The coalition government in Andhra Pradesh has been turning a blind eye to escalating atrocities against Dalits since it came to power. From social boycotts to violent attacks, Dalit communities across the state are facing discrimination, exclusion, and harassment, with the ruling coalition allegedly failing to act. This report highlights the systemic marginalization of Dalits, contrasting the current regime’s inaction with the previous YSRCP government’s efforts to uplift the community
Social boycotts and exclusion in villages
Across rural Andhra Pradesh, Dalits are being subjected to social boycotts, denied basic necessities like water, milk, and work opportunities. Villages have become battlegrounds for caste-based discrimination, with Dalits facing restrictions on movement and access to resources. In some cases, announcements over loudspeakers have publicly enforced these boycotts, deepening the community’s isolation.
- Dappalampadu: Case of brutal exclusion
In Dappalampadu village, Nellore district, ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders have orchestrated a severe social boycott against Dalits. Following a misunderstanding over a midnight incident on May 10, 2025, where unidentified youths were blamed on Dalit youths, villagers attacked two Dalit individuals, Jada Chakri and Cherukuri Karthik. When the Dalit community questioned this assault, TDP leaders retaliated by banning them from the village.
● Dalits were denied drinking water, access to agricultural work, and the ability to sell milk at local centers.
● Public announcements via temple loudspeakers prohibited villagers from interacting with Dalits, threatening severe consequences.
● The local RO water plant was shut down, and neighboring villages were instructed not to provide water to Dalits from Dappalampadu.
● Dalit women attempting to sell milk were turned away, and field assistants like Paidi Prasad barred Dalit women from government-sponsored work programs, leaving them without livelihoods. - Mallam village: Deputy CM’s constituency sees boycott
In Mallam village, Pithapuram constituency, represented by Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, a similar boycott unfolded in April 2025. After a Dalit youth, Pallapu Suresh, died of electrocution while working, the Dalit community staged a protest demanding justice. This unified action angered village elites, who imposed a boycott:
● Dalits were barred from work, local eateries, and shops selling essentials.
● Milk centers refused to accept their produce, and grocery stores denied them goods, isolating the community entirely. - Tadukupeta: Humiliation and Violence
In Tadukupeta village, Chittoor district, on January 2, 2025, TDP leaders issued diktats prohibiting Dalits from wearing footwear in their presence or moving freely in village streets. A dispute over a cement road construction escalated into violence, with TDP leaders attacking Dalit youths, injuring eight individuals, including Vicky, Santhosh, and Praveen Kumar.
● TDP supporters burned six Dalit-owned bikes and confined victims to their homes.
● False cases were filed against 13 Dalits and YSRCP supporters, while TDP leaders staged a roadblock to deflect blame.
● Dalit children were sent back from schools, and families feared venturing out even for basic needs like milk. - Agadalanka: Mass eviction of Dalit families
On October 18, 2024, in Agadalanka village, Eluru district, 57 Dalit families were forcibly evicted from their homes. The eviction stemmed from their opposition to land encroachments by village elites.
● Local leaders, including Pamu Venkateswara Rao and Kanamala Adamu, enforced the eviction, threatening a Rs. 10,000 fine for anyone interacting with the displaced families.
● The families were left without shelter or support, highlighting the coalition’s failure to protect Dalit rights. - Political targeting of Dalit leaders
The coalition government has also been accused of targeting Dalit leaders and officials to suppress dissent.
● IPS Officers Harassed: Dalit IPS officers like PV Sunil Kumar and N Sanjay faced suspension and fabricated cases. Others, such as Paul Raju and Joshua, were denied postings and harassed with baseless charges.
● YSRCP Leaders Framed: Dalit leaders from the YSRCP, including former MP Nandigam Suresh, former minister Merugu Nagarjuna, and MLC Mondithoka Arun Kumar, have been slapped with false cases to silence their advocacy.
● Ambedkar Statue Vandalized: In Vijayawada, the coalition allegedly allowed an attack on a Rs. 400-crore Ambedkar statue and memorial, with plans to privatize the site, sparking outrage among Dalits. - Contrast with YSRCP’s Legacy
The YSRCP government under YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is credited with significant efforts to empower Dalits:
● Swift Justice: Introduced video conferencing in 2020 for evidence collection in SC/ST cases, reducing investigation times from 206 days (TDP era) to 86 days. Charge sheet filings rose from 44% to 73%, and convictions increased.
● Financial Support: Provided Rs. 159.30 crore in compensation to SC/ST victims between 2019-2024, compared to Rs. 54.60 crore under TDP’s five-year rule.
● Economic Empowerment: Disbursed Rs. 69,598.67 crore to 2.07 crore SC beneficiaries through DBT and non-DBT schemes.
● Representation: Appointed an SC woman as Home Minister and allocated nominated posts to Dalits, a stark contrast to TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu’s tenure, which lacked such representation.
● Cultural Initiatives: Launched the “Dalit Tribal Govindam” program, bringing temple deities to Dalit and tribal areas for inclusive worship. - Coalition’s anti-Dalit stance
TDP’s history reflects a bias against Dalits, with leaders like Chandrababu Naidu making derogatory remarks, such as questioning why anyone would want to be born an SC. Other TDP figures, including Adinarayana Reddy and Chintamaneni Prabhakar, have disparaged Dalits, calling them unclean or unfit for politics.
● The coalition canceled over 50,000 land plots allocated to the poor, including Dalits, by the YSRCP government.
● Welfare schemes for Dalits were scrapped, leaving communities vulnerable to economic distress.
● A series of violent incidents, from attacks on Dalit youths to the destruction of Ambedkar statues, have marked the coalition’s rule, with little action taken to curb the violence. - A Timeline of Atrocities
The following are incidents of ongoing violence against Dalits under the coalition:
● 27.04.2024: TDP candidate Burla Ramanjaneyulu in Prathipadu calls Dalits “ganja-drinking sons.”
● 20.05.2024: TDP leaders attack Dalit youths in Guntupalli, Eluru district.
● 13.06.2024: TDP supporters burn a shed outside a Dalit leader’s home in Guntur.
● 08.07.2024: TDP leaders assault a Dalit man in Gajulamallapuram, Anantapur district.
● 13.07.2024: TDP supporters kill a Dalit woman by running her over with a tractor in Naganathahalli, Kurnool district.
● 21.07.2024: Dalit man Ambati Hussain dies in lockup after a rape-murder case in Muchumarri, Nandyal district.
● 25.07.2024: TDP leaders torture Dalit women in Dharmavaram, Srisatyasai district.
● 06.08.2024: TDP supporters harass Dalit Commissioner Nalla Rambabu in Rajampet.
● 09.08.2024: Attack on Ambedkar’s legacy condemned as “state madness.”
● 28.08.2024: Dalit woman in Narasaraopet, Palnadu district, dies by suicide due to TDP harassment
● 22.09.2024: Jana Sena MLA Nanaji assaults Dalit doctor Umamaheswara Rao.
● 22.10.2024: Viswaroop’s son Srikanth arrested in Tamil Nadu.
● 06.11.2024: TDP leaders destroy a Dalit youth’s shop in Gangapuram, Chittoor district, over birthday flexes.
● 16.11.2024: CRDA files illegal cases against Dalit farmers in the capital region for cultivating land.
● 27.11.2024: Ambedkar statue vandalized in Dwaraka Tirumala on Constitution Day.
● 05.12.2024: Police strip Dalit youth Sagar naked in Rajahmundry lockup.
● 17.12.2024: TDP leaders burn huts of YSRCP Dalit sarpanch for not switching parties.
● 01.01.2025: TDP’s Ayyanna Patrudu humiliates a Dalit woman chairperson.
● 29.01.2025: TDP leader assaults elderly Dalit in Nadigadda Madigapalle, Chittoor district.
● 13.02.2025: Alagadda MLA Bhuma Akhila Priya’s followers attack Dalits.
● 10.03.2025: TDP faction attacks Dalits in Madanapalle.
● 01.04.2025: TDP leaders burn Dalit bikes in Tadukupeta, Chittoor district, and issue eviction orders
● 06.04.2025: Illegal case filed against Dalit social media activist Dodda Rakesh Gandhi in Chilakaluripeta, with 17 cases registered
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