CPI(M) demands dedicated cremation grounds for Dalits in Andhra Pradesh

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Tuesday (June 30, 2026) demanded dedicated cremation grounds for Dalits in Andhra Pradesh, alleging that thousands of Dalit families continue to face discrimination due to the lack of burial and cremation facilities. They threatened a State-wide agitation if their demands were not met.

Addressing a seminar on social justice organised by the party in Vijayawada, State secretary V. Srinivasa Rao said every Dalit habitation should have access to a dignified cremation ground. Despite the recommendations of the Justice Punnayya Commission and the issuance of G.O. No. 1235, the problem remained unresolved because of poor implementation. 

Referring to a recent incident in Sri Sathya Sai district, he claimed that Dalits had to protest with a deceased person’s body outside a Tahsildar’s office after being denied a cremation site. Following this, officials identified land for the funeral.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao accused successive governments, including the present coalition government, of using caste as a political tool instead of working toward its eradication, while reiterating the party’s demand for Scheduled Caste status for Dalit Christians. Citing B. R. Ambedkar, he stated that inter-caste marriages remain the most effective means of dismantling the caste system.