Is caste discrimination the same as South African apartheid?
There are similarities between the quasi-racist oppression of Dalits and apartheid. However, unlike South Africa, the oppression of Dalits lacks active state sponsorship as a matter of policy. India, with the largest numbers of Dalits, has legislated to outlaw discrimination, at least to some extent, and to prohibit practices such as manual scavenging. It has also reserved quotas of government jobs and higher education places for positive discrimination in favour of Dalits. One effect of the latter approach as been the emergence of a Dalit middle class minority with only limited benefit for the majority. However, especially in India, the law has been enforced only rarely and therefore with minimal effect on Dalits’ daily lives. In 2001, the U.N. Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights said, “The laws are there, but there is a clear lack of will on the part of law enforcement officers to take action owing to caste prejudice on their part or deference shown to highe
