Ex-AIADMK minister and Dalit leader joins DMK
Benjamin is also known for organising the AIADMK general council meeting at Srivari Mahal in 2022, during which ex-CM O Panneerselvam was expelled from the party. CHENNAI: Former AIADMK minister P Benjamin joined the DMK in the presence of party president MK Stalin at Anna Arivalayam on Wednesday. Considered one of the prominent Dalit faces in the AIADMK after former Speaker P Dhanapal, Benjamin’s move comes amid a series of political realignments in the state. Though there had been speculation that he might join the TVK, following some of his former AIADMK colleagues, he ultimately chose the DMK. Benjamin was inducted into the cabinet of late chief minister J Jayalalithaa as school education minister in May 2016. Benjamin is also known for organising the AIADMK general council meeting at Srivari Mahal in 2022, during which ex-CM O Panneerselvam was expelled from the party. “A few of the ex-AIADMK ministers in the western region and in the delta are likely to join DMK soon,” sources said. 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
Free bus travel in Kerala: ‘Priyadarshini Scheme’ to begin on June 15, women and transgender individuals to benefit
The Kerala government has decided to implement the ‘Priyadarshini Scheme’, under which women and transgender individuals will travel free on KSRTC ordinary buses. The government will compensate for the revenue loss. Read the full story The Kerala government on Wednesday approved the ‘Priyadarshini Scheme’, which will provide free travel to women on KSRTC ordinary buses from June 15. Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan made the announcement after the weekly cabinet meeting. He said there will be no eligibility criteria for the scheme, and there will be no age or income restrictions. Who will compensate? The government has decided to fully compensate KSRTC for the revenue loss caused by this initiative. It is estimated that this scheme will cost the state treasury approximately ₹800 crore annually, which will be transferred to KSRTC as compensation. “Currently, the state government will provide approximately ₹1,500 crore annually as financial assistance to the KSRTC,” Satheesan told the media shortly after the weekly cabinet meeting. “The additional burden arising from the free travel scheme will now be added to this assistance.” Review after six months The scheme will initially apply only to general service buses. The government plans to review it after six months. The KSRTC has been asked to increase revenue and strengthen its financial position during this period. Transgender persons will also benefit from the scheme, broadening its scope. This announcement is part of the government’s efforts to increase access to public transport and ensure mobility for women. The scheme is expected to become one of the new government’s major welfare initiatives, but its financial impact on the KSRTC and the state budget is likely to remain a major topic of discussion in the coming months. Responding to the discussion at a CPI-M party meeting, which analyzed the CPI-M’s crushing electoral defeat and suggested that a secret pact had been reached between the Congress and the BJP, which benefited both parties, Satishan said, “Was this the main point of discussion at their various party meetings? But from what we have read, the focus of the discussions at their meetings was that the main reason for their defeat was their leadership and their style of governance.” He also stated that no decision has yet been taken on the future course of action regarding the controversial PM-Shri project and the proposed high-speed rail project, which was discussed with Metroman. Published by: Asmita Tripathi Courtesy: Hindi News
Flawed changes
Under the 2019 Act, a transgender person could apply to the district magistrate for a certificate of identity on the basis of self-perceived gender identity. The 2026 amendment scraps that right There is a peculiar institutional reflex in Indian welfare legislation wherein when the State does not know what to do with a body, it hands it to a doctor. The doctor issues a certificate. The certificate becomes the body’s legal identity. And the person, somewhere in this chain of transactions, disappears. A person with a disability will recognise this sequence. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, hailed as a transformative law, retained the same medical certification architecture it was supposed to supersede. Persons with disability, regardless of their experiences of impairment and exclusion, must obtain a Disability Certificate from a designated medical authority to access any of the Act’s protections. The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026 has now reproduced this architecture with even less ambiguity. Under the 2019 Act, a transgender person could apply to the district magistrate for a certificate of identity on the basis of self-perceived gender identity. The amendment scraps that right. Now the district magistrate will issue a certificate only after examining the recommendation of a designated medical board headed by a chief medical officer. The body must go to the doctor, once again, before the State will acknowledge it. This is not accidental bureaucratic design but rather ideological. The medical model of gender understands trans identity not as a variation in human experience but as a condition to be diagnosed, treated, and certified. The model produces a gatekeeping function wherein only those who conform to the clinical narrative of gender dysphoria gain access to legal recognition. The parallel with disability certification is not merely structural. It is philosophical. Both proceed from what disability studies scholars call the “medical model” — eligibility for legal protection depends on one’s body being assessed and classified by a medical professional. The disability rights movement has long argued for the “social model”, the understanding that disability is produced not by impairment but by the failure of society and institutions to accommodate human variation. Trans rights scholars have mounted an identical critique. Florence Ashley, writing in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, argues that the presumptive right to gender self-determination follows from the core medical ethics principle of autonomy. When the State erects medical barriers to this self-determination, it treats being transgender as pathology rather than diversity. Incidentally, the Supreme Court had said otherwise. In NALSA vs Union of India, the court asserted that gender identity belongs to the individual, and the State cannot condition its recognition on medical procedures. By interposing a medical board between a person and legal identity, it creates the conditions NALSA judgment was meant to dismantle. The Amendment’s definitional narrowing makes the medical logic explicit. The 2019 Act recognised trans men and trans women regardless of whether they had undergone any medical procedure. The Amendment removes this entirely. It confines recognition to historically accepted socio-cultural categories like hijra, kinner, aravani, jogta, and persons with medically recognised intersexed variations. Trans masculine persons disappear from the legal framework. Trans women who do not belong to these specific communities lose their footing. Genderqueer people, included in 2019, are struck out. The Amendment also adds a revealing category: persons “forced to assume a transgender identity” through mutilation or castration, effectively making victimhood the default frame for trans existence. The medical model, whether applied to disability or gender, does not function as protection. It functions as a rationing of recognition, of rights, of the State’s acknowledgement that a person legally exists. Parliament, which has congratulated itself on the 2016 RPwD Act, has enacted a transgender law that repeats that model’s foundational error. Shashank Pandey Courtesy : The Telegraph Note: This news is originally published on https:/thetelegraph.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
No proposal or discussion to merge with Congress: TMC
NEW DELHI: The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday denied that there was any proposal or discussion about the Mamata Banerjee led party merging with the Congress at a meeting between leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday. The meeting between Rahul and Abhishek at 10, Janpath came a day after TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee met CPP chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Speculation about a merger being deliberated — which TMC and Congress members have termed “bogus” and “baseless” — grew as sources within the rebel TMC camp said it has managed support of at least 19 Lok Sabha MPs — two-thirds of the party’s strength of 28 — and will claim to be representing its parliamentary wing in the House. The development only adds to Mamata’s West Bengal poll setback. “The issue of merger of TMC with Congress and all other speculation around this is all rumours and incorrect. No such thing was discussed,” TMC sources said. Even Congress sources denied any discussion or move for merger. Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh made it clear on X that some news reports on what supposedly transpired in the meeting between Sonia and Mamata on Tuesday are “completely inaccurate”. “The meeting was very cordial and many personal matters were talked about, given the long relationship they have had,” he added. On Monday, in an about turn from her past hostility, former Bengal CM Mamata at a INDIA bloc meeting said Congress should take lead in the opposition’s fight against BJP. Photos were also shared by Congress where Mamata and Sonia were seen hugging each other and sharing a warm interaction. Building on the discussions between the TMC chief and CCP chairperson when they met on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi and Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday discussed developments in West Bengal and how the TMC and Congress can coordinate and work together to strengthen their presence in the state. They also discussed the 2029 Lok Sabha polls and how they could strengthen the INDIA bloc and opposition unity to counter the BJP. TMC shared a post on X with a photo from the meeting of Rahul and Abhishek. “The meeting reflected a shared commitment to safeguarding democracy, upholding Constitutional values and working for the welfare of every Indian. INDIA stands united,” the TMC said. Ardent supporters in the Mamata camp were dismissive of the possibility of a merger with the Congress saying that the former West Bengal CM invested her all in the TMC and for now seems determined to rebuild the party rather than give up. Meanwhile, the speculative reports saw Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut suggest that parties like TMC and NCP (SP) which were once part of the Congress should reunite and strengthen the grand old party. News agency PTI reported Raut saying in Mumbai that such reunification was the “need of the hour”. Amid hectic developments, TMC suffered another setback on Wednesday, as its Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev resigned from the party and the Upper House. She is the second RS MP to quit. On Monday, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy had resigned from the Upper House and TMC after levelling allegations against the party. A former Congress leader who had joined the TMC a few years ago, Dev, also met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at his residence in Delhi triggering speculation that she was headed for the BJP. While Dev refused to make any comment on Mamata Banerjee, on reports of her joining the BJP, she told reporters, “when I take a decision I will let you know”. She asserted that she has resigned due to “personal and political reasons”. “I don’t want to be in a situation where I am in two boats at the same time. That is not the right way to do it…because.. the family background and upbringing I have, I have never stayed in one party and served another party,” she 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
CM Vijay pays courtesy call on President Murmu, V-P Radhakrishnan; to attend Niti Aayog meet today
The Niti Aayog meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, brings together CMs and administrators from across the country to discuss developmental agendas. CHENNAI: Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Wednesday called on President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President C P Radhakrishnan in New Delhi. Official sources described the meetings as courtesy calls. The CM was in the national capital where he will attend the meeting of the Governing Council of the Niti Aayog on Thursday. The Niti Aayog meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, brings together CMs and administrators from across the country to discuss developmental agendas. This is the CM’s second visit to Delhi within a fortnight. During his first visit on May 27, the CM met PM Modi and submitted a memorandum highlighting important issues connected to Tamil Nadu. CM Vijay also called on Congress Parliamentary Party leader Sonia Gandhi and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi at their residence. This was his first meeting with the top Congress leaders after two Congress MLAs assumed office into his Council of Ministers and allocation of one Rajya Sabha seat to the Congress. This meeting assumes significance against the backdrop of speculations that the TVK may join the INDIA bloc following the exit of the DMK from the bloc. Vijay also called on CPI general secretary D Raja at the party headquarters. On June 12, the CM is likely to visit the Kollur Mookambika temple, Udupi, to offer prayers. 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
Kharge convenes ‘urgent meet’ of senior leaders today
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will preside over the meeting, party general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said. NEW DELHI: Congress has called a meeting of its general secretaries, in-charges and state unit chiefs on Thursday during which the the party’s plans will be deliberated upon. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will preside over the meeting, party general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said. “An urgent meeting of AICC general secretaries, in-charges and PCC presidents will be held tomorrow, 11 June, 2026 at Indira Bhawan, New Delhi, to discuss current political developments,” he said. The meeting comes in the wake of the TMC’s political crisis. The meeting of LoP in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday fuelled speculations of future ties between the parties. The meeting at 10 Janpath took place a day after TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee met former Congress president Sonia Gandhi at her residence and discussed ways to further consolidate the opposition alliance. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/theindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
TMC denies any discussion between leadership of both parties about merger with Congress at Rahul-Abhishek meeting
NEW DELHI: Dismissing speculation over the possibility of Trinamool Congress merging with Congress as nothing but rumour mongering, those aware of the matters discussed at the meeting between Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee have made it clear that there was no discussion on the issue. “The issue of merger of TMC with Congress and all other speculation around this is all rumours and incorrect. No such thing was discussed,” highly placed sources from TMC aware of matters discussed at the meeting told TOI. The meeting between Gandhi and Banerjee at 10 Janpath was long and lasted for nearly one and half hours. The two discussed developments in West Bengal and how the TMC and Congress can coordinate and work together to strengthen their presence in the state as INDIA bloc allies to counter the BJP which came to power ousting the three term Mamata Banerjee led govt there. The two leaders also discussed the 2029 Lok Sabha polls and how they could coordinate on strengthening the INDIA bloc to take on the BJP in the general elections three years from now. However, given the crisis that has hit the TMC since it lost the elections in West Bengal and the way it is cosying up to Congress, a coming together could be a last resort of survival for the Banerjee outfit. Abhishek Banerjee’s meeting on Wednesday with Rahul Gandhi gains significance as it comes at a time when the TMC is grappling with its worst crisis as it is battling rebellion from its own MPs after a split in the party’s legislature wing in the state. TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee had met Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi at 10 Janpath on Tuesday in what was seen as Banerjee’s attempt to further build on efforts to rally support as her party faces its worst crisis. During the INDIA bloc meeting too on Monday, visuals of Sonia and Banerjee hugging each other and sharing a warm interaction were shared by Congress. Banerjee had urged all the constituents to forget the past and stand united.While no details of the meeting were shared by either party, sources said Banerjee went into the meeting keen to share with Sonia the TMC’s challenges during elections, her views on the future strategy for West Bengal and ways to strengthen the INDIA alliance and opposition unity. These issues figured in the discussions, sources said. At the INDIA bloc meet on Monday, Banerjee has urged the opposition to forget the past and stand united. In an about turn from her past hostility, Banerjee had said at the meet that the Congress should take the lead in the opposition’s fight against the BJP. Meanwhile, in another setback, TMC’s Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev has resigned from the Upper House and party. She is the second RS MP to quit. On Monday, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy had resigned from the Upper House and TMC after levelling allegations against the party. A former Congress leader who had joined the TMC a few years ago, Dev, met Rajya Sabha chairman C P Radhakrishnan and resigned from the Upper House. She also met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at his residence in Delhi. Refusing to make any comment on Mamata Banerjee, Dev said, “what prompted me to take this decision is a long story why I left the party. I don’t want to be in a situation where I am in two boats at the same time.” On reports of her joining the BJP, she said, “When I take a decision I will let you know.” According to news agency PTI, Dev said that she had resigned due to “personal and political reasons” and that “everyone has the right to change their mind, and to decide what kind of politics they want to do.” On Tuesday, TMC had fielded its senior leaders Kalyan Banerjee and Kirti Azad to take on dissident MPs and questioning the claim made by rebel MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar of having support of 20 MPs and to have written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking recognition as a separate parliamentary bloc that would back the NDA. Demanding that the letter claiming support of 20 MPs should be placed in public domain, Banerjee challenged all dissident MPs to resign from TMC and join BJP. “Those who went to Union minister Bhupender Yadav’s residence and held meetings with West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari have effectively become BJP. Today, their leader is Narendra Modi. If anyone has political morality, they should resign from Parliament and seek a fresh mandate from the people,” Banerjee and Azad said at a press conference held in Delhi on Tuesday morning. “If the rebel MPs claim they have the numbers required under the Tenth Schedule, then why have they not formally merged with the BJP? The truth is that BJP has not officially accepted them despite their efforts to align with it,” the TMC leaders 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
The minor daughter of a widowed mother was kidnapped and gang-raped, even a transgender woman sleeping alone was not spared; Two rape incidents in 24 hours shook Gopalganj, Bihar.
A case of gang rape of a minor girl who had left her home for the market has come to light in Gopalganj, Bihar. According to reports, two accused abducted the girl, gang-raped her, and then dumped her on the roadside before fleeing. The minor daughter of a widowed mother was kidnapped and gang-raped, even a transgender woman sleeping alone was not spared; Two rape incidents in 24 hours shook Gopalganj, Bihar. A case of gang rape of a minor girl who had left her home for the market has come to light in Gopalganj, Bihar. According to reports, two accused abducted the girl, gang-raped her, and then dumped her on the roadside before fleeing. Upon receiving information about the incident, local police immediately swung into action and arrived at the scene with their forces. The police wasted no time in admitting the gang rape victim, who was in extremely critical condition, to Gopalganj Sadar Hospital for treatment. She is receiving intensive treatment under the supervision of a special team of doctors. Following this horrific incident, the victim’s helpless and widowed mother mustered courage and filed a written complaint at the local police station. Based on the victim’s statement, the police have registered an FIR against the accused under relevant sections. The weeping mother pleaded with the police administration for justice and demanded the strictest punishment for the culprits. Gang-raped in a field, beaten, and dumped unconscious on the roadside The accused raped the girl in a deserted field. They then assaulted her and left her unconscious before fleeing. When she did not return home for a long time, her family began searching for her. They found her unconscious in the field. The victim’s condition is reported to be critical. The police have stated that all the accused will be arrested soon and action will be taken under the law. Advertisement A deaf and mute transgender woman was also raped. Another rape incident was reported in Gopalganj within just 24 hours. Late on Monday night, a transgender woman was sleeping in her cattle shed in the Vijaypur police station area. A young man approached her and forcibly raped her. Following the incident, the victim filed a complaint at the police station. Acting swiftly, the police arrested the accused, Vinod Ram, and are interrogating him. The victim has been sent to Sadar Hospital for a medical examination. Ankur Shrivastava Courtesy: Hindi News
HIV cases among gays in Karnataka rise from 166 to 412
The highest number of registered individuals was in the 26-35 age group, followed by those aged 18-25 years. BENGALURU: The number of HIV-positive cases among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Karnataka has increased from 166 in 2023-24 to 412 in 2025-26, according to data from the Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS). The figures show a steady rise over the three years, with cases increasing to 362 in 2024-25 before reaching 412 in 2025-26. Data from KSAPS also shows that the number of MSM individuals registered under targeted Intervention Programmes (IP) increased from 44,581 in 2023-24 to 62,664 in 2024-25 and 66,606 in 2025-26. The highest number of registered individuals was in the 26-35 age group, followed by those aged 18-25 years. An IP for MSM refers to targeted public health initiatives aimed at preventing the spread of HIV and other STIs. “Among the MSM population, lack of awareness and misinformation about HIV and sexual health continue to be major concerns. Many individuals engage in sexual activity without knowing safe sex practices and the importance of regular HIV testing. With the increasing use of dating applications, people are able to connect easily. There is a need for sustained education and outreach to ensure that individuals have access to accurate information and preventive services,” said Padma Basavanthappa, Project Director, KSAPS. She added that the state records around 12,000 to 13,000 HIV-positive cases annually across all categories, including MSM. NGOs working with key populations, including MSM, transgender people, female sex workers, migrants and truckers, play a crucial role in HIV prevention efforts. “The NGOs are given a target of increasing their numbers by 25% each year,” Basavanthappa said. “The individuals are given condoms, they are guided on how to have safe sex, their health check-ups are done, and they are linked to social security schemes,” she stressed. Manohar Elavarthi, State Committee Member of the Movement for Gender and Sexual Pluralism, said HIV awareness initiatives need to adapt to changing patterns of communication among young people. “Instead of blaming youths, the government must find effective ways to reach them on the digital platforms that they use every day,” he said. Hanumantha Rayappa, deputy director of Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTC), said many people with HIV remain unaware of their infection due to the absence of early symptoms. He encouraged the use of the Break Free App and free HIV testing at ICTCs in Karnataka, with free Antiretroviral Therapy services at government hospitals. Gayathri M Kurup 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
Mamata Banerjee’s Rare Meeting With Sonia Gandhi Sparks Speculation Of Opposition Realignment
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee met Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi at her residence in New Delhi, a day after the two leaders shared a warm embrace at the INDIA bloc meeting. The rare interaction, their first in nearly five years, has fuelled speculation about the future of Congress-TMC relations and the broader opposition strategy against the BJP. While Banerjee reportedly discussed issues related to the Election Commission and opposition unity, analysts remain cautious about reading too much into the meeting, especially in the absence of Rahul Gandhi. 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