Owaisi urges ‘Muslims voters’ to build own leadership, takes aim at SP and Congress
Asaduddin Owaisi, the India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief, on Sunday widened his party’s political outreach in Azamgarh in the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, where he called for “greater political independence among minority communities”. Targeting both, the SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and his ally the Congress, Owaisi urged voters from the minority communities, to move beyond traditional political loyalties. During his address, the AIMIM chief spoke about Muslim political representation, the legacy of national leaders and the law governing the appointment of election commissioners. He argued that minority communities should build their own political strength instead of relying on figures associated with traditional parties. “We no longer need a Gandhi or a Nehru; we need our own leaders… No one speaks about our suffering. Yet today, the police detain someone and order them not to stage a protest for a year… I see people from within our own ranks saying, ‘Oh Muslims! Support them; the likes of Nehru and Gandhi will emerge from among them’… That is the difference between them and Owaisi. They say, ‘Support them’. I say, ‘You become the leader’. We are not slaves to anyone; we will not simply run after someone just because they claim to be the next Nehru or Gandhi… We no longer need a Gandhi or a Nehru; we need our own leaders,” he said. Since Independence, minority voters have frequently backed the Congress and regional parties such as the SP, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Owaisi argued that such electoral support had not resulted in proportionate representation in positions of power. Owaisi takes swipe at Congress Taking a potshot at the opposition, Owaisi referred to the historical relationship between Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. He used the episode to question whether established parties genuinely empower minority leaders or primarily seek their communities’ electoral support. “Nehru wrote that if we removed the Maulana [Abul Kalam Azad], it would cause damage. So, it became evident that only the Muslim vote was desired. Gandhi was saying, ‘Do not appoint Azad; appoint some other Muslim instead’… What Gandhi had suggested back then is exactly what Akhilesh has put into practice today…” he said. Owaisi presented these developments as an example of what he described as the tokenisation of minority representation by mainstream political parties. He linked his criticism to Akhilesh Yadav’s distribution of election tickets, alleging that the SP had failed to encourage genuinely independent Muslim leadership. Targets Yogi’s ’80:20′ political narrative Earlier in the day, Owaisi also criticised Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s frequently cited “80% versus 20%” political formulation, arguing that economic inequality deserved greater attention. Countering the chief minister’s framing, the AIMIM leader described the divide as one between “99% and 1%”, shifting the focus towards disparities between the economically disadvantaged majority and a small, affluent section. Citing data from the Uttar Pradesh department of economics and statistics for 2024–25, Owaisi said Azamgarh ranked fourth among districts in the state in terms of the number of people living in poverty. “The state’s department of economics and Statistics acknowledges that Azamgarh ranks fourth among the districts in Uttar Pradesh with the highest number of poor people. This is what the UP government’s data for 2024–25 reveals, yet the chief minister speaks of an 80% vs. 20% divide,” the AIMIM chief 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
Nine transsexuals booked for robbing transgender person of ₹6.7L
Pune: A 30-year-old transsexual person filed a complaint on Friday with Kothrud police, stating that nine transgender people assaulted and threatened the person with religious conversion. The accused also robbed the complainant of Rs 6.7 lakh on Friday. Kothrud police have registered a case under the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, and robbery against nine transgender people. According to the FIR, the complainant lives near a temple in Kothrud. At around 7pm on Sept 22, the nine suspects allegedly entered the complainant’s house and made derogatory remarks against the religion of the complainant. They threatened and asked the complainant to abandon their religion and convert to another religion. Kothrud police said the suspects assaulted the complainant with a belt and bamboo sticks. They also threatened to kill the complainant did not give them 50% of the money earned through begging. The suspects then allegedly robbed the complainant of Rs 6.7 lakh cash. 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
Dalit man falls at upper-caste men’s feet for burial permission in Tamil Nadu
Two Dalit men in Erode were allegedly forced to fall at dominant caste men’s feet to bury an elderly relative at a common ground. The state SC/ST commission has called it a human rights violation and sought action against those involved and officials present. In a shocking instance of caste-based humiliation in Tamil Nadu’s Erode district, a Dalit man reportedly fell at the feet of dominant caste men to seek permission to bury an 80-year-old relative at a common burial ground, as police and revenue officials watched without intervening. The incident took place on October 5, when Chenni, an 80-year-old man who died of old age, was to be buried at the common burial ground in Perumpalli village in Erode district. Members of a dominant caste community allegedly opposed the burial, claiming that people belonging to the Dalit community could not be buried at the common burial ground. Chenni’s family maintained that the burial ground was meant for everyone and that members of all communities had the right to use it. During the ensuing dispute, members of the dominant caste community reportedly demanded that the Dalit family members fall at their feet if they wanted to bury the deceased there. Two members of the Dalit community subsequently fell at the feet of men from the other community and worshipped them, according to the Tamil Nadu State Commission for Adi Dravidar and Scheduled Tribes. The incident took place in the presence of police and revenue officials, who were accused of remaining passive spectators instead of intervening to prevent the humiliation and ensure that the family could carry out the burial. SC/ST COMMISSION SEEKS ACTION AGAINST OFFICIALS Taking cognisance of the incident following media reports, video footage and complaints, the Tamil Nadu State Commission for Adi Dravidar and Scheduled Tribes issued a notice to the Erode District Collector and the SP, seeking action against those involved and a detailed report on the incident. In its notice issued under Section 9 of the Tamil Nadu State Commission for Adi Dravidar and Scheduled Tribes Act, 2021, the commission described the incident as a human rights violation. It said the police and revenue officials present at the spot should have intervened when members of the Dalit community were made to fall at the feet of people from the other community. The commission also flagged the alleged failure of the police to provide the necessary protection for the burial at the common ground. It noted that preventing the burial of Chenni’s body was illegal and referred to Article 21 of the Constitution and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The notice directed the Erode District Collector and the SP to take action under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the members of the other community involved in the incident and submit a detailed report by October 30, 2026. The authorities were also asked to report on the disciplinary action taken against the police and revenue officials who allegedly failed to take precautionary measures or intervene during the incident. The commission’s notice followed video footage published by newspapers and circulated on television and social media on October 9, as well as complaints submitted by political and social organisation representatives. ERODE COLLECTOR SAYS INQUIRY UNDERWAY Speaking to India Today, Erode District Collector S Kandasamy said an inquiry was underway to establish the full details of the incident. By:Anagha 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
BJP’s rural push ahead of 2027 polls to focus on Dalits, marginalised sections
Lucknow: BJP has decided to ramp up its organisational and electoral groundwork across rural constituencies of the state, signalling an aggressive strategy to take the poll battle to the village level in the run-up to the assembly elections. The party has given a call for “Gramodaya se UP Vijay” (winning UP by winning villages) to sharpen its focus on rural areas by scaling up campaigns to boost public outreach besides taking schemes of Narendra Modi govt at the Centre and Yogi Adityanath govt in UP to the grassroots. The strategy — learnt to be drafted jointly by BJP central leadership and RSS — figured prominently during the recent review meeting of the party’s national general secretary and UP in charge Vinod Tawde, who has been camping in different regions of the state to intensify the groundwork. A senior UP BJP functionary said that special focus would be laid on reaching out to the marginalised sections of the society, essentially Dalits and other socially oppressed classes. Sources said that BJP is focusing on rural areas to make deeper inroads into regions where the opposition holds sway. The move also assumes significance for BJP, which has historically drawn much of its support from urban voters but has steadily broadened its appeal across rural Uttar Pradesh since 2017, eroding the traditional strongholds of regional parties such as SP and BSP. According to past surveys by various agencies, including Lokniti-Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), of the 403 assembly seats in UP, as many as 308 are predominantly rural. Of the rest, 60 are semi-urban while 35 seats are urban. Sources said that as part of the strategy, senior party functionaries would be tasked to reach the rural areas and establish a dialogue with the socially and economically poor sections and those who have benefitted from any of the schemes rolled out by BJP govts. RSS cadre will assist BJP in the ambitious drive that aims to take feedback from the beneficiaries and the deprived section before taking corrective measures. The campaign, a senior UP BJP functionary said, would be executed through a coordinated effort of the organisational leadership, MPs, MLAs and the local leadership. Former state functionaries will also be asked to give their feedback to boost the campaign and address any possible disenchantment within the larger organisational apparatus. Sources said that BJP aims to build a bridge between govt, the organisation and the public so that the grievances and feedback of the people could reach the organisation. 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
Modi silencing dissent, but spirit of democracy can’t be crushed: Rahul Gandhi
As New Delhi witnessed a complete clamp down by security personnel against the protests called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of silencing dissent. He said the internet was shut down in the national capital and students were beaten up during protests, however, the Prime Minister does not understand that the game is over. “They are silencing voices as you saw in Delhi. The entire city was shutdown, internet was shutdown. Police was beating students. BJP released their own ‘goondas’ who were beating and thrashing students,” Rahul said while addressing students at the party’s outreach programme ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ in Chennai. Addressing thousands of students from across the city, Rahul, who had earlier held a meeting with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, slammed Modi over the alleged police action on student protesters. “Modi is destroying India’s democracy. Centre is killing curiosity. But he doesn’t understand that the game is over. The Opposition has surrounded Modi and Shah and their coterie. Mogambo Modi is destroying democracy in India, but I assure you that nobody is going to crush the spirit of this country however powerful or resourceful he might be,” Rahul said amid applause from the young crowd. “Modi has been compromised by financial forces and global forces. He is fighting for his survival. The mood in India is catching up with him. Students have nothing to fear as we assure them that the entire coterie of Modi will pay for its deeds,” the LoP added. “I guarantee you this. Stand up against injustice. Never stop asking questions,” he urged the students. The Congress leader’s remarks came as protests rocked Delhi over demands for Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and allegations of irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. He linked the importance of dissent and questioning to the role of students in a democracy, arguing that curiosity was essential for progress and innovation. Article_Author Animesh Singh Courtesy : The Tribune Note: This news is originally published on https:/thetribune.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘Chalo Delhi’: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy tells Congress leaders
The chief minister has called upon all Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members, MLAs, MLCs, and key Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) leaders to attend the protest programme in Delhi. HYDERABAD: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has asked key Congress leaders from Telangana to reach Delhi on October 12 and participate in a protest to be organised by the All India Congress Committee (AICC). The chief minister has called upon all Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members, Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs), corporation chairpersons, District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents, and key Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) leaders to attend the protest programme in Delhi. Earlier, Delhi Police stopped Revanth as he was on his way to express solidarity with Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders protesting against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/tthenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Rahul Gandhi: ‘My message to students: you have nothing to fear. We are standing with you’
NEW DELHI/CHENNAI: The opposition came out strongly to condemn the action against protesters with the leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi launching a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that “Mogambo Modi” is destroying India’s democracy. “There is no force in this world that is going to stop Modi from facing justice. I guarantee you!, “ Gandhi said. “My message to all the students: you have nothing to fear. We are with you, and we are going to make sure that Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Mohan Bhagwat, Ajit Doval and this group of conspirators who have destroyed Indian democracy and are using Gyanesh Kumar to steal elections are brought to justice,” Gandhi said without naming the Cockroach Janta Party before a packed Island Ground venue at the sixth edition of his youth outreach programme, ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ in Chennai. “As you saw today in New Delhi, the entire city was shut down, the internet was shut down, police were beating students, and the BJP unleashed its own goondas to thrash students,” Gandhi said. “Mogambo Modi” is destroying India’s democracy, he added, likening the prime minister to the dreaded villain from the Bollywood hit ‘Mr. India’ played by the late actor Amrish Puri. At this point the screen behind him played a scene from the 1987 movie with Modi’s face superimposed on Amrish Puri. “Mr Modi doesn’t understand that the game is over,” he added. “I want to tell all the students in Delhi, do not worry. Stand up for everything you believe in and never stop asking questions,” Gandhi said asserting “we are standing with you.” “Mr. Modi, do whatever you want. Call out all the police: 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, whatever you want,” Gandhi challenged in a post on X. “We are going to ensure that this regime and the people who have attacked our Constitution are defeated,” he added. Meanwhile, as part of the ongoing agitation of the opposition the INDIA MPs, leaders, workers and all concerned citizens will be holding a massive protest march against “Gyanesh & Co” Congress general secretary organisation KC Venugopal said. “A delegation of our senior leaders will submit a memorandum to the Hon’ble CJI for his intervention in this crisis, he added. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, leaders Jairam Ramesh, K C Venugopal and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too came out strongly against the police action and the attempts by the authorities to prevent people from protesting. The day also saw many senior Left party leaders including former Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan and TMC chairperson and former West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee detained as they tried to join the protests. Mamata Banerjee said that the situation in Delhi had gone “beyond Emergency; it has become Super Emergency ,” after she was detained along with party leaders outside the TMC Delhi office located at 61, South Avenue. She held an impromptu dharna at the Dwarka police station where she was detained with five other TMC MPs. CPM, CPI and CPML Liberation top leaders MA Baby, D Raja and Dipankar Bhattacharya strongly condemned the “widespread repression” unleashed by the Delhi Police on peaceful protesters. Other INIDA allies including Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Aditya Thackeray and NCP (SP)’s Supriya Sule also came forward to condemn the attempt to stop protests, restrictions and the detentions. 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
Tamil Nadu: Dalits forced to prostrate at the feet of a 90-year-old man who went to bury him at a crematorium; a case has been filed.
Caste dispute erupts in Erode, Tamil Nadu, over a public crematorium. Dalits prostrated themselves at the feet of powerful men after being threatened with a job ban. Tamil Nadu: A highly inhumane and shameful case of caste discrimination has emerged from Erode district. A massive controversy erupted over the cremation of a 90-year-old man in Perumbali village, located in the Madathupalayam Panchayat near Perundurai. Amidst the protests over the use of the public crematorium, two Scheduled Caste (SC) members were allegedly forced to prostrate themselves at the feet of members of the Backward Class (BC). Over 100 Scheduled Caste residents reside in Perumbali village. These villagers have long faced difficulties burying the bodies of their loved ones at the local crematorium. Due to strong opposition from the dominant castes, they were often forced to carry the bodies to Thingalur, about five kilometers away. However, after a recent survey, the Tehsildar of Perundurai declared this cremation ground public for all communities. On October 5th, Chenni, a 90-year-old Scheduled Caste man, died due to age-related ailments. When members of his community took his body to the public cremation ground for burial, they faced strong opposition from members of the backward castes, which soon escalated into a heated argument. According to the district police, the funeral was conducted under tight security from the Revenue Department and the police. During the altercation between the two communities, the Scheduled Caste members were allegedly threatened and warned not to approach the dominant caste members for any work in the future. Immediately after this threat of not giving them work, two members of the Scheduled Caste community were forced to grab the feet of the members of the BC community. The police have now taken strict legal action regarding this incident. A case has been registered at the Thingalur police station on the night of October 8, 2026 (Thursday) based on a complaint filed by the Perundurai Revenue Inspector. Two individuals have been charged under stringent sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in connection with this inhumane act, and the police are conducting a thorough investigation. A video of the incident is rapidly going viral on social media, clearly showing the public humiliation of members of the Dalit community. The video has sparked widespread public outrage and demands for immediate, strict action against the culprits. Iswaran, State Coordinator for the Western Region of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), has strongly condemned the incident. He alleged that preventing people from using public crematoriums is a direct violation of the rights of SC community members. He described the threat of denial of work as the most brutal form of caste-based oppression. Iswaran said that taking advantage of the economic helplessness and helplessness of Dalits and forcing them to bow down at the feet of other communities is a highly condemnable act. The BSP leader also raised serious questions about the role of the police and revenue department officials present at the scene. He demanded strict action against those who opposed the funeral, as well as those officials who completely failed to prevent this insult. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News
CJP protest: Airfares soar as train services hit; slight rise in last-minute bookings
NEW DELHI: The unprecedented clampdown in Delhi in the wake of CJP protest, including cancellation of several trains to the city, saw a “slight increase” in last-minute bookings on flights to and from Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) for this weekend. Airfares on some routes saw a surge, too.Travel industry insiders said the shift could become more pronounced if the agitation and the restrictions on movement continue longer as the festive season begins Monday with Navratri. “There has been a slight increase in bookings on Delhi flights for this weekend. It is too early to say anything for sure in terms of train and bus passengers moving to air as the weekend flights in the pre-festive season were pretty full and the fares were anyway high,” said an airline official. A senior official of a leading online travel agency (OTA) said: “Till Friday night, we didn’t see a major spike in spot fares from Lucknow, Prayagraj and other parts of UP. Only spot fares on Varanasi-Delhi route for Saturday were higher by 15% over a month back. So far, there is no substantial increase in flight demand.” OTA sites showed Varanasi-Delhi one-way fares starting at Rs 6,200 and going up to Rs 14,000 Saturday – higher than usual. The big worry for airlines and Delhi airport is passengers, crew members and other staff being able to reach IGIA in time due to the feared large-scale disruption of metro service and impacted traffic movement. If the protest continues for a longer duration and pushes up demand for air travel, then airfares – which are anyway higher due to spiralling operating costs from higher jet fuel prices and a crashing rupee – will soar further, according to travel industry stakeholders. Airfares from Amritsar surged sharply Friday, with some flights touching Rs 8,000 against the usual one-way fare of around Rs 4,000. Fares for the Saturday flight from Ludhiana saw fluctuations throughout the day, soaring as high as Rs 12,987 before falling to Rs 4,301 at 8 pm. “Those with onward travel plans, especially international flights, have limited choices and are having to buy expensive tickets to avoid further cancellations or missing their connections,” said Dalip, a travel agent in Amritsar. There was no big change in flight and cab fares from Chandigarh to Delhi till Friday evening. 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
Congress stays away, Left & AAP to join CJP stir against CEC
NEW DELHI: Cockroach Janta Party’s invitation to all opposition parties to join its Oct 10 demonstration against EC’s functioning under CEC Gyanesh Kumar saw only the Left, Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool and AAP openly backing its agitation. While the Left and AAP have announced their participation, it was not clear till Friday night whether Mamata’s party would be part of the CJP protest. Before she reached Delhi, Mamata had told reporters that she may join the Oct 10 protest at Jantar Mantar, but added that nothing could be confirmed as yet. “We have maintained a relationship with them (CJP) and have extended our support, while any further decision regarding our participation will be taken later,” she had said. The Left, Mamata TMC and AAP had earlier backed and participated in the CJP-led student agitation over the NEET-UG paper leak issue, which led to Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as education minister. AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal will be joining with his family. Amid all this, Congress is keeping its distance from the CJP protest, with Rahul Gandhi to be in Chennai for the next edition of ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ Saturday. “I appeal to everyone in the country to reach Jantar Mantar in the largest possible numbers. This is not about any one individual or political party; this is about the country. The protest at Jantar Mantar begins Saturday. I will be there, and my entire family will join me. Everyone should come there,” Kejriwal said. On Friday, CPM general secretary MA Baby went all out to file a petition in Supreme Court challenging the restrictions imposed ahead of Saturday’s protest, while TMC national spokesperson Saket Gokhale wrote to acting Chief Justice of Delhi HC seeking suo motu cognisance of cancellation of railway services and closure of metro stations. Sharing the letter on X, Gokhale extended “full support” to CJP and “every citizen demanding free and fair elections”. TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien also put out a post strongly supporting CJP. Left parties CPM, CPI, CPI(ML)L, RSP and All India Forward Bloc issued a joint statement asserting that the right to assemble and protest is a fundamental right. “We have been in the protest all these days. That will continue tomorrow too,” Baby told TOI emphasising that the Left will be present in full force at the protest. 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