Cong’s protest call over EDaction leads to detentions
Varanasi: A large number of Congress office-bearers and workers were confined to their homes, while scores of those who managed to reach Maldahiya crossing were arrested and sent to Police Lines on Thursday. They called to gather near the Sardar Patel statue at Maldahiya and march to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Gulab Bagh office against the alleged misuse of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to harass Congress top brass, including Sonia Gandhi and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi as part of vendetta politics. In view of this call by Congress leaders to carry out a protest march, several senior Congress leaders and office-bearers, including city president Raghavendra Choubey, were confined to their residences in the morning. A heavy police force was deployed from Maldahiya to Gulab Bagh. Despite all these arrangements, scores of Congress leaders managed to reach Maldahiya crossing and garlanded the statue of Sardar Patel. However, when they tried to march towards Gulab Bagh, police arrested 18 protestors and sent them to Police Lines. In his statement, the Congress city chief termed the bid to stop them from exercising their democratic rights as a cowardly move by the BJP and police. He said that Congress leadership called for protest after it was proved that ED action against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the ‘Young Indian’ case was completely illegal and motivated by political vendetta. They said that the Central govt is trying to suppress the voice of opposition by misusing investigative agencies. Due to their protest and the deployment of a heavy police force, traffic at the busy Maldahiya crossing remained disturbed for some time. Commissioner of Police Mohit Agrawal, who monitored the arrangements, said that the site for staging protests is fixed at Shastri Ghat, while options for submitting a memorandum to the district administration by a delegation of leaders were opened. If they had to hold any march or other event, prior permission should have been taken, he said, adding that all the actions by police were aimed at maintaining law and order. 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
Follow-Up: Sarpanch arrested in Dausa, Rajasthan for making derogatory and casteist remarks against Dalit women!
This arrest is a result of the incident that occurred on December 14, when Sarpanch Yogi publicly made derogatory remarks against SC women at a meeting of the Nath community. Dausa – Sarpanch Shivcharan Yogi, accused of making derogatory casteist remarks against Scheduled Caste (SC) women in Dausa district of Rajasthan, has finally been arrested. Dausa police took action under pressure from protests and demonstrations by Dalit organizations, including the Bhim Army. Local Bhim Army leader Suresh Mehar told The Mooknayak that SP Sagar Rana confirmed the arrest and the accused will soon be produced in court, from where he will be sent to judicial custody. This incident has intensified the demand for social justice throughout the region, and organizations have warned that no casteist will be spared. The protest has ended, but this victory has become an example of the struggle of the Dalit community. This arrest is a result of the incident that occurred on December 14, when Sarpanch Yogi publicly made derogatory remarks against SC women at a meeting of the Nath community. After the video went viral, FIR No. 0461 was registered on December 15 at Dausa Sadar police station under Sections 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s), 4 and 3(2)(va) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Section 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023. Complainant Satish Kumar stated that Yogi said in the meeting, “We are not the urine of Bhangan and Chamari,” which was a deep insult to women of the SC community based on their caste. This remark was made at the Nath Samaj hostel located on Singwara Road. Outrage sparked by casteist remarks The matter began on December 14 at a meeting related to the state elections of the Nath community. Shivcharan Yogi, the district president of the Nath community and Sarpanch of Gurjar Simla (Mehandipur Balaji), was the main speaker. During the meeting, he used extremely abusive and casteist words against Scheduled Caste women, which was captured on video. The use of words like ‘Bhangin’ and ‘Chamari’ was not only an insult to the dignity of the women but also an attempt to demean the entire Dalit community. As soon as the video went viral on social media, outrage spread among Dalit organizations. Satish Kumar’s complaint clearly stated that such remarks create animosity between two communities and harm social harmony. Angered by the police’s slow action even after the FIR was registered, the Bhim Army started a protest at the Dausa district headquarters on December 17. The Bhim Army and other SC/ST organizations unitedly demanded the immediate arrest of the accused. Mehar said, “We joined the ongoing protest at the Dausa district headquarters regarding the arrest of the casteist Shivcharan Yogi. The police were not arresting the accused, and the protest was held to demand his arrest.” Mehar further revealed that he spoke directly to Dausa SP Sagar Rana. The SP confirmed the arrest and assured that the accused would be produced in court, from where he would be sent to judicial custody. Mehar emphasized, “No casteist will be spared. The accused Shivcharan Yogi has been arrested.” Mehar said, “This arrest is a victory for the unity of the Dalit community. But the struggle does not end here. We have to fight against casteism at every level.” The Bhim Army thanked all its supporters and said that they will conduct awareness campaigns to prevent such incidents in the future. Geetha Sunil Pillai Courtesy: Hindi News
Maharashtra: Police File Case Against Latur Cafe Owner Over Rape Of Minor Dalit girl
Police in Latur have registered a case against a cafe owner after a minor Dalit girl was allegedly raped by an 18-year-old man at the premises on December 4. The accused and two cafe operators were arrested under multiple laws, including POCSO and SC/ST Act. The cafe owner was booked for failing to report the crime and allowing illegal private seating used for the assault. Latur: Police have registered a case against the owner of a cafe premises in Maharashtra’s Latur district where a minor girl was allegedly raped earlier this month, officials said. About The Incident The incident occurred at the cafe on December 4. The minor girl, who belongs to the Dalit community, was allegedly kidnapped and raped by an 18-year-old man at the establishment, they said. Police traced the girl within hours of registering the complaint. The main accused and two persons who operated the cafe were subsequently arrested and booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act), an official said on Tuesday. The police on Tuesday also booked the owner of the premises, where the cafe was being operated, under section 21 (punishment for failure to report or record a case) of the POCSO Act. The cafe owner had illegally created a secluded compartment near the kitchen area by charging extra money, offering private seating arrangements. Despite being aware of this unauthorised setup and its misuse, the premises owner allegedly ignored it and allowed the cafe owner to continue with the arrangement, the official said. He also failed to report the matter to the police or other authorities concerned and is accused of deliberately suppressing information, the official added. (Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by TFPJ’s editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.) Courtesy : TFPJ Note: This news is originally published on https:/thefreepressjournal.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dalit engineer assault: UP BJP worker granted bail, receives hero’s welcome
On August 23, Munna Bahadur allegedly attacked Lal Singh, a superintending engineer at the power department. The unprovoked assault, caught on video, went viral and drew widespread attention. Lucknow: A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker accused of assaulting a Dalit government official in Uttar Pradesh was released on bail on Friday, following which he was garlanded by party members and family supporters outside Mau district jail. The Allahabad High Court granted bail to the accused, Munna Bahadur, triggering sharp reactions after visuals of his welcome went viral on social media. Munna Bahadur is accused of attacking Lal Singh, a superintending engineer with the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited, on August 23. The incident, which was captured on video, shows Lal Singh being surrounded by a group allegedly led by Munna Bahadur. During the interaction, Munna Bahadur is seen standing up and striking the engineer with a slipper. Speaking to local media, Lal Singh said the assault was completely unprovoked. “People usually come to our office to report issues. Munna Bahadur arrived with 15 to 20 people and, without raising any complaint, began verbally abusing me. He did not explain any problem and suddenly started hitting me with his shoes. He also punched me. My colleagues intervened and rescued me,” Singh said. When asked whether the BJP worker had come to raise concerns related to electricity supply, the engineer maintained that no such issue was ever mentioned during the interaction. Following the circulation of the assault video and the widespread public outrage it sparked, Munna Bahadur claimed he was being unfairly targeted and described himself as the real victim. “We have been suffering from this problem for 17 years. We went there only to inform them about our electricity-related grievances. Instead, they accused us of netagiri and asked us to leave,” Munna Bahadur told reporters earlier. He further alleged that the situation escalated after one of the officers grabbed his collar. Based on Lal Singh’s complaint, a case was registered, and Munna Bahadur was arrested and sent to jail. Even before his release, several BJP leaders publicly came out in support of the accused. Former BJP MLA Ram Iqbal Singh, in a Facebook post, said Munna BahadurSingh had visited the power department to highlight electricity supply issues affecting dozens of villages and had been “falsely implicated” in the case. He also welcomed the Allahabad High Court’s decision to grant bail. Courtesy : Madhyamam Note: This news is originally published on https:/madhyamam.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Legislators from among SCs, STs to meet CM on issues concerning Dalit entrepreneurs
They are demanding timely release of benefits and incentives Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi will lead a delegation of all legislators from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes communities to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to seek a permanent resolution to several issues faced by Dalit entrepreneurs. This was decided in a meeting of the Karnataka Dalit Entrepreneurs Association in Belagavi on Wednesday. As many as 32 legislators from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes communities from all parties were present at the meeting. Satish Jarkiholi said that this is the first time that such a large number of Dalit Ministers and MLAs have come together to support Dalit entrepreneurs. “It is encouraging to see that Dalits who were working as farm hands or servants of the landed and the rich are starting enterprises and providing employment to others. We need to support such initiatives and ensure that their numbers increase. Let us hold a meeting of Ministers and officials of the departments concerned under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister and try to solve the problem,” he said. “In addition to organizing a consultation meeting of Dalit entrepreneurs at the divisional and district levels, work needs to be done to provide skill training to Dalit youth. Dalits should also establish educational institutions and banks along with businesses. The injustice and discrimination faced by Dalits in all departments needs to be identified and rectified,” he said. “Dalit entrepreneurs have been facing several problems regarding land allotment, subsidy, loans and reservation in business opportunities. Successive governments have remained negligent to our issues. We have been demanding timely release of benefits and incentives,” the former MP L. Hanumantaiah said. Dr. Hanumantaiah said that KIDB is not providing 24.1% reservation in allotment of sites as per roster. As many as 280 backlog sites have not been allotted. Karnataka State Finance Corporation cancels tax incentive scheme of 4% interest, if entrepreneurs fail to repay a few instalments on time. There is a delay in the release of tax subsidy. Due to all these problems, those who are eager to start a business are becoming disinterested,” he said. Minister K.H. Muniyappa said that he had ensured that over one lakh Dalit entrepreneurs started industries and businesses across the country, during his tenure as the Union Industries Minister. “Dalit welfare does not mean limiting them to animal husbandry or poultry. They should be given higher aspirations and supported,” he said. “If we make them entrepreneurs, they will lead a self-sufficient life and provide employment to others,” he said. He said that he will join the delegation to the Chief Minister to urge him to resolve the issues. “I will urge the Chief Minister to create an environment where Dalits can set up businesses easily. We will also try to organise a meeting of the Ministers of Industries and Social Welfare,” he said. Minister R.B. Thimmapura said that the money allocated by the government for the upliftment of Dalits is not spent by some departments. He said that officials of all departments concerned should work in coordination. In fact, the State government should start a scheme to promote investment into Dalit businesses. “At the same time, we should see that no beneficiary misuses government benefits or incentives,” he said. Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Rudrappa Lamani, KDEA secretary C.T. Srinivas and others were present. The Hindu Bureau Courtesy : The Hindu Note: This news is originally published on https:/thehindu.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Satish Jarkiholi hosts Dalit MLAs’ dinner as leadership buzz grows; no Dalit CM push yet
Chalavadi Narayanaswamy had reportedly stated recently that Dalits in Congress don’t have the guts to stake claim for the top post. BENGALURU/BELAGAVI : As the issue of change in leadership appears to be approaching its climax, PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi, a close confidant of CM Siddaramaiah, seems to be preparing to take the mantle from his master as the AHINDA leader. Late on Tuesday evening, he hosted a dinner for Dalit-SC/ST MLAs on the sidelines of the meeting of Dalit entrepreneurs. In all 33 MLAs from all parties, including Food and Civil Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa, Excise Minister RB Timmapur, T Raghumurthy, AR Krishnamurthy, Raghumurty of Congress, Council LoP Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, Duryodhan Aihole and Holalkere MLA M Chandrappa of BJP, Karemma Nayak of JDS, took part. However, the issue of Dalit CM did not come up, sources said. Some Dalit MLAs from Congress felt that though they wanted a Dalit CM to succeed Siddaramaiah, lack of aggression from Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara was frustrating them, an MLA told TNIE. Chalavadi Narayanaswamy had reportedly stated recently that Dalits in Congress don’t have the guts to stake claim for the top post. “Kharge is not ready to become CM or to back any other Dalit leader for the top post as he wants to see his son (Priyank Kharge) in that post,” he had alleged. ‘KIADB treating us unfairly’ Members of the Karnataka Dalit Entrepreneurs Association (KDEA) raised the issue of the government’s negligence in releasing grants to them and also KIADB allegedly being averse to allotting industrial sites to them, at a dinner with PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi in Belagavi on Tuesday. They said the government has not released Rs 300 crore as announced in the budget and another Rs 1,092 crore due for KIADB from 2016 to 2025. Violating the reservation of 24% of total industrial land to SC/STs, 239 acres have been unfairly allocated to others, they alleged. Devaraj B Hirehalli 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
Cong stages protest against ‘misuse’ of central agencies
Lucknow: Accusing BJP’s double-engine govts of misusing central agencies, the Uttar Pradesh Congress staged a demonstration on Wednesday. The protest came a day after a court setback to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Young Indian case involving Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Led by UP Congress president Ajay Rai, party workers marched from the Congress headquarters towards the BJP office. The protest was organised jointly by District Congress president Rudra Daman Singh ‘Bablu’ and city Congress chief Amit Srivastava Tyagi. However, the march was stopped midway by police, and the protesters were detained and taken to temporary jail at Eco Garden. Talking to reporters before his detention, Rai said: “The National Herald case was politically motivated and aimed at maligning senior Congress leaders. The judicial observations exposed the Centre’s ‘mala fide intent’ and misuse of investigation agencies to target the opposition,” he said. Adding that the Congress never bowed down to authoritarian and anti-democratic policies, Rai asserted that the party would continue its fight to protect the Constitution and democratic values. “Attempts to defame Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have failed. We will continue to foil BJP’s plans to malign their image,” he said. Congress functionaries, including former MLC Deepak Singh, criticised the state govt for using force against what they described as a peaceful democratic protest. They reiterated that the party would continue its agitation on the streets and in Parliament against “the BJP govt’s misuse of constitutional institutions”. 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
HC transfers Rahul case to Lucknow
Lucknow: The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court on Wednesday transferred a criminal complaint case related to alleged British citizenship controversy of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from Rae Bareli to Lucknow. A bench of Justice BR Singh passed the order on the petition of S Vignesh Shishir, a BJP worker from Karnataka. Shishir had filed a criminal complaint case before the Special MP/MLA court at Rae Bareli, levelling several allegations against Rahul Gandhi under BNS, Official Secrets Act, Foreigners Act and Passport Act. Filing the plea before the HC, the petitioner urged that when he goes to Rae Bareli, he gets life threat and so the said complaint may be transferred from Rae Bareli to Lucknow. It was said in the petition that a fair hearing is not possible due to local conditions. Citing security reasons, the petitioner had sought intervention from the HC. After hearing the plea, the bench ordered that the said case be transferred to Lucknow. 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
Cong protests decision to replace MGNREGA , dares BJP to remove Gandhi’s photo from rupee note
Belagavi: Governing Congress Wednesday protested the Union govt’s decision to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with a new law and challenged BJP to remove Gandhi’s picture from currency notes. Led by chief minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar, the protest, amid the winter session, was held in front of the Gandhi statue at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha. Members also targeted what Congress called “hate politics” against its party brass in the National Herald case. Ministers and legislators from both Houses participated. Launching a sharp attack on the BJP-led Union govt, Siddaramaiah accused it of repackaging Congress schemes under new names. “It won’t be long before we hear of ‘GModiG’,” he said, referring to VB-G RAM G, the name of the proposed law. “We have already seen renaming exercises — from Raj Bhavan to Lok Bhavan and Planning Commission to Niti Aayog — while the govt fails to address soaring prices of essential commodities.” He accused BJP of indulging in politics of hatred and foisting cases on Congress members, including Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. On Tuesday, a Delhi court refused to take cognisance of Enforcement Directorate’s money laundering charge against Sonia, Rahul and others, holding that the investigation stemmed from a private complaint and not an FIR. Shivakumar challenged BJP to remove photos of the Mahatma from currency notes. He said: “Replacing MGNREGA is a national problem. We have introduced MGNREGA through an amendment to the Constitution. You can’t change a constitutional amendment. We will take up the issue in the assembly.” Shivakumar, who received a notice to appear for questioning in the National Herald case, also alleged procedural lapses by Delhi Police. “I asked them only one question — please give me a copy of the FIR. They still have not provided me with one.” Health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao criticised the renaming of MGNREGA, saying it reflected BJP’s and RSS’s opposition to Mahatma Gandhi. Reacting to the protest, opposition leader in the council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy accused Congress of historically opposing Mahatma Gandhi. “We are not against Gandhi. Congress is against Gandhi. Gandhi had told them they had achieved independence, so dissolve Congress party immediately as it is not a political party. But they didn’t.” 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 Former Panchayat President Cites Caste Insult in IUML Ritual Row
The CPI(M)’s youth wing, DYFI, protested at the Changaroth panchayat office against an alleged ‘purification ritual’ by IUML activists. The ritual was perceived as a casteist insult, given that the former panchayat president was from the Dalit community. No complaints have been filed with the police yet. The youth wing of the CPI(M), known as DYFI, staged a protest on Tuesday at the Changaroth panchayat office, condemning what they allege to be a ‘purification ritual’ conducted by IUML members. The protest was in response to actions claimed to target a former panchayat president from the Dalit community. Authorities confirmed that the demonstration proceeded without incident, maintaining a calm atmosphere in the locality. The LDF is also expected to organize a protest march later the same day, as no formal grievances concerning the controversial ritual have been reported to law enforcement yet. The incident in question involved UDF activists performing a ritualistic act outside the panchayat office. This supposedly celebratory gesture was deemed derogatory by Unni Vengeri, the former panchayat president, who asserts that it carried a caste-based insult, given there were no such celebrations in other panchayats recently won by the UDF. Courtesy : Devdiscourse Note: This news is originally published on https:/devdiscourse.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights