'Dalits still being exploited socially'

In the age of globalisation Dalits do suffer from a self - defeating dystopia, which is reflected in the demand that some of them are making to become a capitalist even by exploiting natural resources, said proffesor Gopal Narayan Guru, Centre for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, at the Malcolm Adiseshiah Memorial Lecture at the Asian College of Journalism, recently.

Speaking at a function organised by the Malcolm & Elizabeth Adiseshiah Trust to honour Prof Gopal Narayan Guru with the Malcolm Adiseshiah Award for distinguished contributions to Development Studies, he said that both nature and Dalits are exploited, suppressed and rendered equally vulnerable to the assault and vagaries of social forces.

He concluded his talk on ‘Two Locations of Injustice: Present and Posterity’, by saying that Dalits needed to take a moral lead to defend not only an ecologically balanced life but also an environmentally sustainable one that defends their right to reproduce and live in harmony with biodiversity.

Earlier, HBN Shetty, executive trustee, read out the citation and professor U Sankar, chairman of the Trust presented the award to Gopal Narayan Guru. A cash prize of `2 lakh was also awarded. The recipient of the award was unanimously selected by the jury. Other members of the Trust, students and academicians from the Asian College of Journalism also attended the award function.