Mahagathbandhan in Bihar: Will arithmetic of seat-sharing overshadow chemistry of vote yatra?
NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi’s “Voter Adhikar Yatra” in Bihar was a picture-perfect show of unity – with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav joining hands to unleash a coordinated offensive against the Election Commission and the BJP, accusing them of stealing elections. It was a campaign that brought together all the Mahagathbandhan leaders. The chemistry between the allies was obvious and was aptly summed up by Rahul Gandhi when he asserted during the course of the yatra: “A very strong partnership had been forged. All the parties (in the bloc) are working in sync. There’s no tension, and there’s mutual respect for each other as we are ideologically and politically aligned. The result will be good.” Ironically though, Rahul made this statement to evade a direct reply to a pointed question – “Why Congress was not backing RJD’s Tejashwi as CM candidate?” Clearly, the bonhomie on display notwithstanding, the Congress leader was not willing to endorse the leadership role of the senior partner in the Bihar alliance. This despite the fact that Tejashwi had already openly proclaimed during the yatra that if the opposition is voted to power in the next Lok Sabha elections, Rahul will become the Prime Minister. Little wonder then, with the yatra over, realpolitik has taken over. The yatra bonhomie between the allies seems to have given way to pressure games as they finalise the seat-sharing deal. While claims and counterclaims by allies do point to fissures in the alliance, most of this could be posturing to extract the best deal. Why seat-sharing deal may be a tough nut to crack? In the 2020 assembly elections, RJD had contested 144 seats and won 75. The Congress had the worst strike rate as it contested 70 seats but won only 19. The Left parties had performed very well five years back with the CPI-ML winning 12 out of 19 it got under seat-sharing, while CPM won 2 out of 4 and CPI 2 out of 6. This time around, there are at least three more parties joining the opposition alliance: Vikasheel Insaan Party of Mukesh Sahani, JMM and the breakaway faction of LJP – headed by Chirag’s uncle. Interestingly, five years back, VIP was part of Mahagathbandhan till the seat-sharing deal was announced. While the announcement was being made, VIP’s Sahni walked out of the opposition alliance and crossed over to the NDA. This time around he has sought 60 seats and the post of deputy chief minister if the alliance wins. Sample some of the statements made by the allies for a better bargain this time around, and one understands why finalising a deal may not be easy. CPI’s D Raja “We will try to get more seats. If other parties are demanding, our party has a great history in Bihar and it has a widespread presence and organisational strength and our party can decide the political course in different district. So we should get reasonable number of seats.” VIP’s Mukesh Sahani “The Vikasheel Insaan Party will contest 60 seats in 2025, with candidates from our allied parties contesting all remaining seats.” “We have always believed that if new parties come into the alliance, then every party will have to contribute from their kitty. In every state there are good seats and bad seats (in terms of winnability) and we believe that one party should not get all the good seats and the other gets the bad ones. In the sharing of seats, there should be a balance between good and bad seats.” Congress’s Krishna Allavaru “Hopefully, Congress would adopt a “more realistic” approach in the ongoing seat-sharing talks for the upcoming assembly elections, drawing lessons from its performance in the 2020 polls when it had “bitten off more than it could possibly chew. Maybe contesting fewer seats than last time but winning more and performing better… would be in the interest of the Congress, and definitely that of the entire INDIA bloc.” RJD, Congress under pressure? The pressure is mostly on the RJD, which is the biggest party in the alliance and has maximum stakes. Little wonder, Tejashwi has already embarked on a solo yatra to perhaps assert his dominance in the coalition. For the Congress also, its 2020 performance is a hurdle notwithstanding the claimed gains from Rahul’s ‘Voter Adhikar’ yatra. It remains to be seen how much the two parties are willing to compromise to accommodate the other parties. Clearly, for the Mahagathbandhan, after a smooth yatra, the road ahead appears to be bumpy. 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
Prashant Kishor on abuse row: BJP, Congress in ‘fixed match’; questions silence on Biharis insulted outside
NEW DELHI: Politics in Bihar has once again turned stormy after allegations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s late mother Heeraben was abused at an RJD rally. But Jan Suraaj leader Prashant Kishor on Sunday called the row nothing more than a “fixed match”, accusing both sides of distracting people from issues that matter. The row erupted after a video from Tejashwi Yadav’s ‘Bihar Adhikar Yatra’ went viral on social media. BJP leaders, including Bihar deputy chief minister Samrat Choudhary, claimed that RJD workers shouted abuses targeting Modi’s late mother. Sharing the clip on X, Choudhary said, “Tejashwi Yadav has once again insulted Modi ji’s late mother. He has once again torn apart the culture of Bihar. In the rally, the RJD workers were hurling as many abuses as they could, and Tejashwi was encouraging them. The mothers and sisters of Bihar will surely hold him accountable for this thuggish mentality and abusive behaviour.” This row comes just weeks after a similar incident in Darbhanga, where abuses were allegedly hurled during Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’. While the BJP has sharpened its attack on the opposition, Prashant Kishor took a swipe at both parties. “This is a fixed match. Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav will abuse PM Modi, and PM Modi, along with the BJP, will abuse them, so that people remain distracted from the real issues,” Kishor said. He further questioned the selective outrage of national and state leaders, pointing out that both the ruling and opposition leaders do not bat an eye when Bihari people are abused in other states. According to him, the ongoing war of words is only meant to keep common people busy with political theatre. PTI reported that the authenticity of the viral video could not be independently verified. 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
Grand Alliance to contest polls after naming CM face: Tejashwi
Patna: RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Saturday said the Grand Alliance would not contest the forthcoming state assembly polls without declaring a chief ministerial candidate. A section of leaders in ally Congress remains hesitant to endorse him as the CM face. “Are we the BJP that we do not have leaders for the post of the chief minister? We will contest the assembly elections only after projecting a leader as the chief ministerial face,” Tejashwi told reporters in response to questions about the Grand Alliance’s leadership in Bihar. On Saturday, Tejashwi returned to Patna after covering 11 districts during his ‘Bihar Adhikar Yatra,’ launched from Jehanabad on Sept 16 to highlight unemployment, rising crime and other issues ahead of the assembly elections. The yatra concluded in Vaishali district. His solo campaign came soon after the high-profile ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra,’ which featured all Mahagathbandhan leaders and was led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Although Tejashwi participated, the spotlight largely fell on Rahul, who has been spearheading a national campaign against alleged vote theft and accusing the Election Commission of favouring the BJP. The RJD clarified that Tejashwi’s yatra was designed to cover only those districts not included in the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra.’ Yet, its timing, amid ongoing debate over the opposition’s CM face and unresolved seat-sharing talks, has fuelled speculation about whether Tejashwi has additional political objectives in mind. Recently, at a rally in Muzaffarpur, he startled many by saying, “And this time, Tejashwi will contest all 243 seats, whether it is Muzaffarpur, Kanti or Bochahan.” Observers interpreted the remarks as an attempt to underline his authority as the opposition alliance’s undisputed leader. Later, he clarified there was “no confusion” regarding the CM face and that the name would be announced at the “right time.” Tejashwi’s insistence on an early declaration stems from the RJD’s strength within the alliance. In the last assembly polls, it secured 75 seats, the highest tally and one more than the BJP. However, the Congress has so far refused to formally back him as the CM candidate. During the ‘Voter Adhikaar Yatra,’ Rahul Gandhi sidestepped direct questions on the matter, merely emphasising the “good understanding” among partners. This, despite Tejashwi previously declaring that Rahul would become PM once the opposition secured victory in the next Lok Sabha elections. 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
Tejashwi Yadav’s Bihar Adhikar Yatra: Consolidating Rahul Gandhi’s gains or establishing pre-eminence in alliance?
NEW DELHI: RJD leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday launched ‘Bihar Adhikar Yatra’ from Jehanabad to raise pitch against Nitish Kumar-led NDA government over issues of unemployment and increasing crime incidents among others ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. Interestingly, Tejashwi’s solo yatra comes close on the heels of the much-hyped “Voter Adhikaar Yatra” which included all Mahagathbandhan leaders and was led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Tejashwi was part of the Voter Adhikaar Yatra, but the limelight was hogged by Rahul – who has been leading a campaign against alleged vote theft across the country accusing the Election Commission of helping the BJP. The RJD, which is going all out to dethrone Nitish Kumar led NDA government in the state, asserted that Tejasjwi’s yatra will cover districts which were left out in the ‘Voter Adhikaar Yatra’. “After the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’, some districts were left out. All our workers and leaders from these districts demanded that these areas should be covered, so Tejashwi ji took the decision to take out this yatra respecting their feelings,” RJD MP Sanjay Yadav said yesterday when asked about the launch of the yatra. However, the fact that this new yatra comes amid an ongoing debate over Mahagathbandhan’s CM face and also inconclusive seat-sharing talks makes one wonder if the RJD leader has other objectives in mind also. Recently, the RJD leader had surprised all when during a rally in Muzaffarpur he pronounced: “And this time, Tejashwi will contest all 243 seats, whether it is Muzaffarpur, Kanti or Bochahan.” Tejashwi’s remarks, more than anything, was perhaps an attempt to stamp his pre-eminence as the leader of the opposition alliance across the state. However, Tejashwi later explained that there is “no confusion” regarding the chief ministerial face in the opposition bloc and the name will be announced at the “right time.” So, the question is why was such an assertion needed in the first place? After all, RJD is the largest party in the alliance and in the last elections had won 75 seats, which was the highest as it was one more than BJP’s tally. However, as the opposition alliance gears up for the assembly elections, the Congress has refused to openly endorse Tejashwi as Mahagathbandhan’s CM face. During the “Voter Adhikaar Yatra”, when Rahul Gandhi was pointedly asked why Congress was not endorsing Tejashwi as the CM face, he evaded a direct reply and instead spoke of a good understanding between the partners. This, despite the fact, that Tejashwi had earlier openly announced that Rahul would become the Prime Minister once the opposition won the next Lok Sabha elections. When asked why the Congress was not backing Tejashwi Yadav as the chief ministerial face in Bihar, Rahul Gandhi said: “A very strong partnership had been forged. All the parties (in the bloc) are working in sync. There’s no tension, and there’s mutual respect to help each other as we are ideologically and politically aligned. The result will be good. But the vote theft needs to be stopped.” Rahul’s reply was clearly a calculated and clever deflection of announcing party’s stand on the leadership issue in Bihar. The Congress leader, riding high on his successful “vote chori” campaign, was perhaps not willing to lose the bargaining chip so easily. The seat-sharing talks are underway and all parties are posturing for a higher share. In the 2020 assembly elections, the Rashtriya Janata Dal had contested 144 seats and won 75. The Congress had the worst strike rate as it contested 70 seats but won only 19. In fact, the Left parties had performed very well with the CPI-ML winning 12 out of 19, CPM 2 out of 4 and CPI 2 out of 6. This time around more parties have joined the opposition alliance and hence seat-sharing will not be an easy exercise. Already there are reports of pressure on both the RJD and the Congress to reduce their share so that other parties can be accommodated. While the Congress in Bihar is in no position to question his leadership within the alliance, they can pile pressure on the RJD during seat sharing talks. This, perhaps, explains why RJD and its leader Tejashwi have embarked on a campaign to ensure their pre-eminence in the alliance is not questioned. 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
Shankar Bigha Massacre, Ranveer Sena killed 34 Dalits in exchange for 10 Savarnas:Vajpayee dismissed Rabri govt; women demanded arms instead of compensation from Rabri
The date was 25 January 1999. The country was preparing to celebrate the 50th Republic Day. Just moments earlier, President K. R. Narayanan had addressed the nation, saying: “Atrocities on Dalits must stop.” But something very different happened that night. Shankar Bigha is a village in the Arwal district of Bihar. At that time, it was part of Jehanabad district. There were about 110 houses in this village, with over 100 Dalit families living there. None of them had permanent houses or agricultural land. They had settled here for daily-wage labour. It was half past ten on a freezing winter night. Around 100 armed men entered the village, carrying guns and axes. The first house belonged to Bhairon Rajvanshi. He was sleeping with his wife and children when he heard a noise. Startled, he wrapped his bedding around himself, ran out, and shouted to his wife, “Take the children and run. The army people have come.” Bhairon managed to escape, but his wife and children stayed inside. The attackers entered the house, firing shots. The first bullet hit Bhairon’s wife in the legs, and she collapsed. One of the attackers grabbed the children from the cot and threw them on the ground. Bhairon’s wife screamed, “Leave my children alone. What harm have they done to you?” One attacker dragged her by the hair and shouted, “You people support the MCC, don’t you? No one in this village will survive tonight. We will wipe you all out.” The attacker shot both children dead on the spot. The woman beat her chest and wailed. Enraged, the attacker slashed her neck with a sword. Then four or five more assailants entered. They fired indiscriminately all around the house for a while and then left. A vigil was taking place in a large veranda. About 10–15 people were singing and dancing. The sound of gunfire had not yet reached them. Around 40–50 attackers had surrounded the veranda from all sides. One of them said, “Shall we pour kerosene and burn everyone?” Another replied, “No, they are all awake. They will run. They might even have guns.” An attacker, tying his dhoti tightly around his waist, said, “Look, we don’t have much time. Quickly get into the veranda and attack. Don’t give them a chance to escape.” The attackers charged in. They entered the porch, firing indiscriminately. Bullets rained down on the people performing kirtan. Within minutes, ten bodies lay there. A few somehow managed to flee into the fields. From there, the attackers moved house to house, shouting slogans. Whoever they found, they shot dead. Those who survived the bullets were hacked with axes. The entire village echoed with screams. Soon, gunfire was heard from neighbouring villages. The attackers’ commander was startled, wondering where the firing was coming from. Could it be that the MCC had arrived? He quickly told his men, “It seems the MCC people are here. Look, a crowd is coming. Let’s get out of here.” The attackers fired in the air, shouted slogans, and escaped towards the western side of the village. Bhairon Rajvanshi had been hiding in the haystack, watching everything. As soon as the attackers left, he ran home, gasping for breath. He called to his wife from the doorway, but there was no reply. Terrified, Bhairon stepped inside. Something struck his foot. Trembling, he switched on his torch. His wife’s body was lying before him. Blood was splattered everywhere. He stepped forward and saw the body of his elder son under the cot. Bhairon felt faint. He steadied himself and entered the other room. There, he found three more bodies – his two brothers and his younger son. Five members of his family had been slaughtered. He began screaming hysterically, “I am ruined! They have killed everyone. They have spared no one!” It was already midnight. The sound of crying and wailing echoed throughout the village. Corpses lay scattered in the streets. Meanwhile, the phone rang at the Jehanabad police station: “There has been a massacre in Shankar Bigha village.” Around 2 a.m., Jehanabad SP Manmohan Singh and ASP K. K. Singh arrived at the village. The SP went from house to house, surveying the scene. A total of 23 bodies were found. Among the dead were five women and seven children. One child was barely ten months old. The gunshot had ripped his intestines out – the attackers had pressed the barrel of the gun to his stomach before firing. Senior journalist Ramashankar Mishra recalls the massacre: “I reached the village on the morning of 26 January. It was a heart-wrenching sight. Some bodies were riddled with bullets, some had their hands cut off, others had their eyes gouged out. Houses, verandas, and alleys were all stained with blood.” This was the Shankar Bigha massacre. The Ranveer Sena was accused of carrying out the killings. About 20 days earlier, a newspaper had reported that the Ranveer Sena chief had announced the next location of their attack had been chosen. And it happened exactly there. In 1998, ten upper-caste people had been killed in Chauram, in Arwal district. The Maoist organisation MCC was accused of the killings. The Ranveer Sena believed that the people of Shankar Bigha had assisted the Maoists – and that was why the village was chosen for retaliation. On the morning of 27 January, Chief Minister Rabri Devi and Lalu Prasad Yadav reached Shankar Bigha. The crowd erupted in anger as soon as they saw them. Women hurled abuses. People shouted slogans – “Down with Lalu-Rabri! Social justice is a sham! End the Ranveer Sena! Rabri government, resign!” Lalu tried to pacify the crowd: “Listen, we will ensure justice for everyone. The families of those killed will receive one lakh rupees each. Every villager will be given twenty thousand rupees to build houses. A school and a panchayat building will be constructed here.” But the announcement only inflamed tempers. A woman carrying her child walked up to Rabri and screamed: “We don’t
After Rahul yatra, Congress & RJD assess options over Bihar CM face
Patna: Until the middle of last month, it was RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav who appeared to be dictating terms to his INDIA bloc allies, holding frequent conferences at his official residence and announcing his strategies. But since Aug 17, when leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi launched the Voter Adhikar Yatra, it is the Congress that seems to be steering the narrative.The fortnight-long yatra passed through 25 of Bihar’s 38 districts and drew impressive crowds, particularly in rural areas. According to informed sources, Congress sensed a surge of public support during the march and is now keen to test its political impact. That public response has created a new dynamic for Tejashwi, who was appointed chairman of the INDIA bloc’s coordination committee for the Bihar assembly polls at a meeting in Patna on April 17. Despite the role, he still awaits formal projection as the opposition’s chief ministerial face. “Tejashwiji ke haath me hi chunav abhiyan toh phir bach kya jata hai (If Tejashwi is shouldered with the responsibility to launch the election campaign, then what’s left)?” said a senior state Congress leader, requesting anonymity. While allies such as the Left parties and the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) have openly endorsed him as CM face, Congress has carefully avoided making a similar commitment. Rahul, who led the yatra supported by all INDIA bloc partners, party media in-charge Pawan Khera, and Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru have all sidestepped the question in press briefings. This studied silence has begun to irritate the RJD, prompting its leaders to assert Tejashwi’s claim on their own. During a media interaction in Araria last month, Rahul deftly evaded the CM question, instead highlighting the unity among opposition parties on the “vote theft” campaign. Later, Allavaru said, “The people of Bihar will choose their leader,” while Khera too avoided a direct answer, adding only that “they (RJD and Congress) enjoy a different kind of relationship.” The RJD’s annoyance is increasingly evident. On Tuesday, the party’s chief spokesperson Shakti Singh Yadav declared, “Tejashwiji happens to be the coordination committee chairman, he is the opposition’s CM face and will become the CM after assembly polls. There is no doubt about it.” He reminded that Tejashwi was the opposition’s CM face in 2020 as well and came close to forming a govt. Congress insiders, however, claim Tejashwi himself agreed at the INDIA bloc’s first meeting, when the coordination committee was set up, that the decision on the opposition’s face would be taken jointly by all allies at the appropriate time. Downplaying talk of friction, state Congress media in-charge Rajesh Rathore said, “The issue of who will be the CM is not to be decided by one party. It will be decided when all the alliance members sit together.” He added that the yatra had boosted Congress morale, saying, “The masses came to the streets in large numbers and reacted to our slogans. We benefited a lot from the yatra.” The BJP, meanwhile, has seized on the discord. Party spokesperson Prem Ranjan Patel said, “Tejashwi projected Rahul as the PM face, but the latter didn’t reciprocate in a similar fashion and declare him as the CM face. That means Rahul has no trust in his friend.” JD(U) also mocked the situation. “Matlab gathbandhan me gaanth hai,” said JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar. 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
Laxmanpur Bathe Massacre, 58 Dalits killed at midnight, 5 girls raped:Women’s breasts cut, shot in private parts; 45 accused but none proven guilty
Rabri Devi had not even been Chief Minister of Bihar for five months. Lalu Yadav was in prison in connection with the fodder scam. The government was being run with outside support from the Congress party. It was another matter that all its 29 MLAs had been made ministers. Jehanabad district in Bihar. The year was 1997 and the date 1 December. It was around 9 PM on a cold winter night. Thirty to thirty-five people were talking as they moved quickly towards the Son River. They carried guns, swords, sickles, and sticks in their hands. Within minutes, they reached the riverbank. Two or three men shouted – “Is there any boatman?” A boatman came running but froze on seeing the armed group. Trembling, he said, “Sir… where do you want to go at this hour? All the boats are tied up at the shore.” “Then untie them, we need to cross the river. Call two or three more boatmen,” said a middle-aged man of about 40–45 years, adjusting the gun belt on his shoulder. The boatman shouted out, “Hey, are you listening… the gentlemen need to go across, bring the boat quickly.” Within minutes, four boatmen arrived with two more boats. Everyone boarded the three boats. After an hour’s journey, the boats reached the other side. There, fifty to sixty armed men were already waiting for them. Their numbers had now swelled to about a hundred. They formed a circle and began talking amongst themselves. Then one man said, “Finish off these boatmen, otherwise the secret will be revealed.” Ten to fifteen people grabbed the five boatmen. Their hands and feet were tied. A man around thirty-five years old picked up a sword and struck it against a boatman’s neck. He screamed. The attacker struck his neck again, this time with force. The boatman’s neck was severed and hung limply. Now five or six others from the crowd attacked the remaining boatmen with swords. The boatmen pleaded, crying, “Sir… we have small children. Who will take care of them? We will not say a word to anyone. Please don’t kill us.” The attackers did not stop. They beheaded the remaining four boatmen as well. Blood spread through the boats. The sand on the riverbank was stained with blood. One attacker said, “Shall we pack these @#$%% in a sack?” A thin, middle-aged man spoke up, “Oh no, throw them all onto the shore. The more bodies are seen, the better it will be.” Now the group of attackers moved ahead. In front of them lay a village named Laxmanpur Bathe. One part of it was a Dalit settlement, while the other had the houses of the upper castes. The Dalit homes were made of mud, with many not even having doors. It was now 10:30 at night. The attackers quickly moved towards the Dalit settlement. They split into groups of ten to fifteen and began entering different houses, firing as they went. Three people were sleeping in the verandah of one house – a husband, wife, and their daughter. Hearing the gunshots, the husband jumped over the wall and fled, but his wife and daughter were caught. One attacker pointed a gun at them, but another said from behind, “Don’t waste bullets. Cut them with a sword.” The attacker struck the woman in the chest with a sword. She collapsed to the ground with a thud. Another attacker struck her neck three or four times, severing it. Meanwhile, one of the attackers grabbed the daughter. She began to tremble and pleaded, “Brother, please don’t kill me… let me go… I am falling at your feet.” The attacker, gritting his teeth, said, “@#%^& should I let you live to testify?” He slapped the girl hard three or four times, pushed her to the ground, and began raping her. She screamed continuously. Then a second attacker also raped her. Afterwards, he shot her in the lower part of her body before moving on. A forty to forty-five-year-old woman was hiding in a corner with her husband, brother-in-law, and two children, paralysed with fear. An attacker struck her husband with a sword, severing his hand, which hung loosely as he fell to the ground, writhing in pain. When her brother-in-law and the two children tried to escape, other attackers opened fire from behind. One was shot in the chest, another in the head. All three died on the spot. The woman could not bear to see her own sons murdered in front of her eyes. She began screaming loudly. At that moment, one of the attackers struck her husband’s neck with a sword, splattering blood on the walls. Another attacker chopped off his limbs. Within minutes, he lay motionless. Four or five attackers now dragged the woman into the courtyard. She screamed frantically. One attacker said, “Hey, this @#$%% is screaming too much. Stuff her mouth with a cloth.” One of them tore a towel and stuffed it into her mouth. Two or three attackers began pulling off her sari. Each attacker then took turns raping her. Meanwhile, one said, “Make sure she doesn’t survive.” The attacker shot the woman two or three times in the chest before leaving. An hour later, the man who had escaped by climbing over the wall returned home, crying. He switched on his torch and saw his wife’s mutilated body lying in the verandah. Blood was everywhere. His daughter’s body lay inside the room, blood flowing from her chest and lower waist. He sat holding his head, then staggered to his feet. Moving forward, he switched on the torch again. In another room lay the bodies of his two sons and two grandsons. And in the courtyard lay the naked body of his daughter-in-law. In a frenzy, he screamed and ran out of the house. He went to a neighbour’s house, where he saw the bodies of five people scattered. Some had been shot, others hacked with swords and axes. The breasts of a 25–30-year-old
Transgender board serves legal notice to govt over alleged discrimination
Patna: The Bihar State Kinnar Kalyan Board on Monday issued a legal notice to the state govt, demanding Rs100 crore for the welfare of the transgender community. The board accused the govt of systemic discrimination and exclusion from welfare schemes, and has sought a formal response within seven days. Board member Rajan Singh criticised the govt for failing to provide even a basic office for the board since its formation, raising concerns about its operational effectiveness. He pointed out that while various schemes and pension plans have been announced for men and women—especially during election campaigns—no such initiatives have been introduced for the transgender community. “The govt has denied us political and social inclusion, which is a violation of our rights,” Singh said. He warned that any department found discriminating against transgender individuals would face legal consequences. The board reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring access to education, healthcare, employment, and dignity for the transgender community through grassroots efforts. 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
Transgenders beat up eight men impersonating them, hand them over to Dhanbad police
Dhanbad: Eight men, who posed as transgenders and allegedly extorted money from truckers and passers-by on GT Road between Panduki and Kisan Chowk under Barwadda police station limits, were handed over to the police on Monday. Interestingly, the impostors were exposed and handed over to cops by a group of transgenders. Locals said around a dozen fake transgenders were spotted harassing commuters and forcibly collecting money by the local transgender community. Angered by repeated complaints of such activities, the transgenders confronted the imposters. In the confrontation that followed, eight young men were caught red-handed, thrashed on the spot, and later handed over to Barwadda police. The transgender community claimed that these fake transgenders were damaging the image of their society by indulging in unlawful practices in the guise of begging and collecting money. “For the past several days, we had been receiving complaints that some men, dressed as transgenders, were creating nuisance on GT Road. They would stop trucks and pedestrians, demand money forcibly, and misbehave with drivers,” said Shweta Kinnar, a Dhanbad member of the Jharkhand Kinnar Board, while speaking to the media. Shweta said, “We earn our living with dignity and do not indulge in such illegal acts. But these imposters were tarnishing our image. Today, we caught eight men red-handed and handed them over to Barwadda police. We demand strict legal action against them to set an example,” she said. Police officials confirmed receiving eight persons in custody. “We have taken them into custody, and the matter is being investigated. Legal action will be taken based on the evidence,” said a police officer. 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
BJP, Congress eye bigger share of seats in Magadh region
Gaya: Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting in Bodh Gaya on Aug 22 and the positive response to Rahul Gandhi’s Voter Adhikar Yatra in the Magadh division, the bargaining position of both national parties has improved within their respective alliances. Political observers said in the 2020 assembly elections, both parties played second fiddle in NDA and Mahagathbandhan, respectively. In 2020, JD(U) led the NDA in Magadh by contesting 11 of the 26 seats, while the BJP fielded candidates in 10. BJP secured three of these 10 seats in four districts of the division but did not contest in Jahanabad. JD(U), however, failed to win any of the 11 seats it contested in Magadh. Even in Ghosi, long considered Jagdish Sharma’s stronghold, his son Rahul suffered a decisive defeat to CPI(ML) candidate Ram Bali Yadav, who had been seen as an underdog throughout the campaign. In Rafiganj, JD(U) candidate Ashok Kumar Singh slipped to third place. Within the NDA, HAM(S) emerged as the most successful with Jitan Ram Manjhi’s party winning three of the five seats it contested in Gaya, Jahanabad and Aurangabad. In the Mahagathbandhan camp, CPI(ML) achieved a perfect strike rate by winning both Ghosi and Arwal. Congress secured three of the seven seats it contested. Over the past five years, and particularly in recent months, political fortunes in the region have shifted. Gaya district BJP chief Prem Prakash argued that BJP’s growing strength must be reflected in seat-sharing. “BJP was much stronger now and this strength must be reflected in the distribution of seats based on the winnability of the candidates. Moreover, unlike other parties inside and outside the alliance, BJP has got a leader like Prem Kumar, the undisputed EBC leader of Bihar,” said Prakash. In 2015, senior BJP leader and former Union minister Shah Nawaz Hussain, while addressing an election rally in Gaya, had presented Kumar as BJP’s potential CM face. Congress functionaries also believe their position warrants a larger share of seats. Vijay Kumar Mithu, former AICC member, said, “Based on traction, Congress definitely deserves more than the seven seats it contested in 2020. The party would demand at least one more SC seat as it has significantly strengthened itself in recent times and though it has become more popular in all social groups, its footprint was most pronounced among the Dalits and EBCs.” Ali Hussain, principal of a Gaya-based college and a political science teacher for nearly two decades, observed that the rival coalitions would eventually need to adjust. “Sooner or later, the rival coalitions will have to recalibrate their strategy in view of the ground realities,” he added. 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