Dalit Civil Rights activist in India: Dr Kancha Ilaiah Interview

Posted on 07 October 2008. Tags: Dalit Civil Rights Activist, Dr Kancha Ilaiah

Interview with Dr Kancha Ilaiah – Leading Dalit Rights Campaigner in India

Christian Today managed to speak to Dr Kancha Ilaiah, a leading campaigner for Dalit rights in India, who has been on a visit to the UK this week. Dr Ilaiah is the author of a number of books on caste oppression in India.

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Posted: Saturday, November 12, 2005, 19:10 (GMT)

Dr Kancha Ilaiah, a leading campaigner for Dalit rights in India, has been on a visit to the UK this week. Dr Ilaiah is Professor in Political Science at Osmania University in Hyderabad, India, and the author of a number of books on caste oppression in India. Of the practice of untouchability in India he has said: “Nowhere in human history has one group – the upper castes of India – been able to oppress so many for so long.”
He recently testified at a widely-reported Congressional hearing in the USA, under the title ‘The Abolition of Untouchability: the Key to Stability in India’. He described the roots and the ongoing reality of violence and discrimination against Dalits.
Dr Ilaiah is one of the key figures in the international movement for Dalit emancipation from caste oppression – often described as a ‘hidden apartheid’, due to the caste segregation throughout Indian society. The oppression of Dalits is wide-ranging, and well-documented. Dalits are compelled to perform the most menial and hazardous tasks, many Dalit women are sold into prostitution, and the use of Dalit child labour is widespread, report Christian Solidarity Worldwide. Atrocities against Dalits are reported on an almost daily basis.

As hired workers, Dalits are typically paid under 50 percent of the minimum wage, and the careers of educated, more influential Dalits are hampered by their caste. Even during the 2004 tsunami relief effort, Dalits were segregated from upper-caste Hindus. Dalits are also excluded entirely from Hindu religious practices.
Christian Today has been able to meet with Dr Ilaiah and David Griffiths, CSW’s India advocacy officer to discuss the situation of the Dalits in India under the repression if the caste-system. The full interview can be seen below:

CT: Thank you for taking time to speak to us. Can you start by giving us an impression of the general situation of Dalit Christians at the moment?

Dr Ilaiah: Thank you very much for this interview today. Let me first briefly tell about my work and myself. My name is Kancha Ilaiah and I am professor in political science at Osmania University. I have been writing newspapers, journals and also I have three major books.
One is called ‘Why I am not a Hindu’ which was a bestseller in 1996 and then I have done

2 Responses to “Dalit Civil Rights activist in India: Dr Kancha Ilaiah Interview”

chamraj says:

March 12, 2010 at 12:44 pm

Why your website carries so much negativity about india.In india currently a dalit is chief minister ruling a big state like U.P.
Several muslims have become ministers, chief minister, bolly wood acters,vicechancellors and executives.
Kindly try to bring peace in southeast asia.

Love begets love,

Reply
- Moin Ansari says:
  
  March 12, 2010 at 1:55 pm
  
  If you have an issue with the article–please write directly to Dar. Kancha. He is an Indian citizen and a Dalit.
  
  We all want “peace with dignity and mutual respect“–not hegemony and threats.
  
  The day Bharat comes to its senses–and stops terror against all her neighbors, the world will have peace.
  
  We are a news site. We have enmity towards none. We simply report the truth–in an unbiased, fair and balanced manner. We criticize, the UK, the US, China, Saudi Arabia, Holland and Pakistan. Some of our most scathing criticism is against corrupt politicians. Why would Bharat be an exception.
  
  Reply