Untouchable Citizens: Ch.6: Dalit Women and Dalit Movements

New Academia: An International Journal of English Language, Literature and Literary Theory, 2020

The aim of this paper is to locate the journey of a few aspirational women from the Dalit community, the most persecuted group in India, from the fringes of society to its centre, carving for themselves a life of dignity and prosperity.In fact, it may even be argued that the Dalits of India have suffered a similar fate with that of the Afro-American community, living for centurieswithin the 'margins', being an unacknowledged and derided part of society as the 'unwanted insiders'. As Bell Hooks observes in her seminal work Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center (1984):'To be in the margin is to be part of the whole but outside the main body.'In current sociological and literary epistemology, Dalit Studies has emerged as a new, interdisciplinary mode of assessing and situating the Indian Dalit community. In this respect, this paper takes a few short stories from the Rajasthani Dalit writer Ratan Kumar Sambharia as frameworks to assess the Dalit woman's situation in India and her constant struggle to form a narrative alterity. The Dalit woman faces the double-whammyas a sociological 'other', not only because she is a Dalit but also because she is a Woman. The Dalit woman is under constant pressure to abide by the set social praxis and follow a preordained trajectory, the transgression of which unleashes a multitude of challenges along her path. Therefore, it is important to look at the Dalit Woman as a separate entity, with struggles unique to her social reality. This paper takes a look at some of these pressing issues that have plagued Indian society since generations.

Submissive, subdued, subjugated, dominated, exploited have become the part and parcel unwilling traits of when it comes to being a woman. Women in this ‘developing’ universe have been meted to injustices throughout epochs. From time and again history has been the rightful evidence of such injustices inflicted upon women under the shameful veil of tradition, culture, caste, class and others. The pathos of being a woman in India escalates when one comes from the lower rung of the varnashram system i.e. a Dalit. A Dalit woman not only faces the exploitation of being a woman but bears the ill treatment of the savarnas or the twice born castes for being a Dalit. Her pathos soars when she has to bear the brunt of the atrocities of men belonging to her caste. These Dalit men being ruthlessly treated by the upper castes, satisfies their anger by hurling it upon their women. The crux of this paper is to present the hapless condition of the Dalit women in India, their rights from which they remain ignorant and the so called protective mechanisms of the country that goes numb when it comes to safeguarding a Dalit.

Public Policy Research, 2008

Dr Clarinda Still argues that women are not only being left behind in the advance of Dalits in India, they may also be suffering as a direct result of it.

History testifies the presence of cleavages in every society, characterized by atrocities, discrimination, exploitation and subordination that raised peoples demand for justice and equality. It is this idea of equality that forced people to protest in the form of movements. The Dalit Movement also began as a protest movement in India. The Dalits, also called as Atisudra, Panchama or Outcasts, at present constitute one of the most depressed and marginalized sections of Indian society. Socio-cultural exclusion, economic deprivation and political exploitation of centuries made them to break out of such kinds of age-old prejudices. Hence, they began to protest with the help of literatures, or forming organization like the Dalit Panthers, which came to be recognized as the Dalit Movement. This paper is an attempt to bring forth the various aspects of Dalit’s lives that led to the movement, in the radiance of four Dalit literatures.

2014

The word Dalit—literally translating to “oppressed” or “broken”—is generally used to refer to people who were once known as “untouchables”, those belonging to castes outside the fourfold Hindu Varna system. According to the 2001 census, there are some 167 million Dalits (referred to in the census as “Scheduled Castes”) in India alone, though there are tens of millions in other South Asian countries, as well. Dalit women are positioned at the bottom of India’s caste, class and gender hierarchies. As a result, many Dalit women face exploitation both in and out of the home, often resulting in sexual assault and other forms of violence. Navsarjan is one of the largest grassroots organizations in Gujarat dedicated to ensure human rights for all. It’s mission is to eliminate discrimination based on untouchability practices. It also campaign for equality of status and opportunities to all, regardless of caste, class or gender, and ensure prevalence of the rule of law. Navsarjan is active in more than 3,000 villages, as well as in major Gujarat cities. A field staff of about 80 women and men — most of whom come from the communities in which they work — keep Navsarjan in tune with the needs of the people. Activities for Women’s Rights Campaign: Women’s Exposure Visits • 10 exposure trips were conducted (262 women, 40 men & 7 Children.) • 136 women visited primary health centers at local level in 15 villages Women’s Rights Councils • 191 new women rights councils were set up in 15 districts • 173 women right councils have been activated • In 58 villages, 752 women participated in General assembly of village councils called as Gram Sabha • Under the leadership of the Women’s Rights Councils local issues like liquor, drinking water, drainage and roads were represented in 2 villages through rallies and protest program • Representing and submitted memorandum to DDO on non-confidence motion against Adivasi Village ahead of Anadi Village, Block Shinor, Vadodara District. Women’s Leadership Trainings • 123 training programs were conducted at Block level to strengthen the leadership of the Women Councils in which 3720 women and 397 Male participated • 225 training programs at Village level were conducted to strengthen the leadership of women councils in which 3938 women participated • 13 Districts level women rights councils were activated Women Rights Councils (WRC) across Gujarat with Members till 2014. District No. of WRCs No. of Active WRCs No. of members in WRCs Ahmedabad 79 43 1019 Surendranagar 37 30 555 Banaskantha 03 03 45 Morbi 29 29 394 Sabarkantha 05 05 60 Mahesana 29 29 222 Gandhinagar 20 20 209 Patan 34 34 367 Bhavnagar 48 24 352 Rajkot 10 06 100 Panchmahal 08 08 120 Kheda – A 28 24 328 Kheda – B 30 30 450 Vadodara 15 15 362 Total 410 325 4883 Impact • Many women (even those who are illiterate) are coming forward to join awareness and training programs, which in itself is a substantial achievement. • Women’s programs are mobilizing more women to join state-level programs, and to speak out concerning their issues. • Navsarjan programs, such as an event at Dalit Shakti Kendra bringing together all the Dalit women Sarpanches of Gujarat and hundreds of Dalit female Panchayat Members, serve to provide women with positive models to emulate, and help them gain the courage to assert themselves to fight for women’s and Dalit issues. Referrence: http://navsarjan.org http://navsarjantrust.org/womens-rights-campaign/

This paper documents the struggles of a Dalit Women's collective - to claim constitutional rights and challenge social norms as part of the feminist movement in India

Economic and Political Weekly of India, 2018