VCK set to promote two non-Dalit MLAs as treasurer and general secretary
VCK is set to elevate two non-Dalit MLAs, Aloor J Mohamed Shanavas and S S Balaji, as the party’s one of the general secretaries and treasurer respectively. CHENNAI: In a move that underlines its stated intent of not getting pigeonholed as a ‘Dalit’ party, the VCK is set to elevate two non-Dalit MLAs, Aloor J Mohamed Shanavas and S S Balaji, as the party’s one of the general secretaries and treasurer respectively. According to party sources, Shanavas, currently a deputy general secretary and MLA representing Nagapattinam constituency, will fill a long-vacant slot of general secretary reserved for a non-Dalit in accordance with the party’s by-law. The post has remained unfilled since Kalaikottu Udhayam left the party to join NTK. Thiruporur MLA Balaji is expected to take over as treasurer, a position that has been vacant since the demise of former treasurer Yusuf. Party insiders said these appointments, expected to be made before the formal internal elections, are intended to signal the leadership’s commitment towards inclusivity and outreach. The elevation of a Muslim MLA as general secretary and a non-Dalit MLA as treasurer is seen as a strategic step to broaden the party’s support among religious minorities, OBCs, and other non-Dalits. The promotions are part of the party’s larger restructuring initiative by the VCK, which has expanded its district units from 144 to 234 to align with the number of Tamil Nadu’s assembly constituencies. The party – which has four MLAs – has appointed 83 senior functionaries to oversee the formation of new district teams, each comprising a district secretary, four deputy secretaries (including one woman and one non-Dalit), two executive members, and four additional office-bearers. The party has also committed to reserving 10% of district secretary posts for non-Dalits and women, and 25% for youth aged below 35. Courtesy : S Kumaresan, TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Sensitisation drive for hosp staff on transgender patients’ rights
Kolkata: Shahanawaz, a transgender (TG) woman, was taken to SSKM Hospital with acute abdominal pain caused by appendicitis. The Alipore resident alleged that even while she was in extreme pain, doctors at the emergency department kept whispering to each other and offered her only a painkiller. Unable to bear the excruciating pain, she went to a nursing home to get her appendix removed. “I could understand they were discussing my gender and where to admit me. I was then rushed to a nursing home as the treatment was delayed. This was five years ago. But nothing much has changed since then,” said Shahanawaz. Shahanawaz is not alone; the TG community at large faces multiple problems in accessing healthcare services. The fear of being rejected and the negative experiences they face force many to shun medical care unless it is an emergency situation. “There is no doubt that TG persons face a lot of hurdles while seeking medical attention due to a lack of sensitisation. It is a painful experience for them. This sensitisation has to percolate down to the lowest rung of healthcare providers from the top,” said Kaustav Nayak, director of the Institute of Health & Family Welfare Kolkata, during a sensitisation programme at Swasthya Bhawan. Organised by the department of psychiatric social work, Institute of Psychiatry (IOP) IPGMER, and National Institute of Social Defense (TG division), doctors, paramedics, and even security guards of govt hospitals attended the three-day-long programme. “From being bullied in school because of our gender identity, which does not fall into the binary, to discrimination at hospitals, life is tough for a TG person,” said Kajal Roy, who dropped out of school. Anuprabha Das Mazumder, another TG woman, said she was forced to get her dengue treatment done in a cabin of a private hospital in 2022, even though she would have opted for a ward as her condition was not serious. “Apart from two private hospitals – one with a TG clinic and the other reserving one or two beds for patients from the community, there is no structured policy that would ensure equitable healthcare access, especially in public healthcare systems,” said Bappaditya Mukherjee, of Prantakatha, an organisation that works on gender issues and also runs a clinic for the TG community. Mayank Kumar, assistant professor at IOP’s department of psychiatric social work, hopes that such sensitisation programmes will evoke acceptable behaviour from the healthcare community. Plastic and reconstructive surgeon Manish Mukul Ghosh deliberated on the facts of sex reassignment surgery that many from the community undergo. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Indian Youth Congress file complaints in multiple states for targeting Rahul Gandhi in sanitary pad case
Under the supervision, leadership and instructions of Indian Youth Congress National In-Charge Shri Krishna Allavaru, National President Uday Bhanu Chib, and National Legal Cell Chairman Roopesh Singh Bhadauria, the IYC Legal Cell has launched an all-fronts legal counteroffensive against the coordinated and malicious digital campaign aimed at defaming Rahul Gandhi and mocking women’s dignity, a press release from the Indian Youth Congress said. On July 5, 2025, a doctored image and vulgar video targeting Rahul Gandhi Ji connected to a social welfare campaign to distribute sanitary pads in Bihar was circulated by Ratan Ranjan and further amplified by @MrSinha_, Arun Kosli, Sanjay Nirupam, Adv Sunil Sharma, and Rishi Bagree and multiple other habitual Offenders. The content, deeply offensive, exploited a women-centric issue to spread political misogyny and orchestrated defamation. This is not political expression. This is criminal intent–cloaked in digital propaganda. Legal Action Across Multiple States: In Karnataka, an FIR was registered at High Grounds Police Station, Bengaluru, under Sections 192, 336(4), 354, 294, 196, and 197 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with Section 67 of the IT Act, 2000 In Delhi, a complaint has been filed at Mandir Marg Police Station, and a parallel complaint has been submitted via the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal byDelhi Pradesh Youth Congress Legal Cell Chairman Shri Vivek Punia. In Telangana, under the leadership of State Legal Cell President Adv. Jakkidi Shiva Charan Reddy and Coordinator Adv. Gudur Nikhil Reddy, an FIR has also been registered against the culprits. “BJP has crossed all limits of decency. They’re trying to divert attention from their impending defeat in Bihar by morphing images and insulting women. It’s not just about our leader — it’s about the dignity of every Indian woman. This is unacceptable and legally punishable. This is beyond defamation. This is an outright insult to the dignity of Indian women. The BJP IT cell is spreading filth to mock a welfare initiative. We’ve taken legal action. Let there be no doubt — we will pursue this to its logical end”, IYC Legal Cell Incharge Krishna Allavaru said in his statement. “BJP is a master in manufacturing fake narratives, but this is a new low. Twisting a noble act of public service into obscene propaganda is reprehensible, both politically and morally. The Indian Youth Congress stands firm. We will not allow such degradation to go unpunished”. He even said that Weaponising menstruation to score political points is a misogynistic disgrace. Disinformation against public leaders is not free speech — it’s criminal speech”, IYC National President Shri Uday Bhanu Chib’s statement said. The Indian Youth Congress will pursue every legal remedy under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Information Technology laws to hold these offenders accountable. There will be consequences – swift, severe, and permanent. And this time, there will be no mercy. “This orchestrated smear campaign is not just about digital hate, it is a criminal conspiracy to degrade women, dehumanise public discourse, and politically vilifya Leader of Opposition. We are responding firmly and lawfully. This is only the beginning. There will be no leniency. Disgusting that The IT cell’s propaganda mocks menstruation and uses it to insult Rahul Gandhi Ji. This isn’t just defamation — this is a crime against every woman. FIRs are being registered. Let the guilty face consequences – legal, harsh, and irreversible”, National Chairman Legal Cell Shri Roopesh Singh Bhadauria said in his statement. Courtesy : TET Note: This news is originally published on https:/theeconomictimes.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Rahul Gandhi to visit Patna on July 9, will join protests over electoral rolls revision, labour code
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be in Patna on Wednesday for a “chakka jam” against the new labour code and special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, leaders of the INDIA bloc said. The announcement was made on Monday at a press conference, which was attended by Leader of the Opposition in the assembly Tejashwi Yadav, state Congress president Rajesh Kumar, AICC in charge for Bihar Krishna Allavaru, and leaders of Left parties. Kumar said Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, will join the protesters in the state capital, where a march has been proposed to the office of the Election Commission. Yadav said, “We will be with Gandhi in Patna, but the stir will be held across Bihar. We are extending support to the chakka jam against the labour code which is as much an assault on democracy as the revision of electoral rolls.” He also alleged that the special intensive revision, which will be complete in less than a month from now, has so far been mired in “confusion” and accused the EC of trying to help the ruling BJP-led NDA through the exercise. Courtesy : TET Note: This news is originally published on https:/theeconomictimes.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Clash over Ambedkar songs at Dalit wedding procession in Mathura; 2 hurt
Agra: A violent clash involving stone-pelting and physical assault broke out on Saturday evening in Mathura during the wedding procession of two Dalit grooms, allegedly over DJ music featuring songs dedicated to BR Ambedkar and those “glorifying” the Jatav community. Police said the incident occurred between 6:30 and 7:30 pm in Dahrua village under Jamunapar police station limits. According to the FIR filed by Devendra Kumar, cousin of the grooms Ram Kumar (22) and Saurabh Kumar (23), “In the wedding procession, the DJ was playing songs praising the Jatav community. Some members of the Thakur community objected to the songs and started pelting stones and hurling abuses.” The objection quickly escalated into a physical altercation, in which two people sustained minor injuries. Local police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. Jamunapar SHO Ajay Kishore said, “An FIR has been filed in connection with the matter under BNS sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 352 (assault or criminal force), 351(3) (criminal intimidation), 125 (endangering life or personal safety of others), and relevant provisions of the SC/ST Act against three people.” DSP Sandeep Singh of Mathura’s Sadar area added, “I am investigating this case. Prima facie, we have found that the issue was with the DJ playing the songs, not with the people in the wedding procession. Two people have been detained for questioning and the probe is ongoing.” Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Headlines of The DayAfter US stopped aid, India’s first transgender-led health clinic reopens
Months after India’s first transgender-led health clinic — Mitr Clinic — was shut down following a funding freeze by USAID, the landmark facility has made a comeback with a new name and renewed financial backing. Now reopened as Sabrang Clinic, the community-run healthcare centre resumed services in May 2025 with support from the Tata Trusts, project lead Subash Ghosh said. “Once the USAID issue happened in January, we had to shut down operations. But we reached out to several philanthropic organisations and individuals. And now, Tata Trusts is supporting us,” Mr. Ghosh told The Hindu in an exclusive conversation. Launched in 2021 in Hyderabad’s Narayanguda, Mitr Clinic broke new ground not only as a dedicated healthcare facility for transgender people, but also as the first in India to be entirely staffed and managed by members of the trans community. “From doctors to clinic managers, everyone is from the community. Over 3,000 patients have been served since the clinic started,” he said. Services offered General health services Counselling and clinical consultation on Hormone Replacement Therapy, Breast Augmentation, Gender Affirmation Procedures and Mental Health Treatment for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Psychological support The staff at the clinic includes one medical officer, one nurse, one counsellor, and two outreach workers. The clinic runs from Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. A lifeline after USAID The shutdown in January 2025 left many transgender people and members of LGBTQIA+ community without access to trusted, stigma-free healthcare. During the interim, the clinic team continued providing online consultations and medicine delivery support until new funding could be secured. That lifeline arrived in April, when the Tata Trusts committed to supporting the clinic for three years. “We got the confirmation in April, and operations resumed from May. They have committed ₹1,500 per person per year,” said Ghosh. Under the earlier USAID programme, funding stood at ₹1,900 per person per year. While the Tata Trusts now fully funds the clinic’s core clinical team, senior staff positions are jointly supported by Tata and YRG Care, an NGO that was also associated with Mitr Clinic. “We had to phase out some roles due to financial constraints, but we are actively reaching out to other donors to help us scale up again,” Ghosh added. A government-inspired model took shape before closure While Mitr Clinic was still operational, the Telangana government launched its own trans-inclusive health facilities in all the 33 districts. The Maitri Clinic drew on learnings from the Mitr model. “We were already working with the Social Welfare Department and the Health Department. They took our approach forward,” said Ghosh. Both clinics coexisted briefly, each serving as a critical lifeline for the transgender and other members of LGBTQIA+ community. Although the Sabrang team considered State support, they chose to independently restart operations to avoid further delays. “Our clinic had more than just a physical space. We had online support systems, strong community outreach, and a trust network built over years. It was important to get that back quickly,” he said. Why ‘Sabrang’? The name Sabrang, meaning ‘all colours’, signals a more expansive vision for inclusive healthcare. “Earlier, we focused solely on transgender communities. But now we recognise that others, especially people from different marginalised groups, including queer and gender-diverse individuals, face similar barriers to healthcare,” said Ghosh. As India’s first transgender-led clinic returns in a renewed form, its commitment remains unchanged: healthcare that is dignified, accessible, and community-driven. “We have come back stronger, more inclusive, and more determined. It is still a space created by the community, only now, we are reaching more people who need it,” Ghosh said. The Hindu Courtesy : Medical Buyer Note: This news is originally published on https:/medicalbuyer.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Atrocities on Dalits in Odisha Reflects Rising ‘Upper’ Caste Hostility Under the BJP Government
Shock waves spread across Odisha and indeed the country after men of the Dalit Pana community were beaten near Dharakot of Ganjam district of the state. They were forced to crawl with grass blades between their teeth and also to drink drain water. They went through that ordeal after they were falsely charged with smuggling cattle by Savarnas. According to media reports the accused have been arrested by Odisha police following a huge outcry against the inhuman treatment of Dalits. The Bharatiya Janata Party government headed by chief minister Mohan Majhi assumed office a year back. So far, the government has not done anything to stem such casteist mistreatment. This author has spoken to rural residents belonging to Dalit and Muslim communities, who believe that BJP workers in Odisha have had a role to play in making violent language against them the new normal in Odisha. Many say that this, in a society where it is not unusual to see people of all castes attending religious functions together, is a new low. Odisha had been one of the most caste conscious states in India but the relations were not marked so much by violence than widespread and structural discrimination. Growing caste hostility A campaign has been mounted by BJP functionaries, claiming that the Panas are beef eaters. The Pana community has a symbolic role to play in Hindu cultural traditions. They perform certain functions in temple ceremonies and weddings. Their skills in beating drums and playing traditional musical instruments are often priceless in Hindu rituals. People from the community collect the skins of dead cows to use them in their drums. Some are sold to shoemakers. Most are agricultural labourers and earning very little. Their temple roles are thus a source of revenue. In Ganjam district, Brahmins and Pradhan communities are usually landlords. It used to be casteist custom that Brahmins’ legs would dangle from their verandahs in such a manner that they would be above the heads of Dalit people. Similarly, Pradhans and other cultivating caste groups displayed a similar approach to Dalits who work as labourers in the agricultural fields. This special bond between Panas and cultivators fosters some kind of fictive kinship among them in rural Odisha. Changing dynamics Dharakota, the place where Pana people were subjected to the most recent atrocity, witnesses large-scale migration to Gujarat and Kerala by non-Dalits who operate a network among their communities. Panas and other Dalit workers have no option but to stay on at their respective villages and work in the lands owned by ‘upper’ caste people. There is, meanwhile, tussle here between Dalit and other backward class communities as both believe that the other is out to take their jobs. Affirmative action has meant government jobs for a section of Dalit people – leading to resentment among others. Pana people are also adept at maintaining livestock – something that leads to a degree of economic prosperity, which again is a precursor to social discontent. A new normal The spread of venomous Hindutva ideology combined with cultivated hatred against the Dalits and Panas in the name of cow protectionism has become a new normal in Odisha under the present BJP dispensation. Professor F.G. Bailey’s 1960 study Tribe Caste and Nation has shed light on the Pana people and their ties with the tribal Kandha community as a microcosm of the hatred at play. Pana people used to face stiff opposition from caste Hindus and the tribal community, both, in entering temples – an oppression that was overcome in due course. Now, Panas are elected sarpanches and play an important role in villages. But in early 2000, Hindutva politics entered into the area and recognised the Kandha as Hindus and Panas as Christians. It caused violent conflicts among them and often resulted in riots. With the coming of the BJP government the problem has been exacerbated. Caste Hindus, furious about the social mobility now enjoyed by Panas, have been pouncing on them with the ruse of cow protectionism. The heart-rending ill treatment of Panas near Dharakot is a blot not only on society and culture of Odisha but on democratic politics. Courtesy : Radha Kant Barik, The Wire Note: This news is originally published on https:/thewire.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Rectify errors in Jagananna land resurvey: Dalit farmers
The Dalit families alleged that some revenue officials, in collusion with local vested interests, had tampered with the land records. VISAKHAPATNAM: Sixteen Dalit families from Garnikam revenue village in Ravikamatham mandal of Anakapalle district have demanded that errors in land records be rectified to enable them eligible for farmer welfare schemes. They staged a protest in their village on Saturday to press for their demand. The Dalits said they were allotted 20 acres of D-Patta land by the government, where they have developed mango orchards, and have been cultivating for several years. They had also availed bank loans based on these lands. “However, during the resurvey under the Jagananna Saswitha Bhoohakku -Bhu Raksha Scheme, the cultivated D-Patta lands were marked as government land in the webland records. This error has resulted in the removal of our names from official land records, affecting our access to welfare schemes and bank credit,” they said. The Dalit families alleged that some revenue officials, in collusion with local vested interests, had tampered with the land records. ‘Banks denying us loans due to errors in records’ Despite submitting applications at two recent revenue grievance meetings held by the present coalition government, they said no corrective action has been taken so far. “Previously, we received benefits under the Rythu Bharosa scheme. Now, we find our names missing from the Annadata Sukhibhava list, and banks are denying us loans due to discrepancies in land records,” they lamented. The Dalit families urged the Anakapalle Joint Collector to visit the lands, and ensure the restoration of their land rights. K Govinda Rao, district assistant secretary of Agricultural Workers Union, and Ch Suri Babu, mandal secretary of the Committee Against Caste Discrimination, also participated in the protest. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Gopal Khemka murder: Rahul Gandhi slams Nitish Kumar, BJP over Patna businessman’s murder, calls Bihar ‘India’s crime capital’
NEW DELHI: Congress leader and leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi on Sunday hit out at the BJP-led NDA government and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar over the murder of businessman Gopal Khemka, calling it proof that the state has turned into “India’s crime capital”. In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said, “The brazen murder of businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna has once again proven – the BJP and Nitish Kumar have together turned Bihar into India’s crime capital. Today, Bihar lives in the shadow of loot, gunfire, and murder. Crime has become the ‘new normal’ here – and the government is utterly ineffective.” Appealing to voters, he added, “Brothers and sisters of Bihar, this injustice can no longer be tolerated. A government that cannot ensure the safety of your children cannot be trusted with your future. Every murder, every robbery, every bullet – is a cry for change. Now is the time for a new Bihar – where there is progress, not fear. This time, your vote is not just to change the government, but to save Bihar.” Businessman Gopal Khemka was shot dead on July 4 around 11 pm near Gandhi Maidan in Patna. Superintendent of Police (SP) Patna, Diksha, confirmed the incident, stating, “On the night of July 4, at around 11 pm, we received information that businessman Gopal Khemka has been shot dead in the south area of the Gandhi Maidan. The crime scene has been secured, and further investigation is underway. One bullet and one shell have been recovered.” Director general of police (DGP) Vinay Kumar said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the case, and will be headed by the SP, City Central. The incident bears resemblance to the 2018 killing of Gopal’s son, Gunjan Khemka, a BJP leader and then state convener of the party’s small industries cell. Gunjan was shot dead at his cotton bandage factory in Hajipur. Following his murder, there was a reported lack of presence by top BJP leadership at the funeral, which left the family disappointed. Ram Khemka, uncle of the deceased, told TOI at the Gulbi Ghat crematorium, “Gunjan used to spend 3–4 hours every day working for the BJP. Yet no senior leader or minister even raised their voice against his killing.” Only a few BJP MLAs, including Nitin Navin, Arun Kumar Sinha, and Sanjeev Chaurasia, were present at the funeral. Though state BJP president Nityanand Rai visited later, the family had by then decided not to take Gunjan’s body to the party office for last rites. Reacting to the killing, RJD leader Mrityunjay Tiwari said, “It is very sad. The government will have to answer as a businessman was killed in the posh area of Gandhi Maidan. The police reached after two hours. It happened near the police headquarters. Tejashwi Yadav has been showing the crime bulletin, but this government is sleeping. Bihar wants to get rid of this government now. It is a Gunda Raj, what else?” Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
FIR filed in Bengaluru for defamatory content on Rahul Gandhi
Bengaluru: High Grounds police have registered an FIR against Ratan Ranjan and others for allegedly publishing obscene and defamatory content targeting leader of the Opposition of Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and outraging the modesty of women. According to the complaint, filed by Priyanka Devi, a Congress worker, Ranjan, a resident of Vaishali district in Bihar, posted a digitally altered image of Rahul Gandhi on social media platform X, placing his photo inside a sanitary pad, accompanied by a mocking caption. The post was in reference to a recent women’s health initiative led by the All India Mahila Congress, which involved distribution of sanitary pads to underprivileged women in rural Bihar to raise awareness about menstrual hygiene. The Karnataka unit of the Indian Youth Congress’ legal cell in a statement alleged that the post, far from being satirical, was “lewd, derogatory, and intentionally crafted to outrage the modesty of women,” while also trivialising a health campaign aimed at dismantling menstrual taboos. Police said they will issue notices to the people named in the FIR. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.