Society still struggling to accept humans who don’t fit into man-woman binary: NHRC chief V Ramasubramanian
The day-long national conference on the rights of transgender persons is being held at the India Habitat Centre by the NHRC. New Delhi: India is “far ahead” of several other nations in recognising the rights of transgender persons, and while the country “may not have reached an ideal level”, but it has certainly advanced to a great extent in this area, NHRC Chairperson, Justice (retd) V Ramasubramanian said on Thursday. In his address at a national conference here, he also said that there could be or that there are human beings who “do not fit into this binary of man or woman” — is something that the societies all over, are still grappling to accept. “The consequence of this, is that trans people experience widespread discrimination and stigma in the health sector, schools, employment and housing as well as in accessing bathrooms,” the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairperson said. The day-long national conference on the rights of transgender persons is being held at the India Habitat Centre here by the NHRC. Centered on the theme “Revamping Spaces, Reclaiming Voices,” the event emphasises “the immediate need to tackle systemic discrimination, uplift lived experiences, and promote meaningful inclusion for transgender persons in all areas of life”, the NHRC said. The rights panel chief began his address by quoting some texts from the Upanishads, which underline that the God pervades in all humans, and all living and non-living beings. If India is a country where the discourse on equality was taken to such great heights by the Upanishads, and if it is the philosophy of the Upanishads that every unit of creation is God’s manifestation, “can some units of such creation be discriminated against by others,” the NHRC chief asked. Can one unit of creation be considered inferior to the others and can any of such creations be treated with contempt, Justice Ramasubramanian emphasised. He said these were the pivotal questions around which this conference has been designed. “Fortunately, India is far ahead of several other countries in recognising the rights of trans persons. We may not have reached an ideal level, but we have certainly advanced to a great extent,” he asserted. This is because for the first time in history that the three pillars of democracy in India, namely “the legislative, the executive, and the judiciary, have come together, to transform the philosophy of the Upanishads into a constitutional philosophy and then to translate the constitutional philosophy into a parliamentary enactment,” he said. In his address, he also cited some data drawn from Trans Murder Monitoring, a research project of TGEU (Trans Europe and Central Asia) that tracks the murders of trans and gender diverse people globally According to its report released in 2024, there were “350 reported murders during the period from October 1,2023 to September 30, 2024”, of which 12 had happened in india, the rights panel’s chairperson said. This report also recorded the 5,000th recorded case of anti-trans murders since the year 2008. This report was released on the occasion of the Trans day Remembrance which is observed annually on November 20 to memorialise those who have been “murdered as a result of transphobia,” he added. He also underlined the change in wordings of texts of global declarations pertaining to human rights, equality and justice, over the centuries. But the mere change of terminology from ‘man’ to ‘human beings’ has “not actually transformed our stereotypical thought processes, and the society continues to think that men and women alone constitute the human race,” the NHRC chief said. “That there could be and that there are human beings who do not fit into this binary of man or woman, is something that the societies all over, are still grappling to accept,” he added. The NHRC is privileged to host this national conference as “a huge segment of our population, estimated as per the 2011 census, to be around 4.88 lakh cannot be left out of the mainstream,” the chairperson said. A comprehensive report aimed at strengthening policies and frameworks to uphold the rights and dignity of transgender persons, was also released on the occasion. Courtesy : DH Note: This news is originally published on https:/deccanherald.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk calls for ban on trans hormone drugs, citing concerns over ‘extreme violent’ behavior
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said that drugs used for gender transition should be banned, arguing they are linked to violent behavior. The tech billionaire’s comment came in response to a post on X (formerly Twitter) that described the arrest of a trans-identifying person accused of breaking into a home and sexually assaulting a toddler. The post named Daniel “Dani” Senecal, who uses she/her pronouns, as the suspect. According to reports, Senecal had previously been jailed for a child sex attack and was released early from prison before the latest arrest. Musk replied to the post saying, “Something is seriously wrong. Trans sex hormone drugs are driving extreme violence and should be banned.” His remark quickly drew wide attention and has added to the debate over transgender health care and criminal justice. What are Trans hormone drugs Trans hormone drugs, as the name implies, are medicines used in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for transgender people. Doctors prescribe these under medical supervision as part of gender-affirming care. The aim is to align a person’s physical characteristics with their gender identity. The issue of access to gender-affirming medical treatments, including hormone therapy, has been highly debated in several countries. Supporters of transgender rights argue such care is essential for well-being and is backed by major medical organizations, while critics raise concerns about safety, long-term effects, and access for minors. Musk’s comment is likely to fuel further discussion, as he has previously spoken out on social and cultural issues to his audience of over 180 million followers on X. Elon Musk has been vocal about his opinion on stance against the “woke” movement and has taken significant steps, including moving company headquarters, in response to policies he views as harmful to families and businesses. The world’s richest person once called puberty blockers as “sterilization drugs”. He then criticized the term “gender affirming care” as a “terrible euphemism.” Musk recounted his realization that he had “lost his son” (Vivian who came out as transgender in 2022) to what he calls the “woke mind virus,” a term he uses to describe the ideology he believes led to his child’s transition. 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.
Dues of flour mill demanded from Dalit youth in Shivrajpur: Two goons attacked with a rod, he has been visiting the police station for two days
Two goons attacked a Dalit youth in Shivrajpur town of Kanpur countryside. The victim Sudhir Kumar runs a flour mill. He had asked for the outstanding amount from his customers. The incident happened at 7 pm. Sudhir was going home from his mill. On the way, he met Manoj Singh and Mohit Singh Chandel. Sudhir asked them for Rs 6000 for grinding flour. Both the brothers got angry at this. They used caste-specific abusive language. Then attacked with an iron rod. Sudhir got injured in the attack. The victim has accused the sub-inspector of Shivrajpur police station, Shubham Pandey. He says that no action is being taken for two days. Sudhir is continuously visiting the police station. Even after giving the application, the police have not registered a case against the accused. SHO Varun Sharma says that the application has been received and legal action is being taken. Sunil Kumar Courtesy : Hindi News
Dalit government employee falls at feet of DMK councillo
Villupuram: A controversy erupted after CCTV footage of a Dalit revenue assistant S Muniappan (30) falling at the feet of DMK councillor R Ramya, who belongs to the MBC community, and asking for “apology” at the Tindivanam Municipal Commissioner’s office in Villupuram on Wednesday went viral. The Tindivanam police have registered a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against five persons, including Ramya, her husband Marur Raja, Ravichandran (husband of the municipal chairperson), Kamaraj and Birla Selvam. In his complaint to the Tindivanam Deputy Superintendent of Police, Muniappan said, “On August 29, I was looking for a file sought by the Municipal Commissioner when Ward 20 councillor Ramya entered the room and spoke rudely to me when I could not find the file. During the argument that followed, Ramya threatened me for speaking against her.” Following this, Ramya complained to the commissioner about Muniappan’s “misbehaviour” and the commissioner sought a written complaint to take action against him. However, by 4 pm on the same day, Ramya, along with her husband Marur Raja, Ravichandran and others, called Muniappan to the commissioner’s chamber to resolve the matter, the complaint states. At the meeting, Ravichandran and Ramya allegedly threatened Muniappan with termination from his job and demanded that he apologise to Ramya. Courtesy : Hindi News
Dalit youth found dead with throat slit in Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur
His body was recovered behind a liquor shop in Kindipur market, creating panic in the locality, officials said. Sultanpur: A Dalit youth was found dead with his throat slit here on Thursday morning, police said. The victim, identified as Mahesh Kumar (35), a resident of Kindipur village, had been missing since Wednesday evening. His body was recovered behind a liquor shop in Kindipur market, creating panic in the locality, officials said. According to police, Kumar’s throat was slit with a sharp-edged weapon. Additional Superintendent of Police Akhand Pratap Singh also visited the spot and reviewed the situation. Courtesy : DH Note: This news is originally published on https:/deccanherald.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
NHRC to host national conference on rights of transgender persons
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said it firmly believes that the integration of transgender persons into society is “not just a legal or institutional responsibility, but a moral imperative” India’s apex human rights body will host a national conference on the rights of transgenders on September 4, for a “transformative change”, ensuring that every member of that community lives with dignity and has access to equal opportunities, officials said on Tuesday. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said it firmly believes that the integration of transgender persons into society is “not just a legal or institutional responsibility, but a moral imperative”. NHRC Chairperson Justice (retd) V Ramasubramanian will be the chief guest at the National Conference on the Rights of Transgender Persons, to be held at the India Habitat Centre. By convening this conference, the commission seeks to pave the way for a transformative change, ensuring that every transgender person in India is able to live with dignity, access equal opportunities, and reclaim their rightful space in society, the NHRC said in a statement. A wide spectrum of participants, including government officials, judicial and legal experts, policymakers, representatives of civil society organisations, community leaders, law enforcement agencies, and media representatives, will gather for the conference. The NHRC said that deliberations and recommendations at this conference will contribute towards strengthening inclusive policies and practices, advancing the rights of transgender persons, and reaffirming India’s commitment to the principles of human rights, equality, and justice for all. Centred on the theme ‘Revamping Spaces, Reclaiming Voices’, the event emphasises “the immediate need to tackle systemic discrimination, uplift lived experiences, and promote meaningful inclusion for transgender persons in all areas of life”, the statement said. The conference aims to create a national platform for dialogue on the rights and welfare of transgender persons, review the implementation of legal provisions and welfare schemes, and recommend practical policy reforms to strengthen institutional care, reduce stigma, and enhance access to education, healthcare, and employment. It also seeks to ensure “greater accountability and sensitisation within law enforcement agencies”, while celebrating the voices and resilience of transgender persons and acknowledging their contribution to India’s social fabric. “In the decades following Independence, transgender persons in India continued to face neglect and marginalisation, despite explicit constitutional guarantees of equality, dignity, and non-discrimination,” the NHRC said. Recognising the community’s vulnerability and these challenges, the NHRC said it has undertaken visits to assess the ground realities in operating Garima Greh shelters to ensure the initiative meets its objectives comprehensively. This assessment is part of the commission’s broader commitment to uphold the rights and welfare of transgender persons through better implementation and monitoring of such rehabilitation programmes. Building upon the findings from these visits, the NHRC has prepared a comprehensive report aimed at strengthening policies and frameworks to uphold the rights and dignity of transgender individuals. By identifying gaps in existing guidelines and highlighting effective interventions, the research provides evidence-based recommendations for policy enhancement, the statement said. In continuation of this effort, the Commission is organising the national conference on the rights of transgender persons to discuss and advance these crucial issues, officials said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever Courtesy : Mid-Day Note: This news is originally published on https:/mid-day.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Who will be the next CM of Bihar, who will become the leader of the opposition? Modi’s minister made the announcement, said a wonderful Shayari on Rahul Gandhi
Ramdas Athawale: Union Minister Ramdas Athawale reached Raipur on Wednesday to attend the Chakradhar ceremony. During this, he said that our government will be formed again in Bihar and Nitish Kumar will be the CM. Raipur: Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Ramdas Athawale reached the capital Raipur on Wednesday. He came here to attend the Chakradhar ceremony. While talking to the media, Ramdas Athawale fiercely targeted Rahul Gandhi and the opposition. Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi’s hydrogen bomb statement, he said that if Rahul Gandhi has a hydrogen bomb, he will have to send it to Pakistan. There is no need for hydrogen bomb here. Made a big claim regarding Bihar elections ‘राहुल गांधी हमेशा करते हैं शोर इसलिए हैं चोर’, मंत्री रामदास अठावले का बयान Ramdas Athawale said that Rahul Gandhi is saying wrong on vote theft. There is no fact in Rahul Gandhi’s statement. Leaving the issue of the Constitution, Rahul Gandhi is taking out a rally on the issue of vote theft. He claimed that our government will come in Bihar. Nitish Kumar will become the Chief Minister again and Tejashwi Yadav will become the leader of the opposition. Called Rahul Gandhi a thief Ramdas Athawale called Rahul Gandhi a thief in a poetic style. He said that Rahul Gandhi always makes noise, that’s why he is a thief. I think Rahul Gandhi has been saying such things. The Election Commission believes that you should show your presentation of how votes are stolen. If the votes of the opposition have increased, then you should also increase your votes. The opposition is provoking people Union Minister Ramdas Athawale said that Narendra Modi is the strong Prime Minister of the country, an attempt was made to defeat him in the year 2024. Our party’s seats decreased, an attempt was made to create controversy. Work was done to provoke Dalit Muslims. That’s why our party’s seats were reduced. Our NDA government was formed, Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister for the third time. At the same time, Ramdas Athawale defended the Maharashtra government on Maratha reservation. He said that the demand of the Maratha community was that OBC SC ST get reservation, so Maratha community should also get reservation. Meeting with officials Ramdas Athawale held a meeting with senior officials of the Chhattisgarh government and reviewed in detail the progress of various schemes run by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central Government is making serious efforts towards social justice and equal opportunity. Edited by: Pawan Tiwari About the author Pawan Kumar Tiwari is a Senior Digital Content Producer at Navbharat Times Online. I have 10 years of experience in journalism. I have a special interest in politics, crime, current affairs and off-beat news of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. I have done ground reporting in many important events along with elections. I have been associated with Navbharat Times Online since 2022. Courtesy: Hindi News
Did Rahul Gandhi’s Bihar visit strengthen the India Alliance?
Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav were always seen together during the Mahagathbandhan’s Voter Rights Yatra in Bihar. Congress gave the message of taking along the rest of the alliance parties as well. Political analysts believe that Congress seems to be gaining an edge in Bihar at the moment. New Delhi: India Alliance’s 16-day Voter Rights Yatra in Bihar ended in Patna on September 1. The Yatra, led by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, passed through 25 districts of Bihar. During this, the Yatra covered a distance of 1300 km with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, CPI-ML General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, Vikassheel Insaan Party chief Mukesh Sahni. At the end of the Yatra, Rahul Gandhi addressed the public meeting from the stage in Patna, saying ‘Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod’. When the crowd repeated this slogan loudly, Rahul Gandhi said – ‘This slogan worked.’ The yatra passed through more than 100 assembly constituencies The yatra, which passed through more than 100 of the 243 assembly constituencies in Bihar, has strengthened the position of the RJD-led opposition alliance ahead of the Bihar elections in November this year. The question is whether the unity of the Mahagathbandhan seen during this yatra will be able to maintain its momentum? On this question, Tejashwi Yadav says that there is no need to worry about it, we are working on it. But one question is still being asked that what was the achievement of this yatra? 1990…when Congress became politically extinct Before knowing the answer to this question, let us go back. Congress became politically extinct in Bihar in 1990, and Lalu Prasad Yadav came to power. In the 2000 assembly elections, Congress got only 23 seats. Later, the party joined the alliance with Lalu-led RJD. The country’s oldest party performed better in the 2015 elections when JDU supremo and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar joined the grand alliance. At that time, Congress won 27 seats. Congress’s weak performance responsible for the defeat of the grand alliance? However, in the 2020 elections, when Nitish returned to the NDA, the Congress contested 70 seats and won only 19 seats, while its ally RJD emerged as the largest party with 75 seats. The NDA returned to power by winning 125 seats, while the grand alliance got 110 seats. The weak performance of the Congress was blamed for this minor defeat of the grand alliance. Congress gained lead in Muslim areas Senior journalist of Indian Express Santosh Singh says on this visit of Rahul Gandhi, Congress also gained lead in many Muslim-dominated constituencies including RJD strongholds like Darbhanga, Madhubani and Araria. The decline of the Congress in the state began after its alleged failures in handling the 1989 Bhagalpur riots, which led to a large section of Muslim voters moving to the Janata Dal and later to the RJD. After becoming the chief minister for his first term in 1990, Lalu became a prominent leader of the minority community in the state. Santosh Singh says that before Rahul Gandhi started his Voter Rights Yatra, the Congress was called the ‘weak link’ of the Mahagathbandhan. But, with the huge crowds gathering in this yatra across the state, the Congress got an edge as it was mainly a demonstration of the party under Rahul’s leadership. How much does RJD need the support of the Congress? With outgoing chief minister Nitish Kumar battling health issues, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to lead the NDA’s election campaign in the Bihar elections. In such a situation, the RJD will be more dependent on Rahul to counter PM Modi’s campaign at the national level. Rahul gave a message of taking everyone along Throughout his yatra, Rahul Gandhi was accompanied by Tejashwi, the leader of opposition in the Bihar assembly, which brought him into the national spotlight, while also cementing his position as the chief ministerial face of the Mahagathbandhan for the elections, albeit unofficially. Though Rahul evaded a reporter’s question about Tejashwi’s chief ministerial candidature in Araria during the yatra, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, who joined the yatra in Ara on August 30, called for ‘supporting Tejashwi’ to build a new Bihar. Subsequently, Tejashwi also projected himself as the opposition alliance’s chief ministerial candidate in the Ara and Patna legs of the yatra and asked the crowd whether they wanted a real or fake chief minister. He targeted Nitish, saying he was allegedly ‘copying’ his various proposed welfare schemes like enhanced social security pension, free electricity and youth commission. Mahagathbandhan unity visible? Rahul made the trip to raise his allegations of “vote theft” in various elections against the ruling BJP and the Election Commission (EC) and to protest the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter list in Bihar. The SIR slogan united the entire opposition party India, which was seen throughout the trip as several faces from the alliance joined in from time to time, from DMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin to Akhilesh and JMM chief and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, TMC’s Yusuf Pathan and Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut. Pappu Yadav also joined, impact on 15 seats In view of the yatra, the Mahagathbandhan has now been joined by Independent MP from Purnia, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, who had bad relations with RJD despite being associated with Congress. Pappu Yadav has influence on about 15 seats including Supaul, Madhepura, Saharsa, Araria and Purnia in Kosi-Seemanchal region. Pappu had merged his Jan Adhikar Party with Congress ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, but had to contest as a rebel from Purnia after the party refused to give him a ticket under pressure from RJD. Despite this, he managed to win the seat by defeating JDU MP Santosh Kushwaha along with RJD candidate Bikram Singh. Edited by: Varun Shailesh About the author Varun Shailesh is an Assistant News Editor at Navbharat Times Online. He has more than 15 years of experience in current affairs, politics, social issues and features. Started career with news agency IANS
Cong launches ‘Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod’ stir from Kamptee, Sapkal predicts early polls
Nagpur: The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Wednesday launched its state-wide ‘Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod’ agitation from Kamptee. State president Harshwardhan Sapkal claimed that the Narendra Modi government had been rattled after Rahul Gandhi exposed the BJP’s alleged vote theft. He asserted that the PM would be forced to step down and that early elections could take place any time, urging party workers to start preparations. Addressing a rally at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) premises in Kamptee, Sapkal also warned the government against “tampering with democracy.” He alleged that the BJP came to power through vote theft and that the malpractice began in Kamptee constituency, represented by former state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule. “Since Rahul Gandhi exposed the irregularities here, we launched our state-wide agitation from Kamptee. We will not remain silent until these ‘vote thieves’ are pulled down from power,” he said. In an apparent reference to the RSS chief’s remarks, Sapkal claimed that Nagpur had ordered leaders above 75 years of age to retire. “The ground is slipping from under PM Modi’s feet, and he will be forced to step down. A new dispensation inspired by Shiv, Shahu, Phule, and Ambedkar will replace the BJP,” he added. Congress legislature party leader in the Assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar, alleged massive irregularities in the voter lists, claiming that one house in Chandrapur showed 56 children while a 10×10 room had 109 registered voters. “The BJP won 132 seats through vote theft. The Kamptee strongman was at the forefront of this. Voters will eventually punish these thieves,” he claimed. Legislative Council group leader Satej Patil said Rahul Gandhi’s August 7 press conference on vote theft had drawn global attention and raised doubts about whether citizens’ votes were being counted correctly. “We must now take this fight to the people and strengthen Rahul Gandhi’s hands,” he added. Senior leaders Balasaheb Thorat, Sunil Kedar, Yashomati Thakur, Naseem Khan, Rajendra Mulak, Congress MPs Pratibha Dhanorkar, Shyamkumar Barve, Balwant Wankhede, Prashant Padole, as well as AICC secretaries Kunal Chaudhary and Praful Gudhde, also targeted the BJP and the Election Commission. A large number of workers and citizens attended the rally. 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 devadasis lowest on social ladder’— Karnataka tackles twin stigma of caste, sex work
Despite being banned, the devadasi system still traps tens of thousands of Dalit women in Karnataka. A new survey and state law target both caste oppression and sex work stigma. Ballari/Koppal/Bagalkot: When Huligemma went to school for the first time, the teacher asked her father’s name. She did not have any idea. Whispers followed her down the corridor — “sule maklu”, prostitute’s child. “I never looked for a father. Although I always knew a father figure in life would have security, which my mother did. I heard people saying my mother is a devadasi. It took me time to understand,” said the 21-year-old, who lives with her mother Kenchamma and three siblings in Sandur village, Ballari district. Now a new state law in Karnataka is going beyond a 1982 ban on the devadasi system. It promises housing, healthcare, inheritance rights, and protection from stigma for both devadasis and their children. The practice, which consecrates mostly Dalit women to temples but brands them as prostitutes, continues to haunt tens of thousands of lives across the state. But who benefits also depends on who gets counted. The State Human Rights Commission has asked the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government to finish a survey of Devadasis and submit recommendations by 23 October. The last survey in 2007-08 counted 46,660 women across Karnataka. The reach of the new law’s benefits will depend on how this survey is done. If, as before, it includes only women dedicated before the 1982 ban, younger Devadasis like Kenchamma — and by extension her daughter — will be left out again. Earlier this month, Siddaramaiah announced that the Devadasi survey will be carried out starting from the first week of September. “If the Devadasi system is still alive today, it is a matter of shame for all of us,” he said. Devadasis are poised at the thorny intersection of caste, religion, and sex work. Huligemma first heard about the Karnataka Devadasi (Prevention, Prohibition, Relief and Rehabilitation) Act, 2025, passed in the state assembly on 18 August, through a community newsletter. She narrated it to her mother, who struggles to read. “My mother is hopeful we four children will now be able to live a life free of poverty and discrimination,” said Huligemma. In their single-room home, she prepares sugary milk tea for Kenchamma. “I know the horrors. I will never let my daughter go through this,” said Kenchamma, a frail 45-year-old who was only ten when her parents dedicated her as a devadasi because she was “beautiful” and they needed the money. She pulls out two necklaces hidden under her blouse: a white-red beaded muthu and a mangalsutra tied at the temple. They were meant to mark her as a handmaiden of the goddess; in practice, they marked her out to men as a sex worker. When I was applying for a passport, it was so difficult to get away with the column for my father’s name. It was the worst experience. With this law, devadasi children will no longer be subjected to such atrocity -Nari Kamakshi, daughter of a devadasi “It is the worst practice, people only see you as a sex worker,” said Kenchamma, who now works as a farm labourer. More than her three sons, she dotes on Huligemma, who is doing her BA (general course) at a local college. But it’s a struggle. She has not been able to pay fees for this term. “I do not want to leave studying, it is the only way my family and I can move out of this hell,” Huligemma said. Centuries ago, no one knows exactly when, girls from poor families were dedicated to goddesses to serve in temples. What began as ritual worship turned into systematic sexual exploitation of Dalit women, particularly from Madiga, Madar, and Holeya communities. In Karnataka, about 95 percent of devadasis are Dalit. In 1982, the state banned the practice through the Devadasis (Prohibition of Dedication) Act. Yet the system stayed entrenched across northern districts like Belagavi, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Koppal, Ballari, Raichur and Kalaburagi. To wrest themselves free, women have relied on educating children and asserting dignity through caste pride. The state’s role has been minimal, though those counted in the last survey received devadasi certificates through which they accessed some benefits. Some received land, pensions of around Rs 2,500, and financial incentives for marriage—Rs 3 lakh for men marrying a devadasi, Rs 5 lakh for women. This time, devadasis had a bigger say in shaping the law. It was drafted after seven months of research by a National Law School of India University (NLSIU) team working with NGOs, activists, and more than 15,000 devadasis. Children of 15 devadasis documented problems and suggestions across districts in northern Karnataka. Consultations followed, with the community itself proposing changes to improve their lives. RV Chandrashekar, coordinator of the drafting committee, said the survey would spell out caste details and show how the practice is bound up with casteist oppression. “Among Dalit women, devadasis are lowest on the social ladder, and the caste census in the survey will prove that,” he said. “It will give them and their children a better life.” In the Harijan colony of Bagalkot’s Rabkavi town, 33-year-old Lakshmi drapes a red-and-white chiffon saree, puts on lipstick and kajal, and sends her two children to the back room. It is sundown, the time when she starts getting customers at her doorstep, though she’s worried the incessant rain might keep them away. Lakshmi is a second-generation devadasi. She was 12 when her mother encouraged her into the profession. Unlike her four sisters, who were good at studies, her only skill was singing and dancing. For her desperately poor Dalit household, dedicating her was a way out. “Ma told me not to make noise, cooperate with the man, just do the deed,” said Lakshmi. “I did not cry, I was numb. It was just for 20 minutes.” She laughed as she spoke, as if the memory belonged to someone else. Fifteen years later, Lakshmi sits in