Varadesh Hiregange, Director of Gandhian and Peace Studies, Manipal University, said on Thursday that atrocities were still being committed against Dalits despite the progress and 68 years of independence in the country.
He was speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural function of ‘Youth and Ambedkar for Democracy’ campaign organised by the National Law School of Indian University, Ambedkar Study Centre and Tenkanidiyur Government First Grade College, here.
The campaign is being held as part of the 125th birth anniversary year celebrations of B.R. Ambedkar.
Mr. Hiregange said that as per the National Crime Records Bureau, a member of the Dalit community faced atrocities every 16 minutes in a day in the country. As many as four Dalit women were sexually assaulted every day. 13 members of the Dalit community were being killed and six Dalits were being kidnapped in the country every week.
In 2012, the year in which the Delhi gangrape incident took place, as many as 1,574 Dalit women were raped and 651 Dalits were killed in the country.
These were just the recorded cases. There were many unrecorded cases also. Caste discrimination was still prevalent in subtle forms in the country.
B.R. Ambedkar had insisted on constitutional morality. Ambedkar believed in liberty, equality and fraternity. While he wanted all the three goals to be achieved, he emphasised on fraternity.
“Ambedkar’s principles and thoughts are relevant even today. We have still not reached the equality, which he dreamt of,” Mr. Hiregange said.
K. Phaniraj, writer and member of the Centenary Advisory Committee, said that many students did not know much about the life, times and achievements of Ambedkar. He was not just the leader of the Dalit community but also of all communities. Presiding over the function, Niketana, writer and Principal of Government First Grade College, said that it was essential that youth read about the life and achievements of Ambedkar and Gandhiji and analysed them critically.
