The disabilities suffered by India’s ‘Untouchables’ have rested on a curious mixture of ritualistic and near-ethnic discrimination which is probably more akin to such cases as the Burakumin of Japan or the ‘boat-people’ of China than to cases of racial or ethnic discrimination known in the West. Colour or appearance is hardly the problem but much more the fact that an inferior status was assigned to these communities in traditional Indian society. Arising out of that there are a number of prohibitions and disabilities which exclude ‘Untouchables’, better known in India as Harijans (‘Children of God’ as Gandhi chose to call them) or Scheduled Castes, from social and religious activities and which above all tend to perpetuate their poor or nil economic status.

Please note that the terminology in the fields of minority rights and indigenous peoples’ rights has changed over time. MRG strives to reflect these changes as well as respect the right to self-identification on the part of minorities and indigenous peoples. At the same time, after over 50 years’ work, we know that our archive is of considerable interest to activists and researchers. Therefore, we make available as much of our back catalogue as possible, while being aware that the language used may not reflect current thinking on these issues.