Understanding Marginalisation Test - 4

In order to indicate to the government that untouchability was still being practiced and in a hideous manner, Dalit group demanded a new law that would list the various sorts of violence against Dalits and prescribe stringent punishment for those who indulge in them.  For that The Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes Act, 1989 was passed by the Government of India to safeguard Dalits from humiliation. The law seeks to both punish as well as influence the way people think.

Prevention of Atrocities Act 1989 has come to rescue of marginalized groups when they were treated badly by majority communities. The SC and ST (prevention of atrocities) Act was passed in the year 1989. This was enacted to prevent atrocities against scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.

Scheduled Tribes are also known as Adivasis. These are the designated group of people who are disadvantaged indigenous people in India. Scheduled Tribes comprise about  8.6 percent of India’s population. 

Militarised in the context of marginalisation refers to an area where the presence of the armed forces is considerable.

Reservation policy ensures that the marginalized groups have equal opportunity in education and employment. Reservations are provided to disadvantaged indigenous people in India who underwent a huge number of atrocities and remained backward for ages. The main aim of this policy is the upliftment of scheduled castes and tribes.

Article 17 of the Indian constitution abolishes untouchability. In order to achieve it, the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was passed in the year 1989. This was enacted to prevent atrocities against scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.

1. People who feel marginalized, deprived and discriminated have to fight against the injustice.

2. Such a fight often takes the democratic path voicing their demands in a peaceful and constitutional manner.

3. Seeking a fair position through elections.

Sometimes social differences can take the form of unacceptable level of social inequality and injustice. The struggle against such inequalities sometimes takes the path of violence and defiance of state power. However, history shows that democracy is the best way to fight for recognition and also to accommodate diversity.

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes is established by the Article 388 of the Constitution of India whereas all of the rest are established by their respective Acts of Parliament.

The practice of untouchability was in vogue in Ancient which continued to prevail in modern India also. It is a practice of excluding or isolating persons of lower caste from social participation. Article 17 of the constitution abolishes untouchability and forbids its practice. The Untouchability Offences Act enacted in 1955 (presently Protection of Civil Rights, 1976) in the spirit of the constitutional mandate which provides for penalties of such practices so defined in it. The Hindu-Sikh Religion classified people on the caste system in the Vedic era whereby lower castes people are considered as untouchables.