SOCIAL EXCLUSION AND DALITS: AN IDEOLOGICAL BARRIER

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1 SOCIAL EXCLUSION AND DALITS: AN IDEOLOGICAL BARRIER A. R. Muralidharan Assistant Professor in statistics, Wollega University, Ethiopia ABSTRACT The paper is looking forward to have an idea of meaning and implications of the term social exclusion. The paper also tries to have the concept of social exclusion, origin and its implications in various countries in various forms. Further in this paper try to carryout some Idea of social exclusion and its nature andalso try to understand the concept of social exclusion in particular reference to the conditions of Dalit in our country. A brief discussion on the present condition of Dalits and caste system will also initiate. KEYWORDS: Social Exclusion, Discrimination, Dalit, Dalit Question, Dalit Movement, Dalit Literature, Caste system and structure. Introduction to Social Exclusion The term Social Exclusion has come into widespread use only recently, this does not imply that the social phenomena to which it refers are novelties as well. The concept of social exclusion/inclusion figured prominently in the policy discourse in France in the mid-1970s. The concept was later adopted by the European Union in the late 1980s as a key concept in social policy and in many instances replaced the concept of poverty. When the concept was first employed in France in the 1970s, it took into account people unable to adjust to mainstream society and later other European countries adopted it with their own interpretation. The concept gained widespread applicability after the First World Summit on Social Development in Copenhagen in 1995 as a result of which, it was embraced into the development discourse and development agencies. The literature that has followed Lenoir s original initiative has vastly added to this already bulging list of the socially excluded and is seen as covering a remarkably wide range of social and economic problems. The concept of social exclusion as it appeared in France and Europe in general, was tied to the effect of the failure of integrative institution. As Room (1995, cited in O Brien and Penna, 2007:3) points out, the concept has its roots in the functionalist social theory of Emile Durkheim. Writing at the turn of the 20th century Durkheim was concerned with how social order and stability could be maintained in a society where social dislocations accompanied the transitions from an agrarian to industrial society. O Brien and Penna (2007) argues that the concept of social exclusion and the contemporary European research agenda on it has been informed by the problems associated with maintaining social order and stability. Durkheim s moral sociology echoes down the centuries, and much greater significance has been a re-rendering of Durkheim in the resurgence of neo-parsonian systems analysis and neofunctionalism in sociology and social policy analysis from the late1970s onwards. (O Brien and Penna, 2007:3) Conceptualizing Social Exclusion The concept of social exclusion, which first emerged in the policy discourse in France and its adoption later by other European countries have had an increasing impact on the analyses of social disadvantages in Europe over the last couple of decades. (Aasland and Flotten, 2000:1026; Gore and Figueiredo, 1997, cited in Francis, 2002:74). The concept gained widespread applicability after the World Summit as a result of which, increasing attention has been paid to the possible relevance of the concept to social policy analysis in developing countries (IILS, 1997, IDS, 1998, cited in Kabeer, n.d.:1), and it was widely adopted by development agencies and in development studies as another way of understanding and reducing poverty in the south (Jackson, 1999:125). It has also been argued that the application of social exclusion to southern societies is indicative of a convergence of social policy between North and South as a result of globalization and international migration (Maxwell, 1998, cited in Francis, 2000:75). Thus, the danger is that given the roots of the concept in northern policy discourse, it will simply serve to re-label longstanding and locally developed approaches to social problems or alternatively, that it will promote a tendency to assess southern realities in terms of the extent to which they converge or diverge from some standard northern model (Kabeer, 2000: 2). Likewise in similar vein, Silver (1995) has argued that the meaning of social exclusion depends on the nature of the society, or the dominant model of the society from which exclusion occurs and it varies in meanings according to national and ideological contexts (Silver, 1994:539). Defining the term Social exclusion A working definition of social exclusion in the literature: Social exclusion is a complex and multi-dimensional process. It involves the lack of denial of resources, rights, goods and services and the inability to participate in the normal relationships and activities, available to the majority of people in a society, whether in economic, social, cultural or political areas. It affects both the Quality of life of individuals and the equity and cohesion of society as a whole. 42

2 Social exclusion and dalits The meaning of the term is not being include as part of or be able to participate in the societal activities.in Indian literature the practices rooted in caste and cultural stratification of the society. As it was discussed the term Social Exclusion - multidimensional process of certain group of people.it is a difficult task to define. Even though this term is defined some context related aspects. It is a relatively new concept and it is difficult to find a definition that reflects the whole complexity of the phenomenon. Some of the definitions are below: As academic studies social exclusion is a multidimensional concept, related to the relative position of an individual or a group in the entire society. In social since literature the concept of social exclusion is defined as the process through which individuals belonging to some groups are wholly or partially excluded from full participation in the society in which they live. The concept of social exclusion is contested, nevertheless, and no single agreed definition exists. The term has been used in three competing ways in UK policy debates (Levitas 1999): an integrationist approach in which employment is seen as the key integrating force, both through earned income, identity and sense of self-worth, and networks; a poverty approach in which the causes of exclusion are related to low income and a lack of material resources; an underclass approach in which the excluded are viewed as deviants from the moral and cultural norms of society, exhibit a culture of poverty or a dependency culture and are blamed for their own poverty and its intergenerational transmission. These have been summarised as no work, no money and no morals respectively. This paper takes an amended integrationist approach in the belief that this offers the most potential for developing an understanding of processes of social exclusion, but that these processes extend far beyond the labour market and indeed are multidimensional (Shucksmith and Chapman 1998). Social Exclusion in Indian Society The nature of exclusion revolving around the caste system particularly needs to be understood and conceptualized. It is this caste based exclusion which has formed the basis for various anti- discriminatory policies in India. Theoretical formulations by economists recognized that in its essential form, caste as a system of social and economic governance or organization (of production and distribution) is governed by certain customary rules and norms, which are unique and distinct. The organizational scheme of the caste system is based on the division of people into social groups (or castes) in which the civil, cultural and economic rights of each individual caste are pre-determined or ascribed by birth and made hereditary. The assignment of civil, cultural and economic rights is, therefore, unequal and hierarchal. The most important feature of the caste system, however, is that it provides for a regulatory mechanism to enforce the social and economic organization through the instruments of social ostracism (or social and economic Penalties); the caste system is reinforced further with justification and support from philosophical elements in the Hindu religion The practice of caste-based exclusion and discrimination thus, necessarily involves failure of access and entitlements, not only to economic rights, but also to civil, cultural and political rights. It involves what has been described as living mode exclusion, exclusion in political participation, and exclusion and disadvantage in social and economic opportunities. The caste /untouchablity and ethnicity based exclusion thus reflect in inability of individuals and groups like former untouchables,adiwasi and other similar groups to interact freely and productively with others and to take part in the full economic, social, and political life of a community. Incomplete citizenship or denial of civil rights (freedom of expression, rule of law, right to justice),political rights (Right and means to participate in the exercise of political power),and socioeconomic rights (Economic security and equality of opportunities) are key dimensions of impoverished live. However, in India, social exclusion has been predominantly used in understanding caste based discrimination. Caste is a unique determinant of social exclusion in the Indian Sub-continent. Here the people who categorized as Scheduled caste and Scheduled Tribes are popularly referred as Dalits. In the Varna classification Dalits are most excluded and ill-treated by other groups. Because of their job and poor economic status they are treated in poor manner and disrespectful in the society. There are various forms of social exclusion experienced by the Dalits in different spheres. Historically, the Dalits were deprived of education; right to possess assets; and the right to possess weapons to protect themselves. The code of conduct that deprives them of these rights- Manusmriti- was written three thousand years back. The scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and backward classes experience the agony of social exclusion very deeply in social, economic and political spheres in that order. Therefore, social exclusion is related to lack of access to services and goods offered by societies. Social and religious groups appear to accentuate social exclusion by denying certain opportunities pertaining to social and religious practices and access to services and resources. Caste base exclusion percolates through various opportunities for enhancing access to resources- education, health care, public activities, and work. Thus social exclusion can be understood through three basic tenets of complete and partial exclusion; and unfavorable inclusion. The caste system s fundamental characteristics of fixed civil, cultural, and economic rights for each caste, with restrictions for change implies forced exclusion of one caste from the rights of other caste, or from undertaking the occupations of other castes. Exclusion and discrimination in civil, cultural, and particularly in economic spheres such as occupation and labour employment, is therefore, internal to the system, and a necessary outcome of its governing principles. In the market economy framework, the occupational immobility would operate through restrictions in various markets such as land, labour, credit, other inputs, and services necessary for any economic activity. Labour being an integral part of the production process of any economic activity, would obviously become a part of market discrimination. 43

3 This theorization implies that the caste system involves the negation of not only equality and freedom, but also of the basic human rights, particularly of the low castes untouchables which become an impediment for personal development. The principles of equality and freedom are not the governing principles of the caste system. This is because the underlying principles of the caste system assume particular notions of "human rights. Unlike many other human societies, the caste system does not recognize the individual and his/her distinctiveness as the center of the social purpose. In fact, for the purpose of rights and duties, the unit of the Hindu society is not an individual (even the family is not regarded as a unit in the Hindu society, except for the purposes of marriages and inheritance). The primary unit in the Hindu society is caste, and hence, the rights and privileges (or the lack of them) of individual are on account of him/her being a member of a particular caste.4 Also, due to differential ranking, and the hierarchical nature of the caste system, the entitlements to various rights become narrower and narrower as one goes down in hierarchical ladder in the caste system. Various castes get artfully interlined and coupled with each other (in their r ights and duties), in a manner such that the rights and privileges of the higher castes become the causative reasons for the disadvantage and disability for the lower castes, particularly the untouchables. In this sense, as Ambedkar observed, a caste does not exist in a single number, but only in plural. Castes exist as a system of endogenous groups, which are interlinked with each other in unequal measure of rights and relations in all walks of life. Castes at the top of the order enjoy more rights, at the expense of those located at the bottom. Therefore, the untouchables located at the bottom of the caste hierarchy have much less economic and social rights. As far as India is concern there are a number of groups of people who are being deprived to get their full membership in the society. We can take the example of Dalit, tribal, minorities, women and children etc. These groups are discriminated in name of caste, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, language etc. This continued for ages in the society and continued in the post independent Indian society as well. Under the leadership of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar certain measures were taken while adopting the constitution of independent India to mitigate the menace of caste system and thus social exclusion. But it still it continued, social groups like tribal, minorities and women are still excluded from the ambit of mainstream society on multiple grounds. Social Exclusion and Dalits Dalit means Oppressed, it is a self-chosen political name of the caste in the SAARC region considered to be Untouchables. Dalit were excluded from the four-fold Varna system and formed the unmentioned fifth varna; they were also called Panchama. While "scheduled castes" (SC) is the legal name for those who were formerly considered "untouchable," the term Dalit also encompasses scheduled tribes (ST) and other historically disadvantaged communities who were traditionally excluded from society. Caste discrimination is a highly politicised and sensitive issue in India. Despite constitutional safeguards and special legislation for the protection of the country s 201 million scheduled castes (the official term for Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist Dalits), violations of their fundamental human rights continue on a massive scale. According to the 2011 census, Dalits officially known as scheduled castes constitute 201 million people. These figures do not include Dalits who have converted or are born and raised within a non-hindu religious community. It is therefore more than likely that the total Dalit population including the millions of Dalit Muslims and Christians by far exceeds the official 201 million. The primary census Abstract 2011, it depicts the population of Scheduled caste at 16.6 percent and scheduled tribes at 8.6 percent, together forming a quarter of the total population.in the period of , the scheduled caste grew by 20.8 percent and Scheduled tribes by 23.7 percent. The total population has witnessed a decadal increase of 17.7 per cent to touch 1.21 billion. The highest SC population, 31.9 per cent of the state's total number, is in Punjab. Lakshadweep has the highest proportion of STs at 94.8 per cent. Besides the SC/ST figures, the Census data pegs the work participation rate at 39.8 per cent. More than 60 per cent of the population does not participate in any economic activity. The figures may seem alarming but then students and homemakers have been categorized as 'non-workers', along with dependents, pensioners and beggars. At 51.9 per cent, Himachal Pradesh has the highest work participation rate and Delhi, at 33.3 per cent, is among the states with lowest rates. Cultivators and agricultural labourers (54.6 per cent) form over half the working population. DIAGRAM 1: Caste system in India- this diagram show a Varna based caste system 44

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5 The first question that arises about India s policy of compensatory discrimination is: "who are the legitimate beneficiaries?" Historically, the process is very complex the identification of some groups as requiring and deserving special treatment gives rise to concept of compensatory treatment, and this in turn provides controversies about those who should be included within its scope. Even after compensatory program is firmly established, who is to benefit continues to be a central question in designing and administering programs-and crucially important for the continuing justification of these programs to others. For the Constitution authorizes preferential treatment only for the limited purpose of advancing the backward. Public and professional discourse about the identity of the beneficiaries is thus an integral part of the operation of these programs. Most of the discrimination elements are related with education, health care and nutrition. Below are table shows the Scheduled caste (SC) and Schedule Tribe (ST) with their increased percentages during 2001 and TABLE 1: Population of Scheduled caste and Scheduled Tribe in the year of 2001 and 2011 with variation in percentage with respect to sex Scheduled caste Scheduled Tribe Respondents from SC/ST Variation in Percentage Variation in Percentage Total Persons Males Females Souce: Indian census abstract data on SC/STs Diagram for Scheduled Caste(SC) in the year of 2001 and Total Persons Males Females Series Series FIGURE 1: Sex wise distribution of the Schedule Caste population Diagram for Scheduled Tribe (ST) in the year of 2001 and Total Persons Males Females Series Series FIGURE 2: Sex wise distribution of the Schedule Tribe population Series1 Series2 From Table 1 it is clearly noticed that the percentage variation in a decadal has been increase in the total population among Scheduled caste and Scheduled tribes. In census 2011 it is showing that the combining of these groups forming a quarter of the total population TABLE 2: Proportion of Scheduled caste and Scheduled Tribes Population in India 2001 and

6 Scheduled caste Scheduled Tribe Respondents from SC/ST Total Persons Urban Rural Souce: Indian census abstract data on SC/STs From Table 2, we observed that there is a less proportion of population depict in the group of Scheduled Tribe. Further it shows less in rural population. TABLE 3: Distribution of Total population, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe with growth rate Indicator Absolute Percentage Growth rate ( ) Total Population Total 1,02,86,10,328 1,21,05,69, Rural 74,23,02,537 83,34,63, Urban 28,63,07,791 37,71,06, Scheduled Castes Total 16,66,35,700 20,13,78, Rural 13,30,10,878 15,38,50, Urban 3,36,24,822 4,75,27, Scheduled Tribes Total 8,43,26,240 10,42,81, Rural 7,73,38,597 9,38,19, Urban 69,87,643 1,04,61, Source: Primary Census Abstract for Total population, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, 2011 Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India Dalit Movement in India Large scale oppression and subjugation on lower caste Hindus by upper caste Hindu was even continued after the independence too. During the decade of 30s those untouchable people were called by the colonial government as oppressed class. During 40s, Mahatma Gandhi also observed that those people were badly treated by the upper caste Hindus of the society. Gandhi referred the socially excluded asharijan, which means son of the God, so that his upper caste followers of do not harass them in the name of their caste. But nothing changed. After the independence of the country some material change observed in the scene. For the first time in the history of India, the untouchables became equal before the law! The Indian Constitution which compiled in between 1947 and 1949, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by United Nations. And India adopted the basic principles of human rights in the article 19 in the constitution. The constitution of India termed them as scheduled caste and made provision of positive discrimination called reservation for their rapid upliftment. But it was observed that the atrocities on untouchables hadn t stopped. The parliament enacted an Act called Ant- Untouchability Act in After 20 years of the Act government re-evaluated it and found that still the civil right of the former untouchables was not protected. They decided to bring another Act to protect the civil right of the former untouchables called Protection of Civil Right In the mean time a socio-political and literary movement for the upliftment of former untouchables was started. They identified themselves as suppressed or in Indian language Dalit. This took the shape of a movement. The rise of political parties like BahujanSamaj Party in UP is the result of the movement called Dalit movement. The terminology they have used to identify the former untouchable community is not beyond criticism. The literary meaning of the term should include all the suppressed communities like tribal, minorities, women etc. The intellectual who are advocating the movement, it seems that they are not much concern about the facts. The Dalit literary movement started from Kanada literature was also a remarkable development as far as the Dalits are concerned. THE CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE MEASURES To safe guard the people belongs to the excluded in India, the Government of India takes several amendment and articles. Some of them are presented below. In the original Constitution, Article 338 provided for a special officer (the Commissioner for SCs and STs) responsible for monitoring the implementation of constitutional and legislative safeguards for SCs and STs and reporting to the president. Seventeen regional offices of the Commissioner were established throughout the country. There was an initiative to replace the Commissioner with a committee in the 48th Amendment to the Constitution, changing Article 338. While the amendment was being debated, the Ministry of Welfare established the first committee for SCs and STs (with the functions of the Commissioner) in August These functions were modified in September 1987 to include advising the government on broad policy issues and the development levels of SCs and STs. Now it is included in Article

7 Social exclusion and dalits In 1990, Article 338 was amended for the National Commission for SCs and STs with the Constitution (Sixty fifth Amendment) Bill, The first commission under the 65th Amendment was constituted in March 1992, replacing the Commissioner for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and the commission established by the Ministry of Welfare's Resolution of In 2003, the Constitution was again amended to divide the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes into two commissions: the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes. Due to the spread of Christianity and Islam among schedule caste/tribe community converted are not protected as castes under Indian Reservation policy. Hence, these societies usually forge their community certificate as Hindus and practice Christianity or Islam afraid for their loss of reservation. The Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan (SCSP) of 1979 mandated a planning process for the social, economic and educational development of Scheduled Castes and improvement in their working and living conditions. It was an umbrella strategy, ensuring the flow of targeted financial and physical benefits from the general sector of development to the Scheduled Castes. It entailed a targeted flow of funds and associated benefits from the annual plan of states and Union Territories (UTs) in at least a proportion to the national SC population. Twenty-seven states and UTs with sizable SC populations are implementing the plan. Although the Scheduled Castes population according to the 2001 Census was crores. It is around percent of the total population, the allocations made through SCSP have been lower than the proportional population. The Government of India has incorporated some special provisions in its constitution for the removal of untouchability and to promote the welfare of ST and SC 1. Articles 15,16,17,38 and 46 guarantee that the state shall not discriminate between persons on account of their religion or region and caste or class. 2. A - 15 prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, caste, race, sex or place of birth. 3. A - 17 abolishes untouchability. It is further provided that the enforcement of any disability arising out of untouchability shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law. 4. A - 46 promotes educational and economic interests of SC, ST and other weaker section. 5. A reserves representation for SC and ST in house of the people. 6. A relates to reservation of seats and special representation to cease after fiftyyears. 7. A mentions the claims of SC and ST to services commission for SC and ST. 8. A empowers the central govt. to appoint a national the scheduled areas and the welfare of ST in the States. 9. A empowers the president to appoint a commission to report on the administration of and posts. The Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI) is an Indianassociation that promotes business enterprises for Dalits. It was founded in 2005 by MilindKamble. The association has been criticised as seeking to find a small part in a capitalist economy that is founded on exploitation of economically underprivileged classes such as the Dalits themselves. The mission of DICCI is quoted To motivate Dalit youth to enter the business & industry sector as entrepreneurs and to carve their own niche; To encourage them to contribute to the nation's economy through wealth creation and to spread the spirit of enterprise to other fellow members. Present Scenario of Dalits in India Even after the enactment of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989, the scenario has not changed so much. The documentary India Untouched by Stalin K has shown the plight of Dalits in present India. Most shocking part is that people after getting higher education too they do not change their behaviour towards the Dalits. The said documentary has shown that the student in Jawaharlal Nehru University also has to face caste discrimination. The untouchables who converted to other religion like Islam and Christianity to escape from the vicious cycle of caste discrimination are still treated badly in their new religion as well. Caste based discrimination is still continuing in full swing. The Dalit children being forced to clean the toilet of the school or giving them separate food during mid-day-meal are everyday business in India present India. A few months ago a Dalit youth was killed by the alleged upper caste Hindus in Tamil Nadu for marrying a upper caste Hindu girl. The incident also triggered violence and the perpetrator set Dalit village into fire. The inhuman practice like Devadasi is still continuing in some part of the country. CONCLUSION Caste system is very old and ancient process. In current scenario our country makes several remarkable achievements. But it is not good to evident that still we are following the caste system and exclude people. The main causes of social exclusion arise in cultural, political and economic activities. There are instances that the Dalits also accept the caste system without a political and economic resistance. Government implemented several policies to protect social excluded group. Even there is less societal awareness and practices. To improve the remedial activities against the Dalits, It needs more education and change in the attitude of people in the upper caste. One of the solutions to remove this exclusion is inter-caste marriage; by such marriages the societal equality will be managed. In the Government side more policies and benefits has to be announced to encourage the people. Also the Government ready to introduce social inclusion policies. Again to solve Dalits problem whatever the policies implemented will accompany the concepts of Assimilation, Isolation and Integration. And finally we all need to work for a casteless society. 47

8 FIGURE 3(a) State wise distribution of ST population 2011 and Figure 3(b) State wise distribution of ST population in India, census 2011 REFERENCES Beall, J. &Piron L.H. (2004) DFID Social Exclusion Review, London School of Economics, London Gatade, S. (2013) Get Clicked with Dead Animals for Wards Scholarshiphttp://kafila.org/2013/09/28/getclicked-with-dead-animals-for-wards-scholarshipdalits-told-ht-special/ Last Retrieved on 28/9/13 Thorat, S. (2007) Hindu Social System and Human Rights of Dalits, Crtitical Quest, New Delhi where-virginity-is-for-sale-in-india/ Last retrieved on 28/09/13 Caste Based Discrimination in India (2012), Asian Human Rights Commission. humanrights. asia/news/urgent-appeals/ahrc-uac-091, 2012 Manual Scavenging Bill (2013) Daily Bhaskar daily.bhaskar.com/article/guj-ahd-manual- scavenging-bill-activists-claim-it-is-a-cheerless-move NOR.html Sen, A. (2007) Social Exclusion: Concept Application and Scrutiny, Crtitical Quest, New Delhi. Sugden, J. (2013) Where Virginity is for Sale Wall Street Journalhttp://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2013/04/05/ Nabin Rawal, Social Inclusion and Exclusion: A Review, Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol.2, 2007 Indian census abstract - data on SC/STs,