Tag Archives: untouchables

According to a study conducted by Sakshi- Human Rights Watch[1], there are above 100 forms of untouchability and discrimination on SC STs is prevailing. These all are the gross violation of human rights and also violation of laws of the land.

1. Segregation of drinking vessels the SC STs are supposed to get their tumblers or bowls to relish the menu at these outlets.
2.  In some instances Dalits are served in aluminium tumblers contrary to steel tumblers used for dominant caste groups.
3. In case of common water source Dalits are not allowed to fetch water but dominant castes draw the water for the Dalits and pour into their pots. They have to wait until dominant caste people come and pleased to fetch the water for them.
4. In certain cases Dalits and dominant castes stand in separate queues at different pulleys of the wells.
5. Dalits are not supposed to touch the pots of dominant castes.
6.  Dalits have to fetch water only after dominant castes draw water.
7.  In most of the villages separate wells and bore-wells persist for Dalits and dominant caste. In case of acute shortage of water dominant castes can fetch water from Dalit water source. But on the contrary if similar situation arise for Dalits, they are denied. In case dominant castes want to fetch water from Dalits’ bore-well they primarily are supposed to clean the bore-well and its surroundings.
8. In case of natural lakes, ponds and tanks Dalits are supposed to fetch from the downstream where dominant castes do not approach.
9. Pouring drinking water in to the hands of SC STs instead of giving it in a glass
10. Dalits are not allowed to enter into their houses and they are compelled to stand far away from the houses of dominant castes. Dalits can only go to certain parts of their houses i.e. the outer extension of the house, outside the threshold but not the interior parts of their houses. In some cases Dalits are allowed but they are asked to clean their feet and hands before they come into their houses. Dalits are sometime allowed to enter to store their agricultural produce at the time of harvest
11. On occasion of marriage or a function in dominant caste families, Dalits are not invited, in case invited they are supposed to dine after the dominant caste finish their turn. In certain cases Dalits are supposed to get their plates and in certain instances they are told to wash their plates after the dinner.
12. Some time they are served in towels or they hold their upper garment. In most of the cases Dalits are served at a distant place from the hosted premises.
13. Segregation in seating – Dalit students have to sit separately that too at backside in the schools, Teachers abuse SC ST children by Caste Name and Not allowed to eat together with non-Dalit students, there will be segregation of Water facilities
14. Discrimination between Dalit and non-Dalit teachers, Discrimination between Dalit students and non-Dalit teacher, Not admitting children in schools at dalit at SCST villages
15. Prohibit to wear clean/good clothes come to the vicinity of dominates castes
16. Dalits are not allowed to sit on public places such as Racchabanda[2], bus stops. Or Dalit allowed to sit but at down level
17. Dalit have sit separately at some distance from other castes’ people.
18. Dalit have to stand at these places with folded hands.
19. Dalits are not allowed to walk with sandals in the vicinity of dominant castes.
20. Not allowed to use umbrella in dominant caste localities.
21. Not allowed to ride cycles, rickshaws, in certain cases not allowed going even on bullock carts.
22. If non-Dalits encounter Dalit women in the way, Dalit women are supposed to walk at a distance.
23. Dalit women should wear their saree above the knees and cover their head whenever they find non-Dalits walking in the way.
24. Dalit women are not allowed to wear blouses.
25. Dalit women are not allowed to wear gold jewellery
26. Forced drum beating for funerals and festivals/jataras
27. Forced grave digging and Cremation
28. Harbingers death news
29. Chappal Making
30. Removal of carcass
31. Animal Sacrifice
32. Dalits are supposed to sweep the whole village at the time of festivals and jataras.
33. Manual Scavenging
34. Standing up in respect before dominant castes and standing with folding hands
35. Denial of laundry service
36. Dalits themselves take their clothes to dhobi ghat (place of washing clothes) and wet their clothes at lower level of the stream and wait till the dhobi washes.
37. Even laundry shop owners deny ironing clothes of Dalits.
38. They render service but they do not take grain as paid by the other non-dalit communities
39. Dalits are denied to provide hair cutting services
40. In some cases if a family member is providing hair cutting services to Dalits the same person is not supposed to provide to non-Dalits.
41. Hair cutting saloons, a recent phenomenon in villages. If Dalits allowed into the shops but they use separate instruments.
42. Dalits are allowed into shops, but are denied the service at home as they do to dominant castes.
43. Person who serves dominant castes is not allowed to serve to the Dalits but another person from same family can provide service to the Dalits.
44. In certain cases they render service to Dalits in Dalit locality but they purify themselves immediately after coming back to their house.
45. Tailor does not touch while taking measurements, take measurements from distance.
46. Darning services are not extended to Dalits as they do for non-Dalits,
47. When Dalit goes to a tailor he/she should take the measurements at home
48. Prohibited to touch pot while purchasing and they take whatever the potter gives
49. Denial of Carpenter Services
50. Prohibited enter into the shops
51. Allowed but should not touch any thing
52. Should stand in separate line not touching non-Dalits
53. Not allowing to touch items and have to show with a small stick while purchasing
54. Dalit can sell in the weekly market but they should only sell dry fish and fish.
55.  Keeping money or items Dalits bought on floor
56. Dalit should stand outside the shop and exchange takes place by throwing money and item.
57.  Keeping separate tray for Dalit by which exchange takes place.
58. In PDS Depots Dalit should stand outside the shop and exchange takes place by throwing money and item.
59. Should stand carefully without touching the belongings of non-Dalits
60. At any queue Separate timings for SC STs
61. Dealer do not touch Dalits while giving provisions
62. Discrimination at Working in the fields – Standing outside the field until non-Dalits finishes ritual performance in the beginning of agricultural activity.
63. Entering into the fields only after non-Dalits
64. Not allowed to take water from wells and pots
65. Dalits have to bring drinking water to the working place.
66. Need to keep their lunch boxes separately
67. Need to sit separately while taking lunch
68. Should not touch the vessels if the non-Dalit employer provides lunch
69. Lease rates and conditions differ for Dalit tenants and dominant castes
70. Discrimination in Payment of wages – No Physical contact, Keeping money on the floor, throwing in to hands
71. When Dalits invite non-Dalit for some celebrations, they just come but don’t eat the food prepared by the Dalit but hire a man from their community and makes him cook separately for them.
72. Non-Dalits never attend the functions or any kind of celebrations in the Dalit families but their quota of food should be ordered directly from the shop without getting into physical contact with Dalits.
73.  Food for Dalits is served in leaves but for non-Dalits in plates.

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