Hamara Prasad, founder of the Rashtriya Dalita Sena, has secured bail after spending around a month in jail following his arrest by Telangana Police over his Telugu book Kalpitha Nayakudu (The Fabricated Leader), which critically examines the legacy of Dr BR Ambedkar.
Announcing the development on X, Prasad expressed gratitude to the Hindu Legal Fund for supporting his bail despite having no prior acquaintance with him.
“As a Hindu Dalit, when I exercised my fundamental rights to write a book, false cases were filed against me, and I was jailed for a month,” he wrote. He thanked the elders associated with the Hindu Legal Fund for stepping forward to support him.
As a Hindu Dalit, when I exercised my fundamental rights to write a book, false cases were filed against me, and I was jailed for a month. My sincere gratitude to @HinduLegalFund elders for stepping forward and supporting my bail despite being strangers to me.
— Vara Prasad Nagularapu | Hamara Prasad (@HamaraPrasad) October 27, 2026
The bail comes weeks after Prasad’s arrest on September 17, 2026, a day before the scheduled launch of his approximately 730-page Telugu book. The arrest raised questions, and most importantly, double standards of the Congress party over freedom of expression, the limits of criminal action against controversial publications, and the response to protests over material concerning prominent historical figures.
Arrested a day before the book launch
Prasad was arrested after protests erupted in several districts of Telangana over the title, cover and reported contents of Kalpitha Nayakudu. Dalit and Ambedkarite organisations objected to the book and demanded action against its author.
A case was registered against him at Hyderabad’s Central Crime Station under Sections 353(2), 196, 350 and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The provisions cited by the police concern alleged statements causing fear or alarm, promoting enmity, intentional insult or provocation, and criminal conspiracy. The allegations remain subject to the legal process.
The controversy also reached the Telangana High Court, which heard a petition seeking intervention ahead of the book’s proposed release on September 18. The petitioner objected to the book’s title, cover and contents, arguing that certain portions could promote hostility among Ambedkar’s followers and others.
During the proceedings, the State informed the court that Prasad had already been arrested and that physical copies of the book had been seized. The authorities also said steps were being taken to address its online circulation. The court subsequently disposed of the proceedings after taking note of the action reported by the government.
Controversy over criticism of Ambedkar
The Fabricated Leader was presented by its publisher, Hamara Publications, as a critical examination of established political and historical narratives. Prasad had said that his work sought to challenge personality cults and present what he described as the real history of India.
The book’s treatment of Ambedkar, however, drew objections from various organisations. Protests and complaints were reported in areas including Asifabad, Indravelli, Nirmal, Dubbaka and Tadwai, with demonstrators demanding action over what they considered objectionable remarks about the architect of the Indian Constitution.
The dispute raises questions about how the State should respond when a controversial publication triggers public anger. While critics of a book have the right to challenge its arguments and question its historical claims, the legality of a publication must ultimately be assessed under the applicable law rather than solely by the strength of the opposition it attracts.
Ambedkar himself had cautioned against political hero-worship in his concluding speech to the Constituent Assembly on November 25, 1949. He warned that devotion to political leaders could become dangerous when it displaced independent judgment.
That warning has particular relevance to debates about the freedom to examine and criticise influential political and historical figures. Respect for Ambedkar’s legacy and disagreement with interpretations of his life and work need not be mutually exclusive.
Bail brings relief, but legal questions remain
Prasad’s release on bail marks a significant development in a controversy that began before his book’s scheduled launch and quickly moved into the criminal justice system.
His allegation that the cases against him are false is his own account of the matter. The grant of bail, meanwhile, does not by itself establish his innocence or determine the merits of the allegations against him.
The case has nevertheless renewed scrutiny of the balance between protecting public order and safeguarding freedom of expression. The State has a responsibility to prevent violence and investigate alleged offences, but the possibility of protests over a publication also raises questions about whether controversial ideas can be debated without the author facing criminal action before the work is even formally launched.
For now, Prasad has thanked the Hindu Legal Fund for supporting his bail and has publicly framed his arrest as a consequence of exercising his fundamental rights to write a book. The subsequent course of the criminal proceedings will determine how the allegations against him are dealt with under the law.
