Demand for Dalit CM is not under discussion for now, says Satish Jarkiholi
It has been put on a pause for over a year, according to Public Works Minister Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi has clarified that the demand for a Dalit Chief Minister in Karnataka is currently not under discussion. It has been put on a pause for over a year, he added. Addressing the media in Kalaburagi on Sunday, Mr. Jarkiholi said that the matter may be seriously revisited and discussed during the 2028 State elections. When questioned about the growing calls for a Dalit Chief Minister, Mr. Jarkiholi responded, “as of now, this issue is not in discussion within our party as we have put a full stop to it. Let us take it up seriously during the 2028 elections.” He emphasised that the topic has not been active for the past year. Responding to BJP leader H. Vishwanath’s recent remark suggesting a change in Chief Minister in November, Mr. Jarkiholi dismissed it outright, stating that Mr. Vishwanath is not a member of the Congress and hence, his statement holds no relevance. “Why should I respond to comments made by someone from another party?” he questioned. Taking a dig at the BJP’s repeated criticisms over the implementation of the Congress-led government’s guarantee schemes at the cost of development, Mr. Jarkiholi said that development projects and welfare schemes are going on hand-in-hand. “The BJP has been claiming for two years that there is no development because of the guarantee schemes and they will continue to do so for the next three years. However, in reality, all development works are progressing effectively alongside the guarantee programmes,” he said, urging people to compare department allocations under the previous BJP government led by Basavaraj Bommai and the current government led by Siddaramaiah to understand the difference. On the issue of GST compensation, the Minister criticised the Union government for withholding Karnataka’s dues. “We contribute ₹2 lakh crore in GST to the Centre. At the very least half of that should be returned to the State. So far, we have received only ₹36,000 crore,” he said and added that Karnataka’s tax money is being diverted to fund infrastructure projects such as the Yamuna and Ganga expressways in States like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. “Our money is being used to build roads in other States,” he added. Courtesy : The Hindu Bureau, The Hindu Note: This news is originally published on https:/thehindu.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Why is Prashant firing ‘shells’ on Rahul instead of Lalu? Is there any sign of a big stir in Bihar politics?
It is an election year in Bihar, so political shells are being fired on anything. Prashant Kishore challenged Rahul Gandhi to criticize Lalu Yadav for insulting Ambedkar. Patna/Muzaffarpur: Former election strategist Prashant Kishore claimed that the Congress has made itself a stooge of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Bihar. He challenged Rahul Gandhi to criticize Lalu Prasad Yadav for keeping Ambedkar’s statue (photo) near his feet. Prashant Kishore’s new party ‘Jan Suraj’ wants to contest the upcoming Bihar assembly elections. Prashant Kishore was talking to the media in Muzaffarpur. Challenge to Rahul on Ambedkar photo controversy Responding to a question about Congress’ prospects, Kishore said, ‘Congress has limited itself to being a stooge of RJD in Bihar. Earlier the state Congress was grateful to Lalu Prasad, now it is the turn of Tejashwi Yadav (Lalu’s younger son and his potential successor). I ask Rahul Gandhi to do one small thing to prove me wrong. He should just issue a statement criticizing Lalu Prasad for keeping Ambedkar’s picture near his feet.’ What is the Ambedkar photo controversy related to Lalu? Actually, on June 11, 2025, RJD chief Lalu Yadav celebrated his 78th birthday. On June 14, a video surfaced in which Lalu Yadav is sitting on a chair. He is keeping his feet on another chair in front. Meanwhile, a supporter comes with Ambedkar’s picture in his hand. Starts getting photographed with Lalu Yadav. The way the photo has been taken, it seems that Ambedkar’s picture is near Lalu Yadav’s feet. Now there is a political controversy over this. On this whole matter, Prashant Kishore is firing political shells at Rahul Gandhi. Prashant Kishor is raining political shells on Rahul Prashant Kishor targeted the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha and said that he never attacked the Chief Minister of Congress-ruled Telangana who had mocked the people of Bihar and said that doing small jobs (labor) is in their DNA. The founder of Jan Suraj Party also demanded the resignation of the state Health Minister and senior BJP leader Mangal Pandey over the recent death of a minor Dalit girl from Muzaffarpur. The victim died a few days after being brutally sexually assaulted. Tiff with Bihar minister Ashok Chaudhary too Prashant Kishor also targeted senior minister and Janata Dal-United (JDU) national general secretary Ashok Chaudhary. Ashok Chaudhary has filed a case against him for the allegation that his (Ashok Chaudhary’s) daughter Shambhavi, who is an MP from Samastipur, got a ticket from Union Minister Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) after money transaction. The founder of Jan Suraj Party alleged, ‘Ashok Chaudhary and his daughter should tell the people of Bihar what they have done for Dalits? They have always used their Dalit identity for their own benefit.’ Edited by: Sunil Pandey About the author Sunil Pandey Currently fulfilling his passion for journalism in Navbharat Times. He has held important positions in many institutions including ETV News, Zee Media, News18. He is considered an expert in reporting/editing on ground and research stories. He has a good grasp on political and social issues. Courtesy : Hindi News
Lalu’s health deteriorated, now some people started carrying Tejashwi’s bag’, PK said- If Congress has the guts, then it should fight the elections alone
Bihar Politics: Jansuraj Abhiyan founder Prashant Kishore attacked the Mahagathbandhan. He made sharp attacks on Congress and Tejashwi Yadav. Kishore challenged Rahul Gandhi to contest the elections alone. He also questioned the statement made by the Chief Minister of Telangana on Biharis. Kishore announced that Jansuraj Party will contest elections on all 243 seats. Muzaffarpur: Jansuraj Abhiyan founder Prashant Kishore fired many sharp questions, especially taking on RJD-Congress and Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav. Prashant Kishore was talking to journalists at the Circuit House in Muzaffarpur on Sunday. When Lalu’s health deteriorated, some people started carrying Tejashwi’s bag Prashant Kishore said- ‘Lalu ji’s health has deteriorated, so some people have now started carrying Tejashwi’s bag. What is the status of Congress in Bihar? If Congress has the guts, if it has the political guts (courage), then it should fight the elections alone in Bihar.’ He said- ‘Rahul Gandhi says ‘don’t be afraid’, so we also want to say to Rahul Gandhi, don’t be afraid, fight the elections alone.’ He also commented on Lalu Prasad Yadav and said that the person who was sitting with his feet in front of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar’s picture, should show the courage to make a statement on him. If labour is in the DNA of Biharis, then why do they come to ask for votes? He also reacted to the video of Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy in which it was said that labour is in the DNA of Biharis. On this Prashant Kishore raised the question- ‘If the Chief Minister of Congress insults Biharis like this, then Congress should tell what action did they take on this? If labour is the DNA of Biharis, then why do you come to Bihar to ask for votes? Go to Telangana and ask for votes.’ The party will contest elections on all 243 seats Prashant Kishore made a big announcement and said that it has already been announced that the party will contest elections on 243 seats. For this, two potential candidates have been fielded on each seat by taking Rs 21,000. These candidates themselves are declaring themselves as potential candidates by putting up posters and banners in their area.’ Those who are not associated with any political party will be made candidates He clarified that the party will make only those people as candidates who are not associated with any political party and who are actively working in the Jansuraj movement. Prashant Kishore said- ’90 percent of the candidates will be like this, there can be only two-four exceptions.’ He claimed that the public will now decide who is the better candidate. Everyone in the whole of Bihar knows that no one can buy the idea of Jansuraj. We have so much transparency and public support that no political power can buy us. Edited by: Ravi Sinha• Reported by: Sandeep Kumar Ravi Sinha Working in the Bihar-Jharkhand team of Navbharat Times Digital. Got the opportunity to work as Jharkhand representative in Rajasthan Patrika from December 2005 to April 2020. Worked as a casual assistant editor in the regional news section of Doordarshan Ranchi and Akashvani Center. Courtesy: Hindi News
After the dispute with Muslims, Dalits put up posters of ‘Hindu family-our house for sale’ in Azamgarh, what happened here?
UP News: Recently, there was a clash between Dalits and Muslims in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh. The clash turned violent. Now Dalits have put up a poster of migration outside their homes. Know what happened here now? UP News: Recently, people of Dalit and Muslim community came face to face in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh. There was a violent clash between the two sides. Actually, there was a wedding in a Dalit family. Girls and women were dancing on the DJ. It is alleged that then the Muslim youth standing there started making videos and making controversial comments. There was a dispute between the two sides regarding this. The Dalit side alleged that they were beaten up a lot. Let us tell you that now the victim families have taken a big step in this matter. Dalit families of the village have put up posters of migration ahead of their respective homes. Actually, the Dalits demanded that the absconding accused be arrested and given justice. The victim families are also worried about their safety. ‘Hindu family and house is for sale’ This entire matter has come to light from Bamhor village under Mubarakpur police station of Azamgarh. Recently, there was a dispute during the marriage of Dalit community here. Muslims and Dalits of the village came face to face and there was a lot of fighting. Now, expressing anger over the arrest of the accused in this case, the villagers put up posters on their respective houses in the village regarding their safety and the arrest of the main accused. They wrote that we have a Hindu family and our house is for sale. There was a stir in the police administration As soon as the matter of migration came to light, there was a stir in the police administration. Police officers reached the spot and seeing the seriousness of the matter, deployed police force there. Now the police is continuously raiding to catch the main accused. So far 7 accused have gone to jail Regarding this entire matter, administrative officers and police officials say that the police is continuously taking action since the incident. So far 7 accused have been arrested in this case. The search for the absconding accused is on. Let us tell you that after the arrest of the accused, the police administration is reducing the anger of the people and removing the posts of migration. Courtesy: Rajiv Kumar, Hindi News
Rape And Death Of A Minor Dalit Girl Has Shaken Bihar
Caste and gender violence under scrutiny after horrific assault in rural Bihar Rape and death of a 10-year old Dalit girl in MuzaffarpurCaste and Gender Assault in Rural Bihar Photo: Illustration by Anupriya Yoga The rape and death of a 10-year-old Dalit girl in Muzaffarpur on May 26 has intensified the political scene in Bihar. The incident triggered state-wide outrage, prompting the National Commission for Women (NCW) to take suo motu cognisance and direct the state’s chief secretary and the director general of police (DGP) to conduct a thorough investigation. The opposition has strongly condemned the state government, organising protests and demanding justice. The girl, who was raped in Muzaffarpur, died during treatment at the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH). The family of the girl has accused the hospital of negligence, while the hospital administration claimed that every effort was made to save her. Commenting on the update of the investigation, Apsara, chairperson of Bihar State Women’s Commission, said, “The Commission is taking this case very seriously. We are in contact with all officials concerned. The commission will soon set up its inquiry committee and go to Muzaffarpur and conduct an independent investigation.” The Muzaffarpur incident involving a minor girl is not an isolated case. In the aftermath of this incident, reports of sexual violence against at least half a dozen other minor girls have emerged. According to recent reports, 10 minors are alleged to have been raped across Bihar within a single month. On May 6 and 25, girls aged three and four were raped in Danapur, Patna. On May 25, a 10-year-old was gang-raped in Saran. On May 26, a nine-year-old was raped in Turki, Muzaffarpur. On May 27, a 13-year-old was gang-raped in Rajgir. On May 28, an eight-year-old was raped in Darbhanga. On May 31, an 11-year-old was raped in Sitamarhi and another 11-year-old was raped in Katni, Muzaffarpur. On June 4, an 11-month-old baby was raped in Gaya. The rising number of rape cases is raising serious questions about governance and the system of justice in the state. The Bihar Women’s Commission states that it currently has over 6,000 pending cases; the highest is from Begusarai alone―395 cases. In response to the Muzaffarpur case, several arrests have been made and officials have been suspended. The Bihar government, facing severe criticism from all quarters, has taken disciplinary action against both police and healthcare officials. However, the Congress Party, which has been protesting against the issue, has labelled this as a mere eyewash. State Congress President Rajesh Kumar says, “The government is trying to bury the matter by suspending a few people. We will not tolerate this, and Congress will continue its agitation.” He also confirmed that the issue will be included in the party’s upcoming election manifesto. Rape has become a serious issue in the state. The Congress Party in Bihar is working on a roadmap to tackle this. The ruling JD(U), meanwhile, asserts that strong action has been taken and investigations are ongoing. The opposition does not have any work, and that is the reason they are politicising the issue, the JD(U) says. However, except for one or two cases, the victim’s family does not receive timely help, nor do the criminals get punished. JD(U) party spokesperson Nihora Prasad Yadav said, “The opposition is politicising the issue to divert attention from its criminal record. The people of Bihar know that crime is now more controlled than before. Whenever any crime occurs, swift action is taken and arrests are made.” The JD(U) maintains that under its administration, crimes against women have reduced. But government data paints a grim picture. Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) shows that rape cases in Bihar were 651 in 2018, 730 in 2019, 1,210 in 2020, 786 in 2021, and 881 in 2022. According to data from the Union Home Ministry, there were 51,896 cases of sexual violence against women in India from 2019 to 2021. In this, 18,587 cases were registered in 2019, 15,359 cases in 2020, and 17,950 cases in 2021. Of these, Bihar accounted for 22,360 cases of missing girls, including 8,006 minors. “These incidents reflect a deeply disturbing mindset,” said Apsara. “The rising statistics against women in the state are a matter of deep concern. The commission will review all incidents. Additionally, it will run awareness campaigns to make girls in colleges and schools more vigilant.” To curb crime in Bihar, fast-track courts have been established to ensure that legal proceedings can be completed swiftly. There is a total of 179 fast-track courts in Bihar where cases related to serious crimes are being heard. The case concerning the incident involving a Dalit girl in Muzaffarpur has also been sent to the speedy trial court. The Union government had created Nirbhaya Fund after the Nirbhaya incident to prevent rape cases and directed the establishment of courts (fast-track courts) for swift trials of such incidents. This is to provide some assistance to the victim’s family in fighting their case and to ensure that criminals are punished quickly. Md Asghar Khan (Translation by Kaveri Mishra) Courtesy : Outlook India` Note: This news is originally published on https:/outlookindiaindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Lalu Prasad faces backlash over viral video showing Ambedkar portrait near his feet in Bihar
BJP’s Dalit leader and minister Janak Ram asked that the entire family of Lalu Prasad should tender an apology for the incident as 14 crore people of Bihar were feeling ashamed of it. PATNA: RJD chief Lalu Prasad was caught in the thick of controversy after a video allegedly showing him having a portrait of the Dalit icon Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar placed at his feet, went viral on social media on Saturday. In the video, Lalu is seen seated on a couch with his feet placed on a sofa nearby as a supporter enters the room carrying the portrait of Ambedkar, and places it close to former’s feet before greeting him. Bihar deputy chief minister and BJP leader Samrat Choudhary also shared a video clip of the incident that happened when the former CM was celebrating his 78th birthday earlier this week. “This is testimony to the fact that Lalu Prasad holds Dalits in contempt and has no respect for the greatest leader from the depressed classes. He can have even pictures of Gods placed at his feet,” alleged Choudhary. Lalu’s old associates like Nitish Kumar and George Fernandes also left him due to his arrogance as voters from the weaker sections also got alienated from him due to the same reason, deputy chief minister added. Reacting sharply to Choudhary’ allegations, Lalu’s son younger and former deputy chief minister, Tejashwi Yadav said, “Lalu Prasad Yadav has installed many statues of Baba Saheb Ambedkar in Bihar. We are the people who believe in Ambedkar’s ideology. Lalu Yadav works for 10 hours at the age of 78 and meets people. “These (BJP) people have nothing to do with Baba Saheb, the Constitution and reservation,” he added. On the other hand, BJP’s Dalit leader and minister Janak Ram asked that the entire family of Lalu Prasad should tender an apology for the incident as 14 crore people of Bihar were feeling ashamed of it. “The leader (Lalu) cuts a cake with a sword which indicates that his party wants to bring back the use of muscle power in public life,” he remarked. He claimed that people of Bihar were watching the RJD supremo’s action closely and they would give him a befitting reply at appropriate time. Courtesy : Ramashankar, TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
MP: Dispute over ration in Chhatarpur turned into murder of Dalit youth, tension in village, Rahul Gandhi said- “When Dalit demanded his rights, he was shot”
Villagers say that irregularities in ration distribution were going on for a long time. No action was taken even after complaining. Bhopal. The dispute over ration distribution in Bilhari village of Naugaon police station area of Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh escalated to such an extent that 19-year-old Dalit youth Pankaj Prajapati died due to firing, while his brother Ashish was injured. The incident took place at around 10 am on Sunday at the ration shop of the Gram Panchayat, which was being operated from the house of Advocate Praveen Pateria of the village. Videos of this shootout surfaced on Monday, in which the accused Praveen Pateria can be clearly seen firing from the roof. After the incident, there was huge outrage in the area. The family refused to get the post-mortem of the body done and blocked the road in front of the tehsil office. During the protest, a person tried to burn himself, who was saved by the police. The dispute arising due to non-availability of ration became the reason for murder The deceased Pankaj Prajapati and his brother Ashish had reached the ration shop of the village to get the ration pending for three months. There they had an altercation with the shop owner. When they came again with the family to get the ration, Praveen Pateria, Naveen Pateria and Ramsevak Arajaria abused and started beating them. Praveen Pateria climbed on the roof of his house and fired a shot from there. A bullet hit Pankaj’s thigh, he was immediately referred to Gwalior Hospital, but he died on the way. At the same time, the bullet also grazed Ashish, who was discharged after first aid. People came out on the road, refused to keep the dead body, tried to self-immolate The family members and villagers, angry with the incident, reached Naugaon Hospital on Monday morning and refused to get the post-mortem of the dead body done. After this, everyone gathered in front of the tehsil office and blocked the road. During this, a person tried to commit self-immolation by pouring petrol, who was saved by the police in time. Anger over initial negligence, later case registered under murder and SC-ST Act Initially, the police registered a case against only one accused under minor sections, which further increased the anger. After about five hours of protest, the police registered an FIR against the three accused – Praveen Pateria, Naveen Pateria and Ramsevak Arjaria – under serious sections of murder, conspiracy and SC-ST Act. The police have registered a case under BNS (Indian Penal Code) 115(2), 109(1), 296, 3(5), conspiracy, breach of social harmony SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act) 3(1)(d), 3(1)(dh), 3(2)(v), 3(2)(va), murderous attack and harassment on Scheduled Caste, Arms Act 25-27, firing with illegal weapon. Additional SP Vidita Dangar said that a police team has been formed to arrest the accused, they will be caught soon. Dalit demanded his rights, he was shot: Rahul Gandhi Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi reacted sharply to the incident. Describing the BJP government as anti-Dalit, he said, “When a Dalit youth demanded his rights, he was shot. First FIR was not lodged and then postmortem was also postponed. Demanding justice has also become a crime under BJP rule. The culprits should be arrested immediately and given strict punishment.” Ration was not being given for three months The villagers say that the rigging in ration distribution was going on for a long time. No action was taken even after complaining. According to the deceased family, they were not being given ration for three months and when they raised their voice, they were attacked. Tension in the village, police deployed After the incident, there is a lot of tension in the village. In view of the situation, police force of many police stations has been deployed in the village. The family is still adamant on the demand for the arrest of the accused. In a conversation with The Mooknayak, Scheduled Caste Congress state president Pradeep Ahirwar attacked the state government. He said that Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s government has completely failed to stop the atrocities on Dalits. He alleged that the government is only doing politics of events and show-off, while at the ground level injustice and violence against the Dalit community is continuously increasing. Courtesy: Ankit Pachauri, Hindi News
Status of ‘National Human’ but not even destined for house, electricity and water: Why is the Baiga tribe of Madhya Pradesh in the news, what is their condition?
Bharat Aadivasi Party MP Rajkumar Roat said that Baiga tribals are sometimes killed in the name of Naxalites. Some are used as the cheapest means to impose pending cases of police stations and they spend half their life in jail. A case of land mafia buying benami property worth crores in the name of poor and resourceless Baiga tribals in Hindauri district of Madhya Pradesh is in the headlines. According to a report of Dainik Bhaskar, land and mining mafia are buying and selling the valuable lands of tribals. In this connection, the case of buying more than 1200 acres of protected land of Baiga tribals in the name of four tribals in Pipariya Mal and Bachneli Sani villages in Bajag tehsil of Hindauri district is becoming famous. After the matter came to light, Bharat Adivasi Party MP from Rajasthan Rajkumar Roat has given voice to the pain of the Baiga tribe which is deprived of basic facilities. In a post on social media, Roat wrote, “These are the same Bega tribals who have been given the status of National Human. Two months ago in Madhya Pradesh, a person named Hiran Parte from the same Bega tribal group was shot dead by the police and falsely branded as a Naxalite. I myself met the victim’s family. Everyone knows that he did not even know the ABCD of Naxalite. Is Hiran Parte’s encounter also a big secret related to benami property? This is also a matter of investigation? Bega tribals are sometimes killed in the name of Naxalites. Some are used as the cheapest means to impose pending cases of police stations and they spend half of their lives in jail. Some go missing, whose missing report is not even registered in the police station. Similarly, due to many reasons, the population of Bega tribals is decreasing day by day. Even today, they are not getting education, health facilities, houses, electricity and water. But they are owners of crores on paper. Will the Madhya Pradesh government take care of the Baiga tribals? Will it punish the exploitative bullies behind the face of those Baiga tribals? Or will you keep taking votes by licking the political chutney of religion? “ Gave the status of “Rashtriya Manav” in 2012 The Baiga tribe, which has been given the status of “Rashtriya Manav” of India since 9 August 2012, is one of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) residing in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. Despite its unique cultural heritage and official recognition, the Baiga community is facing systematic neglect, exploitation and lack of basic facilities like education, health, housing, electricity and water. The Baiga tribe is mainly found in Mandla, Dindori and Balaghat districts of Madhya Pradesh. This tribe is known for its rich cultural traditions, which are rooted in the Gondwana heritage. The word “Baiga” means “ojha” or “shaman”, which reflects their deep faith in herbal medicine and spiritual rituals. Their main occupation is shifting cultivation, hunting and gathering of forest products such as tubers. The Baiga worship deities such as Budha Dev, Dulha Dev and Bhavani Mata and regard the tiger as their younger brother, which reflects their harmonious relationship with nature. The tribe comprises sub-groups such as Bijwar, Narotia, Bharotia, Nahar, Rai Bhaina and Kadh Bhaina, in which joint family system prevails, headed by a village headman “Mukaddam”. Cultural practices such as Dandariya (love based dance performed during Dussehra) and Paradhouni (folk dance performed on the occasion of marriage) are integral part of their identity. The Baiga also have unique marriage customs such as Lamjhena, Lamiya and Lamsena. According to recent government data, the total population of Baigas in Chhattisgarh is 42,838, while they have a significant presence in Madhya Pradesh, where they are the third largest tribe. However, their population is constantly declining due to systematic neglect and exploitation. The Madhya Pradesh government has set up the Baiga Development Authority for their welfare, and projects worth ₹241.56 lakh have been implemented in Baiga dominated areas of Chhattisgarh such as Mungeli and Bilaspur. Additionally, the central government has allocated ₹614 lakh for Baiga welfare. Despite these efforts, the impact on the ground is limited, and health and population-related directives are often ignored by the local administration. Despite their status as “national human”, the Baiga do not have access to education, health, housing, electricity and clean water. This systematic neglect hinders their socio-economic development and exacerbates poverty. Recent incidents, such as the killing of a Baiga tribal Hiran Parate in Madhya Pradesh, allegedly by the police, have highlighted the helplessness and suffering of this community. Parate was falsely labelled a Naxalite, raising questions about his possible links to extrajudicial killings and benami property disputes. Such incidents are not isolated, as Baiga individuals are implicated in false cases or go missing without account. In his post, BAP MP Rajkumar Roat alleged that Baiga persons are often falsely accused of being Naxals, made scapegoats to solve pending police cases, or disappear without proper documentation. Roat questioned whether the Madhya Pradesh government will provide justice to the community by cracking down on the systematic exploitation of the Baiga by influential groups, or will continue to take political advantage of their plight. Courtesy : Geetha Sunil Pillai, Hindi News
SC/ST/OBC reservation in minority colleges banned! Bombay High Court’s big decision, a big blow to Maharashtra government
The Bombay High Court has stayed the Maharashtra government’s decision to implement SC/ST/OBC reservation on open quota seats in minority colleges. Mumbai: In a major setback to the Maharashtra government on Thursday, the Bombay High Court has stayed the decision to implement SC/ST/OBC reservation in minority trust-run colleges for admission to first year junior college (FYJC). This interim relief was granted during the hearing of petitions filed by the Maharashtra Minority Educational Institutions Association and prominent minority colleges in Mumbai and Solapur — such as Jai Hind, KC, HR and St. Xavier’s College. The High Court’s clear direction: Social reservation will not be applicable to minority institutions A division bench of Justices Makarand S Karnik and Nitin R Borkar said, “The provision of social reservation in respect of admission to class 11 will not be applicable to any minority educational institution.” The court ordered the state government to ensure that the FYJC online admission portal is modified accordingly. On Wednesday, the court had suggested the government to reconsider and withdraw the controversial decision, but the government counsel informed the court that they had not received any instructions from the concerned authorities. Petitioners termed the decision arbitrary and unconstitutional Senior advocate Milind Sathe and advocate S.C. Naidu, appearing for the petitioners, argued that the government’s decision was “arbitrary, imposed without lawful authority and without consultation”. They cited Article 30(1) of the Constitution to say that minority institutions have the fundamental right to establish and administer their educational institutions, and they do not fall within the purview of social reservation under Article 15(5). Government’s stand: Reservation is applicable only on the surrendered seats The government advocate argued that this reservation applies only to the surrendered seats of the minority quota, which will not have any effect on the rights of minority institutions. Controversy arose due to the implementation of reservation on open quota seats As per the tradition of previous years, in minority institutions: 50% seats were open for the respective minority community, 5% for management quota, and 45% for students of all categories. According to the government notification of the School Education Department issued on May 6, this time SC/ST/OBC reservation was also shown on these 45% open seats on the FYJC portal, which created confusion and controversy. “Corrective” notifications issued but controversy persists The state government first issued “corrective” notifications on June 2 and then on June 10, but the petitioners say that the original controversial sections remained the same in them. The association in its petition also requested the court to direct the concerned authorities to immediately amend the FYJC admission portal so that there is clarity for admission in minority institutions. Sought response from the government in four weeks, next hearing on August 6 The court has directed the state government to file a reply to the petitions within four weeks. The next hearing of the case has been scheduled for August 6. Courtesy : Rajan Chaudhary, Hindi News
Caste-related abuse and indecency with Dalit employee in BHU Trauma Center, case registered against two professors under SC/ST Act
Case registered on court’s order on Kamlesh Kumar Gond’s petition, Lanka police started investigation. Varanasi. A case of caste-related abuse and indecency with a Dalit employee working in the Trauma Center of Sir Sundar Lal Hospital of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has come to light. On the complaint of the employee, an FIR has been registered in Lanka police station under SC/ST Act and other sections against Prof. Shashi Prakash Mishra of General Surgery Department and Dr. Vishambar Singh of ENT Department by court’s order. Complainant Kamlesh Kumar Gond is working as a waiter in the patient kitchen of Trauma Center. He alleged that on May 24, when Prof. Mishra was passing by the kitchen, he used caste-related words and asked him to bring tea and breakfast. On protesting, the professor abused him and misbehaved with him. Kamlesh further told that on May 26, once again Prof. Mishra came towards the kitchen and kicked the chair kept there and again used a casteist slur. It is alleged that during this time he also abused the female colleague present there. Kamlesh had earlier complained about this matter in Lanka police station, but when no action was taken, he approached the court. After the court’s order, Lanka police registered a case and started investigation. According to Amar Ujala, Lanka police station in-charge Shivakant Mishra said that a case has been registered on the court’s instructions and the investigation of the case is going on. Courtesy: Rajan Chaudhary, Hindi News