Punjab Congress embroiled in Jat Sikh vs. Dalit conflict, BJP sees an opportunity and offers Channi a deal
Former CM Channi is known as a prominent leader of the Dalit community in Punjab. The meeting was also attended by Rajendra Gautam, chairman of the Congress’s Scheduled Caste department. Currently, top positions in the Punjab Congress unit are held by Jat Sikh leaders. Internal strife has once again surfaced within the Punjab Congress. The matter is related to the Jat Sikh versus Dalit leadership dispute in the Punjab Congress. The issue escalated when a video of former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi went viral. In the video, which went viral on social media, Channi can be heard demanding representation for Dalits in the party. The MP from Jalandhar also clarified that he did not speak about any particular caste or community and that he was a victim of malicious propaganda on social media. During his address at a meeting of the party’s Scheduled Caste (SC) wing on Saturday, Channi had said, “If you accept that the Dalit population in Punjab is 35 to 38 percent, which it actually is, then why are we not getting proper representation?” What Channi said about Dalits He further added, “The Punjab (Congress) president is from an upper caste, the leader of the legislative party is from an upper caste, the head of the Punjab Congress women’s wing is from an upper caste, the Punjab (Congress) general secretary is from an upper caste? So where do we go? Where will these people go?” Another video of him has also gone viral in which Channi is seen appealing to people not to record videos before he speaks. The Punjab Assembly elections are about two years away and are scheduled for 2027. Channi is known as a prominent leader of the Dalit community in Punjab. The meeting was also attended by Rajendra Gautam, chairman of the Congress’s Scheduled Caste department. However, the truth is that currently, top positions in the Punjab Congress unit are held by Jat Sikh leaders. The president of the Punjab Congress unit is Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and the Leader of the Opposition is Pratap Singh Bajwa. What did former CM Channi say about the controversy? Earlier, when Channi was asked about this, he said, “I didn’t say anything like that in the meeting.” He had called the whole matter propaganda, but now Channi’s speech in the meeting has revealed the truth behind the ongoing Jat Sikh versus Dalit leadership dispute in Punjab Congress. However, the Congress party has also become alert after this matter came to light. According to a party source, this issue is likely to be discussed in the meeting of state-level leaders called by the party high command on January 23. Congress in turmoil, BJP targets the party Amidst this development, BJP leader Kewal Singh Dhillon on Monday urged Channi to join the BJP, saying that he would get due respect in the party. Dhillon said in a post on X, “Channi ji, as a proud Punjabi, I believe that your stance on Dalit representation reflects leadership and secular values. In the Punjab unit of the BJP, you will get respect, dignity and a real opportunity to serve every community. Let’s work together for the future of Punjab.” Mohit Malhotra Courtesy: Hindi News
Sultanpur: Rahul Gandhi given final chance in defamation case, must appear in MP-MLA court on February 20
Rahul Gandhi Defamation Case: The MP-MLA court in Sultanpur has given Congress leader Rahul Gandhi a final opportunity in the defamation case. Sultanpur: The MP-MLA court has given Congress leader and Raebareli MP Rahul Gandhi a final chance in the defamation case. The court has ordered Rahul Gandhi to appear in person and record his statement on February 20. The case was heard on Monday. During the previous hearing, the witness in the case, Ramchandra Dubey, had recorded his statement. Following this, cross-examination was conducted by the lawyers. However, Rahul Gandhi could not be present in court during this hearing. Rahul Gandhi’s lawyer stated that Rahul Gandhi will appear in the MP-MLA court on February 20. This case is related to a statement made almost eight years ago during the Karnataka assembly elections. It is alleged that Rahul Gandhi made objectionable remarks about the current Home Minister Amit Shah at that time. BJP leader Vijay Mishra, feeling aggrieved by this remark, had filed a complaint against Rahul Gandhi. Currently, the case is being heard in the MP-MLA court. Rahul Gandhi has already recorded his statement and is currently out on bail. Curated by: Devesh Pandey About the Author Devesh Pandey is a consultant at Navbharat Times Online. He has 8 years of experience working in TV channels and digital media. He has experience and interest in politics and sports. He covered several IPL matches and the World Cup 2023 in Lucknow. In politics, he also covered the 2017 and 2022 UP elections. Courtesy: Hindi News
On two-day visit to Rae Bareli, Rahul to lead save MGNREGA campaign
Lucknow: Congress MP and leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will begin a two-day visit to his parliamentary constituency Rae Bareli from Tuesday where he is scheduled to address an “MGNREGA Chaupal” as part of the party’s nationwide campaign, ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’. On Tuesday, he is expected to address the ‘chaupal’ in Unchahar area, where the Congress plans to highlight issues related to rural employment and livelihoods. The outreach comes against the backdrop of the BJP govt repealing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and introducing the Viksit Bharat — Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (VB-G RAM G Act). According to party sources, Gandhi will also visit villages in his constituency to interact with residents and discuss local issues, including concerns surrounding the new legislation. Later in the day, he will inaugurate a cricket tournament at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, where former India cricketer RP Singh, a Rae Bareli native, is expected to be present. On Jan 21, Gandhi is scheduled to hold meetings with party officials and workers from Rae Bareli and neighbouring Amethi. Amethi MP Kishori Lal Sharma will also attend the interactions, party leaders said.The Congress organised sit-ins, protests and panchayat-level outreach programmes across Uttar Pradesh under the ‘MGNREGA Bachao Sangram’. Last week, the party members staged protests in Varanasi led by state unit chief Ajay Rai, including a symbolic fast, followed by a protest march by NSUI workers.Earlier this month, the Congress announced a year-long protest plan – the first phase being from Jan 10 to Feb 25 . 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
Bareilly Dalit Assaulted, Head Shaved and Mud-Smeared in Alleged Caste-Based Attack
In Bareilly district’s Nawabganj area, a Dalit man, Pappu Diwakar, was allegedly subjected to caste-based assault and public humiliation over a financial dispute on Saturday. According to his complaint to the police, Diwakar had lent ₹4.5 lakh to Chandrasen, a resident of Geltanda village, to buy a tractor. When he asked for the repayment, he was allegedly attacked by Chandrasen, his son Pappu, Godhan Lal, and several others. The accused are said to have beaten him, abused him using caste-based slurs, forcibly shaved his head, cut his moustache and eyebrows, and smeared mud on his face in front of villagers to humiliate him. Following the complaint, Nawabganj police registered a case under relevant sections of the BNS and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Chandrasen and Godhan Lal have been taken into custody, while efforts are underway to arrest the third-named accused. Police also noted village claims that Diwakar practises occult rituals and allegedly misled people about buried treasure, which are being examined as part of the investigation. SHO Arun Kumar Srivastava confirmed that a thorough investigation is ongoing. 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
Dalit teenage girl molested in Hathras: Accused stopped her on the way while she was going to the toilet, fled after she raised an alarm, arrested
A case of molestation of a Dalit teenage girl has come to light in a village under the Hathras Junction police station area in Hathras. The police took swift action and arrested the accused youth, and a case has been registered against him. According to the information, the 14-year-old girl was going to the toilet when a young man from the same village stopped her on the way and started molesting her. The accused fled from the spot after the girl raised an alarm. Upon receiving information about the incident, the police reached the spot and started investigating the matter. The police questioned the people there. Based on the complaint filed by the girl’s father, the police registered a case against the accused under the relevant sections. The police promptly arrested the accused youth, Vinod. Further legal action is underway. Courtesy: Hindi News
Robbers target transgender persons in MP’s Morena; take away gold, cash
Morena (MP), A group of robbers targeted the house of a transgender person and looted gold and silver jewellery and cash at gunpoint in Madhya Pradesh’s Morena district in the early hours of Sunday, police said. The incident took place around 2 am at the house of Rabia in Ambah town, where four other trans persons were present, Sub-Divisional Officer of Police Ravi Bhadoria told PTI. He said the robbers entered the house through the terrace, held the occupants hostage by pointing a gun at them and tied them up before taking away 15 tolas of gold jewellery, four kg of silver ornaments and Rs 4 lakh in cash in a matter of half an hour. The robbers also allegedly mocked the persons of the third gender, the official said. Ambah police station in-charge Satendra Singh Kushwaha said the robbers appeared to have recced the area and studied the layout of the house, including the CCTV system, he said. “All the victims were confined to one room,” he said. The house is located in an isolated area, Kushwaha said, adding that police were scanning CCTV footage from surrounding areas to identify the suspects. A case has been registered and investigations are underway, police said. PTI COR LAL NR This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. Courtesy : The Print Note: This news is originally published on https:/theprint.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘Cannot disclose, time will answer’: DK Shivakumar after meets Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi amid power tussle speculation
NEW DELHI: Karnataka Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar attended a meeting as an observer for the Assam elections at 10 Rajaji Marg, the residence of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, while refraining from commenting on his discussion with the party high command. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi was also present at the meeting on Friday. Amid speculation over a power tussle in Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi and DK Shivakumar were face-to-face for the first three hours of the meeting. Afterward, Shivakumar went back to meet Mallikarjun Kharge, according to news agency ANI. Speaking to reporters today, he declined to discuss his meeting with the Congress high command. Shivakumar, who is in New Delhi after canceling his scheduled visit to Davos for the World Economic Forum 2026, asked the media “not make a big deal” out of his visit, stating he came to the national capital for government and party work. Maintaining that he would not disclose anything regarding the meeting, he said, “I cannot disclose it. Time will answer everything… We are all politicians; politicians do whatever politics they want. There is nothing wrong with that. We have met. Why do you make a big deal out of it? We come here for government work, for party work. We come here for politics.” His visit to Delhi comes amid speculation over a possible leadership change in Karnataka. As the state government crossed the halfway mark of its tenure in November 2025, a speculated tussle for the CM post began, with CM Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM Shivakumar, and Home Minister G Parameshwara in the fray. Earlier today, the Deputy CM said that he prefers not to speak even when there is “good news.” “When there is good news, we don’t talk about it. It’s Sunday, a good day. We are people who work for the people and wish well for them. We do not disclose or discuss anything related to such matters, including leadership change,” Shivakumar 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
Raping Dalit woman is…: Congress MLA’s bizarre theory sparks row, BJP reacts
A political controversy has erupted in Madhya Pradesh after Congress MLA Phool Singh Baraiya’s remarks linking rape with religious scriptures sparked widespread outrage. The incident has led to demands for his suspension and expulsion from the party amid sharp criticism from BJP and state leaders. A political storm has erupted in Madhya Pradesh after a video surfaced allegedly showing Congress MLA Phool Singh Baraiya making remarks that appear to link rape with religious scriptures, triggering sharp reactions from across the political spectrum and demands for his suspension and expulsion from the party. The video, which emerged from an interview circulating on social media platforms, shows Baraiya, the Congress legislator from the Bhander Assembly seat, making claims that religious texts offer “spiritual rewards” for sexual violence against women from Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Class communities. The clip was shared online by the Bharatiya Janata Party, drawing widespread condemnation. In the clip, he is heard saying, “In India, the maximum number of rape cases are among Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and most OBCs. The theory of rape is that when a man, whatever his state of mind, sees a very beautiful woman while walking on the road, his brain can get disturbed and rape can happen. But among tribals, where are such beautiful women? Among SCs, where are such beautiful women? Among most OBCs, are there such beautiful women? Why does rape happen? Because religious scriptures give such instructions.” He then goes on to invoke religious texts to justify his argument, saying, “I do not want to say anything specific about Hindu religious scriptures, but what I mean is that it is written that when a person does this act, he gets the reward of a pilgrimage. It is written that by having relations with women of certain castes, one gets the spiritual reward of visiting places like Kashi, Prayagraj or Ayodhya. If someone cannot go on a pilgrimage, an option is given to stay at home and get the same reward by forcing himself on their women.” In the same video, Baraiya makes disturbing remarks while referring to sexual violence against infants. “Listen to why rape happens even with four-month-old, ten-month-old or one-year-old babies. Are their organs ready for sex? It happens because it is written that if I rape a girl of this caste, I will get a spiritual reward,” he says. BJP ATTACKS CONGRESS, CALLS REMARKS CRIMINAL The BJP reacted strongly, calling the remarks misogynistic, casteist and criminal. Madhya Pradesh BJP media in-charge Ashish Agrawal shared the video on X and wrote that Baraiya’s words were “not a slip of the tongue but a public display of a sick, perverted and criminal mindset”. “Measuring women on the scale of ‘beauty’ and describing rape of SC-ST women as a ‘pilgrimage reward’ is not a statement, it is an admission of a criminal mentality,” Agrawal said, adding that the comments were an attack on women, Dalits and humanity itself. He demanded immediate action from the Congress leadership, asking whether the party would suspend or expel the MLA or “accept that it stands with an anti-women and anti-Dalit mindset”. CHIEF MINISTER SEEKS EXPULSION Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also condemned the remarks, accusing Baraiya of spreading social hatred. “Phool Singh Baraiya has worked to spread poison in society. Such an MLA should be suspended and expelled from the party so that it is clear he has respect for other sections of society,” Yadav said, adding that he strongly condemned the comments. The Chief Minister urged the Congress leadership to act decisively, especially as senior party leaders were visiting the state. “People of the country want to know what action will be taken,” he said. NATIONAL BJP LEADERS WEIGH IN Senior BJP leader Sambit Patra described the remarks as an insult not only to Sanatan Dharma but to humanity. “He is an MLA holding a constitutional position. Senior Congress leaders were present, yet no one stopped him,” Patra said. He added that the comments hurt the legacy of B R Ambedkar and demanded a response from the Congress leadership. “By evening, the country expects a clear statement and action,” he said. CONGRESS YET TO RESPOND As of Saturday, the Congress had not issued an official response or clarified its stand on the controversy. Baraiya, who has often courted controversy for his statements in the past, has also not publicly addressed the backlash over the video. Ravish Pal Singh Edited By: Sonali Verma 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
Caste Still Biggest Admission Form In India, Need Anti-Discrimination Law: Rahul
Rahul Gandhi urged Dalit youth to raise their voices and demand implementation of the Rohit Vemula Act. New Delhi: On the 10th death anniversary of Dalit student Rohith Vemula on Saturday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the reality for youngsters from the community has not changed on campuses and stressed the need for an anti-discrimination law. Vemula, a 26-year-old Dalit student of the University of Hyderabad, died by suicide on January 17, 2016, following alleged harassment. In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, “Today marks 10 years since Rohith Vemula’s passing. But Rohith’s question still resonates in our hearts: Does everyone in this country have an equal right to dream?” “Rohith wanted to study; he wanted to write. He wanted to understand science, society and humanity to make this country a better place. But this system could not tolerate a Dalit’s progress,” the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha said. Institutionalised casteism, social exclusion, daily humiliation, language that reminded him of his “place” and inhumane treatment — “this was the poison that pushed a promising young man to a point where his dignity was stripped away, and he was left alone”, Gandhi said. “And today? Has the reality for Dalit youth changed? The same contempt on campus, the same isolation in hostels, the same feeling of inferiority in classrooms, the same violence — and sometimes, the same death. Because caste is still the biggest admission form in this country,” he added. That is why the Rohit Vemula Act is not just a slogan but a necessity, the Congress leader asserted. “So that caste-based discrimination in educational institutions becomes a crime, strict action is taken against the perpetrators and the freedom to break, silence and exclude any student on the basis of their caste is ended,” he said. This fight is not just in Parliament, it is a fight of the youngsters on campuses and “it is our fight”, Gandhi said. “Dalit youth — raise your voices, organise yourselves, stand with each other. Demand: Implement the Rohit Vemula Act now. We need an anti-discrimination law now,” he stressed. The Congress governments in Karnataka and Telangana are in the process of implementing the law as soon as possible, he said. “We want an India that is just, humane and equal — where no Dalit student has to pay for their dreams with their life. Rohith, your fight is our responsibility,” Gandhi said. The death of the 26-year-old Dalit student on January 17, 2016, triggered a nationwide agitation against casteism in institutions of higher learning. Gandhi had joined the student protests over Vemula’s suicide. Courtesy : ETV Bharat Note: This news is originally published on https:/etvbharat.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Life term till last breath for tantrik who raped, blackmailed minor Dalit girl
Agra: A 30-year-old tantrik has been sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment until his last breath by an Aligarh court for raping and blackmailing a 16-year-old Dalit girl for over two years. He used obscene videos he had recorded of the minor to blackmail her and threatened to kill her family members. In a complaint filed in Sept 2024, the girl’s father said the tantrik frequently visited their home to treat his ill son and exploited this access to repeatedly rape his daughter for nearly two years. “One day, my daughter told me that the tantrik molested her. He had physical relations with her and made a video, which he used to blackmail her,” he said. The father added that on Sept 11, the tantrik came to their house and “threatened to take away my daughter, set the entire house on fire, and would not leave anyone alive”. He also alleged that the tantrik took the girl to hotels and raped her there. “My family is living in fear and terror,” he wrote in his complaint. Based on the complaint, a case was registered under BNS sections 64 (rape) and 351-1 (criminal intimidation), along with provisions of the Pocso Act and the SC/ST Act. The man was arrested shortly thereafter and has remained in judicial custody. A chargesheet was filed weeks later. After hearing both sides, additional district and sessions judge (Pocso court) Abhishek Kumar Bagaria on Friday sentenced the convict to life imprisonment until his last breath, said additional district govt counsel (ADGC) Mahesh Singh. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 65,000. 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