Free Travel For Women And Transgender Persons Begins In Kerala From June 15; Here’s The Full List Of Eligible
In a major welfare initiative aimed at improving women’s mobility and reducing travel expenses, the Kerala government will roll out free bus travel for women and transgender persons from June 15 under the Priyadarshini Scheme. Ahead of the launch, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has released the list of bus categories where the concession will be available. The scheme, one of the key election promises of the ruling government, is expected to benefit lakhs of daily commuters across the state by making public transport more accessible and affordable. 15/06/2026, 02:00 Free Travel for Women and Transgender Persons Begins in Kerala From June 15; Here’s the Full List of Eligible KSRTC Services … What Is the Priyadarshini Scheme? The Priyadarshini Scheme provides free travel on select KSRTC bus services for women of all age groups and for transgender persons, regardless of their income or financial background. The initiative has been introduced to encourage greater participation of women in education, employment, and social activities by reducing the burden of transportation costs. The state government believes that easier access to public transport can play an important role in strengthening economic independence and social inclusion. The scheme will be formally inaugurated on June 15 in Thiruvananthapuram. Which KSRTC Buses Are Covered? According to the KSRTC notification, free travel will initially be available on seven categories of ordinary bus services operated by the corporation. These include: Ordinary City Ordinary Limited Stop Ordinary Fair-Stage Ordinary Town-to-Town Services Point-to-Point Services Gramavandi Services Officials said special stickers will be displayed on eligible buses to help passengers easily identify the services covered under the Priyadarshini Scheme. Who Can Avail the Free Travel Benefit? The Kerala government has clarified that the concession will be available to: Women of all age groups Transgender persons Commuters from all social and economic backgrounds Unlike some welfare schemes that are based on income criteria, the Priyadarshini Scheme will be universal in nature, ensuring that every eligible passenger can benefit without restrictions linked to earnings or financial status. Government to Bear the Cost Chief Minister V D Satheesan recently announced that the state government will fully compensate KSRTC for the financial burden created by the scheme. According to government estimates, the first phase of the initiative will cost around ₹60 crore every month, amounting to nearly ₹800 crore annually. This will be in addition to the approximately ₹1,500 crore that the state already provides each year to support KSRTC’s salary and pension obligations. The Chief Minister said the government is committed to ensuring that the welfare measure does not negatively impact the functioning of the state transport corporation. Only the First Phase of the Project The government has described the June 15 rollout as the first phase of a larger initiative. Over the next six months, KSRTC has been asked to focus on improving its revenue generation and operational efficiency. The state plans to introduce measures such as: Purchasing additional buses, Launching more services, Expanding connectivity in underserved regions, Improving the financial health of KSRTC. Officials said that once the corporation’s revenue improves, the government will examine the possibility of expanding the scope of the free travel scheme. Monthly Review and Future Expansion The state government has also announced that the implementation of the Priyadarshini Scheme will be reviewed every month. Authorities will monitor factors such as: Passenger usage patterns, Demand for ordinary bus services, Availability of KSRTC buses in regions like Malabar, Financial impact on the transport corporation. Part of the Government’s Welfare Guarantees Free bus travel for women was one of the flagship promises made during the assembly election campaign. The Priyadarshini Scheme forms part of a broader package of welfare initiatives announced by the government, which also includes: A monthly stipend of ₹1,000 for college-going girls, An increase in welfare pensions to ₹3,000, Health insurance coverage of up to ₹25 lakh per household, Interest-free loans of up to ₹5 lakh for young entrepreneurs. The launch of the scheme marks a significant step in Kerala’s efforts to make public transport more inclusive while supporting women and transgender commuters through direct financial relief. Courtesy : Oneindia Note: This news is originally published on https:/oneindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
KVs make one Sanskrit section mandatory in Classes 6 and 9 from 2026
The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan has made a key change in its language policy for the 2026-27 academic session. All KV schools will now be required to maintain at least one Sanskrit section in Classes 6 and 9 under the third-language framework. Transgender students number rises in India CBSE 3 language rule: Kendriya Vidyalayas make Sanskrit section mandatory in Classes 6, 9 The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan) has made it compulsory for all its schools to maintain at least one Sanskrit section in Classes 6 and 9. The decision will be implemented from the 2026-27 academic session under the third-language framework (R3), as outlined in an official circular issued on May 29. HOW THE LANGUAGE RULE WORKS According to the circular, the third language for students must be either Sanskrit or a regional or state language from the list of scheduled languages. This will be in addition to R1 (Hindi) and R2 (English). A senior official explained, “Students can opt for either Sanskrit or the regional language based on their preference. The requirement is only that there should be at least one Sanskrit section in every school to facilitate the children of transferable employees.” The KVS has also directed schools to complete the process of collecting language preferences from students and parents for the R3 framework. DATA, PORTALS AND CLASSROOM STRUCTURE Schools have been asked to upload student preferences for Sanskrit and regional languages separately on the Samagam portal. This data will be used to reassess staffing and section requirements at the school level. The circular further states, “Students opting for the same R3 language must be kept in same section for the smooth conduct of classes.” Section formation will depend on enrolment: Single section schools may split Sanskrit and regional language batches if at least 15 students opt in Two-section schools may have one Sanskrit and one regional-language section Three-section schools will decide distribution based on demand Every school must still ensure at least one Sanskrit section per class ALIGNING WITH NEP 2020 The move aligns with broader reforms under the National Education Policy (National Education Policy 2020) and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023. The Central Board of Secondary Education (Central Board of Secondary Education) has also introduced parallel changes, making three languages compulsory for Class 9 students from July 1, including at least two Indian languages. Foreign languages can be chosen only as an additional option, and no board exam will be conducted for the third language at Class 10 level. Till dedicated textbooks are introduced, Class 9 students will continue using Class 8 R3 textbooks for the 2026-27 session. Courtesy : India Today Note: This news is originally published on https:/indiatoday.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘TN elections showed the way, now the government must bring about ‘true change”: Madras High Court grants bail to SI in Dalit engineer ‘honor killing’ case, makes 5 key observations on casteism
The court issued a stern warning to the state government, stating that laws like the SC/ST Act have failed to deliver the desired results. The court noted that incidents registered under this law are increasing day by day. The court directed the government to change the curriculum at the school level to change the mindset of the younger generation. Madurai – The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, while hearing the highly publicized case of the ‘honor killing’ of a Dalit IT engineer, strongly criticized the casteism prevalent in society by granting bail to a police sub-inspector. The High Court said that the recent Tamil Nadu assembly elections have proven that people can vote beyond caste and community barriers, and now it is time for the state to take responsibility for bringing about ‘true change’. A bench headed by Justice B. Pugalendhi made this observation while hearing the bail plea of Saravanan, a police sub-inspector. Saravanan is accused of harboring his son, who had brutally murdered a Dalit youth because he was in love with his sister, Saravanan’s daughter. What is the entire case? Kavin (the deceased) was an IT engineer and belonged to the Dalit community. The accused, Saravanan, is a sub-inspector in the Tamil Nadu Police, and his daughter attended the same school as Kavin. They were in a love relationship, which the girl’s family did not approve of. On July 27, 2025, Kavin came to Tirunelveli for his grandfather’s treatment. He informed Saravanan’s son, Surijit (accused No. 1), of his arrival. Surijit put Kavin on his bike and took him to Lakshmipuram. At around 2:17 p.m., a quarrel broke out between the two. It is alleged that Surijith poured chili powder into Kavin’s eyes and then attacked him with a sharp-edged weapon (Aruval). Kavin tried to escape but was chased and killed near Ambala Hospital. A total of 19 wounds were found on the deceased’s body. Just one minute after the murder, Surijith called his father, Saravanan, to inform him of the incident. Police say Saravanan informed his wife (Accused No. 3) about the incident and contacted relatives (Accused No. 4) to help his son hide. Saravanan himself visited the scene and falsely informed the head constable present there that the deceased belonged to a different community. It is alleged that he purchased a bike with a fake license plate for his son and conspired to destroy evidence. Saravanan and his son were arrested on August 11, 2025, and have been in judicial custody since then. Why the Court Granted Bail Saravanan claims he is innocent and was the one who provided information about his son to the police. He also stated that he surrendered his son to the police, which was reported in the newspapers. He argues that he played no active role in the murder and did not destroy any evidence. The Court decided to grant Saravanan bail for the following reasons: Saravanan had been in jail for the past 10 months (since August 11, 2025). The investigation had been completed and a charge sheet had been filed. The case is pending as SC.No. 120/2025. The Court acknowledged that “there were no calls between Saravanan and the deceased or the victim’s family before the incident.” Therefore, there was insufficient material to prove his active role in the murder. The Court stated, “If this were a simple murder case, he would have been granted bail by now.” The court also stated that it was not appropriate to keep the accused in “pre-sentence detention” for a long period. Saravanan filed a petition (Crl OP(MD) No. 995/2026) in the High Court requesting the quashing of the proceedings against him, which the court granted an interim stay on April 29, 2026. However, the court granted bail with strict conditions: Saravanan will be released on a bond of ₹1 lakh and two sureties (one lakh each). He will have to reside in Coimbatore and report to the B2 R.S. Puram police station twice a day (at 10:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.). He will not go near the crime scene (Tirunelveli) or attempt to influence any witnesses. If he violates any of the conditions, his bail will be revoked. The recent Tamil Nadu Assembly election results have proven that people can vote without regard to caste or community. A government has been formed by ignoring caste factors. – Madras High Court 5 key observations from the Madras High Court on casteism This decision was not limited to granting bail. Justice Pugalendhi used it as a platform to comment on the “disease of caste” prevalent in society. Some of his key observations are as follows: “Even we judges are not immune to casteism.” The court openly acknowledged that casteism is not limited to ordinary people but also affects the judiciary. The court said: “Every person, no matter how powerful or privileged, experiences casteism in some form or another. Even we judges are not immune. Our orders are often influenced by caste, even when cases are being decided on merit.” “There is no honor in honor killing; it is a shameful act.” The court described honor killing as the “extreme form of casteism,” stating that it is wrong to call it “honor.” “Honor killing is the extreme manifestation of casteism. Casteism is a curse for the nation. Nature recognizes no caste. The sun gives light to everyone, rain falls on everyone, and air is for everyone. Only when society transcends the artificial barriers of caste will it realize the truth: there is no honor in honor killing; rather, it is a shameful act.” Praising the Tamil Nadu Elections – “Voting Without Caste Is Possible” In its judgment, the Court commended the Tamil Nadu voters and the recent Assembly election results, making a landmark observation: “The recent Assembly election results in the state of Tamil Nadu have proven that people can indeed be confident in voting without considering the caste or community of the candidates. A government has been formed by largely
Uttarakhand: Dalit taxi driver humiliated by garlanding him with shoes for picking up passengers at a lower fare, video also filmed!
The accused allegedly abused, used casteist slurs, assaulted him, and demanded 50,000 rupees for charging a lower fare. When Prem Ram protested, they put a garland of shoes around his neck, snatched his mobile phone, and uploaded a video of the incident to social media. Champawat – A shameful incident involving a Dalit taxi driver has occurred in the Lohaghat area of Champawat district, Uttarakhand, following a dispute over carrying passengers at a lower fare. The victim driver was allegedly assaulted and publicly humiliated by other taxi drivers by garlanding him with shoes. After the video of the incident went viral on social media, police took immediate action and filed a case against four accused under the SC/ST Act. On June 10, Prem Ram was carrying passengers from Lohaghat to Delhi at the old fare rate when other taxi drivers stopped his vehicle near Devradi Band. The accused allegedly abused Prem Ram, used casteist slurs, assaulted him, and demanded 50,000 rupees for charging a lower fare. When he resisted, they put a garland of shoes around his neck, snatched his mobile phone, and uploaded a video of the incident on social media. The victim has filed a complaint at the Lohaghat police station. The family stated that they are deeply hurt by the incident. Prem Ram is currently in Delhi. Lohaghat police have registered a case against four accused: Sohan Singh, Harish Bohra, Virendra Singh, and Mohan Chandra. The case has been registered under various sections of the SC/ST Act, the IT Act, and the BNS, including sections 352, 351(3), 133, 126, 308(2), 309(3), 356, and 152(2). Champawat SP Rekha Yadav has personally monitored the case. CO Niharika is investigating. The search for the accused is ongoing. On June 13, the victim’s side submitted a memorandum to District Magistrate Manish Kumar. The District Magistrate assured strict action and directed the Transport Department to investigate fares on the Delhi-Dehradun route. Meanwhile, a large crowd gathered at the Lohaghat police station and demanded strict punishment for the accused. The SC community called it “inhumane.” Geetha Sunil Pillai Courtesy: Hindi News
Punjab Congress eyes Dalit-OBC consolidation ahead of 2027 polls, Channi emerges as frontrunner for party chiefPublished Date: 14-06-2026 | 7:01 pmAayush Goel
Chandigarh: With the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections now firmly on the horizon, the Congress is scrambling to resolve a leadership crisis that has simmered for months — and is increasingly pointing toward former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi as its best bet to lead the state unit and anchor the party’s Dalit and OBC outreach. Punjab’s demographic arithmetic makes the calculus compelling. Dalits constitute approximately 32 per cent of the state’s population — the highest SC share of any state in India — while OBCs account for an estimated 15–20 per cent. Together, the two groups represent nearly half the state’s electorate, spread across communities including Mazhabi Sikhs, Ravidassias, Balmikis, Sainis, Kamboj, Ramgarhia and Gujjars. Yet despite their numbers, neither group has historically exercised political influence proportionate to their share of the vote. The Congress high command convened a meeting of top party leaders last week to finalise the shape of an organisational overhaul in Punjab. The party has also appointed senior leaders Ajay Maken, Meenakshi Natarajan and Bhajan Lal Jatav as observers for Punjab, a move seen within the organisation as part of the ongoing exercise to assess the state unit and recommend structural changes ahead of the 2027 elections. According to party sources, internal popularity surveys conducted as part of the Congress leadership’s review of the Punjab unit have shown Channi in a stronger position than incumbent PPCC chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring — a finding that has sharpened the pressure on the high command to act. When contacted, Channi refused to confirm or deny his candidature for the post. Sources in Delhi Congress, however, said he remained the party’s most viable option given his mass appeal, Dalit identity, and ability to cut across regions. His strongest appeal lies among sections of the Dalit electorate, particularly in Doaba, with some resonance in Malwa. As Punjab’s first Dalit chief minister, his identity adds a powerful political dimension that no other contender in the race can replicate. A section of leaders has been flagging that ahead of the 2027 polls, the optics of two Jat leaders — Warring and CLP leader Partap Singh Bajwa — occupying both top positions would need to be reworked by adjusting Dalit, OBC and Hindu faces. Channi himself raised the point publicly, questioning why all key positions — PPCC chief, Leader of Opposition, and women’s wing president — were held by upper-caste leaders, despite Dalits alone constituting over 32 per cent of the population and OBCs adding a further 15–20 per cent. Others in contention for the PPCC post include Partap Singh Bajwa, former minister Pargat Singh, Fatehgarh Sahib MP Dr Amar Singh, and former MP Vijay Inder Singla. Warring’s position has weakened considerably. The pressure has intensified after the recent municipal elections, where the Congress failed to convert anti-incumbency sentiment into a statewide challenge. Out of 1,977 wards, AAP won 954, while Congress finished a distant second with 393. Independents secured 251 wards, followed by SAD with 192, BJP with 172 and BSP with seven. The results reinforced AAP’s organisational advantage at the grassroots level despite Congress leaders’ claims of growing public discontent with the Mann government. Concerns have mounted over the party’s organisational performance, particularly after setbacks in Gidderbaha — considered his traditional stronghold — where AAP swept 17 of 19 wards in municipal council elections. At the May 29 meeting in New Delhi — attended by Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Punjab in-charge Bhupesh Baghel, and senior state leaders — most state party leaders pressed for Warring’s replacement, though Baghel publicly denied any immediate proposal to do so. The party’s Punjab unit has long been dominated by Jat Sikhs, who account for roughly 25–30 per cent of the population but have held the chief ministerial post for all but a brief interlude since 1966. While Congress has made conscious efforts since 2021 to broaden its social coalition through Dalit, OBC and Hindu outreach, structural realities — land ownership, rural seats, and community mobilisation — continue to give Jat Sikhs the upper hand internally. The dilemma for the high command is acute. Replacing Warring with Channi could consolidate the Dalit-OBC bloc — collectively the state’s single largest voting constituency — that Congress desperately needs to dent AAP’s 2022 mandate of 92 seats. But any move risks deepening Jat Sikh alienation within a party already down to 15 of 117 assembly seats. The Congress top brass has so far not signalled enthusiasm for projecting Channi as a chief ministerial face, with Bhupesh Baghel recently stating the party would not declare a CM candidate ahead of the 2027 polls. That position, insiders say, is unlikely to hold. Aayush Goel Courtesy : The Financial World Note: This news is originally published on https:/thefinancialexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
The khadi he wore, the Gandhi he kept: A Dalit memoir that refuses easy answers
Recently, I received a message from someone I had known since my Gandhinagar days, when I represented the Times of India from 1997 to 2012. He wanted to send me the English translation of a memoir he had written: “Homes Without Windows“. Thin, short, and darker in complexion than me, he would occasionally come down to my office in Akhbar Bhawan. His name is Chandu Maheria. Seen through a middle-class lens, Maheria had an unimpressive personality. But that didn’t concern me. I knew little about his background, except what he had told me — that he worked in the state education department, and if I am not mistaken, in its midday meal section. Whenever I met someone new, I would try to find out whether there was a story in them. Education interested me: that was my selfish reason for talking to him. Once, speaking on the phone, I asked Maheria to stop by my office on his way home to Gandhinagar, as he said he had a story. I was momentarily hesitant: he would have to arrange a drop to my office and back, since he did not drive a scooter. So I decided to meet him instead in the canteen of the Old Sachivalaya, where he had his office. Meeting him there directly, I felt, was also a better idea than going to his office, which might have exposed his closeness to a journalist. Much later, after my retirement, I discovered that he was regarded quite a buff — a respected one at that — in Dalit circles: an intellectual and a committed writer, one who could speak extensively on Dalit issues. I saw him speak at meetings at Dalit Shakti Kendra, an empowerment-cum-technical school for teenagers founded by the well-known human rights leader Martin Macwan, located off Ahmedabad. I found him very sharp. Until I received the book, all I knew about it was that it had been praised by the eminent historian of modern India, Ramachandra Guha, who called it a “truly remarkable and compellingly readable memoir” — a comment that had appeared on Facebook. With the book in hand, I began to randomly glance through it. But contrary to the anti-Gandhi views prevalent among most Dalit intellectuals across India, this is what I found him stating: “Gandhi might have been anything — call him whatever names — but one thing he was certainly not was anti-Dalit. Oh no, never. Alas!” This made me take a deeper look at the book and see what Maheria, a Dalit and a firm follower of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, thinks about Gandhi. Though a very reluctant reader, I read through its approximately 230 pages in a couple of sittings. Largely a personal account, the memoir describes how Maheria spent his early life in extreme poverty, growing up in a working-class chawl of Ahmedabad as the son of a mill worker — until he shifted to Gandhinagar on securing a government job. They lived in what he describes as “the squalid, tumble-down, cheek-by-jowl dwellings in the backstreets of the city, dubbed as the heart of the state.” Maheria describes how Dalits from different parts of Gujarat had settled in the chawls: “Our chawl was inhabited by the Rohits, people of the tanner caste, who had migrated from Charotar, a large swathe of fertile land covering districts like Kheda and Anand in central Gujarat”, and “the Vankars, people of the weaver caste, from Mehsana, a district in north Gujarat.” Belonging to different Dalit sub-castes, all of them would daily queue up for the dirty common toilet. He underlines, “A strange thing to say, but it was in these queues that I learnt my first lessons in social inequality.” According to him, “All these people were extremely beleaguered, a harried lot that had come here to escape poverty, untouchability, oppression and exploitation, and yet they saw hierarchy and hatred as natural ways of being, such that even the slightest breach in the set order resulted in exchanges of expletives and blows.” Pointing out that “all this cheek was for toilets that were no better than hellholes”, he states, “Though not untouchability in its conventional sense, these practices were rooted in direct discrimination, in an ordained difference between the high and the low, that had seeped right up to the bottom of the caste order.” Offering an example of intra-Dalit casteism, he gives the example of Neno Ma’raj, a man of the priestly Garoda caste, considered the highest among the Dalits. “A mill worker of no consequence, Ma’raj would, in a blatant exhibition of his caste pride, lay his string cot out on the footpath every evening and lounge there like a maharaja, a veritable badshah holding his royal court.” He explains, “In his exhaustive, eye-opening study of the forms of untouchability practised by non-Dalits and Dalits (among themselves) in Gujarat, my friend Martin Macwan has pegged the numbers at ninety-eight and ninety-nine, respectively.” Explaining caste discrimination and related issues through personal anecdotes, Maheria reveals why he believes a section of Dalit intellectuals’ anti-Gandhi stance has gone overboard. None of them, he feels, will admit that no other leader fought untouchability like Gandhiji. Indeed, the book’s chapter “That Fellow, Gandhido” particularly excited me. Maheria starts by stating that he likes wearing khadi as it suits his “short body and slim build”, and explains why his mother didn’t like it. The fabric was anathema to her. She would take a dig at him, saying, “You look like a ditto Gandhiyo in this pair.” An unlettered woman who had picked up the Gandhi-Ambedkar debate through household conversations, her “pet peeve was, ‘None but that fellow, Gandhiyo is responsible for erecting these caste enclosures’.” Yet Maheria graphically describes how, growing up in the working-class chawls, much of his early education happened in the suburb’s Municipal School No. 3-4, whose principal was a man called Balawantbhai Parmar. “A Dalit by birth, he was a thorough Gandhian. Clad in khadi kurta and khadi dhoti, with a topping of
Land dispute at Malayidamthuruth resolved, 7 Dalit families to get 5 cents each
The resolution was arrived at a high-level meeting on Saturday attended by residents living on the disputed land, landowners, and government officials. The two-storey house is surrounded by dense greenery, including coconut and other trees, with a dirt courtyard in front. A man walks toward the house while a few people sit under a blue tarpaulin canopy near the entrance. Temporary structures and household materials are visible beside the house. One of the seven houses in Malayidamthuruth where families currently reside. The Paryathukavu-Malayidamthuruth land dispute has been resolved amicably, with residents agreeing to the proposal to allot five cents of land to each of the families within the same property. The state government also promised to build homes within a year. The resolution was arrived at a high-level meeting attended by residents living on the disputed land, landowners, and government officials, Kerala Minister for Higher Education Roji M John said on Saturday, June 14. The meeting was held at the District Collector’s chamber in Ernakulam. The decision ended a decades-old land dispute involving a private individual and seven Dalit families who have lived on the land for generations. The dispute centres on 2.65 acres of land occupied by seven families belonging to the Pulaya caste, classified as Scheduled Castes (SC) in the state. In the 1980s, a private individual, the late Sankaran Nair, staked a claim to the same parcel of land, resulting in a years-long legal battle. The legal battle favoured Sankaran Nair, and on May 25, the Kerala High Court gave the state government two weeks’ time to carry out the eviction. The two-storey house is surrounded by dense greenery, including coconut and other trees, with a dirt courtyard in front. A man walks toward the house while a few people sit under a blue tarpaulin canopy near the entrance. Temporary structures and household materials are visible beside the house. ‘We’ve lived here for 100 years’: The Dalit families resisting eviction at Malayidamthuruth Following the meeting, the minister stated that houses would be constructed for the seven families within one year. The houses will have an area of 1000-square feet each. Residents would also be allowed to cut or relocate the trees currently standing on the land they occupy. Residents may continue living in their existing houses until the new homes are completed. Speaking to TNM, Abhin, a resident, said they agreed to the conditions because they didn’t have any other option. “We requested the land on which the seven houses currently stand; however, they were unwilling to agree to that. This was the only option they gave to us,” he said. Under the new decision, the seven Dalit families will receive 35 cents of land instead of the 2.62 acres they currently occupy. Although the seven houses are located on the roadside with direct access to the main road, the new plan does not guarantee them the same land. “They will not provide any land with road frontage. Instead, they will allocate us five cents of land in a different area and, through sponsorship, provide a 1,000-square-feet house along with access to that property,” Abhin added. An agreement was also reached to withdraw cases registered against them over protests against eviction. The Advocate General will inform the High Court about the dispute resolution on June 16. Muvattupuzha Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) and the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DYSP) have been assigned responsibilities to ensure that agreements reached are implemented smoothly until the construction of houses are complete. 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 Christians to participate in ‘Chalo Eluru’ on June 28
South India Baptist Association-founder president of Vizianagaram district R.S. John on Sunday urged Dalit Christians to participate in the ‘Dalit Christians Sankharava Sabha’ scheduled to be held in Eluru on June 28. The initiative aims to press for the protection of the rights of converted Christians in the State and across the country. Speaking to media here, Mr. John said that the Constitution guarantees the right to practice one’s chosen religion, and it should not be linked to the issue of reservation benefits given for Scheduled Castes. Mr. John added that over 5,000 Dalit Christians are expected to participate in the Eluru conclave to demand the government protect the interests of SC people who have embraced Christianity. He thanked the Jai Bhim party founder Jada Sravan Kumar for holding preparatory meetings across North Andhra region in order to make the Eluru Convlave as a success. He hoped that the government would come out with clear guidelines to protect the interests of Dalit Christians following the meeting. K Srinivasa Rao 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
‘Assaulted with belt, iron rod’: Dalit man beaten to death in UP’s Lalitpur after refusing to massage feet; 3 arrested
NEW DELHI: A 33-year-old Dalit man was allegedly beaten to death by three men in Uttar Pradesh’s Lalitpur district after he refused to massage their feet while they were drinking alcohol together, police said on Sunday. The accused allegedly dumped the victim’s body on a road in an attempt to make the death appear to be a road accident, as per news agency PTI. According to Lalitpur additional superintendent of police (ASP) Kalu Singh, Kotwali police received information on Sunday morning about a man lying unconscious on a road behind Varni Jain College near Gurunanak Dharamshala. The victim was identified as Rajkumar alias Chhannu (33), who belonged to a Scheduled Caste community. “The man was identified as Rajkumar alias Chhannu (33), who belonged to a Scheduled Caste community. He was taken to a hospital where doctors declared him brought dead,” Singh said, as quoted by PTI. Assault allegedly took place during liquor party During the investigation, police found that Rajkumar had attended a liquor party at the residence of Samyak Rajnayak alias Rahi Jain (38) in the Civil Lines area on Saturday night. Gajendra Narwaria alias Gajendra Singh Rajput (37) and Gaurav Raikwar (25) were also present. Police said the three accused, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, asked Rajkumar to massage their feet. “When he refused, the three men assaulted him with a belt and an iron rod, resulting in his death on the spot. To make the incident appear as a road accident, they later threw his body on the road,” the ASP said. Murder case registered Police have arrested all three accused and registered a case of murder along with relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act based on a complaint lodged by the victim’s mother. The accused allegedly confessed to the crime during questioning. The victim’s body has been sent for post-mortem examination, while further legal proceedings are underway, police said. 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
‘Will PM Modi convey to Trump India’s condemnation of killing of Indian sailors in US attack?’: Congress
Trump will meet Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of the G-7 meeting in France on Wednesday, American media reported quoting US officials. In a scathing attack on the Modi government, the Congress on Sunday said India must put off the upcoming visit of US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and asserted that any self respecting nation will do more than mere phone calls and press statements to defend its sovereignty against “bullies”. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to meet US President Donald Trump this week, the opposition party also asked whether he will raise India’s strongest condemnation over the killing of three Indian sailors in a US attack on a ship off the Oman Coast, and the “threatening and really unacceptable” language used by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in his conversation with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on June 12. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh noted that Prime Minister Modi is set to meet his self-declared good friend President Trump shortly. “The question that is uppermost on the minds of all Indian citizens is whether PM Modi will raise (i) India’s strongest condemnation to the killing of three Indian sailors in a US attack on a ship off the Oman Coast; and (ii) the threatening and really unacceptable language used by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in his conversation with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on June 12th, 2026,” Ramesh said on X. The US Trade Representative Greer is also set to visit India shortly to clinch the Indo-US Trade Deal, he noted. “We must remember that the ‘framework for an Interim Agreement regarding reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade’ was announced by President Trump — on what he said was at the specific request of PM Modi — on the night of February 3, 2026, while PM Modi was under pressure from Rahul Gandhi’s expose in Parliament of his cowardice relating to China. “The ‘deal’ which was more like a steal saw the Modi Government unilaterally make enormous concessions that threaten our farmers and industries,” Ramesh alleged. Countries like Malaysia have declared their trade agreements with the US ‘null and void’ after the US Supreme Court ruling which struck down the Trump-tariffs that formed the backdrop to these agreement, the Congress leader pointed out. The Modi government has not only failed to renounce this trade deal which endangers the futures of crores of India’s farmers but has instead sat mute and helpless while Secretary of State Marco Rubio has proclaimed that the Modi Government has committed to purchasing USD 500 billion in US goods over the next five years, effectively doubling our annual US imports, Ramesh said. “In light of the Rubio-Jaishankar interaction, the US Supreme Court’s overturning of President Trump’s tariff system, and the patent unfairness of the trade deal, the least India must do is to put off the visit of the US Trade Representative,” he said. “Any self respecting nation will do more than mere phone calls and press statements to defend its sovereignty against bullies,” Ramesh said. Trump will meet Prime Minister Modi on the sidelines of the G-7 meeting in France on Wednesday, American media reported quoting US officials. This will be the first meeting between the two leaders since February last year in Washington and comes against the backdrop of concerns over the death of Indian mariners on commercial ships targeted by the US navy in the Strait of Hormuz. The meeting between Trump and Modi will also be the first face-to-face interaction since the India-US relationship hit a rough patch after Operation Sindoor and Washington’s decision to impose heavy tariffs on New Delhi. The two leaders have had a couple of phone calls and also agreed on a framework for an interim bilateral trade deal in February, which is being negotiated. Ramesh’s remarks come a day after the US said it conveyed to India that any violation of its blockade in the Strait of Hormuz and illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated. Rubio conveyed this to Jaishankar, who spoke with him on Friday to lodge a strong protest against the death of Indian nationals in US attacks on ships off the coast of Oman. According to State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott, Secretary of State Rubio stressed that all commercial vessels should immediately comply with orders from US forces as they seek to uphold peace and security in the Strait. Rubio underscored that violations of the US blockade and the illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated, Pigott said in Washington. The US has imposed a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz since April 13, preventing transit of ships to and from the ports of the Islamic Republic as part of its efforts to restrict Tehran from profiting from oil trade. Three vessels with Indian crew came under attack off the Oman coast this week. One of them resulted in the death of three Indian seafarers on Wednesday. Jaishankar then called Rubio to protest their death in a US military strike on a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Oman. “Such lethal actions against commercial shipping are not justified,” Jaishankar had said in a post on X after he spoke with Rubio. Earlier on Friday, India summoned US Charge d’Affaires Jason Meeks in New Delhi and told him that the American military’s lethal strikes on commercial vessels with Indian crew members off the coast of Oman are unacceptable. Hours later, Trump accused Iran of carrying out drone attacks against Indian ships leaving the Strait of Hormuz, saying it was totally unacceptable. 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