It has been rightly said that the “Story of India is the story of Caste”. In our nation, one’s surname plays a very primary role in shaping their identity and in making the society formulate their judgments based on the caste that one has. To say that the processes of urbanization, globalization and modernization has taken away the Indian population from the shackles of caste, is simply avoiding the truth which is clearly reflected in harsh ground realities.

What does the NCRB Data Show?

We cannot base our argument only on the data which has been provided by NCRB on the statistics of Caste Based Violence in India. For, there are several atrocities which go unreported and thus, the numbers that come to us in the form of statistical NCRB data are merely a based on what has been reported, not showing the true picture of what exists: the number of unreported cases of caste based violence.

How Severe is the problem of Caste-Based Violence in India?

If you pick up a newspaper any day, you are bound to come across at least one piece of news where some kind of violence is committed against a person only because he belongs to the Dalit caste or is an SC/ST. The number of cases of Caste-Based Violence is on rise, with low caste women being raped by upper caste men or upper caste men mobbing and beating up a person belonging to the minority caste. People belonging to the low castes still face incidents of discrimination and violence, despite no mistake of theirs. From the year 1968, recounting the terrors of Kilvenmani massacre, where around 44 Dalits were murdered only because they demanded a wage-hike, to present day Samrau Violence in January, 2018, the Caste-Based Violence have increased not only in number but also in severity of the violence, with hundreds of innocent lives being lost in the name of caste every year.

How can we end Caste-Based Violence?

The division of the Indian society on the basis of one’s caste has done more harm than good. It has unnecessarily led to a superiority complex amongst those who come from an upper caste. It has also made the Dalits and SC/ST suffer from an inferiority complex where some of them are made to believe that whatever is happening against them is justified on the basis of their caste. The crimes against Dalit are on a massive increase, with even children being denied basics of living such as food.

Also Read: Reservation: Looking at its need and failure in the policy

People even today fail to understand that the importance and dignity of a person does not and cannot be established through one’s caste. Caste cannot be taken as a tool of identification nor used to hamper one’s growth. Any form of violence is unacceptable and to commit a crime in the name of caste is even more heinous act to do.

Caste-Based Violence originates from the problem in the mentality of the people. Until we educate the masses and help them understand that every citizen is as capable and equal as others, we would not be able to eradicate the problem of Caste Based Violence in India.