The khadi he wore, the Gandhi he kept: A Dalit memoir that refuses easy answers
Recently, I received a message from someone I had known since my Gandhinagar days, when I represented the Times of India from 1997 to 2012. He wanted to send me the English translation of a memoir he had written: “Homes Without Windows“. Thin, short, and darker in complexion than me, he would occasionally come down to my office in Akhbar Bhawan. His name is Chandu Maheria. Seen through a middle-class lens, Maheria had an unimpressive personality. But that didn’t concern me. I knew little about his background, except what he had told me — that he worked in the state education department, and if I am not mistaken, in its midday meal section. Whenever I met someone new, I would try to find out whether there was a story in them. Education interested me: that was my selfish reason for talking to him. Once, speaking on the phone, I asked Maheria to stop by my office on his way home to Gandhinagar, as he said he had a story. I was momentarily hesitant: he would have to arrange a drop to my office and back, since he did not drive a scooter. So I decided to meet him instead in the canteen of the Old Sachivalaya, where he had his office. Meeting him there directly, I felt, was also a better idea than going to his office, which might have exposed his closeness to a journalist. Much later, after my retirement, I discovered that he was regarded quite a buff — a respected one at that — in Dalit circles: an intellectual and a committed writer, one who could speak extensively on Dalit issues. I saw him speak at meetings at Dalit Shakti Kendra, an empowerment-cum-technical school for teenagers founded by the well-known human rights leader Martin Macwan, located off Ahmedabad. I found him very sharp. Until I received the book, all I knew about it was that it had been praised by the eminent historian of modern India, Ramachandra Guha, who called it a “truly remarkable and compellingly readable memoir” — a comment that had appeared on Facebook. With the book in hand, I began to randomly glance through it. But contrary to the anti-Gandhi views prevalent among most Dalit intellectuals across India, this is what I found him stating: “Gandhi might have been anything — call him whatever names — but one thing he was certainly not was anti-Dalit. Oh no, never. Alas!” This made me take a deeper look at the book and see what Maheria, a Dalit and a firm follower of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, thinks about Gandhi. Though a very reluctant reader, I read through its approximately 230 pages in a couple of sittings. Largely a personal account, the memoir describes how Maheria spent his early life in extreme poverty, growing up in a working-class chawl of Ahmedabad as the son of a mill worker — until he shifted to Gandhinagar on securing a government job. They lived in what he describes as “the squalid, tumble-down, cheek-by-jowl dwellings in the backstreets of the city, dubbed as the heart of the state.” Maheria describes how Dalits from different parts of Gujarat had settled in the chawls: “Our chawl was inhabited by the Rohits, people of the tanner caste, who had migrated from Charotar, a large swathe of fertile land covering districts like Kheda and Anand in central Gujarat”, and “the Vankars, people of the weaver caste, from Mehsana, a district in north Gujarat.” Belonging to different Dalit sub-castes, all of them would daily queue up for the dirty common toilet. He underlines, “A strange thing to say, but it was in these queues that I learnt my first lessons in social inequality.” According to him, “All these people were extremely beleaguered, a harried lot that had come here to escape poverty, untouchability, oppression and exploitation, and yet they saw hierarchy and hatred as natural ways of being, such that even the slightest breach in the set order resulted in exchanges of expletives and blows.” Pointing out that “all this cheek was for toilets that were no better than hellholes”, he states, “Though not untouchability in its conventional sense, these practices were rooted in direct discrimination, in an ordained difference between the high and the low, that had seeped right up to the bottom of the caste order.” Offering an example of intra-Dalit casteism, he gives the example of Neno Ma’raj, a man of the priestly Garoda caste, considered the highest among the Dalits. “A mill worker of no consequence, Ma’raj would, in a blatant exhibition of his caste pride, lay his string cot out on the footpath every evening and lounge there like a maharaja, a veritable badshah holding his royal court.” He explains, “In his exhaustive, eye-opening study of the forms of untouchability practised by non-Dalits and Dalits (among themselves) in Gujarat, my friend Martin Macwan has pegged the numbers at ninety-eight and ninety-nine, respectively.” Explaining caste discrimination and related issues through personal anecdotes, Maheria reveals why he believes a section of Dalit intellectuals’ anti-Gandhi stance has gone overboard. None of them, he feels, will admit that no other leader fought untouchability like Gandhiji. Indeed, the book’s chapter “That Fellow, Gandhido” particularly excited me. Maheria starts by stating that he likes wearing khadi as it suits his “short body and slim build”, and explains why his mother didn’t like it. The fabric was anathema to her. She would take a dig at him, saying, “You look like a ditto Gandhiyo in this pair.” An unlettered woman who had picked up the Gandhi-Ambedkar debate through household conversations, her “pet peeve was, ‘None but that fellow, Gandhiyo is responsible for erecting these caste enclosures’.” Yet Maheria graphically describes how, growing up in the working-class chawls, much of his early education happened in the suburb’s Municipal School No. 3-4, whose principal was a man called Balawantbhai Parmar. “A Dalit by birth, he was a thorough Gandhian. Clad in khadi kurta and khadi dhoti, with a topping of
Dalit Christians to participate in ‘Chalo Eluru’ on June 28
South India Baptist Association-founder president of Vizianagaram district R.S. John on Sunday urged Dalit Christians to participate in the ‘Dalit Christians Sankharava Sabha’ scheduled to be held in Eluru on June 28. The initiative aims to press for the protection of the rights of converted Christians in the State and across the country. Speaking to media here, Mr. John said that the Constitution guarantees the right to practice one’s chosen religion, and it should not be linked to the issue of reservation benefits given for Scheduled Castes. Mr. John added that over 5,000 Dalit Christians are expected to participate in the Eluru conclave to demand the government protect the interests of SC people who have embraced Christianity. He thanked the Jai Bhim party founder Jada Sravan Kumar for holding preparatory meetings across North Andhra region in order to make the Eluru Convlave as a success. He hoped that the government would come out with clear guidelines to protect the interests of Dalit Christians following the meeting. K Srinivasa Rao 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
Dalit woman and son assaulted, caste-related abuse alleged: Victim’s family demands action from Superintendent of Police
A woman in Bairaspur village, under the jurisdiction of the West Sharira police station in Kaushambi, has accused some villagers of using caste-related abuse, assaulting her, and threatening to kill her. The victim has submitted a complaint to the Superintendent of Police, demanding action. According to the complaint, Bairaspur resident Seema Devi stated that the incident occurred on June 12, 2026. She was at home with her son that day. It is alleged that a young man from the village arrived at her house and began calling her son out, using caste-related abuse. When Seema Devi’s son protested, the accused called other family members. The victim alleges that the accused attacked her son with a stick, causing serious head injuries and causing him to fall unconscious. Seema Devi, who tried to intervene, was also assaulted. Residents from the vicinity arrived at the scene, after which the situation was resolved. The woman says that after the incident, the accused threatened to kill her entire family if she complained. The victim also alleged that these men had previously assaulted her family. Seema Devi has urged the Superintendent of Police to conduct an impartial investigation into the matter, file a case against the accused, and take legal action. Jitendra Kumar | Manjhanpur, Kaushambi Courtesy: Hindi News
Sundargarh: Tribal and Dalit Contractors’ Association president attacked, two arrested
The president of the Tribal and Dalit Contractors’ Transport Association, Dilip Kumura, was allegedly subjected to a life-threatening attack in Odisha’s Sundargarh district. Sundargarh: The president of the Tribal and Dalit Contractors’ Transport Association, Dilip Kumura, was allegedly subjected to a life-threatening attack in Odisha’s Sundargarh district. Police have arrested two persons in connection with the incident and launched an investigation into the case. The arrested accused have been identified as Shiva Ghasi and Rukesh Khadia, both residents of Tileimal area in neighbouring Jharsuguda district. Police have booked them under various serious sections of the law and produced them before a local court. Two other individuals, identified as Biswa Majhi and Prakash Das, were initially detained for questioning but were later released after interrogation. Dilip Kumura alleges assault, death threats during return from Darlipali According to the complaint lodged by Kumura, he was returning to his residence in Sundargarh from the office of the association at Darlipali on June 11. The association is engaged in the transportation of fly ash from the NTPC Darlipali project. While on his way home, Kumura reportedly stopped by the roadside to attend a phone call. During that time, three youths — identified as Suraj Patel, Biswa Majhi and Prakash Das — allegedly arrived in a car and picked up a quarrel with him. The complaint alleges that Prakash Das took out an iron rod from the vehicle and attacked Kumura, striking him on the leg and causing serious injuries. It further states that Biswa Majhi and Suraj Patel allegedly brandished firearms and threatened to kill him. Hearing the commotion, some labourers passing through the area rushed to the spot, rescued the injured association leader and shifted him to a nearby hospital for treatment. Later that night, Kumura lodged an FIR at Bhasma police station, following which police detained Biswa Majhi and Prakash Das for questioning. During the course of the investigation, police reportedly found evidence suggesting the involvement of Shiva Ghasi and Rukesh Khadia in the assault and subsequently arrested them. By Chinmayee Dash Courtesy : Sambad English Note: This news is originally published on https:/sambadenglish.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
The khadi he wore, the Gandhi he kept: A Dalit memoir that refuses easy answers
Recently, I received a message from someone I had known since my Gandhinagar days, when I represented the Times of India from 1997 to 2012. He wanted to send me the English translation of a memoir he had written: “Homes Without Windows“. Thin, short, and darker in complexion than me, he would occasionally come down to my office in Akhbar Bhawan. His name is Chandu Maheria. Seen through a middle-class lens, Maheria had an unimpressive personality. But that didn’t concern me. I knew little about his background, except what he had told me — that he worked in the state education department, and if I am not mistaken, in its midday meal section. Whenever I met someone new, I would try to find out whether there was a story in them. Education interested me: that was my selfish reason for talking to him. Once, speaking on the phone, I asked Maheria to stop by my office on his way home to Gandhinagar, as he said he had a story. I was momentarily hesitant: he would have to arrange a drop to my office and back, since he did not drive a scooter. So I decided to meet him instead in the canteen of the Old Sachivalaya, where he had his office. Meeting him there directly, I felt, was also a better idea than going to his office, which might have exposed his closeness to a journalist. Much later, after my retirement, I discovered that he was regarded quite a buff — a respected one at that — in Dalit circles: an intellectual and a committed writer, one who could speak extensively on Dalit issues. I saw him speak at meetings at Dalit Shakti Kendra, an empowerment-cum-technical school for teenagers founded by the well-known human rights leader Martin Macwan, located off Ahmedabad. I found him very sharp. Until I received the book, all I knew about it was that it had been praised by the eminent historian of modern India, Ramachandra Guha, who called it a “truly remarkable and compellingly readable memoir” — a comment that had appeared on Facebook. With the book in hand, I began to randomly glance through it. But contrary to the anti-Gandhi views prevalent among most Dalit intellectuals across India, this is what I found him stating: “Gandhi might have been anything — call him whatever names — but one thing he was certainly not was anti-Dalit. Oh no, never. Alas!” This made me take a deeper look at the book and see what Maheria, a Dalit and a firm follower of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, thinks about Gandhi. Though a very reluctant reader, I read through its approximately 230 pages in a couple of sittings. Largely a personal account, the memoir describes how Maheria spent his early life in extreme poverty, growing up in a working-class chawl of Ahmedabad as the son of a mill worker — until he shifted to Gandhinagar on securing a government job. They lived in what he describes as “the squalid, tumble-down, cheek-by-jowl dwellings in the backstreets of the city, dubbed as the heart of the state.” Maheria describes how Dalits from different parts of Gujarat had settled in the chawls: “Our chawl was inhabited by the Rohits, people of the tanner caste, who had migrated from Charotar, a large swathe of fertile land covering districts like Kheda and Anand in central Gujarat”, and “the Vankars, people of the weaver caste, from Mehsana, a district in north Gujarat.” Belonging to different Dalit sub-castes, all of them would daily queue up for the dirty common toilet. He underlines, “A strange thing to say, but it was in these queues that I learnt my first lessons in social inequality.” According to him, “All these people were extremely beleaguered, a harried lot that had come here to escape poverty, untouchability, oppression and exploitation, and yet they saw hierarchy and hatred as natural ways of being, such that even the slightest breach in the set order resulted in exchanges of expletives and blows.” Pointing out that “all this cheek was for toilets that were no better than hellholes”, he states, “Though not untouchability in its conventional sense, these practices were rooted in direct discrimination, in an ordained difference between the high and the low, that had seeped right up to the bottom of the caste order.” Offering an example of intra-Dalit casteism, he gives the example of Neno Ma’raj, a man of the priestly Garoda caste, considered the highest among the Dalits. “A mill worker of no consequence, Ma’raj would, in a blatant exhibition of his caste pride, lay his string cot out on the footpath every evening and lounge there like a maharaja, a veritable badshah holding his royal court.” He explains, “In his exhaustive, eye-opening study of the forms of untouchability practised by non-Dalits and Dalits (among themselves) in Gujarat, my friend Martin Macwan has pegged the numbers at ninety-eight and ninety-nine, respectively.” Explaining caste discrimination and related issues through personal anecdotes, Maheria reveals why he believes a section of Dalit intellectuals’ anti-Gandhi stance has gone overboard. None of them, he feels, will admit that no other leader fought untouchability like Gandhiji. Indeed, the book’s chapter “That Fellow, Gandhido” particularly excited me. Maheria starts by stating that he likes wearing khadi as it suits his “short body and slim build”, and explains why his mother didn’t like it. The fabric was anathema to her. She would take a dig at him, saying, “You look like a ditto Gandhiyo in this pair.” An unlettered woman who had picked up the Gandhi-Ambedkar debate through household conversations, her “pet peeve was, ‘None but that fellow, Gandhiyo is responsible for erecting these caste enclosures’.” Yet Maheria graphically describes how, growing up in the working-class chawls, much of his early education happened in the suburb’s Municipal School No. 3-4, whose principal was a man called Balawantbhai Parmar. “A Dalit by birth, he was a thorough Gandhian. Clad in khadi kurta and khadi dhoti, with a topping of
SP MLA accused of occupying Dalit woman’s land: She claims he built a boundary wall and gate, threatened her when she protested; MLA calls allegations baseless
The land dispute between Rakesh Kumar Yadav, Samajwadi Party MLA from Balrampur’s Gasdi assembly constituency, and a Scheduled Caste woman has returned to the spotlight. Sanghmitra Gautam, a resident of Dhusah village in the Kotwali Dehat area, has accused the MLA and his brother, Adarsh Yadav, of illegally occupying her land. The MLA, however, has denied all allegations and called the matter an old dispute. In a petition to the administration, Sanghmitra Gautam stated that Khasra number 765, measuring 0.055 hectares (approximately 15 decimals), located on Church Road, is her ancestral land. She alleges that the MLA’s side occupied the land by dumping soil on it and constructed a boundary wall and gate. The woman claims that the land ownership and demarcation issue has been heard at various levels in the past, and objections have been dismissed. Despite this, the encroachment proceedings were allegedly carried out. Allegations of threats and indecency for protesting Sanghamitra Gautam alleges that when she protested the construction, she was insulted with casteist slurs and threatened with death. She alleges that attempts are being made to suppress the matter through influence. However, these allegations could not be independently confirmed. Claim of pending demarcation The woman stated that the land was to be re-demarcated after the dispute was pending in the revenue courts, but this process has not progressed since April 2025. During this time, a boundary wall and gate were allegedly constructed. She also alleged that despite numerous complaints, the concerned revenue officials did not take any effective action. Serious allegations also leveled against officials Sanghamitra has accused some revenue officials of trying to force a settlement through pressure. She says she was advised to vacate the land and accept compensation in exchange. The woman also claimed that she had approached the High Court in the matter, which directed the Superintendent of Police to monitor the case. She also alleged that a settlement agreement was filed in her name without her consent. MLA Says Measurement Has Been Done Multiple Times Meanwhile, Gasdi MLA Rakesh Kumar Yadav dismissed all allegations as baseless. He stated that the land in question has been measured multiple times, and records are available. The MLA stated that the woman has been filing objections for a long time. She can obtain the land where it is located. He also stated that the people from whom the land was purchased can be contacted and assured cooperation in resolving the matter. Demand for an Impartial Investigation Sanghamitra Gautam has demanded that the administration conduct an impartial demarcation of the land, remove alleged illegal encroachments, and take legal action against the culprits. Following the MLA’s statement, the truth of the entire matter will only be revealed after an administrative investigation and scrutiny of revenue records. Sujit Kumar | Balrampur Courtesy: Hindi News
Cops detain Bangla transgender who gave the slip in Feb
Tushei Khan returned to Dhaka and re-entered India in May, believing that she would be able to avoid detection Police in DN Nagar have detained a Bangladeshi transgender national who allegedly underwent gender reassignment surgery in Thailand, adopted a new identity and entered India illegally. Tushei Khan had allegedly evaded detention during a February operation conducted by the Anti-Terrorism Cell (ATC) of Versova Police, officials said. Twenty-five Bangladeshi nationals, including 21 transgender persons, were detained during the crackdown and later deported. However, officers realised that one individual they had been tracking had escaped. What followed was a four-month search involving intelligence gathering, local verification and surveillance. According to the police, Khan travelled to Thailand several years ago, underwent gender reassignment surgery and subsequently assumed a new identity before entering India and settling in Mumbai. They said Tushei first arrived in Mumbai around six months ago after allegedly entering India through an agent. She allegedly lived in the city without valid immigration documents and remained undetected for several months. The breakthrough came after police received information about Bangladeshi nationals allegedly residing illegally in Andheri. During a coordinated operation on Saturday, four Bangladeshi nationals were detained. Three were held by Versova Police, while Khan was detained by DN Nagar Police. Police said Tushei had remained out of their reach since the February raids at multiple premises in the Yari Road area. The operation was significant not only because of the number of undocumented immigrants detected but also because officials uncovered suspected networks allegedly facilitating the illegal stay and movement of foreign nationals. “Tushei Khan had managed to evade detention during the February operation. Following sustained surveillance and verification, the accused was traced and detained. The deportation process has now been initiated and her Bangladeshi passport has been verified,” a police officer said. Officials claim that after escaping the February crackdown, Khan returned to Dhaka and re-entered India in May, believing she had avoided detection. Police have initiated coordination with central agencies and Bangladeshi authorities to complete deportation formalities. The police are also examining whether Tushei received assistance from local facilitators who may have helped arrange accommodation, mobile phone connections, financial access or identity-related documents during her stay in Mumbai. Officials said previous investigations involving undocumented foreign nationals had uncovered the use of forged Aadhaar cards, PAN cards and other documents allegedly used to blend into urban populations and evade detection. Anish.Patil Courtesy : Mumbai Mirror Note: This news is originally published on https:/mumbaimirror.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
After railway bridge theft, 132-ft mobile tower goes missing in Bihar
The bizarre incident was reported from Buxar district, where a 132-ft telecom tower and a 15 KVA generator allegedly disappeared from their location. PATNA: After an old railway bridge, a 132-foot-tall mobile tower has allegedly been stolen in Bihar. The bizarre incident was reported from Buxar district, where a 132-ft telecom tower and a 15 KVA generator allegedly disappeared from their location. The incident occurred in Dumraon and came to light when officials and employees of GTL Infrastructure reached the site to repair the mobile tower, which had reportedly remained non-operational for years. Residents were surprised to learn that the huge telecom tower, located in the middle of a residential area, had vanished without anyone noticing. Upon arriving at the location, they were shocked to find that the 132-ft tower was no longer there. Along with the tower, a 15 KVA generator set and other technical equipment installed at the site were also found missing. Following the discovery, a company representative submitted a written complaint at the Dumraon police station, alleging theft of the tower and associated equipment. Police have since launched an investigation into the matter. Shubham Arya, SP, Buxar, said a complaint had been received regarding the removal of the tower. “Information about the incident has been received. The matter is being investigated following receipt of the complaint,” he added. The SP said the landowner and other concerned persons would be questioned. Further legal action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation. The landowner, Harenath Yadav, said the company had signed an agreement around 10 years ago. In 2022, the agreement expired and the company also stopped making payments for the land used to install the tower. “We gave four notices to the company, but there was no response from that side. Now, we have come to know that the tower is missing,” he told the media. Local residents told police that the tower was installed in the area around 15 years ago. “But it was non-operational for several years. Now we have come to know that the tower is missing,” said local resident Vikas Kumar Singh. Earlier, a major portion of an abandoned iron railway bridge over the Sone river was stolen from Dehri-on-Sone in Rohtas district. A 60-foot-long, 500-tonne iron bridge, built during the British era, was stolen by thieves posing as government officials in 2022. A similar incident occurred in Samastipur district in February 2023, when unidentified thieves allegedly made away with a 2-km-long railway track and its scrap. Though FIRs were registered in both cases, nothing substantial emerged from the police investigations. Ramashankar 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
Lakhimpur Kheri: Dalit woman alleges entire family dragged out onto the street and beaten, police issue challan for disturbing peace
A Dalit woman living in Kashiram Awas in Lakhimpur Kheri, has accused some people of entering her home, assaulting her, using casteist slurs, and threatening to kill her. The victim has appealed to the Superintendent of Police to register a case against the accused and take action and ensure her family’s safety. Usha Devi, wife of the late Ram Kishan, resident of Mohalla Haniatola, Kheri, stated in her application to the Superintendent of Police that on June 3rd, around 6 p.m., some people arrived at her home and began banging on the door. Upon opening the door, the accused began arguing about stray dogs. The woman alleges that when she objected, the accused used casteist slurs and verbally abused her. According to the victim, when her son objected, the accused entered the house and began assaulting family members. Later, other people were called to the scene, who dragged the family members out of the house and beat them on the street. The woman stated that some of the men were armed with sharp weapons and that she has a video of the incident. The victim stated that a complaint regarding this incident was filed at the Kheri police station, but instead of registering a case, the police issued a challan against both parties under sections of breach of peace. The woman alleges that the accused are continuously issuing threats, causing an atmosphere of fear within her family. The woman has reiterated her demand to the Superintendent of Police to conduct an impartial investigation into the matter, register an FIR, and ensure the safety of her family. Gopal Giri | Lakhimpur-Kheri Courtesy: Hindi News
A Dalit girl returning with chowmein in the rain was raped: Family approached the police station after no action was taken, SSP reprimanded the station in-charge.
A case of rape of a minor Dalit girl has been reported in the Ratanpuri police station area of Muzaffarnagar. Following the lack of action by the local police, the victim’s family filed a complaint with Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sanjay Kumar Verma. The family stated that the girl was returning home with groceries from a shop on Thursday night when a young man from the village allegedly took her to a deserted house and raped her. When the girl did not return home for a long time, the family began searching for her. During the search, they found the girl with the accused youth. The victim’s family alleges that after the incident, several people from the accused party arrived at the scene, entered their house, and assaulted them. The family also alleges that they were subjected to casteist remarks, death threats, and assault. Tensions between the two parties escalated following this incident. The family says that the local police did not take the required action on their complaint. Following this, the victim’s family met with Senior Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kumar Verma on Friday and informed him of the entire incident. Regarding the seriousness of the matter, SSP Verma immediately directed the Ratanpuri police station in-charge to take necessary action. He ordered the police to conduct a medical examination of the victim, ensure the safety of her family, and investigate the allegations and take legal action. Following the SSP’s instructions, Ratanpuri police arrived at the police station in their vehicle and took the victim and her family with them. The police are currently investigating the matter. Police officials stated that further legal action will be taken based on the facts revealed in the investigation. Varun Kumar Sharma | Muzaffarnagar Courtesy: Hindi News