Rising against injustice as one: Inside India’s largest men’s rights movement pushing for gender-neutral laws
Falsely accused of seeking dowry from his wife 15 years ago, 42-year-old Rohit Dogra is now advocating ‘equality before law’ as he flags misuse and pushes for reforms in gender laws, Harpreet Bajwa writes CHANDIGARH: The death of 34-year-old techie Atul Subhash by suicide a few months back caused a massive outrage in India, as a detailed suicide note and video left behind by him accused his estranged wife, her mother and brother of sustained harassment and torture. It also sparked a conversation about the misuse of dowry law in the country and renewed calls for the reforms in gender-based laws. But not many know that the case of Subhash was not an isolated incident. Meet 42-year-old Rohit Dogra, who heads the Chandigarh Chapter of the Save Indian Family Movement (SIFM), the largest men’s rights organisation in India. Founded in 2005, it has been pushing for reforms in the dowry legislation, flagging the misuse of gender-based laws. Supported by 40 non-government organisations (NGOs), the SIFM has also called for the setting up of a national commission for men and a relook at the alimony regulations and child custody policies. Ask Dogra why he chose to be associated with the organisation, and pat comes his reply: “Back in 2010, my then in-laws filed a dowry complaint against me. A case was subsequently registered against my mother and me under Sections 498-A and 406 of the IPC.” He then fought a long legal battle to finally be acquitted in 2018. But Dogra went a step further. After being cleared of the charge, he got a case against his then wife and in-laws in Pathankot in 2020 for forgery and conspiracy. The couple finally got divorced in 2022. Dogra, who has been associated with the organisation for the past 15 years, recalls, “It was in 2010 that I called up the SIFM helpline number and got in touch with members of the local chapter. They offered me not just legal advice but also moral support.” Now, he is helping other men in distress. “In 2016, we registered another NGO, Save Indian Family-Chandigarh, under the umbrella of the SIFM, and I took over the reins of the Chandigarh Chapter as its president,” he adds. Dogra, who holds a postgraduate degree in MBA, works with a private company. But he still devotes about two to three hours every day to helping men ensnared in such fake cases or facing harassment. Other than receiving calls on the SIFM local helpline number, he also organises a weekly support meeting every Sunday. Discussing how the movement to save men, he shares, “We have some 2,500 to 3,000 members across the country. Out of them, approximately 400–500 are from Punjab, 200–300 from the Chandigarh tri-city and another 150–200 from Haryana. Over 40-odd NGOs across the country are associated with us.” Delving into the services the SIFM offers, Dogra tells us: “We offer the biggest free helpline number for men in India (08882-498-498). It is a first of its kind. We receive 4,000 to 5,000 calls every month from across the country about domestic violence against men, the misuse of dowry or rape laws, workplace harassment and depression. We are a self-supported and -funded group, and we organise free weekly meetings in 40 places on Saturdays and Sundays.” Harking back to how the movement began, Dogra mentions that the SIFM was launched in 2005 in view of how men were being targeted through gender-based laws. “Then, in 2014, we started a free helpline,” he adds. Just a few days ago, on April 19, the SIFM organised a gathering, Satyagraha for Men, at the Jantar Mantar in Delhi to push for gender-neutral laws, stricter penalties for misuse of gender laws and the establishment of a national commission for men. The purpose of this commission, according to the SIFM, should be to address the mental health issues men face, tackle the growing incidence of prostate cancer, launch a separate helpline for men, coordinate with the government to make laws gender-neutral and offer support to men in general. Besides, Dogra feels, the body can work with the authorities to introduce schemes for men in rural areas and help amend or abrogate Article 15(3) of the Constitution. Opening up about the recent Jantar Mantar gathering, Dogra says, “The protest drew men and women from across India.” Renowned men’s rights activists, legal experts and social workers from across the country addressed the gathering and raised concerns long ignored by successive governments. Wasif Ali, another member of the SIFM, says, “This satyagraha was not just a protest; it was about demanding constitutional equality.” Dogra ruefully points out, “India has commissions for women, children, animals, forests and everything else, but there is no national-level statutory body for men.” He concludes, “A national commission for men is not just a demand. It is the need of the hour.” Courtesy: New Indian Express Note: This news is originally published on https://www.newindianexpress.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
‘This is not how you treat freedom fighters’: SC pulls up Rahul Gandhi over remarks on Veer Savarkar
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the Allahabad high court order refusing to quash summons to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in connection with the defamation case concerning his remarks about Veer Savarkar. During the hearing, the apex court issued a stern reminder to the leader of opposition stating that Savarkar is revered in Maharashtra and warned of consequences for making disparaging remarks about freedom fighters. The court, notably, referenced historical context, pointing out that Rahul Gandhi’s grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, had written a letter praising Savarkar. “Does your client know that his grandmother, when she was the Prime Minister, also sent a letter to the praising the gentleman. So, let’s not make irresponsible statements about freedom fighters,” the Supreme Court asked senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Rahul. “This is not how you treat freedom fighters when you don’t know anything about the history and geography of the country,” the apex court said. The court also drew a parallel to Mahatma Gandhi’s correspondence during the British era, where he used the phrase “your faithful servant.” The case stems from Gandhi’s controversial statements about Savarkar during a Bharat Jodo Yatra rally in Maharashtra’s Akola district on November 17, 2022. Speaking to media persons in Akola district of Maharashtra during his ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul cited from a letter purportedly written by Savarkar to the Britishers during the freedom struggle pledging his support to them. “Sir, I beg to remain your most obedient servant,” Savarkar said and signed on it, according to Rahul. Advocate Nripendra Pandey subsequently filed a defamation complaint, contending that Gandhi’s remarks were deliberately intended to defame Savarkar. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news was originally published on https://timesofindia.com/30 and has been used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Congress, Gandhi family back terrorists, says Dilawar
Bhilwara: Education and panchayati raj minister Madan Dilawar attacked Congress Friday, saying Rahul Gandhi’s family and Congress always supported terrorists. Addressing the media during a visit to Bhilwara district, Dilawar paid tribute to the victims of the Pahalgam attack, calling the incident very tragic and one that shook the entire nation. He claimed that Congress backs terrorists and stands as spokespersons to protect them even today. “As allies and spokespersons for terrorists, they (Congress) have stood up to protect them. Therefore, Congress can never be trusted. They never spoke in the national interest. Under Narendra Modi’s govt, such severe punishment will be given that even their ancestors and descendants will remember,” said the minister. During his visit to Bhilwara district, Dilawar attended the consecration ceremony at Lord Shri Devnarayan temple at Nathdiyas village in Raipur panchayat samiti. He was given a grand welcome at Circuit House by BJP officials and workers upon his arrival. He later attended the inauguration of a new building in Bhark panchayat of Gangapur assembly constituency. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news was originally published on https://timesofindia.com/30 and has been used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Pahalgam attack aimed at diving society, need to stand united to defeat terrorism: Rahul Gandhi
SRINAGAR: The Pahalgam massacre was carried out with an intent to divide society, and it was sad to see people targeting Kashmiris in the rest of the country in the wake of the terror attack, leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi said in Srinagar on Friday. The Congress MP, who met an injured tourist in hospital, stressed that it was important to stay united in order to defeat terrorism. Rahul, who flew to Srinagar on Friday morning, said at a press conference: “It’s been a terrible tragedy and I came here to get a sense of what is going on. The people of entire Jammu and Kashmir have condemned this terrible act and have fully supported the nation at this time.” He suggested that the attackers would be succeeding in their purpose if Kashmiris, or minorities were blamed for the attack and targeted. “The idea behind what has happened is to divide society. Is to make brother fight brother, Rahul said, adding: “It’s sad to see that some people are attacking my brothers and sisters from Kashmir in the rest of the country. I think it’s very important that every single Indian stands united, stands together, so that we can defeat terrorism once and for all.” The Congress leader, who earlier visited Army’s 92 Base Hospital in Srinagar and met an injured tourist, said he couldn’t meet others as they had gone back. “My love and affection to everybody who has lost family members, and I want everybody to know that the whole nation is standing together as one,” he added. He said the entire opposition had unitedly condemned the terror attack and conveyed to the govt at the all-party meeting on Thursday that they backed whatever action it wanted to take. Rahul also met J&K Chief minister Omar Abdullah and LG Manoj Sinha, who briefed him about what had happened. “I assured both of them that I and my party are going to support them fully,” he added. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news was originally published on https://timesofindia.com/30 and has been used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Rioter tag, Muslim migrant workers from Bengal ‘thrashed’ in Odisha and Uttar Pradesh
‘Forced returns’ have sparked fear among migrant workers from Murshidabad and Malda, many of whom were now worried about their survival The fallout of the Samserganj riots reached BJP-ruled Odisha and Uttar Pradesh on Monday when around 70 migrant labourers of the minority community from Murshidabad and Malda were allegedly assaulted and sent home when they reached those states to resume work. Some 50 workers from Murshidabad had left for Keonjhar, Odisha, on Sunday, after their Eid break. They had to return home late Monday night in the same bus arranged by a labour contractor after being attacked allegedly by Hindutva activists who accused them of attacking a particular community in riot-hit Murshidabad. Similarly, 24 migrant workers from Sujapur in Malda, who had been working in a garments factory in Jamalpur in Uttar Pradesh, were also allegedly beaten up and forced back. The violence, which erupted over protests against the amended waqf law, had spread in pockets of Murshidabad, leaving three dead and damaging homes and property. The “forced returns” have sparked fear among migrant workers from Murshidabad and Malda, many of whom were now worried about their survival. On Monday, a Special Investigating Team (SIT) formed by the Bengal government arrested 12 migrant labourers from Jharsuguda in Odisha for their alleged role in the Murshidabad riots. However, these migrant workers who were attacked and forced to return home, claimed they were not involved in violence but were paying the price of perception. Momin Miyan, a labour contractor from Suti, who had arranged the Odisha-bound trip, said: “We just came home for a small break which coincided with the anti-waqf Act protests. We didn’t take part in it.” Momin, who has been recruiting labourers for 12 years, said he had arranged a bus for workers to Keonjhar as usual. “Around 5.30am on Monday, a group of youths with Bajrang Dal flags stopped our bus at Jashipur More in Mayurbhanj. We were dragged out and beaten up…. They accused us of attacking their community. They warned us that the bus would be set on fire if we didn’t leave,” said Momin. One of the 24 migrant workers from Sujapur in Malda who had been working in Jamalpur, Uttar Pradesh, for seven years, said a group of youths with saffron flags in their hands attacked them when they were working. “They accused us of attacking a community and asked us to leave, saying we would not be allowed to work there. Some of us were beaten up severely,” he said. Monirul Khan of Sujapur, who returned from UP, said when they went to the police, they were detained and were released “only after paying a bribe of ₹30,000”. “We have been working in UP for seven years. There was no problem earlier. But the scenario changed after the Murshidabad violence. Now it has become a question of our survival since we are not feeling secure to return there,” he said. When the Sujapur workers were detained at Jamalpur Kotwali police station, Fatema Khatun, wife of migrant worker Shariful Khan, lodged a complaint with the Kaliachak police in Malda. The issue was taken up by the Migrant Workers’ Unity Forum. Its general secretary, Asif Farooq, wrote to Union home minister Amit Shah, urging him to ensure the safety and rights of migrant workers across states. Jangipur SDO Ekam J. Singh professed ignorance. “If I get any complaint, I will report it to the state government,” he said. The CPM said that TMC MP Abu Taher’s comment about the role of migrant workers in the riots was also to blame. “Abu Taher’s comment was amplified by BJP leader Tarunjyoti Tewari on social media. Within hours, attacks were unleashed in Odisha and UP. The Centre has also abrogated its responsibility to protect migrant workers…,” said CPM state secretary Md Salim and added that his party units in the two states were alerted to help Bengal workers. Samirul Islam, chairman of West Bengal Migrant Workers’ Welfare Board and TMC’s Rajya Sabha MP, blamed the BJP. “Such attacks on migrant workers are not new in BJP-ruled states. Wherever they find Bengali-speaking Muslim migrant workers, they always find an issue to torture them,” he said. Samik Bhattacharya, the BJP Rajya Sabha MP, argued that such incidents were the result of suspicion after states like Tamil Nadu found many Bengali-speaking people with fake Indian documents, who are Bangladeshi infiltrators. He pointed out that Tamil Nadu was not a BJP-ruled state. “Tamil Nadu government, which is not run by the BJP, was the first to conduct a combing operation and discovered many such migrant workers with fake identities. After that, they stopped allowing Bengali migrant workers to work in their state. The allegations that came from other states are likely to be the result of such suspicion,” said Bhattacharya. Courtesy : Alamgir Hossain, The Telegraph Note: This news was originally published on https://thetelegraph.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Google DeepMind CEO On What Keeps Him Up At Night: “AGI Is Coming, Society’s Not Ready”
The 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner said AI systems capable of human-level cognitive abilities were only five to ten years away. Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis has warned that society is not ready for human-level artificial intelligence (AI), popularly referred to as Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). In an interview with Time, Mr Hassabis was quizzed about what keeps him up at night, to which he talked about AGI, which was in the final steps of becoming reality. The 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner said AI systems capable of human-level cognitive abilities were only five to ten years away. “For me, it’s this question of international standards and cooperation and also not just between countries, but also between companies and researchers as we get towards the final steps of AGI. And I think we are on the cusp of that. Maybe we are five to 10 years out. Some people say shorter, I wouldn’t be surprised,” said Mr Hassabis. “It’s a sort of like probability distribution. But it’s coming, either way it’s coming very soon and I’m not sure society’s quite ready for that yet. And we need to think that through and also think about these issues that I talked about earlier, to do with the controllability of these systems and also the access to these systems and ensuring that all goes well,” he added. This is not the first instance when Mr Hassabis has warned about the perils of AGI. He has previously batted for a UN-like umbrella organisation to oversee AGI’s development. “I would advocate for a kind of CERN for AGI, and by that, I mean a kind of international research focused high-end collaboration on the frontiers of AGI development to try and make that as safe as possible,” said Mr Hassabis in February. “You would also have to pair it with a kind of an institute like IAEA, to monitor unsafe projects and sort of deal with those. And finally, some kind of supervening body that involves many countries around the world. So a kind of like UN umbrella, something that is fit for purpose for that, a technical UN,” he added. AGI could destroy humanity The assessment by the Google executive comes in the backdrop of DeepMind publishing a research paper earlier this month, warning that AGI may “permanently destroy humanity”. “Given the massive potential impact of AGI, we expect that it too could pose potential risk of severe harm,” the study highlighted, adding that existential risks that “permanently destroy humanity” are clear examples of severe harm. What is AGI? AGI takes AI a step further. While AI is task-specific, AGI aims to possess intelligence that can be applied across a wide range of tasks, similar to human intelligence. In essence, AGI would be a machine with the ability to understand, learn, and apply knowledge in diverse domains, much like a human being. Courtesy : Abhinav Singh, NDTV Note: This news was originally published on https://ndtv.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Bharat Summit will showcase Telangana as a model of progressive thinking: Bhatti
Hyderabad: Deputy chief minister and finance minister Bhatti Vikramarka on Thursday said the state govt will showcase Telangana as a model of progressive thinking to the world at the Bharat Summit which will be held at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) on April 25 and 26. . Addressing a press conference, Vikramarka said over 450 representatives, including heads of government, MPs, national party leaders, corporate leaders, and thinktanks from more than 100 countries will attend the meeting to discuss Congress’s core principles such as non-violence, truth, justice, and democracy. “During the Cold War era, when America and Russia were two strong powers, emerging India adopted a non-aligned policy and moved forward. Congress has stood as the largest democratic political party in India, and the then Congress governments advanced the non-aligned policy,” he said. Representatives from around the world have been invited to discuss various issues over the course of the two-day summit, Vikramarka said, adding that Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other top Congress leaders are expected to attend the event. A special slot has been allocated to explain the state’s development, resources, and welfare programmes being undertaken. “This summit is expected to help place Hyderabad on the world map. The state government is organising this meeting to highlight to the world that it came to power by emphasising Congress’s core principles of gender, youth, and justice” he said The plenary session on Day 1 will include the unveiling of the Hyderabad declaration. Chief minister A Revanth Reddy, along with deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka and IT minister D Sridhar Babu, will deliver the inaugural remarks. The summit will conclude with a valedictory session, which will include addresses by Priyanka Gandhi and KC Venugopal. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news was originally published on https://timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Rahul Gandhi moves SC against court summons over Savarkar remark
NEW DELHI: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has moved SC challenging summons issued to him by a trial court in UP in the VD Savarkar defamation case filed against him. A bench headed by Justices Dipankar Datta and Manmohan is likely to hear Rahul’s plea against summons issued to him. Rahul, leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, had moved Supreme Court after his plea was rejected by Allahabad high court on April 4. “The impugned proceedings are clearly frivolous, vexatious and designed to inflict criminal process as a virtual punishment and a deterrent for free exercise of his freedoms and from freely performing his duty as a responsible opposition leader at national level,” the petition said. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news was originally published on https://timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
‘Full Support To Any Action’: Rahul, Owaisi and Others React After All Party Meet On Pahalgam Attack
In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, the Centre convened an all-party meeting in Parliament to brief political leaders and discuss the way forward. During the meeting, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi told reporters that all the parties condemned the terrorist attack and the Opposition has offered its full support to the government to take any action. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also said that the government should take action against the Pakistan. AAP MP Sanjay Singh also reiterated that opposition stands with central government. However, he also added that his party has demanded accountability and action in regards to the security lapse.#TOIBharat #PahalgamAttack #AllPartyMeet #OppositionSupports #RahulGandhi #OwaisiOnPak #AAPAccountability #SecurityLapse #TerrorismOut #IndiaFightsTerror #ParliamentBriefs #UnityAgainstTerror #JKAttack #NationalSecurity #TerrorResponse #KashmirTerror Courtesy : TOI Note: This news was originally published on https://timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
‘Pahalgam attack masterminded by Pakistan’: CWC resolution
NEW DELHI: The Congress working committee on Thursday condemned the dastardly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. The party said that the attack which killed 28 was masterminded by Pakistan. “”The Congress Working Committee expresses its deep condolences and strongly condemns the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April 2025. 26 innocent tourists were killed and more than 20 were seriously injured in this heinous attack. The Congress Working Committee expresses its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and stands in full solidarity with them in this hour of profound grief. This cowardly and well-planned terror attack, masterminded by Pakistan, is a direct attack on the values of our Republic. The deliberate targeting of Hindu civilians was a well-planned conspiracy to incite emotions across the country. We appeal to maintain peace despite this grave provocation and reiterate our collective strength in this hour of crisis,” Congress leader Pawan Khera said. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) had convened an emergency meeting on Thursday at its headquarters in Delhi. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge, along with senior leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and others, paid tribute to the victims with a moment of silence. Rahul Gandhi returned early from the US to attend the meeting. He, along with Kharge, spoke with Union home minister Amit Shah and J&K officials for updates. The Congress called for national unity and urged the government to take decisive action against terrorism without political blame. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news was originally published on https://timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.