Inde : les dalits, une vie de discrimination et de stigmatisation • FRANCE 24

Violence and Discrimination Against Dalits in Schools

Experiences of a Dalit Student

• A boy from the most oppressed caste, the Dalits (formerly known as "Untouchables"), shares his traumatic experiences at school, where he faced violence without permission to show his face.

• He recounts being beaten by a teacher for allegedly stealing, an excuse often used to target Dalits. The assault lasted 45 minutes, resulting in him losing consciousness and suffering broken fingers and bruises on his back.

• The discrimination extends beyond teachers; classmates from higher castes also humiliate him, reinforcing societal prejudices against those with darker skin tones.

Systemic Discrimination and Its Impact

• Despite the abolition of untouchability in 1950, it persists across India. A recent incident involved a 9-year-old boy who died after being assaulted by a teacher for touching a glass reserved for higher castes.

• Activists highlight that systemic discrimination against Dalit children has devastating effects on their lives, impacting their psychosomatic development. Young children are particularly susceptible to absorbing negative or positive influences around them.