{"id":56884,"date":"2025-10-15T18:41:44","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T13:11:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=56884"},"modified":"2025-10-27T12:08:41","modified_gmt":"2025-10-27T06:38:41","slug":"india-caste-based-atrocities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/15-10-2025\/india-caste-based-atrocities","title":{"rendered":"Addressing Caste-Based Atrocities in India"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Social Issues<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Caste-based atrocities, from rural villages to urban institutions, discrimination and violence against SCs and STs, continue to plague India\u2019s social fabric, despite constitutional guarantees of equality and justice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About the Caste-based Atrocities<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Atrocity refers to <strong>any offense listed under Section 3<\/strong> of the <strong>SC\/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989<\/strong>, committed by a person who is <strong>not a member of<\/strong> a Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST), against someone who is.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These offenses include:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Social exclusion<\/strong> (e.g., denying access to public spaces)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Physical violence<\/strong> (e.g., assault, rape, murder)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Economic exploitation<\/strong> (e.g., land grabbing, bonded labor)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Humiliation and verbal abuse<\/strong> based on caste identity<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Act was enacted to prevent such offenses, ensure justice and dignity for SC\/ST communities, and provide relief and rehabilitation to victims.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Recent Trend (NCRB 2023 Report)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Crimes Against Scheduled Castes (SCs):<\/strong> A total of 57,789 cases were registered in 2023, marking a 0.4% increase over 2022.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number with 15,130 cases, followed by Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The crime rate against SCs stood at 28.7 per lakh population.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/22-07-2022\/crimes-against-scheduled-castes-and-scheduled-tribes\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/22-07-2022\/crimes-against-scheduled-castes-and-scheduled-tribes\"><strong>Crimes Against Scheduled Tribes (STs):<\/strong> <\/a>A total of 12,960 cases were registered, reflecting a sharp 28.8% increase from the previous year.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is partly attributed to the ethnic violence in Manipur, where cases against STs rose from just 1 in 2022 to 3,399 in 2023.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Regional Disparities:<\/strong> High-incidence states for SC atrocities include:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Madhya Pradesh (72.6 per lakh);<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rajasthan (69.1 per lakh);<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bihar (42.6 per lakh);<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Reasons Behind Caste-Based Atrocities in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Historical and Structural Inequality:<\/strong> Untouchability and social exclusion has created <strong>vertical inequalities<\/strong> that persist even after <strong>legal abolition under Article 17 of the Constitution.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Absence of Caste Sensitivity in Institutions: <\/strong>Caste bias is deeply embedded in classrooms and family structures.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Justice K Chandru Report <\/strong>recommended dropping caste-based names from schools and merging institutions to reduce segregation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Institutional Apathy and Underreporting:<\/strong> MHA acknowledges that delays in investigation, lack of police sensitivity, and underrepresentation of SC\/ST personnel contribute to poor enforcement of the SC\/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Economic and Social Exclusion<\/strong>: Caste-based discrimination often manifests in denial of access to education, employment, and public services.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It fuels resentment and perpetuates cycles of poverty and vulnerability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Legal and Institutional Gaps<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Underreporting and Low Conviction Rates:<\/strong> West Bengal reported <strong>only 102 cases <\/strong><strong><em>(NCRB 2023)<\/em><\/strong><em>,<\/em> with a crime rate of 0.5 per lakh, raising questions about underreporting or systemic gaps in registration.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Only about 60% of SC-related cases led to charge sheets, while about 15% were closed due to <strong>lack of evidence or false claims.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Inadequate Implementation of Laws:<\/strong> NCST highlights that many states fail to establish Special Courts for speedy trials; appoint nodal officers to monitor implementation; provide timely relief and rehabilitation to victims;\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Department of Social Justice<\/strong> notes that despite constitutional mandates, enforcement of the <strong>Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955,<\/strong> remains inconsistent across states.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Judicial and Policing Bias: <\/strong>The Supreme Court struck down <strong>caste-based segregation in prison labor<\/strong>, calling it unconstitutional and a violation of human dignity.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Moreover, a <strong>Parliamentary Standing Committee<\/strong> flagged <strong>lapses in state-level enforcement<\/strong>, urging the central government to push for stronger compliance with the PoA Act.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Constitutional Safeguards<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>Article 15:<\/strong> It prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth;<br>&#8211; <strong>Article 17:<\/strong> It abolishes untouchability and forbids its practice in any form;<br>&#8211; <strong>Article 46<\/strong>: It directs the State to promote educational and economic interests of SCs\/STs;<br>&#8211; <strong>Article 338 &amp; 338A:<\/strong> It establishes the <strong>National Commissions for SCs and STs<\/strong> to monitor safeguards;<br><strong>Contributions of Social Reformers<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>Dr. B.R. Ambedkar:<\/strong> Drafting constitutional provisions like Article 17, which abolished untouchability;<br>1. Leading mass movements for temple entry and access to public resources;<br>2. Converting to Buddhism in 1956 as a form of protest and spiritual liberation for Dalits;<br>&#8211; <strong>Periyar E.V. Ramasamy: <\/strong>He was founder of the <strong>Self-Respect Movement<\/strong>, a fierce <strong>critic of Brahminical dominance and religious orthodoxy.<\/strong> His contributions include:<br>1. Advocating for inter-caste marriages and women\u2019s rights;<br>2. Promoting atheism and rational thought to dismantle caste-based rituals;<br>3. Inspiring generations of anti-caste activists in Tamil Nadu;<br>&#8211; <strong>Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule:<\/strong><br>1. Opening the first school for girls in Pune in 1848;<br>2. Campaigning against untouchability, child marriage, and caste-based exclusion;<br>3. Promoting the idea of \u2018Bahujan upliftment\u2019 through knowledge and self-respect;<br>&#8211; <strong>Vaikom Satyagraha:<\/strong> It was a non-violent protest in <strong>Kerala (1924\u201325)<\/strong> demanding <strong>temple entry rights<\/strong> for lower castes.<br>1. Leaders like <strong>TK Madhavan and K Kelappan<\/strong>, supported by <strong>Mahatma Gandhi, <\/strong>played pivotal roles in it.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Legal Safeguards<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955:<\/strong> It penalizes the enforcement of untouchability; and prohibits denial of access to public spaces and services.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The SC\/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989: <\/strong>It defines specific offenses as \u2018atrocities\u2019 (e.g., assault, humiliation, social boycott);\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It bars anticipatory bail for accused persons under Section 18, and mandates Special Courts for speedy trials;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It provides for victim compensation and rehabilitation;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The SC\/ST (PoA) Amendment Act, 2015<\/strong>: It expands the list of punishable offenses; and strengthens witness protection and procedural safeguards.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>National Helpdesk for Prevention of Atrocities:<\/strong> It has resolved over 634,000 grievances, offering legal aid and tracking complaints.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Meanwhile, the <strong>Open Government Data Platform<\/strong> provides granular data on crimes against SCs, aiding transparency and research.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Judicial Interpretation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>2025:<\/strong> The Supreme Court upheld the bar on anticipatory bail for caste crime accused, warning against \u2018mini-trials\u2019 at the bail stage;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>2024:<\/strong> The Court declared caste-based segregation in prison labor unconstitutional, directing states to revise prison manuals within three months\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These judgments affirm that caste-based discrimination violates fundamental rights to dignity and equality.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Institutional Mechanisms:<\/strong> Institutions like the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes and the Ministry of Social Justice are tasked with:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Monitoring implementation of safeguards;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Investigating complaints;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Advising on policy reforms;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Forward<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Strengthen Law Enforcement:<\/strong> Ensure swift investigation, prosecution, and sensitisation of police and judiciary on caste bias.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Promote Egalitarian Values:<\/strong> Launch nationwide educational and media campaigns to dismantle caste-based prejudices.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Revitalise Civil Society:<\/strong> Encourage religious institutions, academia, and NGOs to foster inter-caste dialogue and solidarity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ensure Affirmative Action:<\/strong> Enforce reservations transparently, ensuring equitable access to education, employment, and resources.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Amplify Marginalised Voices:<\/strong> Empower Dalit, Adivasi, and Bahujan leaders to drive the social justice agenda.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Judicial Reforms:<\/strong> Fast-track courts for atrocity cases should be expanded to all districts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Daily Mains Practice Question<\/strong><br><strong>[Q]<\/strong> Examine the effectiveness of legal and institutional mechanisms in addressing caste-based atrocities in India.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/opinion\/op-ed\/the-need-to-address-caste-based-atrocities\/article70159373.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source: TH<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Caste-based atrocities, from rural villages to urban institutions, discrimination and violence against SCs and STs, continue to plague India\u2019s social fabric, despite constitutional guarantees of equality and justice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-56884","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial-analysis"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56884","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56884"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56884\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56941,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56884\/revisions\/56941"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56884"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56884"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56884"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}