In recent years, several efforts have been made to promote the socio-economic integration of Dalits. Economic empowerment, proportional representation, legal protection, education and employment are all commendable policies aimed at increasing inclusion. However, with socio-economic aspects taking precedence, psychological factors have not been analysed enough to assess the discrimination Dalits are facing. Despite the implementation of the Caste Discrimination Free Area in 1963, 2001, 2007 and 2009, there has been no significant outcome.
Inspecting the problems closely, a big question can be raised about the word 'Dalit' itself. The National Dalit Commission (NDC) issues certification identifying underprivileged people in the country. However, the greatest tragedy is that the certification
in itself is humiliating and distressing, and reinforces the complex of being a Dalit. Every time Dalits have to show the certificate issued by the NDC attesting to their belonging to this community, they feel embarrassed. A young doctor from Dhading who belongs to the tailor caste said, “When we submit
the certificate, the other person visibly begins to feel the deep-seated caste-based stereotype. Their eyes widen and they have a sympathetic look. The pitch of the voice increases, and the expression on their face is that of neglect or mockery.” The instant negative prejudice triggered by the word Dalit is low caste and untouchable. Why is that so? It is because the term Dalit acts as their central trait with identical schemas that form overall impressions. In psychological terms, this is known as a fundamental attribution error that is very powerful and pervasive. A majority of the so-called high castes have perpetuated injustice and social inequality against indigent Dalits from time immemorial, not due to their propensity for suppression but because of prevailing socially-constructed dogmas. And also because Dalit issues are addressed on an ad hoc basis as they occupy less than one percent of the higher political posts.
The term Dalit is derived from the Sanskrit root Dal. Its adjective form is Dalit. It means suppressed, burst, split, scattered, dispersed, crushed or broken into pieces. The word Dalit was first used by Jyotirao Phule in the 19th century in the context of the oppression
faced by the ‘untouchable’ castes at the hands of the twice-born Hindus in India. It was later popularised by the Dalit Panther Movement in 1972 when they adopted this term as an act of confident assertion, rejecting Mahatma Gandhi’s nomenclature of Harijan which means ‘children of God’. In the course of time, Dalit wordsmiths became sceptical at the double standards of this word, so they started arguing against it. The name Dalit has a similar history in Nepal. During the Panchayat regime (1960-90), the Dalit movement was largely underground and localised. The word Dalit was banned and the movement got stuck in limbo as the 1990 constitution legitimised the term to make it prominent. Former Dalit intellectuals supplanted the word Dalit with pichhadiyeko barga, which means ‘underprivileged group’. But again, this word is not free from stereotypes. It only looks like old wine in a new bottle.
Moreover, pichhadiyeko barga sounds kind but is a patronising term like Harijan given by Gandhi in India. Since it connotes flexibility in its boundaries, it becomes too flabby, too amorphous. Its neatness as a concept is questionable. Its fluidity makes it unscientific. Furthermore, the terms Dalit and pichhadiyeko barga sound like rude words, and they are always preceded by the title 'so-called' to convey the idea that they are not appropriate. Thus, a new name should be chosen, considering all possible angles of illusion. The new term should eliminate the hassle of having to write 'so-called' every time it is used.
The best substitute for the term Dalit is Pourakhi, which means hard-working, conscientious, diligent, industrious or self-dependent. All these terms have a positive social identity. Since Dalits are discriminated against based on the precept of their work, this word will be most appropriate to compensate for former disadvantages. The word Pourakhi is a 180-degree paradigm shift for the Dalit stereotype, from negative to positive. Another reason why the term Pourakhi is apt is that, unlike the ambiguous term Dalit, Pourakhi has a clear-cut meaning. Hence, only this word can give a rational mainstream identity to the erstwhile Dalits. So let’s begin using this word sincerely and with good faith.
Notwithstanding the pros and cons, the time has again come to make archival changes, like the way the Chhattisgarh government of India ended the official use of the word Dalit in 2008. Here also, prior to the Constituent Assembly (CA) election, all the Dalits of Nepal are desperately crying for recognition, and political leaders and parties should promote that assertion.
Recent unsuccessful politics has marked the successful culmination of the term of 49 Dalit representatives in the CA who could have made significant changes. In the upcoming election too, there will surely be a significant number of Dalit candidates. No matter which party they belong to, they should very clearly understand that casteism is the common problem of all Dalits. They should make a concerted effort to achieve this superordinate goal. Hence, it should be guaranteed that the upcoming constitution will not consign these so-called outcastes to the scrapheap again. Replacing a word is not a panacea for all problems, but it can be a strong cog in the wheel of a social movement.
Senchurey is the publisher of Conflict Management monthly
source:- ekantipur
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