What are the major problems faced by Dalits today?
There are several problems, some of them age-old. The lack of economic means is a major one. The other is social equality and dignity. Whenever they try to reach a certain level, the system changes. And they again have to begin from square one. Formerly, they fought for means of production and the ownership of resources to be in the hands of the Government. But with liberalisation, the means of production and ownership are now being transferred to private individuals or the corporate sector. They struggle with one system and find that they are confronted with another. So, what is the future? Confrontation. And this confrontation will divide the society between those who have the means of production and those who do not. In the Indian context it is not the class it is always the caste. We are heading for a caste war based on who has the means of ownership. Does this mean that there is no peaceful solution? There is a peaceful solution. I don’t say no. During Independence when everybody
