GV Harsha Kumar, former Member of Parliament,condemned the Andhra Pradesh State Government’s announcement to construct temples specifically for the Scheduled Caste (SC) community within their colonies. He termed the decision a grave “atrocity” and a multi-pronged conspiracy aimed at segregating, dividing, and disempowering the Dalit community.
“This is not empowerment; it is a blatant attempt to reinforce the caste system and permanently segregate the SC community from the mainstream Hindu fold,” statedi Harsha Kumar. “For centuries, Dalits have fought for the right to pray in the same temples as every other Hindu. Instead of ensuring this fundamental right, the government is building separate temples. This is nothing but modern untouchability, sanctioned by the state itself,” he added.
Harsha Kumar exposed the policy as a sinister political strategy. “This is a conspiracy to erase the legacy of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar from our communities. For decades, the statue of Babasaheb has been the central point in our colonies —a symbol of our fight for rights, education, and constitutional justice. By building temples, the government plans to slowly replace these statues with religious idols, shifting the focus from constitutional rights to religious subjugation.”
Furthermore, he asserted that the move is a calculated attempt to break the unity of the Scheduled Caste community. “This is also a vicious conspiracy to divide our people along religious lines. By promoting temple construction, the government is deliberately trying to create a rift between Dalits who are Hindus and Dalits who have embraced Christianity. This is a classic ‘divide and rule’ tactic to weaken our collective social and political strength.”
He added, “The government’s responsibility is to build a society free from caste discrimination, not to use public funds to build walls of division. True justice would be to pass a law guaranteeing Dalits unfettered access to all existing temples and to take strict action against those who practice discrimination. This proposal is a direct assault on the principles of equality and social justice.”
Harsha Kumar demanded the immediate withdrawal of this regressive proposal and called upon all secular parties, democratic forces, and social justice organizations to unite and oppose this dangerous move. “We will not allow our society to be taken back to the dark ages. The fight is for equal rights and dignity, not for separate temples that institutionalize our oppression and divide us,” he concluded.