Shameful case of caste hatred in Aligarh: Dalit youth beaten up for applying tilak in temple, FIR lodged against him
In Aligarh, Dalit youth Raju Jatav was brutally beaten up for applying tilak in Shani temple. Beaten up after asking about caste, then FIR lodged against him. Role of police under question. A shocking incident of caste discrimination and hatred has come to light in Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh. Here, a Dalit youth was brutally beaten up just because of his caste after applying tilak on his forehead in Shani temple. Victim Raju Jatav said that he had gone to worship in Shani temple and applied tilak on his forehead. After applying tilak, some people asked his caste. When Raju told that he was Jatav (Dalit), those bullies started beating him calling him a Muslim. Raju says, “I kept saying again and again that I am a Hindu, I am from Jatav community, still I was not spared.” In the fight, one of Raju’s hands was broken and he suffered serious injuries at several places on his body. The victim first pleaded for help at the police post and Khair police station, but no one listened to him. Finally, he reached the SSP office. The matter escalated further when the police, instead of taking action against the miscreants, filed an FIR against the victim Raju himself. On the complaint of the temple priest, it was alleged in the FIR that Raju had defiled the idol. Now the question is whether the right to apply tilak in Indian temples will also be decided on the basis of caste? After this incident, a tense atmosphere prevails in Aligarh and serious questions are being raised on the inaction of the police. Courtesy : Hindi News
Dalit colony will get connectivity to the main road: Foundation stone of 165 meter interlocking road laid in Bansdih, 400 families will get relief
Development work has started in the Dalit colony of Ward No. 1 located at Shivratri Pokhara in Bansdih, Ballia. Nagar Panchayat President Sunil Singh laid the foundation stone of 165 meter long and 12 meter wide interlocking road on Monday. About 400 families live in this colony. There was neither road nor drain here. People had to dig a pit at the door to drain the water of the house. Then they had to fill buckets with water and throw it in the fields. The biggest obstacle in the development work was lack of land. There was no way to reach the main road. Social worker of the city Virendra Singh donated his personal land to the Nagar Panchayat. This provided a way to connect the colony to the main road. The Nagar Panchayat President said that interlocking roads and drains will be built in all the streets of the colony. Street lights will also be installed. He said that as per the promise made during the elections, all the basic facilities will be provided to the colony. The Nagar Panchayat plans to develop this colony as an ideal colony. Courtesy : Hindi News
Dalits, Backward Castes, and Adivasis in the RSS’s Hindu Rashtra Agenda and the Etawah Incident
The incident in Etawah has shaken the entire society and has especially drawn attention to the deep-seated caste discrimination within the Hindu community. In Etawah’s Dandarpur village, two Yadav (The Yadav community is a traditionally pastoral and agricultural community, Hindus connected to the shudra varna and classified as other backward caste) “katha vachaks” (A kathavachak is a spiritual storyteller who narrates Hindu scriptures like the Ramayana or Bhagavad Gita in religious gatherings) —Mukut Mani Singh Yadav and Sant Singh Yadav—were forcibly tonsured by a group of upper-caste men after their caste was revealed during a Bhagavad Gita recitation. Also, a woman belonging to the attackers’ community sprinkled her urine on the victims. The attack, captured on video and widely shared, sparked outrage. The police acted swiftly, arresting four individuals—Ashish Tiwari, Uttam Kumar Awasthi, Nikki Awasthi, and Manu Dubey. All belong to the upper caste community. According to NCRB data, in 2022, crimes against Dalits increased by 13.1%, and crimes against Adivasis increased by 14.3% compared to 2021. Despite numerous movements against untouchability and caste hierarchy, and a whole stream of Dalit literature bringing suppressed histories to the forefront—like Omprakash Valmiki’s Joothan, Prof. Tulsiram’s Murdahiya and Manikarnika, Adam Gondvi’s Aao Le Chale Tumhe Chamaron Ki Gali Mein, and Premchand’s Thakur Ka Kuan—caste-based oppression persists. Even in cinema, this issue has been addressed in films like Damul and Mrityudand. Mrityudand also highlights the aspect of gender. These evils have existed for thousands of years. The mentality that refuses to see a human as a human is still alive. Villages are still segregated by caste. The oppression of the poor and the weak continues—only the form has changed. The social structure in which a person lives often leaves them no option. Many have even renounced religion in protest against this discrimination. We must understand that even today, in universities, many students from marginalized backgrounds remain isolated. This detachment stems from their social roots. Others in the university must take responsibility to make them feel equal, not use ancient caste systems to further isolate them. If someone is born into a so-called Shudra family, how is that their fault? Why should they alone bear the burden of a social framework imposed upon them? Which law says this is fair? I recently saw the Etawah incident, and no amount of condemnation is enough. You cannot humiliate anyone based on caste—we have a Constitution and the rule of law. This is not a Taliban-run government. As the case gained attention, people started reacting. A large section of society stood with the storyteller, and this included people from all communities. As the caste discrimination aspect began gaining traction (which has always been the reality for these communities within Hinduism—sometimes visible, sometimes hidden), a narrative shift toward a molestation claim was introduced for damage control. The idea was to divert the issue away from caste discrimination and claim a moral victory in the name of women’s dignity. The Etawah incident did not only shake the people of Uttar Pradesh but sent ripples straight to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur. It clashed with their fake agenda of creating a “Hindu Rashtra,” prompting damage control tactics. That’s when, two days later, a molestation allegation surfaced. This “Hindu Rashtra” agenda by the RSS is fake. The real question is—what will be the status of Dalits, Adivasis, and Backwards in such a nation? We will discuss that another time. On social media, self-proclaimed leaders of the Sanghi ideology resorted to verbal abuse while claiming to defend women’s honor—ironically hurling obscene abuses toward women of other communities. This abusive behavior continues today at the hands of these so-called leaders (Note: Sanghi leaders can be found in any political party). We must learn to call out what’s wrong. Gautam Buddha, Rahul Sankrityayan, and Pandit Nehru set examples of this. Today, Rahul Gandhi is leading a major national campaign against caste discrimination in the form of caste census. Learn about the backgrounds and communities these people come from. The truth is, caste is a bitter reality in India—one that was exposed yet again in Etawah. I repeat, the RSS agenda of a Hindu Rashtra was deeply hurt by the Etawah incident, which tore the veil off the facade they had created. After the incident, the Sanghi narrative claimed it was “molestation,” which exposed their casteist agenda. Society still functions on caste lines at every level. In the caste hierarchy of the Hindu community, there are Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. If such things can happen to someone from the Ahir community—a backward caste—even in 2025, imagine the suffering of those even lower in this constructed social order. Don’t fall into the Sanghi trap. What’s wrong is wrong, and must not be repeated. Let there be no hatred or bitterness among us, but compassion. The pain of those pushed to the margins for centuries won’t go away overnight. Hence, all communities must condemn the Etawah incident and fight to prevent its recurrence. This is my personal perspective on the incident. As the great philosopher Nietzsche said, There are no eternal facts, as there are no absolute truths.” By Akhilesh Yadav Akhilesh Yadav is a research scholar at the Centre for Historical Studies, JNU, and former Vice President of the Allahabad University Student Union Courtesy : Counter Currents Note: This news is originally published on https:/countercurrents.org/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
NDA engaged in garnering Dalit votes, Ramnagar minister Janak Ram on a two-day visit
Bihar Politics: West Champaran in-charge minister Janak Ram reached Ramnagar on a two-day visit, where he held a meeting with 47 Vikas Mitras under the Baba Saheb Ambedkar Vikas Yudh Abhiyan. Bagaha: Bihar government minister and West Champaran district in-charge Janak Ram reached Ramnagar today on a two-day visit. During this, he held a meeting with all 47 Vikas Mitras of Ramnagar assembly constituency under the Baba Saheb Ambedkar Vikas Yudh Abhiyan and reviewed the implementation of government schemes. The minister directed to work fast towards implementing the schemes running in Dalit and Mahadalit settlements. Edited By: Nishant Bharti | Reported By: Zee Bihar-Jharkhand Web Team Courtesy : Hindi News
Appointment of Dalit woman for mid-day meal: 21 out of 22 children got their names removed from school, administration said action will be taken against those who practice untouchability
A total of 21 students of a government school in Chamarajanagar, Karnataka withdrew their admission because a Dalit woman was appointed to prepare mid-day meal. The district administration has currently convinced the parents of 8 children to get them admitted back to the school. Further investigation is being done. 22 students were admitted to the school for the academic year 2024-25. Now when the Dalit woman was appointed in the school to cook food, the parents of 21 students have decided not to send them to school. Now only one student is left in the school. Admission taken in another school The matter is of Government Higher Primary School in Homma village of Chamarajanagar. The Dalit woman who was appointed and other kitchen staff say that out of 22, only 7 children used to eat the mid-day meal prepared in the school. It is believed that the parents of most of the children were not happy with the caste of the cook. That is why they got their children’s name struck off from the school. Many parents unhappy with the appointment of the Dalit woman have already taken their children’s transfer certificate i.e. TC from the school and got their children admitted in another school. 12 out of 21 students have taken TC and the rest have submitted application for TC. The result is that only one child studies in the school now and the school may be closed soon. 1 student, 2 teachers in the school Local people say that caste discrimination is the reason behind the removal of name from the school. Now there is only one student in the school and there are 2 teachers to teach him. The parents of the last remaining student have also submitted application for TC. After this, the whole incident went viral on social media. On Wednesday, the district administration reached Homma village and held a meeting with teachers and parents regarding this. Officials from the Education Department and Department of Social Welfare also visited this village. Those guilty of untouchability will be punished – Chamarajanagar SP SP of Chamarajanagar BT Kavitha, CEO of Zilla Panchayat Mona Rot and DDPI Ramchandra Raje Urs talked to parents and teachers in this matter. During this, the parents said that due to the poor level of education in the school, they have got their children’s name removed from there. This team of officials has also convinced the parents of 8 children to get them admitted back to the school. SP Kavitha said that it will also be investigated why some children were not eating mid-day meal in the school. If it is found that untouchability is the reason for this, then action will be taken against the people concerned. Courtesy: Hindi News
Justice Sought in Odisha: Dalit Men Assaulted on False Cattle Smuggling Accusation
Odisha Police have arrested 12 suspects, including the main accused, in the assault on two Dalit men in Ganjam district for alleged cattle smuggling. The incident sparked national outrage, leading to political intervention and a fact-finding mission. Victims claim they were transporting cattle for a wedding gift. In a significant development, Odisha Police announced the arrest of the main accused in the egregious attack on two Dalit men in Ganjam district. The accused, Rajesh Samal, 20, was apprehended alongside 11 others, including a juvenile, escalating the investigation into the physical assault and humiliation case. The victims, Babula Nayak, 54, and Bulu Nayak, were detained while transporting cattle for a wedding gift. Misconstrued as smugglers, they were subjected to severe torture by Rajesh Samal’s group, who went as far as forcing them to drink drain water. The incident incited national uproar, demanding swift justice. Political figures like Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have called for strict action, while the district administration offered some financial aid to the victims amid ongoing police investigations. (With inputs from agencies.) Devdiscourse News Desk Courtesy : Devdiscourse Note: This news is originally published on https:/devdiscourse.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Key accused held for ‘torture’ of 2 dalits
Berhampur: Police on Thursday arrested three more persons, including prime accused Rajesh Samal (20) of Jahada, for the alleged torture of dalits Babula Nayak and Bulu Nayak on suspicion that they were cattle smugglers. With this, the number of people arrested went up to 12. “We are searching for other persons involved in the case,” said Chandrika Swain, IIC, Dharakote police station. The development comes on a day a Congress fact-finding team visited Singipur village in Ganjam district to speak to Babula and Bulu. The Congress team led by Rajedra Pal Goutam, chairman of party’s SC department, took stock of the situation after talking to Babula Nayak and Bulu Nayak. “It’s an act of barbarity. We strongly condemned the incident. Strong action should be taken against the persons involved in the inhuman act,” said Goutam. Senior BJP leader and former assembly deputy speaker Ram Chandra Panda said the state govt has taken swift action against the accused. “When police are investigating the matter, it should not be politicised,” Panda said. TNN Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Congress demands the arrest of prime accused in the Dalit torture case in Ganjam
Stating that the two dalit persons were subjected to inhumane and brutal treatment by a group of people claiming to be members of the VHP and cow vigilantes, Kadam said this is unacceptable in a civilised society. BHUBANESWAR : A fact-finding team led by leader of Congress Legislature PartyRam Chandra Kadam on Thursday demanded immediate arrest of the prime accused in the incident of torture of two dalits at a village of Ganjam district on June 22. Addressing a media conference here, Kadam targeted the state government for the collapse of law and order situation in the state and demanded that immediate steps should be taken to ensure the safety of dalits, tribals and minorities in the state. “The law and order situation has collapsed after the double-engine government came to power in the state. The government should distance itself from the RSS and VHP’s agenda and maintain law and order in the state,” he said. Stating that the two dalit persons were subjected to inhumane and brutal treatment by a group of people claiming to be members of the VHP and cow vigilantes, Kadam said this is unacceptable in a civilized society. This incident has brought shame to our state, he said. The CLP leader said one of the victims, Babulal Nayak, had purchased a cow from Gomata Gumma area on the day to gift it to his daughter on her wedding, following Hindu rituals. When he was returning home, some anti-social youths stopped him at Khariguma and questioned him. When Babulal replied that he was taking it as a gift for his daughter’s wedding, the accused began to abuse him using casteist slurs and assaulted him. When another person intervened, he was also brutally beaten. Kadam alleged that the accused demanded Rs 30,000 from the victims and when they could not pay, they subjected them to inhumane treatment, including making them crawl on their knees, forced them to eat grass and drink dirty water from a drain. This horrific incident occurred just six km away from the police station, but the administration seemed unaware, he added. Stating that the victims belonging to poor dalit families are struggling to make ends meet, Kadam said that after the incident, their mental state has deteriorated and they are now traumatised. He demanded that a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each should be provided to the victims. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
‘Apologise to Biharis’: Prashant Kishore’s ‘bada bada gyan’ swipe at Rahul Gandhi; accuses Congress of doing ‘historic injustice’
NEW DELHI: As Bihar braces for a high-stakes assembly election later this year, political sparring has intensified with Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor taking direct aim at Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha. In a sharp remark, Kishor questioned Gandhi’s commitment to Bihar and accused the Congress of decades-long neglect and tokenism. In a recent interview with news agency ANI, Kishor, who has been traversing Bihar’s rural interiors as part of his Jan Suraaj campaign, threw a gauntlet at the Congress leader, daring him to spend just a single night in a village in the state to demonstrate any real grassroots engagement. “Rahul ji keeps coming and going here, but doesn’t really undertake any Yatra. If Rahul Gandhi has ever spent even one night in a village in Bihar, let us know. If he can spend just one night in a village, we’ll accept it,” Kishor said. “Tum Delhi mein bethkar Bihariyo ke naam par haste ho aur yaha bethkar gyan dete ho (You sit in Delhi, laugh at Biharis then come here to lecture us),” he added, underscoring what he described as a condescending attitude from the Congress high command. Kishor also turned his fire on Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy for allegedly disparaging Biharis, demanding an apology and criticising the Congress party for enabling such attitudes. “In Telangana, their chief minister is Revanth Reddy, it’s been two years since he became CM. Before that, he was in the TDP (Telugu Desam Party), and before that, he was in the RSS and the BJP. After becoming chief minister, he officially stated that doing labour is in the DNA of Biharis. Biharis are born to do labour work. Why did he say this? Because most of his rival KCR’s officers had a Bihar background. So he was implying that Telangana is in a bad state because Biharis are running it. And to justify that, he added another statement saying it’s in Biharis’ DNA to do labour, and that’s why KCR appointed them as bureaucrats,” Kishor said. “Aap Bihariyo ko kehte ho ki vo paida hue hai mazduri karne ke liye aur phir yaha aakar bada-bada gyan doge (You say Biharis are born to do labour work, and then come here and preach to us?)” he told ANI in an interview. Recalling an unfulfilled promise from decades ago, Kishor also invoked former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s 1989 commitment to turn Bihar into a development hub. “Where did that money go? Congress remained in power afterwards, so tell us, what did you do for Bihar?” he asked. He further demanded that Rahul Gandhi issue an apology for what he called the “historic injustice” inflicted upon Biharis by the Congress. “If Congress apologised for the injustice done to Sikhs, then Rahul Gandhi should apologise to Biharis as well before campaigning in Bihar. If Biharis are only born for labour, then why are you coming here? Just go campaign in Telangana and get your votes there,” Kishor said. Taking a dig at Congress’s electoral relevance in the state, Kishor said its future in Bihar rests entirely on “Lalu ji’s charity”. “Congress has no real existence in Bihar. For the past 25-30 years, it’s been a party that just carries Lalu ji’s bag. If Rahul Gandhi truly has political strength, let him contest elections in Bihar on his own. Try demanding 40 per cent of the seats from Lalu ji and see what happens. In Bihar, Congress dances to Lalu ji’s tune. Whatever he decides, that’s what happens,” he said. The Bihar assembly elections are expected to be held in October or November this year, though the Election Commission of India is yet to announce the official dates. The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United), and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), will look to retain power. On the other side, the Opposition’s INDIA bloc, consisting of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and the Left parties, aims to unseat CM Nitish Kumar. Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party is positioning itself as a third alternative, aiming to disrupt the traditional bipolar contest in the state. In the current 243-member Bihar assembly, the NDA holds a majority with 131 seats — BJP has 80 MLAs, JD(U) 45, HAM(S) 4, and support from two Independents. The INDIA bloc has a strength of 111, led by the RJD with 77 MLAs, Congress with 19, and the Left parties accounting for the rest. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Congress leaders harbouring Emergency mindset: BJP MP
Indore: BJP MP and spokesman Sudhanshu Trivedi on Wednesday accused Congress leaders of harbouring ‘Emergency period mindset’ that they were above Constitution and their ambitions outweighed national interests. “Congress believes in the objectionable slogan of ‘India is Indira and Indira is India.’ The same mindset of Emergency remains prevalent in the party even today. And leaders like Rahul Gandhi consider themselves above Constitution,” Trivedi said while addressing a press conference to mark 50 years of Emergency. He said that June 25, 1975 marked a black chapter in the history of Indian democracy as fundamental rights of citizens were trampled, freedom of expression was shackled, and voices of the Opposition were crushed. “Congress wants to run the country according to its convenience. If it wins elections, it doesn’t have any problem with Constitution, but after any setback in polls, it starts claiming that the Constitution is in danger,” he said, referring to Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi waving the ‘red book’ in Congress rallies. Trivedi questioned Gandhi’s comments during his foreign visits and said, “Months ago, Rahul Gandhi went abroad and asked why the defenders of democracy – US and Europe – were silent on India. Calling them defenders… Such utterances show the party’s Emergency mindset. Their political ambitions outweigh interests of the nation.” To a query, Trivedi said that the West Asia crisis was nothing but a fight between Muslim countries for supremacy. “One pole of this fight is Saudi Arabia, the leader of the Sunni world, and the other pole is Iran, the leader of the Shia world. We hope that a positive spirit will emerge and the crisis in West Asia will be resolved peacefully soon,” he said. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.