15 sent to jail for imposing social boycott on Dalit family
Hyderabad: A special court in Nizamabad on Tuesday sentenced 15 individuals to imprisonment in connection with a social boycott imposed on a Dalit family by members of a so-called village development committee (VDC) in Kolipaka village of Jakranpally mandal. The special judge for SCs/STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act cases and II additional district and sessions judge pronounced the verdict, convicting eight individuals to five years in jail with a fine of ₹5,200 each, while seven others received three years’ imprisonment along with a fine of ₹4,200 each. It was in April 2020, when Errolla Hanumandlu and his family lodged a complaint with the Jakranpally police, alleging that the VDC had issued a social boycott order against them. It all began when Mekala Bablu and his family objected to Hanumandlu’s family using a tractor in front of their house. Bablu later took the matter to the VDC, which demanded a monetary fine from Hanumandlu. When the family refused to pay, the VDC allegedly enforced a social boycott. Acting on the complaint, police registered a case under section 3(1)(zc) of the SCs/STs Act, various sections of the Indian Penal Code (341, 323, 290, 506, 248 r/w 34), and section 4 of the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955. Those who were sentenced to five years’ imprisonment include Golla Boddu Thirupathi, Ravutla Bakkanna, Papai Gangadhar, Boddu Naveen, Kalakadi Muthenna, Bolli Ranjeeth, Wadla Srikanth and Arepalli Esthari. Among those sentenced to three years’ imprisonment were Mekala Bablu, Mekala Kavitha, Muvvala Poshanna, Mala Chinna Rajanna, Dasari Surender, and Vankayala Gangadhar. 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.
Chandigarh Congress welcomes Rahul Gandhi amid party resurgence
Chandigarh: The Chandigarh Pradesh Congress Committee on Wednesday extended a warm welcome to leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, upon his arrival at Chandigarh Airport. Chandigarh Congress president HS Lucky informed Rahul Gandhi that the party had made a historic comeback by reclaiming the city’s parliamentary seat after a gap of 10 years. Lucky also highlighted the Congress party’s strong performance in the municipal corporation elections, where it secured the posts of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor, an achievement coming after nearly 12 years. During the interaction, Lucky briefed Rahul Gandhi on the current political landscape and pressing civic issues in Chandigarh. He extended an invitation for a detailed meeting with the Chandigarh Congress leadership in the coming days. The proposed meeting will focus on key city concerns and strategies to further strengthen the Congress organisation at the grassroots level in Chandigarh. 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.
Cong youngsters see hope in Rahul’s ‘Srijan’
Bhopal: How effective would the “Sangthan Srijan” campaign be in rejuvenating Congress organisation in MP? While some leaders, particularly youngsters, seem excited at the prospect of “Race Ka Ghoda” finding prominence in the party, many veterans, who have seen it all, look at this with a pinch of salt. “The campaign will surely rejuvenate our organisation. Rahul Gandhi and the leadership want to find competent persons to take on BJP. AICC observers have come from outside the state to go among the party workers and people, find out about reputation of leaders contending for the post of district president, their ability to take people along, reach out to people and put up a fight with BJP,: said Yogendra Singh ‘Guddu’, a young Congress leader from Bhopal. “We wish ground-level leadership is handed over to horses, who have the strength to win the race,” Singh said. Another young Congress leader said the party has launched ‘Srijan’ campaign at places where Congress and BJP are the only two options but BJP is miles ahead in organisational strength and electoral effectiveness. The leadership understands Congress cannot take on the combined might of RSS-BJP, unless the organisation is strengthened and there’s transparency in selection of party office-bearers and poll candidates. Deputy leader of Congress in the assembly, Hemant Katare said: “The campaign will have a revolutionary effect. AICC has sent observers for each district. They are ex-ministers, who have won multiple elections, and run the organisation. Since they are outsiders, they will look at the contenders with fresh eyes and may find able people ignored so far may be because they were not at the forefront or because of factionalism. Once we have a strong organisation at the ground level, the problems we face in elections would be taken care of.” However, a senior PCC office-bearer said: “Are we trying to get rid of people, who gave their lives to the party by calling them ‘langda ghoda’? If you give an impression that a district president was changed because he was incompetent, the party would be further divided and there will be local factions fighting against each other. If the campaign is carried out as planned, even 2028 elections is lost,” he said. A PCC office-bearer, said: “It is similar to the one floated by Rahul Gandhi earlier- to have an elected NSUI and Youth Congress presidents. You can see the situation of NSUI and Youth Congress. Even journalists don’t remember their names nowadays. The Congress will also get to the same situation if they go ahead with the plan of a survey by outsiders to select district presidents.” 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.
Rahul Gandhi sets zero tolerance for factionalism in Haryana Cong, outlines roadmap for setting up district units
Chandigarh: Congress MP and leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday delivered a message of zero tolerance for factionalism among Haryana leaders and issued strict guidelines to central observers to remain impartial and uninfluenced by local or state leaders during their assignments. Rahul unveiled a comprehensive plan to constitute district units of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC), aimed at reviving the party’s grassroots presence ahead of the 2025 elections. According to party sources, observers will begin field visits from June 10, with final panels of three candidates for each district expected by June 30. The All India Congress Committee (AICC) will then announce district presidents. The selection process emphasises social engineering, with special focus on Scheduled Castes (SC), Backward Classes (BC), and women’s representation. Observers are instructed to prioritise young leadership between the ages of 35 and 55, alongside merit-based criteria. This marks the first concerted effort by AICC to end long-standing factionalism within the Haryana Congress and properly constitute district executives after an 11-year hiatus. During his three-hour visit to HPCC headquarters here, Rahul chaired three key meetings. The first involved a 17-member committee of senior Haryana leaders and AICC officials, including former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, HPCC president Udai Bhan, Lok Sabha MP Selja, former Union minister Birender Singh, Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda, and other senior functionaries. Sources said that Rahul warned the leaders against allowing factional disputes to damage the party and patiently heard their concerns. Following this, he met with central and state observers, outlining strict dos and don’ts for finalising district executive panels. The AICC has appointed 22 observers, including MPs and former ministers, who will work alongside 51 HPCC-appointed observers to assess aspirants across districts. B K Hariparsad, AICC general secretary in-charge of Haryana affairs, told mediapersons, “Rahul has instructed observers not to favour senior leaders, sitting or former MLAs or MPs, nor to avail any facilities provided by them. Complaints against observers will be taken seriously, and replacements can be made if necessary. Effective and honest observers may receive more responsible assignments.” Hariparsad acknowledged that factionalism has stalled district unit formation for over a decade, contributing to narrow election losses. “We lost by a margin of just 0.5% due to weak grassroots organisation. The year 2025 will be dedicated to party strengthening. Observers have clear instructions to avoid favoritism. Only real performers will be at the forefront.” Rahul Gandhi was received at Chandigarh airport by Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee president Harmohinder Singh Lucky and PPCC President Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. Rahul’s gesture for Birender In a gesture of respect, Rahul asked AICC general secretary K C Venugopal to invite veteran leader Birender Singh to the dais ahead of the observers’ meeting. Tanwar springs surprise A surprise attendee was former HPCC president Ashok Tanwar, who was invited last minute. Tanwar left Congress in 2019, joined various parties, including the BJP, before returning to Congress. ‘5-yr no-post rule for BJP entrants’ B K Hariparsad, AICC general secretary in-charge of Haryana affairs, clarified the party’s position on recent entrants from BJP or RSS backgrounds. “Anyone joining from BJP or RSS must serve as a volunteer for five years before eligibility for any Congress post. This does not apply to those who left Congress earlier and then returned,” he said. Seniors asked to give tips Before launching the roadmap, Rahul gave senior leaders a platform to voice their concerns and suggestions to strengthen the party at all levels in Haryana. MSID:: 121626445 413 | 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.
State Cong chief accuses Chirag, Manjhi of failing dalit community
Patna: State Congress president Rajesh Kumar on Tuesday launched sharp attacks on two dalit leaders—Union ministers Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi—for maintaining silence over the death of a minor girl who succumbed to a brutal assault after rape. Addressing a press conference, the state Congress chief said both Chirag and Manjhi claim to be the leaders of the dalit community, but they remained mysteriously silent over such a horrendous crime. “You want the votes of the dalits to stay in power but have not uttered a word of sympathy for the dalit girl, let alone helping her,” Kumar told the reporters in Patna on Tuesday, adding they need to answer this to the people of the state. He said although they happen to be a part of the double-engine govt in Bihar, they failed to do anything for the girl who ultimately died due to “callousness”. “You couldn’t even get her a hospital bed or an oxygen cylinder as that innocent girl died. The question is why are you hesitating to speak out against injustice? Are you keeping silent under the influence and pressure of the RSS agenda? When will you demand justice for the dalit girl?” asked the Congress chief. Later, a team of Congressmen, led by the state president, visited the victim’s house in Muzaffarpur and extended all support to the family. “The Congress party stands with you in this hour of crisis. We will provide every possible assistance in the fight for justice for the girl,” the state president told the victim’s family. 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.
Jagan Mohan Reddy Slams ‘Red Book Constitution’ After Tenali Police Brutality On Dalit Youths
YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy visited Tenali victims’ families, condemning police brutality against Dalit and minority youths as a sign of Andhra Pradesh’s ‘Red Book Constitution’ under TDP rule. The April 2025 incident sparked protests and demands for a probe. YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday visited the families of three young men in Tenali who were allegedly subjected to police torture and public assault. He described the incident as indicative of a broader institutional decline under the current administration, referring to it as evidence of the “Red Book Constitution” — a term he uses to critique the state’s governance. The alleged incident occurred on April 25, involving Chebrolu John Victor, Karimullah, and Doma Rakesh. According to reports, the three men were detained, forced to sit on the roadside, and beaten with batons in public view. Reddy claimed they were also threatened with electric shocks while in custody. “In the state of Andhra Pradesh, every institution has taken a back seat,” Reddy said. “Thanks to the N. Chandrababu government and the Red Book Constitution, the police have become complicit in these activities.” While the YSR Congress Party condemned the incident and called for an impartial investigation, Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha defended the police’s actions. She stated that the police were acting against individuals involved in criminal activities. “Police acted against rowdy sheeters and the ganja batch. It is not right to attribute caste and religion to this,” she said in a public statement. The victims belong to Dalit and minority communities, raising concerns among rights groups who have called for an independent probe into the incident. The episode has further intensified the political standoff between the TDP government and the opposition YSRCP over law enforcement and civil liberties in the state. Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in india news and world News on Zee News. Courtesy : Zee News Note: This news is originally published on https://zeenews.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Why A Mega Dalit Outreach Is Part Of BJP’s Plan For Poll-Bound Bihar From June 20
Caste arithmetic and an unfavourable result in the elections last year have prompted the party to take steps to win the poll battle The BJP has decided to go all out to woo Dalits of poll-bound Bihar, even before seat-sharing talks have begun among the NDA constituents for the upcoming election. Starting June 20, the party will target the Ravidas community by organising the Sant Shiromani Ravidas Sammelan-cum-honour ceremony in Bihar. Sant Ravidas, a 15th-century Bhakti saint, is a significant figure in the Dalit community and is widely recognised as a Dalit icon. Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi commemorated Ravidas’ 647th birth anniversary in his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi. Now, with Bihar election around the corner, BJP has decided to hold such conclaves in different districts and created a schedule for that. News18 has learnt that BJP has fixed conclave dates for Begusarai on June 20, Samastipur on June 22, Madhubani on June 25, Bagaha and Bhagalpur on June 29, Saharsa on June 30, Muzaffarpur and Siwan on July 6, Darbhanga on July 7, Gaya on July 13, Banka on July 16, Arwal on July 18, Khagaria and Sitamarhi on July 20 and Gopalganj on July 31, which will be the season finale. There will also be a special conclave through which Dalit outreach efforts will be made in Bihar’s capital Patna though the date for it is not yet finalised. The party wants the Patna conclave to be a show-stopper with big names in attendance, and hence, the date will depend on their availability, say BJP sources. But why the focus on Dalits? Sources in the know suggest there are two reasons behind it. One is pure caste arithmetic. Though the Ravidas community constitutes just 5 per cent of Bihar’s voters, if the total Dalit pie in Bihar is taken into consideration, the number jumps to 19 per cent. While BJP is confident about upper castes and OBC support of a few, JDU too brings OBC strengths. Even NDA’s smaller allies like Rashtriya Lok Morcha leader Upendra Kushwaha can influence OBC votes. Only former Bihar CM Jitin Ram Majhi’s Hindustan Awam Morcha-Secular(HAM-S) and LJP (RV) Chirag Paswan have limited sway over those known as the backwards. The second reason stems from an unfavourable experience in last year’s Lok Sabha election when the BJP-led NDA lost nine Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. In 2019 Lok Sabha polls, NDA won 39 seats while in 2024, it managed to win 30. In neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, the situation was even more grim. The BJP-led NDA lost a whopping 28 seats. Later, BJP went on record to accept that Congress managed to twist BJP’s ‘400 paar’ campaign slogan as fear mongering among Dalit voters, suggesting their reservation rights are on the line. This worked against the BJP in the two Hindi heartland states. Since June 4 last year, when the results were declared, BJP has taken corrective measures to win the narrative war. However, the party feels that with no big alliance partner that has a solid grip among the Dalit community, the outreach is the best way forward. Sources in the BJP say the plan to carpet-bomb the Ravidas Sammelans was conceived in mid-May when Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Bihar Police stopped him on his way to Ambedkar hostel in Darbhanga, adding that “they could not stop me because your power (minority community) is watching over me”. Back then, Bihar BJP president Dilip Jaiswal had hit out at Gandhi, saying: “He should use his mind. If he had to use a government building or hostel, he should have sent an official itinerary. He is the Leader of Opposition and a state president of a party has to teach this?” However, it is learnt that this visit may have worked as a catalyst for the state BJP to pre-emptively launch a mega Dalit outreach, having learnt its lessons last year. Authorimg Anindya Banerjee Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in …Read More Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! Sources said LJP (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan is serious about the Bihar assembly polls and is likely to contest from a general seat rather than a traditionally reserved seat The BJP may have made it clear that Nitish Kumar will be chief minister if they win the Bihar assembly election – regardless of the numbers – but Chirag Paswan’s desire to leave Delhi and return to state politics is being seen in many quarters as a challenge to the JD(U) leader. Union minister Chirag Paswan, the leader of NDA ally Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), has been “positioning” himself to ask for a better share of seats, 45 to be precise, reliable sources told News18. “Chirag Paswan is aware of the sanctity of an endorsement (of Nitish Kumar) by someone like that of Amit Shah (in the Gopalganj rally). He is not in that race (to become CM), let me be very clear about that. But does he want his party to have a fair deal this election and grow bigger? Yes,” said a source on condition of anonymity. Chirag on Monday expressed his intention to contest the assembly election. “I don’t see myself in central politics for too long. My reason for entering politics was Bihar and the people of Bihar. I want to take forward my vision of ‘Bihar First, Bihari First’,” he said. “Sometimes, when national leaders contest state elections, it does help the party grow. If my participation helps the alliance and strengthens the NDA’s position in Bihar, I will contest,” he added. According to sources, Chirag is serious about the election and his party MP Arun Bharti, who is also his brother-in-law, told the media that rather than contesting
Tragic Murder of Dalit Youth Sparks Investigation
A 22-year-old Dalit youth named Sagar Kori was found murdered with his throat slit in a village. His body was discovered inside a cattle shed near his home after he went missing Tuesday night. Police have sent the body for postmortem and are investigating the crime. A shocking murder has unfolded in a local village where a 22-year-old Dalit youth, Sagar Kori, was found dead with his throat slit, police report. Kori, a resident of Pure Ram Chauhan ka Purwa, was discovered inside a cattle shed near his home after disappearing Tuesday night. His body surfaced early Wednesday. The local police, led by Sangrampur Station House Officer Brijesh Singh, have dispatched the body for postmortem and are actively probing the motive and potential suspects in this alarming case. (With inputs from agencies.) 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.
Kerala HC allows transgender couple’s plea to have their names entered as ‘parents’, instead of father and mother, in child’s birth certificate
Kochi: In a significant judgment, Kerala high court has allowed a transgender couple’s petition to have their names entered in their child’s birth certificate as ‘parents’, by omitting the usual columns specifying ‘father’ and ‘mother’. The bench of Justice A A Ziyad Rahman passed the order on a petition filed by Zahhad, a transman, and Ziya Paval, a transwoman — both natives of Kozhikode and India’s first transgender parents. Zahhad had given birth to a child in Feb 2023. The birth certificate, issued by Kozhikode corporation under the Kerala Registration of Birth and Death Rules, 1999, listed Ziya as the father and Zahhad as the mother. The petitioners approached the corporation officials to change the details to reflect both as parents rather than as mother and father, but their request was rejected. The couple then approached high court, contending that Zahhad, now living as a man in society, being identified as the mother would cause complications in the future. They expressed concerns that a certificate indicating a man had given birth could cause difficulties for the child during school admissions, passport and Aadhaar applications, and other official processes. They sought a directive to denote them simply as ‘parents,’ without assigning the roles of father and mother. Allowing the plea, the bench directed the Kozhikode corporation to modify the birth certificate within two months by removing the columns for father and mother and incorporating the names of the petitioners as parents without referring to their genders. A detailed judgment is awaited. 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.
Telangana IAS Officer to Principals: Make Students Clean Toilets — “They’re Not From Posh Families Where Food Appears at a Snap!”
The remarks have been widely criticized for their insensitivity and perceived reinforcement of caste-based stereotypes, particularly as they target students from Scheduled Castes (SC) attending TGSWREIS institutions, which were established to provide quality education and uplift marginalized communities. Hyderabad – A major controversy has engulfed Telangana’s social welfare education system following the viral spread of an audio clip on May 28, 2025, purportedly featuring Dr. V.S. Alugu Varshini, a 2012-batch IAS officer and Secretary of the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TGSWREIS). In the clip, Dr. Varshini is allegedly heard instructing school principals to assign students cleaning duties, including washing toilets and maintaining hostel rooms, as part of their daily routine. The remarks, which have drawn widespread condemnation, have ignited a fierce debate about caste discrimination, child rights, and the role of the Gurukul system in uplifting marginalized communities. The Controversial Audio Clip The audio, which surfaced on social media platforms, reportedly captures Dr. Varshini speaking at a recent review meeting with school principals. She is heard defending the assignment of cleaning tasks—such as sweeping floors, cleaning blackboards, washing toilets, and even cooking meals—as part of the state government’s “holistic education” model. “If any parent objects, tell them it is my order,” she allegedly said, criticizing principals for hesitating to implement these tasks due to fear of parental backlash. Dr. Varshini is said to have justified the directive by arguing that students, primarily from underprivileged and marginalized communities, do not come from “posh families where food appears at the snap of a finger.” She emphasized that such tasks teach essential life skills, claiming students would spend no more than 20 hours over six months on these activities, which she described as “not hard labour.” In the clip, Dr. Varshini reportedly cited her own experience as a student performing similar duties, referring to it as Shram Daan (voluntary service), and encouraged principals to share images of students performing such tasks in their groups as an example. She also addressed a specific instance where a student was asked to make rotis, questioning, “What’s wrong with that?” and suggesting it was a valuable learning experience. Furthermore, she allegedly warned that parents who threaten school staff over these tasks could face consequences, including show-cause notices and the potential expulsion of their children. The remarks have been widely criticized for their insensitivity and perceived reinforcement of caste-based stereotypes, particularly as they target students from Scheduled Castes (SC) attending TGSWREIS institutions, which were established to provide quality education and uplift marginalized communities. The viral audio clip sparked an immediate and intense reaction on social media, particularly on X, where users condemned Dr. Varshini’s remarks as exploitative and reflective of a “Manuvadi mindset” within the bureaucracy. The opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) swiftly condemned Dr. Varshini’s remarks, with MLC K. Kavitha labeling them “anti-poor” and exploitative. Kavitha highlighted that under the previous BRS government, each welfare school received ₹40,000 monthly to hire four temporary workers for cleaning tasks, a funding allocation she claimed was withdrawn by the Congress government since August 2024. She also noted that assistant caretakers were removed from 240 schools, forcing students to take on kitchen and cleaning duties. Kavitha demanded Dr. Varshini’s immediate removal from her post and strict action to address the issue. Dr. R.S. Praveen Kumar, a former IPS officer and ex-Secretary of TGSWREIS, who is credited with transforming social welfare schools into centers of excellence, also strongly criticized the remarks. Praveen Kumar, in a sharp post on x addressed to CM Revanth Reddy, questioned whether such directives were given without the minister’s approval, pointing out the hypocrisy of imposing such measures only on underprivileged students while elite corporate schools remain unaffected. He demanded that Reddy, along with his ministers and officials, lead by example by cleaning their own toilets daily and sharing proof with the public. Additionally, he urged sanitation workers to boycott the CM’s residence in protest. The letter, dedicated to SC/ST communities, accuses the Congress government of eroding the dignity of marginalized groups while they remain subjugated. “Jai Bhim. Jai Telangana,” he concluded, calling for an end to this discriminatory practice. Courtesy : Geetha Sunil Pillai, The Mooknayak Note: This news is originally published on https://themooknayak.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.