Worst Caste Discrimination in India: Road ‘Purified’ by Sprinkling Turmeric Water After Dalit Protest

Congress has made serious allegations against the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) of sprinkling turmeric water on a road in Siddipet, Telangana, allegedly to ‘purify’ it after a protest march by Dalit Congress workers passed through the area.

According to Congress, Dalit Congress workers held a protest on Tuesday (September 8) as part of a campaign to surround the Erravelli residence of former Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR). BRS supporters allegedly sprinkled turmeric water on the road shortly after the protesters walked along it. The alleged incident of extreme caste discrimination sparked political tensions in the Telangana Assembly on Wednesday. Congress strongly condemned the alleged discriminatory act, while BRS members created an uproar protesting controversial remarks against KCR.

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu raised the issue in the Assembly and demanded a detailed discussion.

While BRS legislators were demanding justice over alleged harassment of their women legislators by police, the Deputy Chief Minister referred to remarks made by BRS MLC Madhusudan Tata against Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar. He questioned, “What justice are you seeking? The people of the Dalit and Bahujan communities in the state need justice. The tribal community needs justice. Those who have been humiliated by you for so long deserve justice.” He further said that BRS still maintains a discriminatory mindset and that the Dalit community would no longer tolerate humiliation.

Kiran Kumar Chamala, the MP from Bhongir, strongly criticised the incident of sprinkling turmeric water on the road. In a post on social media platform X, he wrote, “This cannot be the political environment. Such thinking reflects the true mindset of the BRS.” He said Telangana politics needs development, self-respect and democratic debate—not superstition, hatred or degrading behaviour.

Meanwhile, the Telangana Youth Congress also strongly condemned the incident, comparing it with a recent controversy involving Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

BRS MLAs Suspended from Assembly

As the controversy over the alleged road purification intensified, BRS members staged a major protest and created an uproar inside the Telangana Assembly.

BRS legislators entered the Well and continued raising slogans in protest against controversial remarks allegedly made by Congress legislators about KCR. Despite repeated appeals from the Speaker and ministers to return to their seats, more than 20 BRS legislators were suspended for the remainder of the ongoing monsoon session. Parliamentary Affairs Minister D. Sridhar Babu moved the motion to suspend the legislators. Those suspended included BRS Deputy Floor Leader T. Harish Rao, K. T. Rama Rao, G. Jagadishwar Reddy, P. Kaushik Reddy and several other senior leaders.

BRS members claimed that some Congress legislators had made remarks wishing for KCR’s death and demanded that the Assembly allow a discussion on the matter. Congress, on the other hand, strongly raised the issue, presenting it as evidence of BRS’s discriminatory treatment of the Dalit community.

However, no direct reaction from the BRS leadership on the matter was available in the information provided.