Dalit Panthers
Topic: Civil Society, Pressure Groups, NGOs and Self-help Groups · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Dalit Panthers was an organisation of young Dalits formed in Maharashtra in 1972. Its founders were Namdeo Dhasal, Raja Dhale and J.V. Pawar. They took their name and spirit from the Black Panthers of the USA. They fought caste atrocities (violent crimes against Dalits) through protest and through Dalit literature. That literature was poetry and writing that spoke openly about caste pain and pride. The group is a key example of a rights-based social movement, meaning sustained, loosely organised action by many people to bring about change.
Example
The Dalit Panthers kept caste atrocities in the public eye. Their legacy carries into the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989, which gave Dalits and Adivasis special legal protection against such crimes.
Don't confuse with
- Pressure group: a formally organised group that lobbies the government for a shared interest. The Dalit Panthers were a social movement. They worked mainly through street protest and writing, not through lobbying.