Question

Why do dalit families were afraid of angering the powerful casts

Answer 1

thi is because they are being discriminated for ages by the powerful castes so they are steel very afraid that the upper casts may socially boycot them...

Answer 2

dalit families were afraid of angering the powerful caste because :
a) many of them works on the fields of the people who belong to Powerful caste as daily wage labourers.
b) they were afraid if dominant caste did not allow them to work on their fields and what would they (dalit families) earn.
c) dalits also declared that the wrath of the local deity would strike them if they refused to give in.