Chapter 5

NCERT
Class 9
Political Science
Solutions
1. In 1999, P. Sainath wrote a series of news reports in the newspaper 'The Hindu' describing untouchability and caste discrimination that was still being practiced against Dalits or persons belonging to Scheduled Castes.
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Question:

In 1999, P. Sainath wrote a series of news reports in the newspaper 'The Hindu' describing untouchability and caste discrimination that was still being practiced against Dalits or persons belonging to Scheduled Castes. He travelled to various parts of the country and found that in many places:

  • Tea stalls kept two kinds of cups, one for Dalits and one for others;
  • Barbers refused to serve Dalit clients;
  • Dalit students were made to sit separately in the classroom or drink water from separate picher;
  • Dalit grooms were not allowed to ride a horse in the wedding procession;
  • Dalits were not allowed to use common handpumps or if they did, the handpump was washed to purify it.

All these examples fall under the definition of untouchability. Can you think of some examples from your own area?

Answer:

In my area there are instances like:

1. Dalit boy beaten to death for plucking flowers

2. Dalit tortured by cops for three days

3. Dalit 'witch' paraded naked

4. Dalit killed in lock-up at Kurnool

5. 7 Dalits burnt alive in caste clash

6. Dalit woman gang-raped, paraded naked

7. Police egged on mob to lynch Dalits.

8. Dalits are not allowed to drink from the same wells, attend the same temples,wear shoes in the presence of an upper caste, or drink from the same cups intea stalls

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