Exploitation in the guise of Upliftment : A study of Radhavji Madhad's Short Story 'Stamp'(Sikko)

Abstract

The present paper is an attempt to study a Gujarati short story entitled "Sikko"(Stamp) by well-known Gujarati writer Radhavji Madhad. The writer has presented the saga of suffering of the dalits. The irony of the story is the fact that the attempt to uplift the dalit community itself has provided the means for exploiting them further. The paper throws light on this aspect of the story. Caste system is a defining characteristic of the Indian society. In this society the status of the individual is determined by her/his birth and not by deeds. This is a system which has been powerfully strengthened and legitimised by the brahminical ideology. The term ‘dalit’ refers to all the exploited people belonging to various lower castes in India.The Indian society is broadly classified into three main communities, namely, the upper-caste, the non-upper-caste and the depressed classes. The paper attempts to analysis the cause of the suffering and exploitation of the depressed class. The weapon of reservation to uplift the depressed itself becomes the means of the exploitation of the protagonist 'Leela'.