Don’t air internal issues in public: Congress warns Punjab leaders; no ‘group activity’ to be tolerated
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Thursday issued a stern warning to its Punjab leaders, asking them to stop airing internal differences in public or fuelling factionalism. The party asked them to instead work together to ensure Congress return to power in the upcoming 2027 assembly elections. The order came during a three-hour meeting convened by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence in New Delhi, which was also attended by Rahul Gandhi, amid reports of infighting within the state unit, news agency PTI reported. Punjab goes to the polls in early 2027, and Congress is aiming to reclaim the state from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Party leaders were asked to refrain from making statements against one another and were assured that there would be no immediate change in the state leadership. The high command, they were informed, would take decisions on candidate selection and campaign strategy in due course. AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal said Kharge and Gandhi reviewed the political situation in Punjab and heard the views of state leaders, describing the discussions as “very fruitful”. “The party has directed all leaders to refrain from making public statements on internal matters. Everyone may have their own views, but these should be raised only within party forums. Going to the media or spreading such issues on social media will not be tolerated,” Venugopal told reporters. He said the leadership had given a “very clear direction” and that all leaders present had unanimously agreed to it. On speculation about a leadership change in Punjab, Venugopal said there was “no question of it at present”. Addressing concerns raised by some leaders over representation of weaker sections, Venugopal said the Congress remained committed to ensuring adequate representation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs and economically weaker sections, including in Punjab. However, he stressed that such issues must be raised internally. “We have told the state leadership not to make statements in public. From tomorrow onwards, you will see the Congress united. We will fight the elections together and win Punjab,” he said. On reports of some leaders writing jointly to Rahul Gandhi seeking a separate discussion, Venugopal said individual requests were acceptable but “group activities” would not be tolerated. “If anyone wants to meet Rahul ji, they can write individually,” he said, adding that Kharge and Gandhi were planning a visit to Punjab soon. 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 Murder Sparks Outrage in UP, Heavy Police Force Deployed, Highway Blocked
Bareilly: A tragic and shocking incident has come to light in Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh. Rahul Sagar, a 26-year-old Dalit youth from Dohra village in the Baradari police station area, was brutally beaten to death by a group of men. After battling for his life in the hospital for a week, Rahul succumbed to his injuries during treatment. As soon as the news of the youth’s death spread in the village and surrounding areas, widespread anger erupted. Following Rahul’s death, his family members and villagers blocked the highway by placing his body in front of the post-mortem house. The protesters leveled serious allegations against the police and demanded justice. A heavy police force has been deployed at the spot, and officials are trying to pacify the people. Attack over borrowed money The family members allege that the incident took place on January 14. Rahul’s father, Pappu, said that Rahul had left home with Rs 30,000 to pay his brother-in-law’s hospital bill. On the way, he went to meet a man named Bhima with his two friends, Lalu and Sachin. Bhima owed Rahul Rs 20,000, which Rahul had been asking for for a long time. When Rahul asked for the money back, Bhima got angry. Bhima then called his accomplices, Lucky Labheda and Akash Thakur. The three of them surrounded Rahul near Kashiram Park and started brutally beating him with sticks and rods. Rahul was beaten until he fell unconscious. During the attack, the accused also snatched Rs 30,000 and his mobile phone from Rahul. Rahul’s friends tried to intervene, but the accused threatened to kill them as well. Somehow, Rahul was taken from there and admitted first to Abhiram Hospital and then to Narayan Hospital. Death during treatment, questions raised about the police Rahul’s condition was extremely critical. Doctors tried their best to save him, but he died after about a week. Rahul’s family is completely devastated after his death. His relatives allege that the police did not immediately arrest the accused after the incident. They claim that while Rahul was hospitalized, the police were trying to hush up the matter and pressure them into a compromise. Due to this anger, the enraged family members and villagers blocked the highway. The protesters are demanding that all the accused be arrested immediately and that action be taken against the police officers who were negligent. The people say that the protest will continue until they are assured of justice. A father’s protective shadow has been lifted from the innocent children. Rahul earned a living by working as a laborer to support his family. With his death, there is no one left to earn a living for the family. He leaves behind his wife Shivani and three young children. The youngest child is just 15 days old. The elder son, Aryan, is four years old, and the other son, Dev, is two and a half years old. These innocent children do not even understand that their father will never return. There is an atmosphere of mourning throughout the village. Every eye is teary, and everyone is asking the same question: when will this poor and Dalit family get justice? The villagers have demanded that the administration give the strictest possible punishment to the culprits. Courtesy: Hindi News
Dalit man refuses to hand over sunglasses, beaten with sticks in Gujarat’Patan district
Ahmedabad: A 26-year-old Dalit labourer was allegedly assaulted and abused with caste slurs in Piparala village of Santalpur taluka in Patan district after he refused to lend his sunglasses to a villager, police said on Wednesday. A complaint was filed late on Tuesday with Santalpur police. The complainant, Tulsi Solanki, a resident of Piparala village, told police that he was standing near the Hanuman temple in the village around 7pm, when the accused individual, Devshi Koli, approached him. Koli allegedly asked Solanki to take off his sunglasses and give it to him. When Solanki refused, the accused allegedly started abusing him and hurled caste abuses, leading to a brief argument, after which Solanki returned home. About 30 minutes later, Devshi Koli allegedly returned to Solanki’s house along with Bhikhu Koli on a motorcycle. The duo allegedly hurled caste-based abuses and questioned Solanki for not giving the sunglasses. When Solanki, along with his parents, Vela and Demaben, came out and asked them to stop abusing, a third accused, Mandan Koli, allegedly arrived on another motorcycle carrying a wooden stick. The complaint states that Mandan allegedly struck Solanki on his left shoulder with the stick, causing him to fall. He then allegedly hit Solanki again on his left leg below the knee. When Solanki’s father tried to intervene, Bhikhu allegedly pushed him to the ground. The accused allegedly continued to beat Solanki with fists and kicks and threatened to kill him with dire consequences. Hearing the commotion, villagers gathered at the spot, following which the three accused fled on their motorcycles. Solanki said he suffered severe pain and dialled the 108 emergency service. He was first taken to Santalpur govt hospital, where he was given preliminary treatment, and was later referred to Dharpur hospital for further care. Based on the complaint, Santalpur police registered a case against the three accused under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. 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
Hindu on paper, Christian at heart: What lies behind Dalit reconversions in Kerala
For many years now, organisations such as the Vishva Hindu Parishad have taken up the reconversion of Dalit Christians to Hinduism as ‘Ghar Wapsi’. But activists say without the reservation barrier, most Dalits would not leave Christianity, which is a core anxiety for Hindutva groups. Aneesh* read Kunju Kaaryangalude Odeythampuran, the Malayalam translation of Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things, when he was in college. He picked up the book prompted by a casual remark from a classmate. “He told me that there’s a character called Velutha in the novel who reminded him of me,” Aneesh recalled. “Velutha was a Dalit Christian like me, who was in love with a Syrian Christian woman,” he said, a faint, painful smile crossing his face. In the novel, Velutha is brutally tortured and killed for his ‘forbidden’ love. Though Aneesh, who belongs to the Pulaya community, has never faced physical violence like Velutha, he has encountered caste abuse, public humiliation, and social exclusion. “It was 2010. Ours was a hilly village in Kannur district. A girl from my parish and I were in a relationship. We went to the same school and attended catechism classes together. Our families were not very different financially,” he said. The relationship ended when the girl’s family came to know about it. “They publicly called me ‘Pelayan’, a casteist slur for Pulaya, ‘parassala christian’, and many other things. My skin colour, my caste, my family, everything was dragged out in public and insulted,” Aneesh said. ‘Parassala Christian’ is a derogatory term used for landless Dalit Christian families who moved from Parassala in Thiruvananthapuram to northern Kerala in search of work and land. Aneesh’s grandparents had converted to Christianity long ago. His parents had migrated to the village in Kannur nearly five decades earlier from Parassala. When the abuse began, Aneesh said there was no support from the church. “The church, the priest, no authority stood with us. It was a Syrian Christian-dominated area under the Syro Malabar Church. With that one incident, my family was casually ostracised,” he said. Unable to continue living there, Aneesh left the village and went to north India to pursue further studies. His parents eventually moved back to Thiruvananthapuram. Today, Aneesh is 40, married, and the father of two children. A few months ago, he, his wife, and their two children – both below the age of 10 – formally converted to Hinduism. The conversion, Aneesh said, was facilitated by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), a prominent right-wing Hindutva organisation. A ceremony was organised at a nearby temple. Volunteers helped him with the paperwork, to change his name through a gazette notification and obtain a caste certificate from the government. “My conversion has nothing to do with faith or spirituality,” Aneesh said. “I still go to church. I also go to the temple. But being Christian gave me nothing… no protection, no dignity, no opportunity. By converting to Hinduism, at least my children will be eligible for reservation.” Aneesh’s decision to convert was not rooted in faith but in paperwork. Like several others TNM spoke to, his move was driven by the loss of reservation benefits after generations within Christianity. This motivation runs through the data as well. Of the Dalits who converted to Hinduism in Kerala in 2024, a majority cited access to reservation in affidavits submitted to the VHP, which has been facilitating these conversions under the banner of ‘Ghar Wapsi’. Activists and church representatives argue that this is not incidental. They point out that the continued denial of Scheduled Caste status to Dalit Christians is part of a long-term political design, one that leaves families with little choice but to return to Hinduism on paper to access constitutional protections. Conversion then becomes less a matter of belief and more a survival strategy shaped by law, caste, and state policy. For several years now, organisations such as the VHP have taken up the reconversion of Dalit Christians to Hinduism as a mission. The VHP confirmed to TNM that it facilitated around 100 Dalit conversions to Hinduism in the past year. The organisation requires those seeking reconversion to submit an affidavit stating the reason for the change. According to VHP functionaries, many affidavits cite reservation as the primary reason. Anil Vilayi, VHP state president, however, says Dalit reconversions are not just about reservation. “Their ancestors may have gone to other religions due to false promises. When those promises were not fulfilled, they started returning. There is no forced conversion here. We are only helping them return to their swadharma, the faith to which they or their ancestors once belonged,” adding that they do not have any specific strategy. Anil also said that the VHP manages around 200 temples across Kerala, where the reconversions are facilitated. “Hindu communities are not economically strong. That is how Christian and Muslim organisations lure people, by offering money, housing, jobs abroad, and other material benefits,” he alleged. “Christian organisations receive foreign funding, which makes it easier for them to provide these incentives. Poor families are easily drawn in,” Anil said, invoking the common rhetoric against Christians used by the Sangh in the country. According to Anil, the VHP’s broader objective is to prevent people from leaving Hinduism. “Since the formation of the VHP, that has been our mission, in different forms,” he said. He further said that the organisation has identified around 70 taluks in Kerala – most of them in Kottayam and Thiruvananthapuram districts – where conversions from Hinduism are “rampant”. “In these regions, we are doing intensive and extensive work to prevent conversions. Across the state, we have around 100 Dharma Rakshakas who work at the ground level. They visit families and intervene,” he said. Anil also described the ritual process involved in reconversion. “There are Shuddhi Kriyas, or purification rituals, to embrace Hinduism, along with other ceremonies conducted by temple priests. In VHP-managed temples, a separate group called Aayams oversees these reconversion rituals,” he added. Another family TNM spoke to in Kottayam
Rs 269.9 cr sops released for Dalit, tribal entrepreneurs
Vijayawada: The state government released the second tranche of industrial incentives to support Dalit and tribal entrepreneurs, minister for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) Kondapalli Srinivas said on Wednesday. The minister said in a statement that during the current financial year so far, the government has extended industrial incentives amounting to Rs 269.90 crore to 11,451 Dalit and tribal entrepreneurs as part of its commitment to promote inclusive industrial growth. Acting on the directions of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the government has taken these steps to further strengthen and expand entrepreneurship among Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), he added. The minister said that in the 2025–26 financial year, industrial incentives for Dalit and tribal entrepreneurs were being released in two phases. In the first phase, released in October 2025, the government had disbursed Rs 178.75 crore to 6,675 SC entrepreneurs and Rs 30.94 crore to 1,159 ST entrepreneurs. In line with the assurances given by the coalition government and to cover all approved industrial units, additional funds have now been released in the second phase, subject to budget availability, he said. Under this tranche, on Tuesday, incentives worth Rs 53.05 crore were released to 3,122 SC entrepreneurs, while Rs 7.16 crore was disbursed to 495 ST entrepreneurs. With this, during the 2025–26 financial year so far, a total of Rs 231.80 crore has been released to 9,797 SC entrepreneurs across two phases, and Rs 38.10 crore to 1,654 ST entrepreneurs, the Minister explained. Despite facing several fiscal constraints, the State government has adopted a phased approach to clear pending incentive payments, demonstrating its firm commitment to addressing the financial challenges faced by SC and ST entrepreneurs, Srinivas said. He noted that these incentives would significantly help beneficiary units meet their immediate operational requirements and support their long-term growth objectives, reinforcing the government’s resolve to empower Dalit and tribal entrepreneurs and bring them into the mainstream of industrial development. Courtesy : THI Note: This news is originally published on https:/thehansindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Man Accused In Five Murder Cases Gets Life Term For Killing Dalit Woman In Gurugram
A man was sentenced to life by Gurugram court for kidnapping and killing a Dalit woman in 2021. He confessed to other murders. Key evidence included his recorded confession. Police said the accused was working as a security guard at a private hospital in Sector 16 in 2021 when he molested a Dalit woman. (Canva) A Gurugram court has sentenced a man, accused in five murder cases, to life imprisonment for the kidnapping and killing of a 20-year-old dalit woman in December 2021. The court found him guilty in the case and awarded the sentence after completion of the trial. According to Rekha JS Jangra, deputy district attorney, after the convict Singh Raj was arrested for the murder of the woman on January 7, 2022, he confessed to murdering three more minor girls in 2019, 2020 and 2021 for protesting to his molestation attempt. “Singh had dumped bodies of all three minors in Agra canal near Sector 7 after the murders. Trials are ongoing against him in these cases. He had also confessed to murdering his uncle and cousin in 1987 but was acquitted due to lack of evidence in those cases,” she said. Police said Raj was working as a security guard at a private hospital in Sector 16 in 2021 when he molested a Dalit woman. Officers added that Raj confessed to killing her after she allegedly tried to extort money by threatening to file a police complaint against him, Hindustan Times reported. Jangra said he asked the woman to meet him in Sector 16 on December 31, 2021, where he strangled her to death. “He then transported the body on a bicycle to dump it in the canal. Her family in Bhupani had filed a missing complaint at Old Faridabad police station on January 2, 2022. However, this time, the body was trapped in vegetation and was recovered by police on January 6, 2022,” she said. As per the investigators, on January 5, Raj rang the woman’s family and confessed to murdering her. Her family had recorded his confession on another phone and contacted the police. Sobhita Dhulipala Radiates Timeless Charm In A Traditional South Indian Look For Her Haldi Ceremony “The cell tower location of the deceased and Singh were found to be at the same location at the time of the murder. The recording of his confession along the location was the key evidence for prosecution along with 29 witnesses,” said Jangra. The court of additional sessions judge Purushottam Kumar also imposed a total fine of ₹2.1 lakh on convict Singh Raj after finding him guilty under Sections 302 (murder), 364 (kidnapping with intent to murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code, along with Section 3(2)(v) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Curated By : Aanchal Sinha Courtesy : News18 Note: This news is originally published on https:/news18.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Kashi court summons Rahul over Sikh remarks
Varanasi: The court of Special Judge (MP-MLA) Yajuvendra Bikram Singh issued a notice to Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, asking him to appear before it and record his statement for allegedly tarnishing India’s image with his remarks on freedom of Sikhs in the country, during his visit to the US. The court issued this notice on Tuesday, and it was sent through registered post to him on Wednesday, said Alakh Narain Rai, the lawyer of petitioner Nageshwar Mishra. The latter filed a revision petition before the court for legal action against the Congress MP, alleging that during his past visit to the US, he tried to tarnish India’s image by stating that the Sikh community did not have religious freedom in India. This posed a risk of civil war erupting. Rai said that initially this petition was moved before the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate-IV (MP-MLA), where it was dismissed on Oct 17, 2025. After this, a revision petition was filed. 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
A Battle for Survival: Rahul Gandhi Takes Charge of Bihar Congress, Creates a 4-Point Formula for Unity
Congress damage control mission – After the disappointing results of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, the Congress party has now embarked on a major struggle to save its existence. Amidst growing indiscipline within the party and discussions about all six MLAs switching sides, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and National President Mallikarjun Kharge have taken charge. Patna: The national party Congress is not only disappointed with its electoral performance in Bihar these days but is also troubled by the extreme indiscipline at the organizational level. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is going to personally lead the campaign to revitalize the state Congress. According to Congress sources, this is Rahul Gandhi’s damage control mission. This damage control mission, organized in Delhi, will include the six MLAs and some prominent leaders. When and where will it be held? According to information received from party sources, all six MLAs of the state Congress have been called to Delhi on January 23. This meeting has been organized at Indira Bhavan in Delhi. This meeting is considered very important for the Bihar Congress. Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge will be present in this important meeting. This meeting has been called to strengthen the organization in Bihar and to discuss the party’s future strategy. Why was the damage control mission started? In fact, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had high hopes from Bihar. It was the increasing attraction of the Congress’s core vote base towards the party in Bihar that led the Congress to even claim to contest the elections alone. The results of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections were shocking. The most disturbing news was that all six Congress MLAs were joining the JDU. In such a situation, the Congress would have no representation in the Bihar Assembly. The Congress, which has been fighting for public interest in the assembly, would then become a party confined to the streets. A lesson in discipline will be taught In this meeting, Rahul Gandhi’s role is going to be crucial. The ideal situation for the Congress and its accountability towards the public in today’s date will be determined. Programs will be planned against Narendra Modi’s government. Currently, the Congress party’s intention is that: 1. The six Congress MLAs remain in the party. 2. They remain united in the upcoming Rajya Sabha and MLC elections and follow the party’s policies. 3. Changing the name of MNREGA is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi. A protest strategy will be devised for both the streets and the legislature with this in mind. 4. In the upcoming session, they should oppose the negative actions of the government along with their Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) partners and ask as many questions as possible. They should corner the government on issues requiring attention. Edited by: Ravi Sinha • Reported by: Ramakant Chandan About the Author Ravi Prakash Sinha is a Senior Journalist (Principal Digital Content Producer) at Navbharat Times Online. He has 25 years of experience in current affairs, Jharkhand-Bihar politics, and ground reporting. Ravi Sinha has been working with NBT (Digital) for the last 3 years. Courtesy: Hindi News
Rahul addresses Congress training camp in Kurukshetra, shares ‘Guru mantra’ with cadres
Kurukshetra: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday addressed an organisation-building training camp of Congress district presidents from Haryana and Uttarakhand, held at Punjabi Dharamshala in Kurukshetra. He gave clear guidance as Guru Mantra (master’s guidance) on strengthening the party organisation in their respective states and enforcing discipline at all levels. Sources said that 33 Congress district presidents from Haryana and 27 from Uttarakhand attended the camp. Rahul stayed in Haryana for nearly 6 hours, from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm. He arrived in Kurukshetra at about 11:20 am from Ambala by road, and took off from Ambala at about 5:30 pm after attending the training camp. As per sources, Rahul Gandhi arrived in Kurukshetra in the same vehicle with former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Rao Narendra Singh and AICC general secretary B K Hariprasad. Earlier, the three leaders, along with MP Deepender Singh Hooda, Ambala City MLA Nirmal Singh, and other senior leaders received Rahul Gandhi at the Ambala airport. On his return from Kurukshetra as well, Rahul Gandhi travelled with Hooda and Rao Narendra Singh. Sources privy to the camp said that during his address, Rahul Gandhi briefed all district presidents in detail about the Congress party’s history, ideology and future strategy. He urged them to work with full dedication, enthusiasm and commitment to strengthen the party, while taking proper guidance from the senior leaders. He also met the family members of the district presidents individually, who were specially invited by the Congress leader to talk to him if they wanted to say something. “Rahul ate lunch with district presidents and held separate discussions with them. Strict discipline was maintained at the training camp, and no media or other people were allowed inside. Rahul Gandhi also held discussions with Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Rao Narendra Singh and B K Hariprasad, during which he took detailed inputs on the political situation and ongoing developments in Haryana. He directed the state leadership to implement discipline within the party and the organisation with seriousness and strictness. He specifically instructed Bhupinder Singh Hooda and the state Congress president to take action against leaders indulging in anti-party statements and activities. In an indirect but clear message, Rahul Gandhi also cautioned those leaders who were not participating wholeheartedly in programmes announced by the party high command,” said a source. The district presidents, in their interaction with Rahul Gandhi, provided feedback regarding state leaders. They pointed out that frequent irresponsible statements by certain leaders damaged the Congress, while benefiting the BJP. The district presidents emphasised that it was essential to curb such statements in the larger interest of the Congress. Sources said that Rahul told district presidents, “The prevailing empire of corrupt power poses a major challenge,” but stressed that party workers must confront these challenges with courage and further reinforce the organisation. “No one can suppress your voice because a strong organisation like the Congress stands with you. You are capable and empowered. There is no need to take decisions under pressure—work independently. We will periodically assess your progress and continue to provide guidance and support whenever required,” Rahul said. A district president who joined the training said, “District presidents of Uttarakhand and Haryana were called for a meeting. Families of district presidents were also called, and Rahul Ji held individual meetings with them. During the training session, we ate lunch together. A group discussion on how to strengthen the party and organisational structure was also held.” “Rahul Ji gave instructions to take forward policies of the party to every household and also to give respect to every party worker. He directed that the district presidents and party workers should hold more meetings with the general public, rather than party leaders,” said a district president. Congress MPs Kumari Selja, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Deepender Hooda, Uttarakhand chief Ganesh Godiyal, co-in-charges Jitendra Baghel and Prafulla Gudde were present. 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
Poor family’s house gutted by fire in Sattichaura area: Household belongings reduced to ashes, entire family forced to live under the open sky
A thatched house belonging to a Dalit family in the Sattichaura area of Ayodhya caught fire on Monday afternoon. The entire household of Vijay Kumar Raidas, son of Rambaksh Raidas, a resident of Sundari Talab Haribandhanpur, was reduced to ashes, leaving the family homeless and forced to live under the open sky. The incident occurred on Monday afternoon. The elderly grandmother, Ramkala, who was present in the house with four young children, tried her best to extinguish the fire, but was unsuccessful. Upon receiving the information, PRV police arrived at the spot, and with their help, the fire was brought under control. The thatched house and all the belongings inside were completely destroyed by the fire. Approximately half a dozen family members, including young children, were forced to spend the entire night under the open sky in the biting cold. Even 24 hours after the incident, the family has not received any assistance. Satyam Singh | Ramnagar Dhaurahra (Sohawal), Courtesy: Hindi News