Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies (AJMS)
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies (AJMS) ISSN: 2321-8819 (Online) Asian Journal of 2348-7186 (Print) Impact Factor: 1.498 Multidisciplinary Studies Vol.4, Issue 7, June 2016 Human Rights Situation of Dalits in Bihar Mohini Kumari Research Scholar Dept. Of History, T.M.B.U. Bhagalpur University Abstract: All human beings have the right to live as human beings. Human rights are not conferred or given. They already exist in society. In spite of these international and national declaration and resolutions, human rights are violated in different countries all over the world. Human right of dalits and women in Bihar in general are normally violated by high castes and powerful communities to practice and exhibit patriarchy and Castism. But human rights of than dalits in general. There is a growing need to capture transgression of human rights of dalits , so that talent and potential of Dalits can be used for development of nation. The concept of human rights aims at protection of rights like right to life, liberty and property. These rights are attributed to human beings irrespective of class, caste, gender, colour and religion. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was unanimously adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 10th 1948. The preamble of Indian constitution adequately empowers the central and state government to eliminate human rights violation in the country. Also In Bihar Dalits are facing the problems of identity crisis, deprivation, discrimination and atrocities. These marginalised groups are also identified and recognised as dalits, SC (scheduled castes), ST (scheduled Tribes), OBC (other backward castes), religious and linguistic minorities. Dalits are in worst position than dalits in general, In terms of sex ratio, wages, employment, occupation, assets, education, health, social mobility and political participation. Hence, it is important to discuss the status of dalits and various problems they face even after 67 years of independence. This article makes an attempt to discuss basic facts, issues and concerns related to dalit to suggest some alternatives to combat violation of their rights for social justice and equality. Explanation of relevant terms such as ‘Dalit ; ‘Dalitism; is given below to broaden understanding about the issue. Further, the vulnerable situation of dalits Human right situation in Bihar is also discussed in detail:- Keywords : Human Rights, Dalit’s In Bihar, Dalit Rights Caste identities are deeply embedded and influence landlord, since in most places semibonded much of Bihar's social economic and political life. agricultural labour is the only source of livelihood, Bihar tends to be the most unfortunate repository of so also their political life is often reduced to the the brutalities of the caste system. The status of being vote-banks for those who control modifications and differentiations triggered in the their lives."2 The most deprived and down-trodden wake of interaction between capitalism and semi- among the Dalits of Bihar are the Musahars who feudalism has failed to alter the basic contours of are placed at the margin of subsistence surviving its oppressive social structure. In Bihar caste seems on rats, snails, snakes or anything else they can find to maintain its presence as "a dead weight holding and live in a kind of social thraldom sometimes back not merely the economic and political but also selling themselves and their wives and children to the cultural and moral development of society and lifelong servitude for paltry sums. Dalits are placed even putting its imprint on the new emerging unfavourably in the ownership of productive assets classes."1 as well as the distribution of income. Inequalities tend to be cumulative in their case. Dalits have been the worst sufferers in the exploitative social order. No sphere of life is such Caste as a system of hierarchical, where equality is accorded to them in interaction submission operates as a mechanism of extra- with superiors in caste hierarchy. They work on economic coercion of Dalits. It contains land but can not claim it, perform services essential prescriptions to ensure unrestrained acquiescence to the maintenance of society but are ranked lowest of Dalits to caste Hindus by incultating in them the in the social hierarchy, produce consumption dominant traits of humbleness. The traditional material but are rendered untouchables. etiquette has definite political consciousness as it Segregation and exploitation have been their fate. helps in nurturing instincts of submission among They have been denied elementary facilities the exploited. In the prevalent social arrangement available to clean castes and are condemned to live Dalits have been subjected to vanous kinds of in insularity. They are born in servitude and die in status disabilities. The values internalised entailed penury. They continue to be peripheral and upon Dalits the solemn duty to serve the superior marginal incapable to claim equality with the in caste hierarchy. Such prescription could not be privileged. Society remains exploitative, unfair and challenged. criminally unjusts to them. In rural Bihar, the life The 'dola' system was an institutionalised of a Dalit " is reduced to total dependency on the system of sexual exploitation of Dalit women. Such Available online at www.ajms.co.in 83 Human Rights Situation of Dalits in Bihar was the stranglehold of the feudal order in the dominance of upper caste people. In the Nawada village that upper caste landlords were supposed to district the social disabilities faced by the Dalits have an undisputed right over Dalits and backward were found to be of limited nature in public places caste women. As such every newly married Dalit but at the same time caste Hindus of the area women had to pass her first night after marriage particularly Rajputs and Bhumihars still maintained with the village landlord. Thus those who escaped their casteist attitude towards Dalits. In the Rohtas being raped by the landlords had to undergo the district social disability and untouchability existed trauma after getting married. These were extra- to a much greater extent. Dalit childrens were not economic methods devised by the landlords to allowed to join the schools, and if admitted were continuously remind this lower in the caste not allowed to sit together with the children of hierarchy of their 'aukat'.3 caste Hindus. In Madhubani Dalits were not allowed to utilise the bathing ghats, tea stalls, Dalits not only lack the means to celebrate, public temples used by the caste Hindus. The but they are also entitled to observe various Hindu festivals lest they antagonise the dignity of upper social disabilities faced by Dalits was regarded castes. Festival have always meant humiliation to customary by caste Hindus particularly Brahmins them and their female members. Thus in the and Dalits were forced to lead a subhuman life. In a celebration of Hindu festival Holi, famous for its nut shell social disability and untouchability by and vulgarity, it is the Dalit women who always have to large existed both in over and covert forms in bear the brunt of the upper caste people. In the various parts of Bihar. 5 manner it used to be observed in Bihar, Holi The idioms in which the landlords represents very directly the subjugation of the addressed the untouchable have been one of lower caste women in particular. Sexually explicit ridicule, abuse and contempt. Upper Castes as well songs, molestation and even rape of the Dalit as Yadav and Kurmi land-lords persisted in treating women have been a common feature. On refusal to Dalits as inferiors, abusing them in terms such as satisfy the sexual lust of the upper castes, the Dalit 'rape mother' and 'rape sister' and sexually bastis have been burned to ashes in many cases. assaulting Dalit women. They also generally Thus refusal to comply with the established refused demands for wages in accordance with tradition invites severest of the punishment to government rates and stopped some of the Dalits in various parts of Bihar. traditional side payments, even evicted some of The 1985 report of the L.N.Mishra Institute Dalits from homestead lands.6 of Economic and Growth regarding the work of the Education is an important means of Bihar Corporation for the Development of the reducing Ignorance and inequality in society. It Scheduled Castes observed that more than 95% of helps the individual to raise his social status in Dalits in Bihar live below poverty line. The various ways. Knowledge, skills, values and majority of them remain untouchable as before and attitudes acquired through education helps one to suffer from traditional restrictions- they have no lead a desired quality of life. access to common drinking water sources, tea- shops and eating houses, cannot -- walk on the In census enumeration a person is counted main village streets and so on. In the districts as literate if he or she can read and write in any which are surveyed Dalits had no knowledge of the language with understanding. In earlier censuses existence of the Protection of Civil Rights Act ( the whole population was classified as literates and 1955) and in all the villages of these districts Dalits illiterates. Whereas from 1951 the questions on live in segregated areas beyond the village bounds.4 literacy have been categorised among those aged 5 and above. However, in the 1991 census this In a similar survey regarding social classification was confined to the age group of 7 disabilities of Dalits conducted 1n the districts of years and above. The literacy rate of social groups Nawada, Rohtas and Madhubani, it was found that in Bihar is presented in Table 3.1. This table different areas recorded different forms of social presents the literacy rate of Scheduled Castes.