BJP flags off 6-month campaign to consolidate Dalit’s support
Lucknow: In a move aimed at strengthening its presence among Dalits ahead of key electoral battles in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, the BJP on Tuesday launched its ambitious ‘Samrasta Yatra’ from Varanasi. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and state BJP president Pankaj Chaudhary flagged off 131 urns carrying soil from Dalit icon Sant Ravidas’s birthplace at Seer Govardhanpur in Varanasi, is being seen as an attempt to strengthen the party’s influence among Dalit communities in UP while making significant political inroads in Punjab. The yatra, which began on Guru Purnima, will continue for six months until February 20, 2027, making it one of the BJP’s longest social outreach campaigns. Although BJP national president Nitin Nabin was scheduled to attend the launch, his visit was cancelled at the last moment. Of the 131 urns, 75 will be distributed across villages and hamlets in UP, while the remaining will be sent to other states, with Punjab receiving special attention. Political observers believe the campaign’s impact could be more pronounced in Punjab than in UP. Sant Ravidas enjoys deep reverence among Jatavs, one of the largest Dalit communities, and Dalits constitute nearly 34% of Punjab’s population. In UP, Dalits account for around 21% of the population and hold significant electoral influence through 84 Assembly constituencies reserved for scheduled castes. However, the BJP faces challenges in attracting Jatav voters in UP. Despite its efforts and also by the SP-Congress alliance and Chandrashekhar Azad’s Azad Samaj Party to consolidate their support, a large section of Jatavs continues to remain aligned with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Analysts say this leaves limited room for the BJP to make rapid gains among the community in the state. Punjab presents a different political landscape. Though BSP founder Kanshi Ram hailed from Punjab and began his political journey there, the party has struggled to establish itself as a major electoral force in the state. The vacuum has allowed national and regional parties to compete for Dalit support, making the BJP’s Sant Ravidas outreach politically significant. Within UP, party insiders say the campaign reflects a broader strategy to strengthen ties with Dalit communities. BJP leaders are reportedly working on literature and outreach programmes centred on Dalit icons as part of preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections. The urgency stems from the BJP’s performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when sections of its traditionally supportive non-Jatav Dalit base, including Valmikis, Sonkers and Pasis, drifted away from the party. The SP-Congress alliance made significant gains, with the Samajwadi Party winning 37 seats and the Congress six, while the BJP’s tally dropped sharply from 62 to 33 seats in the state. Political observers attribute part of this shift to the Congress-SP alliance, while SP leaders argue that sustained grassroots engagement and the emergence of Dalit leaders within the party helped reduce long-standing mistrust among Dalit voters toward the SP. SP insiders say the party plans to further expand Dalit representation in the 2027 Assembly polls and may field Dalit candidates even from general seats where electoral conditions favour such a move. The political importance of Sant Ravidas’s birthplace has steadily grown over the years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended Ravidas Jayanti celebrations in 2016 and 2019 and visited the temple again in 2023. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi have also paid visits in recent years. The site’s political symbolism dates back to 1997, when then chief minister Mayawati attempted to develop a grand park at Sant Ravidas’s birthplace. The proposal, however, faced local resistance and could not be completed. Nearly three decades later, the temple and Sant Ravidas’s legacy remain at the centre of competing political efforts to win over Dalit voters. 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
Tehri Dalit Teen Death Case: Fugitive Accused Arrested in POCSO Case
The people of Pratap Nagar had repeatedly appealed to the district administration to arrest the accused. Tehri: The death of a Dalit teen in the Lambgaon area is once again in the news. Based on the complaint filed by the minor victim’s mother, a case was registered at the Lambgaon police station under sections of the BNS and POCSO Acts. Following this, the Dalit teen’s friend was arrested today. During the investigation, based on the victim’s statements under sections 180 and 183 of the BNSS and other evidence, the absconding accused was arrested. The accused was produced in court today. The people of Pratap Nagar had repeatedly appealed to the district administration to arrest the accused. Following this, the police conducted raids at various locations to arrest the accused, and finally, the accused has been arrested. The Dalit teen was friends (or in a love affair) with a girl. On the night of June 7-8, after receiving a call from the girl, he and his friend went to meet her on a bike. The girl’s family members intercepted him there. They then took the Dalit teenager and his friend hostage. They reportedly assaulted them, resulting in serious injuries. The Dalit teenager died. After the Dalit teenager’s death, the case became a high-profile one. There was a huge uproar. Following this, Chandrashekhar Azad, MP from the Nagina parliamentary constituency in Uttar Pradesh, visited the Dalit teenager’s home. He met with the Dalit teenager’s family and assured them of his support. He also demanded a CBI investigation into the matter. Following this, several other revelations emerged regarding the case. The other party also demanded the arrest of the Dalit teenager’s friend, who was arrested today. Courtesy: Hindi News
Occupation of 72 Dalit Patta Lands: Women Beaten for Protesting, Appeal to DM
In Niloha village, Falavada, Sardhana tehsil, Meerut, 72 Dalit leased lands have been encroached upon by powerful people. When the women tenants arrived with their land documents, they were assaulted and threatened with dire consequences. The victims met with District Magistrate Dr. VK Singh and requested an investigation and action in the matter. Villagers of Niloha village, Sardhana tehsil, stated that these leased lands were allotted to Dalits during the BSP government. According to government records, the land measures approximately 750 bighas, and all the villagers have valid lease documents. However, despite the land being in their names on the documents, the village’s powerful people have occupied it. According to the villagers, when they go to cultivate their land, the powerful people destroy their crops with tractors. This has caused them losses worth lakhs of rupees and has created a financial crisis. The villagers have accused Satte Pradhan, Mukesh Pradhan, Ompal, Ajay Kumar, Devi Lal, Rajveer, and Vinod, among others, of encroaching the land. The victims stated that they had filed complaints in this regard at the relevant tehsil and police station. However, their complaints were dismissed as land disputes, and no action was taken. On Wednesday afternoon, a large number of villagers reached the District Magistrate’s office. They explained their problems to the administrative officer and alleged that the bullies do not spare even women and beat them with sticks. Administrative officials have investigated the matter and assured impartial action. Shubham | Meerut Courtesy: Hindi News
Alleged rape of Dalit girl in Nasirabad: Main accused arrested, case filed under serious sections including SC/ST Act
A case of rape of an 18-year-old Dalit girl has come to light in a village in the Nasirabad police station area of Rae Bareli. Based on the complaint filed by the victim, the police have registered a case under rape, SC/ST Act, and other serious sections. Police have arrested the main accused and are investigating the matter. According to the complaint filed by the victim’s aunt, on July 28th, at around 4 pm, village resident Prem Sagar Tiwari, son of Dayashankar Tiwari, allegedly lured the girl into his tubewell room. It is alleged that she was forcibly raped there. After the incident, the accused used casteist slurs and threatened to kill her if she mentioned the incident to anyone or complained to the police. The accused also claimed that his family had influential and political connections. The complaint also alleges that when some villagers arrived at the scene, those present allegedly abused the victims, made casteist remarks, and threatened to kill them. As the crowd of villagers grew, the accused fled the scene. Salon Circle Officer Yaduvendra Bahadur Pal stated that after the complaint came to light, a case was registered under serious sections including rape and the SC/ST Act. The main accused has been arrested and is being interrogated. The victim has been sent for a medical examination. He added that an impartial investigation is also being conducted into the role of the other accused named in the case. Strict legal action will be taken based on the facts that emerge from the investigation. According to the police, the investigation is being carried forward based on all evidence and the medical report. Rajiv Sinha | Chhatoh, Raebareli Courtesy: Hindi News
Silenced by caste, forged by resistance: Meet Urmila Pawar, the voice that forced India to confront its deepest shames
There is a kind of writing that does not simply tell a story. It breaks something open. It reaches into the parts of society that have been deliberately kept in shadow and holds a lamp up to them steadily, fearlessly, and without flinching. Urmila Pawar has been doing exactly that for over four decades. At the AutHer Awards 2026, the seventh edition of the prestigious joint initiative by JK Paper and The Times of India, Urmila Pawar received the Lifetime Achievement Award, a recognition that feels less like a culmination and more like a long-overdue acknowledgment of a voice that has always been essential, even when the world was not yet ready to hear it. She is 80 years old. And she has not stopped writing, fighting, or speaking. A childhood woven from poverty, caste, and quiet resistance Urmila Pawar was born in 1945 in Adgaon village of Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra, into the Mahar community, one of the communities that faced the most severe caste discrimination in Indian society. Her father’s insistence on educating his children led to Pawar eventually leaving the Konkan region for Mumbai to study. In a community where education for girls was not a given, this decision was quietly radical. She went on to earn a master’s degree in Marathi literature from the University of Mumbai, a woman from a Dalit family, in a system that had been designed to keep her out. When she was 12 years old, her family converted to Buddhism, inspired by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. That conversion was not just religious. It was political. It was a declaration that they would no longer accept the identity that caste had forced upon them. And for Urmila Pawar, Buddhist philosophy would go on to shape every word she ever wrote. In 2003, Urmila Pawar published Aaydan in Marathi. The word “bamboo basketry” means things woven from bamboo, a direct reference to the work her mother did to survive. The English translation, titled The Weave of My Life: A Dalit Woman’s Memoirs, was published in 2009, translated by Maya Pandit. The autobiography covers many themes, including injustice, exploitation, hunger, poverty, and humiliation. But what makes it extraordinary is not the suffering it documents. It is the dignity and the clarity with which it is told. This memoir is not just a story but an account of a woman who believed that she had the power to create changes. The Weave of My Life questions the established norms and beliefs related to caste, class, and patriarchy. It explicitly challenges the deliberate neglect of histories related to caste oppression, struggles, and resistance. In this frank and intimate memoir, Pawar not only shares her tireless effort to surmount hideous personal tragedy but also conveys the excitement of an awakening consciousness during a time of profound political and social change. The book created a sensation. It was read, discussed, debated, and taught in universities. It was recognised as one of the most significant works of Dalit literature ever written by a woman. A life lived at the intersection of writing and activism Urmila Pawar’s contribution goes far beyond a single autobiography. She is the author of two acclaimed short story collections, Sahava Bot and Chauthi Bhint, and, with Meenakshi Moon, co-authored a book on the role of women in the Dalit movement. She is also a former actor of radical Marathi theatre and a playwright. For years she worked in the department of labour welfare for the government of Maharashtra. She was not writing from the comfortable distance of an academic or a literary professional. She was writing from within the lives she was documenting as a government officer, as a Dalit woman, and as someone who had lived the reality she put on the page. She is a prominent figure in the Dalit and feminist movements. Her writing is self-reflective and makes the reader ponder over these intimately felt oppressions. She also received the Matoshree Bhimabai Ambedkar Award in 2004 and was offered the Laxmibai Tilak Award, which she declined, a gesture that itself spoke to her unwillingness to accept recognition on terms she did not fully endorse. The Lifetime Achievement Award for Urmila Pawar is not simply recognition for a body of work. It is recognition for a body of resistance. She delicately navigated her readers through her long journey from the harsh landscape of the Konkan region to Mumbai, first as a Mahar and later as a woman as she challenged the conventions of both caste and gender to emerge as an activist and a strong literary voice. In a country where Dalit women’s stories have been systematically excluded from the literary mainstream, Urmila Pawar insisted on being heard. She wrote in Marathi, in the language of her community, about the lives that polite society preferred not to acknowledge. And she was right to insist. Because in order to begin to comprehend Dalit feminist writings, closely reading Pawar’s work is paramount to setting up a historical context for the Dalit feminist movement in Maharashtra. At 80, Urmila Pawar is not a relic of the past. She is a reminder that the most important stories are often the ones the world has worked hardest to suppress and that the writers who tell them anyway are the ones who matter most. Suggest a better headline for this and make it more engaging and impactful and deep and emotional. 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
Dalit girl missing for a week: Missing case filed in Machhlishahr, police searching
A minor Dalit girl has been missing from Machhlishahr for the past week. Police have filed a missing person case and launched a search for her. The girl left home on July 19th and has not returned since. The girl’s father, who lives in a neighborhood in the city, stated that his 15-year-old daughter left home at around 10 a.m. on July 19th, saying she was going to the bus station. However, she did not return home until late evening. The girl’s family contacted her friends and relatives the next day to gather information, but found no trace of her. When no information was found despite repeated searches, the father filed a missing person report at the police station on Monday evening. In-charge Inspector Vineet Roy stated that a missing person report has been filed based on the father’s complaint. Police teams are actively searching for the girl. Abhishek Narayan Singh | Machhlishahr Jaunpur Courtesy: Hindi News
Two Bhopal police constables arrested for allegedly abducting and rap!ng minor Dalit girl
Two Madhya Pradesh Police constables have been arrested for the alleged abduction and rape of a minor Dalit girl in Bhopal. The incident reportedly occurred on July 22, and the survivor filed a complaint at Jahangirabad Police Station the following day, leading to the registration of an FIR and the prompt arrests of both accused. Bhopal Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Shailendra Singh Chauhan identified the accused as constables Santosh Sen and Jitendra Singh. According to police, the men, who are serving police personnel, called the minor girl and took her away in a car. An officer familiar with the case said the pair allegedly lured her by claiming they were taking her to a birthday celebration. They then drove her to a secluded location where Santosh Sen is accused of raping her. Afterward, the men left the girl at a city square. A medical examination of the survivor has been conducted. She is currently at home and her condition is stable. The case has been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 137(2). Further investigation is underway. Courtesy : MM Note: This news is originally published on https:/muslimmirror.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
55-year-old arrested for killing Dalit man in Palamu
Daltonganj: Police on Tuesday arrested Ramesh Singh alias Mora Singh, 55, an accused in the daylight murder of Prabhunath Rajwar, 50, a Dalit man, under Pipra police station limits. Rajwar was allegedly attacked with a sharp-edged iron weapon, locally known as a baluwa, while playing cards under a banyan tree at Madhubana village around 1.30 pm on Monday. He succumbed to his injuries on the way to Medinirai Medical College and Hospital, Daltonganj. Witnesses present at the spot identified Mora Singh as the assailant, police said. The accused allegedly fled immediately after the attack, abandoning the weapon near the crime scene. An FIR was lodged on Tuesday by the victim’s brother, Shyam Lal Rajwar. Pipra police registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita pertaining to murder, along with provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Chhatarpur SDPO Prashant Kumar said during the interrogation, Singh confessed to the crime and cited a longstanding personal grudge against the victim. Caption: SDPO Chhatarpur Prashant Kumar addresses a news conference after the arrest of murder accused Ramesh Singh alias Mora Singh in Palamu on Tuesday. 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
Opinion: How important is it for a Dalit to lead the Jantar Mantar movement? Has GenZ changed the political agenda?
CJP Protest: The CJP movement against the NEET paper leak sparked a new debate in the country’s politics and society. Dalit youth Abhijeet Deepak led this movement, but he focused on issues like education, paper leaks, and unemployment rather than caste. Following the movement, the government accepted their key demands. Many see this as a sign of GenZ’s changing mindset, where opportunities, education, and employment are becoming more important to youth than caste. A movement that channeled the anger and frustration of young people in India has recently been in the headlines. The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) launched a major movement and finally achieved the acceptance of its key demand. Most notably, this movement was led by a Dalit youth, Abhijeet Deepak. For the first time in India, a major mass movement was led by a Dalit, and that too, a movement that was not in favor of reservation. This clearly demonstrates that India’s younger generation is overcoming the curse of caste. This is a very positive development. Abhijeet Dipke, a resident of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in Maharashtra, comes from a Dalit family. His father became an engineer from a poor village farmer family. Abhijeet did not prioritize caste in his movement. He clearly stated that his focus was on the education system, paper leaks, and unemployment. Allegations of leaks in exams like NEET, student suicides, and a lack of jobs were the issues. He demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. In June 2026, he returned from the US and began a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Gradually, the movement spread to many cities across the country. Protests at Jantar Mantar and Dalit Abhijeet Dipke The protest at Jantar Mantar continued for approximately 36-37 days. The students remained steadfast even in the rain. Abhijeet himself was seen several times pleading with the police, asking for permission to erect a tarpaulin. On July 25, 2026, significant news broke. Talks were held between the government and the CJP. Dharmendra Pradhan resigned. An assurance was given to withdraw the cases filed against the protesters. The CJP called off the agitation. Abhijeet said, “This proves that if you don’t fear, you can win.” Dalit Movement and History To understand this success, it’s important to examine the history of the Dalit movement in Maharashtra. Maharashtra has always been a stronghold of the fight for social justice. In the nineteenth century, Jyotirao Phule laid the first strong foundation in this direction. Phule himself belonged to the Mali caste, but he spoke out against the oppression of the upper castes. He founded the Satyashodhak Samaj. Phule believed that education is the real weapon. Along with his wife, Savitribai Phule, he opened schools for girls and backward castes. This was a significant achievement at the time. Phule’s book “Gulamgiri” is still read today against the caste system. He clearly stated that the Brahminical system enslaved the Shudras and Atishudras. The Ambedkar Era After Phule After Phule came the era of Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. Ambedkar belonged to the Mahar community of Maharashtra. He not only criticized the caste system but also waged an organized struggle against it. The Mahad Satyagraha and the Kala Ram Temple Entry Movement—these are pages of history. Ambedkar showed the path of education, organization, and struggle. While drafting the Constitution, he provided for reservations so that Dalits and backward classes could find a place in the mainstream. In 1956, he embraced Buddhism along with millions of followers. Ambedkar’s message was: Be educated, stay organized, and fight. Maharashtra, the land of the Dalit movement The Dalit movement has always been strong in Maharashtra because of these two great men. Later, leaders like Kanshi Ram and Mayawati gave it political strength, but its roots remain in Maharashtra. Ambedkarite thinking still runs deep in Marathwada and Vidarbha. Abhijeet Deepak also emerged from this soil. He held Ambedkar’s book in his hand and spoke about the Constitution. He talks about cleaning up education, ending exam malpractices, and giving opportunities to youth. Has Genji changed his political agenda? This reflects Genji’s thinking. Today’s youth has grown up on social media. Opportunity, employment, and respect matter more to them than caste. The older generation associated caste with every issue. The new generation considers issues as issues. Abhijit’s movement has become a symbol of this sentiment. It is remarkable that a Dalit leader has been able to garner such widespread support for a non-caste issue. This is change. Some critics will argue that caste still exists. Abhijit faced casteist attacks when he identified himself as a Dalit. But the support was overwhelming. Millions of young people stood with him without questioning his caste. This is change. Author: Vivek Shukla Courtesy: Hindi News
BJP bets on Ravidas Temple for Pan-India Dalit outreach before 2027
Varanasi: Ahead of UP and Punjab polls in 2027, the BJP will launch its mega Dalit outreach programme from Sant Ravidas Temple in Varanasi on Wednesday by taking out a countrywide Kalash Yatra. For this, BJP workers will carry 131 urns from the birthplace of 15th-century poet-saint Sant Ravidas to different parts of the country. The mega event will be flagged off on Wednesday in the presence of the UP CM Yogi Adityanath and the party’s national president Nitin Nabin. The temple has remained the nucleus of the BJP’s Dalit outreach since 2008, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting it three times since 2016. Led by BJP SC Morcha national president Lal Singh Arya and state general secretary (organisation) Dharampal Singh, party workers gathered near the Ravidas Temple on Tuesday and filled 131 urns with soil from the saint’s birthplace. After worshipping the kalash, the party also organised a religious procession carrying the urns. On Wednesday, Yogi, Nabin and state president Pankaj Chaudhary will flag off the “Shri Guru Ravidas Maharaj Samrasta Sankalp Abhiyan” with the same 131 urns to mark the 650th Prakash Parv of Sant Ravidas. The campaign will be formally inaugurated on Guru Purnima on Wednesday and, following a series of programmes, will conclude on Maghi Purnima on Feb 20, 2027. Maghi Purnima is celebrated as Ravidas Jayanti. The political significance of the temple increased when then chief minister Mayawati tried to develop a grand park at Sant Ravidas’ birthplace in Seer Gowardhanpur in 1997, although the bid was foiled by the Yadav-dominated local population. The BSP supremo attended the Ravidas Jayanti celebrations as chief minister in 2008 and gifted a golden palanquin to the temple. She also ensured the creation of Ravidas Park and a ghat in the saint’s name along the Ganga. Following Mayawati’s visits, politicians from almost all political parties began visiting the Ravidas temple as part of their Dalit outreach efforts. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Ravidas Jayanti celebrations in 2016 and 2019 and also visited the temple in 2023. After participating in the Ravidas Jayanti celebrations in 2018, CM Yogi visited the temple several times to monitor the ambitious project for the development of the saint’s birthplace. Apart from them, Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, former Delhi chief minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, and former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi have also visited the temple in recent years. The satsang ground of the Ravidas temple at Seer Gowardhanpur, which witnessed the foiling of Mayawati’s dream project by SP functionaries in 1997, later hosted the rally of the then SP-BSP grand alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, addressed by Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati on May 6, 2019. 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