27

b) Nerve deafness: If the connecting nerves get damaged or

wakened due to old age or other reasons, then nerve deafness
can occur. It is caused due to damage to the basilar
membrane.

Causes:
x Genetic disorder or hereditary.
x German Measles to pregnant woman.
x Over dose of antibiotics.
x Inefficient treatment in Jaundice, meningitis, viral infections can
lead to deafness.
x Accidents or severe injury to inner ear, ear drum of nerves
joining ear and brain.
x Continuous or sudden exposure to high decibel sounds near
airports or a bomb blast or in industrial setup with high decibel
sounds can also lead to partial or total deafness.
x Infection or inflammation of ear can cause deafness.

Treatment:
Depending on the root cause for deafness, deafness can be
controlled or cured in some cases or in case of total loss of hearing
aids are available to enable hearing. Speech therapy in case of
stammering or dumbness helps the patient where the
communication can take place through the use of sign language.

c) Orthopedic ally Disabled: Inability to use ones hands or legs

for motor functioning or loss of limbs can be included into
orthopedic ally disable. Deformity of hands, legs, spinal cord,
muscles can all be included in this type of disability.

Causes:
1) Polio- The virus of polio damages the limbs and cause paralytic
condition in the body. It affects the patient in the childhood. India
to a great extent has overcome this problem with vaccination.
However there are seldom instances of this disease.
2) Spinal Bifida- Underdeveloped spinal cord or damaged spinal
cord lead to spinal bifida. Movement controlled by spinal cord
becomes impossible making patient immobile and dependant.
3) Cerebral palsy- The part of the brain which takes care of motor
able activity of a human being if affected adversely or not
developed to its optimum level can lead to cerebral palsy.
4) Muscular dystrophy- Muscle fibers in the body gets weakened
then the body gets affected with muscular dystrophy.
 28

5) Accidents and injury- They can always result in loss of limbs or

deformity of limbs.

Treatment :
Regular vaccination should be given for preventing polio.
Physiotherapy and occupational therapy can also help patients to
be self reliant in their daily chores. Artificial limb like Jaipur foot
helps in movement for those who have lost limbs.

Check your progress

1) Explain the causes and treatment for visually disabled.
2) Explain the causes and treatment for auditory disabled.
3) Explain the causes and treatment for orthopedic ally disabled.

2.3.2 Mental disability- Levels and types of mental disability:

When a person looses the capacity to think independently
and rationally, whose intellectual levels are not developed then the
person is called mentally disabled. Individuals with an intelligent
quotient (IQ) of less than 70 can be considered as a mentally
retarded or mentally disabled.

Levels of mental retardation:

On the basis of the IQ levels of an individual the mental
retardation is analyzed at four different levels.

1) Mild mental retardation- An individual whose IQ is between 50-

70 is called mild mentally retarded. These children can complete
their primary level of education comfortably but have problems of
concentration and analytical ability is also verylow.

2) Moderate mental retardation- Individual with an IQ between

35-50 is called moderate mentally retarded. They can’t take up
formal education and needs support of their family members to do
their daily chores. They can be made independent with some basic
technical skills and can be made self reliant in their own health and
safety.

3) Severe mental retardation- Persons with an IQ of 20-35 are

severely mentally retarded. Their learning ability is very limited and
need close supervision and support of a family member in their
daily lives.
 29

4) Profound mental retardation- Individual with an IQ lower than

20 are profound mentally retarded. They can’t be kept at home and
need intensive treatment at an asylum or mental hospital.

Types of mental retardation- There are several types of mental

retardation or mental disability.

Down’s syndrome – It is a genetic disability in which there is a

problem in the 21st pair of chromosomes.
Autism- The part of the brain dealing with communication is
damaged then it can lead to autism. Eye to eye contact,
conversation and sometimes even basic motor abilities get
affected.

Psychosis and neurosis- Split personality, hallucination, and

schizophrenia are all types of this disorder.

Learning disability- Dyslexia, disgraphia or discalculacia are all

part of learning disability. The learning capacity of an individual in
this type of disability is slow and needs special methods for
learning.
Treatment:

Psychological counseling, behavioral therapy, occupational

therapy can all help the patient to lead a normal like. Special
schools and shelter homes provide them skills in art, handicrafts or
other technical skills that enable them to be self sufficient and
confident. Training in social adjustment through skills for safety,
security and hygiene make them more acceptable and adaptable in
the family and society.

Check your progress

1) Discuss the levels of mental retardation.
2) What are the different types of Mental disability.
 30

2.4 SUMMARY

Conclusion:
A disabled may it be physical or mental should not be
considered as a burden to the family or society. By just giving
sympathy is not going to solve their problems. Helping them to be
respectable and self reliant members of the society should be our
aim. Providing them with educational and occupational
opportunities should be at the helm of all policies and programmes
by the government. NGOs can play a very constructive role in
prevention and cure of disability by joining hands with medical
fraternity.

2.5 UNIT END QUESTION

1) Write a short note on violence against women

2) Differentiate between sex ratio and child sex ratio. Review the
problem of declining sex ratio in India
3) Discuss disability as a form of inequality with reference to mental
disability.
4) Classify the category of physically disabled.

™™™™
 31

3
CONCEPT OF DISPARITY PART – II
Unit Structure :

3.0 Objectives
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Concept of Diversity As Difference
3.3 Concept of Disparity As Inequality
3.4 Intergroup Conflicts
3.5 Major Intergroup Conflicts in Indian Society
3.5.1 Communalism in India
3.5.2 Casteism in India
3.5.3 Linguism in India
3.5.4 Regionalism in India
3.6 Summary
3.7 Questions

3.0 OBJECTIVES

x To understand diversity as difference and disparity as

inequality.
x To study intergroup conflicts among various groups in India.
x To examine causes, consequences and measures to control
communalism and casteism.
x To bring out the causes, consequences and measures to
alleviate linguistic and regional differences.

3.1 INTRODUCTION

In the previous chapters we have understood Indian

society to be pluralistic and diverse in nature. i.e. there exist
several groups in India that hold different identities as Indian
society is multi-regional, multi- lingual, multi-ethnic, multi-
religious as well as multi- cultural. Hence differences are bound
to occur among these groups from time to time giving rise to
conflict and strife. It is this diverse nature of our country that is
responsible for creating social and economic disparities among
our people.
 32

3.2 CONCEPT OF DIVERSITY AS DIFFERENCE

One of the most ancient civilization, India has always been

an apt example of the concept of diversity. A collection of 28
states and 7 union territories, each having varied characteristics
in terms of language, culture, attire, customs and social practices.
The differences extend further to deities and forms of worship,
climatic conditions, geographical characteristics and historical
backgrounds. Hence ‘diversity’ is to be understood as’ difference’.

The true understanding of diversity however should be in a

positive sense as an appreciation of differences. It recognizes the
different backgrounds that people come from and draws from the
influences to create stronger bonds and achieve what is best for
the society as a whole. The feeling of nationalism has been
endangered and to preserve it, these differences need to be
resolved peacefully.

3.3 CONCEPT OF DISPARITY ASINEQUALITY

In any society members always experience differences.

But it is the disparities that result out of these differences, which
create problems. There is always stratification on social,
economic and other grounds. Value judgments are made about
whether a person belongs to a majority or a minority groups
based on the criteria of gender, caste, religion, language, and
domicile etc. People are treated with prejudice or discriminated
against because they come from a certain place or background.
For ex. The urban-rural divide has led to people in cities
perceiving rural people as backward and furthermore, there are
definite differences in the utilities and amenities available
between cities and villages that are responsible for the different
levels of their development.

Thus these disparities lead to inequalities in opportunities,

benefits and facilities that each member of a society should be
able to avail of rightfully. However over several years these
disparities have become stark and reinforced the inequalities in
our society. For ex. The gap between the rich and poor has in fact
increased economically. Therefore policymakers in India always
have a tough job when it comes to bridging this gap or solving the
problem of interstate disparities.

3.4 INTERGROUPCONFLICTS

A group plays a very important role in the development of

an individual’s personality. A group is formed when two or more
 33

people come together as they may possess some common

characteristics, for Ex. they may speak the same language or
belong to the same community. While most groups come
together out of a common purpose or goal, some groups get
formed coincidentally.

Given that man is a social being who cannot do without

interaction and communication with his fellow human beings, it is
only natural that a person belongs to several groups at any given
time. Thus formations of groups makes man realize not only his
full potential but also achieve what is best for everyone and this
leads to development of society.

While some groups work towards improvement and

positive change for all, others engage in destructive activities.
When there are many groups, they may have conflicting interests.
It is when these groups attain extreme positions and are willing to
sacrifice common and national good for fulfilling their own selfish
interests that it culminates into social chaos. Such imbalances
lead to violence and aggression forex. communal tension,
linguistic riots, regional strife and even terrorist activities.

To mention a few causative factors for inter group conflicts,

there are the stereotypes where a person is slotted as belonging
to a certain category about which there are fixed perceptions and
mistaken ideas. Forex. an urban dweller may look at a person
coming from rural areas as lacking in education and
sophistication. A religious person may be skeptical about ideas
and practices of people belonging to other religions.

Check Your Progress :-

1. Explain the concept of diversity as a difference.
2. Define the concept of disparity as inequality.
3. What gives rise to inter-group conflicts in society?

3.5 MAJOR INTERGROUP CONFLICTS IN INDIAN

SOCIETY

Having understood the idea of concept of inter-group

conflicts and factors that cause these conflicts, let us list out the
 34

four main inter-group conflicts in Indian society. The important

problems experienced in India are in the areas of ;
1. Communalism
2. Casteism
3. Linguism
4. Regionalism

These major inter-group conflicts are explained briefly

as follows:

3.5.1 Communalism in India:

3.5.1.1. Meaning:-
India is a secular nation where several religions co-exist and
the Constitution asks of each citizen to be tolerant of other
religions. However despite the provisions of the Indian Constitution
to protect the interests of people belonging to all religions,
communalism has often endangered peace and harmony of our
country in several instances in the past.

Communalism itself is the ideology of a social , political or a

religious group that their religion and practices are superior to that
of other groups. Religion is a personal and sensitive issue for
most people. Therefore any hint of antagonism or a sign of
disrespect towards one’s religion immediately triggers hatred and
violence. Communalism is divisive in that it stresses the
significance of one religion over the others. While effectively the
preaching and values of all religions do not differ, it is the conflict
of interests and desire for dominance that provokes hostility.

3.5.1.2 Causes:
The roots of communalism are found in the ‘Divide and
Rule ‘Policy of the British rule in India. The British in order to
establish their supremacy in it’s colonies and expand it’s power
used divisive tactics of turning Hindu and Muslim rulers against
each other.

1. Communal Organization:
Communal organizations established on the pretext of
propagating and promoting religion socially through cultural
activities.

2. Conversions:
Religious conversions are a sensitive issue in India. It also rise to
conflict situation between to religious groups or community.

3. Law and Order:

There may be several anti-social elements who in the name of
religion may engage in nefarious activities such as drug-peddling,
 35

smuggling , trafficking, robberies, murder and so on. Their activities

need to be curbed and they need to be brought to book to maintain
social balance by implementing stringent law and order.

4. External threats:
There exist many foreign forces which train extremists and
supply them with modern weapons to undertake terrorist activities
to fuel communal unrest in the nation.

3.5.1.3 Consequences:
The consequences of communalism would be grave and could
destroy the social fabric of society;

1. Communalism leads to hatred and aggression against others.

2. It creates prejudices and builds stereotypes about certain
communities.
3. It encourages hostility and provokes violent behavior causing
clashes and riots.
4. It does not extract the maximum potential out of each
individual of each community from society.
5. Riots lead to disruption of economic and social activities and
affect the smooth functioning of businesses.
6. It tarnishes the image of the country affecting the country’s
international trade, investments and other interests.
7. It hinders the objective of social harmony, national unity and
security.
8. It alienates and isolates members of certain communities
making the atmosphere suspicious and difficult.

3.5.1.4 Measures to control Communalism:

Following are some significant steps that can be taken to
control communalism;

1. Role of Law and order Administration:

The police have an important role to play in intercepting and
diffusing communal riots and flare-ups before it assumes huge
proportions. They should act responsibly to combat violence and
work with the cooperation of peace committees and members of
conflicting communities to resolve tension.

2. Role of Education:
The curricula should be devoid of any communal content
and partial views about particular religions. It should in fact teach
secular principles, appreciation and respect for all religions.
Schools and higher educational institutions should use various
teaching aids promoting national values and communal harmony.
Teachers should be trained to motivate students to conduct
 36

community programmes with involvement from their parents,

neighbours and others to promote secularism, nationalism,
cooperation and tolerance.

3. Role of Religious Leaders:

Religious leaders have an important role to play as their
preaching is followed by the masses. People look up to their
leaders and hence these leaders should teach the importance of
communal harmony through their discourses.

4. Role of Media:
The media should act responsibly and avoid delivering
news in a manner that will further encourage violence. Instead
the media should identify and expose communal elements. It
should create a forum for discussion where information about the
ill effects of communal activities is disseminated.

5. Role of NGOs:
NGOs should go for large-scale publicity campaigns in
media promoting communal harmony and national unity. They
should draw public focus on more pressing national problems and
educate people about the ill consequences of riots and destruction
based on religious intolerance.

6. Ban on communal political parties:

The political parties having any direct or indirect connections
with communal forces should be derecognized by the government.
They should not be allowed to play with the religious sentiments
of the public and exploit them for their political gains. This will
help reinforce harmony among various communities.

7. Public Awareness:
Public awareness needs to be raised about the harmful
impact of communalism. Our constitution, which labels India as a
secular nation makes provisions to protect the interests of all
religions and goes beyond the code of any religion. Hence one
must learn to put national interests above one’s religious views.

8. Security:
All communities must be treated equally. The people
belonging to smaller communities should not feel isolated.
Instead confidence should be instilled in them so that they feel
safe and secure to uninhibitedly partake in the growth of the
nation.