June 29, 2018

Photo essay: Justice delayed is justice denied

Can documenting what we choose not to see grab attention and bring about change?

2 min read

Documenting atrocities on Dalits in Maharashtra

The news of atrocities on Dalits is never flashed on front pages and also read from safe distances. In rural Maharashtra, where caste prejudice is deeply ingrained in our society, a Dalit trying to assert his or her right is normally perceived as an attempt to swim against the tide. Be it land dispute, reservation and participation in Panchayat Raj system, aspiring higher education, conflict over water-sharing and natural resources, rising of standard of living, accepting inter-caste relationships, subjugating Dalit women, sharing of crematoriums, defying of traditional occupations, to entering of holy places have always lead to heinous crimes like murders, rapes and arson.

atrocities on dalits

atrocities on dalits

atrocities on dalits

atrocities on dalits

atrocities on dalits

atrocities on dalits

Dalit caste

atrocities on dalits

atrocities on dalits

atrocities on dalits

atrocities on dalits

atrocities on dalits

black and white image of two women in a tin shed-caste based violence

Caste violence against Dalits has always triggered unspoken detest and nationwide protests. Atrocities on Dalits are not limited to one particular caste but also to Scheduled Castes and Tribes. Seventeen-year-old Nitin Aage from Mahar community was brutally killed and hanged from a tree for talking to a Maratha girl; Sagar Shejwal was murdered by Maratha men for keeping a ringtone which praised Dr. B.R. Ambedkar; houses of 17 families belonging to Paradhi tribe were vandalized and burnt by the upper caste families; 18-year-old mentally-challenged girl belonging to Mahar community was gangraped and assaulted; 17-year-old girl was burnt to death for refusing a physical relationship – These are some of the brutal cases of atrocities that Dalits are still subjected to in rural Maharashtra.

The objective of this photo documentation is to attract attention of the policy makers, members of the civil society, media and larger masses because such atrocities deserve rightful intervention and effective solutions as several victims are still awaiting justice.

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Photo Essay by Padma Shri Sudharak Olwe and award-winning German photojournalist Helena Schätzle with Journalist Shraddha Ghatge, Advocate Sujit Nikalje and inputs from Dr. Shailesh Darokar, Associate Professor TISS.

Special Thanks to Manisha Tokle, Ashok Tangade, Kabirdas Kamble, Vaibhav Gite, Raju Aage, Shravan Udage, Shivram Kamble, Harish Kakade, Ganesh Bhise, Pradeep More , Kiran Thakeray, Dhamanand Salave, Satyabhama Saundarmal, Ravi Pawar, Tushar Ghadage, and Prashant Jadhav.

The original photo essay can be found here.

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Sudharak Olwe-Image
Sudharak Olwe

Sudharak Olwe has been a Mumbai-based photojournalist since 1988 and has worked as a press photographer with some of the leading newspapers in India. He is presently the Photo Editor of the country's largest read Marathi Newspaper, Lokmat. Sudharak has travelled the length and breadth of this nation and seen first-hand some incredible stories of resilience, courage and change. He has worked in tandem with many NGOs presenting their extraordinary work with both rural and urban communities. In 2016, Sudharak was conferred the Padma Shri, India’s 4th Highest Civilian Award by the President of India.

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