Bound to be ‘tamasha’ over my book: Sonia Gandhi
NEW DELHI: Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi Tuesday said her upcoming autobiography ‘Belonging’ is set to kick up public drama, since people have their views about her. In an Instagram post, she said, “There is bound to be tamasha when this book comes out. After all, others have spent decades telling my ‘story’, now it’s my turn.” She said a lot has been written about her that was either invented or exaggerated. “So, it gave me the feeling of being able to now put down my story and describe facts and things as they really were… People have different views, some may change their views about me and some people’s views may become worse. But it is what it is. That’s what happens when you write a book or when you are in public life.” Sonia also left a teaser: “When my husband was asked to become PM, which I was totally against…” 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
‘Leader Is Bulldozing’: Kharge, Nadda Lock Horns Over TMC MP’s Speech In Rajya Sabha
A heated argument erupted in the Rajya Sabha after TMC MP Dola Sen raised the Home Affairs Ministry’s directive to rename all Raj Bhavans as Lok Bhavans. Sen claimed neither Parliament nor state governments had been consulted. Tensions rose when she began mentioning other issues, including MGNREGA, leading the Chair to intervene and rule that off-topic remarks would not be recorded. Leader of the House JP Nadda objected to the deviation, insisting only comments related to the Lok Bhavan issue should remain on record. Chairman CP Radhakrishnan supported this view. Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge defended Sen, arguing she had not spoken anything unparliamentary and accusing the government of “bulldozing” and suppressing debate. Nadda denied the accusation, maintaining he sought only procedural discipline.Rea 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
Transgender protesters remove clothes, hurl abuses at police on busy Jhansi road; 5 held
JHANSI: More than half a dozen transgender persons staged a protest on a busy road near Jhansi’s Police Lines on Saturday evening, allegedly removing their clothes, using abusive language and raising slogans against the police. The protest lasted over an hour and disrupted traffic in the area. Five people were arrested and produced before a remand magistrate on Sunday. — jhansipolice (@jhansipolice) According to reports, the protest stemmed from a long-standing dispute between two groups of transgender persons over the allocation of areas where they work. Members of the two groups have clashed several times in the past. On Saturday evening, members of both groups gathered near the Police Lines and began protesting on the road amid heavy rush-hour traffic. The protesters were seen pulling down their clothes, running on the road, raising slogans against the police and using abusive language. They later blocked both sides of the road with police barricades, bringing traffic to a halt. They also clashed with commuters, while police personnel struggled to bring the situation under control. At the time of the protest, a high-level crime review meeting was underway at the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) office. After considerable efforts, the police brought the situation under control and arrested five people. SP City Preeti Singh said the arrested accused were Anshika alias Abhishek, a leader of one of the groups; her mother, Mamta; Russian Kinner; Pooja; and Balbir alias Babli. All five have been booked under Sections 151(2), 285, 296, 293, 121(1), 132, 221 and 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). 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
Why Abhijeet Dipke Defies Dalit Leadership Stereotype: Harish Wankhede Explains
Wankhede describes why Dipke has tasted unique success and how it presents a new possibility in Dalit leadership. Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder’s success as a mainstream leader in the youth-led NEET protests in June-July, going beyond and along with his caste identity has presented a unique possibility in Indian politics, says Harish Wankhede, assistant professor, Centre for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. In an interview with The Wire’s senior political correspondent Sravasti Dasgupta, Wankhede describes why Dipke has tasted unique success, how it presents a new possibility in Dalit leadership, how the CJP’s October protests against the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar failed to gather mass momentum, why the BJP was better prepared in comparison to July and the many challenges that lay ahead for Dipke and the CJP. Sravasti Dasgupta Courtesy : The Wire Note: This news is originally published on https:/thewire.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
MP: Minor Dalit Girl’s Clothes Allegedly Torn During Assault Over Land Dispute
A video showing three women, including a minor schoolgirl, allegedly being assaulted by a group of men over a land dispute in Madhya Pradesh’s Guna district has surfaced on social media. The incident reportedly took place on October 19 under the jurisdiction of the Cantt police station. According to the complaint, the accused allegedly dragged the women into a house, assaulted them, tore the minor girl’s clothes, hurled caste based abuses and threatened to kill them if they returned to the disputed field. Police have registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The accused are being searched for, according to police. Family Was Heading to Police Station Over Missing Maize In her complaint, the Class 10 student said her family had been involved in a long standing land dispute with a villager identified as Gajram Yadav. On October 19, around 6:30 am, the family discovered that four to five piles of maize stored in their field were missing. The student’s father, Kok Singh, brother Hari Singh and maternal uncle Balistir Ahirwar left on a motorcycle to report the matter to the police. The student later set out for the police station with her mother, Tulsabai, and sister in law, Seema Ahirwar, carrying documents related to the land. According to the complaint, the three women were intercepted near Gajram Yadav’s house by Gajram, Lallu Yadav, Ramkumar Yadav and Dharmendra Yadav. Minor Girl Allegedly Assaulted, Clothes Torn The complaint alleges that the men forcibly dragged the women into a house and assaulted them with kicks, punches and slaps. The minor student reportedly sustained injuries to her head, back and arms, while her mother and sister in law also suffered injuries. Ramkumar Yadav allegedly tore the student’s clothes during the assault. The accused also allegedly used caste based slurs and threatened to kill the family if they returned to the disputed field. Hearing the women’s cries, a Dial 112 police vehicle reached the spot and took them to the police station. Father, Brother and Maternal Uncle Also Allegedly Attacked Police later learnt that the student’s father, brother and maternal uncle had also allegedly been assaulted by the accused while they were on their way to report the missing maize. CSP Saifa Hashmi said a case had been registered on the basis of the written complaint and statements. Police are searching for the accused. Courtesy : TOP Note: This news is originally published on https:/theobserverpost.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Ayodhya News: Three-and-a-half-year sentence for Dalit harassment
Ayodhya. The court has convicted Prem Nath Mishra, the accused, in a case of assaulting a Dalit man and using casteist slurs. Special SC-ST Act Judge Deepak Yadav on Monday sentenced the accused to three years and six months’ imprisonment and a fine of 14,000 rupees. The case occurred in Sumerpur village, under the Kumarganj police station area, in 2012. According to the prosecution, Hub Lal was returning home from the fields at around 8 a.m. on December 9th. Prem Nath Mishra chased him, assaulted him with sticks, and insulted him with casteist slurs. He was also allegedly threatened with death. Hub Lal’s nephew Vinod and his brother’s wife, Dhela, who tried to intervene, were also assaulted, resulting in injuries. During the trial, the 73-year-old victim, Hub Lal, recorded his statement in court. The prosecution presented seven witnesses. Based on the statements of witnesses and the available evidence, the judge convicted Prem Nath Mishra and sentenced him. Courtesy: Hindi News
FIR against 2 for molesting Dalit woman
Pilibhit: An FIR was registered against two men for allegedly molesting a 30-year-old Dalit woman, hurling casteist slurs at her and threatening to kill her in Pilibhit, police said on Monday. The incident took place on Oct 23 when the woman had gone with her cousin to use a toilet near a village pond, about 700m from her home. The accused, both farmers from the Thakur community, allegedly caught hold of her and molested her. Hearing her cries for help, two women from the village rushed to the spot, prompting the men to flee. The accused also allegedly hurled casteist slurs at the survivor and threatened to kill her. The woman’s father, an ITBP constable posted in New Delhi, returned to his native village after learning about the incident and approached police on Oct 26. The survivor also submitted a written complaint, following which the FIR was registered on Monday evening. The father told TOI that theirs was the only Dalit household in the village, where most residents belonged to upper castes, and that the family had faced repeated harassment by influential villagers. Officiating station house officer Neeraj Singh Tomar said, “An FIR was registered against the accused under BNS Sections 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 74 (assault or criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 352 (intentional insult), 351(3) (criminal intimidation) and relevant sections of the SC/ST Act.” 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
Mahua Moitra defends Kharge’s remarks against PM, accuses BJP of double standards
Sharing a video of Amit Shah’s remark that Rahul Gandhi’s grandmother cannot stop the Citizenship Amendment Act, she accused the BJP of double standards in its response to political attacks. Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Monday backed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over his remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sharing a video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remark that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s grandmother cannot stop the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), she accused the BJP of double standards in its response to political attacks. A controversy erupted after Kharge, at an event in Patna on Sunday, said, “Modi ka baap bhi jayega, baap bhi jayega (Even Modi’s father would go),” while responding to an audience member who said Modi would not go. Moitra posted a series of messages on X. “Why only the father? Even the father’s father will go. Well said, Kharge ji. We assure you that we will fight this till the end,” she wrote in a post. Taking a swipe at the BJP’s slogan, she wrote further, “BJP: Modi will come to power. India: Modi and his father will go.” The Trinamool Congress MP also shared a video in which Amit Shah is heard saying that Rahul Gandhi’s grandmother could not stop the CAA. “The BJP and Godi media loved it. Today Kharge said Modi’s father will also go (and yes, Adani will go). Accept it, folks. What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander,” Moitra said. In another post apparently directed at Shah, she said, “Go and steal some more votes and come back. You’ll remember.” Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
UP Police constitute SIT to probe accident involving vehicles in Rahul Gandhi’s convoy
The investigation will examine the circumstances and causes of the accident and determine whether there was any negligence or lapse in security, escort arrangements or traffic management The Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the accident involving vehicles trailing the convoy of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during his visit to Sultanpur. The investigation will examine the circumstances and causes of the accident and determine whether there was any negligence or lapse in security, escort arrangements or traffic management, a statement said. The SIT has been directed to conduct a comprehensive probe into all aspects of the incident and submit a detailed report to the police headquarters at the earliest. The probe team will be headed by Inspector General of Police, Lucknow Range, Kiran S. Additional Superintendent of Police, Sultanpur, Brij Narayan Singh, and Deputy Superintendent of Police (Traffic), Sultanpur, Ram Krishna Chaturvedi, will also be part of the SIT. The SIT was constituted on the directions of UP Director General of Police Rajeev Krishna to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident, officials said. The team has also been tasked with suggesting measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents, the statement said. Some vehicles in Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s convoy collided on the Purvanchal Expressway on Monday while he was on his way to Sultanpur for a court hearing in a defamation case against him, a police officer said. The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha was safe, the officer said, adding that the incident was not serious and no major injuries were reported. The incident occurred around 10.15 am when a private vehicle at the front of the convoy, belonging to local Congress leaders, suddenly applied the brakes for an unspecified reason, causing vehicles behind it to collide with one another, the officer told PTI. The vehicles involved in the pile-up had joined the convoy midway with passengers, including Congress workers from neighbouring Amethi district, police said. 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
June 2025 decision to hold SIR taken unanimously, EC tells SC
NEW DELHI: The Election Commission Monday filed an affidavit in SC that the chief election commissioner and the two election commissioners had unanimously taken the decision on June 24, 2025 to conduct nationwide SIR of electoral rolls and that there was no difference of opinion. The affidavit by deputy EC Bhanu Prakash Yeturu came with an unusual declaration that it was being filed with the approval of the CEC and the two ECs. “At the very outset, I state that the present affidavit has been approved for filing before the SC by a unanimous decision of the three members of the Election Commission, that is the 2 election commissioners and the chief election commissioner,” the affidavit said. The assertion contradicts the charge that CEC Gyanesh Kumar, at Modi government’s instance, unilaterally decided to conduct SIR of electoral rolls — the mainstay of the opposition’s “vote chori” campaign. The affidavit was filed in response to petitions, including one filed by Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders, following a news report that the two ECs — S S Sandhu and Vivek Joshi — had approached the cabinet secretary because of their differences with the CEC over SIR-related issues. “Allegations based on the communication between ECs and the cabinet secretary are misconceived,” the EC said, adding that the letters by Sandhu and Joshi pertained to administrative matters. No substance in claim that Form 6 was amended by SIR orders: EC An office order came to be issued on July 28 by an IAS officer of the rank of additional secretary who had been posted on deputation to the commission pertaining to internal work allocation. On July 29, the two election commissioners wrote separate letters to the cabinet secretary in relation to this order and the conduct of the officer. In view of the joint direction of July 30 by the two ECs, the order of July 28 was never implemented,” the commission said. Responding to the petitions by Rahul and other INDIA bloc netas, the EC said all the petitions were based on a news article alleging that the commission had not been functioning in accordance with the procedure mandated in law, and allegations were also made questioning the integrity of the commission. It also issued a strong denial of the allegation, another key plank of the opposition’s offensive, that Form 6, as provided under Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, was amended by the commission by the SIR orders of June 24 and Oct 27 last year and May 14 this year. “There is no substance in the contention that Form 6 has been amended by the commission vide the SIR orders.” EC said Form 6 could be amended only by the Centre and what was changed was the introduction of a declaration to “enable the person seeking registration as a voter to dispense with the need for filing documents during the claims and objections period”. The ‘declaration’ was a document provided by the SIR orders and was not a part of Form 6, which was the statutory form for inclusion in the electoral rolls, it said, adding there was no significant change in the earlier and present declaration. The declaration that the affidavit was approved by the two ECs is significant because of the charge that the CEC’s “unilateral” calls on SIR-related issues were violative of the law, which required the poll body to take decisions unanimously or, when not possible, by majority. The opposition has demanded removal and prosecution of Gyanesh Kumar for violating the law. Denying the charge, the affidavit said that while the CEC, the ECs and even other officers may have expressed different views during deliberations, the decisions were taken in accordance with law. “The views by ECs/CEC of the commission during the decision-making process on the subjects before them are considered for arriving at the decision. It is upon consideration of all the views placed before the commission that the decision is taken and the orders are issued in accordance with the process,” the EC said. Explaining the process of decision-making in which views of all divisions concerned with the subject are considered in detail, the EC said, “In any such decision-making process, any suggestion, observation or query by the CEC or ECs either to the ECs or CEC or to any officer of the commission does not constitute a decision of the commission under Section 18 of the CEC and ECs (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023.” It said the statute prefers a decision by unanimity but also provides for decision-making by majority in the three-member EC. The commission said the CEC and ECs had taken a unanimous decision on June 29 that “in case any person to whom notice has been issued during the ongoing SIR, for being unmapped and/or logical discrepancies, BLOs will visit the homes of such persons for collection of documents and thereafter upload them in the ECINet, for decision by the ERO”. “Such person shall not be called for hearing to the ERO/AERO officer. Only in exceptional circumstances, as defined by the ERO/AERO, will the hearing be held, preferably online. Any adult member of the family can be authorised by the elector to attend the hearing on their behalf,” EC said. Referring to the allegation relating to deletion of 97 voters in Goa, the commission said it had directed that no eligible voter should be left out of the rolls and pursuant to this, the BLOs conducted a house-to-house visit and found that 88 of the 97 had already filled Form 6 for inclusion of their names. Of the remaining nine, six were out of the country and three were Portuguese passport holders. 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