Author: PTI
Publication: The Times of India
Date: September 8, 2008
Introduction: Hindu women are abducted and
wed through forced conversions and they are denied justice since they are
economically weak and have no social support or political leverage
A new study has found that the Hindus belonging
to lower (scheduled) castes are unofficially declared as "untouchables"
and are given a second-grade-citizen treatment. Their kids are made to clean
the school premises and are forced to sit on back benches.
The study also found that Hindu women belonging
to scheduled castes were the most vulnerable and considered "sexually
available by men" of Muslim-dominated communities. Since the SC Hindus
are economically weaker with no social support or political leverage in the
community, their young women were lured into matrimony or abducted and wed
through forced conversions.
"The abduction of young scheduled caste
women is frequent and often reported in regional newspapers. And they are
kidnapped or lured and then used sexually and sometimes abandoned after being
kept in custody," the study found.
According to the study findings, the "untouchable"
Hindus were denied barber services and offered food and drink in separate
crockery.
The report of the research carried out by
the 'Long Behind Schedule' on caste-based discrimination in Pakistan, was
released at the Karachi Press Club on Friday evening.
"In schools, scheduled caste students
are obliged to sit on back seats, leaving the front seats for students from
nonscheduled castes. Though they are not asked to do it on a regular basis,
the practice has been in place for so long that it has become a custom. Scheduled
caste students are also made to clean the schools," the Daily Times quoted
the study findings as saying.
The study was conducted in two districts of
Sindh - Tharparkar and Umerkot - and two district of the Punjab - Rahimyar
Khan and Bahawalpur - for one year.
