Andhra Pradesh: 15-year-old Dalit girl sexually abused by 14 men for two years, now in hospital eight months pregnant..
The painful truth of a 15-year-old pregnant girl: Sexual abuse by 14 men, failure of the system In a district hospital in Andhra Pradesh, a 15-year-old girl, who is eight months pregnant, is spending her days in a 150-bed ward among other pregnant women and newborns. Officials have called it dangerous to terminate the pregnancy at this stage and have also considered it unsafe to send her back to her village. The girl, who was sexually abused by 14 men for two years, belongs to a Scheduled Caste (Madiga) community and her village is dominated by upper castes. The investigation, which began after the girl’s mother filed a police complaint in the first week of June, has exposed the very system that was created to protect such vulnerable girls. “Due to her young age, poverty and caste, she became an easy target for exploitation. Systems like school monitoring and community welfare checks failed completely,” said Superintendent of Police V. Ratna. The teen’s horrific experience began when she was 13 and studying in Class 8. After her father’s death, her mother, who was single, moved to a village near the Karnataka border. According to the police, one of the accused found the teen and her classmate, who was also from the Scheduled Caste, alone after school and clicked their photographs. Threatening to leak these photographs on social media, the two men forced her to sexually abuse them through physical violence and fear and also made a video of it. These videos and photographs were used by others to further exploit the teen. When the teen’s pregnancy was discovered, her mother approached the police. On June 9, the police arrested six of the accused and later detained 11 more. There are a total of 17 accused, of whom 14 allegedly sexually abused her for two years and three, including her minor classmate, did not inform the authorities. All have been arrested. The accused include three minors and 11 men aged between 18 and 51. They have been booked under the Indian Penal Code, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and the Information Technology Act. The police are also investigating why the teenager’s Class 10 teachers did not report her long absence. “In such a crucial academic year, her non-residentship should have been noticed,” said SP Ratna. Local welfare systems, such as Grama Mahila Sanrakshan Karyakarsh volunteers and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), also failed to take note of the family’s situation even though it was known that the mother was suffering from depression and financial hardships after her husband’s death. Of the 17 accused, 14 are from the influential Boya community, while three, including the classmate, are from the Scheduled Caste. Officials say leaders of the Boya community tried to get the teenager married to her classmate to hush up the case. For safety reasons, the teenager will be kept in the hospital till her delivery, scheduled after July 21. “Sending her back to the village is risky,” an official said. After the delivery, the teenager and her baby will be shifted to a government women’s shelter. According to hospital sources, the teenager is anaemic and suffering from depression. She is being provided medical care and counselling. “As Dalits, she and her mother are vulnerable,” an official said, and stressed the need to ensure their safety during the investigation. Courtesy : Rajan Chaudhary, Hindi News
“SC hai? To neeche khada raho!” — Video of BJP MLA removing Dalit Sarpanch from stage goes viral, creates ruckus
A video went viral on social media, in which BJP MLA PV Parthasarathy is seen stopping a Dalit Sarpanch from coming on stage, public is deeply angry about the incident. Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh): A video from Adoni in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh has gone viral on social media, in which BJP MLA PV Parthasarathy is seen stopping a Dalit Sarpanch from coming on stage during a public program and allegedly insulting him. It is alleged that he did this after knowing the caste of the Sarpanch. This incident is said to have taken place on June 16, when the MLA was addressing a gathering in his constituency. In the video, Parthasarathy calls out to a Sarpanch standing in the crowd, “Hey Sarpanch, come here, why are you standing there?” When the Sarpanch hesitates to move forward, the MLA asks, “Are you Christian?” In response, a Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader standing near him says, “He is from the Scheduled Caste (SC), Sir.” The video then shows the BJP MLA and the TDP leader pointing to the ground in front of the stage and asking the sarpanch to stand there instead of coming on stage. The MLA says, “Okay, then stand here,” and the sarpanch stands there quietly. During this, the TDP leader is seen repeatedly covering her face from the camera, as if she is uncomfortable with the recording. After the video surfaced, there are sharp reactions on social media. Many users have called it a casteist insult in public. A user wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Who is more responsible – the casteist leader who insulted the Dalit Sarpanch, or the Sarpanch who remained silent, putting power above self-respect? This silence gives courage to those who insult Dalits, Muslims and marginalized people every day.” Another user wrote, “BJP MLA publicly says to Dalit Sarpanch – ‘Oh, SC hai?’ This is not a slip of tongue, this is the real face of caste supremacy.” So far, there has been no official response from either MLA Parthasarathy or the BJP on this entire matter. Courtesy : Rajan Chaudhary, Hindi News
Tamil Nadu BJP seeks probe after Dalit man found dead at Muslim girlfriend’s home
A Dalit man died by suicide at his girlfriend’s house in Kanyakumari district, following which the Tamil Nadu BJP questioned the investigation. The party cited her family’s links with ruling DMK and called for police neutrality in the probe. A man identified as Dhanush was found dead in Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari district after he allegedly died by suicide by hanging himself at the residence of a woman he had reportedly been in a relationship with. According to police sources, the incident took place on Sunday in Kulasekaram, and preliminary investigations indicate that his death followed the woman’s decision to cut off contact with him. Dhanush, who belonged to a Scheduled Caste (SC) community, was employed at an IT company in Coimbatore. The woman he was in a relationship with was from the Muslim community. Police have confirmed that no suicide note was recovered from the scene, and that his family has not made any direct accusations against anyone. The BJP has raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the death, pointing to the woman’s reported familial links with the ruling DMK. BJP state president Nainar Nagendran has both demanded a thorough and independent investigation into the case, alleging potential political interference. In a post on X, Nagendran stated, “Dhanush, a young man from a Hindu Scheduled Caste community who was about to marry a woman of a different religion in Kulasekaram, Kanyakumari district, has been found dead in a mysterious manner after hanging himself. That too, the fact that he hanged himself on the roof of the house of the woman he loved has created a lot of suspicion and anxiety.” He further claimed, “With reports that the woman’s close relatives are in the DMK, the question has arisen in everyone’s mind whether this case will be investigated properly.” Nagendran criticised the state government’s handling of caste-related violence and urged the Tamil Nadu Police to ensure a proper autopsy is conducted without any bias. “The police should not act unilaterally with the intention of supporting the ruling party’s rhetoric,” he wrote, adding that the BJP would continue to support Dhanush’s family in their demand for justice. Courtesy : India Today Note: This news is originally published on https:/indiatoday.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
BJP MLA faces charges of insulting Dalit panchayat president
Danapuram (Andhra Pradesh), June 20 (PTI) BJP MLA from Adoni Constituency in Andhra Pradesh, PV Parthasarathi, is facing charges of insulting a Dalit Panchayat president at Danapuram village in Kurnool district recently. The Panchayat president filed a police complaint. The alleged incident occurred during Parthasarathi’s visit to Dhanapuram on Monday where he was overseeing the Jal Jeevan Mission programme implementation at a temple premises. In a video that has gone viral, Parthasarathi was seen calling the president Chandrashekhar onto the rostrum in the temple premises, however as the president did not turn up, he called for him three-four times and then enquired that if the president was a Christian and hence hesitated to come onto the platform. Then a local woman TDP leader seen and heard in the video whispering to the MLA that the sarpanch belonged to a Schedule Caste (SC), later, the MLA acknowledged the whisper and gestured the sarpanch to stand on the ground in front of the elevated platform. The MLA’s action is being criticised as caste-based discrimination. As the video went viral and triggered a controversy, the BJP MLA responded saying that he asked only about the president’s religion because he “appeared reluctant to step onto the temple platform”. “I called him to join me. As he seemed hesitant, I asked if he was from a different religion. TDP leader responded, as seen in the video,” Parthasarathi told reporters. While denying discrimination, he acknowledged that the TDP leader mentioned his caste and apologised for that, taking full responsibility for what happened in his presence. Meanwhile, the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP condemned the MLA’s behaviour, accusing the ruling NDA coalition government of displaying “blatant caste discrimination”. “Why does your alliance have such disdain for SCs, Naidu?” questioned the YSRCP in a post on ‘X’. Similarly, the Human Rights Forum (HRF) condemned BJP MLA for failing to stop the public ‘humiliation’ of Dalit sarpanch during a Jal Jeevan Mission event. “TDP leader blocked the sarpanch, citing his caste,” it claimed, demanding to invoke the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 against both the BJP MLA and the TDP leader and warned of protests if authorities fail to respond. “Despite taking an oath under the Constitution to uphold equality, the BJP MLA’s silence in the face of discrimination is deeply troubling,” said the HRF in a press release. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI) Courtesy : The Week Note: This news is originally published on https:/theweek.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
PM Modi slams RJD for ‘insulting’ Ambedkar says Bihar won’t tolerate disrespect to Dalit icon
Siwan (Bihar), (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday slammed the RJD for allegedly insulting Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar and asserted that the people of Bihar would not tolerate any disrespect to the Dalit icon. At a rally in Siwan district, which marked his fifth visit this year to the state and second in less than a month, Modi hailed the “big role” played by Bihar in India’s emergence as the “third largest economy” of the world. In a nearly 45-minute-long speech that followed the launch of projects worth more than Rs 5,900 crore and the flagging off of a Vande Bharat train, the Prime Minister cautioned the people against “attempts to recapture economic resources of Bihar” by the RJD-led opposition in the assembly polls due later this year. “Ambedkar was against dynasty rule. But they (RJD and its allies) do not like it. So they have his portrait placed at their feet. On my way, I saw posters demanding an apology for this insult to Babasaheb,” said Modi. He added, “But there has been no apology. This is because they hold Dalits in contempt. In contrast, Modi has Babasaheb in his heart and would like to keep his portrait close to his chest”. Modi, who did not mention RJD chief Lalu Prasad by name, referred to the instance of a portrait of Ambedkar being placed close to the feet of the ailing septuagenarian, for which he (Prasad) has been drawing flak from the BJP-led NDA. “The reason is that the RJD-Congress people have little respect for people belonging to the deprived castes, the Dalits, the OBCs and the EBCs. They consider themselves above Babasaheb Ambedkar. But they must remember that the disrespect to Babasaheb Ambedkar will not be forgiven by the people of Bihar,” the PM said. Modi also asserted that the world was greatly impressed with India’s progress and underscored Bihar’s big role in the country’s emergence as the world’s “third largest economy”. “You all know I have returned from abroad only yesterday. During my tour, I met many leaders of the developed world. They all were greatly impressed with the rate of progress in India. They are watching India becoming the third-largest economy in the world. In this, Bihar will definitely play a big role,” said the PM. In the last 11 years, the NDA government at the Centre has devoted itself to removing every hurdle that stands in the way of the poor, he said. “We will continue to make such efforts. The hard work has yielded handsome results,” the PM said. In the past decade, a record number of 25 crore Indians have defeated poverty, and this feat of India is being lauded by renowned institutions like the World Bank, he said. “In this national accomplishment, Bihar and the government headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar have played a significant role,” said Modi. The PM also said a “prosperous” Bihar will help the country prosper. Training his guns at the opposition INDIA bloc, he said, “Beware, those responsible for jungle raj are looking for another opportunity to wreak havoc like they had once done.” They are playing various tricks to ensure that they recapture the state’s economic resources, claimed Modi, in an apparent reference to several populist promises made by the RJD and its ally Congress in the run-up to the assembly polls. “Unlike the NDA, which worked for development of all with support of all (‘sabka saath sabka vikas’), the opposition stood for family rule (‘parivar ka saath, parivar ka vikas’), which was against the spirit of the Constitution, given to us by Babasaheb Ambedkar”, Modi claimed. “This is the reason why the Congress-RJD people have portraits of Babasaheb Ambedkar placed at their feet. In contrast, Modi keeps Babasaheb Ambedkar in his heart,” remarked the Prime Minister. Modi, who reached the venue perched atop an open vehicle, flanked on either side by Nitish Kumar, who heads the JD(U), and Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, both from the BJP. The chief minister, whose speech preceded that of the PM, showered praises on Modi for ordering a caste census, which the JD(U) boss had been demanding for long, and called upon the audience to rise in their seats as a mark of gratitude. In keeping with his penchant for adding local flavour to his speeches, Modi began his address by greeting the people in the local dialect of Bhojpuri and paying tributes to the first President Rajendra Prasad, who hailed from Siwan, and legendary socialist leader Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan, who belonged to the adjoining district of Saran. The function saw the launch of projects worth more than Rs 5,900 crore by the PM, who also flagged off a Vande Bharat train that would run between Pataliputra Junction in the state capital and Gorakhpur in adjoining Uttar Pradesh. These development projects will take Bihar towards a bright future and make the state prosperous, said the PM. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI) Courtesy : The Week Note: This news is originally published on https:/theweek.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Andhra Pradesh: BJP MLA accused of insulting Dalit sarpanch
Danapuram (Andhra Pradesh), June 20 (Language) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Adoni constituency of Andhra Pradesh PV Parthasarathy has been accused of insulting the Dalit Sarpanch of Danapuram village in Kurnool district. The Sarpanch has lodged a complaint with the police. Parthasarathy was on a tour to Danapuram on Monday and the alleged incident took place while overseeing the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission program at a temple complex here. A video circulated on social media shows Sarpanch Chandrashekhar being called to the stage by Parthasarathy in the temple complex. However, when he did not come, Parthasarathy called him three-four times and then asked if he was a Christian and therefore hesitant to come on stage. The video then shows the local woman leader of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) whispering in the MLA’s ear that the sarpanch belongs to the Scheduled Caste (SC), after which the MLA gestured to the sarpanch and asked him to stand on the ground in front of the stage. The MLA’s act is being criticised as caste-based discrimination. On the controversy that erupted after the video surfaced, the MLA said he had only asked about the chairman’s religion as he “seemed reluctant to step on the temple platform”. “I called him to stand with me. He was hesitant, so I asked if he belonged to another religion…,” Parthasarathy told reporters. Meanwhile, the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led Yuvajana Sramika Raithu Congress Party (YSRCP) condemned the MLA’s behaviour and accused the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government of “blatant caste discrimination”. “Naidu, why is there so much hatred towards Scheduled Castes in your alliance?” the YSRCP questioned in a post on social media platform ‘X’. Similarly, the Human Rights Forum (HRF) condemned the BJP MLA for failing to prevent the public “humiliation” of a Dalit sarpanch during a Jal Jeevan Mission programme. It claimed, “The TDP leader blocked the way of the sarpanch citing his caste.” The HRF demanded action against the BJP MLA and the TDP leader under the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and warned of protests if this was not done. Courtesy: Dheeraj, Hindi News
Dalit Lawyer allegedly abused, assaulted, threatened in Yadgir; Case registered
Yadgir, : A young Dalit lawyer was allegedly subjected to caste-based abuse, physical assault, and threats by two upper caste men in Nagarala village of Surapura taluk, triggering outrage after a video of the incident surfaced online. The victim, identified as Durgappa Hosamani, told Vartha Bharati that the incident occurred while he was walking along a road in the village. According to Hosamani, two men—identified as Mallayya and Arjuna—stopped him without any provocation and began verbally abusing him with casteist slurs, before physically assaulting and threatening to kill him. A video clip of the incident, which shows the lawyer being targeted and abused, has gone viral on social media, drawing widespread condemnation. Following a complaint filed by Hosamani, the Surapura Police have registered a case under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)—115(2), 118(1), 126(2), 133, 352, and 351—as well as under relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Get all the latest, breaking news from Karnataka in a single click. CLICK HERE to get all the latest news from Karnataka. Courtesy : Vartha Bharati Note: This news is originally published on https:/varthabharati.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Man booked for raping 13-year-old Dalit girl
Meerut: An FIR was filed against a 65-year-old man for allegedly raping a 13-year-old Dalit girl in a village of Bulandshahr district, police said on Friday. The girl’s family works in fields owned by the accused, they added. In a police complaint, the survivor’s father stated that the incident occurred on June 19, around 8 pm. His 13-year-old daughter went to the sugarcane field for defecation when the accused approached her, offering new clothes. Upon her refusal, he struck her, dragged her into the sugarcane field, and raped her. The survivor returned home and informed her family, following which they approached the police. A senior police officer said a case has been registered and the girl was sent for medical examination. “An investigation is underway, and an arrest will be made soon,” the officer said. An FIR under BNS section 65 (1) (Rape), and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act has been registered. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
‘Together, firmly’: Rahul Gandhi acknowledges Akhilesh Yadav’s b’day wish, SP chief and Congress MP reaffirm shared PDA agenda
LUCKNOW: Amid ongoing blow-hot-blow-cold ties between SP and the Congress – the two key INDIA bloc constituents — Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav not only exchanged pleasantries on X, but the former also assured the latter that they would raise the voice of PDA together.The PDA (backwards, Dalits and minorities) was the term coined by the SP chief to appeal to the OBCs, SCs and Muslims before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. On the occasion of Rahul’s 55th birthday, Akhilesh took to his X handle to extend greetings. “Heartfelt congratulations to Rahul Gandhi on his birthday and best wishes for his harmonious, inclusive, and comprehensive socio-political activism!” wrote Akhilesh. In response to the post, Rahul wrote back: “Akhilesh ji, thank you very much for your wishes. We will continue to raise the voice of the people of Uttar Pradesh – especially the PDA – even more strongly from the streets to Parliament. Together, firmly.” This was the first time after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls that the two leaders spoke publicly about ‘moving ahead together’. It comes close on the heels of Akhilesh’s press statement announcing that the INDIA bloc would contest 2027 UP elections together amid the UP Congress’s organisational building workshop focusing on fortifying their unit in all the 403 seats of the state. UP state leaders, however, maintained that there was no rift with the SP. “The so-called rift between SP and us was a handiwork of the BJP propaganda peddlers who are scared of the power of the INDIA bloc,” said Ajay Rai, UP Congress president. AICC incharge for UP, Avinash Pande, said: “Organisational building is a primary commitment of party leadership with its followers and workers. We have been working on all the 403 seats of UP to be able to take on the BJP in a much stronger way. Strengthening Congress means fortifying the INDIA bloc as well,” he said. Rahul to Akhilesh: We will raise PDA’s voice together Amid ongoing blow-hot-blow-cold ties between SP and the Cong — the two key INDIA bloc constituents — Cong MP Rahul Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav not only exchanged pleasantries on X, but the former also assured the latter that they would raise the voice of PDA together. The PDA (backwards, Dalits and minorities) was the term coined by the SP chief to appeal to the OBCs, SCs and Muslims before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
BJP-RSS don’t want poor children to learn English… Rahul Gandhi’s strong attack
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi posted on X that English is a bridge, not a dam. He alleged that BJP-RSS don’t want poor children of India to learn English and move forward. He stressed that every language of India has a soul, culture, knowledge. New Delhi: Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) don’t want poor children of India to learn English because they don’t want people to ask questions, move forward and be equal. He also said that we should teach English to every child because in today’s era, as much as Hindi is important as mother tongue, so is English. English is not shame, but power The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha made this comment a day after an alleged statement by Home Minister Amit Shah. Rahul Gandhi posted on ‘X’ that English is not a dam, but a bridge. English is not shame, but power. English is not a chain – it is a tool to break chains. He alleged that BJP-RSS do not want poor children of India to learn English because they do not want people to ask questions and be equal. What else did Rahul Gandhi say? Rahul Gandhi also said that in today’s world, English is as important as your mother tongue because it will provide employment and boost self-confidence. He stressed that every language of India has soul, culture and knowledge. We have to cherish them and at the same time teach English to every child. This is the way to an India that competes with the world. Give equal opportunity to every child. Authored by: NBT Desk Courtesy : Hindi News