industrial workers along with Dalits.
h. Members of Dalit Pathers have written poems, stories and enacted street plays to highlight the issues of inequality and injustice in the society.
i. They have expressed their dissent and raised their voice through their creative abilities, creating awareness about social ills.
