Dalits and the discrimination they face

Arthur Beesley · 08-06-2014 12:54AM

Candie wrote: »

Very few peoples who reside on the fringes of society abide by laws they don't benefit from equal enforcement of, when victims of lawlessness themselves.

Why would a people abide by a rule that applies to you, but not for you? Crime within Dalit communities exists, as it does against them.

How are travellers 'victims of lawlessness themselves' by non-travellers?

08-06-2014 12:56AM

Arthur Beesley wrote: »

:rolleyes: No, you are. Explain how the Dalits are similar to travellers.

He never said they were. For the record, they're as similar to Travellers as you are, you're all human beings. Culturally they're worlds apart, they have no nomadic tradition and do not choose their status, they have no social mobility and poorly respected rights. The similarity lies only in their marginalisation, but the genesis of it is so different that it is a very poor comparison.

08-06-2014 12:58AM

Arthur Beesley wrote: »

How are travellers 'victims of lawlessness themselves' by non-travellers?

The thread is about the scheduled castes and tribes of India which is the group I was talking about, not travellers. You're the only one demanding to know what the similarities/differences are.

Arthur Beesley · 08-06-2014 01:03AM

end of the road wrote: »

your the one with the problem, you couldn't actually answer the question posed but came out with an irrelevant comment to answer the question

:rolleyes: Cop yourself on, lad.

Arthur Beesley · 08-06-2014 01:05AM

Candie wrote: »

The thread is about the scheduled castes and tribes of India which is the group I was talking about, not travellers. You're the only one demanding to know what the similarities/differences are.

In response to someone claiming there were similarities.

end of the road · 08-06-2014 01:18AM

Arthur Beesley wrote: »

In response to someone claiming there were similarities.

thats impossible as nobody claimed there were similarities

tritium · 08-06-2014 07:34AM

As Candie has mentioned its pretty much impossible to draw an analogy to first world discrimination here. Unfortunately there's a tendency to parallel their plight with first world agenda but really there's no modern comparison you can make. Think 60's Mississippi for black's but on a vastly larger and worse scale-160million people reduced to the status of dirt

suicide_circus · 08-06-2014 07:52AM

My name is URL wrote: »

I wonder how many of those uppity plonkers that go off to India to 'find' themselves are aware of some of the shit that goes on over there

Yeah they seem to ommit the apartheid, brutality and murderous discrimination from their self involved speeches when they come back home with their bead necklace and collarless shirts.

Celly Smunt · 08-06-2014 07:53AM

popolive wrote: »

are they sort of like in the same or similar role as Travellers or Gypsies in recent history in Ireland and the UK ?

They don't have piles of cash though.

Hootanany · 08-06-2014 08:03AM

So the India is a racist country?

GalwayGuy2 · 08-06-2014 08:35AM

Hootanany wrote: »

So the India is a racist country?

Probably, but I'm not sure it would be racism in this case. A particularly horrific classism?

tritium · 08-06-2014 11:19AM

GalwayGuy2 wrote: »

Probably, but I'm not sure it would be racism in this case. A particularly horrific classism?

Yeah that would be fairly accurate here. I don't think that Dalits would be a separate ethnic race per set, just victims of being born into a fcuked up tradition of caste

popolive · 08-06-2014 11:29AM

What are the origins of the Dalits ? Are the Dalits related to each other in the same way Travellers are ? When did the caste system begin and how ? There is a story that somehow gypsies came to Europe from India (but mistaken as Eqyptians hence the name GYPsie], were those gypsies originally Dalits ?

tritium · 08-06-2014 12:46PM

popolive wrote: »

What are the origins of the Dalits ? Are the Dalits related to each other in the same way Travellers are ? When did the caste system begin and how ? There is a story that somehow gypsies came to Europe from India (but mistaken as Eqyptians hence the name GYPsie], were those gypsies originally Dalits ?

The caste system is ancient, its been written about by visitors to India in the 5th century for example. Dalits are an excluded group within society who carried out certain impure (and very necessary) jobs. Given that there's limited caste mobility Dalits are likely to have similar genealogy but given the sheer number of them (160 million) it would be less concentrated than amongst the travelling community

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caste_system_in_India

08-06-2014 02:34PM

It's important to remember that most Indian people are not directly complicit in the victimisation and marginalisation of Dalit peoples. Education is by law open to scheduled castes and tribes, although there are many financial and social hurdles that can be all but impossible to overcome, although laws regarding quotas and financial incentives are in place to help redress the inequality. Accessing rights is a major issue, particularly among the commonly illiterate, rural population.

There is also great hope for social change in the democratic process. The 10th president of India was a Dalit man called K.R. Narayanan who was a protege of Indira Ghandhi, and the very popularly elected Mayawati Kumari served four terms as the First Minister of Uttar Pradesh. As more Dalit people access education, more are represented in governing bodies and it's from there that lasting change will come.

So the non-Dalit population of India by and large welcome change and inclusivity, but there is a long way to go. It's also important to remember that Hindus make up a large majority of the population, but there are sizeable minorities for whom legislation promoting equality of access to education and work is also very important.

http://www.phibetaiota.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/india-graphic-of-religions.gif

It's important not to tar the whole nation as pro caste segregation.

Dalits and the discrimination they face

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