Ten years later, a Dalit family’s lives have changed, and the images have changed.
The Sarvaiya family tells their story ten years later, explaining that the 2016 incident took away much from them, but also gave them an identity they never had before. They are now known as activists fighting for Dalit rights. The first thing one sees upon entering the house are four portraits hanging on the wall—of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Gautam Buddha, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, and Savitribai Phule. For each member of the family, these are not only portraits of great personalities but also a testament to the changes in their lives over the past ten years. This is the same house where people would come to express their condolences a decade ago. For politicians, social activists, and journalists across the country, this house had become a symbol of atrocities against Dalits. On July 11, 2016, four members of the Sarvaiya family were publicly beaten and paraded half-naked in Una, Gujarat. The head of the family, Balubhai Sarvaiya, was also attacked. This incident sparked a nationwide debate on atrocities against Dalits and sparked a widespread Dalit movement in Gujarat. Courtesy: Hindi News
PubDalit man locked in room for 3 days in Odisha, beaten with stick and denied food
A Dalit man in Odisha’s Ganjam district alleged he was locked in a room, beaten with a stick and denied food and water for nearly three days after refusing to join illegal activities. He filed a complaint against the accused and sought help from others. A Dalit man in Odisha’s Ganjam district was repeatedly thrashed and beaten with sticks, confined in a locked room for nearly three days and deprived of food and water after he was pressured by some men to participate in illegal activities. A video of the incident surfaced on Sunday shows a man repeatedly beating the youth with a stick inside a locked room. Despite the Dalit man pleading with his attacker to stop, the assault continues as others are seen present in the room. India Today TV could not verify the authenticity of the video. According to the man’s complaint, he was illegally confined for nearly three days and subjected to physical torture. He alleged that he was pressured to engage in unlawful activities and was targeted after refusing to comply. The video shows four individuals inside the room, with one of them repeatedly striking the pleading Dalit man with a stick. There was no immediate response from the police on the Dalit man’s allegations. 5 Railway cops assault deputy superintendent over train halt dispute; suspended Along with the viral video, the Dalit man submitted a written complaint to the police over the incident. In the complaint, the man claimed his life was under threat and said he had approached multiple authorities seeking protection and action. He said that he had submitted representations to President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the National Human Rights Commission, the Odisha Director General of Police and the Ganjam district administration, urging them to intervene in the matter. Ajay Nath Edited By: Prateek Chakraborty Courtesy : India Today Note: This news is originally published on https:/indiatoday.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Cabinet expansion: Rahul Gandhi likely to summon CM DK Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah & BK Hariprasad to Delhi
Shivakumar was sworn in as CM along with 13 ministers on June 3. There are 20 vacancies in the cabinet. BENGALURU: With the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, expected to return to India from his foreign tour on Sunday evening, Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, his predecessor Siddaramaiah and KPCC president BK Hariprasad are likely to be summoned anytime soon to New Delhi by the Congress high command to discuss the much-delayed cabinet expansion. Shivakumar was sworn in as CM along with 13 ministers on June 3. There are 20 vacancies in the cabinet. Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah and Hariprasad are prepared with a list of their loyalists to be pushed into the cabinet, sources told The New Sunday Express. Besides the high command, including AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, will have their own nominees to ensure that the party returns to power in the 2028 Assembly polls, sources added. “Cabinet aspirants are curious to know if the expansion will happen before the month of Ashada, which many believe is inauspicious. Aashada starts on Tuesday (July 14),” sources added. Meanwhile, Home Minister Priyank Kharge said that the cabinet expansion will happen soon. “The CM and AICC chief have said this very clearly. In circumstances where an emergency-like situation arises—whether it is a drought or a flood—having a full-fledged cabinet ensures that responsibilities can be assigned to everyone so that relief can be provided to people without any delay,” Priyank added. Sahebganj Tourism Jharkhand Travel Guide & Tourist Places in _ Travel Nfx When asked if the expansion will happen before Aashada, he said, “I don’t believe in that… When giving or taking power, who looks at all that? There is no connection between the two. Our responsibility is to look after our people. As you said, whether it is Aashada or Rahu Kala, everyone has their own faith and beliefs, but it should not affect governance.” Meanwhile, Jewargi MLA Ajay Singh, son of former CM N Dharam Singh, is a strong contender for a berth in the Shivakumar cabinet. Ajay said that the high command may call the state leaders to Delhi any moment for talks. Chamarajnagara MLA C Puttarangashetty, another contender, said that the expansion may happen in a day or two or after a month when Aashada ends. Srirangapatna MLA A B Ramesh Bandisidde Gowda asserted that he deserved to be a minister. “I will also organise the party in Mandya. If I am proven wrong, they can remove me anytime”, he said. Several other MLAs, including those elected for 3-4 times, such as Ashok M Pattan, have openly staked claim. “Rahul Gandhi will come tomorrow (Sunday). He will call the CM, former CM, and the KPCC President on Monday or Tuesday. I will tell our leaders not to just look at caste, but consider seniority too. I am a senior legislator in Belagavi district and the state. I was a Congress student leader… been in the party since the days of former CM D Devaraj Urs,” he said. Trouble for Zameer? Ahead of the formation of the Shivakumar cabinet in the first phase, an audio clip leaked allegedly involving former minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan allegedly conspiring to defeat the Congress candidate in Davanagere bypolls. This ruined his chances of becoming a minister in the Shivakumar cabinet. This time around, the Lokayukta approached the Governor seeking permission to prosecute him in a disproportionate assets case. One has to wait and watch to see whether Zameer will this time make it to the cabinet or not. Devaraj B Hirehalli Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Congress MLAs from Northern Karnataka step up pressure to enter cabinet
The growing demand has also brought the Congress’ internal power equations into sharp focus. BELAGAVI: With speculation over the long-awaited state Cabinet expansion and reshuffle intensifying, Congress MLAs from across Northern Karnataka have stepped up pressure on the party leadership, demanding greater representation in the ministry. Legislators from Belagavi, Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Dharwad and several districts in Kalyana Karnataka are lobbying for Cabinet berths, with party leaders saying at least two to three MLAs from each district are in the race. Belagavi has emerged as the focal point of the demand. Congress leaders from the district argue that the previous BJP government had four ministers from Belagavi and insist that the district, given its political importance and electoral strength, deserves at least three Cabinet positions. The growing demand has also brought the Congress’ internal power equations into sharp focus. Party sources said Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is keen on inducting Athani MLA Laxman Savadi, who joined the Congress ahead of the Assembly elections and played a key role in strengthening the party in the region. If political or caste considerations prevent Savadi’s induction, former Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar is seen as another strong contender. The demand for three berths has also fuelled the hopes of other Congress MLAs from Belagavi, mainly Ashok Pattan, Mahantesh Koujalagi and Asif Sait, who are believed to enjoy the backing of former CM Siddaramaiah’s camp. Naushad Bijapur Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
“Where is Rahul Gandhi?” BJP asks four sharp questions about the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha’s foreign trip
The BJP has once again opened a front regarding Rahul Gandhi’s foreign travel. Amit Malviya raised questions, asking, “Does anyone know where Rahul Gandhi is? In which country is he vacationing? Who is he with? Who does he visit most often?” New Delhi: The BJP is attacking the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi over his foreign trip in the wake of the recent landslide in Wayanad, Kerala. BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya accused Rahul Gandhi of failing to visit the affected area or meet the victims even several days after the accident. He also raised questions about Rahul Gandhi’s foreign trip. Amit Malviya posted on the social media platform X on Sunday, claiming, “Rahul Gandhi has been out of India for a long time and no one knows his whereabouts.” He asked, “Does anyone know where Rahul Gandhi is? Which country is he vacationing in? Who is he with? Who does he visit often?” Raised questions about Rahul and Priyanka In another post, the BJP leader wrote, “The recent landslide in Wayanad claimed lives and caused widespread devastation, yet neither Rahul Gandhi nor Priyanka Gandhi Vadra visited the affected area to meet the victims.” He added, “The sensitivity of any public representative is measured by standing with the people in their most difficult times, not just reaching out during elections.” “Congress ecosystem silent” The BJP IT cell chief also noted in the post that the Congress “ecosystem,” which is otherwise quite vocal, appears to be completely silent on this issue. Landslide in Wayanad on July 7 On July 7, a massive landslide occurred in the Kalladi area near Meppadi in Kerala’s Wayanad district. The accident occurred at the site of the under-construction Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi Tunnel Project. Continuous heavy rains triggered a landslide, resulting in loss of life and property. Earlier, on July 30, 2024, Wayanad experienced a massive and historic landslide, completely devastated the villages of Punchirimattam, Choralmala, and Mundakkai. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is currently the Member of Parliament from the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency. She was sworn in as a Lok Sabha member after winning the by-election for this seat. Curated by: Abhishek Pandey About the Author Abhishek Pandey is a digital journalist at Navbharat Times. He joined Navbharat Times, the digital wing of the Times of India Group, in July 2025. He currently covers news for the National and Delhi desks. Courtesy: Hindi News
A Dalit woman was raped after entering her home under the pretext of delivering milk.
Kaushambi. Kaushambi. A woman in Kaushambi district, Uttar Pradesh, has filed a serious rape allegation against a young man. The victim alleges that the man she considered her brother, upon finding her alone at home, forced himself on her. The woman says the accused arrived at her home under the pretext of delivering milk, seized the opportunity, committed the crime, and fled. The victim has filed a police complaint demanding action. However, she alleges that despite filing a complaint, she has not received the desired action at the local level, and is now searching for justice. The accused entered her home under the pretext of delivering milk. According to the victim, she was already acquainted with the accused, Mohammad Wajid. The woman considered him her brother, and because of this trust, he would frequently visit her home. The woman alleged that on the day of the incident, the accused arrived at her home under the pretext of delivering milk. The woman was alone at home at the time. After entering the house, the accused locked the door from inside and forced himself on her. Woman alleges rape In her complaint to the police, the victim stated that the accused raped her after throwing her onto the bed. The accused fled the scene after the incident. She says she informed her family about the incident and then went to the police to file a complaint. The victim has demanded strict action against the accused. Questions raised about police action The victim alleges that despite filing a complaint, the police did not take immediate action. The woman says she has been running around authorities seeking justice. Police officials say the case is being investigated based on the complaint. They have stated that further legal action will be taken based on the facts revealed in the investigation. Action will be taken after investigation The police say that in such cases, action is taken based on the victim’s statement, medical examination, and other evidence. All aspects are being considered during the investigation. The incident has sparked widespread discussion in the area. The woman has demanded strict action against the accused and his immediate arrest. Questions about women’s safety have been raised again. This incident has once again raised questions about women’s safety and relationships of trust. The victim alleges that the man she trusted like a brother committed the crime against her. The administration is demanding an impartial investigation into the case, ensuring justice for the victim, and strict action against the accused. Shantanu Roy Courtesy: Hindi News
Dalit family attacked over two-day-old dispute: Police report alleges assault after entering home in Patti
A Dalit family was attacked in Nevaji Ka Purwa (Parsanda) village, in the Patti police station area of Pratapgarh, over a two-day-old dispute. The victim has filed a police complaint, accusing some villagers of assaulting him on the road and entering his home and assaulting his wife and daughter. Attack over old dispute Jaiprakash alias Dabbu, son of Ramchandra Pasi, a resident of Nevaji Ka Purwa, stated in his application to the police that he was on his way to get wheat ground on Saturday afternoon at around 12 noon. He is alleged to have been stopped by four or five people from another community in the village due to a dispute over water two days earlier. Beaten after knocking down his bicycle According to the victim, the accused knocked him down from his bicycle and began assaulting him. He ran for his life, but the accused pursued him with sticks and rods, reaching his home. It is alleged that they entered the house and assaulted Jaiprakash’s wife and daughter, injuring all three. A complaint has been filed against the accused. Following the incident, the injured family reached the Patti police station around 5 p.m. on Saturday evening and filed a complaint against the accused, demanding action. Police have received the complaint and begun investigating the matter. They say that further legal action will be taken based on the investigation. Shivakant Pandey | Belkharnath Dham, Pratapgarh Courtesy: Hindi News
With BSP in decline, can Congress become the new voice for dalits in UP?
By appointing dalit leader Rajendra Pal Gautam and reaffirming its commitment to the PDA plank, Congress aims to attract a major portion of the dalit vote, capitalising on the perceived decline of the BSP ON SAMAJWADI PARTY chief Akhilesh Yadav’s birthday on July 1, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi did more than post a greeting on X. In his message, he reaffirmed the Congress’s commitment to the PDA plank—comprising pichda (backward), dalit and alpsankhyak (minority) communities—signalling a shared direction for the two parties and cementing the alliance ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls. The Congress had already sent a political message to the PDA four days earlier by appointing dalit leader Rajendra Pal Gautam as its Uttar Pradesh in-charge. Although the state unit president heads the party organisation, Gautam—born in Delhi but with roots in UP—has stepped beyond his role and begun directly reaching out to dalits, who account for about 22 per cent of the state’s population, the state’s largest social group. Muslims make up around 19 per cent and Yadavs roughly 13 per cent, both traditionally the Samajwadi Party’s core support base. About 95 per cent of Muslims and 82 per cent of Yadavs reportedly voted for the SP-Congress alliance in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The alliance’s challenge is to expand beyond this Muslim-Yadav base, and the most promising constituency seems to be the dalits. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, around 40 per cent of dalits voted for the INDIA bloc, while the remaining votes were evenly split between the BJP and the Bahujan Samaj Party. With Mayawati’s declining electoral fortunes and increasingly limited political engagement, the opposition believes a vacuum has opened in dalit politics. Political observers say many dalits shifted to the INDIA bloc in 2024 because the BSP was not perceived as effectively voicing their concerns, while the Congress successfully campaigned around the allegation that the BJP was trying to change the Constitution and weaken reservations for backward communities. The Congress now hopes for a repeat of 2024. The Constitution campaign helped the SPCongress alliance win 43 of Uttar Pradesh’s 80 Lok Sabha seats. This time, with the 2027 assembly elections heading towards a bipolar contest, the Congress believes dalit mobilisation can convert parliamentary gains into assembly seats. According to political analyst Aditya Rathi, if the Congress is able to establish itself as the party of dalits, many non-Jatav dalits, who make up around 50 per cent of the dalit population, and a significant section of Jatavs could shift towards the party. It is this possibility that the Congress believes Gautam can help unlock. Gautam belongs to the Jatav community, which accounts for nearly half of the state’s dalit population. While he may not be a widely recognisable dalit face, Congress leaders say his appointment has generated interest on the ground. “Dalits know his name because he has earlier been an activist for their cause,” said a Congress leader. If the Congress is able to strengthen its organisational structure and communication strategy, it believes it can strengthen the alliance’s position in nearly 100 assembly seats where dalits form more than 30 per cent of the population. The SP’s core Muslim-Yadav base enabled it to win 111 assembly seats in 2022. A broader dalit-Muslim-Yadav consolidation could push it beyond the majority mark of 202 seats in the 403-member assembly. The SP’s outreach has broadened to include non-Yadav OBC communities as well, apart from dalits. It is not overtly focusing on Thakurs, the community to which Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath belongs. Akhilesh is seeking to expand the coalition rather than rely solely on the Muslim-Yadav bloc that has defined SP for decades. “UP is a mini India,” Gautam said. “Dalits, Muslims and Other Backward Classes account for more than 60 per cent of the state’s population and want a proportionate share, but right now only a few communities helm the affairs. Dalits have suffered for centuries.” The Congress, Gautam said, wanted to strengthen the alliance. “There is clarity that the INDIA bloc will contest together. The struggle of dalits that is going on right now can only be taken up by a national party. There is a need to take up their issues; if we won’t, then who will?” The Congress is hoping to secure at least half of the dalit vote this time. Until the early 1980s, dalits—alongside Muslims and Brahmins—were the Congress’s core vote bank in the state. The rise of Kanshi Ram and Mayawati’s Bahujan movement gradually shifted dalits to the BSP, while Muslim and Brahmin votes got dispersed among regional parties and the BJP, leaving the Congress marginalised in the state. According to Verender Guddu, former general secretary of the party’s state unit, the Congress still had a committed base that continued to support it. “In almost every assembly seat, there are 2,000 to 5,000 votes that people will give to the Congress on its name. In some seats, that number will be more than 10,000,” he said. Once dalits return to the party, the Congress believes it could attract Muslims and sections of Brahmins. That possibility presents its own challenge, though. A stronger Congress could make the SP wary of conceding too much space during seat-sharing negotiations. Santosh Bhartiya, political analyst and former Lok Sabha member, said the Congress currently lacked an organisational structure or grassroots presence to contest alone. “The party’s real focus is not 2027, but the 2029 Lok Sabha elections,” Bhartiya said. “From this perspective, whether Akhilesh wins or loses in 2027 serves the Congress’s long-term strategy, as it aims to rebuild its social coalition by bringing Muslims, a significant section of dalits and other communities into its fold.” Badar Bashir Courtesy : The Week Note: This news is originally published on https:/theweek.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Mayawati alleges Opposition using Dalit organisations to mislead Bahujan society
Congress party hit back adding the BSP chief is reading out from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) playbook and weakening the Bahujan and marginalized cause The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday (July 12, 2026) alleged that Opposition parties are engaged in misleading and misguiding the Dalit and other sections of the Bahujan society in various ways by putting forward some Dalit organizations and misleading the public through baseless promises and claims and false propaganda. Ms. Mayawati dubbed the demonstration and road blockade as political and electoral gimmicks. “As is well known that Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), unlike other parties, does not believe in demonstrations, road blockade, uproar, vandalism of government and private properties and other violent incidents and misleading the public through baseless promises and claims and false propaganda etc., to achieve its political and electoral interests. The BSP, the only Ambedkarite party in the country that is completely free from all such political and electoral gimmicks and is dedicated to the welfare and well-being of the entire society, especially the poor, laborers, exploited, oppressed and neglected, following the principle and policy of ‘Sarvajana Hitaya and Sarvajana Sukhaya’, and the living proof of this is the comprehensive public interest, welfare and development of the BSP-led government in Uttar Pradesh for four times, and the ‘rule of law by law’ in matters of crime control and law and order,” wrote Ms. Mayawati, on X. The BSP president further added, “Apart from providing an ideal constitutional government in a vast state like U.P., it is also crystal clear that unlike the opposition parties and the Dalit organisations and parties working at their behest, the BSP does not indulge in politics of deceit and fraud, nor does it shed crocodile tears for them, nor does it change its colour like a chameleon for narrow selfish interests. Rather, for the real benefit and welfare of crores of Dalits, tribals, backward classes, Muslims and other religious minorities, as well as the poor of the upper caste society, it wants to achieve the great goal of ‘social change and economic upliftment’ primarily through the master key of power by following the path shown by the great saints, gurus and great men born from time to time in the ‘Bahujan Samaj’, especially Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Shri Narayana Guru, Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj, the most revered Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar and the Bahujan leader, Honorable Shri Kanshi Ram.” Ms. Mayawati alleged that with the elections approaching, the Opposition parties, using tactics, want to further their political interests by putting guns on the shoulders of Dalit organisations and people with a slave mentality, and by opposing the BSP and Baba Saheb’s movement. “Therefore, people from all sections of society, especially Dalits and all those from the ‘Bahujan Samaj’, need to be extremely vigilant and cautious so that the evil intentions of the opponents do not succeed,” she cautioned, adding the BSP’s real concern in this regard is that the poor, laborers, unemployed youth, etc., as well as the exploited, oppressed, and other neglected people of society, should not become victims of government hatred, oppression, and terror when they take to the streets to raise their issues. Ms. Mayawati’s comment came in the wake of the murder of Lalita Gautam, a final-year BA student, aged 20. Days later her body was recovered from a sugarcane field in the Rohta area of Meerut district. Police arrested the victim’s alleged boyfriend, Ankush, in connection with the murder. He was later released on bail. Dalit groups and the victim’s family alleged involvement of more accused in the case protested outside the Collectorate on July 8 and 9, demanding for a renewed investigation. This demonstration escalated into confrontations between the protesters and law enforcement. The police used lathi charge to break up the gathering and took seven individuals into custody, and filed cases against approximately 50 unidentified persons for unlawful assembly and attacking police personnel, among other charges, in connection with the protest. Nagina MP and Azad Samaj Party (ASP) chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad and Congress delegation attempted to meet the deceased’s family and victims of police action. Ms. Mayawati’s comment is directed at the incident. Congress party hit back, adding that the BSP chief is reading out from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) playbook and weakening the Bahujan and marginalised cause. “It seems the BSP leader is taking lessons from feudal forces. In any democratic framework, people have the right to protest publicly to raise their concerns. It is well-known that the atrocities against marginalised sections have peaked under the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh; people from marginalised sections have to take to the streets for justice. To call it wrong is illogical and shows an anti-people mentality. Congress will continue its fight for justice against any form of injustice on any group of society and people,” said Shahnawaz Alam, National Secretary, Congress. Mayank Kumar Courtesy : The Hindu Note: This news is originally published on https:/thehindu.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Viral video from Ganjam sparks outrage; Dalit youth alleges 3 days of illegal confinement and brutal assault
A disturbing video purportedly showing a youth being brutally assaulted inside a locked room has gone viral from Odisha’s Ganjam district, once again raising concerns over alleged vigilante-style violence. A disturbing video purportedly showing a youth being brutally assaulted inside a locked room has gone viral from Odisha’s Ganjam district, once again raising concerns over alleged vigilante-style violence. The incident is reported to have taken place under the jurisdiction of Berhampur Sadar Police Station. As per the allegations, the victim is a Dalit youth from the Sadar police station area. He was allegedly confined illegally in a locked room for nearly three days, during which he was physically assaulted and subjected to severe torture. The viral video allegedly shows the youth being mercilessly beaten inside the room. Four individuals can reportedly be seen in the footage, while one of them is seen assaulting the victim. The authenticity of the video, however, has not yet been independently verified. Along with the video, a written complaint naming the alleged attackers has also surfaced on social media. In the letter, the youth claimed that his life was under threat and stated that he had submitted written petitions to the President of India, the Prime Minister, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Director General of Police (DGP), and the Ganjam district administration, seeking immediate intervention. In the complaint, the youth alleged that he was pressured to participate in illegal activities. He claimed that after refusing to comply, he was beaten, unlawfully confined for nearly three days, and deprived of food and water during the period of his alleged captivity. The allegations contained in the viral complaint and video have triggered widespread concern, with many demanding a thorough investigation into the incident. As of now, there has been no official confirmation from the police regarding the authenticity of the video or the allegations made in the complaint. Further investigation in connection with the viral video and allegations is awaited. Author Vikash Sharma Courtesy : Odisha TV Note: This news is originally published on https:/odishatv.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights