Efforts of government to eradicate untouchability

Untouchability poses a great obstacle in the path of all development works.

Following are the important Governmental efforts taken for the eradication of untouchability.

1. Constitutional measures:
The following Constitutional measures are provided to the untouchables.

(i) Article 15:

The state shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, caste, race,
sex, place of birth or any of them, or any restriction with regard to

Article 15(A)- access to shop, public restaurants, hotels and places of public entertainment,
Article 15(B)- the use of wells, tanks, water taps; bathing ghats, burial or cremation ground,
any sanitary convenience.

(ii) Article 16:

There shall be equal opportunity for all citizens in matters relating to employment or
appointment to any office under the State. No citizen shall on grounds only of religion, caste,
race, sex, descent, place of birth, residence.

(iii) Article 17:

Untouchability is abolished and its practice in any form is forbidden. The enforcement of any
such practice shall be an offence punishable in accordance with the law.

Directive principles

Chapter XVI – special provisions for SC and ST

(i) Article 46:

The State shall promote the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the
people and in particular, of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes and shall protect
them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation.

(ii) Article 330:

Seats shall be reserved in the Lok Sabha for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes
except the Scheduled Tribes in the tribal areas of Assam and the Scheduled Tribes in the
autonomous districts of Assam.

(iii) Article 332:

Seats shall be reserved for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Legislative
Assembly of every State.

2. The Untouchability Offences Act, 1955:

For the eradication of untouchability, the Untouchability Offences Act was passed by the
Parliament in 1955. It came into force on June 1, 1955. This Act provides penalties for the
following offences:

(a) Preventing a person on the ground of untouchability from entering a place of public
worship, offering prayers therein or taking water from a sacred tank, well or spring.

(b) Denying access to any shop, public restaurant, public hospital or educational institution,
hotel or any other place of public entertainment, denying the use of any road, river, well,
tank, water tap, bathing ghat, cremation ground, sanitary convenience

(c) Refusing to sell goods or provide services to a Harijan , for molesting, injuring or
annoying a person or organising a boycott of a person

Protection of the Civil Rights Act,1976

The untouchability Offence Act, 1955 has been replaced by the Protection of the Civil Rights
Act after amendment on 1976. The Bill which was passed in Rajya Sabha on September 2,
1976 and subsequently passed in Lok Sabha had proposed stringent measures against those
who still practice untouchability. It sought to make willful negligence on the part of the
investigating officers of complaints relating to untouchability tantamount to abatement.

The provision has also been made to have a deterrent effect on the commission of
untouchability offences. The Act prescribes punishment for compelling any person to
scavange, sweep, remove carcasses, fly animals or remove umbical cords. All untouchability
offences have become non- compoundable and in case where the punishments given are less
than three months, they can be tried summarily.

3. Harijan Welfare Departments:

For the all-round development of untouchables the Government of India has established a
Harijan Welfare Department and also appointed a Commissioner for Harijan welfare. Some
Regional Assistant Commissioners have been appointed in each region to assist the
Commissioner.

4. Educational Facilities:
For the upliftment of the untouchables, both Central and State Governments provide many
educational facilities to them. Seats are reserved in all educational institutions for the
untouchables.

5. Job Facilities:
A fixed percentage of jobs has been reserved for the untouchables in the administrative
services of both Central and State Governments. To make Harijan students skilled in various
crafts, proper arrangements have been made by the Government for their training.

6. Economic Facilities:
For the improvement of economic conditions of untouchables, both Central and State
Governments are spending considerable amount of money. The nationalised banks are also
extending their helping hand by lending loans to them for starting small scale and cottage
industries..

7. Housing Facilities:
The housing condition of the untouchables is very miserable. They mostly live in the worst
type of slums. Therefore, the Government provides housing facilities to them. New Harijan
colonies are being constructed where accommodation is cheap.

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