Obama on Dalits

US President Barack Obama visited India in November 2010 and made the following statement in his address to the Indian parliament:

"We believe that no matter who you are or where you come from, every person can fulfill their God-given potential, just as a Dalit like Dr. Ambedkar could lift himself up and pen the words of the constitution that protects the rights of all Indians," Obama said in his address to parliament. "We believe that no matter where you live--whether a village in Punjab or the bylanes of Chandni Chowk...an old section of Kolkata or a new high-rise in Bangalore--every person deserves the same chance to live in security and dignity, to get an education, to find work, and to give their children a better future. And we believe that when countries and cultures put aside old habits and attitudes that keep people apart, when we recognize our common humanity, then we can begin to fulfill the aspirations we share"

See the video clip of the speech here: