Tribal girls forced to eat rotten food in Dungarpur, father MP told TAD minister- “Don’t sleep after eating religion’s powder…”
The authorized capacity of the hostel is 100 girls, irregularities are done by registering fake attendance of 100 girls in the records, whereas currently only 50-60 girls are studying in the said hostel, when the girls talk of complaining about all the above matters, they are threatened with expulsion from the hostel. Dungarpur- In the Scheduled Tribe Girls Hostel built behind the SBP College building of the district, the girls are being forced to eat rotten food for a long time. These girls preparing for competitive examinations have to cook food themselves, because the hostel administration is not providing them clean and nutritious food. In this case, the girls recently complained to the collector and showed evidence, after which the collector ordered an inquiry by the Tribal Area Development (TAD) officials. After the matter came to light, Bharat Adivadi Party MP Rajkumar Roat has targeted TAD Minister Babulal Kharari in harsh words over the condition of the girl students. Roat wrote in a post on x, “The government claims to spend crores and billions for tribal welfare, but in reality that money is lost to corruption. This is the condition of the multipurpose tribal girls hostel in Dungarpur under the BJP rule in Rajasthan, where the system is in shambles and corruption is at its peak. The girls are forced to eat rotten food. TAD Minister Babulal Kharari, don’t sleep after eating the powder of religion. Due to your indifference, corruption is at its peak in the hostels of the TAD department under your tenure. The future of thousands of tribal children is going into darkness, there is still time to wake up from sleep as soon as possible and take immediate action against such corrupt wardens and material suppliers.” Roat has written a letter to the TAD minister stating that poor quality, insect-infested and harmful food is being served in the multi-purpose tribal girls hostel in Dungarpur for a long time, due to which many students fell seriously ill recently, and the hostel also lacks cleanliness, clean drinking water, electricity, security and educational facilities. The warden and cook-helper are not present regularly, due to which the students are forced to make rotis themselves. Apart from this, the CCTV cameras in the hostel have been shut down for the last one year, there are no basic educational facilities like library and computer. As per the rules, the warden is required to reside in the hostel, but she goes to her own home after 6 pm every day. The authorized capacity of the hostel is 100 students, irregularities are done by registering fake attendance of 100 students in the records whereas currently only 50-60 students are studying in the said hostel, when the students talk of complaining about all the above matters, they are threatened with expulsion from the hostel. Rot demanded an impartial investigation of the said case and strict action against the guilty warden, food supplier, cook-helper, and related officials. In this case, TAD Deputy Commissioner SP Kaswa told the media that on the report of the students, the department conducted a preliminary investigation in the hostel and found that the students are being made to work there and there is no watchman. There is a provision of sweet food once a week, but that is also not being given. Investigation has been started on the basis of the report. Tribal Army condemned this incident and wrote in a post, “Serving food with insects to girls in the tribal girls hostel of Dungarpur is inhuman and shameful. These girls have come for education, not for exploitation. Strict action should be taken against the culprits. We are with the victim girls.” Courtesy: Geetha Sunil Pillai, Hindi News
MP: Deadly attack on Congress leader Pradeep Ahirwar after asking his caste, said – “Attacked with sword after identifying Dalit”
Incident of Ganjbasoda in Vidisha district, Ahirwar said – “Jungle Raj in the state” Bhopal. A shocking and shameful incident has come to light in Vidisha district of Madhya Pradesh, where a deadly attack was made on Congress leader and former member of Scheduled Caste Commission Pradeep Ahirwar after asking his caste. This incident happened late on Sunday night around 11:30 pm, when Pradeep Ahirwar was returning from Ganjbasoda to Bhopal. According to the information received, hundreds of unknown attackers stopped his Scorpio car, and first asked his name, then after knowing his caste, attacked him with swords. Pradeep Ahirwar showed wisdom and somehow took the car out of the spot and informed the police, and reached Ganjbasoda police station in the night itself and lodged an FIR. However, he did not get any injury in this incident. “Attack was done after knowing the name and caste” In a conversation with The Mooknayak, Pradeep Ahirwar said, “The attackers first asked my name. When I told my name and they came to know about my caste (Dalit), they immediately started attacking with swords.” He further said, “There is no such thing as law and order left in the state. The common man is not safe in the rule of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. This is a direct caste-based attack. Strictest action should be taken against the accused.” “There was a fight between groups, but the attack was on Pradeep Ahirwar” Vidisha Superintendent of Police Rohit Kashwani told The Mooknayak, – “This was a fight between two groups. Pradeep Ahirwar was not the target, but his car was targeted. A report has been filed and investigation is going on. Efforts are being made to identify the accused.” However, Pradeep Ahirwar’s allegations are different from this. He says that this is not a normal factional fight but a well-planned caste violence. In this case, a case has been registered under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Section 307 (attempt to murder) of Indian Penal Code, and Section 147, 148, 149 (rioting and assault with deadly weapons). After this incident, there is a lot of outrage among Congress leaders and Dalit organizations. SC Congress has termed this attack as power-protected casteism. State Congress spokesperson Ravi Rahul said in a conversation with The Mooknayak, “If a Dalit leader can be attacked like this, then what is the guarantee of the safety of common Dalits?” He further said, this incident highlights the serious situation of caste violence in Madhya Pradesh. This is not only an attack on a politician, but also a big question on the social security of the Dalit community and the law and order of the state. We strongly condemn this incident. Courtesy : Ankit Pachauri, Hindi News
MP Congress reserves general secretary post for transgender community, historic initiative towards social justice
Articles 15(1) and 15(4) of the Indian Constitution empower the state to make special provisions for socially and educationally backward classes. Giving this reservation to the transgender community confirms this sentiment. Bhopal. A historic decision has been taken in the upcoming organizational elections of Madhya Pradesh Youth Congress. The organization has given a strong message towards social justice by reserving a post of state general secretary for the transgender community. This step is not only important from the point of view of political inclusion, but also makes a resonant advocacy for the rights of marginalized communities in society. The nomination process was completed by 5 pm on May 13. This is the first time within the Youth Congress that an attempt is being made to give representation to the transgender class in the leadership position. The demand for reservation for marginalized classes in political parties has been going on for a long time, but such examples are rare in practice. This decision of the Youth Congress can become an inspirational beginning in this direction. A big step towards inclusion in politics The transgender community has often fought for identity, respect and opportunity. Even after the Supreme Court granted legal recognition to the ‘third gender’ in 2014, their opportunities for representation in mainstream politics have been very limited. Youth Congress reserving the post of general secretary shows that the organization now wants to prepare the ground for change by giving this class an opportunity to lead. Sociologists and human rights activists have praised this decision. Talking to The Mooknayak, sociologist Dr. Imtiaz Khan said, “Representation in politics is the basis of real participation. By giving reservation to the transgender community, Youth Congress has taken the initiative to give practical shape to the principle of social justice of the Constitution.” The contribution of the transgender community in the politics of Madhya Pradesh has been historic and inspiring. But today the situation is at zero. In the year 2000, Shabnam Mausi won the by-election from Sohagpur assembly seat and got the honour of becoming the country’s first transgender MLA. She defeated candidates from major parties like BJP and Congress while contesting as an independent candidate and secured around 40.8% of the votes. Her victory paved a new path for the transgender community not only in the political arena but also at the social level. Shabnam Mausi stressed on issues like corruption, unemployment and poverty during her tenure and raised her voice for the rights of the transgender community in society. Madhya Pradesh gave the country not only the first transgender MLA but also the first transgender mayor. In 1999, Kamla achieved this feat by winning the election for the post of mayor of Katni Municipal Corporation. However, later the court annulled her election, saying that she was not eligible for the women’s reserved seat. Despite this, Kamla ‘Bua’ won the mayor’s post in the Sagar Municipal Corporation election in 2009, which was another significant achievement for the transgender community. These achievements opened new doors of participation in politics for the transgender community and promoted their acceptance in society. But then transgender representation was not seen. Bhopal-based researcher Pragya Sharma, while talking to The Muknayak on the conditions of the transgender community, said that the biggest problem of this community is social disdain. Being kept away from the mainstream of society, discrimination and humiliating behavior have become the biggest reasons for backwardness in their lives. Their access to basic facilities like education, employment and health is extremely limited. Pragya Sharma believes that political representation of the transgender community can prove to be a big initiative towards changing this situation. If they get an opportunity to participate in the decision-making process, they will not only be able to raise their voice, but will also be able to play an active role in policy making, which will ensure their rights and dignity. The Constitution gives rights Article 15(1) and 15(4) of the Indian Constitution gives the state the right to make special provisions for socially and educationally backward classes. Giving this reservation to the transgender community confirms this sentiment. This decision has the potential to bring change not only in politics but also in society. It is also clear under the Transgender Act, 2019 that governments and institutions should ensure special opportunities in employment and education for this community. Understanding this responsibility, Youth Congress has set a strong example by giving reservation in leadership roles. Transgender Sanjana Singh welcomed the decision of the Congress Party and told The Mooknayak that the transgender community should get equal opportunities not only in the political field but in every field of life. She said that this step is a commendable initiative towards inclusiveness and equality, which will promote the participation of transgenders in society. Congress Party is in favor of social justice Speaking to The Mooknayak, Congress spokesperson Vivek Tripathi said, “The Youth Congress has reserved the post of state general secretary for the transgender community. This is a symbol of our commitment towards social justice. Our national president Mallikarjun Kharge and the entire party, including Rahul Gandhi, are in favour of giving political representation to the deprived and marginalised communities. Therefore, we are trying to bring such communities forward in the organisational structure. This initiative of the party will be recognised as a bold step in political history.” Cortesy : Ankit Pachauri, Hindi News
Skeletons thrown out of graves for soil! Dalit community hurt by barbarism of mining mafia in Gujarat, appeals to CM for justice
Lilaben Makwana of Parnaala village and other people of Dalit community submitted a memorandum in Surendranagar Collectorate stating that the mining mafia not only looted natural resources by illegally mining soil but also deliberately tried to spread communal hatred by targeting the cemetery of Scheduled Castes. Surendranagar – The mining mafia has committed an act that shames humanity in Parnaala village of Limbdi taluka of the district. In this village, illegal soil mining was done by targeting the cremation ground of Scheduled Caste community and human skeletons buried there were taken out and thrown. This disgusting act not only hurt the religious and emotional sentiments of the community but also created an atmosphere of fear and communal tension in the area. The villagers have expressed deep anger over the inaction of the local administration and police in this matter and have demanded immediate action by submitting a written complaint to the Chief Minister, Social Justice and Empowerment Department, Surendranagar Collector and Superintendent of Police. Lilaben Makwana of Parnaala village and other people from the Dalit community submitted a memorandum to the Surendranagar Collectorate, giving a detailed account of the incident. According to them, the mafia damaged the crematorium and ruthlessly threw out the skeletons buried there during illegal mining. This act has deeply hurt the sentiments of the relatives of the deceased. Not only this, these anti-social elements did not even respect the rights of the village sarpanch and closed the crematorium from all sides, making it impossible for the community to use it. The local community informed the local police and administrative officials verbally and in writing several times in this matter, but no attention was paid to their complaints. The villagers say that the arbitrariness of the mining mafia and the silence of the administration have forced them to convey their matter to the higher authorities. They have warned that if immediate action is not taken in this matter and any untoward incident happens, the district administration will be solely responsible for it. They say that the mining mafia not only looted natural resources by illegally mining soil but also deliberately tried to spread communal hatred by targeting the cemetery of the Scheduled Castes. For this, they have demanded to register a case under the Indian Penal Code (BNS) and Scheduled Castes and Tribes Atrocities Prevention Act (Atrocity Act) and immediate arrest of the accused. Apart from this, there is also a demand to seize all the vehicles used in illegal mining and impose heavy fines. The villagers have also demanded that police security be arranged in their localities, so that such incidents can be prevented in future. Along with this, the Gram Panchayat has been demanded to free the crematorium from the possession of domineering elements by taking action under the Land Grabbing Act. The community also requested that the criminal history of the mining mafia be checked and if they are found to be repeatedly involved in such crimes, they should be expelled from the district. Apart from this, the Dalit community has given many concrete suggestions for the development and security of the crematorium. They have demanded that a paved road be built for access to the crematorium, security walls and gates be built all around, benches be installed for sitting, trees be planted and a room be built to keep equipment. Grants have been demanded from the Gram Panchayat, Taluka Panchayat and District Panchayat for these works. Also, the District Development Officer has been requested to approve the development works of the crematorium through special grants. Given the seriousness of the matter, the community has demanded that a joint team of Deputy Collector, Mamlatdar and Deputy Superintendent of Police be formed to visit the spot and submit a factual report to the state government through the District Collector. Calling the incident a violation of human rights, the community has appealed to the administration for quick and transparent action. Social worker Kirit Rathod of Navsarjan Trust visited Parnaala village and submitted a written memorandum to the Chief Minister, Social Justice and Empowerment Department, Surendranagar Collector, Superintendent of Police and other responsible officials in this matter. He termed the incident as a well-planned conspiracy against the Scheduled Caste community and demanded a thorough investigation from the administration and strict action against the culprits. Courtesy: Geetha Sunil Pillai, Hindi News
Gujarat: Dalit youth was going to take Shrikhand, casteist people did not like his style, so they beat him up and cut his hair!
The Gondal police have registered a case under sections 140(2), 324(2), 352, 54 (assault, kidnapping, property damage) of the Indian Penal Code (BNSS) 2023 and sections 3(1)(e)(r)(s), 3(2)(5) (caste insult and violence) of the SC/ST Act. Rajkot- Casteism is deeply rooted in society. In recent years, there has been an alarming increase in cases of caste violence, where Dalits and members of backward classes not only have to face social discrimination, but also physical violence and humiliating behavior. Similarly, a shocking incident has come to light in Gondal taluka of Rajkot, Gujarat, where a Dalit youth was beaten up by using caste-specific abuses and his hair was forcibly cut. The victim Kunalbhai Meghjibhai, who lives in Sadakpipliya village, has lodged a complaint with the Gondal police. Talking to The Mooknayak, 24-year-old Kunalbhai said that he has been living on rent with his parents and sister in Nareshbhai Jamod’s house in Sadakpipliya for five years. Kunal works as a laborer in Kesari Nandan factory near Bharudi Pariya and has studied up to class 9. Kunal told about the incident, “On the night of June 11, around 8:30 pm, I had left home on my motorcycle to get Shrikhand. Then the accused Satishbhai Vekariya and Markand Vyas came in front of me on their motorcycle and said, “Jadiaara (caste slur), where are you going?” and abused me. I stopped my motorcycle and asked them not to abuse me. To this, they said, “This is not your father’s village,” and started beating me with sticks. I ran away from there and reached Bajrang Dairy lane, but both of them came there on their motorcycle and then beat me with a stick. They pushed me against the wall and hit me and then took me to Bapa Sitaram temple on their motorcycle.” Kunal further said, “In the temple, they again beat me with a stick. Prayagbhai Prafulbhai Chauhan was also present there. Satish and Markand asked Prayag to bring scissors. Prayag brought scissors, with which Satish and Markand cut my hair. While cutting my hair, they were saying, “This Jadiara has long hair, he likes to keep long hair!” This was my first meeting with these two. They also broke the headrest and indicator of my motorcycle. The matter did not end here, after this Kunal returned home and told his neighbors about the incident. About an hour later, Satish again came to his house with a motorcycle and started abusing Kunal and his mother Manisha Ben. The landlord Nareshbhai pacified him and sent him away. Kunal told that he had suffered physical injuries, so he called 108 ambulance. Both mother and son were taken to Rajkot Government Hospital, where doctors confirmed serious injuries. On Kunal’s complaint, Gondal police have registered an FIR against the three accused. Indian Penal Code has been registered in the case. Sections 140(2), 324(2), 352, 54 (assault, kidnapping, damage to property) of the BNSS Code, 2023 and sections 3(1)(e)(r)(s), 3(2)(5) (caste-based insult and violence) of the SC/ST Act have been imposed. Courtesy : Geetha Sunil Pillai, Hindi News
Dalit daughters of government school did wonders – 12 girls from Mirzapur became NEET toppers, know how!
Dalit and backward class girl students of Sarvodaya Vidyalaya Marihan achieved historic success in the medical entrance examination on the strength of free education and coaching. Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh: 12 Dalit and backward class girl students of a government residential school located in the remote Marihan area of Mirzapur district have created a new history in the direction of education in the region by passing the NEET-UG 2024 examination. The success of these girl students has been described as a “milestone” by many sections of the society. According to officials, a total of 25 girl students from Sarvodaya Vidyalaya, Marihan had appeared for the NEET-UG examination, the results of which were declared on June 14. Out of these, 12 girl students achieved success. The successful students include Shweta Pal, Kumari Pooja Ranjan, Princy, Malti, Komal Kumari, Lakshmi, Anuradha, Komal, Lakshmi, Sabhya Prajapati, Deepti Gupta and Pooja Sonkar. All of them come from Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Other Backward Class (OBC). Result of hard work and school’s support Successful student Shweta Pal said, “Our teachers and wardens always motivated us to focus on studies. Our chemistry teacher Arvind Sir and biology teacher Sudhir Sir were always available for guidance. The school also had the facility of indoor and outdoor games for mental refreshment.” Shweta’s father Hira Lal also praised the school and said, “The arrangements of the school and hostel were very good. The teachers were very supportive and encouraging.” Ramesh Ranjan, father of another student Pooja Ranjan, said that his daughter passed the exam in the very first attempt. He said, “Pooja earlier studied in Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in Sonbhadra, but came to Marihan for Class 11 and 12. She scored 81% marks in the UP Board. She used to study 16 to 18 hours a day — 6 hours in school, 5 hours in coaching and 6-7 hours in self-study.” Officials and leaders congratulated The success of these students has caught the attention of senior officials and leaders of the state. Uttar Pradesh Social Welfare Minister Asim Arun congratulated these students. Describing it as a “great success”, he said, “After a few years, these daughters will become doctors and save people’s lives. We will ensure that there is no hindrance in their scholarship.” Mirzapur District Magistrate Priyanka Niranjan said, “This is a historic achievement for the region. Sarvodaya Vidyalaya of Marihan has emerged as a role model for government schools. It is a residential school where girl students have been staying and studying for two years or more. They were given coaching for NEET and JEE along with regular education. Accommodation, food and studies — everything was free.” District Social Welfare Officer Trinetra Singh said, “Sarvodaya Vidyalaya of Marihan has been developed as a centre of excellence. The deputy director and I personally monitored the preparation and facilities of these girl students. They were provided books, coaching, food, sports and all other necessary resources.” Success through public-private partnership Director of Social Welfare Department Kumar Prashant said that the centre of excellence initiative at Sarvodaya Vidyalaya of Marihan is being run in collaboration with Ex-Navodaya Foundation, Varanasi and Tata AIG. Under this, 39 girl students were given free coaching for NEET and JEE, out of which 26 registered for NEET, 25 took the exam and 12 were successful. At present, the Social Welfare Department runs about 100 Sarvodaya Vidyalaya residential complexes in Uttar Pradesh, which provide free quality education and coaching for competitive examinations to students from economically weaker and disadvantaged communities from class 6 to 12. These institutions are opening new doors of bright future for the children of these communities. Courtesy: Rajan Chaudhary, Hindi News
Chhatarpur: Cruelty of goons with Dalit, first they tore the skin of husband and wife with slippers, when they complained they broke their hands
Cruelty With Dalit: A shocking case of cruelty with a Dalit woman has come to light in Chhatarpur district. First the skin of Dalit husband and wife was torn by beating them with sticks and slippers. When the victim complained to the police, the goons broke their hands. Police registered a case under these sections. Chhatarpur: Once again a case of cruelty with a Dalit has come to light in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. Some goons brutally tortured a Dalit family under Ishanagar police station area. First the husband and wife were beaten with slippers. After the incident, when the victim husband and wife reached the police station and filed a complaint in the matter. After that the goons once again beat them. Not only this, they broke the woman’s hand. The woman’s husband has also been injured in the incident of cruelty committed by the goons. Both of them reached the SP office in an injured state and appealed to the police for help. Due to this, Ishanagar police has registered a case against the bullies under various sections of SC ST Act including assault. Bullies refused to plow the field Bhagirath Prajapati, who lives in Pahad village of Ishanagar police station area, was going to plow the field of Moolchand Prajapati with his tractor. Then the bully Devendra alias Deepu Yadav, who lives in the same village, came in front. He threatened that you will not go to plow the field of Moolchand Prajapati. Bhagirath says that he got scared and then returned to his home. Victim beaten with slippers and sticks The victim told that after some time the bully came to my house with some people. After coming here, he beat me and my wife with slippers. After this, both of us husband and wife went to Isha Nagar police station and gave a complaint application and requested the police to take action in the matter. Hand broken as soon as complaint was made Bhagirath Prajapati’s wife Shyambai Prajapati said that the bullies beat us with slippers on June 8. The injury marks of this beating are still present on our body. We reached Isanagar police station on June 9 to register an FIR. There we gave a complaint application. After giving the complaint application, the bullies got angry. They entered the house and once again beat us with slippers and sticks. After this my hand got broken and many stitches were also put on the fingers of the hands. Threatened to kill if he came to the village The victim husband and wife are scared. He told that the bullies living in the village are threatening to kill him. They are also saying that if he returns to the village, they will kill both of you. At the same time, the police has taken the case into investigation by registering SC ST section and BNS SC ST Act against Dabbu alias Devendra Yadav and his brother Bablu Yadav. Both the husband and wife are scared since the incident. Both say that although the police have registered an FIR in the case, the accused are still roaming freely and threatening to kill them. In the same case, Additional SP IPS Vidita Dagar says that we are investigating the matter. Further action will be taken in this as soon as possible. Edited by: Sanjay Chaturvedi•Reported by: Jai Prakash About the author Sanjay Chaturvedi I work for Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh in Navbharat Times Digital. I have joined Navbharat Times from Asianet News Network in journalism. After starting work from Indore city, now Bhopal is my workplace. Courtesy : Hindi News
Intra-Dalit Fighting in Bihar Takes Toll on NDA’s Politics
The supremos of the LJP and the HAM are baying for each other’s blood when Rahul Gandhi has visited the state to woo Dalits and EBCs. The strategy of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its alliance partner, the Janata Dal (United) JD(U), to pitch one Dalit caste against the other for sheer political ends has started making an ugly impact in several states, especially Bihar, where it has acquired a violent form too. Strangely in this poll-bound state, two Union ministers belonging to this section of society, one leading the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) (Chirag Paswan) and the other patronising the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) (Jitan Ram Manjhi), are locked in a grim battle to finish each other off. In neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, the BJP’s bid to woo non-Jatav votes has caused a deep rift within the Scheduled Caste community that makes up 21.3% of the state’s population. As the Jatavs, the largest Scheduled Caste group, are still inclined towards Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the BJP has left no stone unturned in attracting other, smaller Dalit castes. Chirag’s ambition In Bihar, the latest round of bitter squabbling within two Dalit parties started on June 8, when Paswan held a rally in Arrah, a town about 70 kilometres west of Patna. His party, for all practical purposes, projected him as the future chief minister of Bihar. This was bound to alarm Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), as after the 2020 assembly election, the party accused Chirag of damaging its poll prospects in many seats. The LJP contested that election independently and many of its candidates were BJP rebels who could not get a ticket from that party. They included senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh functionary Rajendra Singh and former legislators Rameshwar Chaurasia and Usha Vidyarthi. As Paswan himself is interested in contesting the assembly election from the Shahabad region of western Bihar – in which Arrah is located – it is quite natural for the JD(U) to feel uneasy. It was Bikramganj in this very region where Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public rally on May 30. As the JD(U) has struggled to come up with a new leader as Nitish ails, Paswan is gradually projecting himself as a likely successor within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar. The BJP has no mass leader of its own. Herein lies the crux of the matter. Former chief minister Manjhi was quick to respond to Paswan’s muscle-flexing. He said that he too had organised several big public meetings in the state and that it is those (read Paswan) who have a narrow support base who feel the need to speak loudly. Not only that, the HAM supremo charged Paswan with manipulating his rallies to make it look like they had bigger turnouts than they actually did. He also said that this is a pressure tactic adopted by the LJP ahead of seat-sharing talks within the NDA. Independent political observers are of the view that Manjhi was in fact speaking on behalf of a JD(U) that is facing an existential crisis. It needs to be mentioned that after the death of Chirag’s father and Union food minister Ram Vilas Paswan on October 8, 2020 – that is, just three weeks before the assembly election that year – Manjhi had written a letter to Prime Minister Modi seeking a judicial probe into his death. An infuriated Chirag had then hit back by stating that Manjhi should be ashamed of himself. If he was so concerned about his father, he should have come to the hospital to inquire about health, which he did not, said Chirag. Genesis of the tussle But what is of great concern is that the battle between the two Dalit outfits is not only confined to seat-sharing arrangements within the NDA. Now, it has acquired a serious violent turn. For example, on September 18 last year, 34 Dalit houses were torched in the outskirts of Nawada town in Bihar. Incidentally, the alleged perpetrators of the crime were Paswans led by one local strongman named Nandu Paswan. The victims were mostly Musahars (Manjhi’s castemen) and some Ravidas. So, the attackers and those who had suffered were all Dalits. Land grab was said to be the main motive behind this unusual type of clash. Thus, in some parts of the rural hinterland, it can no more be said that only upper castes and backward castes are responsible for atrocities on Dalits; relatively well off Dalits have also targeted poor Dalits. The genesis of this intra-Dalit quarrel can be traced back to the early years of Nitish’s government. A few months after coming to power in November 2005, the new chief minister constituted the Mahadalit Commission. In those early days when the media was busy praising him sky-high, no journalist questioned this decision. However, the LJP and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), who were both constituents of the ruling United Progressive Alliance at the Union government level, strongly disapproved of this move of dividing Dalits and weakening their common cause. Initially, 18 of the 22 SCs of Bihar were categorised as Mahadalits – that is, the poorest among SCs. Only the Dussadhs (Paswans), Ravidas (known as Jatavs in north India), Dhobis (washermen) and Pasis (toddy sellers) were kept out of the list of Mahadalit castes, who were selected for special preferential treatment. This caused widespread resentment within SCs. After much hue and cry the Nitish government included three other castes – the Pasis, Dhobis and Ravidas – in the Mahadalit list. The Dussadhs remained the only exception. As if that was not enough, Nitish picked up Manjhi, a relatively little-known figure then, to become chief minister after the JD(U)’s debacle in the May 2014 Lok Sabha election. The chief minister took moral responsibility for this poor showing in which his party could win only two out of 40 seats. The JD(U) had then contested the election in alliance with the Communist Party of India and not the BJP, as Nitish was dead against
Rahul Gandhi turns 55… A look at the political challenges from his entry into politics
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has turned 55, whose political journey started from Amethi in 2004. He raised the issues of social justice through ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ and ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ and tried to strengthen the party. New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi turns 55 today. Rahul is currently the leading face of the country’s oldest political party, the Indian National Congress. Born on 19 June 1970 as a descendant of the Nehru-Gandhi family, Rahul Gandhi started his political journey with the Indian National Congress (Congress) in 2004. His journey has been full of ups and downs. In this, he has tried to strengthen the party and raise public issues. Political journey started from Amethi in 2004 Rahul Gandhi’s political career began in 2004, when he contested and won the Lok Sabha elections from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. The seat had been a family stronghold for his father Rajiv Gandhi and mother Sonia Gandhi. In his early innings, he focused on youth and rural development. He was appointed as the general secretary of the Congress in 2007 and as the party’s vice-president in 2013. In 2017, he took over as the party president, which was the peak of his political ambition. His ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ (2022-23) and ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ (2024) highlighted the issues of unity and social justice in the country. Focused on Youth Congress Rahul Gandhi’s biggest achievement has been his people-centric initiatives. The ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ covered a distance of about 4,000 kilometers across the country and spread the message of love against hate. The journey helped strengthen the Congress organizationally. This also affected the party’s performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He brought about reforms in the Youth Congress and the National Student Union (NSUI) and significantly increased the membership of these organizations. His firmness on issues such as the withdrawal of agricultural laws (2021) and reduction in GST rates played a role in strengthening the opposition. Apart from this, he brought issues like unemployment, farmers’ problems and social justice to the national debate. Lost MP seat due to conviction in defamation case However, Rahul Gandhi’s journey was not untouched by challenges. Congress’s defeat in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections raised questions about his leadership ability. The defeat at the hands of Smriti Irani from Amethi in 2019 was seen as his personal defeat. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress party was reduced to just 52 seats. After this, he resigned from the post of president, taking moral responsibility. His ‘Pappu’-like image and allegations of dynasty politics affected his popularity. Media and BJP criticism constantly targeted him. There was a lot of controversy especially on his statement like ‘Chowkidar Chor Hai’. In 2023, his biggest political challenge was his two-year sentence in a defamation case and disqualification from the Lok Sabha. However, the Supreme Court put a stay on it. Despite all this, his educational background (studied at Harvard and Cambridge) and efforts to connect with the public gave him a chance to stand up again. The challenge of getting Congress back its lost ground Rahul Gandhi is again in an active role in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He is trying to revive the Congress. He is a prominent face of the opposition alliance ‘INDIA’ block. Although critics consider him an indecisive, indecisive and weak leader, for his supporters he is the hope to protect democracy. Rahul has tried to improve his image and connect with the public amid criticism. The challenges before Rahul Gandhi have been testing his leadership ability and image. Now it remains to be seen how strongly he emerges in Indian politics going forward. Will he be able to get Congress back its lost political ground. In future, their strategy and the role of the opposition will decide the direction of the country’s politics. Edited by: Anil Kumar About the author Anil Kumar Anil has been active in the media industry for more than a decade. His journey started with reporting from Dainik Jagran Chandigarh in 2009 and has reached NavbharatTimes.com via Dainik Bhaskar, Rajasthan Patrika, Amar Ujala, Jansatta.com. He is originally from Bihar but has studied in Delhi. Courtesy: Hindi News
Congress’s new plan to attract youth, will start on Rahul Gandhi’s birthday
The youth wing of Congress is organizing a huge job fair in Delhi on June 19, which aims to provide employment opportunities to the youth. More than 100 companies will participate in this fair organized on Rahul Gandhi’s birthday. New Delhi: Congress has been constantly cornering the Modi government on the issue of unemployment. It questions the government about the promise of two crore jobs every year. In such a situation, the youth wing of Congress, Youth Congress, has planned to organize a big job fair at Talkatora Stadium in the capital Delhi today on June 19. Youth Congress has planned to organize this event on the occasion of the birthday of its leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. More than 100 companies will participate This information was shared by Youth Congress National President Uday Bhanu Chib, where he told that more than 100 companies from all over the country will participate in this fair and will bring opportunities for the youth. On the other hand, Delhi Youth Congress President Akshay Lakra said that this will be the biggest job fair in Delhi-NCR. According to sources, Congress has started preparations to attract youth not only in Delhi but across the country through organizing employment fairs. On Thursday, all the big leaders of Congress will gather on the occasion of Maharojgar Mela. Many young faces like Sachin Pilot, Imran Pratapgarhi to Kanhaiya Kumar will gather. It is said that Congress will not limit this event to this. It is planning to organize such fairs in ten states where elections are likely in the coming days. The event will be organized first in Bihar Among these, the first will be organized in Bihar. After that, elections are to be held in Kerala, West Bengal, Assam and Tamil Nadu and Puducherry next year. While elections are to be held in Goa, UP, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Manipur in the year 2027. In fact, Congress is not only constantly talking about employment, but Rahul Gandhi is also going to different parts and meeting the youth and students and talking about their problems. Also, Congress is talking about providing employment to the youth in its election manifesto. In such a situation, Congress will also try to attract the youth through employment fairs in these states. Youth will get offer letter However, regarding the fair to be held in Delhi on Thursday, Udaybhan Chib said that earlier a similar employment fair was organized in Rajasthan, in which a large number of youth got opportunities. Through this fair, the youth of Delhi will get a chance to interview directly with the companies. At the same time, many youth can also get offer letter on the same day. While Yagyavalkya Srikant Jichkar, associated with Youth Congress, said that companies from many sectors like IT, manufacturing, pharma, retail and banking are coming to this employment fair. There will be companies for every educational qualification, whether 12th pass or PhD. At present, more than 10 thousand online registrations have been done and the number of offline registrations is also close to 8 thousand. ‘Always raised the voice of the unemployed’ While Chib said that this job fair is not limited to just jobs, but blood donation camps, health camps and seminars on caste census are also being organized in it. He said that Rahul Gandhi has always raised the voice of unemployed youth and the issue of caste census is also in discussion today due to his hard work. Congress said that the purpose of the event is not only to provide employment to the youth, but also to spread awareness in the society and strengthen the sense of service. Reported by: Manjari Chaturvedi•Edited by: Anil Kumar Courtesy : Hindi News