Abstract
News across different media sources reported that a 23-year-old physically handicapped Dalit groom, Golu Ahirwar Rachwai, was pulled off a horse and ruthlessly beaten during a pre-wedding celebration procession in Damoh district of Madhya Pradesh, on the evening of 21 April 2026. He was forcibly pulled off the horse and was assaulted with sticks and clubs. A video of the incident, recorded by members of the wedding party, has since gone viral. The incident is not an isolated incident, but rather, one among an ongoing series of similar incidents. Such incidents remind us of the shocking realities of the horrific persistence of caste discrimination. In the 2026 NCDHR report titled Five Years of Caste-based Atrocity: An Analysis of Crimes Against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in India (2019–2023), it has been revealed that there is a sharp surge in caste atrocities in recent times. It is noted, based on available official records, that over the period between 2019 and 2023, crimes against the Scheduled Castes increased by an alarming 28%!
While attention largely remains focused on the Hindu Dalit population, the plight of non-Hindu Dalits also warrants serious consideration. The 2026 Dalit Christian Manifesto emphasizes the need to secure constitutional rights for Dalit Christians, advocating for an amendment to the 1950 Scheduled Castes Order. Specifically, it calls for the removal of religious restrictions so that the Scheduled Caste (SC) status can be extended to Dalits who have converted to Christianity or Islam. At present, as per the Supreme Court’s ruling, individuals in India lose their SC status upon conversion to Christianity or Islam. Significantly, the manifesto highlights the compounded vulnerability faced by Dalit Christians, who experience discrimination based on both their caste and their religion. It may be noted that mobilization around this issue is gaining momentum, particularly in Telangana and Tamil Nadu, with planned rallies and legal consultations aimed at challenging the existing framework in coming days.
Articles in this journal issue seek to explore diverse facets of the Dalit question. A couple of articles examine the asset structure and matters of financial inclusion of Dalit women. Cultural exclusion, subjugation and resistance of Dalits are dealt with in several of the original pieces. In one article, a case study of Dalit migrants in Hyderabad city is brought into focus. There is also an interesting analysis of Pandit Iyothee C. Dass and Christianity, which we are sure will engage the interest of readers, just as the resonance of Ambedkar’s vision of social democracy in Bama’s Karukku is expected to do. Apart from the original articles in this number, we find a commentary dealing with the context of Ambedkar’s conversion; a review article on social marginality, adversity and adolescent thriving in contemporary India; and three book reviews, which, we hope, will engage the readers.
Last but not least, we wish to remind our readers, once more, that the views expressed in the articles are those of the respective authors, and the Editorial Board is in no way accountable for them.