UP BJP org rejig: Dalits, OBCs likely to weigh in prominently
Lucknow: OBC and Dalit communities are expected to weigh in prominently as the BJP gears up to reboot its organisational machinery at the ground level by inducting around 90,000 functionaries in over 1,500 out of 1,918 mandals (divisions). Sources said the party plans to recalibrate 80% of the mandals — a local organisational unit within the party’s hierarchical structure — even as the party draws up a broader blueprint of a strategy to counter opposition in the run-up to the 2027 UP assembly polls. A mandal is a key operational layer in the BJP’s grassroots machinery, enabling it to maintain a strong local presence. It is one level below a district and usually corresponds to a group of a few municipal wards or several village panchayats, mainly a sub-division within a district for efficient grassroots-level political and organisational functioning. According to BJP sources, the party will appoint over 60 functionaries in each of the over 1,500 mandals where the party has already appointed a president. A similar exercise will be undertaken in the remaining over 400 mandals after the appointment of presidents. The new team is expected to have a sizable presence of OBC, Dalit and women functionaries, a move that could align with BJP’s focus on strengthening its grassroots presence and bolstering its social coalition, which catapulted the party to an overwhelming majority in UP in the 2017 and 2022 assembly elections. The induction of OBC and Dalit functionaries at the grassroots, experts said, could allow the BJP to counter the opposition’s Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak (PDA) card, which dented the party in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by shrinking its tally from 62 to 33 in UP. A senior BJP functionary said the induction of a good number of women functionaries at the mandal level is also on the cards. Speculations are rife that women may comprise around 33% of the total functionaries at the mandal level. Is that happens then it would be a strategic move by the party, which has been prioritising gender inclusivity by ensuring significant representation of women functionaries in the new appointments. The party also plans to engage the upper caste leadership strategically at the grassroots level as part of its broader organisational revamp. While OBCs and Dalits form the numerical majority and a critical voter bloc, upper castes (like Brahmins, Thakurs, Baniya, and Kayasthas) have traditionally been a core support base for the BJP. The party aims to retain their influence while expanding its appeal to marginalised groups. In March this year, the party had named 70 new district presidents, of whom 39 were from the upper caste, 25 were OBCs and six Scheduled Caste. 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.
Hostel can never be a place for political meetings, NDA netas flay Rahul
Patna: The NDA members strongly reacted to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s allegations that the Darbhanga administration did not give him permission to interact with the dalit students of Ambedkar Hostel at the launch of the party’s ‘Shiksha Nyay Samvad’ there. Strongly refuting Rahul’s allegations, JD(U) acting national president Sanjay Kumar Jha said a hostel can never be a place for political meetings. The Darbhanga administration had given permission to the Congress to hold Rahul’s meeting at Town Hall,” he said. He alleged that Rahul had come to Bihar for doing politics only but people knew how much concerned the Congress was for the dalits and economically backward classes while being a partner in the “jungle raj of the RJD in Bihar”. “Congress should look into its history. Have you ever heard about any rule to allow a political meeting in a students’ hostel, meant for studies. People have been watching the Congress since the Mandal Commission report. It is Bihar CM Nitish Kumar who has successfully got a caste survey done in the state, and the govt has been taking assertive action on the basis of its report,” he said, alleging that Rahul has a political agenda since election is due in Bihar. State JD(U) president Umesh Kushwaha mocked Rahul and said, “Aisa na ho ki 243 seats jeet jaye NDA (It might happen that that NDA might win all 243 assembly seats)”. Reacting over Rahul’s speech in Darbhanga, health minister Mangal Pandey said his negative politics will push Congress further into the abyss. “In Darbhanga, he staged a drama of protest to hide the flop show. Rahul’s attempt to create chaos by disobeying administrative orders is condemnable,” he said, alleging that the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha wanted to gain fame through his absurd antics and negative politics. “He walked to the Ambedkar hostel because the people gathered at the Town hall, assigned by the administration, were less in numbers than his expectations.” State BJP president Dilip Jaiswal said Rahul should have been in some drama company and not in politics. 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.
‘BJP leader’s statement is shameful’, JDU leader Sanjay Jha furious over statement on Sofia Qureshi
Patna: JDU MP Sanjay Jha has expressed his views on Rahul Gandhi not getting permission to hold a program in Ambedkar hostel in Darbhanga. He said that political activities should not take place in the hostel. Congress people had asked for a town hall, which was allowed by the district administration. Sanjay Jha has also called the statement made by the BJP leader of Madhya Pradesh on Sofia Qureshi shameful. Sanjay Jha said that Congress people had asked for a place in a hostel in Darbhanga. He clarified that no political meeting takes place in any hostel. Hostel is a place where students go to study. Therefore, political meetings, rallies or programs cannot be held there. Courtesy : Hindi News
FIR against Rahul for unauthorised event
Patna: Darbhanga district administration on Thursday lodged an FIR against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for holding an event at the Ambedkar Hostel without official permission. The case was registered shortly after Rahul left Darbhanga for Patna. In addition to Rahul, 18 others were named in the FIR filed at Laheriasarai police station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The police acted on two separate complaints submitted by district welfare officer Alok Kumar and block welfare officer Khursid Alam. “We registered a case against them since they held the function without any permission,” district welfare officer Kumar told TOI. According to the FIR, the Congress had been granted permission to hold its event at the Town Hall. However, the meeting was instead conducted at the Ambedkar Hostel, allegedly without authorisation, and was attended by Rahul and several others. Responding to the allegations, Rahul told reporters at Patna airport before departing for Delhi, “I told them (officials) if you want to stop me (from visiting the hostel), do it, but they didn’t as I went there.” 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.
PM agreed to caste census out of fear of deprived classes: Rahul
Patna: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday claimed PM Narendra Modi agreed to conduct a caste census “out of fear” of the country’s deprived classes, who, he said, make up 90% of the population. Rahul’s remarks followed the recent decision by the cabinet committee on political affairs, chaired by the PM, to approve caste enumeration in the forthcoming general census. Speaking at the launch of the “Shiksha Nyay Samwad” in Darbhanga, an NDA stronghold, Rahul called for a comprehensive caste census on the lines of Telangana, reservation for socially deprived groups in private educational institutions and the release of funds allocated for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. Addressing students at Ambedkar Hostel, despite being denied permission by the local administration, Rahul declared he would continue his fight until these three demands were met. “We told the PM in Parliament that you will have to conduct the caste census and he agreed out of fear of your power,” Rahul told the gathering. Seeking to connect with the audience, Rahul alleged that dalits, extremely backward classes, other backward classes and adivasis have long faced systemic oppression and have been denied access to quality education through various means, including the leaking of exam papers. “Exam paper leaks are just a part of the conspiracy to destroy your academic career,” he said, demanding reservation for deprived communities in private academic institutions. He urged marginalised groups to recognise their collective strength. “Just identify your strength. You make up 90% of the total population, but ‘90% ke liye desh me koi rasta nahin hai’ (there is no path for such a large section in this country),” he said. Highlighting their underrepresentation, he pointed out the lack of presence in the bureaucracy, judiciary, educational institutions and medical colleges and called for unity among the deprived classes. Before returning to the national capital, Rahul visited a cinema hall in Patna to watch a recently released biopic based on the lives of 19th-century social reformers Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule. Several social activists, however, claimed they were denied entry to the cinema to watch the film, despite having special passes. Patna: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday claimed PM Narendra Modi agreed to conduct a caste census “out of fear” of the country’s deprived classes, who, he said, make up 90% of the population. Rahul’s remarks followed the recent decision by the cabinet committee on political affairs, chaired by the PM, to approve caste enumeration in the forthcoming general census. Speaking at the launch of the “Shiksha Nyay Samwad” in Darbhanga, an NDA stronghold, Rahul called for a comprehensive caste census on the lines of Telangana, reservation for socially deprived groups in private educational institutions and the release of funds allocated for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. Addressing students at Ambedkar Hostel, despite being denied permission by the local administration, Rahul declared he would continue his fight until these three demands were met. “We told the PM in Parliament that you will have to conduct the caste census and he agreed out of fear of your power,” Rahul told the gathering. Seeking to connect with the audience, Rahul alleged that dalits, extremely backward classes, other backward classes and adivasis have long faced systemic oppression and have been denied access to quality education through various means, including the leaking of exam papers. “Exam paper leaks are just a part of the conspiracy to destroy your academic career,” he said, demanding reservation for deprived communities in private academic institutions. He urged marginalised groups to recognise their collective strength. “Just identify your strength. You make up 90% of the total population, but ‘90% ke liye desh me koi rasta nahin hai’ (there is no path for such a large section in this country),” he said. Highlighting their underrepresentation, he pointed out the lack of presence in the bureaucracy, judiciary, educational institutions and medical colleges and called for unity among the deprived classes. 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.
‘Dhokebaaz Sarkaar’: Rahul Gandhi’s Fiery Speech After Bihar Police Denies Meet With Dalit Students
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tears into the NDA, calling it a “Double Engine Dhokebaaz Sarkaar” after being stopped by Bihar Police from visiting Dalit and backward students at the Ambedkar Hostel. Accusing the BJP-led alliance of stifling democracy and fearing dialogue, Rahul says the Modi government only bows to pressure, not justice. He promises caste census and justice for all if Congress comes to power. In a dramatic move, he walked to the hostel after his car was stopped. Watch his fiery attack on the Bihar and central government over caste, constitution, and education. 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.
Is communicating with Dalits a sin, asks Congress over Rahul Gandhi’s Darbhanga address permission
It is the height of dictatorship that the JDU-BJP government prevented Rahul Gandhi from attending the ‘Shiksha Nyay Samvad’ program at the Ambedkar Hostel in Darbhanga, Bihar, says Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi holds a portrait of Dr BR Ambedkar during the Shiksha Nyay Samvad programme, in Darbhanga, Thursday, May 15, 2025. Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi holds a portrait of Dr BR Ambedkar during the Shiksha Nyay Samvad programme, in Darbhanga, Thursday, May 15, 2025. | Photo Credit: PTI Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday (May 15, 2025) hit out at the JDU-BJP government in Bihar, accusing it of sheer dictatorship by “preventing” Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi from holding a ‘Shiksha Nyay Samvad’ in Darbhanga. Mr. Gandhi addressed students at Mithila University’s Ambedkar Hostel, despite being allegedly denied permission to hold the event. “Is communicating with Dalit, deprived and backward class students against the Constitution? Is it a sin to talk to them about their education, their recruitment exams and jobs,” asked Mr. Kharge. “It is the height of dictatorship that the JDU-BJP government prevented Rahul Gandhi from attending the ‘Shiksha Nyay Samvad’ program at the Ambedkar Hostel in Darbhanga, Bihar,” he said in a post on X in Hindi. Kharge said the birthplace of democracy Bihar will remember this “injustice” and will give a befitting reply to JDU-BJP when the time comes. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh shared a video of police action in preventing Gandhi from going to the Ambedkar students hostel in Darbhanga. “India is a democracy, it is governed by the Constitution, not by dictatorship. No one can stop us from raising our voice for social justice and education,” Ramesh said in his post on X. The Congress had also expressed outrage on the suggestion by the authorities to change the venue to an alternative site. Addressing the students, Gandhi claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to hold a caste census “out of fear” of the country’s deprived population, to which the opposition was lending its voice. The leader of the opposition made the remark at a charged-up interaction with students in Darbhanga district of Bihar. “As you all are aware, my car was stopped at the gate (of Mithila University). But I did not relent. I got out and took a circuitous route to reach here on foot,” said the Rae Bareli MP, who launched ‘Shiksha Nyay Samvad’, a public interaction programme in Bihar where assembly polls are due later this year. Courtesy : The Hindu Note: This news is originally published on https://thehindu.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Dalit says he was assaulted during village fair in Belagavi
Ramdurg Police have registered case against unidentified people based on a complaint by a Dalit youth that he was assaulted during a village fair in Kunnal in Belagavi district. In his complaint, Laxman Madar has said that he was beaten up by a group of five-six people when he questioned why they were trying to forcibly throw coloured water on women from his family. “The victim received some injuries and was admitted to hospital. He is recovering. Investigation is on to identify and apprehend the accused,” Additional Superintendent of Police Ramagonda Basaragi said. Courtesy : The Hindu Bureau, The Hindu Note: This news is originally published on https://thehindu.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Gorakhpur: Dalit family was invited to a wedding, they were beaten up for touching food, they entered their house and attacked… case registered against 11
In Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, a case of beating up six Dalits for touching food at a wedding ceremony has come to light. People of Rajbhar community beat up Dalits badly for touching food. The victims have lodged a complaint with the police and a case has been registered against 11 accused. In Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, a case of beating up half a dozen Dalits for touching food has come to light. Dalit youths who had gone to eat food at a wedding ceremony were beaten up by people of Rajbhar community. Police have registered a case against 11 accused on the complaint of the victims. The incident is being investigated. This case of beating is of 9th May. The accused beat up the people of Dalit community because they had touched the food prepared at the wedding ceremony. Whereas, the victims had received an invitation for the feast. Even in today’s times, cases of untouchability and caste-religion discrimination are not decreasing. Many people are seen arguing over these things even in today’s digital age. Sometimes not allowing a Dalit groom to ride a horse, sometimes there is a conspiracy of beating and boycott for touching water. The latest case is of village Dudhai of Chaurachauri police station area of Gorakhpur. Police has registered a case against the accused. Uproar over touching food According to the incident, there was a wedding ceremony at Lalji’s house in village Dudhai on May 9. Everyone was present in the program and the feast was going on. People were eating food. On receiving the invitation to the feast, Dinanath, a Dalit youth of the village, reached the program with his family to eat food. In the complaint letter given to the police, Dinanath told that when he picked up the plate of food, Sonu, Ramchandra and Bhim of Rajbhar community stopped him and said how did you touch the food? Dalit family members were beaten up after going home It is alleged that they abused Dinanath and his family members and drove them away from there. All of them went back home. Meanwhile, the three accused along with their other companions came to their house at night. The accused armed with sticks and knives attacked them. They were beaten up badly, due to which 6 people including women of the family got injured. Police have registered a case. Courtesy: Hindi News
Bihar Politics: Rahul Gandhi blew the Congress trumpet in Bihar, how important are Dalit voters in the state, know in 5 points
Bihar Politics: Assembly elections are to be held in Bihar in October-November. Before this, Rahul Gandhi has started the exercise of giving a new lease of life to the Congress by playing the Dalit card in Bihar politics. This has alerted all the parties. Know how important the Dalit card is in Bihar. Bihar Politics: Whether as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha or as a Congress MP on the road, a new form of Rahul Gandhi is visible. Rahul will be seen talking about the Constitution, the rights of Dalits given in it and Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar everywhere. This is part of Rahul Gandhi’s exercise, in which he is trying to connect Dalit voters with the Congress again. Due to this, he has also been talking about caste census everywhere. Along with this, there have been claims of pressure from Congress behind the caste survey conducted by Nitish Kumar’s government in Bihar, which was a partner in the government with Nitish Kumar’s JDU at the time of the survey. The first test of this exercise of Rahul Gandhi is Bihar, where assembly elections (Bihar Assembly Election 2025) are going to be held in October-November. Dalit voters have special importance in Bihar politics. This is the reason why Rahul Gandhi reached Darbhanga on Thursday (May 15) to meet Dalit students despite all the obstacles and after reaching Patna, he watched the film ‘Phule’ based on Dalit social reformers Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule. The importance of this tour for Rahul can be gauged in such a way that he met Dalit students in Ambedkar hostel despite all the opposition from the administration in Darbhanga. Two FIRs have also been registered against him for this. Let us tell you in 5 points how important Dalit voters are in Bihar and why the elections here are going to prove to be a test for Rahul Gandhi- Dalit voters constitute 19 percent of Bihar’s population Bihar’s politics has always revolved around Dalit and Mahadalit vote banks. There are about 19 percent Dalit voters in Bihar. The state’s Dalit vote bank has so far been influenced by LJP (Ram Vilas Paswan), Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM, CPI (ML). Apart from this, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JDU and Lalu Prasad Yadav’s RJD have also been a part of it. Nitish Kumar has also found new equations by playing the Mahadalit card among this Dalit vote bank. Before the rise of Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar, Dalit voters used to be in the Congress’s share. Rahul Gandhi’s exercise is to return this love of Dalit voters to the Congress, the hope of which has increased after the results of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 2. 40 assembly seats are reserved in the state Out of 243 seats in Bihar assembly, 40 seats are reserved. Out of these, Dalit Scheduled Caste candidates contest on 38 seats and Scheduled Tribe candidates contest on 2 seats. Congress has been getting the support of Muslim voters in Bihar, which it is expecting this time too. If Congress gets the support of Dalit voters due to Rahul Gandhi’s efforts, then due to Dalit-Muslim equation, Congress can do the miracle which has been keeping away from it for the last several decades. How is Rahul Gandhi trying in Bihar? Rahul Gandhi has visited Bihar 4 times in the last 5 months. On these visits, he has been continuously accusing BJP of trying to snatch the rights of Dalits and calling Nitish Kumar a partner of BJP in this. Along with this, he has also been talking about giving rights to Dalits through caste census. Earlier in ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ also, Rahul Gandhi has been continuously raising the issue of Dalits. To woo Dalits in the state, on Rahul Gandhi’s behest, Congress has removed a strong leader like Akhilesh Prasad Singh and made Dalit leader Rajesh Kumar the state president, while Sushil Pasi has been appointed as the co-in-charge of Bihar. Dalit focus Rahul Gandhi is raising three demands Rahul Gandhi has been raising three demands to woo Dalit voters to his camp, the first of which is to conduct caste census in the country. After the Modi government announced caste census, Rahul has tried to take credit for it by loudly calling it the result of Congress’ pressure. The second demand is to ensure funding under the government’s SC/ST sub-plan scheme and the third demand is to implement reservation in private institutions as well. Let us tell you that SC/ST sub-plan fund is a fixed part of the budget for the socio-economic development of Dalits in every state’s plan. Rahul Gandhi says that Dalits are not getting this fund. If Congress rises, Nitish will suffer a direct loss The separation between Congress and Dalit voters in Bihar started after the rise of Nitish Kumar’s JDU. In such a situation, it is believed that if Dalit voters join Congress again, Nitish Kumar will suffer a direct loss. In the NDA alliance, JDU’s status in Bihar is higher than BJP. This means that if Nitish Kumar’s party goes down, then it will be BJP’s loss. This math can be understood from the following figures- In Bihar elections 1990, Congress got 24.78% votes. In Bihar elections 1995, Congress got 16.30% votes. In Bihar elections 2000, Congress got only 11.06% votes. In Bihar elections 2005, Congress’s fort collapsed with 6.09% votes. In Bihar elections 2010, Congress tried to rise with 8.37% votes. In Bihar elections 2015, Congress got only 6.7% votes. In Bihar elections 2020, Congress again got 9.48% by joining RJD. Courtesy : Kuldeep Panwar, Hindi News