violence against dalits,

Violence, Discrimination, Untouchability
Over five decades after independence, the practice of untouchability, violence against dalits, atrocities against dalit women and routine discrimination in everyday life continue in India . Despite the prohibition on untouchability found in Article 17 of the Constitution of India, the practice of untouchability continues unabated, whether it be in the drinking of water from wells or in forcing the community into vocations that are unsuitable for human employment.
Violence Against Dalits
Even an elementary documentation from the main newspapers in the country will show the exponential increase in the number of instances of violence against dalits and also a sharp increase in the extent of brutality Throwing excreta into wells, forcible eviction of dalits from their lands, destruction of dalit houses and temples, social and economic boycotts, looting of cattle and destruction of crops are only some of the atrocities perpetuated on dalits.
Dalit Women
As in most communities the dalit woman bears the brunt of this discrimination. Stripping of women and their parading has occurred frequently. Kidnappings, beatings and rape are common. In a situation of national food insecurity, dalit women are most likely to suffer hunger, malnutrition, disease and early death. Her child, most likely, not allowed to go to school.
Discrimination
After over 55 years of independence in most of the villages of India , the discrimination is visible and obvious. Dalits cannot intermingle with the upper castes in respect of the location of their huts. Often they are not permitted to drink from the same well. In the mid-day meal schemes dalit children are made to feel like outcastes.
Reservations
The one area in which substantial progress has been made is the enforcement of the Constitutional provisions relating to reservations in employment and education. Despite the criticism of these provisions by the upper castes, the dalit movement has succeeded in retaining and enforcing them. As a result, throughout the country, both in education and in employment scheduled caste persons are entering educational institutions and government employment, albeit hardly to the extent to which the provision provides. This is also one area where, probably, the maximum litigation has taken place. Despite the advances there are many problems. The litigation has been urban centered and has benefited a somewhat well-to-do section of the community.
Scavenging
Nowhere is the practice of untouchability more pronounced than in manual scavenging in the cities of India . Before Independence and during the Quit India Movement the practice of night soil carrying became an issue around which the freedom movement organised and mobilized dalits. The practice however continues to be prevalent even today. Dalit workers, mainly contract workers toil in the most demeaning conditions and carry with their bare hands excreta, carcasses of dead animals, medical waste from hospitals, toxic chemicals, sharp objects and garbage.