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Women constitute almost fifty per cent of the human population in all societies of the world. But they are the most disadvantaged sections of the society. They are the victims of many disabilities, discrimination and exploitation in social, political and economic spheres of life in almost all social structures. Indian women are no exception. But the uniqueness of the Indian society is that the basis of their subjugation and discrimination is the Hindu religious scriptures. That is why from time immemorial women in Indian society were treated things. Their placing in the Indian society was not at par with their male counterparts. As per Hindu Shastras they have no rights for their socioeconomic development. Their hardships in different spheres of life are so severe that they can not move nor do anything at their will. On the other hand the hardships of dalit women are not simply due to their poverty, economic status or lack of education but are direct results of the severe exploitation and suppression by the Hindu upper castes and upper classes which is also legitimized by Hindu Shastras.1 Not only that the dalit women face triple burden of caste, class and gender which make them as a distinct social group in Indian society, in Hindu Shastras women of all categories have been branded just like animals. In Manusmriti, the traditional Hindu Code-book, the status granted to women is quite visible and they were put to the lowest rung of humanity as they were treated at par with the animals and slaves by the proprietors of Hindu Dharma.2 From the verses of Manusmriti one may easily draw inferences as to what status has been granted to our mothers, wives, sisters and grand mothers.
Ambedkar was a great supporter of women's liberation. He severely criticized the Varna system, which has not only subjugated dalits but is also responsible for the downfall of Hindu women. Ambedkar makes it very clear in his article, "The Rise and Fall of Hindu Women" that the root causes of suffering of women in India are to be found in the so called Hindu religious books like Manusmriti, Atharva Vedas and many others. But the most important among these religious books, Manusmriti divides people into a stratified caste...