clipped from www.bbc.co.uk

The Dalits	Monday 26 November 2001

Listen to this item 23 year old Radha Bathran is an educated, intelligent young Indian woman. She's studying for a Master's degree and hopes to become a journalist. But many potential employers in her home country think she should be limited to doing society's most dirty and undesirable jobs simply because she was born into India's lowest social class, the Dalit or 'untouchable' caste. Although India's caste system was officially abolished over 50 years ago, discrimination is still widespread. The Dalits are often forbidden from using the same religious temples, living in the same areas and marrying into the families of the country's upper castes. Women are also often the victims of sexual abuse by the upper castes but stand little chance of getting justice. Jenni talks to Radha Bathran about why she's brought her campaign to end Dalit discrimination to Britain. Amnesty International Disclaimer