LAW, HUMAN RIGHT AND SOCIAL CHANGE

Title of Abstract
LAW, HUMAN RIGHT AND SOCIAL CHANGE WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE
TO DHANKUT OF DISTRICT BAHRAICH (U.P.)
Name and Address
Dr.Alok Chantia(Lecturer,Dept.of Anthropology Sri J.N.P.G. College, Lucknow)
E-mail: alokchantia@rediffmail.com
Abstract
Human right is a new paradigm of culture. Culture is defined as total way of life of a
man. Right comes by culture which encompasses its people to fulfill their basic
necessities. Every culture has its limit, beyond which, an individual finds no other source
to fulfill his/her needs due to increasing population and process of acculturation. In
modern times nation/state provides resources to its people. Every individual is a member
of a Nation/State as he/she is member of a certain cultural group. But every culture has its
carrying capacity which forces an individual to sketch his/her life under the outlines of
human right and law of a nation /state beyond the limited resources of culture. Thus
human right and law are reflections beyond the carrying capacity of culture. Traditional
panchayat advocates about the protection of rights of an individual or group but it limits
itself under a specific culture where it prevails. It is an elementary structure of law and
human rights. Law and human right aim to protect every individual in every aspect of life
apart from a culture where an individual or group doesn't find its survival smooth. The
existence of this phenomenon exhibits an idea of social change.
The objective of present study is to analyse the effect of law and human right on the
social change among Dhankut. It is an endogamous group of Bahraich district of Uttar
Pradesh. The Government privilege of status of SC/ST/OBC is not available to them as
four folded caste system of India does not recognize them. They are living in small place
"Dhankuttypura". This group is involved in small time businesses. Everyone from child
to adult of a family earns for their livelihood. Present paper also analyses why culture has
failed to provide them any space for survival, why they are taking the help of
constitutional safeguards and human rights for their betterment and why they are
demanding for tribal status.
It is a primary data based work with the help of participant observation and schedule
based interview. Dhankut are 2687 in number (2001 census), 1097 (582 boys and 515
girls) are children i.e. below the age of 18 years. Therefore out of 1590 adults Dhankuts
(791 males and799 females) only 300 respondents above the age of 18 years have been
chosen on the basis of random sampling.The study was carried out between 15May 2007
to 15 June 2007.
The findings of the study revealed that 65% respondents are well aware of laws and
human rights. 80% Dhankut respondents know the benefits of tribal status, 72% know the
difference in benefits for STs and SCs, 86% know the ill effects of Cross Cousin
marriage, 78% want to take legal aid for poor people, 63% want to consult doctors
instead of quacks.
Lastly it is concluded that Dhankut know the role of law and human rights, but due to
crisis of identity and status they are away from the benefits of law and human right
though it has generated a little social change in their lives.