New Delhi 1 Sep 2026 : When the Government of India is claiming in Parliament that there is no manual scavenging in the country, women forced into manual scavenging came from four states (Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Jammu and Kashmir) to the National Capital and bravely exposed this lie. They declared that manual scavenging and dry latrines still exist. They questioned “How can the government say there is no manual scavenging, when we are still forced to clean dry latrines everyday. When are we going to get freedom from this untouchability and slavery?” Safai Karmachari Andolan declared the launch of a year long campaign INDIA @ 80 to free India from the National shame of manual scavenging. The women along with SKA board members Narayanamma and Saroj Devi and Justice Madan Lokur, Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, Justice Anjana Prakash and many eminent citizens launched the India @80 campaign.
Former Supreme Court Judges Justice Madan Lokur and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and former Judge Patna High Court, Justice Anjana Prakash, reiterated that National shame of Manual scavenging is still continuing and the government must give national priority to end it on war footing.
70 years old Mussi Devi, from Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh said she has spent entire life cleaning others shit and wishes to see the end of the practice before she dies. Muzzafar Ahmed Sheikh from Jammu and Kashmir said that manual scavenging in dry latrines is rampant across Kashmir and hidden because nobody feels free to speak about it. Anguri Bai from Madhya Pradesh said that after her marriage at 14 years, her mother in law took her to clean dry latrines. From then she is still cleaning dry latrines. She demanded that the government must liberate. Chanjotiya Devi from Bihar has been cleaning dry latrines from 15 years of age till today. She said that the next generation must not do any form of manual scavenging and must be liberated from this atrocity.
Narayanamma, board member of Safai Karmachari Andolan said that she was cleaning dry latrines with 600 seats when she got liberated. Now she said she is dedicating her entire life to end manual scavenging. Deepthi Sukumar stated that the repeated laws, supreme court orders and policies have not ended this practice which is rooted in caste, patriarchy, untouchability and slavery. Women have come to delhi to give living proof that manual scavenging exists. Jurist Usha Ramanathan stated that the government must approach manual scavenging as an act of untouchability to end it.
Justice Madan Lokur stated that SKA and community are continuously fighting the legal battle to end manual scavenging. They approached the supreme court to eradicate manual scavenging but till date nothing has moved. Eradication of MS is not a priority of the GOI and parliament is being told lies.
Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia expressed shock that manual scavenging and dry latrines still exist in more than 40 districts. Hearing the women’s testimonies, he said that every Indian must feel shame like they are carrying shit on their own heads.
Justice Anjana Prakash said this problem is too complicated and cannot be eradicated just by law. It is a shame that we are always concerned about the national anthem and songs but do not give any thought to ending this national shame of manual scavenging.
Bezwada Wilson said even after 80 years if we have to come to Delhi to show ourselves as living proof, that there is manual scavenging, it shows the casteist mindset of government. He said that he started the fight when he was 16 years old and now he is 60 years old and many things have changed but manual scavenging in dry latrines still remains. He stated that he has given many photographic evidence to courts, but the courts did not want to see pictures of dry latrines and manual scavenging. This is the status of our courts. He gave ultimatum to the government of India to end manual scavenging within this year and said that there is an action plan ready and this cannot be tolerated anymore.
The participants including economists Jayati Ghosh, Atul Sood, Ritkika Khera and Navsharan, Supreme Court Advocate Vrinda Grover, RTI Activists Anjali Baradwaj, Nikhil Dey and Amrita Jhori, MKSS Shankar, writer Geeta Hariharan and Prabir Purkayasta, feminist Sunita Dhar, actor Lokesh Jain and Indu Prakash, Suhas Borker and Deepak Dolakia of civil society took the pledge to end manual scavenging and eradicate dry latrines as soon as possible.
