Ex-IAS officer P Sivakami releases Dalit Women’s Manifesto 2026; Calls for land rights, economic autonomy in TN
Addressing safety and justice, the manifesto calls for the formation of a dedicated Dalit Women’s Protection Wing in every district under women IPS officers. CHENNAI: Releasing the ‘Dalit Women’s Manifesto 2026’ ahead of the state Assembly election, former IAS officer and convenor of the All India Forum for Women’s Intellect P Sivakami called for a rights-based framework to ensure economic sovereignty, social justice and political representation of the marginalised. The manifesto places emphasis on land rights, proposing the establishment of a High-Powered Land Recovery Commission within 100 days to retrieve encroached panchami lands. These land parcels, it states, will be redistributed to landless Dalit women and utilised through collective farming models, including through the formation of farmer-producer organisations exclusively led by women. Housing security also features prominently, with priority allocation of concrete houses or apartments for homeless women in Dalit settlements. In the economic sphere, the document proposes the creation of an “Iyothee Thass Women’s Bank” to offer collateral-free and zero-interest loans for micro-enterprises. It also envisages the transformation of Dalit habitations into agro-industrial hubs and 25% reservation for Dalit women in industrial land allotment by agencies such as Sipcot and Sidco. Addressing safety and justice, the manifesto calls for the formation of a dedicated Dalit Women’s Protection Wing in every district under women IPS officers. It also seeks fast-track courts to dispose of cases under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act within six months and a fully funded legal aid mechanism allowing survivors to choose their advocates. Notably, it recommends that compensation for survivors of atrocities include guaranteed access to agricultural lands and sustainable livelihoods. On the education front, the manifesto proposes 100% government-funded international scholarships for Dalit women and digital skill vouchers covering emerging fields such as artificial intelligence (AI) and data science. S Kumaresan Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Custodial death row: Dalit man dies in police custody after alleged poisoning in Madhya Pradesh
Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh: A 22-year-old Dalit man, Ram Vishal Ahirwar, died under mysterious circumstances inside Chandla police station this week, sparking serious concerns over custodial safety, police accountability, and possible negligence. Ram Vishal, a resident of Naharpur village, had gone to the police station along with his wife Leela to resolve a long-standing domestic dispute. The couple, married for two years and parents to a three-month-old baby, had been living separately due to frequent fights. According to police, both families were called for a reconciliation meeting. During the discussions, Ram Vishal’s condition suddenly deteriorated. He started vomiting, and officers later recovered a suspicious substance, believed to be poison, from his pocket. The exact time and manner in which he consumed the poison remain unclear. He was immediately rushed to a local hospital and then referred to the district hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. His wife Leela gave a heart-wrenching account of his final moments. “He was writhing in pain and repeatedly begged for water, but no one gave him even a drop,” she said. “He died in my lap on the way to the hospital. After that, I blacked out.” The family has strongly alleged custodial violence. Ram Vishal’s mother, Mulia Ahirwar, claimed that police brutally beat her son inside the station. “We could hear his screams from outside. When I tried to reach him, they pushed me away,” she alleged. The family believes the police are trying to cover up a custodial assault by calling it a suicide or self-poisoning. Police officials have defended their actions, stating that giving water to a person suspected of consuming poison can be medically dangerous. However, this explanation has only intensified public outrage and questions about whether basic first-aid protocols were followed. In response to the incident, Superintendent of Police Agam Jain promptly suspended the Chandla station in-charge, Sandeep Dixit, and ordered a judicial inquiry. Additional SP Aditya Patle also visited the district hospital to review the situation. Ram Vishal reportedly had a history of alcohol abuse and had previously assaulted his wife, which led Leela to return to her parental home. The domestic issue had brought the couple to the police station for mediation. The tragic death has left behind a grieving young widow, a three-month-old infant without a father, and mounting scrutiny on the police force regarding human rights and accountability in custody. The judicial inquiry is expected to establish the exact sequence of events and fix responsibility. Courtesy : MM Note: This news is originally published on https:/muslimmirror.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Kerala: Dalit BDS student dies by suicide, family alleges caste discrimination by faculty members; probe launched
The 22-year-old student’s family has alleged that he was subjected to emotional and verbal harassment by the faculty members over his caste identity, complexion and financial background. The Kerala police have launched a probe against faculty members of Kannur Dental College after a Dalit student at the institute died by suspected suicide on Friday, with his family alleging he was subjected to caste abuse, threats and emotional harassment. The deceased has been identified as Nithin Raj RL, a native of Uzhamalackal, Puthukulangara, Thiruvananthapuram and a first-year BDS student of the college located in Kannur’s Anjarakandy. According to police, Raj was found critically injured near the medical college block after falling from the building on the afternoon of April 10. Though he was rushed to the medical college and given treatment, he later succumbed to his injuries. Following the incident, the college initiated an internal inquiry and on Saturday suspended Dental Anatomy Department Head MK Ram and Associate Professor KT Sangeetha Nambiar. Raj’s family has claimed that the 22-year-old was subjected to emotional and verbal harassment over his caste identity, complexion and financial background by the faculty members. According to a PTI report, Raj’s sister Nikitha claimed that he was once called a “rotten dog” by a faculty member in the classroom in front of other students. “He used to tell us about such discrimination and harassment regularly. He was once called to the staff room where he was severely harassed,” she was quoted as saying by the PTI. She said Raj had filed a complaint with the college principal, but no action was taken. “Once, when the harassment became unbearable, he reacted, after which the verbal abuse intensified,” Nikitha added. Raj’s father Rajan, told reporters that the faculty members allegedly threatened to harm his son academically. “He worked hard without any support to secure admission on a merit seat in the dental college. But he was harassed by faculty over his caste and complexion. They also threatened to harm him academically,” Rajan said. He said that they have lodged a complaint against the faculty members with the police and are expecting a fair probe into the death of his son. The case has been registered at the Chakkarakkal police station. In an audio clip, purportedly of Nithin, that surfaced after his death, he is heard detailing the harassment and targeted humiliation from the faculty members at the institution. “I tolerated the insults as far as I could. They insulted my mother and her surgery. My answer sheet was circulated among students, highlighting my spelling mistakes,” Nithin is heard saying in the clip, circulating on social media. The Chakkarakkal police has confirmed that Raj had sent an audio message to his friends alleging harassment by faculty members, including threats of physical assault and academic repercussions. They said a detailed probe is underway into the incident, with digital evidence being collected. Also, statements by Raj’s classmates, college authorities and family members will be recorded soon, police added. The body of Raj was brought to his residence in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday and buried on the land owned by the family. Several political leaders condemned the death and demanded a detailed probe into the incident. Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala called for a high-level inquiry into Raj’s death. He said the government should take seriously the allegations by the student’s parents and relatives that caste-and-complexion-based harassment led to the death and take urgent steps to bring those responsible to justice. Chennithala said the issue should not be closed by merely suspending two teachers and noted that the parents had firmly alleged severe caste discrimination. Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing Kerala Assembly VD Satheesan visited Raj’s house and demanded a thorough probe. “Teachers are expected to guide students. How did such people become teachers? There should be a detailed probe,” he said. He added that strict intervention was needed to ensure such incidents are not repeated in the state. CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP A A Rahim also visited the family and described the incident as painful. Rahim said Raj was the hope of his family, which had supported his education despite hardship. “CPI(M) will stand with the family until justice is delivered. Such an incident should not have happened in a society like Kerala,” he said. He also compared the incident with the death of Rohith Vemula at the University of Hyderabad. “The family has told us that Raj faced repeated caste discrimination and was deeply affected by it. A detailed probe must be conducted and justice ensured. The action taken should set an example so that such incidents are not repeated in Kerala,” Rahim said. Meanwhile, the Kerala State Human Rights Commission on Sunday directed the police to conduct a detailed probe into the death of the student and submit a report within a week. The Commission took a case on its own based on media reports. Commission Judicial member K Baijunath issued directions to the Kannur City Police Commissioner to investigate the allegations surrounding the incident and file a report within the stipulated time, according to a statement. (Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on TN’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050) Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
He was called a slum dog: Family alleges caste discrimination after Kerala student’s suicide
Kerala often prides itself on high literacy, a students death due to caste abuse has exposed deep-seated structural casteism within its educational and social institutions. The death of Nithin Raj RL, a 22-year-old student at Anjarakandy Dental College in Kannur, has sparked widespread outrage. Nithin, a first-year BDS student from Thiruvananthapuram, died on April 10, 2026, after falling from the college building. While initially reported as a suicide, the case has been reframed by his family and peers as a “caste killing” driven by systemic harassment. Nithin Raj, a bright and promising student from Uzhamalackal, Thiruvananthapuram, secured his seat at the dental college strictly through academic merit. As a member of the Dalit community coming from a modest background—his father works as a painting laborer—Nithin represented the aspirations of his family. However, despite his achievements, he was reportedly targeted for harassment and systemic discrimination almost immediately after joining the institution leading to his death. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Youth posing as transgender detained for stealing phone in Odisha’s Bhadrak
The accused allegedly stole a mobile phone from his pocket when he was asleep. The matter has raised concerns over safety at public places, especially during late hours. In a shocking incident, a youth was detained by police on Sunday in the Chandbali area of Odisha’s Bhadrak district for allegedly posing as a transgender and stealing a mobile phone from a youth while he was asleep at railway station. Theft at Railway Station According to the complaint, the incident occurred when the victim Bichitra Roul was resting at the station. The accused allegedly stole a mobile phone from his pocket when he was asleep. The matter has raised concerns over safety at public places, especially during late hours. “He stole my mobile phone for which I caught him and immediately informed my brother about it. I was sleeping at the station, when he (the accused) came and slept beside me. He took my bedsheet and went to sleep. When police officers informed us to keep our belongings safe, I woke up and when I searched my phone in my pocket, it was not there. When I asked him about the mobile, he tried to escape following which I caught him,” said victim Bichitra Roul. “He told me to give him money, accusing me of stealing the phone from his pocket,” said Manas Mohanty, youth posed as transgender. Disguise Used to Gain Trust Police sources said the accused is suspected of posing as a transgender person to gain people’s trust before carrying out such thefts. This aspect has shocked locals, as it indicates a calculated attempt to deceive victims. Following the complaint, police detained the accused and have launched an investigation. He is currently being interrogated to ascertain further details and any possible involvement in similar incidents. Bibhu Prasad Ray Courtesy : Odisha TV Note: This news is originally published on https:/odishatv.in/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Congress wants to remove Rahul Gandhi from leadership team: Fadnavis
Nagpur: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday claimed there is a growing movement within the Congress party to remove Rahul Gandhi from the leadership team. Replying to a query from reporters about Gandhi’s recent statements that his fight is against the BJP-RSS ideology, Fadnavis said these were mere attempts to change the narrative. Fadnavis was speaking on the sidelines of a public event in Nagpur. “Rahul Gandhi’s fight is merely a superficial one. His struggle is only about how to shield himself from the continuous electoral defeats he has been facing. Within the Congress party, there is a growing sentiment that Gandhi is unable to lead them to victory, so he should be removed. Gandhi’s recent statements are being made to divert attention from that atmosphere,” Fadnavis said. Former state cabinet minister and senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar refuted the allegations saying it’s a figment of Fadnavis’ imagination. Wadettiwar said, “BJP can say anything they want to, but even they know there is no truth in it. If Rahul ji started giving hate speeches, dividing people on basis of religion and caste, then Congress would have a 100% electoral strike rate. If Congress started stealing votes, deleting names through Special Intensive Review (SIR) then we would have won every election. But Rahul ji is fighting as per rules set by the Constitution and that is why BJP is afraid of him.” Regarding Gandhi’s leadership and Fadnavis’ allegation, Wadettiwar said, “From the rank and file to top echelons in the party, everybody stands behind Rahul ji. He is steering the party by staying true to the core ideology of Congress which is to take everyone along and not discriminate among one’s own citizens.” Fadnavis on Sunday denied rumours of a home department meeting discussing withdrawal of cases registered during the Maratha agitation. “No such meeting has taken place. Cases involving loss of govt property cannot be withdrawn — these are explicit directions of the Supreme Court. All other cases, we are withdrawing,” Fadnavis said. He added that he had already provided case withdrawal figures to the legislature. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Telangana Dalit professor branded as ‘urban naxal’ by propaganda machine
The ‘Save Education Committee,’ which is a forum of eminent academicians, has demanded an end to harassment of Professor Surepalli Sujatha, HOD, Sociology in Satavahana University Hyderabad: Brand a person as an urban naxal, spread the propaganda and socially isolate the person, only to finally take a hit when the person is in a vulnerable position. This seems to be the strategy being adopted by the ideological opponents of a Dalit professor and activist, who was stripped of her position as the principal of the Arts College in Satavahana University in Telangana’s Karimnagar. Professor Surepalli Sujatha has been a prominent face in the people’s movements in Telangana for over a decade and a half now. She has been known for her activism and social work for the cause of the downtrodden sections. A sociology professor, she grew up in academia at a time when universities were gasping for freedom on campuses. Today, her freedom is being curtailed in a changing political scenario where people like her are being branded as ‘urban naxals,’ a term which is an off-dictionary term that stands in contradiction to the traditional naxalite movements in India. Her brush with the propaganda brigade happened at a time when the Centre had been going all-out to eliminate Maoists from the face of India. It came in the form of a contract professor at Satahavana University in Karimnagar, where she has been working as the Head of the Sociology Department. Sujatha tells Siasat.com that it all started with her filing a complaint against Dr Penchala Srinivas, a former contract professor in Botany, for calling the female students in the middle of the night in 2019. She says that a disciplinary inquiry was conducted, and he was removed from service back then. She remembers that when she once took her students on a study tour to Bhadradri-Kothagudem district, propaganda spread that she introduced them to Maoist leaders, a rumour she vehemently rejects. MS Admissions Admissions 2026-27 “This allegation was thoroughly investigated by both the police authorities (under Sri Kamal Hasan Reddy) and the university, and was found to be completely untrue,” she claims. She accuses the contract professor of being the man behind the rumours, also pointing out that he is an ardent right-wing person who belongs to the Munnuru Kapu community and supports Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay’s Hindutva ideology. Bandi Sanjay represents the Karimnagar Lok Sabha constituency. She tells Siasat.com that ever since the study tour incident in 2019, she has been targeted frequently, with a section constantly hounding her on social media and on the campus- looking for her to make just one mistake. Call for peace became a headache for Dalit professor That perception changed following her Facebook post during Operation Sindoor in May 2025. In it, she suggested that war has never been a solution and that peace must prevail. However, her use of the word “blood” in reference to “sindoor” drew sharp backlash on social media, with many users attacking her over the remark. Subsequently, a group of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members, along with some outsiders, barged onto the campus, hurled abuses at her and attempted to assault her. She narrowly escaped. She later issued an apology, stating that she regretted if her comments had hurt anyone’s sentiments, while maintaining her stand that peace should take precedence over war. She has kept a low profile since. Not just her, her student Mahesh, also a Dalit, is also a target. He completed his Master’s in Sociology and is pursuing a Master’s in Economics at the university. His association with the now-banned Telangana Vidyarthi Vedika (TVV) student organisation was seen as the cause of the target. When she lost her role as the principal, she was informed that it was because her term had ended. However, the propaganda machine continued to work tirelessly. It has been so rigorous that the newly appointed vice-chancellor Professor Umesh Kumar is also under its influence. “The contract faculty who was removed was reinstated as a part-time faculty member by the new vice-chancellor. He continued his propaganda,” she tells Siasat.com. She claims that she is constantly monitored through CCTV cameras on the campus, and if a student speaks to her, the student faces consequences. She also filed a complaint with the local police and the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) earlier this month. She has been waiting for some action. Academicians demand Dalit professor be reinstated The ‘Save Education Committee,’ which is a forum of eminent academicians, has demanded an end to the harassment of Surepalli Sujatha. “Despite possessing all the necessary qualifications and experience, the removal of a Dalit woman professor, who is also serving as the Dean and holding additional responsibilities as the Principal of the Arts College, is an act of vindictiveness,” the Committee stated in a press release on Thursday, April 9. “It is not appropriate for the Vice-Chancellor, who is responsible for safeguarding university autonomy, academic freedom, and freedom of expression, to remain silent on this issue. “At a time when commercialisation, excessive centralisation, and communalisation of education are increasing, the university administration has the responsibility to ensure that such incidents- especially the harassment of a professor from marginalised sections, particularly a woman professor must not recur,” the Committee demanded. They urged the Vice-Chancellor to put an end to such baseless allegations, harassment, and vindictive actions and to protect the autonomy and academic environment. Ironically, Surepalli Sujatha is facing this at a time when the state government has just recently formed a cabinet sub-committee to work out the modalities of the Rohith Vemula Bill to prevent caste-based discrimination in university campuses. When asked how it was possible for the ideologically-motivated targeting usually done in the central universities to happen in a state government-run university like Satavahana University, Sujatha said that even she has been waiting for an answer to the same question. Posted by Vivek Bhoomi Courtesy : TSD Note: This news is originally published on https:/thesiasatdaily.com/bha and
Punjabi Dalit fiction is reaching an English audience at last. The book is called Gangrene
Dalit literature in India is usually tied to the Ambedkar-Phule revolutionary legacy and raw Marathi autobiographies. Now a new translation of Punjabi-Dalit stories shows caste as Punjab lives it. Navdeep Singh and Akshaya Kumar with a copy of Gangrene: Punjabi Dalit Short Stories, published last month by Penguin | Photo: Sakshi Mehra | ThePrint Navdeep Singh and Akshaya Kumar translated “Gangrene: Punjabi Dalit Short Stories” to bring nuanced Punjabi Dalit fiction to a national audience. Unlike more explicit Marathi Dalit literature, these stories explore subtle, diffused caste discrimination, identity struggles, and the enduring presence of caste in Punjab, even within Dalit communities, seeking wider recognition for this important literary tradition. *AI-generated summary. Check context in original text. Chandigarh and Jalandhar: During a visit to Panjab University, Navdeep Singh kept looking at the blue book in his hands as if it might disappear. The title is Gangrene: Punjabi Dalit Short Stories, a collection published by Penguin. The assistant professor at MR Government College in Fazilka has his name on the cover, along with that of Panjab University professor Akshaya Kumar. Yet, he is still unable to celebrate it. There is a disconnect between his academic world and his Mazhabi Dalit Sikh community in Firozpur’s Panjawa village. He has dedicated the book to his parents, but the question that haunts him is this: will the book mean anything to his community of mostly farm labourers? “I can’t fully grasp it. My parents don’t understand how big this is, and I don’t think I can quite explain it either. Maybe the next book I’m working on with Prof Akshaya will bring a sense of happiness and pride,” said the 28-year-old teacher of English literature, smiling anxiously as he sat in Kumar’s allotted quarter in Chandigarh. Gangrene brings fiction by writers such as Attarjit, Prem Gorkhi, Mohan Lal Phillauria, and Bhagwant Rasulpuri to a pan-India audience. Their stories explore what it means to be Dalit in a state where nearly a third of the population belongs to the community, but the literature has barely had any reach even within Punjab. We wanted to translate the works of Punjabi Dalit writers and bring them to a national audience. Even within the Punjabi Dalit literary landscape, these stories often struggle to find space. Yet the body of work is rich and robust, deserving a wider audience -Prof Akshaya Kumar Dalit writing in India is usually associated with Maharashtra — the raw, explosive autobiographies born from extreme deprivation and the Ambedkar-Phule revolutionary legacy. But Punjabi Dalit writing emerged from a very different terrain, influenced by agricultural abundance, the egalitarian ethos of Sikhism, Marxist thought, Dera culture, and the pre-independence Ad Dharmi socioreligious movement of the ‘untouchables’. In Punjab, the dominant social tension is not the typical “Brahmin versus Dalit” divide seen elsewhere in North India, but a conflict over land and power between dominant Jatts— classified as OBC nationally but General locally— and Dalits. “Punjab may lack the raw, in-your-face brutality seen elsewhere, but discrimination here is postponed and diffused, taking many forms,” said Kumar, who belongs to the Bania community and has lived in Chandigarh for 30 years. The subtle ways in which discrimination manifests in the state has lent itself particularly well to layered, sharply observed fiction rather than autobiographical outbursts. Here, oppression whispers through averted glances at communal wells, stolen wages, or the unequal flow of diaspora remittances. Since the 1970s, Punjabi Dalit writers have written about caste as it is lived, from exploitation in the village to alienation in the city. Attarjit’s Bathlu Chamiar is about a leatherworker in a village. Mohan Lal Phillauria’s Mochi da Put follows a man with a government job who tries to hide that he is a cobbler’s son. In Bhagwant Rasulpuri’s Roots, a man converts to Buddhism to escape caste but it doesn’t work as well as he had hoped. In contrast to portrayals by non-Dalits, such as Gurdial Singh’s 1964 novel Marhi da Deeva, which depicted Dalits as passive victims, these modern stories are infused with Ambedkarite consciousness and agency. They are also rooted in much older traditions of caste defiance—from the 17th-century warrior-poet Bhai Jaita, born into the Mazhabi community, whose epic Sri Gur Katha provided an account of the birth of the Khalsa to Giani Ditt Singh’s 19th-century polemics against caste hypocrisy. “Unlike Marathi Dalit literature, which mostly began in the 20th century as a response to extreme hardship, Punjabi Dalit writing has a much longer history,” said Rajkumar Hans, a historian and expert on Dalit studies, Punjabi literature, and Sikh history. “Punjabi Dalit stories and poems capture both subtle everyday oppression and broader social change, showing how the community has navigated inequality across generations.” No escaping caste? On the second floor of Bhagwant Rasulpuri’s spacious home in Jalandhar, rows of Punjabi books fill every wall. His wife and daughter are writers too, he says. Rasulpuri is one of Punjab’s most prominent Dalit literary voices. His day job is editing the Sunday edition of the daily Nawan Zamana, but he also runs Kahani Dhara, a quarterly Punjabi literary magazine he founded over a decade ago. It is in his writing, though, that he is most completely himself. Rasulpuri has written six short story collections and one novel over the course of 30 years, but it is relatively recently that wider recognition has come his way. His collection Delivery Man won a 2025 Dhahan Prize for Punjabi fiction, which took him to Surrey in Canada. The stories explore loneliness, displacement and gender struggles, including one in which a divorced female professor finds comfort with a delivery man. In 2017, one of his earlier stories was adapted into the acclaimed Punjabi film Chamm, about a Dalit slaughterhouse worker caught between his community’s leather-working traditions and the dominance of Jat landowners. The film also shows how some Dalits in the trade refuse to kill injured animals for money on ethical grounds. A persistent question runs through much of his work: can a person ever truly escape
SC status demanded for Dalit Christians
Anantapur: Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Chinta Mohan called for unity among Dalit communities and demanded Scheduled Caste (SC) status for Dalit Christians, while criticising several policies of Central and State governments. Addressing a press conference on Saturday, he alleged that recent judicial interpretations and policy decisions have adversely affected Dalit Christians by denying them reservation benefits in education and employment. He stated that the Congress party would include the issue in its election manifesto and promised to push for a constitutional amendment to restore SC status if the party comes to power in 2029. Mohan also criticised the choice of Amaravati as the state capital and referred to earlier proposals supporting Tirupati as a potential capital. Courtesy : THI Note: This news is originally published on https:/thehansindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Anil Kapoor and the rise of angry Dalit-Bahujan hero
Bollywood shows Dalit-Bahujan characters as helpless victims. Recent film ‘Subedaar’ is an act of resistance. Anil Kapoor’s film *Subedaar* is a significant shift in Indian cinema, portraying a Dalit-Bahujan protagonist as a powerful, angry mainstream action hero. Traditionally, Dalit characters have been depicted as helpless or needing saviors. *Subedaar* breaks this mold by showing a marginalized character actively fighting feudal oppression and caste discrimination, signaling a democratizing trend in Bollywood narratives. Recall the visceral frustration of Inspector Vijay Khanna in Zanjeer or Samar Pratap Singh in Shool. These iconic figures were fearless, determined to dismantle the local mafia through an indiscriminate use of righteous violence. It was a powerful fist of fury that the audience admired as it was meant to dislodge the corrupt-criminal authority of the villain. In both Amitabh Bachchan’s Zanjeer (1973) and Manoj Bajpayee’s Shool (1999), India’s semi-urban sites were presented as caste-neutral. At the very least, they relegated the socially vulnerable castes to a poor, helpless mass devoid of agency. To contest such depressing terrain, the macho heroic figures would overtly demonstrate their social elite identity, and often perform to retain the hegemonic domination of the ruling elites over cultural and political spheres. Ironically, very few filmmakers have explored the possibility of presenting a similar hero marching from a Dalit-Bahujan social background. Historically, Dalit characters in Indian cinema fall into one of three tropes: the helpless victim of feudal atrocity (Damul, 1985), the violated body (Bandit Queen, 1994), or the individual incapable of achieving justice without a savarna saviour (Article 15, 2019). While films such as Manjhi (2015) and Newton (2017) have introduced more nuanced Dalit protagonists, they often lack the heroic agency or the mainstream charisma of a traditional Bollywood action star. Anil Kapoor’s recent film, Subedaar, in this context, is a significant alteration. It elevated the idea of social subalternity by imagining that a downtrodden character can perform like a mainstream hero and emerge victorious. Director Suresh Triveni’s film is thus a robust act of resistance against the conventional norms associated with popular cinema’s macho hero. While it retains the grit and tension of the classic action genre, it distinguishes itself creatively through a lens of dense social realism, capturing the entrenched caste and communal entanglements. Subedaar offers a subtle subaltern protagonist, embedded in the caste-driven oppressive structure, but ready to dismantle it through his gutsy style and heroic anger. Caste identities in the film are coded in cultural symbols, tonalities, and expressions that the audience has to dissect. Distinct from earlier films that portrayed Dalit characters with stereotypical notions, this film invites the audience to apply its intelligence. In the landscape of feudal oppression Set against the rugged ravines of Chambal, the narrative unfolds in a mofussil town gripped by a sand mafia led by Babli Didi (Mona Singh) and her psychopathic brother Prince (Aditya Rawal). Their characters personify rabid feudal-caste arrogance, exploiting the marginalised poor with impunity. While this trope is a staple of popular masala genre (from Sholay to China Gate) as well as parallel cinema (Damul, Paar, Mirch Masala), Subedaar revisits the formula with nuanced cultural symbolism, offering a refreshing socio-political twist. Kapoor portrays the titular Subedar Arjun Maurya, a restrained but angry retired soldier who joins his daughter after the death of his wife. Maurya and his daughter Shyama (Radhika Madan) are harassed and humiliated by two distinct sets of villains, showcasing how the criminal mafia and feudal order of the town make the life of poor inhabitants precarious. Maurya faces overt abuses, harassment, and mocking by mafia leader Prince, while his daughter faces sexual violence for asserting her individuality. Such brutal context legitimises the emergence of an angry hero. The father-daughter duo refuses to play a submissive role, fearlessly challenges the goons, and after a bloody struggle, defeats the feudal lords. At the outset, the film appears to be a regular action flick. But its portrayal of feudal arrogance, subtle anecdotes about caste-based inequalities, and veiled reference to the practice of untouchability, suggest that the director is critically reflecting upon the social demography of the region. He is making a political statement. For example, a pivotal subplot involves a second-hand Jeep that is severely damaged by the goons. The vehicle is a gift from Maruya’s deceased wife, intended to provide him a dignified presence in the city. In the context of the self-respect movement, the ownership of a vehicle by a Dalit man is a potent symbol of mobility and the reclamation of public space, often disliked by the conservative social elites. In scattered episodes, the audience sees the mocking and damage done to the Jeep by the villains, because they see Maurya as unworthy of owning one. The Dalit-Bahujan subplot The choice of the surname “Maurya” is crucial. In the political milieu of North India, Maurya is a popular Dalit-Bahujan identity often associated with a burgeoning defiance of Dalits against elite domination. In the web series Mirzapur (2018), Inspector RS Maurya (Amit Sial) is a complex Dalit character who cunningly hobnobs with powerful elites while facing caste-based discrimination. In Subedaar, while the protagonist’s social identity is never explicitly mentioned, it is etched into the film using silent symbols and anecdotes to suggest his secluded caste location and powerlessness. A telling scene involves Prince beating a vulnerable woman and then washing his hands. It represents a ritualistic performance of “purity” versus “pollution” by Brahmanical elites. Furthermore, Prince’s act of urinating on Maurya’s Jeep mirrors real-world caste atrocities. In another sequence, we see an abandoned and depleted Dalit village that gives shelter to the fugitive protagonists, endorsing the director’s intent to portray social realities. A mainstream Dalit hero Subedaar investigates caste and gender as intersecting axes of oppression. By defying the conventional portrayal of marginalised groups as powerless victims, the film grants them the agency to defeat their oppressors through their angry power and physical strength. The father-daughter duo performs like popular heroes as they are pushed to the brink by systemic corruption and harassment. Maurya, like any