Inequality In India

Types of Inequalities

Caste Based Inequality. Gender Based Inequality. Political Inequality. Economic Inequality. Environment Inequality.

Caste Based Inequality Varna System(Vedic Age) Brahmins- intellectual working class. Kshatriyas- warrior class. Vaishyas- merchants and trading class. Shudras-working class. Panchamas- also known as untouchables.

Origin • Arya Varna- nobles.• Dasa Varna- tribal.•Rig Veda- there has not been any caste based distinction on occupation.

Post Vedic• Occupation

• Heredity over time

• Cast System

Current Situation There are constitutional provisions for the protection and development of scheduled caste and scheduled tribes : Art.17 –abolition of untouchability Art.23- to prevent human trafficking and forced labour (begar). Art.25(2)(b)-Hindu religious institutions are open to all class.

Reservation In India Sectors where reservation is present and guaranteed by law:

Educational Institutions Seats in Municipalities Constituency for state legislative assemblies Constituency for Lok Sabha.

Arguments for and against reservationFOR AGAINST

Historical Disadvantage Misused for political gains

Educational Backwardness No longer required because of almost 70 years of independence and constitution was framed 67 years ago.

Very few backward class people are in positions of power

Lack of reduction in meritocracy

Lack of proper implementation of policies. Increasing financial capabilities of backward classes.

Incidents of caste discrimination•Kilvenmani Massacre, 1968, Tamil Nadu.•44 Dalits were striking for higher wages murdered by upper class peoples.•Phoolan Devi was gang-raped by upper class men. She later became a bandit and massacred 22 upper cast men.•Later she became a Member of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh, she was assassinated in 2001.

Gender Based InequalityDiscriminatory laws against women:• In Hindu inheritance laws the property of a married woman without heirs goes to her parents-in-law.•Marital rape is not criminalized.• Rape of a separated wife carries less punishment compared rape otherwise.•Marriageable age for women is 18 and men is 21 is discriminatory and patriarchal.•Hindu minority and Guardianship Act father is natural guardian and primary guardian of the child.• Polygamy in Islam .•Polygamy in Goan Hindu Law- Man can remarry if wife does not beget a child by 25 or a male child by 30 years of age.

•Constitutional Provisions Art. 14 – prevention of discrimination based on sex

Discriminations faced by women in India•Female Infanticide•Female Genital Mutilation•Dowry Deaths•Honor killings.•Women are raped every 29 minutes.•Human Trafficking and forced prostitution.

Transgender Rights•They are a marginalized community in India•The Supreme Court of India in a landmark judgment recognized self-identification of gender as aFundamental right in NALSA VS Union of India case.• Transgender are economically and socially backward, so they should be given reservation.

Environmental Inequality in IndiaNarmada Bachao Andolan❑Construction of Sardar Sarovar Dam.❑ Affected communities- Adivasis, farmers.❑Medha Patkar took the lead in organizing Narmada Bachao Andolan and mobilized the affected communities in fighting the injustice.❑Rapid deforestation and acquisition of land from farmers and Tribals.❑World Bank funding for the project.

Lavasa Project❑Planned city near Pune, Maharashtra.❑Environmental damage.❑Excessive water usage in drought prone areas.

Vedanta It is a bauxite mining conglomerate.

Tribals were displaced from Niyamgiri hills, Orissa.

They belonged to the Dongria Kondh community