Dalits seeking dignity

According to a report by the BBC, low-caste Hindus - otherwise known as Dalits, are converting to other religions, particularly Buddhism and Christianity. The Dalits, who number 167 million people and represent over 16% of the population of India, are considered to be the lowest-ranking members of Hindu society - and are limited to performing only the most absolutely menial of jobs. They are not even the lowest level of the obnoxious caste system, they are considered to be outside of and beneath it.

Even if Hinduism is not alone amongst religions in promoting racist or supremacist ideologies, the ugly, institutionalised racism that the caste system represents is probably the most clear-cut example of discrimination whose basis lies in religious belief. It is highly ironic that a religion which markets itself to western cultures as fluffy, huggy, tolerant and inclusive is in fact quite the opposite.

While India may be one of the world's fastest growing economies, a social order based on highly institutionalised discrimination can only ensure that the largely undeserving Brahmin caste will reap the benefits. Thankfully, the Dalits, who have long been an oppressed people, have also grown in political influence, particularly in northern India and steps are being taken to rid Indian society of this divisive and discriminatory concept.