Dalit: The Black Untouchables of India

The total population of India’s Black Untouchables is about 15 per cent. But this figures does not take into account the vast number of Untouchables who converted to Buddism, Christianity, Sikhism, etc., but at the same time suffered from the stigma of Untouchability. Leaders of the Untouchables complain that the census of Untouchables is very much low than the actual figure. Dr. Ambedkar, the most revolutionary figure of modern India, the greatest Indian since the Buddha, has the following to say: "The Romans had their Slaves, the Spartans their Helots, the British their Villeins, the Americans their Negroes and the Germans their Jews. So the Hindus have their Untouchables. But none of these can be said to have been called upon to face a fate which is worse than the fate of the Untouchables. Slavery, serfdom, villeinage have all vanished. But untouchability still exists.