what is untouchability? Why is it a wrong practice in our society.
Answers
Explanation:
Untouchability, in its literal sense, is the practice of ostracising a minority group by segregating them from the mainstream by social custom or legal mandate.
The term is most commonly associated with treatment of the Dalit communities in the Indian subcontinent who were considered "polluting". The term has also been used to refer to other groups, including the Burakumin of Japan, the Baekjeong of Korea, and the Ragyabpa of Tibet, as well as the Romani people and Cagot in Europe, and the Al-Akhdam in Yemen[1][2] Traditionally, the groups characterized as untouchable were those whose occupations and habits of life involved ritually "polluting" activities, such as fishermen, manual scavengers, sweepers and washermen.[3] In the medieval times, untouchables were also those who had eating habits like eating dead animals with diseases,[4] in contrast to groups who supposedly followed higher standards of cleanliness.[5]
Untouchability has been outlawed in India, Nepal and Pakistan. However, "untouchability" has not been legally defined.[citation needed] The origin of untouchability and its historicity are still debated. B. R. Ambedkar believed that untouchability has existed at least as far back as 400 AD.[6] A recent study of a sample of households in India concludes that "Notwithstanding the likelihood of under-reporting of the practice of untouchability, 70 percent of the population reported not indulging in this practice. This is an encouraging sign."[
Now let me tell you a very story about Dr. BR Ambedkar.
Dr. Ambedkar was born in a Dalit family. Dalits weren't allowed to join school at that time. He attended the school nevertheless but there were some restrictions he had to face. He wasn't allowed to sit in the classroom or wasn't allowed to touch teacher's notebook. Hell, he wasn't even allowed to drink water properly. By properly I mean the water was poured from a height for them to drink.
That's just Dr. Ambedkar who got famous and successful through his sheer hardwork. There were tons of other people of his caste not being able to clear the barrier set by “untouchability”. Do you think that was fair?
Scarring young people at this early stage of life. Do you think untouchability was okay for those young impressionable kids?
Fast forward today, we don't have issues with anyone regarding their religion and their caste(not until the time of writing this answer). This shows how we as a country have developed. But what if we start discrimination on the basis of someone's caste? Where do you think we'll be headed?
Long story short, You have full right to choose whom to touch or talk and whom to ignore but that shouldn't be decided by something as petty as caste. But again you have the freedom to choose what do you want for yourself but do remember we won't be singing Kumbaya together.
Hope this answers the question.