Human Rights of Dalits: A Paradox

Pages:53-55
Aishwarya Puri (Department of English, University of Delhi, Delhi)

The aim and objective of this paper is to bring into perspective the inherent contradiction that governs the predicament of Dalitsin the socio-political and legal context of Human Rights in India. Whereas the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, codified by the United Nations in 1948, recognizes the “dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women” with a universal standpoint,Dalits in India still have to carry the abominable status of being the “untouchables” despite of the practice having been declared an offence under Article 17 of the Indian Constitution. This evil is nourished and propagated in the very structure of the Hindu social system, which observes division and exclusion on the basis of caste and birth. Even though,in literature, the UDHR and the Indian Constitution adhere by the ideals of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity, their practical treatment seems a far-off dream in the face of Hindu social background. Furthermore, the concept of Liberty is problematized in the Indian context since its efficient application requires condition of“socio-economic equality”, which stands in stark contrast with the ground reality of the Dalits who suffer with exclusion and ostracism in the Hindu society.