The dubious and tumultuous nature of their realistic lives and experiences could not be made non-visible by wrapping the facts under the garb of law and administration, hopes and aspirations bestowed upon the ex-untouchables by the national leaders. Labelling them as the depressed class, scheduled class by constitution or addressing them as Harijans by Gandhi failed to confine the anguished state of mind of those people caused by the abhorrence meted out to them by their own fellow countrymen and women. This segregated class of people has remained downtrodden and is forbidden by the so called upper castes of society to climb up the social ladder and settle themselves down at a better place in society. Caste system of India has allotted the untouchables to lowest echelon of society.

That is to say, legal changes were made within political framework, but mindsets of larger population were infected with germ of obnoxious caste system. However the scope of removal of untouchability remained limited only to be put pen to paper. After the independence of India, the political leaders of our nation had attempted to eradicate the ominous practice of untouchability through various sanctions in government laws and policies, the validation of its dismantled state was further cemented by the Constitution of India which came into power in 1950.

Joothan book