Telangana Dalit Christians Protest at Jantar Mantar Demanding SC Status

Dalit Christians from Telangana staged a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Monday, August 10, 2026, demanding the repeal of the 1950 Presidential Order and the extension of Scheduled Caste (SC) status to their community. Organised by the Telangana Christian Joint Action Committee, the demonstration drew participation from numerous Dalit Christian organisations and political representatives from the state.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Parliamentary Party leader Vaddiraju Ravichandra and BRS general secretary RS Praveen Kumar attended the protest to extend solidarity and assure their party's support. Ravichandra stated that the 1950 Presidential Order had denied Dalit Christians access to SC reservations, leading to injustice in education and employment opportunities. He highlighted that the previous K. Chandrashekhar Rao government had passed a resolution in the Telangana Assembly seeking SC status for Dalit Christians and sent it to the Centre. Ravichandra added that the BRS had also submitted a report to the Justice Balakrishnan Commission and pledged to continue fighting for the community's rights.

BRS general secretary RS Praveen Kumar remarked that religious conversion does not erase caste-based discrimination in society. Citing the Karamchedu and Chunduru incidents, he noted that Dalits continue to face discrimination even after converting to Christianity. He questioned the exclusion of Dalit Christians from reservations while other communities are permitted to retain reservation benefits following conversion.

Former Telangana Foods chairman Mede Rajeev Sagar termed August 10, the date the 1950 Presidential Order was originally issued, as a Black Day. He demanded that the Centre introduce a bill granting SC status to Dalit Christians during the ongoing session of Parliament.

Prof. Gali Vinod Kumar affirmed that the movement would continue until SC status is granted, calling for immediate legislative intervention. Other speakers cited constitutional guarantees of equality and religious freedom, arguing that restricting SC status on religious grounds is discriminatory and unconstitutional. Christian leaders and representatives from various organisations also participated in the protest.