Dalit

Dalit refers to a group of people in India and Nepal who have historically been marginalized, oppressed, and considered "untouchables" within the traditional caste system. Dalits are at the bottom of the Hindu caste hierarchy and have faced centuries of discrimination, exclusion, and social injustice. They have been denied access to education, resources, and basic human rights.

The Indian government, in an effort to address these historical injustices, has introduced affirmative action policies, including reservations in education, government jobs, and legislative representation, for Scheduled Castes (SC), a legal term used for Dalits. Various laws, such as the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, have been enacted to protect Dalits from violence and discrimination.

The Dalit movement in India, spearheaded by leaders like Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, has sought to empower this community through political, social, and legal reforms. Despite constitutional protections and efforts for social upliftment, Dalits continue to face significant challenges, including caste-based violence, economic inequality, and limited access to opportunities in many parts of the country.

In March 2018, BOOM investigated a viral image being shared on social media, falsely claiming it showed Christian persecution.

BOOM found that the image was actually from October 2015, when a Dalit family allegedly stripped in protest after the police reportedly refused to register a complaint of robbery in Uttar Pradesh.

In October 2017, BOOM fact-checked Amit Shah's claim that Gujarat sees 'minimum Dalit atrocities.

BOOM found that according to government data, Gujarat's crime rate for atrocities against Scheduled Castes (SCs) was 32.5% in 2016, which was above the national average of 20.4%, contradicting Shah's claim."