By portraying the gravity of discrimination featuring in eight states and four prominent religions, ‘India Untouched–Stories of a People apart’ acts as a wake-up call for all those who deny the existence of untouchability in India today. It critiques the justification of this systematic oppression through the flawed interpretations of Banaras scholars who claim that Dalits have no right to education, and Rajput farmers who proclaim that no Dalit may sit in their presence and that the police must seek their permission prior to pursuing complaints against atrocities.
As long as the notions of ‘pollution’ and ‘purity’ linger in the minds of people, caste-discrimination will prevail in India, the way racism still survives in USA. The film presents a vicious circle of lamentations of the ostracized, with little to say about the historical or present-day political realities of their situation.
With 1.22 billion Indians following multiple cultures, traditions, religions and etiquette, we might not need a revolution to end this social evil of 4000 years. The answer lies in accepting the simple one liner that ‘All Humans are Equal’.
–Reported by Sajan Tom, I PSEng; Edited by Vidya MG, II CEP
csablog.christuniversity.in 