Untouchability and Caste system in India: India is having caste system based society not only among Hindus but also other castes also. Earlier, the people in the lower hierarchies are not accessible to all the resources and are exploited by upper hierarchies as well, they were victims of untouchability practices.
Besides, there were untouchable castes also were involved in menial jobs as manual scavengers, Agricultural labors, Skinner of animal hides and so on. There was the concept of Yajmani System, that is little share of produce was given to the non-touchable people. With time, change come in the social behavior of untouchable people due to commercialisation of Agriculture, Emergence of contractual relations and increased employment in factories, Markets, Army etc.
Movements of Pre-Independence Time: In Pre-Independence times, leaders like Jyotiba Phule started Satya Shodak Samaj and also written book called Gulamgiri creating awareness in the minds of untouchables people. There were also movements to make the lower caste people to enter the temples such as Guruvayur Satyagraha.
Babu Jagjeevan Ram, The prominent Harijan leader started Khet Majadoor Sabha and depressed Class League to alleviate the problems of depressed classes. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar leader of depressed classes founded Independent Labor Party in 1936 and All India Scheduled Caste Federation in 1942. He also wrote a book called Annihiation of Castes against the caste system. Dr. Ambedkar tried to empower the depressed classes by providing them legal rights which can found the constitution.
Untuochability Movement after Independence:
Besides, there were untouchable castes also were involved in menial jobs as manual scavengers, Agricultural labors, Skinner of animal hides and so on. There was the concept of Yajmani System, that is little share of produce was given to the non-touchable people. With time, change come in the social behavior of untouchable people due to commercialisation of Agriculture, Emergence of contractual relations and increased employment in factories, Markets, Army etc.
Movements of Pre-Independence Time: In Pre-Independence times, leaders like Jyotiba Phule started Satya Shodak Samaj and also written book called Gulamgiri creating awareness in the minds of untouchables people. There were also movements to make the lower caste people to enter the temples such as Guruvayur Satyagraha.
Babu Jagjeevan Ram, The prominent Harijan leader started Khet Majadoor Sabha and depressed Class League to alleviate the problems of depressed classes. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar leader of depressed classes founded Independent Labor Party in 1936 and All India Scheduled Caste Federation in 1942. He also wrote a book called Annihiation of Castes against the caste system. Dr. Ambedkar tried to empower the depressed classes by providing them legal rights which can found the constitution.
Untuochability Movement after Independence:
- In 1956, Republican Party was formed to fight for the rights of Dalits under the leadership of Yashwantrao Chavan.
- In early 1970, a new trend called Dalit Panthers was emerged in urban areas showing waves of radical politics with student and youth support base.
- In 1978, there was an agitation to rename Marathwada University as Ambedkar university which resulted in anti-dalit riots.
- In 1980, in North India Bahujan Samajwadi Party was emerged under Kashiram with basic aim and strategy based on electroal power that is to empower the depressed classesin political manner.
- In 1990, Prakash Ambedkar tried to combine all dalit organisation for contesting Maharashtra assembly elections but was not successful.
- Non-Dalit parties and group like Ambedkar Sanghams and agricultural unions also played important role in fighting about the issues of Dalits.
- Break down of Yajmani System proved to be major break through.
- Conversion of dalits and reservation facilities are the obvious improvements in the status of depressed classes.
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