Hatred being spread on basis of caste, religion under BJP rule’: Congress after Dalit woman’s killing in UP
Congress claimed that five BJP-ruled states –Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Bihar– accounted for 76 per cent of Dalit-atrocity incidents in the country. NEW DELHI: The Congress slammed the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh on Monday over the alleged killing of a Dalit woman in Meerut and said hatred is being fuelled on the basis of caste and religion under the patronage of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dispensations. A 22-year-old man allegedly killed the Dalit woman and abducted her daughter in a village in Meerut on Thursday morning, police said. The incident triggered tension in the locality, prompting authorities to deploy additional police forces. The deceased was identified as the mother of a 20-year-old woman. The 20-year-old Dalit woman, who was abducted from Kapsad village in the Sardhana area, was found from Saharanpur district on Saturday and the accused arrested, police said. Addressing a press conference, Congress’s SC (Scheduled Caste) department head Rajendra Pal Gautam alleged that “hatred is being fuelled in the country on the basis of caste and religion, and this is happening under the patronage of the BJP government.” “Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogiji is openly using resources to crush Dalits, tribals and backward classes. Chief Minister Yogi’s bulldozer often operates only after considering caste and religion. When a Dalit is oppressed in the state, their bulldozer does not move,” he said. “In Meerut, a girl was going towards the forest with her mother. The daughter was abducted and when the mother came to save her, she was brutally killed… When we went to meet the victim’s family, we were stopped,” Gautam said. “If the Uttar Pradesh Police showed the same diligence in preventing crime and ensuring punishment for the guilty, crimes would stop happening altogether,” he added. Gautam claimed that if the perpetrator was a Dalit, tribal or from the backward classes, the “chief minister’s bulldozer” would run down his place within 24 hours. “We believe that the law should not do its work by looking at caste and religion. If this is done, the country will weaken. The situation is such that the government itself has not made public the data on Dalit oppression after 2022. This is a complete failure of the government,” the Congress leader said. In the last five years, the highest number of cases of atrocities against Dalits in the country has surfaced in Uttar Pradesh, he claimed. “Five BJP-ruled states in the country — Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Bihar — account for 76 per cent of Dalit-atrocity incidents. The shocking fact is that 26 per cent of Dalit-atrocity incidents have come to light in Uttar Pradesh alone,” Gautam claimed. “The government did not allow our protest earlier by saying that in any case, one must inform 10 days in advance to hold a protest. Our question to the government is — if a rape or killing happens anywhere in the country, will we have to wait for 10 days to demand justice?” he asked. 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
Navi Mumbai civic polls: Transgender community urges people to vote
Thane, Members of the transgender community have joined the campaign to appeal to the people in Navi Mumbai to vote in the municipal corporation elections scheduled on January 15, officials said on Sunday. On Saturday, some members of transgender community distributed voter awareness brochures of the Navi Mumbai civic body’s election department, interacted with people at different places in the Vashi area, and appealed to the public to actively participate in the electoral process, they said. “We are going to vote, you should vote too,” they said in their message to the people, the officials The initiative is part of the extensive SWEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation) campaign aimed at ensuring 100 per cent voter turnout in the upcoming Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections, the civic body said in a release. While voter awareness campaigns are already being conducted in schools and colleges, through women’s groups, NGOs and senior citizens’ organisations, the participation of the transgender community reflects an inclusive culture of Navi Mumbai, where every voice matters and every citizen has a role to play, it said. PTI COR GK This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. Courtesy : The Print Note: This news is originally published on https:/theprint.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Body of Dalit youth found hanging from a tree in Muzaffarnagar; suicide suspected
Police said the body has been sent for post-mortem and an investigation is underway. Chandra said the police are awaiting the post-mortem report to ascertain the cause of death. The body of a Scheduled Caste (Dalit) youth was found hanging from a tree in Antwada village under the Khatauli police station area of Muzaffarnagar district on Saturday, police said. Khatauli police station in-charge (SHO) Dinesh Chandra said that the body of 20-year-old Dalit youth Nishant was found hanging from a tree today. He said that suicide is suspected. Police said the body has been sent for post-mortem and an investigation is underway. Chandra said the police are awaiting the post-mortem report to ascertain the cause of death. Courtesy: Hindi News
Sangeet Som launches scathing attack on Akhilesh Yadav: “Those who changed the names of districts named after Dalits should not pretend to be Dalit sympathizers today; justice will be served in Kapsad.”
Meerut. BJP leader Sangeet Som launched a sharp attack on Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav. He said that politicizing a serious case involving a young woman is unfortunate. Sangeet Som alleged that Akhilesh Yadav is now remembering Dalits, even though during his tenure, the names of districts named after Dalits were changed and Dalits faced injustice. Sangeet Som said that some “small-time leaders” are also trying to give a political color to this sensitive matter. Referring to Phaphunda village, he said that a young woman was raped by six people there, and she later committed suicide. Demands for action were raised in that case too, but were there similar protests and political maneuvering then? He questioned whether politics will now be played only on selective cases. The BJP leader clarified that this village is his own, and the entire village stands with the victim’s family. He said that there is neither any Dalit nor Thakur here—the entire village, like one family, stands for justice for the victim, and justice will be delivered at all costs. It is noteworthy that the Samajwadi Party has been continuously attacking the BJP since Thursday night regarding the Kapsad incident. On one hand, Akhilesh Yadav is raising questions about the government through social media, while on the other hand, Sardhana MLA Atul Pradhan has also been active since Thursday, staging protests and making statements regarding the incident. Courtesy: Hindi News
Dalit youth attacked with sticks and rods: Incident in Panna Tikri, police launch investigation
A Dalit youth, Munner, was attacked around 9:30 PM in Panna Tikri village, under the Kotwali Dehat police station area. The attackers beat him with sticks, rods, and iron bars, leaving him seriously injured. It is alleged that the attackers used casteist slurs while beating Munner. Munner suffered fractures to his fingers and legs, and also sustained head injuries in the attack. When Munner’s wife and daughter rushed to his aid after hearing the commotion, the attackers also misbehaved with them. The accused then threatened them with death and fled the scene. The injured Munner was taken to the Bhadaiya Community Health Center, from where he was referred to the district hospital due to his critical condition. Dehat Kotwal Dharamveer Singh said that action is being taken in the matter and a case will be registered upon receiving a formal complaint. Shubh Pandey | Bhadaiya (Sultanpur) Courtesy: Hindi News
Key accused held in UP Dalit woman murder and kidnapping case after Haridwar raid
Police track down the prime accused two days after a Dalit woman is killed defending her daughter as tensions rise in the village amid security deployment and community backlash The upper-caste youth who allegedly killed a Dalit woman and kidnapped her daughter at a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut district on Thursday was arrested from a hotel in Haridwar on Saturday evening. The abducted girl, 20-year-old Ruby Kumari, has also been recovered. Vipin Tanda, senior superintendent of police of Meerut, said: “We are bringing them to Meerut at the moment and can only comment after interrogating them.” The police had announced a reward of ₹25,000 for information on 25-year-old Paras Singh Som only an hour before they succeeded in tracking him down. Sources said Paras’s friend and co-accused Sunil Singh Som, who was arrested first, revealed his whereabouts. “They had taken the girl to Gurgaon first but shifted to Haridwar for some reason,” said another cop associated with the case. Both Paras and Sunil belong to the Rajput community. The whereabouts of the other two unidentified accused are unknown. Earlier on Saturday, the police had blocked all entries to Kapsad village, where Sunita Devi, 50, was killed on Thursday while trying to protect Ruby from being abducted by Paras and his associates. The village was cordoned off on Friday, but reporters and BJP politicians were allowed entry. From Saturday, entry has been strictly restricted to residents of the village. Deceased Sunita Devi’s family conducted her last rites on Friday night after initially refusing to do so till the accused were arrested and Ruby was brought home safe. According to a complaint filed by Sunita’s son Mandeep Kumar, 25-year-old Paras, Sunil Singh and two other unidentified men had intercepted the mother-daughter duo on their way to their fields on Thursday morning. Paras attacked Sunita with an axe when she tried to prevent him and his friends from forcibly taking Ruby away. Sunita later died in a hospital. The villagers said the government posted two battalions of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) at the village entry points on Saturday after the victim’s family raised uncomfortable questions in front of reporters about the police’s alleged failure to recover Ruby and nab the accused. The PAC on Saturday asked the media and leaders from the Opposition parties to leave the village. Ruby’s eldest brother Narsi Kumar said: “I had told the reporters to ask the cops whether they would tender an apology for failing to bring back my sister from Paras’s clutches. Later, I asked the same question to the police officers. They didn’t like this and removed the media and the non-BJP leaders from the village.” Sunita’s last rites were conducted after Sangeet Som, a former BJP MLA of Sardhana, promised that Ruby would be recovered within 48 hours, the killer-kidnapper would be behind bars, a member of the victim’s family would get a job, the government would provide them an arms licence and ₹10 lakh compensation, and the police would offer them security. The villagers said Paras, who works as a pharmacist, used to harass Ruby and had to pay a fine of ₹50,000 to the girl’s family to prevent them from filing a case against him a few months ago. “There is tension in the village because the Rajput community is supporting Paras,” Sunita’s husband Satyendra Kumar said. Piyush Srivastava Courtesy : The Telegraph Note: This news is originally published on https:/thetelegraph.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
After the recovery of the Dalit girl in Meerut, her brother, weeping, said, “Mother is gone, and now you, sister…”
UP News: In the Meerut Sardhana murder case, the victim’s brother, weeping, appealed to the administration, saying, “No pressure should be put on my sister.” The victim’s brother has released an emotional message for his sister. UP News: A new twist has emerged in the heart-wrenching murder and abduction case in Kapsad, Sardhana, Meerut. While the police have arrested the accused Paras Som and recovered the girl, an emotional video of the girl’s brother has surfaced. The brother, who has lost his mother, is devastated by his sister’s safety and the potential pressure being put on her, and is weeping and pleading for justice. The brother says that he received the news of his sister’s recovery through a video, but he is extremely worried about her mental state and the pressure being exerted on her. ‘No one should put pressure on my sister’ The weeping brother appealed that no kind of force or coercion should be used against his sister. He said, “I have come to know that my sister has been found, but I don’t know if she is safe and sound. I appeal that no one should force her to give a false statement or threaten or intimidate her.” The brother said this emotional thing to his sister Giving courage to his sister, the brother, weeping, said, “Sister, if you are watching or hearing this video, don’t panic at all. Our mother is gone, but millions of your brothers are standing behind you. Millions of people will risk their lives to protect you, just don’t be afraid.” The family is haunted by the fear of something untoward! The victim’s brother has expressed apprehension that his sister might have been tortured during the abduction. Expressing his fear, he said, “I think some people might be scaring her, beating her. She might be being threatened that they will abduct her brother or others from the house. We still feel threatened.” Questions raised over police action Regarding the police claim of recovering the girl within 48 hours, the brother said that more than 60 hours have passed. He also said that his sister has not yet been presented before them, so they are not convinced about her well-being. The brother demanded that the entire legal process should be fair and the case should not be suppressed under any pressure. What did the SSP say? SSP Vipin Tada said that the Meerut and Saharanpur police conducted a joint operation and arrested the accused Paras Som and recovered the abducted girl. He said that the police had been tracking the accused for the past several days through electronic surveillance, manual intelligence, and questioning of family members. Finally, the police achieved success after receiving a precise tip-off. The SSP clarified that the administration is very sensitive about this matter. He said, “I myself and the District Magistrate went to meet the victim’s family. The family has been provided with all possible government assistance and security. Our priority is to ensure that the atmosphere in the village does not deteriorate.” SSP gives stern warning to those trying to disrupt peace SSP Vipin Tada warned that no person (whether from the village or outside) will be allowed to disturb the peace. If any person attempts to disrupt the peace or create trouble, the police will take the strictest legal action against them. What will the police do next? Regarding the girl being a minor and other details of the case, the SSP said that the recovery has just been made, and now the girl’s statement will be recorded as per rules. Further steps will be taken based on the facts that emerge during the legal proceedings and investigation. Usman Chaudhary Courtesy : Hindi News
Congress has done nothing in past two years, says KTR
Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Thursday said the Congress govt had done nothing in the past two years, except for evasion (Egavethalu), demolitions (Kulchivethalu) and destruction (Pelchivethalu). Speaking at a meeting in which several leaders from Kollapur assembly constituency joined the BRS at Telangana Bhavan, the BRS working president said the Congress came to power by making 420 promises and six guarantees, but did not fulfil any of these. Similarly, houses of the poor were bulldozed in the name of encroachments by HYDRAA, and even irrigation structures and check dams were damaged by using detonators by the sand mafia. “Chief minister Revanth Reddy has failed to protect the interests of Telangana in water issues,” he added. Countering Congress leaders who criticised his recent comments on Rahul Gandhi, KTR reminded them that it was Revanth Reddy — not him — who had repeatedly abused the Gandhi family in the past. KTR challenged the Congress to first question their own CM before pointing fingers at the opposition. Addressing reports that the Congress govt plans to hold the GHMC election soon, KTR called upon the BRS cadre to face the election together and secure victory. He highlighted that under the BRS govt, Hyderabad witnessed nearly 9,700 crore worth of development, which should be taken to every division and every voter. Taking a dig at Serilingampally MLA Arekapudi Gandhi, KTR said the MLA betrayed the BRS and joined Revanth Reddy only to protect his land interests. Despite this betrayal, KTR said every meeting held in Serilingampally has been receiving massive support due to the unwavering affection the people have for KCR and the BRS. Earlier today, senior leader Gutta Narendra Yadav, along with hundreds of his followers and supporters, joined the BRS. Says houses of the poor were bulldozed in the name of encroachments by HYDRAA, and irrigation structures and check dams were damaged by using detonators by sand mafia 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 to participate in Gudalur school event on Jan 13
Chennai: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to attend the golden jubilee celebrations of St Thomas English High School in Gudalur in the Nilgiris on Jan 13. Sources said he has no political agenda scheduled besides a reception hosted by Congress functionaries at the helipad. Rahul last visited Gudalur during his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Sept 2022, where he addressed a gathering of supporters, praising the beauty of the scenic town in the Western Ghats. He stayed at a private school overnight before leaving for Karnataka. “Rahul will arrive in a chopper from Mysuru at 3.30 pm. He will attend the event at the school and leave at 4.30 pm. As far as we know, the leader has no political events or meetings,” said a Congress functionary. Rev Dr Mathews Mar Makarios Episcopa, Metropolitan of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, is expected to participate in the golden jubilee celebrations of the school. Rahul Gandhi’s visit comes amidst political tension in DMK-Congress alliance with some Congress functionaries and elected representatives publicly seeking share in power and criticising BJP over the censorship controversy linked to Vijay’s latest film “Jana Nayagan”. According to sources, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi are likely to meet the TNCC president, former presidents and the elected representatives from Tamil Nadu in Delhi on Jan 18 to discuss poll preparedness. “The meeting was originally scheduled on Jan 14. The proposed meeting is in line with the tradition of meeting representatives of poll-bound states in Delhi,” said a senior leader. 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 village in Meerut is on edge after the murder of a Dalit woman and the abduction of her daughter; the terrified administration has turned the village into a fortress.
The murder of Sunita, a woman from the Scheduled Caste community, and the abduction of her daughter Ruby in Kapsad village of Sardhana in Meerut have sparked a new political storm in the state. In Uttar Pradesh, where Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is being promoted as a strict administrator by BJP leaders, workers, and his supporters, who claim that the Yogi government has brought law and order back on track during its tenure, the incident in Kapsad village of Meerut exposes the hollowness of these claims. It also raises questions about the “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” (Save the Daughter, Educate the Daughter) slogan, which has been widely promoted for the past fourteen years. She too was someone’s daughter, who was abducted in broad daylight by thugs. Her mother was attacked and killed with a sharp weapon, and even after three days, the abducted girl has not been found. The incident took place in Kapsad village of Meerut district. The village has been fortified; if more than 50,000 police personnel, including 20 inspectors and 150 sub-inspectors, have to be deployed in a village, one can imagine that a major incident has occurred. Kapsad village in Meerut has currently been transformed into a military camp. Movement of people has become extremely difficult. The reason for this police crackdown is the abduction of a daughter from a Scheduled Caste family in Kapsad village and the murder of her mother while she was trying to save her daughter from the abductors. The atmosphere is so tense that the police had to conduct a flag march. How did the incident happen? This is an incident from Thursday, January 8th. Sunita, from a Scheduled Caste family, was going towards the fields with her daughter Ruby. It is alleged that Paras Som, Sunil, and their accomplices from Kapsad village attacked Sunita with an axe and abducted her daughter Ruby before fleeing. Ruby was scheduled to get married in April of this year. Ruby’s mother, Sunita, who was injured in the attack, died at a hospital in Modipuram during treatment. This sparked outrage throughout the entire area. Moreover, the abducted girl is still missing, and the police have not yet arrested the named accused. On Friday, the family kept Sunita’s body at home all day. The family categorically stated that they would not perform Sunita’s last rites until their daughter was found. What are the implications of Vinay Katiyar’s involvement? However, later, the family was given a check of Rs. 10 lakh by the government. They were also assured that a family member would be granted a firearms license. In addition, a police force would be deployed in the village for security. Following this assurance, Sunita’s last rites could finally be performed around 7:45 pm. Her son, Narsi, lit the funeral pyre. Earlier, Samajwadi Party, BSP, Bhim Army, ASPA leaders and workers, and local people continued to protest. The police had also transformed the village and the surrounding area into a fortified zone. There was also a commotion when SP MLA Atul Pradhan was stopped outside the village. The victim’s family allowed the MLA to enter the village. Ruling party and opposition face off: The murder of Sunita, a Scheduled Caste woman, and the abduction of her daughter Ruby in Kapsad village of Sardhana has heated up the politics of the state. On Friday, on one hand, there was the grieving family of the abducted daughter, and on the other hand, there was a barrage of accusations and counter-accusations between the leaders of the ruling party and the opposition in the village. Seeing the gathering of the opposition to corner the government, the village was transformed into a fortified zone with police deployed all around since morning. Barricades were erected 2.5 km before the village boundary. More than 500 police personnel, including the SSP, SP Rural, SP Traffic, four COs, 20 inspectors, and 150 sub-inspectors, were deployed in the village. The RAF team was also seen on alert. Samajwadi Party MLA Atul Pradhan was stopped at the border of Kapsad village, where tensions had reached a peak since 7:30 AM. The police had cordoned off the village. The family members refused to perform Sunita’s last rites until the accused were arrested. Samajwadi Party MLA Atul Pradhan, Bhim Army District President Charan Singh, and other activists, along with Congress leaders, set out for the village, but the police stopped them at the border. After nearly 19 hours of struggle, in the presence of former MLA Sangeet Som, SP Rural Abhijit Kumar, and ADM City, the police gave a written promise that Ruby would be found within 48 hours. A family member would also be given permanent employment at the local sugar mill. Following this, the MLA and others sat on a dharna (protest) on the road outside the village. The situation remained tense throughout. At one point, it seemed as if the police might resort to a lathi charge, although this did not happen. The Samajwadi Party MLA said that a Scheduled Caste woman had been murdered and her daughter kidnapped. If this had been a case involving another community, bulldozer action would have already been taken. The victim’s family sat on the dharna with the MLA. After about an hour and a half of slogans and arguments, Sunita’s husband Satendra and son also arrived and joined the protest. The situation became so volatile that the police had to give way. After this, everyone reached Sunita’s house. The most emotional moment during the protest came when Sunita’s eldest son, Narsi, weeping, hugged MLA Atul Pradhan. He asked, sobbing, “MLA, just tell me, will my sister ever come back?” This question brought tears to the eyes of everyone present. The family is demanding that their daughter, Ruby, be rescued from the clutches of the kidnappers and brought back safely. They are also demanding the immediate arrest of the main accused, Paras Som, and his accomplices. They want bulldozers to be used to demolish the houses of the accused. They