Court orders FIR against 5 for ‘bid to rape’ 16yo Dalit girl
Pilibhit: Following directions from the court of additional district and sessions judge, a case was registered against five men for allegedly wrongfully restraining, molesting and attempting to rape a 16-year-old Dalit girl while she was returning home late at night from a village fair in Pilibhit on Nov 6 last year. “After hearing my sister’s screams for help, some residents rushed to the spot and rescued her. The accused, aged between 19 and 24 years, fled after local residents arrived but not before threatening to rape her in future,” the girl’s brother said. The brother told the court that when he approached the police station, the cops took his and his sister’s thumb impressions on blank papers. And instead of taking legal action against the accused, police charged his two cousins under BNS sections 126 (wrongful restraint) and 135 (assault or criminal force used to wrongfully confine a person) and sent them to jail. He said he later sent a fresh complaint to the superintendent of police by registered post but received no response, after which he sought court’s intervention in the matter. SHO Brijveer Singh said on Wednesday, “In compliance with the court’s orders, the five named accused have been booked under BNS sections 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 74 (criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 3(5) (criminal act done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention), and 351(3) (criminal intimidation).” Meanwhile, the complainant alleged that despite his sister being assaulted and insulted with caste-based slurs, police failed to invoke appropriate sections of the Pocso Act or the SC/ST Act in the FIR. When asked why sections of the Pocso Act and the SC/ST Act were missing from the FIR, the SHO said, “The appropriate provisions would be added once the police receive documents verifying the girl’s age and caste.” 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
BJP plans to boost Dalit, women representation in UP cabinet, org
Lucknow: Amid speculations of expansion of the Yogi cabinet and rejig in UP BJP organisation, the spotlight has come on Dalits and women, the two key electoral blocs that play a key role in determining the fate of parties. The development is significant even as BJP plans to step up its social coalition to counter the PDA plank of the Samajwadi Party and its ally Congress in the run-up to this year’s panchayat elections and 2027 UP polls. A senior BJP functionary said the party plans to elevate a Dalit face in the Yogi cabinet to mobilise the SC community. The state cabinet currently has 9 Dalit ministers — 2 cabinet (Baby Rani Maurya and Anil Kumar), 2 state ministers with independent charge (Gulab Devi and Asim Arun), and 5 state ministers (Dinesh Khatik, Sanjiv Gond, Manohar Kori, Suresh Rahi and Vijay Laxmi Gautam). Dalit ministers thus make up a little over 16% of the total strength of the council of ministers, comprising 54 members. This is relatively lower given the fact that SCs account for 21% of the UP population. Sources said cabinet expansion—up to a limit of 60 ministers—may see weightage being given to Dalits. The party think tank believes that the existing representation did not fully translate into political traction, particularly among non-Jatav Dalits and first-time voters, especially during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls when the BJP tally plunged from 62 to 33. The talk of promoting a Dalit face, sources said, may not just be an addition, but also a possible upgrade in visibility, portfolio weight, or political positioning—a move designed to counter the SP’s attempt to mobilise the Dalit-OBC by heightening their grievances. Likewise, BJP’s organisational unit in UP also contemplates playing a Dalit card to blunt the opposition’s increasing aggression vis-a-vis the narrative of social justice. The move will attain significance days after the BJP appointed Union minister and 7-time MP Pankaj Chaudhary, a Kurmi, as the new UP BJP chief. Organisationally, 8 out of 45 members in the state unit are Dalit. This is a little over 17%, numerically, leaving room for induction of more Dalit faces. Experts said unlike the cabinet, organisational changes have a deeper and long-lasting electoral impact. More Dalit functionaries at the state level can improve the cadre-level messaging, booth management and grievance redressal, especially in the rural and semi-rural pockets where panchayat polls are due soon. Focus on Dalits, sources said, will also be crucial during the appointment of party functionaries as members of boards and corporations, besides nomination as members in the municipal corporations. Experts said the possibility of women also gaining the spotlight will serve the purpose of reinforcing the BJP’s governance narrative around welfare delivery (Ujjwala, PM Awas, Mission Shakti, etc.), which has widely resonated with women voters in recent elections. 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 minor girl abducted, village youth accused: Previously accused of molestation, police register case
A case of abduction of a minor Dalit girl has come to light from the Sheeshgarh police station area of Bareilly. It is alleged that a young man from the same village lured the girl away. Based on the complaint of the victim’s mother, the police have registered a case against the accused and started an investigation. In her complaint to the police, the woman stated that Ajay (son of Lekhraj) from the village had been harassing her 15-year-old daughter for a long time. He would make obscene comments to her whenever she passed by. A complaint had been filed at the police station earlier regarding this matter, after which the accused had promised not to repeat the mistake and a compromise was reached. The victim’s mother also alleged that Narendra and Chhotu from the village provided protection to the accused Ajay. Ajay would often sit at their house and molest and harass the girl. According to the complaint, on the night of January 10, around 2:00 AM, when the girl’s parents returned from Delhi, their children were asleep. Upon waking up in the morning, they found their minor daughter missing. After questioning the villagers, it was learned that the accused Ajay had lured the girl away. When the victim’s parents went to the accused’s house to inquire, the accused’s family members misbehaved with them and tried to evade the matter. The mother has expressed apprehension that her daughter’s life and honor are both in danger. She has demanded that the police administration recover her daughter safely as soon as possible and take strict action against the accused. Sheeshgarh Police Station Inspector Harendra Singh said that a case has been registered against three people, including the accused youth, based on the victim’s complaint. The girl will be recovered soon. Sunny Goswami | Mirganj Courtesy: Hindi News
Dalit Student Beaten While Returning from School: Dozen Youths Attack with Rods, Sticks, and Belts in Sakaldiha
A Dalit minor student was brutally beaten by a dozen youths while returning home from school in the Sakaldiha police station area of Chandauli. The incident occurred around 2:30 PM on Tuesday near the Bhojapur railway crossing. The victim’s father, along with villagers, reached the police station and filed a written complaint against half a dozen youths, including a known history-sheeter. Lakshmi Narayan Gautam, son of Pancham Ram, a resident of Barthi village in Sakaldiha police station area and currently serving in the CRPF, is an 11th-grade student at Dr. Ambedkar School in Bhojapur. On Tuesday, after school was dismissed, as Lakshmi Narayan was returning home, he was surrounded by about a dozen youths near a garden in Bhojapur village on the Bhojapur-Chaturbhujpur road. It is alleged that the attackers, with their faces covered, attacked the student with belts, sticks, and rods, causing him to fall to the ground. Lakshmi Narayan sustained serious injuries to his back and hands, where marks from the sticks, rods, and belts are clearly visible. Fellow students who came to his rescue were also severely beaten by the attackers. The broad daylight assault caused panic in the area, and passersby were terrified. The victim’s father, Pancham Ram, said that his son had recently been in a motorcycle accident in which he broke his arm. He had not yet recovered from that injury when this attack occurred. Pancham Ram has filed a complaint at the police station demanding strict action against the accused. In this regard, Sakaldiha Police Station Officer-in-Charge Dilip Srivastava said that a police team has been dispatched to the spot to apprehend the accused as soon as the information was received. Gyanendra Kumar Singh | Sakaldiha, Chandauli Courtesy: Hindi News
Why the 16-year campaign to rename Marathwada University after BR Ambedkar still matters
The annual commemoration of the struggle on January 14 enables Dalits to gain a political education from their lives, rather than relying on theoretical models. Why the 16-year campaign to rename Marathwada University after BR Ambedkar still matters The Namantar Shahid Smarak in Aurangabad. | JAIBHIM5, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons Standing on the Indora Bridge in Nagpur, one can catch a glimpse of the Namantar Shahid Smarak – a memorial to 27 Dalit activists who were killed during the 16-year Namantar Andolan that started in 1978 to have Marathwada University renamed after BR Ambedkar Not surprisingly, some members of the upper castes and land-owning feudal classes in Maharashtra’s Marathwada region opposed this demand for a gesture that would pay tribute to the architect of India’s Constitution for leading the struggle for equality and his efforts to democratise education. Among them was Shiv Sena head Bal Thackrey. “Gharat nahi peeth ani magtay vidyapeeth,” he sneered. You don’t have a loaf of bread to eat, but you want a university. Significant markers of the movement included the Long March in 1979, which set out from Nagpur for Aurangabad, 470 km away; the Jail Bharo Andolan to court arrest between 1978 and 1994; and several attacks on protestors by feudal-caste groups that opposed the name change. This movement also helped shape the course of a Dalit literature. The struggle ended with a compromise on January 14, 1994, to rechristen the institution as Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University. To remember the sacrifices made by the Dalit protestors and to advance the effort to create an egalitarian society based on the principles of humanity, the struggle is commemorated across Maharashtra with key events in Aurangabad (now Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) and Nagpur on that date each year. The annual event offers hope and opportunities for Dalit politics by connecting with the idea of “true politics” that gives a voice to those who are marginalised, making them active participants instead of mere subjects who must conform to the dictates of the state and society. This true politics supports the discourse of natural rights, equality and intellectual freedom, empowering Dalits to express dissent. Commemorations such as this one enable Dalits to gain a political education from their lives, rather than relying solely on theoretical models. During the 16-year struggle, the opposition to the Namantar Andolan brought into the open the deep-rooted feudal and caste nexus that had permeated society and politics in Marathwada and Maharashtra in general. It also laid bare the “politics of humiliation” being practised by these groups, undermining the demand by Dalits for dignity and respect. The Andolan was a response to these Brahmanical power structures. It was a “rejection of rejection”, as political scientist Gopal Guru has described the process. The government and dominant groups have established a “mnemonic hegemony”, or the power to shape how history is told and which is sidelined. The Namantar Aandolan challenged the power of feudal caste groups to dictate history by asserting its own “mnemonic sovereignty”. The justified demand to rename the university to Dr Ambedkar University reflected a fairer version of history that had been sidelined by the feudal upper-caste groups. Dalit students began using the name “Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar University” in their official correspondence even before their demand was granted. They started their own journals and media platforms to communicate their version of events, avoiding mainstream media platforms that were biased in favour of the elite. The Andolan employed creative methods of storytelling – for instance, using protest songs that shared its struggles and documented the violence perpetrated by both state and non-state actors. The Andolan’s Long March of 1979 made the fight against caste injustice visible. The movement revived the memories and spirit of the Dalit Panther, a militant organisation founded in 1972, inspired by the Black Panther movement in the US. The Andolan, which began as the Namantar Andolan, culminated not with a name change but a name extension – a namvistaar. It revealed the state’s apathy towards Dalit claims for dignity, as well as the state’s tendency to protect the feudal caste-class nexus. But there were crucial victories. The Andolan had encouraged solidarity between various Dalit sub-castes. For instance, Pochiram Kamble, who is commemorated in the Nagpur memorial, belonged to the Mang community in a struggle where Mahars (the sub-caste to which Ambedkar belonged) were in the majority. Also commemorated on the memorial is Abdul Sattar, marking the shared history of hardship and oppression between Muslims and Dalits. As a young person wondering whether Viksit Bharat has a place for Dalits or if the community is being used as pawns in Hindutva’s battle against minorities, January 14 is an opportunity to look back on a crucial campaign and try to understand the crucial lessons that Marathwada’s Namantran Andolan offers to navigate a course for Dalit true politics as it embraces the future. Nikhil Sanjay-Rekha Adsule is a senior research scholar at IIT-Delhi. His X handle is @beingkhilji. Nikhil Sanjay-Rekha Adsule Courtesy : Siasat Note: This news is originally published on https:/thesiasatdaily.in/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dalit farmer dies after assault by neighbour in Kanpur Dehat; six arrested
A 50-year-old Dalit farmer died after being allegedly beaten by his neighbour and his relatives in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur Dehat district, police said on Monday. Six people, including the main accused and his wife, have been arrested in connection with the case, The Indian Express reported. The deceased, identified as Devkinandan Paswan, succumbed to his injuries on Monday evening. His wife, Mamta, who was also injured in the attack, is currently undergoing treatment. According to the police, the incident occurred on Sunday evening in Malikpur village when the accused, Govind Singh, allegedly arrived at Paswan’s house in an intoxicated state and began abusing him over a minor issue. When Paswan and his wife protested, a heated argument broke out. Police said Singh’s wife, who was present at the spot, then called her brother and other relatives from the neighbouring Kanpur district. The group allegedly assaulted Paswan and his wife, leaving both seriously injured. When Paswan’s daughter, Gomti, tried to record the incident on her mobile phone, the accused allegedly snatched the phone and threw it away, police said. After receiving information, police rushed to the spot and shifted the injured to a nearby hospital. Due to the severity of their injuries, they were later referred to a hospital in Kanpur. Paswan’s condition continued to worsen, and he eventually died during treatment. Gomti later filed a complaint at Shivli police station against Singh, his wife, and some unidentified relatives, following which an FIR was registered for assault and other charges. Police said that after news of Paswan’s death spread in the village, the accused tried to flee, prompting raids to trace them. “We have arrested six persons, including those named in the FIR and their relatives. After Paswan’s death, the case has been converted into murder,” said Praveen Kumar Singh, Station House Officer of Shivli police station, adding that all the accused would be produced in court on Tuesday. Meanwhile, a heavy police force has been deployed in the village, which has a mixed population, to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident following the killing. Earlier in April, in a shocking incident in Isota Lohagpur village under Karchhana tehsil in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj district, a 35-year-old Dalit farmer, Devi Shankar, was allegedly murdered by upper-caste Hindu men, who later partially burnt his body in an orchard, police said. Courtesy : Maktoob Media Note: This news is originally published on https:/maktoobmedia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dalit Woman Raped After Accused Conceals His Religious Identity, Obscene Videos Made: Repeated Sexual Exploitation Through Blackmail, FIR Registered on Court Order
A case of sexual exploitation of a 22-year-old Dalit woman by concealing religious identity has come to light in the Garhmukteshwar police station area. It is alleged that the accused hotel owner gained the trust of the woman and her family by identifying himself as a Hindu, then drugged her, raped her, and made obscene photos and videos to blackmail her. Through this, the accused repeatedly sexually exploited the woman. The victim stated that about eight months ago, two young men came to her house to buy a buffalo. The deal did not go through, but they kept coming back to her house. One of these men introduced himself as Ajay Kumar and a hotel owner. The accused said he needed an employee to work at the hotel counter and arranged a job for the woman’s mother at a salary of Rs. 15,000 per month. It is alleged that after taking the woman to the hotel, the accused gave her a narcotic substance. While she was unconscious, he raped her and made obscene photos and videos. Fearing social stigma and disgrace, the woman did not share this with anyone and stopped going to the hotel. After some time, the accused called and revealed that his real name was not Ajay, but Yunus. He threatened that if she did not comply with his demands, he would make the photos and videos go viral on social media. After this, the accused called the woman to different places and raped her several times. The victim alleged that when she resisted, the accused would use casteist slurs and verbally abuse her over the phone, mentally harassing her. Police Station In-charge Inspector Devendra Singh Bisht said that on the orders of the court, a case has been registered against Yunus, a resident of Mohalla Madrasa in Garhmukteshwar city, under serious sections including rape, threats, blackmail, and the SC/ST Act. The police are conducting a thorough investigation into the matter. Shahrukh Khan | Garhmukteshwar Courtesy: Hindi News
Hatred fuelled on basis of caste and religion, claims Congress after Dalit woman’s killing in U.P.
The party claims the State tops in crimes against SCs, flags delay in releasing crime data The Congress on Monday criticised the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh over the alleged killing of a Dalit woman in Meerut, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of fostering hatred on the basis of caste and religion and selective use of State power. A Dalit woman was allegedly killed and her 20-year-old daughter abducted in a village in Meerut district last Thursday. The police said a 22-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the crime. The incident led to tension in the area, following which additional police forces were deployed. The abducted daughter was later traced to neighbouring Saharanpur district on Saturday, officials said. Addressing a press conference in the national capital, Congress Scheduled Caste department chairman Rajendra Pal Gautam alleged that caste-based animosity and religion-based hostility was being encouraged under BJP rule. “Hatred is being fuelled in the country on the basis of caste and religion, and this is happening under the patronage of BJP governments,” Mr. Gautam alleged. The Congress leader accused the Uttar Pradesh administration of targeting Dalits, tribals and backward classes through what he described as the selective use of coercive measures. Referring to the State government’s practice of demolishing properties of alleged offenders, he said such action appeared to be guided by caste and religious considerations. “When a Dalit is oppressed in the State, the bulldozer does not move,” he alleged. Recounting the Meerut incident, the Congress leader said the woman was killed when she attempted to resist the abduction of her daughter. He also claimed that Congress party representatives were stopped from meeting the victim’s family. “If the police showed the same diligence in preventing crime and ensuring punishment for the guilty, such incidents would not recur,” he said. Mr. Gautam further alleged that if the accused belonged to a Dalit, tribal or backward community, action such as demolition would have followed swiftly. “The law should not operate on the basis of caste or religion. If it does, the country will weaken,” he said. ‘No data since 2022’ He also criticised the government for not releasing data on atrocities committed against Dalits after 2022, calling it a failure of governance. Claiming that Uttar Pradesh accounted for the highest number of cases of atrocities against Dalits in the past five years, he said that BJP-ruled States together contributed a majority of such cases nationally. Questioning restrictions on protests, Mr. Gautam said the authorities had earlier denied permission for demonstrations citing procedural requirements. “If a rape or killing occurs, do we have to wait 10 days to demand justice?” he asked. The Uttar Pradesh government has not yet responded to the Congress’s allegations. The Hindu Bureau Courtesy : The Hindu Note: This news is originally published on https:/thehindu.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dalit atrocities rising in BJP-governed states: Congress
NEW DELHI: In the wake of the abduction of a Dalit girl and the murder of her mother in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut, Congress on Monday alleged that Dalit atrocities are rising in BJP-governed states, but the Centre has not released the anti-Scheduled Castes (SC) crime data for the last four years, while the Union home ministry is not allowing protests against atrocities on the bizarre grounds that a 10-day notice is required for permission. Former Delhi minister and Congress SC department chairman Rajendra Pal Gautam said National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data on Dalit atrocities was last released in 2022 and has not since been made public. He said between 2019 and 2022, crimes against SCs registered a massive growth of 13.1%, with UP topping the charts. He said BJP-governed UP, MP, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Bihar “account for 76% of total atrocities against Dalits.” Gautam alleged Delhi Police denied permission to Congress to hold a dharna against the Meerut abduction-murder of Dalit women on Monday, saying a 10-day notice should be given to the administration. “If a rape or a murder takes place, and there is urgency to highlight it, should we wait for 10 days to protest? What kind of norm is this?” he asked. The former minister said the BJP govt is taking away the constitutional right to protest and seek justice. He claimed that SC atrocities are rising because the government is not allowing protests to demand action from a reluctant administration. He said the number of unregistered cases is very high, arguing a total of 57,582 cases were registered nationally in 2022, while a central government-launched helpline call for Dalit atrocities received over 6.5 lakh calls in 2021—in which only 825 cases were registered against 3.33 lakh calls on the helpline in UP, and 718 cases were lodged out of 58,000 calls in Bihar. The Congress leader said UP has created “bulldozer justice,” but the bulldozer is rusted when the perpetrators of atrocity are upper castes, while it razes the houses within hours when the culprits are Dalit, minority, or backward. 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
Power tussle intensifies in state with a new push for ‘Dalit CM’
Bengaluru: Speculationis growing within political circles that the leadership tussle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is unlikely to ease unless Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi intervenes. Amid this backdrop, a section of Dalit leaders and organisations are stepping up efforts to press for a Dalit chief minister in Karnataka, adding a new dimension to the ongoing power struggle within the ruling Congress. Sources said plans are underway to organise a major Dalit rally in the Old Mysuru region, demanding that the community be given the top post. Several Dalit leaders are reportedly exerting pressure on Home Minister Dr G. Parameshwara, one of the most prominent Dalit faces in the state, to grant permission and lend support to the proposed rally. A group led by Venkataramanaswamy, popularly known as ‘Papu’ of Chamarajanagar, met Dr Parameshwara in Tumakuru on Sunday and sought a date for the rally. However, Parameshwara is said to have advised the delegation to wait for some more time, indicating caution amid the sensitive political situation within the party. Sources close to the developments said Parameshwara, who is considered part of the Siddaramaiah camp, is reluctant to openly back a Dalit rally at this juncture. As a long-time loyalist of the Congress and a close associate of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Parameshwara is reportedly unwilling to take a stand that could be perceived as going against the party’s central leadership. Though he recently met Kharge in Delhi, Parameshwara described it as a courtesy call, and details of their discussion have not been disclosed. Meanwhile, Parameshwara’s supporters staged a protest near the Congress headquarters in Delhi, demanding a “Dalit CM” for Karnataka. Adding to the pressure, DSS leader Mavalli Shankar said that if Siddaramaiah were to step down, Parameshwara should be appointed chief minister, citing his loyalty and long service to the party. He announced that a Dalit rally would be organised soon to strengthen the demand. Mavalli Shankar also argued that despite decades since Independence, many senior Dalit leaders have not been adequately represented in top constitutional and executive positions. “This time, that injustice should not be repeated,” he said. At the same time, pro-Siddaramaiah AHINDA organisations have begun preparations to hold rallies across the state to support the chief minister continuing in office. Sources said rallies are being planned in Mysuru and Hubballi, with another major event likely in central Karnataka, possibly in Haveri or Davanagere. With competing rallies being planned by different social and political groups, the Congress leadership in Karnataka appears to be entering a critical phase, as internal dynamics intensify and pressure mounts on the high command to intervene and restore balance. Courtesy : The Hans India Note: This news is originally published on https:/thehansindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights