Do Dalits in India consider themselves Hindus?

The question needs to be understood before it is answered.

If you really understoodwhat a “dalit” is and what a :Hindu” was, I doubt whether you would ask this question. Please do read the info in the following link for greater clarity.

What is the exact meaning of hindi word, “Dalit”?

The exact meaning of the word “DALIT” is ‘ground down’, or ‘broken to pieces’. The word ‘DALIT” is an adjective meaning ‘oppressed’ (but is often incorrectly used as a noun) and is, in proper context, used to describe:

ANY continually oppressed and suppressed, downtrodden *PERSON*, mentally crushed and broken, who most likely would be a woman, minor, widow, divorcee, orphan, disabled person, labourer, a person from SC, ST , OBC or any other oppressed minority group.

i.e, NOT JUST a person who is from what is termed the untouchable communities.

A dalit, a continually oppressed and suppressed victim of atrocities, could be a Brahmin who has been and still is unfairly treated in an inhumane way

Now that we have the definition of the word “dalit”, let’s rephrase your question and see if it still needs to be asked.

“Do victims of continual oppression in India consider themselves Hindus?”

You might as well ask, “Do victims of continual oppression in India consider themselves Muslims?”

I’m quite sure what you really meant to ask was:

Do those Avarnas who come from communities that were traditionally considered Acchuts (translated untouchables of India) consider themselves Hindus?

Again, this question has several different answers depending upon what meaning you give to the word ‘Hindu’. A Hindu means different things to different people at different times in different situations. By Hindu, do you mean..

A. Indian ?

B. A person falling in one of the four Varnas?

C. A person who falls in one of the four Varnas or is considered an untouchable by the so-called higher castes?

D. A person who is considered to belong to a religion that is commonly seen as Hinduism?

I’m sure, by “Hindu” you don’t mean “Indian” because otherwise your question could be rephrased as follows:

Do Dalits in India consider themselves Indians?

Of course they do, as they are dalits IN and OF India (i.e Indians)

I take it, by “Hindu” you really mean “B” (or maybe D). If so..

ANSWER:

Unlike the Shudras who were part of Hindu Varna system, the Acchuts were never Hindus(B) as they were Varnaless, the Avaranas. Still, some with limited education believe they are Hindus just because they (are made to) believe in certain deities of the people of Varnas.

Note: Originally, the word Hindu was only geographic identity, nothing else. It was after the establishment of RSS in 1925 that the concept of ‘Hinduism’ (a word coined by the British) was created and a religious identity for the Hindus emerged as followers of Hinduism. Is Hinduism a religion or a way of life?