Discrimination against Dalits even in tea cups? Tea vendors debunk Rahul Gandhi’s claim!

Discrimination against Dalits even in tea cups? Tea vendors debunk Rahul Gandhi’s claim!

On August 29, 2026, during a press conference in New Delhi, Rahul Gandhi—the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha—made a significant statement regarding caste-based discrimination in the country. According to Gandhi, discrimination based on caste occurs at tea stalls in certain parts of the nation; specifically, people from other social groups are served tea in reusable glass tumblers, whereas Dalits are served in disposable paper or plastic cups. However, local tea vendors and the general public across various regions have contested this claim. We spoke to several tea vendors in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to ask whether tea is truly served differently based on a customer’s Dalit identity.