Page 1 - LN- Std 8 - civics - Chap 7 - Subtopic - 2

SAI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
VIRTUAL LEARNING MODULE 22 (8.2), 2020 – 21
Subject – Civics
Chapter – 8: CONFRONTING MARGINALISTION
Class – VIII
Sub topic 2: Protesting the Rights of Dalits and Adivasis

Notes

NOTES

Pages: 98, 99,100

Protesting the Rights of Dalits and Adivasis –

There are specific laws to guard against discrimination and exploitation of
marginalised communities.

Example – How Dalits use the law to protect themselves
 Jakmalgur village is gearing up for a big festival which is held once in five

years and the local diety is honored. Priests from 20 neighbouring village
attend the ceremony.

 The ceremony begins with the Dalits community washing the feet of all the

Priests and then bathing in used water. The person who did this task
belonged to Rathnam’s family. His father and grandfather had also done the

same thing. They were never allowed to enter the temple but the ritual was

supposed to be a great honour.
Rathnam was a 20 year old engineering student and he refused

to perform this ritual. His family members were forced to perform this practice
because they were Dalits.

Rathnam’s refusal angered the high castes. His own caste

people were fearful of angering the high castes because they might not

employ them. They also declared that the wrath of the local deity would strike.
Rathnam said that if not a single Dalit had entered the temple then how will

the deity be angry. The powerful castes ordered his community to ostracize

him and that no one would speak to his family or work with them. His hut was
set on fire. Rathnam escaped with his mother and filed a case in the local