The word Dalit literally means “broken”, “crushed” or “oppressed”. In Hindu society, Dalits form the lowest rung of the Hindu caste system, a way of life established by the Aryans when they invaded the Indian subcontinent 3,000 years ago. After settling there, they sought to prevent intermarriage between themselves and the darker-skinned inhabitants. So to maintain their status—and keep the native population down—they established religious and social rules that placed them in the higher castes and relegated the native people to servant status.
In India alone, the combined population of Dalits and other low-caste groups equals approximately 700 million people. While Brahmins comprise just 5 to 9 percent of India’s more than 1 billion people, they control 78 percent of India’s judicial posts, approximately half of the parliament and 89 percent of the nation’s major media outlets.
The Indian constitution outlaws the caste system and reserves nearly 25 percent of government jobs and university spots for Dalits. However, more than a million of these posts remain unfilled, or filled by dishonest non-Dalits.
The vast majority of Dalits are impoverished, exploited and powerless to change their fate. Considered to be polluted or unclean, they are called “untouchables”. If they were to touch someone of a higher caste, the upper-caste person would supposedly become contaminated.
For instance, when five teenage Dalits went to a movie theater, one accidentally brushed his foot against that of a high-caste Hindu. The man was so enraged that he tracked down all five the next day and had them brutally murdered. Witnesses saw it all, but no one was arrested.
No charges were filed. No action was taken—they were only Dalits, completely bereft of human rights and scorned by society.
Even simple Dalit assertions of their lawful rights and privileges have touched off hate crimes against them by members of the upper castes. These have included rape, harassment, violence and murder.
Considered the lowest of the low, pariahs in society, they will likely be denied access to the village temple and even the community well. Dalits are forced to live in separate settlements, and their children often denied education or made to sit in the back of the classroom. Under the subjugation of higher-caste people, Dalits believe it is their birthright to suffer prejudice, abuse and mistreatment to pay off their sins from a past life. For 3,000 years, they have believed this lie.
