Dalit, meaning “broken/scattered” in Sanskrit and Hindi, is a term mostly used for the ethnic groups in India, but have been kept depressed by subjecting them to untouchability.
Dalits were excluded from the four-fold varna system of Hinduism and were seen as forming fifth varna, also known by the name of Panchama. As per the latest census, they comprise 16% of India’s population (200 million people), including Hindu Dalits and Christian Dalits.
According to a report by Human Rights Watch, “Dalits and indigenous people (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) continue to face discrimination, exclusion, and acts of communal violence. Laws and policies adopted by the Indian government provide a strong basis for protection, but are not being faithfully implemented by local authorities.”
A report from Bloomberg show a Dalit man taking his wedding procession to an upper caste bride’s village and has happened for the first time in 80 years, watch the report from the Bloomberg
India's "untouchable" Dalits are rising up like never before.
Could this affect the outcome of India's 2019 election?
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