The Forgotten Stakeholders of the Ken-Betwa Project: Why Dalit Voices Must Matter in India’s Largest River-Linking Experiment
The Ken-Betwa River Link Project, when it is discussed, tends to be overshadowed by the discussions on irrigation potential, ecological impacts and the future of the Panna Tiger Reserve. These are clearly important issues, but one crucial aspect has been largely ignored. It is the impact on Dalit people whose lives and livelihoods are intrinsically linked to the land now destined for transformation. As India embarks on one of its most ambitious water infrastructure projects, the question is not whether rivers can be interconnected but whether it is possible to grow in a socially just and inclusive manner. Development has never been asocial Major infrastructure investments rarely impact all communities equally. People who own property, have money and political power are usually better placed to get compensation or to rebuild their lives. Marginalised communities, particularly Dalits, tend to come into such processes with fewer assets, less bargaining power and a greater dependence on shared resources. In Bundelkhand, many Dalit households depend on agricultural wage labour, grazing grounds, woods, riverbanks and village commons for their survival. Even if they do not own the land being acquired, they risk losing access to economic networks that support their everyday life. That creates a dangerous paradox: a project aimed at reducing regional inequality may actually exacerbate existing socioeconomic inequities if rehabilitation policies are exclusively targeted at landowners. Hidden costs of displacement Public debate around rehabilitation often centres on compensation for seized land. But many Dalit households rely on labour for their livelihood, rather than ownership. Relocation of villages changes agricultural patterns and may eliminate job opportunities. While landowners may be compensated or given alternative plots of land, agricultural workers tend to lose both their livelihoods and social support systems. Seasonal jobs, access to forests for fuelwood, collection of minor forest produce, cattle grazing and informal economic activity could be lost overnight. Without understanding these losses, rehabilitation risks being a bureaucratic exercise rather than an exercise in meaningful justice. The pay is as important as the representation The Constitution guarantees equality before the law, but in reality participation in development planning is uneven. Important questions need to be asked: Were Dalit settlements consulted separately in public hearings? Were their interests tracked separately from the big landholding interests? Do rehabilitation committees effectively represent the scheduled castes? Are compensation schemes intended to recognize dependence on a livelihood, not just legal ownership? These questions are meant to bolster, not to stymie, growth. The Indian environmental governance framework is more about involvement. But meaningful participation also requires an understanding that communities are not homogenous. Social hierarchies in communities often determine who gets to be heard and whose concerns are dismissed. Learning from Previous Development Projects The history of India’s big dams, mining projects, industrial corridors and urban expansion tells us a familiar story: exposed areas often pay higher prices with fewer long-term benefits. Research on displacement in infrastructure projects has often found that Scheduled Castes and other marginal groups recover livelihoods more slowly due to a lack of economic assets and institutional support. The Ken-Betwa project is a chance to break free from this trend. Anusreeta Dutta 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
Dhampur: Two accused arrested and charged after altercation with woman
Dhampur police have arrested and charged two young men in connection with the assault of a Dalit youth. The incident occurred after an alleged altercation with a woman. The incident occurred near Chak Sahajani village in Dhampur, where a Dalit youth was assaulted by three or four unidentified youths. Vivek Kumar, son of Pramod Kumar, a resident of Nangli Ladan village in the police station area, filed a police complaint. Vivek told police that he works as a mechanic at a local business. He had frequent disputes with a woman, Sonu, and her family at the same business. This dispute occurred on Wednesday. According to police, two young men living in the neighborhood, along with their friends, assaulted Vivek at the instigation of Sonu’s family. Inspector Ravindra Pratap Singh stated that the arrested accused have been identified as Adnan from Bamnoli and Ali from Delhi Bhatpura. They were accompanied by two other unidentified individuals. Police have arrested Adnan and Ali and issued a challan against them. Based on Vivek’s complaint, police have also named Sonu, wife of Manish. Shahbaz Anwar | Dhampur Alaihpur (Dhampur), Bijnor Courtesy: Hindi News
An unflinching portrait of Dalit life | Review of Chandu Maheria’s Homes without Windows
Translated by Hemang Ashwinkumar, Maheria’s book offers an intimate account of caste, poverty, and survival in urban Gujarat but is undermined by an embellished translation Monsoon arrived in Gujarat just as I finished reading Homes without Windows, a collection of 11 autobiographical essays by Dalit activist Chandu Maheria, translated by Hemang Ashwinkumar. Originally written in the Gujarati and published in non-literary magazines, these essays are now available in English. “Today, when I utter stuff like I don’t like monsoon or the prospect of getting wet in rain, my audience gasps, their eyebrows raised in mock surprise. How could someone, who has spent most of his life’s monsoons in just two pairs of mostly wet clothes, still like to get soaked is a question beyond them…,” writes Maheria in one of the essays. For him, the monsoon evokes memories of hellish public toilets, the scramble to cover the house with a sheet of cheap tarpaulin, rainwater flooding homes and streets, and his mother praying to Varun, the god of rain. In the chawls of Rajpur, where Maheria spent most of his life, there was little time to marvel at the beauty of a rainbow. A life of deprivation When you enter Ahmedabad, the commercial capital of Gujarat, from the eastern side, a dense web of chawls lines both sides of the main road, inhabited mostly by Muslims, Dalits, Christians, and poor communities. Maheria takes us into the heart of this labyrinth. He introduces us to its seasons and festivals, its sorrows and moments of happiness despite scarcity and untouchability, its schools, toilets, and hospitals, and the enduring presence of B.R. Ambedkar and M.K. Gandhi in the lives of its people. Maheria’s childhood was marked by extreme food deprivation. His father, a textile mill worker, was the sole breadwinner of a family of nine. During Maheria’s early school years, the children received a glass of milk every day before classes, but little else. Maheria writes about those dark days with disarming honesty. There were times when a relative who delivered tiffin boxes would stop by their home at the end of his rounds and let the family eat the leftovers from the boxes. At the end of the chapter, Maheria expresses his gratitude for the reservation policy, which enabled him and his siblings to pursue education and secure jobs and escape those years of hardship. In another chapter, he writes, “As if the question of filling the bottomless pits of hunger was not vexed enough, the daily dilemma of emptying our bowels had made our lives, both personal and social, embarrassing and miserable.” Their dingy dwelling, Abu Kasai’s chawl, did not have a single public toilet of its own, forcing its residents to use the filthy toilets in the neighbouring Hiralal’s chawl. Decades later, a large, modern, and well-maintained public toilet stands there, yet it remains beyond the reach of the daily-wage poor and the unemployed because it costs one rupee per visit. As a result, it is seldom used by the local residents, who have wryly come to call it ‘The Mayor’s Bungalow’. Maheria, a noted scholar of Dalit life in Gujarat, has important points to make in the ever-contentious debate on Gandhi and Ambedkar. Unlike many of his Dalit friends, he admires Gandhi. He writes, “Gandhi might have been anything — call him whatever names — but one thing he was certainly not was anti-Dalit.” Maheria loved wearing Khadi despite his mother’s opposition; his father too was anti-Gandhi. Yet Maheria affectionately refers to Gandhi as “That Fellow, Gandhido.” When Maheria was just two years away from retirement, he received a promotion along with a transfer to a town called Dhoraji in the Saurashtra region. There the author says he repeatedly encountered the question, “Tame keva? (What caste are you?)”, which he had never been asked in urban Gujarat. While much of his writing focuses on Dalit life in urban Gujarat, his two-year stay in this dusty town offers a glimpse into caste discrimination and the ways in which Dalits and Muslims are excluded from the broader development agenda. It also shows how these communities are pushed into segregated ghettos on the outskirts of so-called developing towns. Losing the writer’s voice Having read the original Gujarati essays alongside their English translations, I have a few observations about Ashwinkumar’s translation. A translator’s foremost responsibility is to preserve the original author’s voice and tonal quality. Maheria’s language is simple and he rarely uses ornamental expressions; his economy of words is almost Gandhian. In many places, however, the English translation departs from this restraint by adding flourishes. In the chapter on Diwali, for instance, the translation reads: “Ramanbhai worked tirelessly…treating the wall as a wide canvas, painting it in broad strokes. Thanks to his speed and finesse, the whole drawing room, the biggest room in the house, would be taken care of by the afternoon.” In the original Gujarati, this is a single sentence. The added phrases do not align with Maheria’s sparse style. Moreover, the sentence is factually inaccurate: in the original, there is no drawing room; it refers instead to a small, single thatched room in a chawl. The use of the words “drawing room” creates a misleading impression. A translator should remain faithful to the original text and avoid such liberties. Despite these concerns, Homes Without Windows remains an important and deeply affecting work. Maheria’s essays offer an intimate, lived account of caste, poverty, and survival in urban Gujarat. What stays with the reader is the dignity and wit with which he recounts them. Maheria’s voice continues to insist on being heard. Mehul Devkala The reviewer is a Gujarati poet, writer, and award-winning filmmaker. 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
Judge asks Pentagon how troop TRT differs from care denied to trans men
A US judge has asked the Pentagon to explain how testosterone therapy for troops differs from hormone treatment for transgender men. The order sharpens scrutiny of the military’s unequal medical standards as Trump’s ban remains in force. A US judge has asked the Pentagon to explain how testosterone replacement therapy for troops differs from hormone treatment given to transgender men in the military, as she hears a legal challenge to President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender service members. US District Judge Ana Reyes in Washington raised the issue after Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a new initiative to screen troops for low testosterone and offer voluntary treatment. Reyes said the court wanted both sides to address the medical and logistical similarities and differences between testosterone replacement therapy, or TRT, for trans men and for other service members, including cis individuals. In her order on Wednesday, Reyes pointed to language in Trump’s ban which says “the Armed Forces must adhere to high mental and physical health standards … without the benefit of routine medical treatment or special provisions.” She also sought information on the Pentagon’s “basis for treating trans men and other service members differently between this new policy and the Military Ban”. The order came a week after Hegseth said the Pentagon was launching a screening programme for “testosterone deficiency” among troops, saying it was needed to help them perform at their “absolute best”. He said annual screenings would be part of mandatory medical checks for service members aged 30 and above, while those under 30 could choose to be tested. In a video posted on social media, Hegseth said testosterone replacement therapy would be voluntary. The issue comes amid wider advocacy by other Trump administration officials for easier access to testosterone replacement therapies for men. However, the messaging from Hegseth and others has mixed established science on the hormone with broader claims that are less substantiated. Testosterone levels in men naturally decline with age and have long been linked to problems such as erectile dysfunction, low libido, mood changes and weight gain. Experts, however, have debated for years how such problems should be diagnosed and whether replacing the hormone is the right treatment. Reyes, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, is handling one of the lawsuits against Trump’s transgender military ban. Transgender active-duty service members and former personnel seeking to re-enlist filed the case in late January 2025, soon after Trump began his second term. Reyes had earlier ruled against Trump’s executive order excluding transgender troops, but a divided federal appeals court panel later sent the case back to her after partly upholding her order and finding that the ban was unlawful and that the service members who sued could not be removed. She has since granted the case class-action status, meaning any eventual outcome could apply to all service members. For now, Trump’s ban on transgender troops remains in force, with the US Supreme Court allowing the Pentagon to enforce it while the legal battle continues. Reyes’ latest order has brought fresh focus to how the military is treating testosterone therapy for different groups of service members. Courtesy : India Today Note: This news is originally published on https:/indiatoday.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Students call for statewide bandh on July 24 in Telangana
Addressing a press conference in Hyderabad on Thursday, representatives of the student organisations alleged that repeated failures in the examination system had pushed the education sector into a crisis. HYDERABAD: A joint forum of student organisations has called for a statewide bandh of educational institutions across Telangana on July 24, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the conduct of the NEET examination and repeated paper leak controversies. The bandh call has been issued by the Telangana state units of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), All India Students’ Federation (AISF), National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU), All India Forum for Democratic Students (AIFDS), All India Students Bloc (AISB), and All India Progressive Students Union (AIPSU). Addressing a press conference in Hyderabad on Thursday, representatives of the student organisations alleged that repeated failures in the examination system had pushed the education sector into a crisis. They demanded that National Testing Agency (NTA) be scrapped. 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
“PM has caused the most damage to the future of the youth,” Rahul Gandhi counters PM Modi’s statement on the paper leak.
Rahul Gandhi, responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement on the student protests, accused the government of weakening the education system. He also accused the PM of harming the future of students. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave his first public response to the ongoing student protests at Jantar Mantar and the paper leak issue by writing on X. He stated on X that the welfare and future of the youth are his top priority. He also called for the establishment of fast-track courts for paper leak cases and strict punishment for the culprits. Rahul Gandhi sharply responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement via the social media platform X. Rahul Gandhi, responding on X, directly attacked the government. He stated that the Prime Minister and his government have caused the most damage to the future of the youth. He alleged that the government allowed the education system to weaken and protected those responsible for this. Rahul Gandhi’s response to the PM’s statement Rahul Gandhi wrote, “You have caused the greatest harm to the future of our youth. You not only allowed the complete takeover and destruction of our education system, but also encouraged it. You protected everyone responsible for it.” Reiterates Students’ Three Demands Rahul Gandhi said that the students’ demands are clear. He reiterated three demands: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan should be removed from his post. An apology should be issued to the students. Action should be taken against those who committed violence against students. What did PM Modi say? Prime Minister Modi wrote on X that the interests and future of the youth are of paramount importance. He said that fast-track courts will be set up to expedite the hearing of paper leak cases. The concerned officials have been instructed to take necessary action and those who tamper with the future of the youth will not be spared. Curated by: Tina About the Author Tina works as a consultant at Navbharat Times Online and is in the process of establishing her identity in the world of digital journalism. Currently, she actively covers national, crime, jungle news, good news, and local news. Additionally, she works with NBT’s social media team to deliver impactful and reliable content to users on digital platforms. Courtesy: Hindi News
PM Modi announces fast-track courts for paper leak cases; Rahul, CJP hit back: 10 developments
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced that the Centre will set up fast-track courts to ensure “swift and stringent punishment” for those involved in examination paper leaks. In a post on X, PM Modi said the government had directed the concerned authorities to take all necessary steps to safeguard students’ interests, asserting that those responsible for compromising the future of the country’s youth “will not be spared”. The announcement triggered sharp response from the opposition with Congress dismissing it as inadequate and reiterating its demand for Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. Here are the 10 key developments: PM Modi announces fast-track courts PM Modi said the Centre would establish fast-track courts to ensure speedy trials and strict punishment in paper leak cases. Announcing the move on X, he said, “Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth! We have decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks. Have directed the concerned authorities and officials to take all necessary steps in this regard. This continues our series of steps for safeguarding the interests of students. Those who try to harm the future of our youth will not be spared.” Rahul Gandhi says PM ‘harmed the future of our youth’ Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi rejected the Prime Minister’s announcement, accusing the government of presiding over the collapse of the education system. In a post on X, he wrote: “You are the one who has harmed the future of our youth the most. You allowed and encouraged the total capture and destruction of our education system–and protected every person responsible for it.” Rahul Gandhi also reiterated the Opposition’s three demands — the immediate dismissal of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, an apology to students and action against those responsible for alleged police excesses during the protests. PM will ensure that no culprit is spared: BJP President Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement, BJP President Nitin Nabin reiterated the government’s commitment to accountability. He said, “The Prime Minister has stated before and continues to state that he is prepared to investigate every issue. He will introduce fast-track courts to ensure that those responsible face action. He will ensure that no culprit is spared. The nation and the world know that Narendra Modi’s resolution means achieving it.” Protests disrupt Parliament MPs from both the NDA and the INDIA bloc staged protests opposite each other at Makar Dwar within the Parliament premises in Delhi. The uproar continued inside the Lok Sabha, where proceedings were adjourned until 12 noon following loud protests by Opposition MPs. Delhi HC to hear plea seeking NIA probe into ‘Sansad Chalo’ protest The Delhi high court will hear on Friday a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the July 20 “Sansad Chalo” protest over the alleged NEET paper leak. The matter was mentioned before a Bench comprising Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia. Appearing for the petitioner, Advocate Barun Kumar Sinha sought an urgent hearing, following which the court agreed to list the case for Friday. The PIL also seeks the transfer of all Delhi Police FIRs related to the protest to a specialised investigating agency and action against those allegedly involved in the violence. 16 Delhi Metro stations shut amid CJP protests Sixteen Delhi Metro stations were closed from 7.30am on Thursday until further notice as security was tightened amid Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests in the national capital. According to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), entry and exit have been suspended at stations including Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat, Mandi House and Lok Kalyan Marg, although interchange facilities remain available at Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House and Central Secretariat. “Service Update: The below-mentioned Metro stations will be closed from 07:30 AM till further instructions. However, interchange facilities shall remain available at Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House, and Central Secretariat,” the DMRC said on X. Delhi Police confirms personnel were targeted during CJP protest after viral CCTV footage Delhi Police on Thursday confirmed that police officers and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel were targeted during the Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) ‘Chalo Sansad’ protest on July 20, after CCTV footage of the violence went viral on social media. Police said the video, which they confirmed was authentic, showed protesters pelting stones and vandalising property, including smashing glass windows at shops and a petrol pump. The clashes left more than 118 police personnel, including several senior officers and women officers, injured, while around 60 protesters were also hurt. Dharmendra Pradhan must resign: CJP The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) PM Modi’s announcement on fast-track courts did not address accountability and reiterated its demand for Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke shared an image of Pradhan captioned, “Hi, my name is nothing”, while the party posted, “Dharmendra Pradhan Must Resign.” CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said, “The first thing is that it is good that after one-and-a-half months of protests, the prime minister has finally taken notice. Perhaps his foreign visits are over and he has returned to India, which is a good thing.” He added, “But what punishment are you imposing after the paper leak has already taken place? That is not going to solve the problem of paper leaks. The real question is why paper leaks are happening in the first place. That question must be answered.” Clashes erupt at Jantar Mantar, six police personnel injured On Wednesday night, fresh clashes broke out between protesters and security personnel at Jantar Mantar, with police firing tear gas shells and carrying out a baton charge to disperse the crowd. At least six police personnel, including two ACP-rank officers, were injured in separate incidents of alleged stone-pelting, according to police sources. Authorities said “anti-social” elements had infiltrated the protest, escalating tensions and attacking security personnel. Internet jammers were later activated in parts of central Delhi as security was tightened. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is
Amethi: Case of kidnapping and conversion of a Dalit minor girl; police detain accused Jabir
A case of luring, kidnapping, conversion, and sexual assault of a Dalit girl has come to light in Sangrampur, Amethi. Amethi: A case of forced conversion and rape has come to light in Amethi district, Uttar Pradesh. A young man from a particular community kidnapped a Dalit girl from the same village and fled. He then forced her to convert and raped her. He also threatened to kill her family if they objected. Police arrest accused: Following a complaint from the victim’s family, police have recovered the accused youth and the girl and initiated legal proceedings. The mother of a Dalit girl from a village in the Sangrampur police station area of the district wrote in a complaint to the police that her fifteen-year-old daughter is unmarried. Jabir, son of Karamat Ali, had been sexually abusing her for approximately three to four years. He also pressured her to marry him. Allegation of death threats: The mother wrote in the complaint that they were poor and did not report the matter due to public shame. Jabir repeatedly insulted her and her family with casteist slurs and threatened to convert her daughter to Islam and marry her. If she or anyone in her family objected, he would kill them all. On July 20th, at 10 a.m., Jabir lured her daughter away from their home, promising to force her to convert. Terror grips the victim’s family: She informed her husband, who works in Haryana, over the phone. The family subsequently searched for her daughter in various locations, but could not find any trace of her or Jabir. Jabir had been pressuring her to convert and harassing her for a long time. Police filed an FIR: The teenager’s brother stated that Jabir had lured his sister into a love affair and fled with her on Monday. He assaulted their sister, forced her to convert, and sexually assaulted her. He was also continuously threatening to kill them. He threatened to kill them if they went to the police. Minor girl recovered, accused Jabir in custody: The victim complained to the police at Sangrampur police station, and the police immediately swung into action as the case involved religious conversion. Police recovered the accused youth and the teenager on Tuesday, registered a case, and initiated legal proceedings. However, the victim’s family remains terrified. Additional Superintendent of Police Gyanendra Kumar stated that a minor girl from a village in the Sangrampur police station area was forcibly converted and abducted by a man under the pretext of marriage. A case has been registered at the Sangrampur police station under relevant sections. Further legal action is being taken after the girl has been recovered and the youth has been detained. Courtesy: Hindi News
Dalit activist passes away
Mangaluru: M Devadas,74, one of the founding functionaries of the Dalit movement in undivided Dakshina Kannada, and a participant and guide in people’s movements in Dakshina Kannada, has passed away following cardiac arrest on Wednesday. According to CPM district secretary Muneer Katipalla, when the Dalit Sangharsh Samiti (DSS) was launched in the state, M Devadas worked hard to initiate the Dalit movement in the coastal district. He travelled across the district to build the organisation. He made significant efforts to create ideological awareness and self-respect among Dalits. In the Mangaluru region, he organised several protests in association with leftist and rationalist organisations. Devadas also contributed to building platforms of like-minded groups and organising joint struggles. He was an inspiration to a new generation of activists. Following health issues, he was admitted to a hospital on July 12. He is survived by his wife and two daughters. The CPM Dakshina Kannada District Committee and other organisations have condoled his death. 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
Attack on Dalit youth in Jaunpur: Case filed against 4 under various sections including SC/ST Act
An attack on Dalit youth has been reported in the Sarpataha police station area of Jaunpur. A case has been filed against four named accused under various sections including the SC/ST Act in this attack, which occurred near the Mirzapur-Rudhauli culvert due to an old rivalry. Police have begun investigating the matter. Saurabh, son of Ramesh, a resident of Sawayan village, stated in his complaint to the police that Kuldeep, Kishan, Aman, and Deepchand Yadav attacked him on the evening of July 18th. Saurabh’s head was fractured in the attack, which involved punches, kicks, and injuries. Rakesh suffered serious leg injuries and was also strangled. The victims also alleged that the attackers used casteist slurs and threatened to kill him. The incident was reported to police on 112. Police arrived at the scene as soon as they received the information, but by then all the accused had fled. Police recovered a motorcycle from the scene. Station Head Ramasray Rai stated that based on the victim’s complaint, a case has been registered against four accused under various sections of the SC/ST Act and other sections. Further legal action is being taken in the matter. Ashutosh Dubey | Suithakalan Courtesy: Hindi News