Bronte Wells
The untouchables in India are people tainted by their birth into a caste system that deems them impure and less than human. Despite being legally abolished in 1950, discrimination against Dalits or untouchables remains pervasive in India. They are relegated to the lowest jobs and are constantly subjected to public humiliation, violence, and rape. The jobs assigned to the untouchables are generally those considered unclean or exceedingly menial, such as manual scavenging, prostitution, and handling the deceased.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of people considered untouchable in India | 160 million |
| Percentage of poor Indians that are Dalits | 90% |
| Percentage of illiterate Indians that are Dalits | 95% |
| Number of crimes against Dalits in 2000 | 25,455 |
| Number of Dalits that are bonded workers | 40 million |
| Number of Dalit children that are bonded workers | 15 million |
| Number of Dalits that work as manual scavengers | 1 million |
| Year untouchability was outlawed in India | 1950 |
| Year The Prevention of Atrocities Act was passed | 1989 |
| Percentage of India's population that lives in rural areas | 80% |
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Manual scavenging
The occupation of sanitation work is intrinsically linked with caste in India. All kinds of cleaning are considered lowly and are assigned to people from the lowest rung of the social hierarchy. Manual scavenging is historically linked to the caste system in India, with the elites assigning the most lowly and polluting jobs to members of the
The construction of dry toilets and the employment of manual scavengers to clean such toilets were prohibited in India in 1993. The law was extended in 2013 to include a ban on the use of human labour for direct cleaning of sewers, ditches, pits and septic tanks. However, despite the laws, manual scavenging was reported in many states including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan in 2014. In 2021, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India observed that the eradication of manual scavenging as claimed by state and local governments is far from over. Government data shows that in the period 1993–2021, 971 people died due to cleaning of sewers and septic tanks.
There is a clear gender division of labour in manual scavenging in India. The cleaning of dry toilets and carrying of waste to disposal points is generally done by women, while men are involved in the cleaning of septic tanks and sewers. This is because cleaning private toilets pays little, while the municipality employs workers to clean sewers and septic tanks, and hence the salary is better.
The practice of manual scavenging is still commonplace, with people forced into it because of rigid caste rules and the lack of other livelihood options. They are hired by local corporations and even private contractors to clean sewers and drains that are blocked due to mud and plastic. Successive federal governments, including the current one, have missed several deadlines to declare India free of manual scavenging. While a federal minister told parliament in 2021 that the government had identified 58,098 manual scavengers in the country through surveys, the Safai Karmachari Andolan, which works to eliminate manual scavenging, estimates that there are more than 770,000 such workers.
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Agricultural work
In India, the term "Untouchables" refers to a group of people known as Dalits, who are considered outside the caste system and are deemed polluting and impure. While untouchability has been outlawed in India since 1950, and the constitution has provided measures for affirmative action for Dalits, prejudice, discrimination, segregation, and violence against them persist. Dalits are restricted in where they can live and the jobs they can hold, and they also lack access to education, safe drinking water, electricity, and medical care.
The discrimination faced by Dalits in the agricultural sector is not limited to wage disparities. Dalits have traditionally been prohibited from owning land, which contributes to their landless status. State and national governments have attempted land reform to ensure a more just distribution of land, but these efforts have been largely unsuccessful due to evasive tactics by landowners. Additionally, Dalit agricultural workers face social boycotts and physical abuse if they refuse to perform demeaning tasks or attempt to assert their rights.
The exploitation and discrimination experienced by Dalits in agricultural work are not isolated issues but are part of a broader context of caste-based discrimination in India. Despite legal protections and progressive legislation, the reality for Dalits remains challenging, with violent attacks against them routinely exceeding 10,000 cases annually.
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Leatherwork
Dalits, or "Untouchables", are considered a "filthy, polluted, unworthy grouping" in the Hindu caste system. They are restricted in where they can live and what jobs they can hold, and face discrimination throughout their lives. Dalits are often exploited, with some sold as bonded labourers and working in larger farms owned by upper-class landowners for a few kilograms of rice or a small amount of money.
The leather industry in India is the second-largest producer of footwear and leather garments globally, with almost 90% of footwear exports going to the European Union. About 2.5 million Indian workers work long hours with toxic chemicals for poverty wages in the country's leather industry, making shoes and clothes for Western brands. Workers in small, unregulated factories have no social security cover, such as state health insurance or pensions, and earn a tiny fraction of the products' global price. They often labour with little to no protection, even though the water used to treat the hides contains dangerous toxins and chemicals. As a result, tannery workers often suffer from fever, eye inflammation, skin diseases, and cancer. In December 2015, three leather workers died and two were hospitalized after inhaling toxic gases from leather effluent in Kolkata.
The pollution caused by the leather industry in India has also had catastrophic consequences for the environment and local communities. Huge amounts of wastewater from tanneries, laced with highly toxic and acidic chemicals, are channelled onto nearby farmland on the outskirts of Kanpur. The wastewater runs into local sewers, which enter the nearby Ganges River, India's holiest of waterways. The pollution has caused health problems for residents and degraded the local Ganges River ecology. Despite the Indian government and the Supreme Court of India looking at the issue of Kanpur tanneries, the problem persists due to the many small and medium-scale industries providing jobs.
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Handling the deceased
The origin of untouchability and its historicity are still debated. However, it is largely unique to South Asia and is associated with the treatment of Dalit communities in the Indian subcontinent. Dalits make up approximately one-sixth of India's population, or more than 160 million people. They are considered the lowest caste and are often forced to live on the outskirts of society, performing degrading jobs such as handling the dead.
Dalits who work as manual scavengers are tasked with cleaning latrines and sewers by hand and clearing away dead animals. This work is considered so polluting that even other Dalits will not touch them. They are forced to use separate tea cups and dishes to avoid "polluting" the upper castes, and they are not allowed to enter temples or use the same water sources. The discrimination and violence against Dalits have increased in recent years, with militias carrying out crimes such as murder and rape against those who speak out for their rights.
The Indian constitution banned the caste system and untouchability in 1950, and the government passed The Prevention of Atrocities Act in 1989 to specifically prohibit certain discriminatory practices against Dalits. However, enforcement of these laws is often lacking, and the practice of untouchability is still prevalent across India, especially in rural areas. Despite some social mobility, many Dalits continue to be trapped in a cycle of extreme poverty, illiteracy, and oppression.
The handling of the deceased is a sensitive and important task, but in the context of India's caste system, it has become a polluting job associated with the Dalits. This has led to further marginalization and discrimination against this community, who are already facing severe restrictions and violence.
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Prostitution
The causes of prostitution in India are multifaceted and deeply rooted in socio-economic and cultural factors. Poverty is considered the most significant driver, with economic hardship pushing individuals, especially women from marginalised communities, into the sex trade as a means of survival. The lack of education and limited employment opportunities, and gender inequality further exacerbate the situation, leaving many with little choice but to engage in prostitution. Human trafficking, social stigma, and domestic abuse are additional factors that contribute to the prevalence of prostitution in the country.
Within the context of India's caste system, prostitution has been associated with the exploitation and subjugation of lower castes, particularly Dalit women and girls. In rural areas, prostitution is tied to bondage, with upper-caste men reinforcing their social and economic superiority through the ritualised prostitution of Dalit women. According to a 1999 Human Rights Watch report, thousands of Dalit girls in India's southern states are forced into prostitution before reaching puberty, and scavenging and prostitution are considered hereditary occupations of the "untouchable" castes.
The discrimination and violence faced by Dalits, or "Untouchables," in India is pervasive and often violent. Despite legal protections, Dalits continue to face human rights abuses, including public humiliation, rape, and murder. The practice of untouchability, which deems certain castes impure and polluting, has resulted in the segregation of Dalits and their relegation to the lowest jobs, such as manual scavenging and cleaning latrines. This discrimination is strongest in rural areas, where the majority of India's population resides.
The impact of prostitution on women in India is significant. They often face social stigma, legal issues, and health risks, including unwanted pregnancies and STIs. Additionally, the rapid pace of urbanisation and migration has increased the vulnerability of women, and drug addiction has become both a cause and consequence of prostitution. Activists and NGOs are working to address these issues, advocating for labour rights, fighting against trafficking, and raising awareness about HIV/AIDS prevention.
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Frequently asked questions
Being an "Untouchable" in India refers to being part of the lowest caste in the ancient Indian caste system. They are considered “impure” or "polluted" and face severe discrimination, violence, and segregation.
The Untouchables are often subjected to menial and degrading jobs such as cleaning toilets, latrines, and sewers, handling dead bodies and animal carcasses, and manual scavenging. They are also restricted to certain occupations like leatherwork and agriculture.
The caste system has led to social and economic restrictions for the Untouchables. They are denied access to education, religious practices, and public facilities like temples and wells. They are also not allowed to live in the same areas as higher castes and are subjected to ritual purification processes after any contact with them.
According to estimates, there are around 160 million Untouchables in India, constituting one-sixth of the country's population. They face a high rate of diseases due to their working conditions and lack of access to clean water. Crimes against Untouchables, especially women, are prevalent, and the enforcement of laws designed to protect them is often lacking.
Yes, the Indian constitution legally abolished the practice of untouchability in 1950 and provided measures for affirmative action for Dalits in education and public services. In 1989, the government passed The Prevention of Atrocities Act to specifically address issues like parading people naked and interfering with their right to vote. However, despite these efforts, discrimination and violence against Untouchables persist in many regions of India.
