SP MP discusses preparations for Dalit convention: Arrives in Pinahat for November 15th event in Agra
Samajwadi Party National General Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Lal Suman arrived in Pinahat on Saturday evening to discuss preparations for the Dalit convention to be held in Agra on November 15th. The MP met with local party workers and villagers to inquire about the program’s outline and arrangements. During the meeting, the SP MP urged party workers to ensure maximum participation of the public and supporters. The workers welcomed him and pledged to make the convention a success. Senior leader Harishankar Sharma, Vice President Sudhir Dubey, Ramsanehi, Sonu Tomar, Vijay Singh Pradhan, Suraj Bhan, Arvind, and Nand Kishore, along with several prominent party workers, were present. Sumit Sharma | Pinahat (Agra), Agra Courtesy: Hindi News
Rahul Gandhi to raise MPSC aspirants’ demands before state govt
Pune: Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday extended support to the ongoing agitation of MPSC aspirants in the city and said he would raise the protesters’ demands before Maharashtra govt. As several MPSC aspirants continued with their protest on the third day in Pune despite police denying them permission, Rahul took to his “X” handle to support their demands, including the removal of the MPSC chairperson and filling up over 70,000 vacant posts. “During the recent ‘Chhatron ki Goonj’ programme in Pune, I had demanded the Maharashtra chief minister to listen to the students, and ensure reforms in MPSC and transparency in examinations. However, nothing has happened and the aspirants are again staging a protest in Pune,” Rahul wrote. The protesters recently held a meeting with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai, where he assured them of a judicial inquiry against the current and former chairpersons of MPSC as well as other members, the continuation of offline examinations and reforms in the recruitment process. Following the meeting, the protesters announced calling off the agitation. But several aspirants gathered near Pune’s Abasaheb Garware College on Thursday and started an agitation despite police denying them permission. Rahul on his “X” handle mentioned that Youth Congress and NSUI would continue to stand by the protesters. “The demands of the protesters are not unjust. They need action and not just assurances. I will raise the issue again before the Maharashtra govt and demand a permanent solution. The institution that determines students’ future has been hijacked; we will not let it continue,” he wrote. Congress members, including state chief Harshwardhan Sapkal, former state minister Balasaheb Thorat and MLA Vishwajeet Kadam, joined the protest on Saturday. “We will continue to stand by the protesters in their fight till the system that plays with the students’ future is held accountable,” Sapkal 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
‘He was so scared’: SP MP on ally Rahul Gandhi skipping Amethi in 2024 Lok Sabha polls
NEW DELHI: Strain deepened within the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance ahead of Uttar Pradesh polls, with SP MP Shiv Pal Singh Patel in an off-the-cuff remark claimed that Rahul Gandhi was “reluctant to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election” from Amethi and chose Raebareli because he was “so scared”. Patel, who represents Pratapgarh, also credited the SP-Congress alliance for the Congress’s six Lok Sabha wins in Uttar Pradesh, arguing that the party would have drawn a blank in the state without SP’s support. Speaking to news agency PTI, Patel said the SP leadership had to persuade Gandhi to contest from Raebareli after he appeared unwilling to fight from Amethi, the traditional Gandhi family constituency. “Had there been no alliance (with the Samajwadi Party), they (Congress) wouldn’t have won a single seat. It even reached a point where their top leader Rahul Gandhi was ready to give up his seat. He contested from elsewhere (Raebareli) instead of Amethi. He was so scared,” he said. The leader futher added: “It was our national president who reassured and persuaded him, asking him to contest and warning that if he didn’t, he (Akhilesh) would field his own candidate. Only then did Gandhi agree to contest. Otherwise, he was extremely reluctant to run for that traditional seat, the one said to belong to the Nehru family. Gandhi only managed to win it because of that persuasion,” he said. Patel credits SP for Congress wins Patel said SP voters backed Congress candidates in constituencies allotted to the Congress under the alliance arrangement. “Every single vote from the Samajwadi Party went to the Congress wherever they were allotted seats. That is precisely how they managed to win those six seats,” he said. The SP won 37 of Uttar Pradesh’s 80 Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 elections, while Congress won six. The BJP won 33 seats, while the NDA’s tally in the state stood at 36. Patel said the difference in the two parties’ performances should be reflected in any future seat-sharing discussions. “We secured 37 seats. We are far ahead of the Congress in every respect. They shouldn’t ask for more than 50, and should feel happy. The Congress should cooperate, rather than making all sorts of absurd or negative remarks,” Patel said. SP MP dismisses Congress’s caste strategy Patel also criticised the Congress’s reported caste strategy in Uttar Pradesh, including its appointment of a Brahmin as state Congress president and a Muslim as working president. “This will not yield any benefit. Look, Dalits were with Mayawati, but they have now shifted to our side. They realised that there was no significant upliftment of Dalits during the Congress regime, and certainly none is happening under the BJP. Whereas, during the Samajwadi Party’s tenure, everyone gets equal opportunities. Everyone gets an equal chance to progress; their children get a chance to receive an education.” He added, “That is precisely why the party was named ‘Samajwadi’. Our party operates based on the ideals of (Ram Manohar) Lohia-ji. Our party’s objective is the welfare of all sections of society.” The SP currently has 101 MLAs in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly, while Congress has two. Patel said the SP could benefit from continuing its alliance with Congress, but argued that the Congress would suffer more if it contested elections without its regional ally. “If we proceed with an alliance, we will certainly benefit. Even if it doesn’t happen, we won’t have any significant loss. But for them, the tally will drop to zero. I can say this with confidence: if they don’t contest as part of an alliance, they will end up with zero seats. The public will realise they are fielding candidates solely to split votes. If they act as vote-spoilers, they will be reduced to zero,” Patel said. Congress hits back Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Anshu Awasthi pushed back against Patel’s remarks and said the SP should rein in leaders making such statements. “The Samajwadi Party must work to rein in leaders who make such statements. It is because of the INDIA bloc that he (Patel) has become an MP. He should know his limits and avoid making statements like these,” Awasthi told PTI. 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 cremated Dalit youth without family consent: BJP
Chandigarh: Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon alleged that Punjab Police cremated the body of Sanamdeep Singh, a 23-year-old Dalit resident of Kanoi village in Sangrur district, without the consent or presence of his family members after he died by suicide on Sept 26. “The incident reflects the deteriorating law-and-order situation in Punjab and the AAP govt’s failure to safeguard the rights of Dalit families,” Dhillon alleged. Dhillon was accompanied by Sangrur BJP district president Daman Bajwa, Sanamdeep’s brother Ravi Singh, father Paramjeet Singh, and cousin Vikramjeet Singh, who recounted the family’s version of events. “Punjab is passing through a difficult phase. We are receiving regular complaints of atrocities and discrimination against Dalits under the AAP govt. Even though Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann hails from Sangrur, such incidents continue to be reported from the district,” Dhillon alleged. Accusing the police of acting under the influence of a sitting minister, Dhillon said, “The law-and-order situation has deteriorated to such an extent that the victim’s last rites were not allowed to take place in his own village or in the presence of his family. The police cremated the body without the family’s consent and even abducted the victim’s mother.” He further alleged that the state govt had turned a blind eye to the matter and said the BJP had urged senior police officers to conduct a thorough probe. The party has also sought information regarding the whereabouts of the victim’s mother and demanded that she be reunited with her family. According to the family, Sanamdeep worked as a stone mason and had been involved in a long-standing dispute with the village sarpanch, whom they described as being associated with the AAP. The family alleged that continued pressure and harassment linked to the dispute drove him to consume a poisonous substance at his home. He later died while undergoing treatment at Sangrur Civil Hospital. Vikramjeet Singh claimed the dispute dated back to 2019 when Ravi Singh’s mobile phone allegedly fell near the sarpanch. “When Ravi approached him to retrieve the phone, the sarpanch used casteist slurs and assaulted him. Instead of acting against the sarpanch, the police later booked seven members of our family in another case to pressure us into withdrawing the complaint. Sanamdeep also spent some time in jail in connection with that case,” he alleged. The family further alleged that they had kept Sanamdeep’s body in the hospital mortuary for five days while peacefully protesting and demanding action against the sarpanch, including the registration of charges under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. “Initially, the police refused to record our statements and kept asking us to provide proof. Later, they cremated our brother without our permission and in the absence of family members,” the family alleged. Sangrur SSP Ravjot Grewal could not be reached for comment. 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 youth’s ashes collected under police watch; kin released
Sangrur: Tension continued in Sangrur on Friday as the family of 23-year-old Dalit youth Sanamdeep Singh collected his ashes under heavy police deployment, a day after police took possession of his body, conducted a post-mortem and carried out the cremation amid protests. Police also released 12 detainees, including eight members of the victim’s family, even as no arrests have been made so far of the village sarpanch and three others named in the FIR for allegedly abetting Sanamdeep’s suicide. Sanamdeep, a resident of Kanoi village, died on Sept 26, a day after allegedly consuming poison. His family accused the village sarpanch and three others of harassment and had refused to allow a post-mortem until the accused were arrested. On Thursday, police forcibly took possession of the body, broke through a protest by family members and supporters, conducted the autopsy and cremated the body while detaining relatives and opposition leaders. The action drew sharp criticism from civil rights groups and opposition parties. The episode has sparked a political confrontation between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party government in chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s home district. Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa was denied permission on Friday to meet senior Congress leader Rajinder Singh Deepa at Central Jail, Patiala. Deepa was arrested during Thursday’s clash between police and protesters outside Sangrur civil hospital and was later shifted to Patiala jail. In a letter dated Oct 2, 2026, jail superintendent Gurcharan Singh Dhaliwal said visits were restricted to family members, relatives and legal counsel under the Punjab Prisons Rules, 2022. As Deepa had authorised only his wife and son-in-law as visitors, permission for Bajwa’s meeting request was declined, he said. After visiting the bereaved family, senior Congress leader and former cabinet minister Raj Kumar Verka accused the state government of being insensitive towards Dalits and demanded that provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act be added to the FIR. “If justice is denied to the Dalit community, followers of Baba Saheb Ambedkar across the country will make life difficult for the chief minister. The pot of sins is full,” Verka said. Defending its decision to cremate the body, police said on Thursday that the Senior Medical Officer had issued multiple notices warning that the corpse was rapidly decomposing and that, under Section 301 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), causing indignity to a dead body is an offence. Police claimed repeated notices were served on the family, but they refused to accept them due to political influence. Police said an FIR had already been registered on Sept 28 at Sadar Sangrur police station under Section 108 (abetment of suicide) and Section 3(5) of the BNS against the village sarpanch, his brother, a former panchayat member and a woman on the complaint of Sanamdeep’s father. However, police alleged that Congress leader Rajinder Deepa and other outsiders had prevented the family from agreeing to the post-mortem, insisting on arrests before the procedure could take place. According to the police, protesters turned violent when authorities proceeded with legal formalities, allegedly damaging property, using abusive language and attacking officials. Police said minimal force was used to disperse the crowd. Following the clash, City Sangrur police registered FIR No. 194 against Rajinder Deepa and three others under various sections of the BNS, including assault on a public servant, and secured 14 days’ judicial remand for the accused. Family members of the deceased who had been taken into preventive custody on Thursday were released on Friday. 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
TMC rebel MPs’ new party urges PM Modi to give ‘highest recognition’ to Gyanesh Kumar
Asked about the request, NCPI parliamentary party chairperson and former TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar said, “I have heard about the letter, but I am not aware of the details.” The Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), into which several breakaway Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs merged, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi praising Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar’s role in conducting the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. NCPI national president Jyoti Prokash Chatterjee said Kumar “deserves the nation’s highest recognition”, describing the election as one held without bloodshed, intimidation or electoral malpractice. His comments come amid opposition criticism of the CEC following a newspaper report alleging differences within the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. In a letter to the prime minister sent on Wednesday, Chatterjee referred to the state’s history of political violence and allegations of electoral irregularities, and said the conduct of the elections had helped restore voters’ confidence in the electoral process. “By upholding the independence, neutrality and discipline of the Election Commission, Kumar has reinforced the foundation of the Constitution and strengthened the faith of over a billion citizens in the ballot,” he said. “For these contributions, I humbly submit that Gyanesh Kumar deserves the nation’s highest recognition. Honouring him would also send a message to election officials across the country that dedication to fairness and integrity is valued by the Republic,” Chatterjee added. Asked about the request, NCPI parliamentary party chairperson and former TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar said, “I have heard about the letter, but I am not aware of the details.” The NCPI, a little-known political outfit, emerged as a new player in Bengal politics after 20 TMC MPs joined the party following Mamata Banerjee’s defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections. The breakaway MPs subsequently extended support to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). After NCPI decided not to field candidates in the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly bypolls, its president Chatterjee said the party would campaign for the BJP nominees as part of its alignment with the NDA. 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
‘I am Hanuman to Rahul Gandhi’: Ajay Rai after being replaced as UP Congress chief
NEW DELHI: Former Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Ajay Rai on Saturday called himself a “Hanuman” to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying he would continue to follow the party’s national leadership and carry out its political fight regardless of the position he holds. “Whatever decision the national leadership makes. They told me to fight Modi, and I fought openly with full strength, and I will continue to fight. So whatever the national leadership decides, I stand by it. I am certainly a ‘Hanuman’ to my leader Rahul Gandhi; wherever he says, I will be there,” he told ANI. Rai also recalled his contest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi. Describing himself as a “simple worker”, he said he had been fielded against PM Modi with the support of the Congress leadership and Rahul Gandhi. Rai made the remarks after the Congress appointed Aradhana Mishra ‘Mona’ as the new UP Congress president, replacing him as part of an organisational reshuffle ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Speaking to reporters, Rai said he had always followed the decisions of the national leadership and would continue to do so. “A simple worker like me was fielded against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. With the support of the top leadership and Rahul Gandhi, we secured 4.6 lakh votes in Varanasi and defeated PM Modi in seven rounds. I thank Rahul Gandhi and the top leadership for their faith in me and extend my best wishes to Aradhana Mishra Mona. I hope she works hard, takes the party forward and strengthens the trust of workers by standing with them against oppression and injustice,” he said. Rai said political positions were temporary and pointed to his record as a five-time MLA from Pindra. He said he had worked extensively for people in his constituency and recalled arranging blood donations when required. “Positions in politics come and go. I have been an MLA from Pindra five times and have worked extensively for the people, even arranging blood donations through my family when needed. I thank the Pradesh Congress Committee employees, drivers, staff, workers and supporters who stood by me around the clock and helped me throughout my journey across Uttar Pradesh. We have always stood against oppression and injustice wherever it occurred,” he said. Meanwhile, Mishra, after taking charge as the new UP Congress president, said the party was ready for the 2027 Assembly elections and would contest them with the INDIA alliance. “Today marks the beginning of a new dawn. I express my gratitude to my leadership for entrusting me with this responsibility. This is a big challenge; time is short, and every Congress worker will have to work. Together, we must work with full strength,” she said. Mishra also highlighted the Congress’ focus on women’s empowerment, saying, “If there’s anyone who is the biggest example of ‘Beti Hun, Lad Sakti Hun’, it is me.” She recalled the party’s decision under Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s leadership to field 40% women candidates in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. “Before this, under Priyanka Gandhi’s leadership, we fielded 40% women candidates with tickets in the 2022 elections. It is evident today that the Congress Party has always worked for the empowerment of women,” she said. “We are ready for the 2027 elections, and the INDIA alliance will contest the elections with full strength. We will fight the elections with the entire alliance,” the newly appointed UP Congress chief 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
Rahul Gandhi launches ‘Satyagraha’ website for information on current protests across India
NEW DELHI: Congress MP and leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched “Satyagraha,” a digital platform aimed at consolidating information on various issue-based protests taking place across the country. The website was launched a day after the 157th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, whose philosophy of “Satyagraha” — peaceful resistance for truth — Rahul Gandhi invoked. In a post on X, the Raebareli MP noted that protesters can submit details about their causes, find similar movements across the country through an interactive map and seek direct support. “People across the country are fighting for their rights and often fighting alone. Gen Z, students, farmers, tribals, Dalits, women — every struggle has its own story. But the voice that rises alone often gets suppressed. ‘Satyagraha’ is an initiative to bring these voices together on a map. Bapu taught us this; truth is the greatest weapon. But an even greater weapon is standing together with truth in unity. If you’re also fighting against any injustice, share your story. It will take two minutes,” Rahul Gandhi said. — RahulGandhi (@RahulGandhi) “Your story will appear on the map. You’ll see who else is fighting like you. And I’ll do whatever I can, in Parliament, on the streets, by writing letters, standing with you wherever I’m needed, as the Leader of the Opposition; this is my responsibility,” the former Congress president added. In a video accompanying the post, Rahul Gandhi asserted that as the leader of opposition, it was his “responsibility” to consolidate information about protests across the country in one place. “Protests are taking place in every corner of the country. Someone is speaking about students, someone is speaking about women, someone is protesting against price rise, so there are lakhs of different protests happening across the country. I am the Leader of Opposition, and I wanted us to consolidate the information about all these protests in one place. That is why we have launched the Satyagraha website for you. Whatever your protest may be, big or small, enter your name, the name of your group, and detail what the protest is about. And if we can help you, or if you seek help from us, we will gladly support you,” Rahul Gandhi 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
CM Vijay launches expanded ‘Vettri Payanam’ scheme; 84 lakh women to benefit daily
A total of 12,692 government buses have been brought under the expanded scheme. CHENNAI: Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday launched the expanded Vettri Payanam scheme at the Koyambedu bus terminus, under which women and transgender persons can travel free of cost in government buses across Tamil Nadu. Vijay formally launched the scheme by distributing free tickets to women passengers waiting inside buses at the terminus. The gesture marked the commencement of the expanded free-travel facility, which is expected to benefit around 84.32 lakh women every day. A total of 12,692 government buses have been brought under the expanded scheme. This accounts for 69% of the 18,413 scheduled buses operated by the seven state transport undertakings. Of the total 1,94,649 scheduled trips (singles), 1,65,312 trips, or 85%, will be operated under the scheme. The expansion covers Express, LSS and Deluxe buses operating within cities and urban areas, Mofussil Ordinary buses and Ghat Ordinary buses operating beyond 40 km, in addition to the services already covered by the free-travel scheme. However, buses operated by State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) have been excluded from the scheme. The implementation of this scheme will entail an annual expenditure of approximately Rs 6,000 crore. Under the women’s free bus travel scheme (Vidiyal Payanam) launched by previous DMK government, women are permitted to travel only in ordinary city and town buses and ordinary buses operating in hilly areas for distances up to 40 km. Free travel was not permitted in Express, LSS, Deluxe and Mofussil buses. The Electronic Ticketing Machine (ETM) systems in the buses have been integrated to record the free journeys. The government had completed the integration work, with testing and verification and trial runs were conducted on September 27. The expansion is aimed at widening access to free public transport for women, including students travelling to colleges located far from their homes and women travelling to workplaces, hospitals and for essential services, transport minister A Vijay Tamilan Parthiban said. 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
‘15,000 voters targeted’: Rahul Gandhi’s fresh attack on EC over Karnataka rolls
NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission and accused it of erasing nearly 15,000 voters from electoral rolls in Karnataka’s Belagavi region. In a social media post on X, Rahul said that a massive “flood” of Form 7 applications was filed in bulk over three days to remove targeted groups from the voter list. “In just three days – September 22, 23, and 24 – there was a flood of Form 7 applications to remove nearly 15,000 voters… Muslims, SCs, STs, and OBCs are being systematically targeted because they do not vote for the BJP,” Rahul said. “I had already exposed this method of vote theft – votes are deleted through software in a centralised manner. ‘Select’ people are targeted as BJP and EC officials collude to fill out Form 7 in bulk through automated means – and in the blink of an eye, millions vanish from the voter list. And all of this is controlled from the top,” he added. The Congress leader also demanded that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar immediately take action or step down, alleging that refusal to register an FIR undermines democratic institutions. “Karnataka Congress leaders are at this moment demanding an FIR against the culprits at the Karnataka CEO’s office. Why is the CEO refusing this FIR? In this way, Modi, Shah, and Gyanesh are collectively destroying democracy through SIR. This is treason. That’s why I’m saying Gyanesh Kumar should resign and become an approver, and there should be an investigation against Modi and Shah,” he added. Form 7 is the official document prescribed by the Election Commission for objecting to the inclusion of or seeking the deletion of a name from an existing electoral roll. In Belagavi, local election officials reportedly received thousands of such applications over a span of 72 hours, triggering alarm among local Congress workers and booth-level officers (BLOs). Meanwhile, the poll panel and regional authorities clarified the procedural safeguards surrounding Form 7 filings. Election officials stressed that no voter’s name can be deleted automatically or solely based on the submission of a Form 7. Every application requires physical field verification, notices to be issued to the affected voter, and due process to be conducted by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) before any deletion is finalised, the panel said. Election officials instructed local BLOs to halt the immediate processing of suspected bulk filings and initiated internal inquiries to trace the origin of the submissions and verify whether the signatures were genuine. Earlier on Wednesday, INDIA bloc leaders held a coordination meeting in New Delhi and announced a series of protests against the EC. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said Opposition parties would organise a nationwide “Save Democracy March” at the district level from October 2 to October 8. 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