Kerala: Dalit priest resigns, upset over caste discrimination and threats, says ‘a conspiracy was hatched to steal’
‘An attempt was made to prove me a thief by removing the idol’s original ornaments’ – Fed up with caste discrimination and threats, a 23-year-old Dalit priest in Kerala has resigned from his job. Ernakulam (Kerala): A shocking incident has emerged from Alangad in Kerala’s Ernakulam district. A Dalit priest has resigned from his post, accusing the CPI(M)-backed Devaswom Employees Confederation of caste discrimination, threats, and fabricated complaints. The young priest, P.R. Vishnu, claims that when he refused to participate in certain unfair practices and wrongdoings, retaliatory action was initiated against him, making it impossible for him to continue working at the temple. Conspiracies began just months after joining the job 23-year-old Vishnu was serving as a part-time priest at the Malikampeedika Vathurakkavu Temple in Alangad. He had been appointed to this position approximately four months earlier after being selected by the Travancore Devaswom Recruitment Board (TDB) based on a written examination and interview. However, within a few months of his appointment, the temple administration began receiving false complaints in his name from fake addresses. Love for Sanatana Dharma and Attempt to Prove Him a ‘Thief’ Due to his deep faith in Sanatana Dharma, Vishnu underwent rigorous training in Tantric rituals and chose this profession. Recounting a horrific plot against him, he said: “Every effort was made to frame me as a thief. I was shocked to see that the real gold ornaments on the idol had been replaced with fake ones. I became suspicious and immediately called a goldsmith to have the ornaments checked. This way, I narrowly escaped being falsely accused of theft.” Family also being targeted Vishnu’s father, P.K. Ramesan, is a daily wage laborer, and his mother, Soumya Ramesan, is a homemaker. The priest alleges that his family is also being deliberately harassed. Vishnu revealed that he had filed a police complaint against a local man, and he is facing intense pressure from various quarters to withdraw it. What’s the future? Regarding the recent developments, Vishnu said that he received a call from the TDB Chairman’s office on Wednesday, and Crime Branch officials have recorded his statement. He has clearly told officials that if strict action is taken against those responsible for insulting him, he may reconsider his resignation. Devaswom Employees Confederation’s clarification Amidst this controversy, Devaswom Employees Confederation State President Prajit Kumar has given his side of the story. He said, “Our organization will not allow anyone to discriminate against our priests on the basis of caste, as they are directly selected by the TDB Commissioner. We will definitely take action against the TDB employees who insulted Vishnu.” Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News
UP: 15-year-old Dalit gang-raped by two youths, minor at hotel
The accused had abandpned her under a bridge after committing the crime. Banda: A 15-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly abducted and gang-raped at a hotel in Uttar Pradesh’s Banda district by two youths and a minor, who then abandoned her under a bridge, police said on Thursday, February 19. The two youths involved in the crime were arrested, and the juvenile was apprehended on Wednesday, February 18, they said. According to Atarra Circle Officer Praveen Yadav, the arrested have been identified as Mahesh Kushwaha (18), Shakti Singh (19), and a 15-year-old boy, all residents of Girwan village. Victim forced to inhale intoxicant, then taken to hotel He said the incident took place around 8:30 pm on Tuesday, February 17. The complaint filed by the girl’s father stated that his daughter had gone to the market in Atarra town with a friend, when the three accused on a motorcycle made her inhale some intoxicant. They took the semi-conscious teenager to a hotel on Station Road, committed the crime, and then abandoned her under the Ken Canal bridge before fleeing, CO Yadav said. A case was registered on Wednesday, and all the accused were held, the CO said. He added that one of the arrested accused was a former acquaintance of the victim. Posted by Khadija Irfan Rahim Courtesy : Scroll Note: This news is originally published on https:/scroll.in/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
No discussion at present on appointing Dalit CM: HM
Mangaluru: Home minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said there is no discussion at present on appointing a Dalit chief minister. He told reporters on Tuesday, that the govt is currently concentrating on governance and preparing the state budget. Responding to minister HC Mahadevappa’s remarks advocating for a Dalit chief minister, Parameshwara said that Mahadevappa expressed his personal opinion on the issue. “Mahadevappa is a capable leader and can handle any responsibility given to him. That is why he made the statement. In a democratic society, individuals express their views and choose their leaders. There is nothing wrong in that. However, the Congress has a high command, and it will take the final decision on such matters. It is not enough if a few people raise slogans in my favour. The high command will consider all aspects before arriving at a decision. At present, there is no such discussion on a Dalit chief minister,” he added. Reacting to the stone-pelting incident in Chikkamagaluru, Parameshwara said that action was already initiated. “Police will proceed in accordance with the law. It was reported that the woman in the house belongs to the Dalit community, and the police will register the case under the relevant legal provisions,” he said. On IT minister Priyank Kharge’s remarks against the RSS, Parameshwara said he was expressing his personal views. “He has his own opinion, and I have mine. Priyank Kharge expressed his views about the RSS. My opinion is not required in this matter,” he said. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Police inspector dismissed for tardy inquiries into TN dalit youth’s suicide
CUDDALORE: Sethiathope police inspector P Jaishankar has been dismissed from service for tardy investigation into the suicide of a dalit youth when he served as Kadar inspector in charge in Villupuram district in 2022. DIG (Villupuram range) A Arularasu passed an order in this regard on Monday. Police said a quarrel erupted between two groups from different communities over a petty issue in Soorapattu village under Kadar police station limits on Dec 21, 2022. Jaishankar registered cases against the members of the two communities involved in the clash following complaints and counter-complaints. Two days later, M Raja, a dalit, who was also booked, died by suicide. The Kadar police arrested two members of the vanniyar community on charges of forcing the dalit youth to die by suicide. However, investigating officer Jaishankar failed to probe the case in an effective and efficient manner, following which he was suspended. A few months later, his suspension was revoked. He was transferred to Sethiathope police station in Cuddalore district. The committee, which was inquiring into the charges against the inspector, submitted the final report to the DIG (Villupuram range). Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
20,000 acres of land allotted to Dalits, OBCs, tribals in Gujarat not handed over yet: Vadgam MLA Jignesh Mevani
Gandhinagar: State Congress working president and Vadgam MLA Jignesh Mevani said in the assembly on Tuesday that 20,000 acres of land allotted to Dalits, OBCs and tribals was not yet handed over to them in the state. Speaking during a discussion on the Saurashtra Gharkhed, Tenancy Settlement and Agricultural Lands (Gujarat Amendment) Bill, Mevani said that in Surendranagar district, Dalit farm labourers wrote to authorities for 15 years about encroachments on their 7,500 acres of land, yet no action was taken. “I raised this issue multiple times over the past eight years in the assembly. The govt must commit to resolving this issue. If we can allocate land to large corporate entities, why is the state not handing over land for cultivation? The state revenue department must act to remove illegal encroachments and ensure justice for the marginalised,” he said. During past assembly sessions too, Mevani had asked the govt to register offences in cases where Dalits have been allotted land parcels under Gujarat Agriculture Land Ceiling Act, but the same remained illegally encroached upon by non-Dalits. He demanded that preventive measures should be taken by the police to ensure that the land allottees do not suffer loss of life or property in case they go on their own to take possession of the illegally encroached land. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
SP MLA flags policy on nod for Dalit events
Lucknow: A heated exchange took place in the UP Assembly after Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA from Jasrana, Sachin Yadav, questioned the state govt’s policy regarding permissions for religious events, jayantis, and processions primarily related to Dalit ideologues. Raising the issue during Question Hour, Yadav asked whether the govt would consider formulating a “simple and safe policy” to address alleged administrative irregularities in religious programmes and shobha yatras carried out by Dalit communities. He sought to know if govt would remove condition of “presence in conventional police register” and allow “every section” of society to observe jayantis and carry out processions of their leaders without discrimination. Yadav asked govt if process for obtaining permission would be simplified and whether approvals for village-level processions could be granted locally. Responding to the query, state parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Khanna squarely rejected allegations of discrimination levelled by the SP legislator. Courtesy : TOI
Rape of Dalit girl in Uttar Pradesh: Man sentenced to life imprisonment
Ballia (UP): A local court in Ballia on Tuesday convicted the accused in a year-old case of raping a Dalit girl and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The Public Prosecutor’s Office (PPO) provided this information. PPO Officer Vimal Kumar Rai stated on Wednesday that in February 2025, Manjeet Gupta, alias Neeraj Gupta, of Pur village, lured a 14-year-old Dalit girl from a village in the Pakadi police station area and raped her for approximately three months. The girl’s family learned of the incident only after she became pregnant. He stated that a case was registered against Gupta at the Pakadi police station on February 26, 2025, based on a complaint from the girl’s mother. After an investigation, the police filed a charge sheet against the accused in court. Rai stated that the court of Additional Sessions Judge First Kant, hearing the case on Tuesday, convicted the accused, sentenced him to life imprisonment, and also imposed a fine of ₹75,000. Salim Surabhi This story was auto-fed from Bhasha news agency. ThePrint is not responsible for its content. Courtesy: Hindi News
Can’t a Dalit fly? Bihar IAS officer’s charter flight for family sparks row
A chartered flight from Delhi to Patna taken by a Bihar-cadre IAS officer and his family has triggered a political storm over privilege and propriety. After a Congress MLA raised questions over who paid for the trip, a BJP minister invoked the officer’s Dalit identity to defend him. He turned the row into a slugfest charged with caste. A senior Bihar-cadre IAS officer is at the centre of a political controversy. The Opposition in Bihar questioned how a civil servant flew his family on a chartered flight. However, a debate that should have centred around accountability and use of public money sank into the swamp of caste politics. The Opposition—the RJD and the Congress—questioned how the IAS officer, Nilesh Ramchandra Deore, could afford a chartered flight and who paid for it. Deore took the chartered flight with his family from Delhi to Patna last year. The JDU-BJP-led Bihar government said that the plane was already returning to Patna, and he only made the best use of it. However, the controversy took a turn when Bihar minister Ashok Choudhary used Deore’s Dalit identity to hit back at the Opposition. He wielded the convenient weapon of caste, and asked whether the officer had no right to fly because he was a Dalit. Here’s all that has happened so far. WHAT TRIGGERED ROW OVER IAS OFFICER’S CHARTERED FLIGHT IN BIHAR The controversy began in the Bihar Legislative Assembly on Monday. RJD MLA Rahul Sharma flagged that Nilesh Ramchandra Deore had travelled by a chartered plane with his family from New Delhi to Patna in June 2025, reported Bihar Tak, India Today Digital’s sister portal. Sharma questioned how an IAS officer could afford such a flight. He asked how Deore managed to take a chartered plane, which is costly. “On June 5, 2025, a chartered King Air Falcon 2000 flew from Delhi to Patna. It did not park at the regular civilian airport but reportedly went to a flying institute, raising questions. A Bihar government officer was on board with his family, four people in total. Was permission taken or not? I do not think the Bihar government can officially extend such a facility. If someone else paid, why did they pay? What did they receive in return?” Sharma, an MLA representing Jahanabad’s Ghosi seat, asked. “His entire tenure should be audited to establish the facts. People do not pat for a tempo ride, but he was given access to a private aircraft. There appears to be a nexus of corruption operating in Bihar, and this must be thoroughly investigated. There appears to be a nexus of corruption operating in Bihar, and this must be thoroughly investigated. The government’s silence is telling and only deepens suspicion. Bihar is a poor state, and allegations of corruption are both serious and deeply concerning. We only want to know how an IAS officer can afford a journey by a chartered plane,” Congress MLA Sharma told News4Nation, a local YouTube channel. The allegation quickly snowballed. The Congress MLA’s focus was not only on the flight. It was also over the (mis)use of privilege, propriety and public money. Deore, who is a Secretary with both the Tourism and Civil Aviation departments of the Bihar government, is a native of Maharashtra. WHAT BIHAR GOVERNMENT MINISTER SAID ABOUT THE FLIGHT AND WAS IT AN OFFICIAL TRIP? The Bihar government moved to clarify on the matter. Bihar Rural Works Minister Ashok Choudhary responded in the Assembly. “Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Civil Aviation Secretary Nilesh Deore and I were on an official trip from Patna to Delhi last July. The plane had to return to Patna anyway. Deore and his family boarded the plane on its return journey,” Choudhary said in a video. Though the flight was reportedly in June, the minister said it was in July. The month, however, is incidental to the entire saga as of now. Choudhary also sharpened the political tone. He asked if Deore had no right to fly because he was a Dalit. “Do Dalits and backward communities not have the right to board an aircraft? What sin has been committed here? And what is the background of those raising these questions?” Choudhary asked. The BJP leader’s explanation suggested that the aircraft was already scheduled to return. The implication was that there was no additional burden on the exchequer because of the flight. “He is an officer with a service record. He worked extensively in the education sector in Banka and Bettiah. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar appreciated his work and later gave him a role in the Civil Aviation Department. Supporters argue it is not a big deal as the flight was, anyway, returning empty. They say questions are being raised without homework and ask why Nilesh Deore is being targeted. Some also point out that during his stint in the health department he took stern action against 25 people, and wonder whether that has anything to do with the controversy now,” Choudhary said while speaking to journalists. Choudhary’s remark shifted the debate to caste. It was no longer just about a flight, professional conduct or accountability. It became a matter of caste and entitlement. IS IAS OFFICER’S CHARTER FLIGHT ABOUT CASTE OR ABOUT USE OF PUBLIC MONEY? The Congress pushed back against the BJP leader’s response, saying the issue was not about caste but about transparency and accountability. “Rather than the government or the officer in question putting the record straight, Choudhary has been trying to play the Dalit card. We only want the government to tell us if the officer was charged a fare for his travel or if the journey was at the expense of the poor,” Bihar Congress spokesperson Asit Nath Tiwari was quoted as saying by The Indian Express newspaper. The Opposition’s central question has been simple. Was any fare paid? If yes, how much? If not, why not? The JDU-BJP government has so far only clarified the circumstances of the return flight. It has not publicly detailed whether Deore paid
Dalit activists demand Karnataka release and implement Rohith Vemula Bill in budget session
Dalit groups, academics and students warned of protests if the Congress government delays the draft of the Rohith Vemula Act, seeking safeguards against caste discrimination in educational institutions. BENGALURU: Even as the Congress government in Karnataka has delayed releasing the draft of the Rohith Vemula Bill, Dalit activists, academics, and students have demanded that it be made public and implemented in educational institutions during the upcoming budget session. Activists have warned of massive protests if the government fails to act. The “Campaign for Rohith Vemula Act,” active for the past two years, has prepared a “People’s Draft” aimed at providing equal educational opportunities for SC/ST students and eliminating caste discrimination in institutions. This draft has already been submitted to the state government during previous meetings. Condemning the delay, Mavalli Shankar, State Convener of the Dalit Sangharsh Samiti (Ambedkar Vaada), said, “The state government has already promised to implement the Rohith Act. It is regrettable that the draft has not yet been made public or discussed in the Assembly. This Act is essential to ensure equal opportunities in higher education for Dalit and Adivasi students. The Congress party, which swears by the Constitution, must take concrete steps to realise the values of the preamble. Enacting the Rohith Vemula Act would mark a historic step toward ensuring dignity, equality, and justice in Karnataka’s universities and colleges.” Ashna Singh, Assistant Professor at the National Law School of India University, Bangalore, who conducted research for the draft, said, “To break the caste hierarchy, reservation in government jobs was first implemented during the reign of the Mysore Wodeyars. Karnataka has a history of protecting Dalits, Adivasis, and Bahujans through special laws such as PTCL, KTPP, the abolition of the Devadasi system, and anti-social boycott laws. In this same spirit, implementing the Rohith Act is a necessity.” 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
Odisha caste row ends; children return to anganwadi centre, consume food cooked by Dalit employee
“I hope caste discrimination will not lurk its ugly head in the village anymore,” Sharmistha Sethy, the woman anganwadi employee said A three-month-long caste row at an anganwadi centre in a village in Odisha’s Kendrapara district ended on Monday (February 16, 2026) as children from upper caste families returned to the facility and consumed food cooked by a Dalit woman helper. Of the 20 children on the roll, 16 came to the anganwadi centre in Nuagaon village under Ghalimala gram panchayat with their parents and ate the food cooked by the helper, with the absentees reporting ill. Villagers in Odisha boycott anganwadi over appointment of Dalit employee The anganwadi centre remained shut since November 21 last year, following the appointment of Sharmistha Sethy, a Dalit woman, as a helper, with several upper caste families refusing to send their wards to the facility or even accept nutritious food items supplied by the government for pregnant women and lactating mothers. The caste row triggered nationwide outrage, and the matter was even raised in Parliament, with Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, voicing concern over caste discrimination in the workplace. On Monday (February 16, 2026), Kendrapara Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) Dipali Mishra and Rajnagar MLA Dhruba Charan Sahoo were present at the anganwadi centre to welcome the children. Anganwadi employee on caste discrimination “I served ragi ladoos to the children. Later, I cooked rice and ‘dalma’ (vegetable curry) and served the children. Seeing them eat the meals made me overjoyed. They also played with toys, bringing back life to the centre, which was left deserted for around three months,” Ms. Sethy said. Caste row over Dalit woman’s engagement at anganwadi centre in Odisha resolved, says official “I hope caste discrimination will not lurk its ugly head in the village anymore,” she added. CDPO Mishra said the children, flanked by their guardians, had joyous moments at the centre. “The centre functioned sans the children for almost three months due to some villagers’ disagreement over the appointment of Sharmistha Sethy as the anganwadi centre helper. Now, the vibrancy is back,” Ms. Mishra said. On the absentees, the CDPO said they could not join as they are not well. “We hope the absentee children will come to the centre on Tuesday as the dispute has been resolved. People have decided to relegate the differences to the background. This is heartening,” she added. Rajnagar MLA Dhurba Charan Sahoo said, “The issue is now a thing of the past. I hope the camaraderie among the villagers will remain intact.” Taking to X, Kendrapara MP and BJP national vice president Baijayant Panda said, “Delighted at children having a nutritious meal today at the Nuagaon anganwadi which I had reviewed yesterday and had a wonderful lunch along with local leaders and villagers. It was heartening to see the community coming together to ensure great beginnings for their children.” Mr. Panda and other villagers joined a feast where Ms. Sethy served food to the guests on Sunday. State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) member Sujata Nayak hailed the children’s return to the centre and said the commission will launch an awareness drive aimed at safeguarding the rights of the children. Kendrapara district sub-collector Arun Nayak had earlier said the matter was resolved in the presence of stakeholders, including members of the SCPCR and Odisha State Commission for Women, as the officials sensitised villagers on the matter. 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