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Essay on Untouchability: Meaning, Evil Effects and Suggestions for Its Removal!
Essay # Meaning of Untouchability:
Untouchability is a practice in which some lower caste people are kept at a distance, denied of social equality and made to suffer from some disabilities for their touch, is considered to be contaminating or polluting the higher caste people.
The word “untouchable” applies to the despised and degraded section of the Hindu Population.
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The untouchables occupy the bottom most place in the society and have been subjected to various social, cultural and other kinds of disabilities and exploitation for their very touch by the higher caste people.
Untouchability is an age-old practice in India. According to Mahatma Gandhi, “it is the hate fullest expression of caste”. According to Dr. D.N. Majumdar, “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 fact, Dr. Majumdar has used the term scheduled castes to refer mainly to the untouchable castes. The Government of India prepared a list of 429 untouchable castes consisting of a population over 5 crores in 1935, for providing special facilities to them.
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Untouchability has often been termed as the inhuman Institution of Hindu Society. Mahatma Gandhi spoke of untouchability in terms of disabilities Imposed by the Hindus on the Harijan. The untouchables were called by different names in different times.
Essay # Evil Effects of the Practice of Untouchability:
1. Untouchability leads to social discrimination.
2. It damages social harmony.
3. It has created wide social distance between the two groups, touchable and untouchables.
4. Untouchability perpetuates inequality.
5. It cannot support the development of healthy democratic tradition.
6. Untouchability has damaged the self-image and prestige of the scheduled castes.
7. it has developed a sense of inferiority among the scheduled castes.
8. The practice of untouchability has brought down the image of the Indians in the eyes of the foreigners.
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9. Untouchability has provided the scope for religious conversions.
Essay # Suggestions for the Removal of Untouchability:
Following suggestions can be made to eradicate the evil of untouchability.
1. Increasing education among the untouchables.
2. Emphasis should be on economic improvement of the untouchables.
3. The untouchables should be given assistance in agriculture and cottage industries.
4. Propaganda against untouchability should be made.
5. Social security should be provided to the members of the scheduled castes so that they may not have to borrow in limes of disease, old age and death.
6. Encouragement should be given lo inter-caste marriages.
7. Efforts should be made to remove the sense of inferiority from the minds of the untouchables.
8. Cottage industries should be set up where untouchables should be absorbed.
9. Abolition of caste system.