Dalit business owners in India earn 16% less due to their caste, says study
Bengaluru: A study has revealed that Dalit business owners in India earn, on average, 16 percent less than other business owners, including those from other disadvantaged communities. This income gap can be solely attributed to caste, according to the research paper titled ‘It’s not who you know, but who you are: Explaining income gaps of stigmatized-caste business owners in India’, which was published earlier this week in the research journal PLOS One.
The study by researchers from India, the UK, and Australia found that social capital—a measure of "whom you know," often considered beneficial in various situations, including business—did not significantly improve the incomes of Dalit business owners.
The study employed three analytical techniques, all yielding similar results: there is a 15 to 18 percent income gap between Dalit business owners and others, which can be attributed solely to caste and not other factors like whether they live in urban or rural areas, their education, family background, or land ownership, according to Prateek Raj, an assistant professor at the IIM-Bangalore and lead member of the research team, as noted in the Telegraph.
The analysis revealed that business owners from other disadvantaged groups, such as Other Backward Classes, Scheduled Tribes, or Muslims, benefited from social capital, suggesting that those with more social capital had higher income levels. However, for Dalits (Scheduled Castes), social capital had a much smaller impact, amplifying income disparities compared to others with the same levels of social capital.
Hari Bapbuji, co-author of the paper and a professor at the University of Melbourne, noted that this is due to the stigma associated with Dalits, which affects them personally and is reinforced in social interactions.
Moreover, the study found that human capital, measured by the number of years of school or college education, provided similar income benefits to Dalit business owners as it did to other business owners. Thomas Roulet, an associate professor at the University of Cambridge and the study’s third collaborator, explained that this implies having social capital, or a network, is not as effective as having education in countering stigma.
Experts estimate that Dalits constitute between 250 million and 300 million of India’s 1.4 billion population. This research claims to be one of the first to quantify the impact of caste on business income. While the researchers had expected the effect of social capital would limit stigmatisation, the results showcased that it actually makes stigmatisation even more damaging. Raj stated that the stigma faced by Dalits might not always be explicit discrimination but could result from ingrained attitudes or biases, potentially practiced unconsciously.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Allu Arjun didn't leave theatre despite being told about woman's death: Hyderabad police
Hyderabad, Dec 22: Top Telugu actor Allu Arjun did not leave the theatre during the screening of 'Pushpa-2' on December 4 despite being told to do so in view of a stampede in which a woman died, police officials claimed on on Sunday.
Speaking at a press conference on the annual round-up of 2024, city police commissioner C V Anand showed a video, made by police, on the situation that prevailed when the stampede occurred.
The video was made by collating footage, including from news channels and cell phone clips. It suggests the actor remained in the theatre till the midnight.
Anand did not make any comment on the video, but said the media can draw its own conclusions.
A police official talked about the sequence of events on the fateful night of December 4.
He said that he and other police officials informed a manager of Allu Arjun about the death of the woman and told him that the situation was out of control. He indicated that they were not allowed to meet the actor.
Allu Arjun's staff members told them that they would convey the matter to the actor but did not do so, he said.
The official said he later managed to reach the actor, told him about the woman's death and asked him to leave the theatre so that the fans don't harm each other while trying to catch a glimpse of him.
The official also told the actor that security arrangements would be made for his exit.
However, the actor said he would go only after watching the film, the police official said.
Later, accompanied by a senior officer, the official went inside and brought the actor out, he said.
Amid allegations that bouncers hired by Allu Arjun pushed crowds as well as policemen when the stampede occurred at the cinema hall, the police commissioner warned that stringent action as per law would be taken if THE bouncers indeed misbehaved with the police on duty.
The VIPs would be made responsible for the behaviour of the bouncers hired by them, he said.
Asked if the police would appeal against the interim bail granted to Allu Arjun, the commissioner refused to give a direct response, just saying it is part of the investigation.
What course of action is taken would be known in the days to come, he said.
He also declined to comment when asked if the family of the deceased told him about Allu Arjun's team or film production team allegedly threatening them not to speak on the issue.
Meanwhile, state Cinematography Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy found fault with Allu Arjun responding on Saturday to the debate in the Legislative Assembly.
The minister, who observed that the actor should have respect for the government and the chief minister, demanded an apology from Allu Arjun to the government and the CM.
"This government is never vindictive. As Cinematography Minister, we allowed benefit shows and hiking ticket prices to promote the film industry," he said.
However, Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar found fault with CM Revanth Reddy for his comments on Allu Arjun in the Assembly on Saturday.
The comments of the CM sounded like character assassination of Allu Arjun and hurting the Telugu film industry, he alleged in a statement.
Later in the day, Sanjay Kumar visited a boy who is undergoing treatment in a hospital after being injured in the stampede.
"Consoled his father over the heartbreaking loss of his wife, Revathi. I pray to god that Sritej recovers at the earliest. Assured support to the family in this difficult time," Kumar said on X.
Earlier in the day, state DGP Jitender told reporters in Karimnagar district that film personalities and all others should understand that safety and security of citizens is utmost important, and also conduct themselves accordingly.
