2 held for abducting Dalit minor, forcibly converting, and marrying her
Muzaffarnagar Two men have been arrested here for allegedly abducting a Dalit minor girl, unlawfully converting her religion, and solemnising marriage with her, officials said on Wednesday. The arrests were made on Tuesday and the incident occurred earlier this month, police said. Circle Officer (Budhana) Gajendra Pal Singh said the main accused, Talib (25), and his associate, Shadab (23), were booked under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) along with provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021. They have also been charged under Section 3 of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and Sections 3 and 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, he said. According to the FIR lodged by the victim’s brother, the minor was abducted on October 5 by Talib with the help of his friend Shadab. She was taken to Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, where she was allegedly forced to convert her religion and later married to Talib through ‘nikah’. Courtesy : THI Note: This news is originally published on https:/thehansindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Kerala halts PM SHRI scheme after CPI’s protest, coalition tensions rise
Kerala has frozen all procedures linked to the PM SHRI schools project after the Communist Party of India (CPI) strongly objected to the move. A cabinet subcommittee will now review the matter as tensions rise within the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF). The Kerala government has suspended all procedures related to the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme following strong objections from the Communist Party of India (CPI), a key ally in the Left Democratic Front (LDF) coalition. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s administration announced the decision after four CPI ministers boycotted the latest cabinet meeting in protest. The party accused the state government of signing the PM SHRI memorandum of understanding (MoU) without consulting the cabinet or coalition partners. SEVEN-MEMBER PANEL TO REVIEW DECISION A seven-member cabinet subcommittee has been formed to examine the scheme in detail. All related procedures will remain frozen until the committee submits its report. Kerala will write to the Centre seeking relaxations in the scheme’s conditions, calling certain provisions “unacceptable”. The chief minister has also instructed the Education Department to halt the process of finalising schools to be brought under the project. The decision followed a CPI(M) secretariat meeting at the AKG Centre, attended by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, CPI(M) national secretariat member M A Baby, state secretary M V Govindan, and LDF convener T P Ramakrishnan. However, no official government announcement has been made yet. COALITION CRACKS DEEPEN The CPI’s four ministers, K Rajan, P Prasad, G R Anil Kumar, and J Chinchurani, skipped the cabinet meeting, demanding that the government formally freeze the MoU and inform the Centre in writing, with the letter made public. Reports suggest Kerala may not be able to withdraw from the project since state representatives have already signed the agreement. Under the PM SHRI guidelines, the Centre can recover funds if a state violates the terms of the deal. Efforts to resolve the crisis have so far been unsuccessful. Chief Minister Vijayan held discussions with CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam and CPI ministers earlier this week, but talks failed to produce a consensus. POLITICAL TENSIONS OVER EDUCATION POLICY The CPI has accused the PM SHRI initiative of being a backdoor route to impose the National Education Policy (NEP) and “communalise, centralise, and commercialise” education. Union Minister of State George Kurian, however, recently clarified that the scheme does not impose any central syllabus or policy on participating states. With the dispute intensifying, the episode marks one of the sharpest rifts between the CPI and CPI(M) within the LDF government since it assumed office. 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
Transgender and two others arrested for possessing mephedrone
Pune: The Anti-Narcotics Task Force of Maharashtra police on Tuesday evening arrested a transgender person (21), a woman (27), and a Ghorpadi-based man (22) for allegedly possessing mephedrone. Other than the drugs, a weighing machine and a scooter — collectively estimated at Rs 4.32 lakh — were seized from them, police said. A police officer said the transgender and the woman were searching for customers on Manjari Road near Hadapsar when they were nabbed by a team, headed by deputy superintendent of police Ganesh Ingle. Later, the two told police that the Ghorpadi resident supplied them the drugs to sell, the officer said. An FIR under sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act was registered at the Hadapsar police station. Police said the transgender and the woman are residents of Hadapsar. 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
‘If you tell Modi to dance…’: Rahul Gandhi opens Bihar campaign with attack on PM; brings back ‘vote chori’ barb
NEW DELHI: Weeks after the Election Commission announced poll dates in Bihar — and days after the Mahagathbandhan released its chief ministerial face — leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi finally kicked off his election campaign in the state on Wednesday. Addressing a rally in Muzaffarpur, the Congress leader launched a fierce attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that “he just wants vote” and alleging that he would go to any extent to win elections. — INCIndia (@INCIndia) “He just wants your vote. If 200 people from the crowd ask PM Modi to dance on stage in return for votes, the dance would begin. PM Modi will start performing Bharatnatyam on stage,” Rahul said. Follow Bihar Assembly Election 2025 Live Updates Taking a swipe at the Prime Minister’s statement on Chhath Puja observance on the banks of the Yamuna, Rahul mocked the act, saying, “They staged a drama and showed the truth of India… The Yamuna has dirty water. If someone drank it, they would either get sick or die. No one can go inside. The water is so dirty that if you enter it, you would get sick or get an infection… But Modi staged a drama. He built a small pond there… They will show you anything for elections… A pipe is installed from behind. Clean water is poured into it… The problem arose that someone took a photo of the pipe..” Continuing his tirade, Rahul reiterated his charge of “vote chori” and accused the BJP of subverting democracy. “They are engaged in stealing your votes. Because they want to end this election disease. I am telling you, they stole elections in Maharashtra, they stole elections in Haryana, and they will try their best in Bihar,” he said. The Congress leader also hit out at PM Modi over economic policies, accusing him of crushing small businesses through demonetisation and GST. “Tell me what is written on the back of your phone. Made in China. Narendra Modi ji has destroyed all the small businesses by implementing demonetisation and GST. Wherever you look, it is Made in China. We say that it should not be Made in China, it should be Made in Bihar. Mobiles, shirts, pants — all these should be made in Bihar and the youth of Bihar should get employment in those factories. We want such a Bihar,” he declared. BJP hits back at Rahul BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari on Wednesday hit back at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over his remark that “PM Modi will dance for votes,” branding him a “local goon.” Bhandari accused the Congress leader of “mocking voters” and “insulting” the poor with his comments. In a post on X, the BJP leader said, “Rahul Gandhi speaks like a ‘Local Goon’. Rahul Gandhi has openly insulted every poor of India, & Bihar who has voted for PM Narendra Modi ji! Rahul Gandhi has mocked voters and Indian democracy.” — pradip103 (@pradip103) ‘Nitish ji’s face being used’: Rahul Rahul didn’t spare Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar either, claiming he was merely a “face” while the BJP pulled the strings from behind. “Nitish ji’s face is being used. The remote control is in the hands of the BJP. You should not think that the voice of the most backward people is heard there,” he said. Accusing the BJP of being “against social justice,” Rahul added, “Three or four people control it. BJP controls it. They have the remote controller in their hands, and they have nothing to do with social justice. I said in front of the Prime Minister in the Lok Sabha that you should get the caste census done. He did not say a single word… BJP is against social justice. They do not want it.” As Bihar gears up for a high-stakes battle, the political lines are clearly drawn. The NDA — comprising the BJP, JD(U), LJP (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), and Rashtriya Lok Morcha — faces off against the Mahagathbandhan, led by the RJD and including Congress, CPI-ML, CPI, CPM, and Mukesh Sahani’s VIP. Adding another twist, Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj has announced candidates for all 243 assembly seats. Bihar will vote in two phases on November 6 and 11, with results to be declared on November 14. 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
‘Trump insulting Modi in country after country’: Rahul Gandhi on US president’s India-Pak claim in South Korea; urges him to respond
NEW DELHI: Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to respond to the US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims on India-Pakistan truce. Pointing out Trump’s recent remarks made at Apec summit in South Korea, Rahul said, “Trump is insulting Modi in country after country. Latest is South Korea.” Highlighting snippets from Trump’s speech where he “repeated that he used trade to frighten Modi into stopping Operation Sindoor” and “said 7 planes were shot down”, the Congress leader said: “Don’t be scared Modi ji, find the courage to respond.” — RahulGandhi (@RahulGandhi) While PM Modi has steered clear from making any direct remarks on Trump’s claims, India has, at several occasions, clarified that India-Pakistan truce was completely bilateral in nature, at the request of Pakistan DGMO and did not involve any third party intervention. Earlier in the day, while Trump admired PM Modi as a “great-looking guy, killer and tough as hell”, he also said that it was his efforts that made India and Pakistan stop fighting. “If you look at India, and Pakistan, so, I’m doing a trade deal with India, and I have great respect and and love. As you know, for Prime Minister Modi, we have a great relationship. Likewise, the prime minister of Pakistan is a great guy. And the field marshal, they have a field marshal. He’s a great fighter. He really is, he’s a great guy too,” he said. “And I’m reading that 7 planes were shot down. They’re going at it and they’re really starting to go and this is a big thing,” he added. “These are 2 nuclear nations, and they’re really starting to go and this is a big thing. And I called Prime Minister Modi and I said we can’t make a trade deal with you know. I said, no, we can’t. you starting a war with Pakistan. We’re not going to do it. And then I called Pakistan, I said we’re not going to do trade with you because you’re fighting with India,” he claimed. 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
Bihar elections: After weeks of being away, Rahul Gandhi returns with vitriol for PM Modi
PATNA: Missing in action for weeks, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi opened his campaign for INDIA bloc in Bihar Wednesday with a barrage of personal attacks targeting PM Narendra Modi, saying the latter would “happily dance for votes” if he needed to. “Modi ji just wants your votes… He can perform Bharatanatyam,” the Rae Bareli MP said at a rally in Muzaffarpur, INDIA bloc’s CM face Tejashwi Yadav by his side. The vitriol continued to flow in Darbhanga, where he told the crowd that BJP was out to “steal your votes like they did in Maharashtra & Haryana”. Asking people to be extra careful this poll season to prevent “vote theft”, Rahul said, “Catch BJP people if they try to steal your votes at polling booths…” Rahul, whose absence from opposition’s campaign was as much a talking point as his prolonged reluctance to acknowledge RJD scion Tejashwi as the chief ministerial candidate, alleged that Nitish Kumar was CM only in name. “Nitish is not running the govt. It is Modi and (Amit) Shah who are running it through remote control.” He also accused PM Modi of failing to counter US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that his intervention halted Operation Sindoor against Pakistan. “Trump has said it 50 times…He is constantly insulting PM Modi, but the latter is silent. Not once has he said Trump is lying as he is scared of the US President. Indira Gandhi stuck to her stand on Bangladesh during 1971 India-Pakistan war despite international pressure… That is what a PM means,” he said, suggesting that was why PM Modi “can’t develop Bihar”. Rahul asked voters to distinguish between people prone to making false promises and those working with good intentions. Tejashwi appealed to voters to give him one chance. “I haven’t done anybody harm. If I get a chance to govern, you will get govt jobs,” he 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
Dalit laborer chased and beaten in Ayodhya: Intervention proved costly, SHO says action will be taken after investigation
A video of a Dalit laborer being brutally beaten in Sitholi village, under the Patranga police station area of Ayodhya, has gone viral on social media. In the video, two young men are seen repeatedly kicking, punching, and slapping the laborer. According to reports, the victim has been identified as Asaram, son of Ram Baran, a resident of Sitholi. It is reported that a dispute was taking place between two young men named Sirtaj and Haseeb in the village. Asaram intervened and advised them to stop fighting and sit down and talk. But Asaram’s words took offense to the two young men. It is alleged that they abused Asaram and chased him and beat him. A villager filmed the entire incident and made it viral on social media. The victim has filed a complaint at the Patranga police station, seeking justice. In this case, Patranga Inspector-in-Charge Shashikant Yadav stated that after receiving the victim’s complaint, a sub-inspector has been dispatched to investigate. If the allegations are found to be true, strict legal action will be taken against both accused by filing a case under the relevant sections. Courtesy: Hindi News
Karnataka: Amid demands for a Dalit CM, SC/ST ministers stage a major “show of strength,” preparing for “Dalit Ekta Samavesh” next month.
Is a show of strength being planned under the guise of “Dalit Ekta Samavesh”? Ministers united under G. Parameshwara’s leadership, with all eyes on the high command’s response. Bengaluru: A major development is taking place in Karnataka politics. Ministers from the state’s Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities, led by Home Minister G. Parameshwara, have revived plans to hold a major community conference next month. The conference, dubbed “Dalit Ekta Samavesh,” is expected to be held in Chitradurga or Davangere. This proposed rally, seen as a potential “show of strength,” has created a stir in political circles. This move comes amid heightened debate over the possibility of a transfer of power from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to his Deputy Chief Minister, D.K. Shivakumar. Additionally, the demand for a Dalit Chief Minister in the state is gaining momentum again. This isn’t the first time such a rally has been planned. Previous attempts to organize such a rally had been made, but had to be shelved after the party high command didn’t approve. At that time, it was believed that Shivakumar’s supporters opposed the event, seeing it as an attempt by the Siddaramaiah camp to undermine the informal power-sharing arrangement between the two senior leaders. However, this time, Dalit ministers are moving forward with renewed determination. After a meeting in Bengaluru with cabinet colleague H.C. Mahadevappa, Parameshwara said, “Dalit voters wholeheartedly supported the Congress in the elections, and it is our duty to express our gratitude.” He added, “We must inform them about the series of schemes implemented for them by our government and explain future plans.” Parameshwara, Mahadevappa, KH Muniyappa, RB Thimmapur, and Satish Jarkiholi (from the ST community) have regrouped to form an internal pressure group within the government. Former ministers KN Rajanna and B Nagendra (both from the Valmiki community) were also part of this group before being dropped from the cabinet. This group previously attracted attention by highlighting its role in the Congress’s landslide victory in the 2023 assembly elections. Significantly, Congress won 31 of the 36 SC-reserved seats and 14 of the 15 ST-reserved seats. The discussion about a Dalit Chief Minister has further fueled speculation. This debate was reignited when Siddaramaiah’s son and MLC Yatindra Siddaramaiah described Jarkiholi as his father’s “political successor.” Recently, party workers in Kolar raised slogans in support of Muniyappa for the top post. Parameshwara also openly supported Muniyappa, citing his long political career. But Muniyappa offered a measured response. He said, “Parameshwara is one of our most respected members. He has the distinction of serving as KPCC president for eight years, the longest tenure, and has also served as deputy CM. When we talk about a Dalit CM, Parameshwara will naturally be considered based on merit.” However, he added, “But now is not the time to discuss a CM change. Siddaramaiah will continue his full five-year term.” Regarding the proposed rally, Muniyappa said, “We are awaiting the high command’s approval.” Parameshwara maintained that there was nothing wrong with demanding a Dalit CM or holding a Dalit convention. He added, “We should listen to their (the community’s) demands and assure them of the future.” Jarkiholi, on the other hand, took a cautious stance, saying, “We should patiently wait for our turn. Whatever we plan to do is in the best interest of the party.” Political analysts say the Congress high command’s response will be closely watched, especially given that AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge and his ministerial son, Priyank Kharge, both come from the Dalit community. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News
Minor Dalit girl assaulted, plea for justice: Victim appeals to SP and DM for alleged assault against bullies in Gurubakshganj police station area
A case of assault on a minor Dalit girl from Jhabra Majra Korihar, under the Gurubakshganj police station area of Rae Bareli district, has come to light. The victim alleges that bullies kicked and punched her and hurled casteist slurs at her. Accusing the police of inaction, she has appealed to the Superintendent of Police and District Magistrate’s offices for justice. The victim stated that she was grazing goats in her field when a group of rivals attacked her. They grabbed her hair and threw her to the ground, after which the mother and son assaulted her and abused her using casteist slurs. According to the victim, she filed a written complaint about the incident at the local Gurubakshganj police station. However, the police have yet to take any action in the matter. She also alleges that she is being threatened by the police themselves after filing the complaint. Failing to receive justice, the victim today appealed to the Superintendent of Police and District Magistrate’s offices for justice. Ashish Prajapati Courtesy: Hindi News
Dalit teenager kidnapped, forcibly converted, then married… Victim recovered from Jabalpur, MP; Talib and Shadab arrested
Abducted on October 5th and taken to Jabalpur, MP; recovered on October 26th. The accused have been charged with several serious sections, including the POCSO Act and the SC/ST Act. Muzaffarnagar/Uttar Pradesh. Police have arrested two young men on serious charges of allegedly kidnapping, forcibly converting, and then marrying a Dalit minor girl. Officials revealed the case on Wednesday. Police made the arrests on Tuesday, although the incident occurred earlier this month. Case filed under these serious sections Budhana Circle Officer (CO) Gajendra Pal Singh stated that a case has been filed against the main accused, Talib (25), and his accomplice, Shadab (23), under several serious sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Additionally, action has been taken against the accused under the provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act, 2021. The CO stated that, given the gravity of the case, the accused have also been charged under Section 3 of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and Sections 3 and 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. Brother Filed FIR According to the FIR filed by the victim’s brother, Talib, with the help of his friend Shadab, kidnapped his minor sister on October 5th. The FIR alleges that they abducted the girl and took her to Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. There, the girl was allegedly pressured to convert to Islam and later forcibly married to the main accused, Talib. The complaint also alleges that the accused sexually assaulted her during her captivity. Victim recovered from Jabalpur Taking action in the case, police safely recovered the teenager from Jabalpur on October 26 and brought her back to Muzaffarnagar. Following the victim’s recovery, police arrested both named accused from the Budhana area on Tuesday. Police officials say a detailed investigation is underway. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News