Скачать или смотреть In India, Unequal Lives Persist | A Closer Look at Dalit Struggles in Gujarat

Bhupat Bhai Sekhaliya, a young rickshaw driver from Gujarat, a state in western India known for its economic progress and as the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, faces significant challenges due to his background. He belongs to the Dalit community, which is at the bottom of India’s caste system, a rigid social hierarchy rooted in religion that has historically marginalized certain groups. Bhupat’s daily life is fraught with constraints that prevent him from experiencing what many would consider a normal life, including the ability to run errands without the threat of unprovoked violence.

Despite Bhupat’s hard work and dedication, he often encounters disrespect, especially from individuals of “higher” castes. For him, and many like him in the Dalit community, everyday activities that others take for granted – for example, wearing good clothes – can be fraught with difficulties and discrimination. In some cases, standing up against such treatment can lead to physical assault.

Between 2015 and 2021, more than 9,000 incidents had been documented in Gujarat alone, according to the Government of India’s National Crime Records Bureau.