Human Rights and Social Justice: A Study on Dhankut of District Bahraich of U.P

Human Rights and Social Justice: A Study on Dhankut of District Bahraich of U.P
Dr. Alok Chantia, Lecturer,
Dept. of Anthropology,
Sri Jai Narain PostGraduate College,
Lucknow,
E-mail, alokchantia@rediffmail.com

Abstract
Present paper examines human rights in socio-cultural context and studies whether a group can enjoy human rights and social justice without having a socio-cultural identity of its own. Dhankut, the group under study is neither recognized as Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe or Other Backward Class nor it comes under the four folded caste system of India. Due to non recognition of their caste they do not get proper alliance for marriage, hence have started marrying among themselves leading to ill effects of inbreeding. Dhankut are suffering from poverty and unemployment. They are governed by local Panchayat in case of any dispute. In the 21st century of Scientific era they are still earning their livelihood by making cow dung cakes and selling things like groudnuts etc. The study reveals that a group devoid of socio-cultural identity of its own can not afford even the basic necessities of life and is forced to live in inhuman and degrading conditions.
Keywords-Human right, Dhankut, Caste, Identity, Poverty, Social justice