The Caste System - one person's experience
Content warning: violence, rape, sexual assault, racism, prejudice.
The purpose of this is to urge the Indian state to take the steps to protect the untouchables from any form of violence or bodily harm and to ensure their security of live and their human rights.
The Hindu Caste System in India is consisting of ‘four major varnas/castes.’ i.e. Brahmins (Priests), Kshatriya (Rulers), Vaishya (traders/merchants), and Shudras (servants). However, besides these four major varnas/castes there is another group of people called as ‘Outcaste Untouchables.’ So, Hindus are only those who are within the four major varnas/castes and Untouchables are the separate group from Hindus. But due to thousands of years of mental slavery and ignorance many Untouchables have become the Hinduised. According to India’s 2011 census the Untouchables are more than 200 million population in India, excluding those Untouchables who are converted into Islam and Christianity and have a legacy of Untouchability from Hindu Caste System.
The Caste system is originated from the Varna system and the Untouchability is originated from the Caste system. The varna system is founded in Rigveda i.e. holiest book of Hindus. Those who were learned (Brahmins) they later founded the Caste system. Another Hindu holy book called, “Manusmruti” has epitomized and espoused the Caste system. Therefore, Caste system is seen as a “sacred institution” in Hinduism due to the religious flavor attached to it. The Untouchability is a worst form of caste discrimination. The Crimes of Untouchability means the “enforced disabilities” from fundamental and inherent human rights of the individuals. According to 2018 report of National Crime Record Bureau which is an Indian governments agency responsible for collecting and analyzing crime data of India; the total 42793 crimes of atrocities were committed against the Outcaste Untouchable community in that year. However, there are many cases of crimes of atrocities goes unreported due to sheer pressure from police and perpetrators or due to the fear of retaliation by perpetrators. Indian State along with its police, judiciary and other actors characterized by prejudices and hatred work together to systematically fabricate the killings of the Untouchables and to protect each other and particularly the perpetrators and perpetuate the atrocious crimes on Untouchable communities even in this era of human rights law.
The barbaric violence against Untouchables is common, systematic, widespread and historical in India. In 2006, an entire Untouchable family of Khairlanji village in middle parts of India was viciously massacred by Hindus. The woman, girl was brutally gangraped, their breast was cut off with axe, their genitalia were stabbed with sticks before thrashing it. The minor sons were ferociously beaten up, tortured and all their dead bodies were thrown in the canal. This was not the first or the last incident of such crimes against the Untouchables. However, the gruesome Khairlanji massacre-2006 is a classic example which gives some idea to any non-Indian the kind of violence and barbarisms are being perpetrated against the Untouchables by Hindus. These crimes of atrocities against Untouchables are so peculiar and unique in nature that it can be easily differentiated from normal crimes. Whenever the crime of atrocities, gangrapes and killings are committed against Untouchables, their bodies are being highly mutilated, eyes-tongue-neck being slashed, private body parts being severed and then killed. All this viciousness is done to terrify and to demonstrate the Untouchables their subhuman status in the eyes of the Hindu perpetrators and in the Hindu society. Also, this viciousness or evil acts are the examples hate crimes against the Untouchables in India.
On September 14, 2020 another young girl from the Untouchable community was barbarically gangraped, her tongue was cut off, her neck and spinal cord was brutally smashed. Then the Indian administration and police left her to die in a rural hospital and not been admitted in a well-equipped hospital and not been provided urgent treatment. On September 29, 2020 she died from the grievous injuries and then Indian police immediately burnt her body in the middle of the night without hand-overring it or even informing about it to the girl’s family. Even in this incident Indian police acted as pro perpetrators, agents and accomplices of the perpetrators and tried to cover up the incident as they do in most of the cases of crimes against the Untouchables. Police did not even register a formal criminal complaint against the perpetrators. The deceased girl herself gave a “dying declaration” in the hospital that she was brutally gang raped and sexually violented by the Hindu perpetrators. However Indian police itself refused to admit her dying declaration and said that no gangraped and sexual violence was committed on her. In turn Indian police were involved to torture, terrorize and intimidate the parents of deceased girl so that the Untouchable family will not demand the criminal prosecution of the Hindu perpetrators and the justice for their daughter.
The barbaric sexual violence and killing of this Untouchable girl in Hathras, India is not an isolated incident. There is a long and historical pattern of atrocious crimes against the Untouchables. There is strong coordinated violence against the Untouchables across India. The Untouchables have lost and are losing everyday so many beautiful, young and brilliant lives, minor girls and even the infants at the hands of Casteist Hindus. Since Indian State including its police and judiciary acts as the protectors of perpetrators there is no hope even in the future that the perpetrators of crimes against Untouchables will be brought to justice. There is no hope of the protection and promotion of inherent and fundamental human rights of the Untouchables in India. Indian State deliberately failed to respect the right to security and protection of the lives of Untouchables against any violence, bodily harm guaranteed under India's Constitution and International Law particularly ICERD and CEDAW. The historically oppressed Untouchable Community do not have any global support or a solidarity. The world community is not aware about the gravity of Crimes of Untouchability and Caste Discrimination. Though the Untouchables are steadfastly fighting their own battle, but the international community must bear it in mind that the 'Hindu Caste System' and it's 'Crimes of Untouchability' is a very urgent problem that the world must address!
The purpose of this is to urge the Indian state to take the steps to protect the untouchables from any form of violence or bodily harm and to ensure their security of live and their human rights.
The Hindu Caste System in India is consisting of ‘four major varnas/castes.’ i.e. Brahmins (Priests), Kshatriya (Rulers), Vaishya (traders/merchants), and Shudras (servants). However, besides these four major varnas/castes there is another group of people called as ‘Outcaste Untouchables.’ So, Hindus are only those who are within the four major varnas/castes and Untouchables are the separate group from Hindus. But due to thousands of years of mental slavery and ignorance many Untouchables have become the Hinduised. According to India’s 2011 census the Untouchables are more than 200 million population in India, excluding those Untouchables who are converted into Islam and Christianity and have a legacy of Untouchability from Hindu Caste System.
The Caste system is originated from the Varna system and the Untouchability is originated from the Caste system. The varna system is founded in Rigveda i.e. holiest book of Hindus. Those who were learned (Brahmins) they later founded the Caste system. Another Hindu holy book called, “Manusmruti” has epitomized and espoused the Caste system. Therefore, Caste system is seen as a “sacred institution” in Hinduism due to the religious flavor attached to it. The Untouchability is a worst form of caste discrimination. The Crimes of Untouchability means the “enforced disabilities” from fundamental and inherent human rights of the individuals. According to 2018 report of National Crime Record Bureau which is an Indian governments agency responsible for collecting and analyzing crime data of India; the total 42793 crimes of atrocities were committed against the Outcaste Untouchable community in that year. However, there are many cases of crimes of atrocities goes unreported due to sheer pressure from police and perpetrators or due to the fear of retaliation by perpetrators. Indian State along with its police, judiciary and other actors characterized by prejudices and hatred work together to systematically fabricate the killings of the Untouchables and to protect each other and particularly the perpetrators and perpetuate the atrocious crimes on Untouchable communities even in this era of human rights law.
The barbaric violence against Untouchables is common, systematic, widespread and historical in India. In 2006, an entire Untouchable family of Khairlanji village in middle parts of India was viciously massacred by Hindus. The woman, girl was brutally gangraped, their breast was cut off with axe, their genitalia were stabbed with sticks before thrashing it. The minor sons were ferociously beaten up, tortured and all their dead bodies were thrown in the canal. This was not the first or the last incident of such crimes against the Untouchables. However, the gruesome Khairlanji massacre-2006 is a classic example which gives some idea to any non-Indian the kind of violence and barbarisms are being perpetrated against the Untouchables by Hindus. These crimes of atrocities against Untouchables are so peculiar and unique in nature that it can be easily differentiated from normal crimes. Whenever the crime of atrocities, gangrapes and killings are committed against Untouchables, their bodies are being highly mutilated, eyes-tongue-neck being slashed, private body parts being severed and then killed. All this viciousness is done to terrify and to demonstrate the Untouchables their subhuman status in the eyes of the Hindu perpetrators and in the Hindu society. Also, this viciousness or evil acts are the examples hate crimes against the Untouchables in India.
On September 14, 2020 another young girl from the Untouchable community was barbarically gangraped, her tongue was cut off, her neck and spinal cord was brutally smashed. Then the Indian administration and police left her to die in a rural hospital and not been admitted in a well-equipped hospital and not been provided urgent treatment. On September 29, 2020 she died from the grievous injuries and then Indian police immediately burnt her body in the middle of the night without hand-overring it or even informing about it to the girl’s family. Even in this incident Indian police acted as pro perpetrators, agents and accomplices of the perpetrators and tried to cover up the incident as they do in most of the cases of crimes against the Untouchables. Police did not even register a formal criminal complaint against the perpetrators. The deceased girl herself gave a “dying declaration” in the hospital that she was brutally gang raped and sexually violented by the Hindu perpetrators. However Indian police itself refused to admit her dying declaration and said that no gangraped and sexual violence was committed on her. In turn Indian police were involved to torture, terrorize and intimidate the parents of deceased girl so that the Untouchable family will not demand the criminal prosecution of the Hindu perpetrators and the justice for their daughter.
The barbaric sexual violence and killing of this Untouchable girl in Hathras, India is not an isolated incident. There is a long and historical pattern of atrocious crimes against the Untouchables. There is strong coordinated violence against the Untouchables across India. The Untouchables have lost and are losing everyday so many beautiful, young and brilliant lives, minor girls and even the infants at the hands of Casteist Hindus. Since Indian State including its police and judiciary acts as the protectors of perpetrators there is no hope even in the future that the perpetrators of crimes against Untouchables will be brought to justice. There is no hope of the protection and promotion of inherent and fundamental human rights of the Untouchables in India. Indian State deliberately failed to respect the right to security and protection of the lives of Untouchables against any violence, bodily harm guaranteed under India's Constitution and International Law particularly ICERD and CEDAW. The historically oppressed Untouchable Community do not have any global support or a solidarity. The world community is not aware about the gravity of Crimes of Untouchability and Caste Discrimination. Though the Untouchables are steadfastly fighting their own battle, but the international community must bear it in mind that the 'Hindu Caste System' and it's 'Crimes of Untouchability' is a very urgent problem that the world must address!