‘Behave responsibly’: BJP slams Rahul Gandhi over remarks in Germany, says shows his sentiments for India
NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday criticised Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on India’s manufacturing sector during his visit to Germany, accusing him of “insulting India from foreign soil” at a time when Parliament is in session. BJP MP Sambit Patra said the LoP carries a “huge responsibility” and needs to behave in a “responsible manner”, especially while travelling abroad. “LoP has a huge responsibility. The LoP has to behave in a really responsible manner, especially when the LoP is on foreign soil. Parliament is in session here, several Bills are being discussed in the House and Rahul Gandhi is in Germany to address the Indian diaspora.” Patra said. Referring to Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the BMW factory in Munich, Patra alleged that the Congress leader praised German manufacturing while portraying India in a bad light. “Today, we saw Rahul Gandhi visiting BMW factory in Munich and there, he appreciated their manufacturing and said that he is sad that manufacturing is poor in India,” Patra said. The Puri MP rejected Rahul’s claims of Indian manufacturing being in a fragile state and declining, citing data. “Insofar as manufacturing is concerned, IIP (index of industrial production) is on a positive growth trend. In 2025 manufacturing in the country has grown at a record 5.4 per cent. Also right now our GDP is growing at 8.2 per cent, we’re among the fastest growing GDPs in the world, in which around 17 per cent contribution is of manufacturing,” he further added, “Rahul and responsibility can never move together. Whenever he visits abroad, he insults Parliament and India.” Earlier in the day Congress on X posted a video of Rahul Gandhi visiting the automobile major BMW’s headquarters in Munich. The post added that he inspected several cars and motorcycles at the plant. “He was pleased to see TVS’s 450cc motorcycle, developed in partnership with BMW—a proud moment to witness Indian engineering on display,” the post read. In the same post, Rahul reiterated his criticism of the Centre’s manufacturing policy. Congress quoted him saying, “Manufacturing is the backbone of strong economies. Sadly, in India, manufacturing is declining. For us to accelerate growth, we need to produce more – build meaningful manufacturing ecosystems, and create high-quality jobs at scale.” In a video shared by the party, Gandhi said, “India needs to start producing. Production is the key for the success of any country. And our manufacturing is declining which actually should be going up. Rahul Gandhi is currently in Germany as part of an outreach programme and is scheduled to address the Indian diaspora in Berlin on December 17. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Cong stages protest against ‘misuse’ of central agencies
Lucknow: Accusing BJP’s double-engine govts of misusing central agencies, the Uttar Pradesh Congress staged a demonstration on Wednesday. The protest came a day after a court setback to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Young Indian case involving Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Led by UP Congress president Ajay Rai, party workers marched from the Congress headquarters towards the BJP office. The protest was organised jointly by District Congress president Rudra Daman Singh ‘Bablu’ and city Congress chief Amit Srivastava Tyagi. However, the march was stopped midway by police, and the protesters were detained and taken to temporary jail at Eco Garden. Talking to reporters before his detention, Rai said: “The National Herald case was politically motivated and aimed at maligning senior Congress leaders. The judicial observations exposed the Centre’s ‘mala fide intent’ and misuse of investigation agencies to target the opposition,” he said. Adding that the Congress never bowed down to authoritarian and anti-democratic policies, Rai asserted that the party would continue its fight to protect the Constitution and democratic values. “Attempts to defame Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have failed. We will continue to foil BJP’s plans to malign their image,” he said. Congress functionaries, including former MLC Deepak Singh, criticised the state govt for using force against what they described as a peaceful democratic protest. They reiterated that the party would continue its agitation on the streets and in Parliament against “the BJP govt’s misuse of constitutional institutions”. 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
HC transfers Rahul case to Lucknow
Lucknow: The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court on Wednesday transferred a criminal complaint case related to alleged British citizenship controversy of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from Rae Bareli to Lucknow. A bench of Justice BR Singh passed the order on the petition of S Vignesh Shishir, a BJP worker from Karnataka. Shishir had filed a criminal complaint case before the Special MP/MLA court at Rae Bareli, levelling several allegations against Rahul Gandhi under BNS, Official Secrets Act, Foreigners Act and Passport Act. Filing the plea before the HC, the petitioner urged that when he goes to Rae Bareli, he gets life threat and so the said complaint may be transferred from Rae Bareli to Lucknow. It was said in the petition that a fair hearing is not possible due to local conditions. Citing security reasons, the petitioner had sought intervention from the HC. After hearing the plea, the bench ordered that the said case be transferred to Lucknow. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Cong protests decision to replace MGNREGA , dares BJP to remove Gandhi’s photo from rupee note
Belagavi: Governing Congress Wednesday protested the Union govt’s decision to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with a new law and challenged BJP to remove Gandhi’s picture from currency notes. Led by chief minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar, the protest, amid the winter session, was held in front of the Gandhi statue at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha. Members also targeted what Congress called “hate politics” against its party brass in the National Herald case. Ministers and legislators from both Houses participated. Launching a sharp attack on the BJP-led Union govt, Siddaramaiah accused it of repackaging Congress schemes under new names. “It won’t be long before we hear of ‘GModiG’,” he said, referring to VB-G RAM G, the name of the proposed law. “We have already seen renaming exercises — from Raj Bhavan to Lok Bhavan and Planning Commission to Niti Aayog — while the govt fails to address soaring prices of essential commodities.” He accused BJP of indulging in politics of hatred and foisting cases on Congress members, including Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. On Tuesday, a Delhi court refused to take cognisance of Enforcement Directorate’s money laundering charge against Sonia, Rahul and others, holding that the investigation stemmed from a private complaint and not an FIR. Shivakumar challenged BJP to remove photos of the Mahatma from currency notes. He said: “Replacing MGNREGA is a national problem. We have introduced MGNREGA through an amendment to the Constitution. You can’t change a constitutional amendment. We will take up the issue in the assembly.” Shivakumar, who received a notice to appear for questioning in the National Herald case, also alleged procedural lapses by Delhi Police. “I asked them only one question — please give me a copy of the FIR. They still have not provided me with one.” Health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao criticised the renaming of MGNREGA, saying it reflected BJP’s and RSS’s opposition to Mahatma Gandhi. Reacting to the protest, opposition leader in the council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy accused Congress of historically opposing Mahatma Gandhi. “We are not against Gandhi. Congress is against Gandhi. Gandhi had told them they had achieved independence, so dissolve Congress party immediately as it is not a political party. But they didn’t.” 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 Former Panchayat President Cites Caste Insult in IUML Ritual Row
The CPI(M)’s youth wing, DYFI, protested at the Changaroth panchayat office against an alleged ‘purification ritual’ by IUML activists. The ritual was perceived as a casteist insult, given that the former panchayat president was from the Dalit community. No complaints have been filed with the police yet. The youth wing of the CPI(M), known as DYFI, staged a protest on Tuesday at the Changaroth panchayat office, condemning what they allege to be a ‘purification ritual’ conducted by IUML members. The protest was in response to actions claimed to target a former panchayat president from the Dalit community. Authorities confirmed that the demonstration proceeded without incident, maintaining a calm atmosphere in the locality. The LDF is also expected to organize a protest march later the same day, as no formal grievances concerning the controversial ritual have been reported to law enforcement yet. The incident in question involved UDF activists performing a ritualistic act outside the panchayat office. This supposedly celebratory gesture was deemed derogatory by Unni Vengeri, the former panchayat president, who asserts that it carried a caste-based insult, given there were no such celebrations in other panchayats recently won by the UDF. Courtesy : Devdiscourse Note: This news is originally published on https:/devdiscourse.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dalit leader ‘Vidrohi’ launches a unique Satyagraha in Jodhpur: He will not wear slippers or shirts until non-Valmiki sanitation workers are employed in basic sanitation work!
Prakash Singh Vidrohi told, “Non-Valmiki workers are not performing the basic sanitation work; the entire burden falls on the Valmiki community. This has caused anger within the community.” Jodhpur – Sanitation workers in the Jodhpur Municipal Corporation have been angry for the past month. The movement, led by the All India Safai Mazdoor Congress, has now taken a unique form in the harsh winter. The organization’s district president, Sardar Prakash Singh Vidrohi, staged a semi-naked, barefoot protest in front of Baba Saheb’s statue at the Nagauri Gate intersection on Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar’s death anniversary. He declared, “I will not wear clothes or slippers until the Municipal Commissioner implements the 2018 written agreement to employ non-Valmiki workers in basic sanitation work.” This protest not only reinforces the sanitation workers’ three-point demands but also sends a powerful message against the increasing burden on the Valmiki community. Jodhpur has approximately 3,300 sanitation workers, of which 700 They belong to the non-Valmiki community. These non-Valmiki employees are being removed from the basic work of cleaning and assigned other responsibilities, the entire burden of which has fallen on the employees of the Valmiki community. The scope of the earlier 60 wards has now increased to 100, due to which the work pressure has doubled. On November 15, the corporation administration suddenly changed the wards of 2000 sanitation workers, against which the fire of protest erupted. Prakash Singh Vidrohi told ‘The Mooknayak’, “Non-Valmiki employees are not doing the basic work of cleaning, the entire burden falls on the Valmiki community. This has caused anger in the community. Corporation Commissioner Siddharth Palanichamy did not even listen to the public representatives. A few days ago, in the presence of MLAs Atul Bhansali and Devendra Joshi, a promise was made to reinstate all employees in their original positions and to assign women and disabled persons to the nearest wards, but this was not followed through. The agitation began with a high-voltage uproar at the corporation office on Thursday. Two rounds of talks between the organization and the commissioner failed, after which no agreement was reached despite several hours of negotiations. On Friday, a sit-in protest began outside the corporation commissioner’s office under the banner of the Valmiki Joint Struggle Committee. Police were deployed at the main gate to prevent protesters from entering. Throughout the day, leaders raised slogans and questioned the corporation’s working style. Anil Teji stated that the three-point demands are: (1) cancel the ward changes of 2,000 employees; (2) cancel the 2018 in-charge positions; (3) assign 700 non-Valmiki employees to their original sanitation work. Naresh Kandara warned, “Demands If they don’t agree, we’ll go on a broom-down strike.” On Saturday, Vidrohi’s half-naked Satyagraha in the cold marked a new turning point in the movement. This movement is not only a fight for the rights of sanitation workers, but also a question of dignity and equality for the Valmiki community. Geetha Sunil Pillai Courtesy: Hindi News
Brutal act in Jamui: Dalit student abducted, stripped naked and chased, beaten with rods; uproar after video goes viral
Inter student subjected to brutality due to old enmity; abducted from Atithi Palace, 2 taken into custody after video goes viral.. Jamui: A shocking incident that shames humanity has come to light from Jamui district of Bihar. Here, fearless miscreants, defying law and order, crossed all limits of cruelty against a Dalit student. The accused first abducted the student, then took him to a secluded place and brutally beat him with iron rods. Not content with that, they stripped him naked, chased him around while beating him, and made a video of the entire barbaric act, which has now gone viral on social media. What is the whole matter? The incident took place near Maniyadda (Mani Adda) village in the Town police station area. The victim has been identified as Abhishek Paswan, son of Rajaram Paswan of Bhatchak village, who is an intermediate student. The victim, Abhishek, told the police that about a month ago, his brother-in-law had a dispute with some people. Due to this enmity, a person named W Singh called him deceptively. As soon as he reached near ‘Atithi Palace’ in the city, his mobile phone was snatched, and he was forcibly taken on a motorcycle to Bhajaur Chhath Ghat. Beaten with rods and video made It is alleged that after taking him to the ghat, W Singh, Mounty Singh, Chhotu Yadav, Seetu Singh, Gaurav Singh, Ashutosh Singh, Salu Singh and Raghuveer Singh, along with others, attacked him. He was beaten with kicks, punches, and iron rods. Showing their dominance, the accused stripped the student of his clothes and humiliated him by making him run naked. During this time, they also made a video, which has now gone viral. Police Action and Arrests Upon receiving information about the incident, the ‘Dial 112’ police team reached the spot and rescued the injured student on Friday afternoon, admitting him to Sadar Hospital where he is currently undergoing treatment. Jamui SP Vishwajeet Dayal has confirmed the incident and issued a press release. He stated that the police have obtained the viral video, based on which the accused are being identified. The police have taken swift action and detained two people for questioning. Raids are underway to apprehend the other absconding accused. ‘Safe Seat’ Under Scrutiny This incident also appears to be taking on a political dimension. The Jamui Lok Sabha seat is considered a ‘safe seat’. LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan has been a Member of Parliament from here twice, and currently, his brother-in-law Arun Bharti, who himself belongs to the Dalit community, is the MP from this constituency. Such brutality against a Dalit youth in such a high-profile area raises serious questions about law and order and the claims of ‘Dalit safety’ in the region. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News
Rajasthan: “Not born from incest…” Dalit community outraged by Sarpanch’s casteist and abusive remarks in Dausa, FIR registered under SC/ST Act
During the meeting, Yogi publicly made extremely derogatory and casteist remarks against Scheduled Caste women, which were recorded on video. This incident is not only disruptive to social harmony at the local level but is also being seen as part of a series of increasing atrocities against the SC/ST community. Dausa – An abusive and casteist remark made by Sarpanch Shivcharan Yogi against Scheduled Caste (SC) women during a meeting of the Nath community in Dausa district of Rajasthan has angered the entire Dalit community. The incident took place on December 14 at the Nath community hostel on Singwara Road, where an important meeting was held regarding the state elections of the Nath community. After the video of Sarpanch Yogi’s indecent remark went viral, widespread anger spread among Dalit organizations and community members. The police immediately registered FIR No. 0461 under Sections 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s), 4 and 3(2)(va) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and Section 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023. Ambedkarite advocate Vikas Kumar Jatav, while sharing a copy of the FIR with The Mooknayak, said that this incident is not only disruptive to social harmony at the local level but is also being seen as part of a series of increasing atrocities against the SC/ST community. After this complaint was registered at Dausa Sadar police station on December 15 in the afternoon, the police have started an investigation. Complainant Satish Kumar said that the Sarpanch’s remarks have created tension between the two communities and immediate arrest is being demanded. What happened at the meeting? A large meeting related to the state elections of the Nath community was organized on Sunday, December 14, at the Nath community hostel, Singwara Road. In this meeting, Shivcharan Yogi, the district president of the Nath community and the current Sarpanch of Gurjar Seemla (Mehandipur Balaji), was present as the main speaker. During the meeting, Yogi publicly made extremely derogatory and casteist remarks against Scheduled Caste women, which were recorded on video. According to the complaint, Yogi said, “We are not the urine of any Bhangi and Chamar.” This remark was intended to insult women of the SC community based on their caste, where the use of such words reflects caste-based discrimination. This comment not only hurt the dignity of the women but was also an attempt to demean the entire SC/ST community. Those present at the meeting recorded a video of this, which quickly went viral on social media and sparked outrage among Dalit organizations. The complainant, Satish Kumar, went to the police station and filed a written complaint, clearly stating that such remarks destroy social harmony and create animosity between the two communities. The investigation has been handed over to Circle Officer Dharmendra Sharma of Dausa. Geetha Sunil Pillai Courtesy: Hindi News
Kerala: Panchayat ‘Purified’ After Dalit President’s Removal? Controversy Erupts Over Sprinkling of Cow Dung Water, SC/ST Commission Demands Report
Outrage over the alleged humiliation of a Dalit Panchayat president in Kozhikode! Cow dung water sprinkled in the name of ‘purification’? SC/ST Commission demands report from the police. Learn the full story. Kozhikode: A case of alleged humiliating “purification ritual” against a former Panchayat president in Kozhikode district of Kerala is escalating. The Kerala State Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Commission has taken a strong stance on the incident that took place in front of the Changaroth Panchayat office in Perambra. The commission has directed the Kozhikode District Police Chief to investigate the matter and submit a detailed report within 10 days. It is alleged that the act was carried out with the intention of humiliating the outgoing Panchayat president, Unni Venjeri, who belongs to the Dalit community. What is the whole matter? According to media reports, cow dung water was sprinkled and a special ritual was performed outside the Changaroth Panchayat office. This is being seen as an insult to the president, who belongs to the Dalit community. The commission chairperson has given clear instructions to the police to register a case immediately based on the complaint, conduct an impartial investigation, and take appropriate legal action against the culprits. Police and Opposition’s Argument Perambra police informed that on Monday, during the election victory celebrations, a group of United Democratic Front (UDF) workers sprinkled water and cleaned the area outside the Panchayat office with brooms. The police said, “No formal complaint has been registered regarding this incident so far, therefore, no case has been registered.” On the other hand, leaders of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) have rejected these allegations. They argue that the youth used water and brooms only symbolically. Their intention was to convey the message that they were cleaning the dirt of corruption from the Panchayat, and not to target any particular individual. Allegations of Caste-Based Humiliation Outgoing president Unni Venjeri expressed deep sorrow over the incident and alleged that IUML (Indian Union Muslim League) workers were behind it. He questioned why similar celebrations or rituals were not observed in the three other panchayats that the UDF (United Democratic Front) had also won from the LDF (Left Democratic Front). According to Venjeri, this incident occurred in Changaroth because he was a Dalit president. Becoming emotional, Venjeri said, “If someone perceives this as caste-based humiliation, can they be blamed?” He stated that the panchayat, under the LDF’s rule for the past five years, had worked inclusively, but the IUML had orchestrated this act with a specific agenda. Protests Erupt The incident has fueled political protests in the district. The CPM’s (Communist Party of India (Marxist)) youth wing, DYFI (Democratic Youth Federation of India), marched to the Changaroth panchayat office on Tuesday, strongly condemning the act. According to the police, the protest was peaceful, and the situation in the area is under control. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) has also announced that they will hold another protest march on this issue. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News
Cops trained on rights of transgenders
Lucknow: The Lucknow Police Commissionerate on Tuesday organised a one-day special awareness and capacity-building programme on transgender rights at the Reserve Police Lines. The focus was on rights-based and sensitive policing under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, and its Rules, 2020. The programme, facilitated by deputy commissioner of police (headquarters) Anil Kumar Yadav and assistant commissioner of police (women crime) Saumya Pandey, was attended by around 150 women police trainees. The training was organised in collaboration with the National Institute of Social Defence (NISD), under the Union ministry of social justice and empowerment, and implemented by Samanta Ka Samman Trust, Dholpur. Devika Devendra S Mangalamukhi, founder and president of the trust and an executive member-adviser of the Uttar Pradesh Transgender Welfare Board, served as the resource person. She spoke on legal rights, identity certification process, prohibition of discrimination, welfare provisions, and penal clauses under the Act, while underlining the need to build trust between the police and the transgender community. 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