Farmers protest in Syana, serious allegations against accountant: Indefinite sit-in protest against indecency and illegal extortion of Dalit woman
On Monday, dozens of farmers, led by State Vice President of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu), Sunil Singh, staged a strong protest at the tehsil premises in Syana, Bulandshahr. They raised slogans and launched an indefinite sit-in, leveling serious allegations against a clerk posted at the tehsil. The farmers allege that the clerk misbehaved with a Dalit woman in Rukhi village. Furthermore, he is accused of illegally occupying the lands of dozens of farmers in the village and making illegal extortions from them on a daily basis. The protesters also alleged that the clerk is negligent in his official duties. Speaking to the media, State Vice President of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Bhanu), Sunil Singh, said, “This accountant is involved in corruption. He is disrespecting women and encroaching on the lands of poor farmers. Our indefinite sit-in will continue until this accountant is immediately transferred and a case is filed against him and strict action is taken.” The protesting farmers raised slogans against the administration in the tehsil premises. Farmer leaders demanded that the administration conduct a high-level investigation into the matter, take departmental action against the guilty accountant, and provide justice to the victim. They warned that if their demands were not met soon, the agitation would be intensified and a demonstration would be held at the district headquarters. Aman Tyagi | Syana (Bulandshahr), Bulandshahr Courtesy: Hindi News
Dalit Youth Assaulted for Drinking Water From Public Pot in Rajasthan; FIR Registered After Court Order
Police in Rajasthan’s Balotra district have registered an FIR against a man accused of assaulting and abusing a Dalit youth with casteist slurs after he allegedly drank water from a public earthen pot outside a grocery shop. The case was registered at Gida Police Station following directions from an SC/ST court after the complainant alleged that police had failed to act on his earlier complaints. Victim alleges assault after drinking water According to the FIR, the incident took place on June 11 at around 7 pm near a bus stand in Khokhsar village under the Gida police station area. The complainant alleged that he was waiting for a bus to Chaba when, due to the heat, he drank water from a public earthen pot kept outside the grocery shop of the accused, identified as Rajuram Nai. He claimed the accused became angry, allegedly abused him using caste-based slurs and demanded money for drinking the water. When the complainant said he had no money, the accused allegedly slapped and punched him. The assault stopped only after local residents intervened, according to the complaint. The complainant further alleged that the accused later threatened to break his arms and legs and kill him if he pursued any action. Police registered case after court order The complainant said he reported the incident at Gida Police Station the following day and later sent a written complaint to the Balotra Superintendent of Police. However, alleging that no action was taken, he approached the SC/ST court. Following the court’s directions, Gida Police registered an FIR against the accused. Investigation underway Police said the case has been registered under Sections 115(2) and 126(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Courtesy : TOP Note: This news is originally published on https:/theobserverpost.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human ri
Special Court Decision: Five Convicts in Narsinghpur Murder of Dalit Middle-Aged Man Sentenced to Life Imprisonment
According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on March 14, 2025. Nitesh Mehra, a resident of Umaria village in the Gotegaon area, was called by accused Kamlesh Prajapati and abused… Read More Special Court Decision. Naidunia Representative, Narsinghpur. The court of Special Judge (Scheduled Castes/Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act) Manoj Kumar Ladhiya, delivering swift justice in a serious case of murder and caste-based atrocity, convicted five accused from the same family and sentenced them to life imprisonment. The Special Court convicted the accused, Kamlesh Prajapati (28), Annilal Prajapati (50), Akhilesh Prajapati (24), Chhotu alias Umesh (22), and Savita Bai (47) (all residents of Umaria village, Gotegaon police station) under sections 103(1)/190 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the SC/ST Act and sentenced them to life imprisonment and a fine. According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on March 14, 2025. Nitesh Mehra, a resident of Umaria village in the Gotegaon area, received a call from the accused, Kamlesh Prajapati, abusing him, and informing him that they were assaulting his father, Sukhlal Mehra. Nitesh immediately rushed to the scene (a gram field) and saw the accused brutally beating his father with sticks and kicks. Sukhlal suffered serious injuries due to a minor dispute (over leaving straw) and caste-based hatred. Sukhlal was later declared dead on the way to the hospital. Court Verdict and Sentence On behalf of the prosecution, ADPO Amit Kumar Rai presented strong evidence and oral arguments. The court agreed with the prosecution’s arguments and sentenced the five accused to life imprisonment and a fine of 2,000 rupees each under Section 103(1) of the IPC for murder. Kamlesh, Annilal, and Akhilesh were sentenced to 2 years’ rigorous imprisonment and a fine of 500 rupees each for rioting and other charges. Chhotu and Savita Bai were sentenced to 1 year’s rigorous imprisonment and a fine of 500 rupees each. BY VARIJ BAJPAIEDITED BY: NAVODIT SAKTAWAT Courtesy: Hindi News
Hathras Student Molested: Neighboring Youth Arrested, Police File Case
A case has been registered in Hathras Kotwali Sadar for the molestation of a Dalit girl. Police arrested the accused this afternoon. The incident occurred on the morning of July 20th, when a 17-year-old Dalit girl was on her way to computer coaching. In her complaint, the girl stated that Rizwan alias Nahna, son of Shamshad, who lived in a colony on Jalesar Road in the Kotwali Sadar area, stopped her on the way. The accused held her hand and made obscene remarks. The accused belongs to another community. When the girl protested, Rizwan abused her and used casteist slurs. As he left, he also threatened to kill her father. The girl returned home and informed her family about the incident. Acting on the complaint, the accused, Rizwan alias Nahna, has been arrested. Courtesy: Hindi News
Rahul-Akhilesh’s ‘UP ke Ladke’ chemistry puts youth anger at centre of UP’s 2027 political battle
The spirit of “UP ke Ladke” resurfaced at Jantar Mantar, where Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav stood with protesting students instead of sharing an election stage. LUCKNOW: The camaraderie between Congress MP and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party MP and national president Akhilesh Yadav seen at Jantar Mantar during the recent students’ protests was a reminder of the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, when the two had come together as “UP ke Ladke”, an expression allegedly coined by Prashant Kishore. While Rahul Gandhi brought the visibility of the Leader of the Opposition, Akhilesh Yadav carried the electoral weight of Uttar Pradesh, the state that plays a decisive role in national politics and is set to go to the Assembly polls early next year. Together, they reframed the protest as a question of governance and accountability. However, will the political chemistry between Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, combined with the alleged youth anger against the dispensation, be able to deliver major political gains to the INDIA bloc in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections? That will be interesting to watch. The ethos of “UP ke Ladke” was palpable in a very different setting at Jantar Mantar. This time, there was no electoral pitch, no seat-sharing talks and no campaign rally. There were protesting students instead. The NEET agitation, initially focused on alleged irregularities in the examination process, expanded to include unemployment, recruitment delays and declining trust in public institutions after Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav joined the protest. They might not have initiated the agitation, but their presence amplified its political significance and visibility. While Rahul Gandhi said the protest was not just about NEET or one examination but about the future of the youth, which was at stake, Akhilesh Yadav added that students in Uttar Pradesh were angry over delays in recruitment. “This is a fight for their future,” he said. Perhaps it was their presence that transformed the protest from a student-led agitation into a national political issue. For the Opposition, the issue fits into a wider narrative of unemployment and institutional failure. For Akhilesh Yadav, it is even more politically immediate, given Uttar Pradesh’s large population of competitive examination aspirants. Though the “UP ke Ladke” slogan failed to make much impact among voters in the 2017 Assembly elections, when both leaders campaigned together as the young faces of the Congress-SP alliance, the political symbolism endured. It resurfaced during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when the Congress and Samajwadi Party jointly challenged the BJP in Uttar Pradesh under the INDIA bloc, changing the political landscape of the state. The Jantar Mantar appearance signals that this partnership is once again finding political space, this time around youth anger and examination-related distress. However, political experts believe the joint appearance of Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav is politically significant and, if sustained, could shape the anti-incumbency mood among first-time voters in the 2027 Assembly elections. The camaraderie may strengthen Opposition unity in urban and semi-urban constituencies where examination-related frustration is most visible, political experts say. Though the BJP continues to maintain strong organisational dominance in Uttar Pradesh, youth anger operates on a different tangent, away from traditional caste-based politics. This makes the NEET controversy and broader issues surrounding the examination system potentially powerful political triggers. The real challenge for the ruling party is addressing the lived experience of aspirants who feel excluded from opportunities. “However, it is imperative for both Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav to expand the issue from NEET to jobs, recruitment, and education reform besides maintaining unity when electoral negotiations begin in the earnest,” said Prof A K Mishra, a political scientist. If the sentiment that their future is at stake deepens among the youth, the defining question of the 2027 Assembly elections may not be about caste arithmetic or party machinery. It could instead be about who succeeds in owning the politics of student anxiety, youth anger and the aspirations of a new generation of women voters. Namita Bajpai 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 ri
Lalu Yadav’s son Tej Pratap Yadav arrested in Patna NEET protest case, sent to 14-day judicial custody
PATNA: Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD) national president Tej Pratap Yadav on Sunday was sent to 14-day judicial custody in connection with a case registered over a protest at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan during demonstrations against the alleged NEET-UG paper leak. His lawyer, Jagannath Singh, alleged irregularities in the arrest process and said a bail plea could be moved on Monday. “An FIR was filed on July 26, whereas the arrest took place on the July 25, at 7:30 pm, from the city centre mall. I just submitted an application to the judge for his release. He told me to process the bail demand on Monday. I reached Naubatpur police station at 10:30 am. There were 2 SPs there. I asked them the reason behind his arrest. His family members don’t even know that he was under arrest since 7.30 pm. We still haven’t gotten the copy of the FIR,” Singh told reporters. Yadav was detained by Bihar Police on Saturday after joining students protesting over the alleged NEET paper leak during a Bihar Bandh in Patna. Reacting to the arrest, JJD’s Bankipur by-election candidate Veena Manvi questioned the timing of the police action and alleged that party leaders had faced repeated “torture” since the start of the election campaign. “I don’t want to say anything. We’ve been tortured since the 13th. First, they (police) picked me on nomination day, then they picked him today. It seems like the entire Bankipur district is now dependent on the Janshakti Janata Dal. What’s wrong if we protest a little?… What crime did he commit? If the national flag was shown once among the children, was that a crime? And even if there was a crime in your opinion, they should have taken him away right then and there. But what’s the point in picking him up when he was having family time in the evening, going shopping? I also do not know the reason behind this.” Before being taken into custody, Yadav expressed support for the protesting students and urged the government to address their demands. “The children’s demands are legitimate. The government must fulfil their demands, and we stand firmly with them. I am ready to lay down my life for the students and youth,” he told reporters. His arrest came after violence erupted in Patna during a statewide Bihar Bandh called by several opposition parties and social organisations over the alleged NEET paper leak and recent police action against student protesters. A traffic police booth was allegedly vandalised during the protest, while clashes broke out between protesters and police. Stone-pelting was reported and police fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. The demonstrations were held across Bihar, with students demanding reforms in the education system and action over alleged irregularities in the examination process. Protesters also demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and vandalised police vehicles in Patna, prompting heavy police deployment. Pradhan has since stepped down following nationwide student protests over the alleged NEET paper leak. Announcing his resignation, Pradhan said he had submitted it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the interest of students and to ensure that the ongoing protests over examination irregularities were not exploited by “anti-national forces.” Following his resignation, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi was given additional charge of the Ministry of Education after President Droupadi Murmu accepted Pradhan’s resignation from the Union Council of Ministers. 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 ri
BJP’s new strategy ahead of the 2027 Uttarakhand Assembly elections, attempts to garner the Dalit vote
BJP’s ‘Harmony Mission’ in Uttarakhand, using Saint Ravidas as a vehicle, new strategy for the 2027 Assembly elections, politics intensifies, report by Dheeraj Sajwan Dehradun: Ahead of the 2027 Uttarakhand Assembly elections, the BJP has decided to embark on its most significant social and political mission. To expand its reach among the Dalit vote bank in Uttarakhand, the BJP has launched a “Harmony Resolution Campaign” centered on the 650th birth anniversary of Saint Ravidas. The party aims to further strengthen its hold on the state’s approximately 17% Dalit vote bank. To achieve this, the Samrasata Sankalp Abhiyan will be launched in Uttarakhand, along with the entire country, in February next year, centering on the 650th birth anniversary of Saint Ravidas. The BJP is describing this campaign as a program of social harmony and cultural awakening. However, the opposition is calling it an electoral strategy to garner Dalit votes. According to political analysts, this campaign is not merely a religious or social event, but also a major political exercise to shift social equations in its favor ahead of the 2027 elections. 107 Ravidas temples will be the focus of the campaign, with the BJP reaching the booth level: Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently flagged off the Sant Ravidas Express from Jalandhar. Following this, the BJP is now launching a national-level “Samrasata Sankalp Abhiyan” leading up to the 650th birth anniversary of Sant Ravidas. The campaign will begin with the lighting of lamps on Guru Parva on July 29th, and various programs will be organized across the country until February 20, 2027. Crucially, election-bound states, including Uttarakhand, have been given special focus. 107 temples dedicated to Sant Ravidas in the state have been designated as the focus of the campaign. From Seer Govardhanpur in Varanasi, urns containing sacred soil from the birthplace of Sant Ravidas will be delivered to several states, including Uttarakhand. Following this, Kalash Yatras, social dialogues, seminars, and booth-level programs will be organized. The party’s objective is to spread the message of social harmony among the Dalit community while also strengthening its organizational base. BJP state spokesperson Mathura Dutt Joshi said, Congress attacks, saying, “The campaign is not about harmony, it’s an election stunt.” Congress has reacted sharply to the BJP’s campaign. Congress state spokesperson Pratima Singh called it an election stunt to influence the Dalit community. She said, “How can a party that has been accused of ignoring the ideas of Constitution maker Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar and weakening the spirit of the Constitution, talk about harmony?” Congress state spokesperson Pratima Singh said, “Large leaders like Lalu and Mulayam are the products of Lohia’s non-Congressism: Political analysts believe that the social and political structure of Uttarakhand is quite different from that of states like Uttar Pradesh. The Dalit community here has its own social history, local leadership, and distinct political behavior.” Senior political analyst Ravindra Nath Kaushik explains that, Furthermore, senior political analyst Ravindra Nath Kaushik further adds that, Caste equations are nothing new in Indian politics: Ravindra Nath Kaushik explains that caste equations are nothing new in Indian politics. Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia’s non-Congressism movement gave a new direction to backward class politics, which later led to the emergence of leaders like Lalu Prasad Yadav and Mulayam Singh Yadav. He says that the BJP has also been conveying political messages from time to time through social representation. The recent appointment of Babita Sahotra to the Child Welfare Committee can also be considered part of this broader social strategy. According to him, the purpose of starting the campaign now is to ensure that this message continues to resonate with the society until the elections. Haridwar and Terai are the most focused areas, with the Bhim Army and BSP also a challenge: Senior journalist Bhagirath Sharma believes that the BJP’s entire strategy in Uttarakhand has been designed with Haridwar and the Terai region in mind. According to him, the BJP did not achieve the expected success in the Haridwar district in the last assembly elections. In the 2022 elections, out of the 11 assembly seats in the district, the BJP was able to win only three: Haridwar, Roorkee, and BHEL Ranipur. The remaining seats were won by Congress, BSP, and independent candidates. Dalit voters played a decisive role in most of these areas. Senior journalist Bhagirath Sharma says, Dalit voters are in a position to influence election results in many assembly seats: According to Bhagirath Sharma, Dalit voters are in a position to influence election results not only in Haridwar, but also in several assembly seats in the Pachhadun region of Dehradun, Doiwala, Rishikesh, Udham Singh Nagar, and Nainital districts. This is why the party is already developing a network of social dialogue down to the booth level. Political experts believe that an important aspect of Uttarakhand politics is that the Dalit community has been deeply connected not only to national symbols but also to its local social leaders. Devbhoomi has given birth to numerous Dalit leaders and social reformers like Jayanand Bharti, Hari Prasad Tamta, and Khushi Ram Arya, whose social acceptance remains intact in many areas. In such a situation, the biggest question will be whether the national-level harmony campaign in the name of Saint Ravidas will be able to influence Uttarakhand’s local social symbols, or will the state’s politics continue to revolve around local social identities. However, it is certain that political parties’ activism and social campaigns aimed at the Dalit vote bank will intensify in the coming months ahead of the 2027 assembly elections. The Dalit community can play a decisive role in Uttarakhand’s electoral politics: While the BJP is striving for social expansion through harmony, the Congress, BSP, and Bhim Army are facing the challenge of maintaining this same social base in their own ways. In such a situation, the Dalit community may once again play a decisive role in Uttarakhand’s electoral politics. Courtesy: Hindi News
Dalit woman denied payment, subjected to casteist slurs: Casteist slurs and assault upon protest; FIR filed a month later
In Vidyarthipuram village, under the Bichhwan police station area of Mainpuri, a Dalit woman was denied payment after purchasing goods from a shop. When she protested, the accused used casteist slurs against her and assaulted her, leaving her injured. An FIR has been filed a month after the incident. Vidyarthipuram resident Sapna, wife of Mansingh Jatav, stated in her FIR that on June 21st, at 2 p.m., she was alone at her grocery store when Akash, son of Sukhpal, and Nitin Chauhan, son of Guddan, from the neighboring village of Garh Nagla Bhagat, came to her shop and purchased goods. When Sapna asked for money, the accused began abusing her. They used casteist slurs and threatened to kill her if she complained. When Sapna asked for money, the accused also assaulted Sapna, leaving her injured. The woman filed a complaint with higher authorities. Subsequently, a case was registered on July 25th, and the woman underwent a medical examination on July 26th. Station House Officer Ashish Dubey stated that an FIR has been registered based on the complaint, and further action will be taken after the investigation. Shashikant | Orandh (Kurawali), Mainpuri Courtesy: Hindi News
Dalit activists question DK district administration over not holding SC/ST grievance meet
Questioning the Dakshina Kannada district administration for not holding an SC/ST grievance redressal meeting for nearly two years, Dalit activists said the district administration should hold the meeting once every three months. Speaking at a SC/ST grievance redressal meeting on Sunday, held jointly by the Mangaluru City police and Dakshina Kannada district police at the office of the Mangaluru Police Commissioner, activist Jagadish Pandeshwar said many of the grievances raised during meetings held by the police related to revenue matters. “We cannot have unnecessary discussions about revenue matters in this meeting,” he said. He said that while the Udupi district administration held meetings once every three months, the Dakshina Kannada district administration had not held grievance redressal meetings for nearly two years. Mr. Pandeshwar said he had met Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara and apprised him of the issue. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) H.N. Mithun said he would convey the demand for a grievance redressal meeting by the district administration to Additional Deputy Commissioner K. Raju. When an activist spoke about a dispute related to land in Kunjathbail village, Mr. Mithun asked Dalit organisations to render legal assistance to Dalits in protecting their legal rights. The DCP appreciated the efforts of para legal volunteers from the District Legal Services Authority in participating in SC/ST grievance meetings at the Mulki police station and rendering legal assistance to affected parties. Dalit activist S.P. Anand said people were still facing issues in getting caste certificates as Adi Dravida. “Though the government has notified sub-castes under Adi Dravida, officials are still not issuing caste certificates,” Mr. Anand said. On the demand for deployment of home guards across the district, Additional Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar S. Bhoomraddi said that against the sanctioned strength of 800 home guards, only 640 were working, while the remaining 160 posts were vacant. He said only people keen on serving society for an honorarium could come forward to work as home guards. In the last 10 months, only 24 people had come forward to serve as home guards. A home guard is paid ₹800 per day by the police, while other departments pay ₹500 per day, Mr. Bhoomraddi said. A woman said the city police had so far not succeeded in tracing her husband, who had been missing with another woman for the past 26 days. The Bajpe police have registered the missing case of her husband, while Mangaluru Women’s Police have registered a case of the missing woman. A police inspector from Mangaluru South police station said a team had gone to a lodge in Kukke Subrahmanya a few days ago, but the two escaped from the lodge, he said. The Hindu Bureau Courtesy : The Hindu Note: This news is originally published on https:/thehindu.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Rahul to visit TN on Aug 1, says K C Venugopal
Chennai: AICC general secretary (organization) K C Venugopal said on Sunday that Congress leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is set to visit Tamil Nadu on Aug 1. Speaking to reporters in Chennai airport, Venugopal said Rahul was visiting TN to participate in the valedictory function of the ten day training program for the newly appointed Congress district presidents. Speaking about the training program, Venugopal said the district presidents are the backbone of Congress and they are the bridge between the people and the party’s senior leadership. TNCC president B Manickam Tagore, who received Venugopal in Chennai airport, said Rahul’s visit will infuse fresh blood in Tamil Nadu unit of Congress. “This visit by Rahul Gandhi, who has been relentlessly fighting to safeguard the Constitution, strengthen democracy, establish social justice, and secure the future of the youth, will infuse fresh enthusiasm and inspiration among the Congress cadres and people of Tamil Nadu. On behalf of the people of Tamil Nadu and the Tamil Nadu Congress family, we extend our heartfelt welcome to him,” Tagore said in a statement on X. However, Congress leaders said the complete itinerary of Rahul’s visit was yet to be finalised. Earlier, Tagore condemned Union govt for insisting that Tamil Thai Vazhthu should be sung after Vande Mataram and National Anthem in Manonmaniam Sundaranar university 33rd convocation scheduled for July 28. Tagore blamed Union home minister Amit Shah for the move, stating that he should `stop playing with Tamil people’s sentiments.’ 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