The compulsion of labor: Why are the lives of tribal girls being ruined in Tamil Nadu, 1,500 kilometers away from a small village in Odisha?
The Tamil Nadu gas leak incident: A heartbreaking story of poverty, desperate migration, and the tragic deaths of 12 daughters from a small tribal village in Odisha. New Delhi: The tragic deaths at a seafood processing unit in Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu, have exposed the pain of a highly vulnerable tribal community in Odisha’s Keonjhar district. This tragedy reflects the desperate migration that has devastated these villages of their youth, especially women. 56-year-old Bisuni Juang is illiterate. But sitting outside his mud hut, he carefully examines a pile of government documents. He tries to understand how his 16-year-old daughter, Jamini, died in Tamil Nadu, nearly 1,500 kilometers away. Since the gas leak at a factory in Tiruvallur district on June 21st, 15 people have lost their lives. Of these, 12 deceased were from Odisha’s Keonjhar district, all women. Two of the deceased, including Bisuni’s daughter, Jamini, were residents of Rangamatia village. Geographical Context Of the 68 people hospitalized, 65 are women. The five who are in critical condition and battling for life on ventilators all hail from Rangamatia. Rangamatia is a small tribal village with a population of just over 200. At least 10 women and 8 men from this village were working in the same seafood unit. This gas leak has made this small village the victim of one of the biggest incidents ever. Maps Bisuni says that some block officials came to his house and handed over Jamini’s body, simply stating that she died due to ‘gas’. The distraught father says he doesn’t know what this means; his daughter was only 16 years old and still had a full life ahead of her. Jamini, who studied until Grade 5, was the third of Bisuni’s four daughters. Her two elder sisters, aged 21 and 19, are married, while the youngest is just 14. Jamini left for Tamil Nadu about seven months ago, becoming the first member of the family to leave Keonjhar. Usually, they only visit their married daughters’ homes in nearby villages. The family has had no contact with Jamini since her departure. Until last year, the village didn’t even have mobile network; now, it has BSNL service, but Bisuni doesn’t have the money to buy a phone. The Juang community is part of a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), and Bisuni has long struggled with extreme poverty. Her only assets include two goats and a mud house divided into two parts. Due to the lack of their own cultivable land, the tribal people of the village clear parts of the forest to grow crops and depend entirely on forest produce. Tourist Attractions According to the 2011 census, Rangamatia had 38 households and a total population of 158. Located in hilly terrain and poorly maintained roads, this village lacks drinking water or electricity. A small spring in the nearby forest is the only source of water for quenching thirst. The village has only one Anganwadi (Anganwadi) and a primary-level school. Girls like Jamini typically don’t study beyond grade 5. The nearest high school is 10 kilometers away, and reaching it is nearly impossible due to lack of money and transportation. While government records state a motorable road 1 km away, it is located on the other side of a hill. The nearest hospital is located 40 km away in the town of Harichandanpur. Unable to even reach nearby markets for employment, young people like Jamini are forced to migrate to support their families. Bisuni doesn’t even know the wages her daughter was promised there. Girls and women who go out to work are mostly unmarried. It’s usually the men of the household who go out to work after marriage. The Odisha government initially announced a compensation of ₹4 lakh for the families of the deceased, which was later increased to ₹10 lakh. However, Bisuni claims that they have so far received only ₹3,000 from the Panchayat for the funeral. Native Gumani Juang, the second victim of Rangamatia, was 15 years old according to her Aadhaar card, but her parents claim she is 19. She had gone to Tamil Nadu in November last year with a group of laborers, including her 20-year-old elder brother, Parsu. Parsu was employed at a unit in Andhra Pradesh. Gumani’s 53-year-old father, Bira Juang, was against sending her so far. But Gumani was not ready for marriage and, lured by the promise of a better life and money, insisted on going. Bira says that he last spoke to his daughter on the phone just a few hours before the gas leak. She happily told him that she had saved some money and would return home soon. Upon receiving news of the gas leak and Gumani’s critical condition, the family hired a car and set out. They had just reached Bhubaneswar when Parsu called to inform them that it was difficult to reach Gumani’s place of work. Disappointed, they returned, and later their worst fears were proven true. Bira, who owns a two-room house built under the Rural Housing Scheme and a few goats, no longer wants to let his son Parsu go out to work. He says he cannot afford to lose his last remaining child. Natural Disasters Bira Juang also makes serious allegations against an organized network that lures tribal youth like his daughter. He names Shrikant Juang from his own village, who posed as a supervisor of a unit in Tamil Nadu and convinced them to go there. Keonjhar District Labor Officer Akash Bisoi has informed that the accused, Shrikant, is currently absconding and strict legal action will be taken against him. The Keonjhar District Labor Office does not have official figures on the number of tribal laborers migrating from these interior areas, but hundreds are unofficially acknowledged to be working outside. Following the deaths in Tamil Nadu, the Odisha Labor Department ensured the return of 58 migrant laborers, most of whom were from Keonjhar district. Keonjhar District Collector Vishal Singh said the administration is conducting a thorough investigation to determine whether
Why did tribal women in Udaipur wait for 4 hours for internet access? Brinda Karat writes to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan about the shutdown of MNREGA!
The ‘Vikasit Bharat – Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Rural) Act, 2025,’ or VB-GRAMG Act, will come into effect on July 1. New Delhi/Udaipur—Senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and former Rajya Sabha member Brinda Karat has written a letter to Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, raising serious objections to the rules of the Vikasit Bharat – Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Rural) Act (VB-GRAMG Act). This letter, written a day before the new law comes into effect, cites genuine problems faced by rural laborers and demands the immediate withdrawal of the rules and the reinstatement of MNREGA. Karat begins her letter by referring to Barapala, a tribal village in Rajasthan’s Udaipur district, where she had interacted with laborers at a MNREGA worksite the previous day. He reported that during the summer season, many female workers waited for about four hours from 6:30 am to 10 am for the online attendance site to open, but could not work that day due to a lack of internet connection. This situation was reported to be common. Indigenous He reported that after the end of MNREGA in December last year, these workers received only 18 days of work from January to June, despite assurances to Parliament that work would continue until the new law was implemented. In particular, at least 12 elderly women complained that the biometric facial recognition technology was unable to recognize their eyes, resulting in them being excluded from work. Karat said that the end of MNREGA has been devastating for the poor in the village. During the summer season, many female workers waited for about four hours from 6:30 am to 10 am for the online attendance site to open, but could not work that day due to a lack of internet connection. This situation is common in the tribal areas of Rajasthan. In light of these very real problems, Karat told the Union Minister that his ministry published eight rules of the VB-Gramji Act on May 22nd without consulting rural and MNREGA workers’ organizations and unions. Had they been consulted, the real problems could have been addressed, but the new rules are more flawed than the law itself and completely ignore the voices of workers. Internet and Telecom In the letter, Karat first raises the constitutional question of whether these rules violate Article 258 of the Constitution, which deals with the “conferring or imposing of duties” on states. According to him, the VB-Gramji Act not only imposes financial burdens on state governments but also imposes responsibilities without their consent. While Article 258(3) requires the central government to reimburse states for additional expenditure, the new rules deprive states of any role in decision-making, a direct attack on the federal structure. Kerala provided an average of 66 days of work a year, which is much higher than the national average, but will receive fewer funds due to its low population. Similarly, Tamil Nadu, which has the highest number of active MNREGA workers despite having a high GSDP, will also receive fewer funds. Karat also criticized the allocation criteria (Rule 396E). He said that the law already relies on fund allocation rather than demand-based work, but the rules determine allocation based on the recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission, which assigns a 42.5 percent weighting to per capita Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) and 17.5 percent to population. He said these criteria have nothing to do with rural laborers seeking work. Politics Citing an example, he pointed out that Kerala provided an average of 66 days of work a year, which is much higher than the national average, but will receive fewer funds due to its low population. Similarly, Tamil Nadu, which has the highest number of active MNREGA workers despite having a high GSDP, will also receive fewer funds. Karat called this discriminatory and demanded an immediate reconsideration. Furthermore, Karat viewed the “additional expenditure” (Rule 403E) clause as an insult to state governments. He stated that state governments wish to spend their own funds on work expansion and innovation, but the rules bind them to central financial oversight. He sharply questioned whether the right to work would be held hostage to the efficiency or inefficiency of state governments as dictated by the central government. Regarding wage payment and worker identification (Rules 397E and 402E), Karat stated that the rules are completely silent on crucial issues such as the actual determination of wage rates, the timeframe for wage increases, or linking them to price indexes. He stated that the excessive emphasis on online registration and attendance is far removed from rural reality. Even with good internet access, registration can take 1-3 hours. Will this time be included in wages? He questioned why workers should be punished for the dishonesty of officials. Karat said that this approach to the use of technology is based on elitist thinking, while the experience of millions of MNREGA workers shows that this thinking is wrong. He warned that arbitrary and high productivity standards can make it impossible for workers to even earn minimum wages. Therefore, the rules should include a provision for time-use surveys. This is especially important for women workers, as most of the workers in these workplaces are women. Executive Branch Karat also described the formation of the National Level Steering Committee (NLSC) (Rule 397E) as a bureaucratic trap. He said that this committee has minimal representation from states (only five members) and no place for workers or other stakeholders. While more than 50 percent of workers are women, 18 percent are Scheduled Tribes, and 17 percent are Scheduled Castes, their ministries have been excluded from this committee. States are bearing 40 percent of the cost, but with only five members, they have been treated unfairly, as if the center is saying, “Share the cost, but the decisions will be ours.” The Central Council has no binding power, and no independent authority has been created for social audits, which are essential for transparency and corruption control. Finally, Karat said that these
Dalits’ share of budget spent on other schemes: Maharashtra government under fire for allocating ₹2.8 crore to the Warkari Mahamandal!
VBA strongly objects: Dalits’ budget worth crores diverted to other schemes, scholarships and welfare schemes still pending Mumbai – The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) has strongly protested the Maharashtra government’s decision to approve financial assistance of ₹2.80 crore from the Social Justice and Special Assistance Department’s budget for the Ashadhi Ekadashi festival through the Chief Minister’s Warkari Mahamandal. The party alleges that the budget earmarked for the welfare of the Scheduled Caste community is being continuously diverted to other schemes, adversely affecting the rights and development of the Dalit community. Through a Government Order issued on July 2nd, the Maharashtra Government has granted administrative and financial approval of a total of ₹2.8 crore (280 lakh rupees) to the Chief Minister’s Warkari Mahamandal to provide assistance of ₹20,000 per Dindi to 1,400 Dindis accompanying 10 palanquins of Maan during the Ashadhi Ekadashi Wari in Pandharpur. According to the Government Order, this amount will be provided from the “Chief Minister’s Warkari Mahamandal’s Assistance Grant (2235D963)” under the Budget Head 2235 – Social Security and Welfare of the Social Justice and Special Assistance Department. The order also states that this amount will be distributed through the Chief Minister’s Warkari Mahamandal, with the Divisional Commissioner, Pune, designated as the Controlling Officer and the Tehsildar (General Administration), Office of the Divisional Commissioner, Pune, as the Drawing and Disbursing Officer. Discrimination and Identity Relationships Criticizing the order, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi’s State General Secretary, Rajendra Patode, alleged that the Social Justice Department’s budget, especially funds earmarked for the Scheduled Castes, is being continuously used for schemes that are not directly related to the social, educational, and economic empowerment of the Dalit community. He stated that previously, similar funds were used for the Kisan Samman Yojana, the Chief Minister’s Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, and the Chief Minister’s Tirtha Darshan Yojana, and now, in the same vein, Rs. 2.80 crore has been allocated to the Chief Minister’s Warkari Mahamandal. Patode stated that if the government wishes to implement these schemes, separate provisions should be made for them from the general budget. He alleged that shifting the budget earmarked for the Scheduled Caste community to other items violates constitutional rights. According to him, numerous schemes related to scholarships, education, economic development, and social justice for Dalit students are still pending, while crores of rupees are being spent for other purposes. Diverting the budget allocated for the Scheduled Caste community to other items violates the rights granted by the Constitution. Previously, funds from the Social Justice Department were similarly used for the Kisan Samman Yojana, the Chief Minister’s Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, and the Chief Minister’s Tirtha Darshan Yojana. – Rajendra Patode, State General Secretary, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi also stated that due to the lack of a separate and effective legal framework for the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan, governments are arbitrarily using this budget. The party alleges that this is why the actual benefits of the funds allocated for the Scheduled Caste community are not reaching the targeted groups. Patode described this as a “financial emergency”-like attack on the rights of the Dalit community and called for a widespread public movement on this issue. However, the Maharashtra government’s administrative decision states that the purpose of this assistance is to provide ₹20,000 per Dindi to the 1,400 Dindis accompanying the 10 palanquins of Maan participating in the Ashadhi Ekadashi Wari in Pandharpur. The preamble states that the Warkari tradition is an important cultural heritage linked to Maharashtra’s social harmony, saint tradition, and public awareness, and given the growing numbers, this assistance is considered necessary for management and facilities. According to the government, the Chief Minister’s Warkari Mahamandal was established to carry out welfare programs for the Warkari community and kirtankars, and as in the past two years, it has been decided to provide grants to the Dindis this year as well. Currently, this decision has sparked political debate over the use of the Social Justice Department’s budget. The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) has demanded that the budget allocated for the Scheduled Caste community be used only for schemes related to the social, educational, and economic development of that community, and that legal safeguards be ensured to prevent the diversion of such funds to other schemes. Geetha Sunil Pillai Courtesy: Hindi News
One month in, CM Shivakumar’s government faces cabinet expansion test
Congress will be counting on the new government’s performance for the 2028 polls, but how those left out respond will also be crucial. Earlier this week, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s government completed one month in office. Although it is a short period to judge a government’s performance, the change of guard seems to have brought fresh energy to the administration, which looked jaded, especially in the last few months of Siddaramaiah’s tenure. After recovering from the initial shock of the portfolio allocation, with two senior ministers sulking, the CM has managed to keep the spotlight on his government rather than on the political uncertainty in his party. Unlike his predecessor, the CM has avoided open confrontation with the Union government, and has so far refrained from joining his party leaders in the state in aggressively criticising the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). However, it is just the beginning, and the Congress government has a long way to go. Maintaining the same tempo and cohesiveness in the government is a Herculean task, especially after the expansion of the cabinet. The government presently functions with just 13 ministers out of a 34-member-capacity cabinet. Of these, only two are new faces, and the rest were part of the previous cabinet. If the Congress leadership decides to give a majority of the remaining berths to new faces, the seniors hoping to return to the cabinet would be aggrieved. However, if most seniors are accommodated again, it would leave new aspirants disappointed. Either way, it’s a tricky situation. Congress will be counting on the new government’s performance for the 2028 polls, but how those left out respond will also be crucial. It would be interesting to see how the party strikes a balance between the loyalists of Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah, and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge in the cabinet expansion. On the administrative front, key portfolios like agriculture and education do not have full-time ministers, with the portfolios vested with the CM. Several districts in the state are staring at a drought-like situation, and water levels in the reservoirs are low. The government has asked farmers to temporarily avoid cultivating crops relying on dam water. While the CM holds multiple meetings in the state capital, the ministers are hardly seen in action on the ground. If they fail to make amends, the government risks being branded as Bengaluru-centric. That apart, some of the decisions, like the tightening of guarantee schemes and the ambitious plan to develop Bidadi township on the outskirts of Bengaluru, need to be handled deftly. The Bidadi township issue should not be seen merely as a Congress against JDS/BJP issue, but concerns of all farmers must be taken into account, while also keeping in mind plans to develop townships to decongest Bengaluru. However, the state capital’s development cannot come at the cost of farmers, who depend solely on agricultural land for their livelihood. As for the flagship guarantee schemes, it is never a bad idea to fine-tune them. The exercise to weed out ineligible beneficiaries has started. The state government must be prudent with spending and ensure that the schemes benefit the most needy. At the same time, this should not merely become a cost-cutting exercise that amounts to the Congress government going back on its 2023 election promise. The departments handling the revision exercise should be sensitive not just to the letter, but also to the spirit of the government’s direction. Meanwhile, the CM has also announced the formation of guarantee committees with five members in each of the 7,000 panchayats and 4,000 wards. This will be in addition to the existing guarantee committees at state, district and taluk levels. The committees are tasked with the effective implementation of the schemes. On one hand, the government is tightening the schemes to avoid unnecessary expenditure, but at the same time, it is adding thousands of members to guarantee committees. What will their role be in each panchayat or ward when the benefits are directly reaching citizens, and officials are mandated to ensure that? It may be a good move to strengthen the party cadre at the grassroots, but at whose cost? Also, the CM’s announcement of forming 10,000 ‘Bharat Jodo’ youth associations in each panchayat and ward with a grant of Rs 10 lakh has faced flak from the BJP, which terms it as an attempt to put taxpayers’ money into Congress workers’ pockets. Although the government claims that guidelines would be issued for the formation of associations without political interference, it is anybody’s guess as to what extent they will actually be non-political. In the last 30 days in office, the new CM has given ample indication that he is a man in a hurry, unwilling to let go of any opportunity to put his stamp on the administration and consolidate his position within the party. Ramu Patil 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
No pay parity for medical interns despite reminders to oversight commission
This is despite Health Ministry twice writing to the NMC to “examine” the issue of pay parity, a burning issue with medical students of both public and private colleges. NEW DELHI: The National Medical Commission (NMC) appears to be dilly-dallying on the issue of pay parity for all undergraduate medical interns, whether they are studying in government or private colleges, according to an RTI. This is despite the Union Health Ministry twice writing to the NMC, which regulates medical education in the country, to “examine” the issue of pay parity, a burning issue with medical students and raised multiple times by various medical associations. In February, the NMC accepted that there is no stipend parity and that an amendment is needed in accordance with the statutory process. However, in an RTI response, dated June 30, the NMC said, “As and when the regulations are revised or amended, the inputs will be sought from stakeholders.” The response was to RTI activist Dr KV Babu’s query on what communication has been shared from the Under-Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB), an autonomous board under the NMC, which regulates undergraduate medical education, to the Medical Education Policy Section (MEP) under the Union Health Ministry or by the NMC to the board. What is interesting is that the UGMEB, in its RTI reply, also said that its response to the Health Ministry’s letter to examine the issue was for “information for the input sought by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.” Speaking with this paper, Kerala-based Dr Babu said: “The issue of stipend parity for interns is pending with the government and the NMC for more than four years. The government clearly wrote to NMC in December last year to consider an amendment to regulations to bring stipend parity.” “Though UGMEB replied in February 2026 about the need for an amendment, NMC is yet to start the process, as per the RTI response. Hope the NMC will amend the regulations soon to bring stipend parity,” said Dr Babu, who has been pursuing the twin issue of non-payment of stipends to interns and pay parity. The Health Ministry had asked the NMC to examine amending the key provision of the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship Regulations, 2021 (CRMI Regulations 2021), which states that “all interns shall be paid a stipend as fixed by the appropriate authority applicable to the institution/University or State.” This provision contrasts with the Post-Graduate Medical Education Regulation-2023, which makes no distinction between interns working in government or private medical colleges. The issue of the stipend is before the Supreme Court. The apex court had slammed the NMC, saying that it is “dragging its feet without any serious concern” on non-payment of stipend to interns and had urged it to “wake up from its slumber and take appropriate steps” in its October 28 order last year. Kavita Bajeli-Datt 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
Land mafia encroaches on Dalit land in Rae Bareli: Victims reach District Magistrate’s office seeking justice
In Tanghan village, under the Jagatpur police station area of Rae Bareli, land owned by Dalits is alleged to have been encroached by land mafia. After repeated complaints were not heard, the victims reached the District Magistrate’s office and pleaded for justice. Led by Deshraj Pasi, District President of the Pasi community, hundreds of victims marched from Vikas Bhawan to the District Magistrate’s office at 2:30 pm on Monday. The protesters held placards and shouted slogans against the government. The victims allege that land mafias have colluded with the Revenue Department to manipulate government records. They say that under the protection of the police force, powerful people are encroaching on Dalit land by constructing boundary walls. Will lay siege to Unchahar Tehsil One victim, Phoolan Devi, stated that she has submitted a complaint to the District Magistrate three times regarding this matter. However, each time she has received only assurances. The victims say they are constantly making rounds of the administration and local public representatives, but their grievances are not being heard. District President Deshraj Pasi has issued a stern warning in this regard. He said that if appropriate action is not taken soon and their land is not returned, they will surround the Unchahar tehsil. Pasi further said that if they do not get justice there, they will go to the state capital, Lucknow, and raise their voice at the Chief Minister’s office. Ashish Kumar Srivastava | Rae Bareli Courtesy: Hindi News
Allahabad High Court’s Important Directive: A QR Code-Based System Should Be Implemented to Prevent Fake Caste Certificates in Uttar Pradesh
To curb the circulation of fake caste certificates in Uttar Pradesh, the Allahabad High Court has given the Yogi government a crucial suggestion to implement a new system based on QR codes and software. Uttar Pradesh: Expressing serious concern over the increasing number of fake caste certificates, the Allahabad High Court has issued a crucial suggestion to the Uttar Pradesh government. The court believes that a software and QR code-based certification system should be implemented for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC). This new technology will directly combat fraud. The High Court clarified that this technology-based verification system will bring transparency to the entire process, eliminate arbitrary powers held by officials, and curb the issuance of fake caste certificates. The court also noted that adopting such innovative measures will facilitate proper audits and provide a reliable means of verifying the authenticity of issued certificates. This significant observation was made by a division bench of Justice Saumitra Dayal Singh and Justice Swarupama Chaturvedi while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The PIL was filed by the UP Koli Kori Pratinidhi Sabha. The petition drew the court’s attention to a serious ground reality. The petitioner organization alleged that Scheduled Caste certificates were being issued to members of the “Koli” caste, even though this caste is not recognized in the Scheduled Caste list. This was happening simply because its pronunciation resembles that of the “Kori” caste, which is actually listed as a Scheduled Caste. The petition alleged that local officials were issuing certificates to the wrong people based solely on similar names or spellings, a direct violation of the President’s orders. No one appeared on behalf of the petitioner during the hearing. However, Additional Advocate General Manish Goyal presented his case on behalf of the state government. Given the gravity of the matter, the division bench strongly criticized the flaws in the current verification process. The court stated that the current system empowers lower-level officials with excessive privileges. Prima facie, it appears that modern technology is so capable that the state government can provide a robust and transparent software-based system for SCs, STs, and OBCs. This will eliminate the unnecessary and unchecked powers held by officials up to the tehsildar level, which often lead to the issuance of questionable or incorrect certificates. Following these strong and important observations by the High Court, Additional Advocate General Manish Goyal sought time from the court to obtain necessary instructions from the relevant officials. In its July 2 order, the division bench directed the matter to be listed for further hearing on July 23. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News
CJP’s protest continues for the 16th day, hunger striker Sonam Wangchuk loses 6 kg.
Students’ anger continues at Jantar Mantar over the NEET paper leak and exam malpractice. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike has added a new edge to the movement amid demands for the Education Minister’s resignation. New Delhi: The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)’s protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against the alleged exam malpractice and paper leak entered its 16th day on Sunday, July 5. Protesters continue to demand the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and accountability of the government. Meanwhile, this was the eighth day of renowned climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike. Due to this rigorous fast, he has lost approximately 6 kg. According to a health bulletin issued by doctors, Wangchuk’s blood pressure while lying down was recorded at 112/70 mm Hg. Her heart rate remains at 72 beats per minute and her blood sugar level is 67 mg/dL. The medical report clearly states that her hydration is normal and she is mentally alert. However, her current weight has dropped to 60.95 kg, representing a loss of approximately six kg in seven days. The CJP has been demanding the resignation of the Education Minister. They allege that repeated exam irregularities and paper leaks have ruined the lives of countless students and their families. In this regard, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke informed on the social media platform ‘X’ that on Sunday (July 5), the parents of NEET candidate Riya Kumari Thapa arrived at the protest site. The organization claims that Riya’s dreams were shattered due to the alleged paper leak, leading to her tragic death. Dipke explained that Riya’s father is a former soldier and joined the protest with the plea that no other family should suffer the pain that his family has endured. He urged the central government to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future. In another post, the CJP clarified that it stands firmly with Thapa’s parents in this hour of grief and will continue to fight against the corrupt system that failed their daughter. The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to medical colleges was held on May 3, but was cancelled amid serious allegations of paper leaks. A re-examination was subsequently held on June 21. On the other hand, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) has already expressed its support for the CJP’s movement. The farmers’ organization is now sending a delegation to Jantar Mantar on July 7. Earlier, in its letter to the CJP, the SKM had stated that its delegation would visit the protest site on Sunday (July 6). The farmers’ body expressed solidarity with the agitating students and youth, stating that a transparent, fair, and credible examination system is every student’s fundamental right and that it is the government’s duty to ensure accountability. On a separate platform at the protest site, several members of the left-wing student organization, the All India Students Association (AISA), are also continuing their indefinite hunger strike. On Saturday (July 4), Danish Ali, joint secretary of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU), had to be admitted to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. On the seventh day of the hunger strike, her blood sugar level dropped dangerously to 46 mg/dL. Meanwhile, Neha, Manish, Rishikesh, Deepak Kumar Verma, and Amin continue their indefinite fast at the protest site. The CJP’s protest, which began on June 20th over alleged irregularities in the country’s examination system, has already garnered widespread support from several prominent political leaders, social activists, and members of civil society. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News
A shameful incident in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh: Dalit maid raped for years under false pretenses of marriage, threatened with death if forced to convert.
In Ballia, an orphan Dalit girl was raped for seven years after a marriage agreement was signed, and pressure was now being exerted to convert. A case has been filed against the accused, Jalaluddin, under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Uttar Pradesh: A shocking incident has come to light from Ballia district. A Dalit woman has accused her employer of raping her for years after falsely promising marriage. The victim also alleges that the accused was constantly pressuring her to convert. Considering the seriousness of the matter, the police have registered a case against the accused and initiated an investigation. According to the police complaint, the 24-year-old accused, Jalaluddin, took advantage of the victim’s orphanhood and poverty. He kept her at his home under the pretext of providing domestic work. The woman alleges that the accused began molesting her while she was working and gradually subjected her to his lust. According to the victim, she had been subjected to forced sexual intercourse since 2017. The complaint also reveals a shocking revelation. The victim says that when she threatened to speak out against this abuse, Jalaluddin resorted to a trick to silence her. On August 10, 2021, he entered into a “written agreement” with her and allegedly staged a marriage. The girl was only 17 years old at the time. During this written agreement, the victim was assured that when she turned 20, the accused would formally marry her. She was also lured with a share in his property. However, as time passed, these promises proved to be a fraud. According to the complaint, when the woman pressured Jalaluddin to marry her as promised, he imposed the condition of religious conversion. It is alleged that when the victim flatly refused to convert, she was threatened with death. Furthermore, the woman also claims that the accused is now planning to marry another woman. Rasra Circle Officer (CO) Rajneesh stated that a case was registered against Jalaluddin on Saturday based on the victim’s complaint. The accused has been charged under sections related to rape in the Indian Penal Code (IPC), as well as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) and the SC/ST Act. The police are currently conducting a thorough investigation into the matter. The legal process of recording the victim’s statement in a local court in Ballia is underway. In compliance with the Supreme Court’s clear directives and the right to privacy in sexual assault cases, the victim’s identity has been kept strictly confidential. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News
Call gets louder to name Kochi airport after former Kerala CM K Karunakaran
The UDF’s 2026 election manifesto has revived an old political proposal to rename the Kochi airport at Nedumbassery after former chief minister K Karunakaran. KOCHI: With the chorus for naming the upcoming railway terminal at Ponnurunni marshalling yard as Kochi Central gathering strength, yet another transportation hub is likely to be caught in this wrangling – the airport. The UDF’s 2026 election manifesto has revived an old political proposal to rename the Kochi airport at Nedumbassery after former chief minister K Karunakaran. The move leans on the widely accepted notion that the Congress stalwart is responsible for politically steering the project during its formative years. The proposal is not new. Similar demands have surfaced repeatedly over the past decade and a half, particularly under successive Congress-led governments. But they never moved beyond the proposal stage. As it stands, the new board has not been reconstituted after the recent election. So, it may be a while before the matter is taken up, this paper has learned. But what nudges the needle towards a positive development in this regard are two things. Congress leader and current chief minister V D Satheesan holds the airports portfolio. He is the chairman of the CIAL board, one of its members said, implying that a name change cannot be entirely ruled out. Satheesan being the first CM from the Greater Kochi area also bodes well for the proposal. The first prominent public call to rename the airport after Karunakaran emerged soon after his death in 2010, when Congress leader Shashi Tharoor proposed that the airport be named after “the man without whom it could never have been built.” “To see the airport named after the late Congress stalwart K Karunakaran is very ideal. After all, who can forget his contributions to seeing the establishment rise against multiple headwinds?” politician K V Thomas told TNIE. However, a political observer that TNIE spoke to said that the move will only open a can of worms for the Congress and will, no doubt, sap at their strength just weeks into taking office. “In the past too, the proposal had created a political storm, with certain sections of the Right wing countering the move with a proposal of their own, i.e. to name the airport after Adi Shankara, citing his association with Kalady, a place near Nedumbassery,” he said. Sudheeran backs proposal Thrissur: Veteran Congress leader V M Sudheeran on Sunday urged the UDF-led state government to name Kochi airport after the late former chief minister K Karunakaran. He was speaking after offering floral tributes at the tomb of Karunakaran at Murali Mandiram as part of his 108th birth anniversary celebration organised by DCC. “Nedumbassery airport is the symbol of will power that Karunakaran had to overcome the challenges, both political and organisational,” he said. Ronnie Kuriakose 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