BJP GOVERNMENT/MODI GOVERNMENT FAILED TO HELP SC.STS.SPL REPORT.BY CDS.HYD.
CDS report exposes Modi Govt’s failure to help Dalits
A close examination of key statistics pertaining to education, employment, land ownership and budget allocation reveals a pattern of neglect towards Dalits under the BJP.
Hyderabad: While different governments in India’s post-independence history have passed several special legislative provisions to elevate the societal and economic condition of Dalits, the community continues to be subjected to discrimination, violence and social exclusion.
According to a study by the Centre for Dalit Studies (CDS), Hyderabad, ‘Untouchable Reality: A Decade of Dalit Setbacks under Modi’s BJP Rule’, the BJP government has conspicuously failed to foster development and social-economic progress of Scheduled Castes. Despite numerous incidents of discrimination and marginalization against Dalits, the BJP government has not taken substantive measures to address these systemic issues, the report says.
A close examination of key statistics pertaining to education, employment, land ownership and budget allocation reveals a pattern of neglect towards Dalits under the BJP.
Educationally, Dalits continue to face barriers to access quality education, with dismal enrollment rates and inadequate resources allocated to their educational upliftment. Employment opportunities too remain elusive for Dalits, as they encounter pervasive discrimination in the job market.
Education:
As per the National Commission for SCs and STs and Census of India, 2011, the literacy rate among Dalits is 73.5 percent, which is lower than the national average of 80.9 percent (Census 2020). The CDS report said Dalit enrollment in 2018-19 fell short of the mandated quota of 15 percent, as did ST enrollment (mandated quota of 7.5 percent). In many large States, including Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, less than 20 percent of students enrolled in higher education in 2018-19 were SC or ST. Among the MBBS graduates surveyed, only 8.3 percent are SC students, 3.8 percent are ST students, and 24.4 percent are OBC students.
Pre-Matric and Post Matric Scholarships:
From 2022-23, the union Government has stopped offering pre-matric scholarships to students from classes 1 through 8 who are members of SC, ST, OBC and minority communities, which has drawn severe criticism.
Employment of Scheduled Castes:
Representation of OBCs, SCs and STs in direct All India Services in the last five years is in a sorry state. According to data presented in Parliament, 15.92% of OBCs, 7.65% of SCs and 3.80% of STs are given representation, respectively, while the percentage of these communities in the population is nearly half. Such low representation clearly shows serious discrimination on the basis of caste, the CDS report says.
In 2019, the unemployment rate among Dalits was 8.3 percent, which was higher than the national average of 6.7 percent (National Sample Survey Office, 2019). According to the (2011) census, the average per capita income of Dalits was Rs.47,124, which was lower than the national average of Rs.74,000. Dalits accounted for 56 percent of all manual scavengers in India.
Land Resources
Agricultural operational holdings of SCs accounted for 11.84 percent of the total number of holdings in the country in 2015-16 as against 12.36 percent in 2010-11. The Scheduled Tribes holdings accounted for 8.7 percent of total holdings in both 2010-11 and 2015-16. However, the proportion of operated area held by Scheduled Tribes has decreased from 11.42 percent in 2010-11 to 11.27 percent in 2015-16. In the case of ‘Other’ Social Group, the proportions of number of holdings in 2015-16 and 2010-11 stood at 79.33 percent and 78.79 percent respectively.
Poverty
According to NFHS data in 2011, a SC family has an annual income of Rs.89,000, while an ST family has an annual income of Rs.75,000. In the same OBCs it is Rs.1.04 lakh. It is Rs.1.64 lakh in dominant castes. Annual expenditure was Rs.87,000 for SCs, Rs.72,000 for STs, Rs.1,08,000 for OBCs and Rs.1,46,000 for upper castes.
Atrocities
Atrocities against Scheduled Castes in India have seen a disturbing surge during the tenure of the BJP government. Despite legal safeguards and constitutional protections, the vulnerability of SCs has been exacerbated, reflecting systemic failures and inadequate implementation of protective measures. The rise in atrocities against Dalits under BJP rule highlights not only a failure of governance but also a betrayal of trust and disregard for principles of democracy and social justice, the report added.
Article 46:
Over the past decade, the BJP government has veered away from the principles enshrined in Article 46 of the Constitution, which mandates promotion of educational and economic interests of SC and ST. Despite constitutional obligations, there has been a noticeable absence of prioritization for SCs and STs in crucial areas such as education, health and budgetary allocations. With the NDA government neglecting budget allocations and expenditures targeted for welfare and development of SCs and STs, the CDS report has called for necessary budgetary allocations.
The Telangana Model
The report further stated that some State governments, such as Telangana, took proactive measures to safeguard interests of SCs and STs. Enactment of SC and ST Special Development Fund Act by the Telangana government exemplified such efforts. This legislation aimed to ensure funds allocated for development of SCs and STs were appropriately utilized, despite absence of a separate planned budget. The CDS report further stated that the Telangana’s initiative served as a model for all States.
The Gujarat Model:
The persistence of the Gujarat model narrative by Modi and the NDA government over the last decade belies the harsh reality faced by SCs in the State. The model has proven disastrous for Dalits during the BJP’s 25-year regime in the State, the report notes. Inadequate budget allocations for Dalits exacerbated their suffering and perpetuate socio-economic disparities.
The CDS has demanded incorporating life and technical skills into curriculum, enhancement of agricultural reforms, assessing land reforms and allocating feasible extents, ensuring land rights for farmers, Monitor introduction of entrepreneurship support schemes akin to the Telangana Dalit Bandhu initiative and offering grants and financial assistance to aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly from marginalized communities.
......
PRIVATISATION DID MAJOR CHANGES IN STOPPING THE DEVELOPMENT OF DALITS.
Comments
Post a Comment