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Showing posts from October, 2025

They Only See Caste, Not the Religion

 They Only See Caste, Not the Religion In India’s deeply stratified society, caste often overshadows every other identity—even religion. The recent lynching of Hariom, a 38-year-old Dalit man in Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh, is a brutal reminder of this truth. Hariom, who reportedly had Down syndrome, was falsely accused of theft while walking to his in-laws’ home. A mob surrounded him, beat him with belts and sticks, and hurled casteist slurs. In a viral video, he can be heard faintly saying “Rahul Gandhi,” hoping for help, while his attackers laughed and invoked political slogans. His religion didn’t protect him. His disability didn’t soften them. His caste sealed his fate. This tragedy is not an isolated case. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), over 50,000 crimes against Scheduled Castes (Dalits) were reported in 2022 alone. Uttar Pradesh accounted for nearly 25% of these cases. These crimes range from murder and rape to public humiliation and social boycotts. W...