Delhi BJP wants Kejriwal, Bharadwaj to ensure justice for AAP’s Dalit worker in property dispute
Delhi BJP spokespersons Praveen Shankar Kapoor and Dr. Anil Gupta on Sunday strongly condemned the alleged attempt by an Aam Aadmi Party national council member and Jaitpur councillor spouse, regarding possession of a house built on a plot belonging to his own party’s Dalit worker, Rakesh Kumar.Politics Delhi BJP spokespersons Praveen Shankar Kapoor and Dr. Anil Gupta on Sunday strongly condemned the alleged attempt by an Aam Aadmi Party national council member and Jaitpur councillor spouse, regarding possession of a house built on a plot belonging to his own party’s Dalit worker, Rakesh Kumar. The BJP leaders demanded that AAP leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal and Saurabh Bhardwaj, immediately look into the matter and ensure justice for their party’s Dalit worker by restoring possession of the premises. They also sought the expulsion of the accused and his spouse from the party. According to Kapoor, the AAP leader concerned has been directly associated with Kejriwal since the party’s formative days, contested the MCD election from Jaitpur in 2017, and his wife is currently serving as a municipal councilor. According to the BJP leader, an FIR has also been registered in this connection, wherein the complainant, Kumar has alleged that he had given the premises back in 2019, in view of setting up a private political office, however, when asked to have the premises back, the alleged person was delaying to do so until 2022.Politics As mentioned in the FIR, the accused person was allegedly denying handing over the property back to Rakesh Kumar. As per the BJP leader, the alleged harassment of Dalit worker only stopped after an FIR was registered at a police station around two weeks ago. In July 2026, when Shri Rakesh Kumar sought to have an electricity meter installed on the first floor of his house, Shri Shrichand Vohra allegedly stopped the electricity department from carrying out the installation. Following a police probe, relevant sections of the law relating to an alleged conspiracy to take possession of the premises have been added to the matter. The Delhi BJP leaders said that AAP leaders, including Kejriwal and Bhardwaj, who frequently make strong statements about morality, must now come forward and ensure that their party’s Dalit worker gets justice. Courtesy : The Statesman Note: This news is originally published on https:/thestatesman.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dalit e-rickshaw driver dies after assault over daughter’s marriage in Amroha
Bijnor: A Dalit e-rickshaw driver died in Amroha after he was allegedly assaulted by his neighbour and four others during a dispute linked to his daughter’s marriage, police said. The incident took place in Rathraula Hashampur village under Gajraula police station limits, around 28km from the district headquarters. Sanjay Kumar, 55, was the sole breadwinner of his family. His wife Suman Devi alleged that their neighbour Imran, 25, had taken away their 20-year-old daughter about a year ago. “My daughter was brought back with help from members of Hindu organisations. After that, we arranged her marriage elsewhere, but Imran kept a grudge against us,” she alleged. Suman said Imran reached their house on Saturday afternoon and tried to steal Sanjay’s Platina motorcycle. “My husband saw him inserting the key into the motorcycle and raised an alarm. Imran then fled from the spot,” she said. Later, Sanjay went to Imran’s house with his wife and brother to complain about the alleged theft attempt. Suman alleged that Imran abused them outside his house and then attacked Sanjay along with his brother-in-law and three nephews. “They beat him with sticks and clubs. He suffered a serious head injury,” she said. Villagers intervened, took Sanjay to a private doctor for first aid, and then brought him home. His condition worsened later and he died on Sunday morning. Gajraula circle officer Anjali Kataria said an FIR had been registered on Suman’s complaint. “A case has been registered against five people — Mukhtar Ali, Zulfiqar, Isteqar, Jabbar Ali and Imran. Two suspects have been detained for questioning and further investigation is underway,” Kataria said. Police said they were examining the alleged dispute over the daughter’s marriage, the attempted motorcycle theft claim and the assault that led to Sanjay’s death. Further action will be based on the post-mortem report, witness statements and evidence collected during investigation. 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
Bhadohi: Case filed for assaulting Dalit student and using casteist slurs
Bhadohi (UP), August 16, A group of youths allegedly assaulted and hurled casteist slurs at a Dalit student of Class 10 after returning from an Independence Day celebration at a school in Bhadohi district, police said. Police sources said here on Sunday that the incident took place in Bhidiura village under the jurisdiction of the Suryawan police station, and a video of the assault went viral on social media. According to the complaint filed, the accused allegedly made inappropriate comments about the student’s caste. Police Circle Officer Sumit Tripathi said that some youths allegedly made a video of the incident and made it public. On the complaint of the student’s grandmother, Kanti Kannaujiya, police registered a case against three named accused and others under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Dalit Act, and the Information Technology Act. Sources said the named accused have been identified as Shubham Upadhyay, Arjun Pandit, and Ganesh Yadav. Police Circle Officer Sumit Tripathi said the matter is being investigated. Salim Shobhana This story was auto-fed from Bhasha news agency. ThePrint is not responsible for its content. Courtesy: Hindi News
Two arrested in connection with death of Dalit woman whose body was found lying in orchard
Kanpur Police arrested two persons in connection with the death of a Dalit woman in Ghatampur area of the city. The body of a 25-year-old Dalit woman was found lying in suspicious circumstances in an orchard on the edge of her village on August 13. The postmortem report confirmed that she was 7 months pregnant, police said. Doctors prepared slides citing the possibility of rape, and the DNA of the unborn child was also preserved. However, the report did not clearly determine the cause of death. On the basis of her father’s complaint, the Ghatampur police registered a case under serious sections against two men and arrested both on Sunday, producing them in court the same day and sending them to jail, said ACP (Ghatampur) Krishnakant. He said the case was registered against Arvind alias Gola Pandey, a resident of Patara, and Pranjul Pal, a resident of Naraini in Fatehpur district, for allegedly murdering the woman and dumping her body. Police said they were investigating the incident. During interrogation, accused Pranjul said that he had been in a love relationship with her for about four years, and used to meet her often. The woman would take money from him in the name of getting treatment. He would talk to her just to pass time and did not know that he would get trapped like this. He is now regretting talking to the woman, he said. Arvind Pandey alias Gola Pandey told the police that he used to meet the woman and helped her a lot, got her a scooty, and gave money for treatment. She later told him that she was 7 months pregnant, Pandey said. He said that he took her to a hospital in Kanpur, and introduced himself as the young woman’s father. The doctor refused after seeing her, after which he brought her by ambulance to the edge of the village and told her to go home. When he came to know in the morning that the young woman’s body had been found, he fled out of fear, he said. He said he now regrets that he had helped the young woman a lot, but her family members implicated him in the murder case. The ACP said that both lovers were produced in the court and sent to jail. ACP Krishnakant said that on her father’s complaint, a murder case was registered against two lovers, and both were arrested, produced in court, and sent to jail. 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
UP: India Alliance’s new strategy before the elections, focusing on youth from these castes; this is the complete plan of Congress and SP
The India Alliance has formulated a new plan to win the 2027 elections in UP. Both parties are appointing Dalit youth as in-charges even for general constituencies. Congress and SP are focusing on youth from backward classes. The BJP and its allies are highlighting the government’s achievements and balancing caste equations. The opposition is also busy working out the political calculations for each constituency. An alliance between the Congress and SP is considered certain. Both parties have identified young people who can sharpen the socialist and Ambedkarite ideology. These young people are being assigned responsibility for different assembly constituencies. The in-charges have been given the goal of connecting youth with their ideology and strengthening the PDA. The SP and Congress have made a new move by appointing several Dalit youth as in-charges for general constituencies. This will increase the mobilization of traditional vote banks and also attract young people dissatisfied with the BSP. The Samajwadi Party has given the responsibility to Manoj Paswan in Unchahar, Shivshankar Saroj in Babaganj, and Ram Karan Nirmal in Kaushambi-Fatehpur. Vineet Kushwaha has been given the responsibility for Madhuban. Vineet Kushwaha has also been fielded from Madhuban and Rahul Raj from Kushinagar. The Congress has assigned the task of connecting with the youth to Shailendra Dhruv Yadav from Ballia, Murali Manohar from Velthara Road, Subhash Pal from Bilgram, and Tarun Patel from Gaura. Several Brahmin leaders are leaving the BSP’s political nursery. Meanwhile, Bahujan Samaj Party national president and former Chief Minister Mayawati is once again preparing to rely on Brahmins to save the party’s existence in the upcoming assembly elections. However, several prominent Brahmin leaders have been continuously leaving her. Antu Mishra’s expulsion is the latest example. Over the past decade, many leaders who learned the basics of their politics riding on elephants have left the BSP. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the BSP’s political nursery is becoming depleted of prominent Brahmin leaders. In 2007, the BSP fielded over 80 Brahmin candidates, 41 of whom won and reached the Assembly. This social engineering was so successful that other parties followed suit. However, by the 2017 Assembly elections, Brahmin leaders began to become disillusioned with the party. Brajesh Pathak, Deputy Chief Minister of the current BJP government, is a prime example. The BSP had nominated him as an MP, but he joined the BJP before the elections. This decision later proved beneficial for his political future. Former minister Nakul Dubey left the BSP in 2022 and joined the Congress. Former ministers Ramveer Upadhyay (now deceased), Rangnath Mishra, and Vinay Shankar Tiwari, along with their entire clan, also distanced themselves from the BSP. Several other Brahmin leaders who held high positions in the government, including former Legislative Council Chairman Ganesh Shankar Pandey, also joined other parties over time. Rakesh Pandey, former BSP MP and MLA from Ambedkar Nagar, and his son, Ritesh Pandey, also a BSP MP, have left the party. Published by: Sharukh Khan Courtesy: Hindu News
Kanpur woman murdered, 7-months pregnant: Postmortem reveals suspicion of rape, murder case filed against two lovers
The postmortem report of a Dalit woman found under suspicious circumstances in a mango orchard in Ghatampur, Kanpur, has arrived. The report revealed she was seven months pregnant. Doctors suspected rape and prepared slides for examination, while the DNA of the unborn child has also been preserved. However, the postmortem report has yet to provide any answer to the cause of death. Based on a complaint filed by the woman’s father, police have registered a case against her two lovers under serious charges, including murder. Both accused are absconding, and the police are searching for them. Police are now attempting to solve the mystery using DNA reports, mobile phone data, and forensic investigations. Father accuses two young men of murder In his complaint to police, the father, a resident of a village in the Ghatampur police station area, stated that his 25-year-old daughter was in a love relationship with Gola Pandey, a resident of the village, and Pranjul, a resident of the city. According to the family, the girl had been living away from home for about a month. On Thursday morning, her body was found lying in a mango orchard on the outskirts of the village. The father alleged that the two young men murdered his daughter and dumped her body there. Ghatampur Inspector Manoj Singh Bhadoria stated that a case has been registered against both accused based on the father’s complaint, and they are being searched for. Key findings revealed in the post-mortem examination The post-mortem report, which arrived late Thursday evening, confirmed that the girl was seven months pregnant. According to the report, the DNA of the unborn child has been preserved for testing. Doctors have also preserved necessary samples (slides) to investigate the possibility of sexual assault. However, it has not yet been confirmed whether sexual assault occurred. This will only be confirmed after the forensic examination report is received. Cause of death still unclear The post-mortem report has not yet determined the cause of death. Therefore, the viscera and other examination reports are awaited. Police say that further action will be taken based on all scientific and forensic evidence. The police did not find the woman’s mobile phone or purse at the scene. Therefore, the investigation team is now examining her mobile number’s call details and location. Police hope the mobile number will reveal who the woman last contacted and her activities before the incident. The police are also examining call details and digital evidence. The post-mortem report has raised several new questions in the case. Police are now trying to determine how the woman died, how she reached the garden, and who was with her at the time of the incident. The investigating officer says that the entire case is being pieced together based on forensic reports, DNA testing, mobile call details, and other evidence. Police say that only after the investigation is complete will the true cause of death and the circumstances of the incident become clear. Himanshu Tiwari | Kanpur Courtesy: Hindi News
Dalit Rapido Driver Says Account Suspended for 99 Years After He Objected to Casteist Remarks
A 30-year-old Dalit cab driver in Lucknow has alleged that Rapido suspended his driver account for 99 years and 11 months after he confronted four passengers over alleged casteist remarks. The driver says the company took action without hearing his side of the incident. Driver says passengers made casteist remarks Ankit Kumar, a resident of Lucknow’s PGI area, said the incident took place on Monday when he picked up four passengers from Utrahtia railway station and was taking them to Charbagh railway station. According to Kumar, the passengers were initially discussing and criticising a senior railway officer. He said he did not intervene at first but objected when they allegedly began using casteist slurs and linking the officer’s abilities to his caste. Kumar, who belongs to the Chamar community, said he repeatedly asked the passengers to stop. “I requested them several times to withdraw their remarks, but they continued,” Kumar told the media. He said he reminded them that a person’s ability has nothing to do with their caste. In a video of the confrontation that circulated on social media, Kumar can be heard questioning the passengers over their language. “How can you use casteist remarks? If you have a problem with a person, use their name. Why are you defaming the entire community?” he said. Passengers asked to leave the cab Kumar said the passengers continued making the alleged remarks despite his objections. He eventually stopped the vehicle near Telibagh market, close to a police outpost, and asked all four passengers to get out. An argument reportedly followed after the passengers left the vehicle. Kumar said the incident was later recorded and the video was widely shared on social media. He also claimed that he began receiving abusive and threatening messages after the video went viral. “People are questioning why I objected and asked the passengers to leave. I have been receiving threats and abusive messages ever since the video went viral,” he said. ‘Company did not hear my side’ Kumar has alleged that the passengers later complained to the ride-hailing company, following which his driver account was suspended. According to him, the app showed a suspension period of “99 years and 11 months”. “The company should have at least heard my side of the story once. After that, whether they chose to suspend me or not was their decision. But they suspended me without even asking what had happened,” Kumar said. He added that he had no personal dispute with the passengers and objected only because of the alleged casteist comments. “They kept making casteist remarks against one of their own officers, so I objected,” he said. Suspension affects family’s livelihood Kumar holds a diploma in mechanical engineering but drives a cab to support his family. He said he is the sole earning member of his household. His father works as a daily-wage labourer, while his mother is a homemaker. Courtesy : TOP Note: This news is originally published on https:/theobserverpost.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Freedom fighter who opened Rajasthan’s first Dalit school:Rampratap Sharma quit police job after hearing Netaji’s speech, fought two battles in Pali
At an age when most children are busy playing, 12-year-old Rampratap Sharma lost both his parents. Jagirdars (landlords) seized his ancestral land, while incidents of oppression against weaker sections deeply disturbed him. After listening to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s speech in Jodhpur, he resigned from his police job and joined the freedom struggle. He faced lathi charges during various movements and was also jailed. At a time when untouchability was widespread and schools refused admission to Dalit children, he opened Rajasthan’s first Dalit school in a rented house. He persuaded his younger brother to leave his job and take responsibility for teaching at the school. It later developed into a full-fledged school. Today, a Government Senior Secondary School operates in the same bungalow that once housed British officers. The Bhaskar team visited his village to trace the story of freedom fighter Rampratap Sharma, who fought not only against British rule but also campaigned against untouchability. Read this special report. Lost his parents at the age of 12 Gundoj village is around 20 kilometres from Pali. In the Brahmpuri area of the village stand the ancestral homes of freedom fighter Rampratap Sharma and his younger brother, Magraj. When we visited the house, his grandson and Magraj’s son recounted stories from that era. Grandson Mahesh Joshi recalls that Rampratap Sharma was 12 when he lost his parents. Under the feudal system, jagirdars had seized the family’s ancestral land. In these circumstances, he had to take refuge in his maternal grandparents’ village, Bagri. The land belonging to his maternal grandparents was also under the control of feudal lords. Assault on weaker sections deeply disturbed him In 1934, an open court was held in Bagri, his maternal grandparents’ village. There, prominent moneylenders and traders, along with people from weaker sections of society, were openly and brutally beaten. The incident deeply shook Rampratap. It was then that he decided to free both his family’s land and his maternal grandfather’s land from the control of the feudal lords. Sharma wanted to join the Indian Army and rise to a position of authority. However, according to the book Vande Mataram, Brahmins were not recruited into the British-Indian Army at the time. As a result, Rampratap Sharma joined the police and was appointed as a head constable. Quit police job after hearing Netaji’s speech in Jodhpur In 1938, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, who had returned from abroad, addressed a public meeting in Jodhpur. Head Constable Rampratap Sharma was responsible for maintaining law and order at the gathering. After hearing Bose’s speech, Sharma was deeply inspired by his nationalist spirit. The following year, in 1939, Rampratap Sharma resigned from the police service. He returned to his ancestral village, Gundoj, and began raising his voice against the jagirdari and feudal systems. That same year, he became a member of the Marwar Lok Parishad. Jailed during the Satyagraha movement Under the guidance of Jamnalal Bajaj and Hiralal Shastri, the Satyagraha movement was in full swing. For actively participating in the movement, the British government arrested Rampratap Sharma in 1943 and sent him to jail. Cases were registered against him under several sections, including robbery. After spending two years in jail, Sharma was acquitted in 1945 by Hakim Roopsingh Rathore and Gordhan Singh Bhandari. After being released from Jodhpur jail, he returned to his village and once again joined the farmers’ movement. He was also assaulted several times for opposing British rule and the feudal system. Opened Rajasthan’s first Dalit school in a rented house According to his biography published in Vande Mataram, Rampratap Sharma was a strong supporter of Vinoba Bhave’s movement against untouchability. He was therefore firmly opposed to the practice. At the time, Dalit or Scheduled Caste children were not admitted to Gundoj’s school. To educate these children, Sharma rented the house of Seth Pukhraj Jain, who had supported him during the Satyagraha movement. In 1945, an education committee was formed and the state’s first Dalit school was established. The responsibility for teaching was given to his younger brother, Magraj. He brought to the school children for whom getting an education had been little more than a dream. At the time, small bungalows for British officers stood near the village bus stand. After India gained independence, Sharma shifted the school to these bungalows in 1955. Today, the same school is known as Government Senior Secondary School, Gundoj. Adopted a Dalit girl as his daughter and arranged her marriage Badri Lal Joshi, 73, nephew of freedom fighter Rampratap Sharma, says Jaianarayan Vyas, under the guidance of Mathuradas Mathur, led a campaign against untouchability. He travelled on foot to several villages in Pali district to spread awareness. Badri Lal Joshi says, “Before independence, the first Dalit school in the state was opened by my uncle Rampratap Sharma. My father was a government teacher at the time. He left his job and taught at that school.” Became the village’s first sarpanch Freedom fighter Rampratap Sharma’s grandson, Mahesh Joshi, says his grandfather was the voice of the poor and deprived. After India gained independence, Sharma hoisted the Tricolour at the Dalit school and later became the village’s first sarpanch. Mahesh Joshi says his grandfather, Rampratap Sharma, became the first District Congress President in 1954. He also took a Dalit girl from the village into his family and raised her as his own daughter. He educated her and arranged her marriage. Even today, the family maintains regular contact with her family and continues to share a relationship based on mutual respect. Virendra Udesh/ Gundoj, Courtesy : Bhaskar English Note: This news is originally published on https:/bhaskarenglish.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Mayawati expressed concern for Dalits and the most backward classes while extending greetings on August 15th, saying, “Higher institutions should be vigilant.”
Mayawati: BSP chief Mayawati extended Independence Day greetings to the nation. She urged those holding high constitutional and legal positions to be mindful of their responsibilities. Lucknow: The nation is celebrating its 80th Independence Day on Saturday. Bahujan Samaj Party National President Mayawati extended her best wishes to everyone on this occasion. She also raised the issue of the welfare of millions of Dalits, tribals, the most backward classes, and other religious minorities. On her X handle, Mayawati wrote, “Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to all Indian citizens and their families living across the country and the world on the 80th Independence Day today.” No matter how much joy and enthusiasm everyone celebrates Independence Day with, in harmony and brotherhood, it will be insufficient. It would be better if those in high constitutional and legal positions are more mindful of their responsibilities, as the public has come to expect more from them about their true and genuine responsibility towards the nation and public interest. “Higher Institutions Will Fulfill Their Responsibility Honestly” The BSP supremo further wrote, “On special occasions like Independence Day, people expect that the higher institutions here will fulfill the purpose and responsibility of the checks and balances of the Indian Constitution with complete honesty and integrity. Only then will the true benefits of India’s republic, especially the millions of Dalits, Adivasis, the most backward classes, Muslims and other religious minorities, as well as the poor, laborers, farmers, youth, women, and other working people, accrue in the form of a life free from unemployment and corruption, a life of happiness and prosperity, and that India’s democracy and sacred Constitution will prove meaningful as per everyone’s expectations. This is the message of today.” Vaibhav Pandey About the Author Vaibhav Pandey is a Senior Journalist/Assistant News Editor at Navbharat Times Online. He has 18 years of experience in the media industry. Vaibhav Pandey joined Navbharat Times Online in 2018. He currently covers news in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Courtesy: Hindi News
DSS condemns ‘purification’ ceremony at Haldwani Ramlila ground after Kharge’s rally
Dalit Sangharsha Samithi (DSS) State convener D.G. Sagar has condemned the reported purification ritual conducted at Haldwani’s Ramlila ground in Uttarakhand on August 10, two days after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a public rally there. Mr. Sagar, addressing a press conference in Kalaburagi city on Friday, said that the purification ritual performed at the Ramlila ground was not only an insult to Mr. Kharge but also to the Scheduled Caste community. He said the incident showed that caste discrimination and untouchability continued despite constitutional safeguards. Recalling Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Mahad Satyagraha of 1927, Mr. Sagar said that similar purification rituals were performed after Dr. Ambedkar and Dalits drank water from the Chavdar Tank. “Nearly 100 years later, if such practices are repeated, it shows that the fight against caste discrimination is not over,” he said. Mr. Sagar said that the reported ritual at the Ramlila ground raised concerns about the constitutional values of equality and dignity; he urged Uttarakhand authorities to register cases under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and laws relating to untouchability, and arrest those responsible. He warned that the Samiti would intensify its agitation across the State if action was not taken. The Hindu Bureau Courtesy : The Hindu Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights