SehaJ
Troublemaker
KARACHI: A new study has found that the Hindus belonging to lower (scheduled) castes are unofficially declared as "untouchables" and are given a second-grade-citizen treatment. Their kids are made to clean the school premises and are forced to sit on back benches.
The study also found that Hindu women belonging to scheduled castes were the most vulnerable and considered "sexually available by men" of Muslim-dominated communities. Since they are economically weaker with no social support or political leverage in the community, their young women were lured into matrimony or abducted and wed through forced conversions.
"The abduction of young scheduled caste women is frequent and often reported in regional newspapers. And they are kidnapped or lured and then used sexually and sometimes abandoned after being kept in custody," found the study.
According to the study findings, the untouchable Hindus were denied barber services and offered food and drink in separate crockery.In schools, scheduled caste students are obliged to sit on back seats, leaving the front seats for students from non-scheduled castes.
"In schools, scheduled caste students are obliged to sit on back seats, leaving the front seats for students from non-scheduled castes. Though they are not asked to do it on a regular basis, the practice has been in place for so long that it has become a custom. Scheduled caste students are also made to clean the schools," the Daily Times quoted the study findings as saying.
The research carried out by the 'Long Behind Schedule'on caste-based discrimination in Pakistan, was released at the Karachi Press Club on Friday evening.
http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/2008090...-kids-bei.html
The study also found that Hindu women belonging to scheduled castes were the most vulnerable and considered "sexually available by men" of Muslim-dominated communities. Since they are economically weaker with no social support or political leverage in the community, their young women were lured into matrimony or abducted and wed through forced conversions.
"The abduction of young scheduled caste women is frequent and often reported in regional newspapers. And they are kidnapped or lured and then used sexually and sometimes abandoned after being kept in custody," found the study.
According to the study findings, the untouchable Hindus were denied barber services and offered food and drink in separate crockery.In schools, scheduled caste students are obliged to sit on back seats, leaving the front seats for students from non-scheduled castes.
"In schools, scheduled caste students are obliged to sit on back seats, leaving the front seats for students from non-scheduled castes. Though they are not asked to do it on a regular basis, the practice has been in place for so long that it has become a custom. Scheduled caste students are also made to clean the schools," the Daily Times quoted the study findings as saying.
The research carried out by the 'Long Behind Schedule'on caste-based discrimination in Pakistan, was released at the Karachi Press Club on Friday evening.
http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/2008090...-kids-bei.html
