Caste System in India and Social Status
What night is donned upon my nation, lord?
“Atleast she has an employment guarantee.”
“Even if the employment is manual scavenging”
“Someone will do it, why not she”
“She is a little child. She also has a right to education and decent livelihood.”
Ah! I then realized what void argument have I given. Who will provide them education and what will it fetch them?
“She is anyway having two meals.”
And yes so true is that. Food is much more important than dignity. Even if they are maltreated it is their destiny.
The concept of destiny has always remained a puzzle to me. And this destiny is based on the social status of their parents.
Yesterday there was a shraaddh ceremony in my village. It is organised to worship, to acknowledge our ancestors. Therefore I made a rare visit to my village. While serving the food I saw two little girls, wearing tattered clothes and with unkempt hairs. On enquiring I came to know that they belonged to scheduled caste. One of my cousins told me that they are engaged in cleaning others’ excreta manually.
I could not believe it. They were barely 5-6 years old. I was astonished at the fact that how agreeingly they had given in to the social discrimination. I gave them a sympathetic look but they didn’t react. They didn’t care about by compassion, they just wanted food. My sympathy would not satisfy their hunger and hunger is the most prominent feeling they have. They don’t need dignity or education which will not bring them food. They don’t care if they have to clean gutters or do manual scavenging. They are not aware of their rights under Article 15, Article 17, Article 21A or Article 24 and they don’t give a damn to it.
I wonder if the twinkling of stars ever reach their eyes. The time running on our wrists seems frozen in their eyes. How hopeless seem their eyes! They don’t question anyone. But once you see them it is impossible to escape (Tears fill my eyes). I wish the oppressor would also look at them once. We have made their
“Atleast she has an employment guarantee.”
“Even if the employment is manual scavenging”
“Someone will do it, why not she”
“She is a little child. She also has a right to education and decent livelihood.”
Ah! I then realized what void argument have I given. Who will provide them education and what will it fetch them?
“She is anyway having two meals.”
And yes so true is that. Food is much more important than dignity. Even if they are maltreated it is their destiny.
The concept of destiny has always remained a puzzle to me. And this destiny is based on the social status of their parents.
Yesterday there was a shraaddh ceremony in my village. It is organised to worship, to acknowledge our ancestors. Therefore I made a rare visit to my village. While serving the food I saw two little girls, wearing tattered clothes and with unkempt hairs. On enquiring I came to know that they belonged to scheduled caste. One of my cousins told me that they are engaged in cleaning others’ excreta manually.
I could not believe it. They were barely 5-6 years old. I was astonished at the fact that how agreeingly they had given in to the social discrimination. I gave them a sympathetic look but they didn’t react. They didn’t care about by compassion, they just wanted food. My sympathy would not satisfy their hunger and hunger is the most prominent feeling they have. They don’t need dignity or education which will not bring them food. They don’t care if they have to clean gutters or do manual scavenging. They are not aware of their rights under Article 15, Article 17, Article 21A or Article 24 and they don’t give a damn to it.
I wonder if the twinkling of stars ever reach their eyes. The time running on our wrists seems frozen in their eyes. How hopeless seem their eyes! They don’t question anyone. But once you see them it is impossible to escape (Tears fill my eyes). I wish the oppressor would also look at them once. We have made their