Page 230 - SST Class 08

injustice. Gandhiji tried to integrate the all sections of Hindu society.
untouchables into mainstream society by calling
them Harijans or Children of God.
The constitution of India has declared untouch-
ability a punishable offence and its practice
forbidden in any form.
But, a system that is so deeply embedded in the
Indian social fabric requires more than govern-
ment intervention. It requires its citizens to take a
strong stand against this system by giving respect
to every human being and giving dignity to all
forms of labour.
SCHEDULE CASTES, SCHEDULE TRIBES
Schedule castes and tribes constitute a fairly large
section of our population. Schedule castes are
people who belong to the lower castes. These
people have been subjected to many indignities
and are socially and economically very back-
ward. Schedule tribes are people who inhabit far-
flung areas of India, which are not easily accessi-
ble. Consequently, they have not been fully
integrated into Indian political, social and eco-
nomic life. The government has drawn a list or
schedule of the people belonging to the schedule
castes and tribes in order to bring them at par
with the rest of society.
The framers of our constitution realised these
problems and made special provisions for the
upliftment of the Schedule Castes (SC), Schedule
Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC).
Some of these provisions are :
1. Untouchability has been abolished through
the Untouchability offences Act (1955) and
the Protection of Civil Rights Act.
2. Religious institutions have been opened to
Social Science-8 230
3. The 79th Amendment Act has reserved
seats in the Lok Sabha and the State
Legislative Assemblies.
4. A National Commission for Schedule
Castes, Schedule Tribes was constituted in
1992.
RESERVATION OF SEATS FOR WOMEN
Women have also been victims of social injustice.
They were made to stay at home have the right
to inherit property. Sati, dowry, physical abuse,
female infanticide, child marriage, etc. were
some of the problems that women faced.
Deprived of education, women were unable to
get good jobs.
The plight of women attracted many social
reformers who took up their cause. It was largely
due to their efforts that several of the social
problems directed against them were corrected.
These reformers opened up educational institu-
tions in order to improve their position. Despite
constituting a large section of the total popula-
tion, their representation in parliament is never
more than 9% of its total membership. Though
election manifestoes promise greater representa-
tion of women, it is never implemented. Besides,
political parties do not equally field women
candidates. After independence the government
introduced several measures to uplift the position
of women. The constitution has declared right to
equality as a fundamental right. Exploitation of
women is a punishable crime. The Central Board
of Social Welfare works towards educating
women to enable them to become independent.
Right to inherit property has also been given to
women in order to give them equal rights. Today,
many women are gainfully employed in diverse
fields such as management, teaching, airlines,
business etc. But, India still has a long way to go
before women in rural and urban area receive
the same status as their male counterparts.