THE PLIGHT OF THE WEAKEST

                                                                                                           

akhlaq ahan

We incessantly confront cases of the atrocities on the weakest, and thus the most vulnerable section of our society i.e. Dalit, women and minorities on almost daily basis; and it has become such a norm that we even have become habitual or more precisely indifferent and impervious to the atrocities meted to them. Killing, humiliation and dehumanization of Dalits is a norm of specifically rural India. Females are probably been killed in millions which begins since she is unborn till death, on different instances. Religious minorities have been facing segregation, degradation, murders and massacres time and again. When we observe this norm through data available and estimations; reveals the most harrowing and ugliest side of our civilization. There should not be any hesitation to confess that this tendency is the result of a mindset originating out of a conglomeration and cocktail of feudal-patriarchal-Brahminical set-up, which even after independence unfortunately though naturally, inherited the power exited by the colonial masters and virtually grabbed the whole system to monopolize for its dominance vis a vis further ostracism of the weaker sections; and in spite of the attempts of its neutralization through a democratic system based on an accommodative and weak-empowering constitution, is continuing and thriving. This is neither an allegation nor a revelation, which in fact is reflected through the posturing and saws of the ruling lot, and evident to all of us on regular basis. For centuries, Dalits and women have had always been at receiving end, but in a perplex post-independence-partition scenario, another addition to this was of minorities especially Muslims who now have virtually been turned into the weakest and the most marginalized 'Dalits' than the real one. Though, as a matter of fact, majority of Muslims, probably mostly are converts from the lower section of society comprising the Dalits, who though could shed the baggage of religious and social disgrace, but the plight of misery continues to linger on, as they have been caught between the indifference of the community's leadership and the biased system. Moreover, they have been constantly exploited and betrothed into trivial, non-productive and emotive issues, which too have been an obstacle in their way of progress. The Dalits though have confronted more a violent incidents in recent years, mostly on account of their assertion following the socio-economic uplift especially in the post-Mandal scenario, is indeed an indicative of their transient phase towards progress, similarly the women assertion of presence in the society through education etc. may be seen in the same context, which somehow challenges the patriarchy. However, the accelerated recent violence on Muslims is an attempt to push the community into a psychological collapse and gloom. As a matter of fact, the toiling mass happens to be the majority comprising more than eighty percent population and suffering in the hand of the 'marginal potentate', the callous exploiter.