MUMBAI – A burial controversy involving a Dalit man in India’s southern Tamil Nadu state has brought the plight of the country’s Dalit population into sharp focus, with the local Catholic bishop involving civil authorities to resolve the dispute. The term “Dalit” refers to the “untouchables” under India’s ancient caste system, meaning people considered unclean and therefore traditionally ostracized. His family sought burial for him in the common cemetery of the town, an epicenter in the Dalit struggle for equal rights. The Catholic Bishops Conference of India addressed the issue on the national level in 2016, with their own Dalit empowerment program. Dalit Catholics have also sought equal representation in parish administration and equal participation in annual parish feast celebrations.