Eighty Years of Independence: Purification Rituals Expose Caste Discrimination

Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress President, faced caste-based discrimination when a stage he used in Haldwani was "purified" by Shri Ram Sena, highlighting persistent untouchability despite his social and economic status. The article argues that caste continues to define Dalits regardless of power or privilege, citing examples like Rohith Vemula, manual scavenging deaths, and institutional discrimination in education and jobs. It questions whether reservation should be abolished, stressing that caste-based inequality remains deeply entrenched in Indian society. The piece challenges the notion that Dalits have been uplifted, pointing to the absence of a Dalit Prime Minister and lack of representation in top institutions.