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Shameful

The report that a six-year-old Dalit girl was thrown into a garbage dump fire at Karoli village in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, and that a Dalit youth was set afire by a shopkeeper over the payment of Rs.10 in Etawah district is shameful and distressing. It is ironical that such inhuman incidents against Dalits have taken place in a State ruled by a Dalit Chief Minister. The perpetual indifference of the powers that be to the plight of Dalits and the state’s reluctance to punish the guilty in such atrocious incidents have emboldened the so-called upper castes to commit grievous crimes against them frequently.

J. Anantha Padmanabhan,

Srirangam

It was shocking to read that a six-year-old was thrown into a garbage fire. More shocking was the news that the victim was a Dalit and the offender an ‘upper’ caste youth. The mindless, barbaric act is highly condemnable.

A. Jainulabdeen,

Chennai

It is deplorable that even in the 21st century, such incidents occur in our country. The Mathura and Etawah incidents have reinforced that reservation for the deprived sections has not only economic but also social components.

N. Shafi Bhat,

New Delhi

Despite the existence of stringent laws intended to prevent atrocities against Dalits, we keep hearing of gruesome acts being perpetrated against them in some part of the country or the other. This is a reflection of our law-enforcing machinery that continues to remain inefficient and prejudiced against Dalit victims. The need of the hour is a strong, effective social renaissance movement that can change the mindset of the ‘upper’ castes.

Shahabuddin Nadeem,

Bangalore

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