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India continues to report upper caste violence against Dalits with dismaying regularity. Last week in Rajasthan'’s Nagaur district, a group of men allegedly stripped Dalit youth Bisha Ram after accusing him of stealing money, violated him with a screwdriver and recorded the act on mobile phones. The video was then shared and went viral, following which an FIR was lodged and the culprits apprehended. Bisha'’s younger cousin was also assaulted and six of the seven accused are reportedly Rajputs, giving the case a strong caste angle. Bisha has said that the aim of his attackers may have been to set an example and spread fear among Dalits. This has a ring of truth.

There is an increasing trend of videography in such incidents despite stringent laws like the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, with the perpetrators seeming to act without fear of being brought to book. It is only when such video evidence begins to be rigorously processed to prosecute and punish caste crimes with speed that notions of impunity will begin to weaken. In the Nagaur case the police acted only after the video went viral. Bisha says he wouldn'’t have reported the incident because the Rajput men had threatened him with dire consequences of doing so. In general Dalits who suffer caste violence often have reason to fear the police rather than seek help from it.

A bigger question is about what continues to drive caste violence. One possible answer could be the deteriorating economic situation. As jobs and resources become scarce, competition intensifies. This in turn reinforces social evils such as the caste system where certain communities feel more entitled to limited resources and are unable to accept the rise of oppressed communities. Barbaric tools of humiliation are about broad deterrence to ideas of upward mobility. Access to smartphones and social media helps communicate this discouragement from near to far.

Add to this structural issues such as inadequate policing resources and poor prosecution of cases. Data for three years starting 2014 shows the conviction rate under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act is just 16.3%. This helps perpetrators believe that they will get away with violating Dalits’' right to equality. All the mainstream parties that condemn caste oppression must do more to actually deepen this political consciousness in society and civil administration. Equally the resources pie needs expanding, even to beef up policing and prosecution. In other words, economic growth is imperative for tackling social evils.

What reason does the writer offer for increasing caste violence?

A) Deteriorating economic situation

B) Deteriorating caste harmony

C) Rigidity of the caste system

D) None of the above