Development and Exclusion: Dalits in ‘Vibrant Gujarat’

Abstract

Gujarat is one of the fastest growing states of India in terms of economic growth paving the way for the grand idea of what is called as 'Vibrant Gujarat'. Rising foreign investment, robust electricity generation and subsidized infrastructural facilities have placed this state on the priority list of businessmen and investment visionaries both from India and the world. But is this vibrant story same in terms of social development as well? Is social equality in consonance with economic growth or is it still different and dark? This article attempts to highlight some such issues in the backdrop of 'Vibrant Gujarat'. It attempts to answer that the practice of discrimination in the area under study has serious implications in terms of violation of human rights in the vibrant Gujarat. It deals with the vacuum that exists between modern advancement, development and social exclusion in contemporary Gujarat. An attempt is made in the article to examine various nuances of social exclusion primarily based on the foundations of caste system in the context of economic development in this techno advance state of India. The districts selected for the purpose of study were Surendernagar, Gandhinagar and Patan. The time period for the study was 24 days and the numbers of villages visited were 32.