Marimuthu Bharathan
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Marimuthu Bharathan (born 9 January 1961[1][2]) is an Indian activist advocating for Dalit rights. In 2012, he was honoured with the Human Rights Tulip award by the Dutch government. However, he was denied a passport to travel abroad and receive the award in person, owing to a pending murder charge, which he strongly denied.
Dalits, often referred to as "untouchables", fall outside the Hindu caste system and are widely regarded in India as being of inferior social status. As a result, they frequently face denial of their basic human rights. There are approximately 260 million Dalits worldwide, with the majority residing in India.[3]
Bharathan has spoken to the Dutch press about his experiences as a Dalit. "I have experienced the pain of untouchability from my youth. As a student, I was beaten because I wore shoes while walking through a higher-caste neighbourhood. In 2009, enraged caste Hindus tried to kill me," he recalled.[4]
Bharathan describes the Dalits in India as being akin to slaves, deprived of land, money, and rights, and largely excluded from the benefits of India's economic growth. "Only a very small number of educated Dalits manage to secure a position in modern Indian society," he has said.[4]
Career
Bharathan serves as the director of the Human Rights Education and Protection Council, locally known as KALAM,[5] based in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu. This organisation, which has been active for over thirty years,[2] works towards the welfare of Dalits and actively addresses caste discrimination and human rights violations. It provides training, legal support,[6][4] and assistance to self-help organisations for Dalits, including those led by Dalit women.[3]
KALAM’s initiatives for children from the Dalit community across 51 villages in the Tirunelveli district have been well-documented. The organisation has improved school enrolment rates, ensured better immunisation coverage, facilitated birth registrations, and established children’s groups and centres.[5] Additionally, it has successfully eradicated manual scavenging in several villages.[5]
Bharathan is a veteran campaigner against caste discrimination in temples, schools, and even teahouses. He has documented over 450 cases of such discrimination in the Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts. He has stated, "The country has several laws to protect human rights, but they are not implemented in letter and spirit."[2]
Bharathan has actively worked towards securing compensation and rehabilitation for Dalits who have faced human rights violations. Additionally, he has organised campaigns to address and combat police corruption.[7][8]