An insight to caste and religious discrimination in India (facts, figures and perspective)

Unveiling India's Social Divide

-By Sarah Khan

Caste and religious discrimination has persisted in India since years. Although constitution has prescribed laws against the same, this system continues to prevail in various parts of the country.

According to the NSSO reports, scheduled castes have the highest unemployment rates across all other categories. The figures show highest poverty among SC followed by scheduled tribes. The representation of marginalised caste groups in Indian newsrooms report by Newslaundry observed that only 5.3% digital media is captured by OBC while only 3% muslims are in the India national media.

Other than the gap in corporate world, caste and religious discrimmination has led to various vioelnce and conflicts throughout history. For instance, a year ago father killed a 17 year old daughter over relationship with a Dalit youth in Mysore. In another incident, a Dalit youth died after being blown up by UC Hindu in Lucknow, UP over a land dispute. 

There have been a number of lynchings of Muslims over the suspicion of beef cow. The police constables, who are supposed to protect the oublic to prevent conflict, themselves tortured a Muslim in UP by givibg eletric shocks because they believed that he slaughtered a cow. How can an animal have more rights than Muslims?

Several hate speeches have been carried out by political leaders against Muslims in some decades without being penalised for it. The National Commission of Women (NCW) took a cognizance of a video which was inciting sexual vioelnce against muslim women.

During protests, more Muslims have been aimed at violence. Recently, house of Afreen Fatima had been demolished illegally after her father was arrested over violence. The police brutality injured many students of Jamia, AMU and JNU during the CAA protests as well.

One of the major cause of concern is social media hate speech against minorities. Dalit and Muslim women have to undergo most of the prejudice as misogyny and casteism go hand in hand. Most of the Muslims who face the foul play are pasmandas.

The Constitution provides Article 15(2) for prohibition of general public from discrimminating against any citizen on the grounds of religion, caste, gender etc. Hence, caste and religious discrimmination is unconstitutional, inhumane and needs to be amended which is not an overnight job but an everyday practice to lead to a peaceful nation for the future generations.