Dalit Youths Speak Out After Hathras Gang Rape, Say They're 'Treated As Fourth Grade Citizens'

The 19-year-old Dalit woman was tortured, assaulted and gang-raped in UP's Hathras. The woman was raped in the village by four 'upper caste' men on September 14. After her condition deteriorated, she was referred to Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital where she breathed her last on Tuesday.

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Today, a day after the woman's body was forcefully, unceremoniously and illegally burnt by Uttar Pradesh police at midnight and allegedly without her parents' consent, Indiatimes spoke to Dalit youths of the country. The past few days have been tense for Dalits living in India.

"Nothing will change, have no hope"

24-year-old Raj Kumar, a student of Chartered Accountant final year, based in Delhi said, "It is extremely wrong. The way Uttar Pradesh police handled the entire case is so unfair.

"This case isn't just about caste divide, the divide is also of the rich and the poor. And that divide is huge. The Hathras family that is suffering is below poverty line and it shows with the way the police was handling their case. Things might have been a little different if they were richer," Raj Kumar said.

"I read about more cases of rape this morning. Nothing is going to change ever, I have no hope. The thing is people aren't scared of the law. No one is scared," Raj added.

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"Treated as fourth grade citizens"

Divya Kumari, a 27-year-old IT professional from Gurugram said, "I am out of words. I read about what happened to that woman and as a woman who identifies as a Dalit, I am overwhelmed with emotions. There is no place for women in this society. We are third grade citizens, and with the caste separating us from generic women, we are treated as fourth grade citizens of this country. There is no country for us."

"The rapists did what they did, they are criminals. What is wrong with the state, the police, the law and order? I want to ask what is wrong with the society, but am I allowed to -- No. I am not allowed to," she said.

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"Discriminatory as a nation"

30-year-old Tenma who is the founder of a popular Chennai based Tamil-Indie band Casteless Collective, speaks actively about destruction of the caste system. His aim is to bring a change through music. Tenma says, "Every time we think we have taken a step forward, we get catapulted ten steps behind when something as horrific happens. There is an invisible battle between the privileged and non-privileged, which only the latter ones are fighting."

"We talk about Black Lives matter, but we don't want to talk about skeletons in our own closet. Our country is riddled with such evils. The biggest evil is -- being forgetful. We easily forget what matters the most. Today, we are talking about the Hathras case, tomorrow no one will remember," Tenma added.

He further said, "I am frustated. We need to start acknowledging that we are discriminatory as a nation."

"To be a woman is tough, to be a Dalit woman is tougher"

"To be a woman is tough but to be a Dalit woman is tougher in a country like ours," says 26-year-old Deepak Paswan, who is a government official based in Delhi. "Government has policies in place but it is for the machinery to be able to serve Dalits. The oppressed are not satisfied," he added.

Talking of Nirbhaya rape that happened in 2012, Deepak said that there was uproar and justice was served. "It was delayed but it was served. In this case, we don't know what will happen," Deepak said.