Untouchability

In 1935, the Government of India prepared a list of castes for providing special facilities to the untouchable castes. This list included castes whose total population today numbers over eight crores. These castes were called scheduled castes by virtue of their inclusion in the list. These are called untouchables. The problem of untouchability is a serious social problem in the Indian villages.

Definition of Untouchability

It is extremely difficult to define untouchability. Actually, untouchability implies those disabilities which were imposed upon the Harijan castes by the superior castes. In the Untouchability (Offences) Act, 1955 the word untouchability was given this connotation. In this way according to the above law, - it is an offence to prevent any person on the ground of untouchability:

(a) from entering any place of public worship which is open to other persons, professing the same religion;
(b) from worshipping or offering prayers or performing any religious service in any place of public worship or bathing in or using the waters of any sacred tank, well, spring or water course in the same manner as is permissible to other persons professing the same religion; and
(c) from access to or use of a shop, hotel, public restaurant or place of public entertainment or public conveyance or hospital dispensary or educational institution or charitable trust.

Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi have also defined untouchability on the basis of some disabilities. In this way, disabilities are a sign of untouchability.

Dr. D.N. Majumdar has written, “The untouchable castes are those who suffer from various social and political disabilities, many of which are traditionally prescribed and socially enforced by higher castes.” In brief, untouchable are those castes which are subject to same disabilities in every walk of life, social, religious, economic and political.