Why Dalits, youth matter for Congress in Uttarakhand
To kickstart its campaign, the Congress is planning a mass street campaign in Haldwani against a purification ritual performed by a group of people whom the party has accused of having links with the BJP In upper-caste-dominated Uttarakhand, where they constitute more than 50 per cent of the electorate and have a tilt towards the BJP, the Congress is trying to carve out its own support base that can help its ship sail through the magic number of 35 out of the state’s 70 Assembly seats in the elections next year. “Congress has sensed a lot of resentment among youth about paper leaks and unemployment. These two issues will have to be picked up by the party at the grassroots. I think the party has believed in it more since the Chhatron Ki Goonj event, where many young men and women, as well as students, took part and showed support to the Congress,” a party spokesperson said. Moreover, more than 30 per cent of the state’s population is between 18 and 40 and is widely impacted by unemployment, paper leaks and an unprogressive education system. The Congress wants to focus on this group and make it a new voting bloc for the upcoming Assembly elections in 2027. Besides that, the party is also looking to bring the Dalit population into its fold by taking up social justice issues. This bloc is 18 per cent strong in the state. Despite there being only 13 reserved seats, the state has more than 20 such seats with a sizeable Dalit population of more than 20 per cent, and a strong performance among them can help Congress advance in the electoral space of the state. The safest bet for the party is the Muslim bloc, which is around 14 per cent. Congress is certain that the minority community, as strategic voters, will vote en masse for the party and therefore could tone down its outreach to Muslims so that the BJP does not polarise the elections, which has the potential to make Hindu voters sway away from the Congress, by labelling the grand old party a Muslim-based party. With these combinations, it can get a head start in the two districts of Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar, which seem to be the most favourable regions for the party. The two districts hold 20 Assembly seats, with nine in Udham Singh Nagar and 11 in Haridwar. Muslims and Dalits in the two districts will hold the key this time. This is also because there are fewer chances of division in Dalit votes after the depletion of the Mayawati-led BSP, which has seen an electoral decline in almost all the states where it has been contesting. With around 13 lakh voters, about 2.5 lakh are Dalits and 4 lakh are Muslims. In Udham Singh Nagar, however, it is the Sikh vote that matters. According to political observers, Sikhs are also showing a greater tilt towards the Congress. Of the 11 lakh voters in the district, between 2 and 2.5 lakh voters are Muslims, about 2 lakh voters are Dalits, and about 1.8 lakh are Sikhs. An equation, if the Congress plays it well, can help the party build its long-time electoral base. To kickstart its campaign, the party is planning a mass street campaign in Haldwani against a purification ritual performed by a group of people whom the Congress has accused of having links with the BJP. “The party has weak grassroots in Uttarakhand, and there hasn’t been much improvement in the past few months either. Now, if there are early ground actions, it might add some fervour among the people, and some people can join the party and consolidate the hands of Congress,” a political analyst said. “Not only is a narrative important, as it doesn’t reach enough corners due to a lack of cadre in many places, but a wave is also important this time to win the elections.” Badar Bashir Courtesy : The Week Note: This news is originally published on https:/theweek.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
BY Vijayendra tells CM to work for Dalits, BCs or face polls
Speaking to the media near Maski, he said the Congress, which came to power in the name of Dalits, has been meting injustice to them for the last three and a half years. RAICHUR: The BJP padayatra, led by its state president BY Vijayendra, resumed on Day 2 from Santhekellur village in Maski taluk, Raichur, on Wednesday morning with party leaders offering prayers at the Krishi Rishi Ghanamutt Shivayogi Mutt. Women tied rakhi on Vijayendra’s hand, applied tilak on his forehead and wished him well. BJP workers welcomed the padayatra in the villages of Bedara Karlakunti and Ankushadoddi on the way. Arrangements were made for food and rest near Mudabala Cross for thousands of people who participated in the padayatra. The padayatra proceeded towards Maski town after 4 pm. Accusing the Congress government of corruption and anti-people policies, Vijayendra said, “If this government cannot provide justice to Dalits and backward classes, then Chief Minister D K Shivakumar should dissolve the Assembly and face elections. Then the people will decide.” Speaking to the media near Maski, he said the Congress, which came to power in the name of Dalits, has been meting injustice to them for the last three and a half years. “They committed a Rs.187 crore scam in the Maharshi Valmiki Corporation. Reservation was not implemented properly. They did not provide jobs to the youth on the pretext of reservation. They completely neglected not only Dalits but all communities,” he said. “We have already conducted a drought observation in the state on behalf of the BJP. The CM and DCM have now started drought observation. The BJP’s padayatra is the reason they are doing this,” he said. BASAVARAJ BHOGAVATI 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
‘Savarkar never hated Muslims’: Grandnephew tells Pune court Rahul Gandhi portrayed him as ‘extreme hater’
PUNE: Satyaki Savarkar, grandnephew of Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar, told a special court in Pune on Tuesday that Savarkar “never hated Muslims” and had written about ways for their progress, while alleging that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had portrayed him as an “extreme hater of Muslims”. Satyaki made the remarks while being cross-examined by advocate Milind Pawar in a criminal defamation case linked to statements allegedly made by Gandhi in London in 2023, news agency PTI reported. During the cross-examination, Pawar asked Satyaki to identify the exact words in Gandhi’s alleged speech that he believed had lowered the reputation of Swatantryaveer Savarkar. Satyaki referred to Gandhi’s statement that “Savarkar had written in a book that he and five to six friends had assaulted a Muslim youth and derived pleasure from the act”. “By these words, Savarkar was portrayed as an extreme hater of Muslims and as a mob lyncher. Savarkar never hated Muslims. Rather, in his writings, he showed the ways and means for their progress,” he said. During the proceedings, Pawar also submitted a 2004 video interview of Satyaki’s grandfather Gopal Godse along with its transcripts, PTI reported. Gopal Godse, the younger brother of Nathuram Godse, is purportedly heard acknowledging in the interview that Nathuram Godse was an RSS member. Nathuram Godse was one of the conspirators in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. What is the defamation case against Rahul Gandhi? Satyaki had filed the criminal defamation case against Gandhi, alleging that the Congress leader falsely claimed that V D Savarkar had written in a book about assaulting a Muslim youth with five or six friends and deriving pleasure from the act. The complainant has maintained that no such incident appears in Savarkar’s writings. The case concerns Gandhi’s alleged remarks made in London in 2023. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Rahul Gandhi’s Punjab tour likely within 10 days
Chandigarh: Rahul Gandhi is likely to visit Punjab within the next 10 days, with his tour schedule almost finalised, AICC national media coordinator Hari Shankar Gupta said on Wednesday. A central Congress media delegation reached Chandigarh to coordinate directly with the Punjab unit and held a strategy meeting with state Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. Gupta said minor changes to Rahul Gandhi’s Punjab schedule were made due to his presence at student protests in New Delhi and his subsequent sit-in outside Parliament Street police station. He said the campaign blueprint was ready and Rahul Gandhi was expected to tour the state within a week to 10 days. Top Congress functionaries, including Warring, Charanjit Singh Channi, Partap Singh Bajwa and AICC Punjab in charge Bhupesh Baghel, would campaign together, the delegation said. Rejecting speculation about factionalism, the delegation said differences over ticket distribution were normal and that allotments would be decided by the AICC through an institutional process. The central team said all 29 political district committees across Punjab’s 23 administrative districts had been divided among its members across three zones. Wing Commander Anuma Aacharya was assigned Majha, Ishan Tyagi Doaba, while Malwa’s 19 districts were divided into Malwa-1, under Harnam Singh, and Malwa-2, under Vikram Lohia. Warring assured the delegation of organisational, logistical and grassroots support across all assembly constituencies. 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
Madras HC orders probe into allegations of Dalit prisoners being forced to clean toilets
A division bench of Justices CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel passed the directions while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Madurai-based advocate KR Raja. The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Monday, August 31, directed authorities to investigate allegations of prisoners from marginalised communities being forced to clean toilets and carry out manual scavenging work in prisons in Madurai, Trichy and Tirunelveli districts. A division bench of Justices CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel passed the directions while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Madurai-based advocate KR Raja. Raja alleged that prisoners belonging to marginalised communities were being assigned sanitation work, including toilet cleaning and manual scavenging, at the Madurai Central Prison. He alleged that similar practices existed at the Palayamkottai Central Prison in Tirunelveli district and the Trichy Central Prison. According to the petitioner, certain blocks and barracks in the Madurai and Palayamkottai prisons had allegedly been demarcated for prisoners from marginalised communities. The prisoners in those blocks were allegedly made to clean around 150 toilets, both inside cells and outside barracks. The petitioner claimed that only two sanitary workers had been appointed for the entire prison despite overcrowding. Raja also alleged that similar practices were being followed at the Special Prison for Women in Trichy. According to him, some women prisoners had been permitted to work at the Freedom Petrol Bunk operated by the prison authorities as part of rehabilitation measures. However, the petitioner claimed that instead of working at the petrol bunk, they were made to clean toilets and other sanitary areas on the premises. The petitioner also disputed the prison authorities’ claim that municipal services alone were engaged to clean toilets. Raja, the co-founder of Global Network for Equality, India, an organisation that supports the education of children of inmates and crime victims, said he had made representations to prison authorities in 2025 seeking an end to caste discrimination and legal action against officials responsible for such practices. He also sought preservation of CCTV footage from January 16, claiming that it would help establish whether prisoners had been made to clean toilets and drainage systems. Referring to the Supreme Court’s 2024 judgement in Sukanya Shantha vs Union of India, which dealt with caste discrimination in prisons, and the prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, the petitioner argued that such practices were discriminatory and violated the dignity of prisoners. The petitioner had alleged that conditions in several district prisons in southern Tamil Nadu were even worse and sought directions to prevent caste discrimination, manual scavenging and the assignment of toilet-cleaning work to prisoners from marginalised communities. However, the prison authorities denied that such practices existed. After hearing the petition, the High Court directed the Principal District Judges and the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) secretaries of Madurai, Trichy and Tirunelveli to inspect the respective prisons and verify the allegations. The DSLAs were also directed to inquire the prisoners, examine CCTV footage and submit status reports to the court. The superintendents of the respective prisons were separately directed to file reports on the allegations. The matter has been posted for further hearing on October 4. Courtesy : TNM Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewsminute.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dalit brothers allege custodial torture, move SC commission
Patiala: Two Dalit brothers from Kakrala village in Nabha, Patiala district, have complained to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, alleging that personnel at Chhintanwala police post tortured them in custody over a suspected theft. The daily-wage masons alleged that they were stripped, severely beaten, verbally abused and given electric shocks before being released. They sought an independent inquiry, legal protection and action against the personnel involved. The brothers said they had been working at the house of fellow villager Baghel Singh, where a theft was reported on the night of Aug 24. They alleged they were handed over to the police without any preliminary investigation or credible evidence. In their Sept 1 petition, they urged the commission to take suo motu cognisance of the alleged human rights violation and caste-targeted abuse. They sought an investigation by a senior independent officer or agency rather than the local police. They also sought preservation of CCTV footage, DVRs, daily diary registers and custody records, an independent medico-legal examination, removal of the accused personnel from active duty and security for their family. Punjab BJP Scheduled Caste Morcha vice-president Paramjit Singh Kainth, who visited the family with community leaders, demanded a transparent, time-bound investigation. He warned that the organisation would launch a statewide agitation if officers were shielded. Chhintanwala police post in charge, sub-inspector Chamkaur Singh, rejected the torture allegations. He said the brothers had been questioned only four days earlier as part of the investigation and accused them of using pressure tactics. Chamkaur Singh claimed CCTV footage showed that a son of one of the suspects had left a small gate open, through which burglars later entered the house on the night of Aug 24 and stole gold ornaments worth Rs 10 lakh. He said a case would be registered only after the investigation and collection of evidence, including call details. 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
Karnataka: BJP’s Vijayendra, Ashoka accuse Congress govt of failing farmers, Dalits
Raichur (Karnataka), State BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress government in Karnataka, accusing it of corruption, failing farmers and Dalits, and mishandling recruitment and welfare schemes. Speaking at the launch of the BJP’s Ballari Chalo padayatra in Lingasugur, Vijayendra alleged that the government led by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar was a “government of the corrupt, by the corrupt and for the corrupt” and asserted that the BJP’s agitation would continue until the government was removed from power. Vijayendra said the BJP would not withdraw its agitation merely because former Minister B. Nagendra had resigned in connection with the alleged Rs 187 crore Valmiki Corporation scam. “We will continue our fight until the entire money is returned to the Valmiki Corporation, SCP/TSP funds are restored for the welfare of Dalits, justice is delivered to victims of atrocities, and justice is ensured to farmers,” he said. Questioning Shivakumar’s remarks on why the BJP was continuing the padayatra after Nagendra’s resignation, Vijayendra alleged that the Congress government was anti-poor, anti-Dalit, anti-youth and anti-women. He also accused the government of using “drama” and shedding “crocodile tears” over Dalit welfare while allegedly diverting funds meant for their development. Vijayendra said Nagendra’s resignation was the “first victory” of the BJP’s agitation and questioned why he was re-inducted into the Cabinet despite having earlier resigned following allegations linked to the Valmiki Corporation. Ashoka also said the BJP’s struggle would not end with Nagendra’s resignation and claimed that more ministers would have to quit because of the party’s protests. “BJP’s struggle will not stop merely because B. Nagendra has resigned. We are fighting on issues including drought, the KPSC scam and Bidadi Township. Because of our agitation, more ministers will have to resign,” Ashoka said. He alleged that drought conditions prevailed in 175 taluks but the government had declared drought in only 101 taluks. He demanded that all 175 taluks be declared drought-affected and sought Rs 50,000 per acre as relief for farmers. Ashoka alleged that farmers growing sunflower, jowar and tur had suffered heavy losses and claimed that the government had not provided relief despite the worsening situation. He also alleged that villagers were facing difficulties in accessing drinking water. Turning to the Valmiki Corporation case, Ashoka alleged that Rs 187 crore meant for Dalits had been diverted and claimed that the money was used during the Telangana and Ballari elections. He said Nagendra was only a “scapegoat” and demanded accountability from the wider Congress leadership. On the alleged KPSC recruitment scam, Ashoka claimed that posts were being “sold” for large sums and alleged that rates had been fixed for various government positions. He said the BJP would raise the issue in the next Assembly session and demanded that everyone involved in the alleged irregularities be arrested and punished. Ashoka also alleged that Minister Priyank Kharge’s name had surfaced in connection with exam irregularities and claimed that another minister’s resignation was imminent. He said the BJP would continue its agitation over pending pensions, ration card cancellations, alleged garbage tender irregularities, the tunnel road project and Bidadi Township, among other issues. Ashoka further demanded the resignation of Minister Basavaraj Rayareddy over his recent remarks praising Islam. He urged Shivakumar to remove Rayareddy from the Cabinet, alleging that the minister had insulted Hinduism. The Ballari Chalo padayatra was attended by several BJP leaders, including Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, former Chief Ministers B.S. Yediyurappa, Jagadish Shettar and Basavaraj Bommai, former minister B. Sriramulu, BJP leaders and legislators, and a large number of party workers. Courtesy : Social News XYZ Note: This news is originally published on https:/socialnewsxyz.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Rahul Gandhi: How did Maharashtra’s draft SIR list drop 2 crore voters, but add 39 lakh in 2024?
Mumbai: The Opposition lashed out at the exclusion of 2 crore votes in the draft SIR list in Maharashtra, with Congress MP Rahul Gandhi alleging this meant the 39 lakh voters added before the assembly polls in 2024 was vote theft. “Maharashtra 2024 – Suddenly 3.9 million voters were added between the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections. I said it then and I say it today. This was vote-theft,” he said on X. “And now in Maharashtra, 2.07 crore voters have been removed from the draft list – that’s every fifth voter. Which list was correct?,” he stated. “The BJP and the ‘Vote Theft Commission’ keep changing their tactics and they will continue to do so – the goal remains just one: BJP’s victory at any cost, and the end of India’s democracy.” Congress MP Pawan Khera added on X, “Either the electoral rolls for the 2024 Maharashtra assembly election were flawless – in which case the SIR has led to wrongful deletions. Or those rolls were questionable – in which case Fadnavis is heading an illegitimate government.” “But either way, one conclusion is inescapable. The integrity of India’s election has been compromised. And Gyanesh Gupta is the culprit.” NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar said on X, “There is a Damocles sword hanging on those with unmapped and anomalies statuses as well. In Maharashtra a large number of eligible citizen’s names have been excluded. We suspect that a significant number of duplicate voters have been included in this list published after the SIR process.” Anti-corruption activist Anjali Damania tweeted, “Every fifth voter in the state has been tossed out of the list. This has happened most severely in Pune, Thane and the Mumbai suburbs – places where the population of labourers, migrants and slumdwellers. This does not seem like a coincidence.” Damania said the sudden disappearance of 2 crore voter’s names from the list is “not merely an administrative blunder; it is a massive assault on democracy”. She demanded an independent inquiry and an extension of the period to file objections. 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
‘Political vendetta’: TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee cries foul after police grilling over scuffle case
NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday claimed that Bharatiya Janata Party-led West Bengal government was pursuing “political vendetta” against his party after he was questioned for nearly six hours by Kolkata Police over the removal of an unauthorised billboard.The Trinamool Congress MP from Diamond Harbour said that the Suvendu Adhikari-led government was selectively targeting TMC by removing its signboards, freezing party accounts and initiating cases against its leaders and workers. “If they think they can silence us through false cases and arrests, they are mistaken,” Abhishek Banerjee told reporters as he walked out of Shakespeare Sarani police station after questioning. “They can question me but I am not scared, they are,” he said, adding that the police action was a bid to weaken TMC. The TMC leader also alleged that several party workers arrested in connection with the incident were subjected to “custodial torture”. “One of our workers, Tarik, was arrested and subjected to custodial torture. He secured bail yesterday, but 12 or 13 others remain in judicial custody,” he alleged. This comes days after a confrontation broke out when Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials, accompanied by police, entered the office premises to dismantle the billboard mounted on an iron structure facing the road. Private security guards, party supporters and some TMC leaders resisted the move, leading to a scuffle with police and civic officials. Police subsequently registered three FIRs and arrested several people. Abhishek, who has been named as an accused in two of the cases, was served a notice to appear before the police and arrived at the station around 12.15 pm, as TMC supporters gathered outside and raised slogans alleging that he was being targeted by the state government. The cases include sections pertaining to obstruction of government officials in the discharge of their duties, unlawful assembly, assault and harassment of women police personnel. 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 fields 30 candidates under 30 for Jaipur civic polls
Jaipur: Congress is banking on younger faces in the Jaipur municipal polls, with 30 candidates below the age of 30 and 110 below 50 years. This takes the average age of its nominees to around 37, according to Jaipur in charge Rohit Bohra. The youngest candidate is Suman Bhati, aged 22, contesting from Ward 72. Bhati, from Jhalana slums, runs a laundry business. She said her own experience had shaped her priorities. “I‘m from an underprivileged area and have seen what situations women face in slums. If elected, I want to work on skill training, drug de-addiction camps and better policing. I also want CCTV cameras in my locality and regular patrolling by women police personnel,” she said. Breaking caste barriers is another issue on her agenda. For 23-year-old graduate Harshit Jain from Ward 46, transparency and accountability would be priorities. He wants a technology-based grievance-redressal system through which complaints can be categorised and routed to the departments concerned for resolution. Jain said he admires Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and followed Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ initiative. Both young candidates acknowledged their limited experience but said they are willing to learn. Jaipur in charge Rohit Bohra said the party had deliberately increased its focus on younger candidates. “Around 20% of our candidates are from Gen Z. Among all 309 urban local bodies going to polls, Jaipur has the highest number of Gen Z candidates,” he said. The party’s Jaipur district president Sunit Sharma could not be contacted for comment. 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