Untouchability
Untouchability is one of the most degrading social practices rooted in the caste system of India. It involves the systematic exclusion and discrimination of certain communities, especially Dalits, deemed “impure” by traditional Hindu society. This practice denies individuals basic human rights such as access to public spaces, education, water sources, and temples.
Untouchability is not just a social issue but a deep moral and philosophical failure of the society that practiced it. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, a prominent Dalit thinker, saw untouchability as a violation of human dignity and equality. He argued that this system could only be dismantled through legal rights, education, and social reform.
Dalit movements and the Indian Constitution have legally outlawed untouchability (Article 17). However, its social forms still persist in subtle and overt ways. Philosophically, fighting untouchability involves redefining human relationships on the basis of equality, justice, and mutual respect. It is also a spiritual struggle to restore dignity to those who have been historically dehumanized.