Civic seat for transgenders & health shield for citizens: Revanth
Hyderabad: Chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday proposed nominating a transgender person as a co-option member in every municipal corporation in Telangana, beginning with corporations likely to go to polls in Feb, to ensure their direct representation in civic bodies. Addressing a welfare programme at Praja Bhavan for children, senior citizens and specially challenged persons, the CM said the proposal would be placed before the cabinet shortly. Drawing parallels with the existing practice of co-opting minorities in local bodies, he said transgender persons too deserve institutional representation to raise community issues independently. Revanth also announced Rs 2 lakh financial assistance to specially challenged persons who marry within the community, adding that the benefit would be extended even if a non-disabled person marries a specially challenged individual. The CM said the state govt would unveil a comprehensive health policy in the upcoming budget session to ensure access to medical treatment for every citizen. Noting that rising healthcare costs are forcing families to sell assets, he said the Assembly would deliberate in detail on expanding state-supported medical care. Another key announcement was a proposed Bill to cut 10–15% of the salaries of govy employees who neglect their parents, with the deducted amount credited directly to the parents’ accounts after verification by revenue officials. The govt is also setting up senior citizen day-care centres, ‘Pranaam’, across the state. Revanth reiterated strict implementation of reservations for specially challenged persons in jobs and education, citing the appointment of a Paralympics medallist to a Group-II cadre post as an example of the government’s commitment to dignity and self-respect. The programme was attended by deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka and ministers Adluri Laxman and D Anasuya Seethakka. Reaffirming Telangana’s social justice agenda, Revanth said the Centre was adopting the state’s caste survey model for a nationwide caste census. 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
‘Rahul Gandhi has no right to be the Leader of the Opposition’, why is Jagadguru Rambhadracharya so furious now? Find out
During a discourse in Jaipur, Jagadguru Rambhadracharya launched a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi, saying that someone who insults India and Indian culture abroad has no right to be the ‘Leader of the Opposition’. This is not the first time; Rambhadracharya has previously questioned Rahul’s lineage and culture. Jagadguru Rambhadracharya targets Rahul Gandhi again Jaipur: Tulsipithadhishwar Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya has once again given a strong statement regarding Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Speaking to news agency ANI, Rambhadracharya said that a person who goes abroad and insults India and Indian culture, does he have the right to become the Leader of the Opposition? His implication was that Rahul Gandhi does not have the right to be the Leader of the Opposition. Rambhadracharya is currently giving discourses in Jaipur. It was during this time, while speaking to the media, that he made the statement about Rahul Gandhi. Remove the word Jagadguru from your name – Congress leader A few days ago, Swami Rambhadracharya had also given a statement regarding Rahul Gandhi. He had said that Rahul Gandhi should be removed from the post of Leader of the Opposition. Congress leaders across the country protested against this statement. Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee President V. Gurunadham criticized Jagadguru Rambhadracharya’s statement, saying that his statement is strange. As a Jagadguru, he is interfering in political issues. In such a situation, you (Rambhadracharya) should remove words like Jagadguru from your name because there is no point in having such words before your name. Swami Rambhadracharya has also given the statement ‘Rahul Gandhi is not a Hindu’ Two years ago, Swami Rambhadracharya had given a highly controversial statement regarding Rahul Gandhi. He had said that his grandmother’s father himself used to say that he was unfortunately a Hindu. Then he married a Parsi. He is the grandson of Feroze Gandhi, therefore he himself is not a Hindu. Angered by the statement made by Rahul Gandhi in Parliament, Swami Rambhadracharya launched a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi in Chitrakoot. He also said that Rahul Gandhi has gone insane and that he doesn’t know a single word of Indian culture. Authored by: Pulkit Saxena • Contributed by: Ramswaroop Lamrod About the Author Pulkit Saxena is a Digital Content Producer at Navbharat Times Online. Starting his journalism career in Delhi, he now covers Rajasthan politics, crime, current affairs, and offbeat news. He has been working in the media for about 7 years. He holds a first-class postgraduate degree in Journalism from Makhanlal Chaturvedi University and has been associated with NBT (Digital) for the past 3 years. Courtesy: Hindi News
Why did Priyanka Gandhi get a big responsibility in Assam? Learn about the political signals behind this decision
In Assam, the Congress party has given Priyanka Gandhi a major responsibility, appointing her as the chairperson of the party’s screening committee. This decision was not taken suddenly; rather, several political messages are hidden behind it. Priyanka Gandhi given a major responsibility in the Assam elections New Delhi: The Congress party has appointed Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as the chairperson of the screening committee for the Assam Assembly elections. This is a decision that is being seen as having far-reaching political implications both within and outside the party. This is the first time that a member of the Gandhi family has been given the responsibility of selecting candidates for a state assembly election. Fear of defections: The political context of Assam makes this decision even more significant. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is not only counted among the influential leaders of the BJP, but he is also a vocal critic of the Gandhi family. In this situation, by giving the responsibility of Assam to Priyanka, the party wants to show that it is fielding the same political leadership in his stronghold that has a strong grip on the organization. The Congress also fears that some party leaders might switch sides before the elections. Defections are not new in Northeast politics. The Congress has already suffered the consequences of this in the past. Therefore, the top leadership wants to have control over the candidate selection process. It is hoped that Priyanka will promote only those leaders who have a clean image, ideological commitment, and loyalty to the organization so that there is no defection after the elections. The work of the screening committee may seem technical, but it is one of the decisive processes in electoral politics. The main task of the screening committee is to scrutinize the potential candidates from each assembly constituency, their political background, commitment to the organization, social acceptability, and most importantly, the possibility of defection. Although the final approval is given by the Central Election Committee (CEC), the responsibility of deciding which names reach the CEC rests with the screening committee. Assam is not new to Priyanka. Although she may not have been formally visible in the 2021 assembly elections, her role at the strategic level was crucial. The decision to appoint Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel as the senior observer for Assam was also part of the same strategy. This time too, Bhupesh Baghel and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar have been appointed as senior observers for Assam. The Congress’s position in Assam is not very weak. In the 2021 assembly elections, out of 126 seats, the NDA got 75 and the Congress alliance got 50 seats. The difference in vote percentage was only 1.6%. The NDA got 43.9% and the Congress alliance got 42.3% of the votes. This shows that if there is better coordination among the opposition, the contest could be tough this time. This is where Priyanka’s role becomes crucial. Signs of a comeback in UP: Assembly elections are to be held in Uttar Pradesh in 2027. UP is the state where Priyanka was in charge of the Congress for a long time. The party is now once again preparing to sharpen its strategy around her. On January 12, Priyanka’s birthday, the UP Congress launched a special 100-day strategy. In the 2022 assembly elections, the contest narrowed down to a fight between the BJP and the SP. This caused significant damage to the Congress. Now the party wants to break new ground by focusing on social justice and OBC politics. The responsibility of the screening committee in Assam and the preparations for 2027 in UP indicate that the Congress is gradually establishing Priyanka in a broader political role. This role is not limited to campaigning but is related to strategy, organization, and leadership. Authored by: Hemant Rajoura • Edited by: Akshay Srivastava About the Author Hemant Rajoura is a Special Correspondent at Navbharat Times. He deeply covers the politics of major opposition parties including Congress, SP, and RJD. He also keeps a close watch on important news related to health, science, and policy. Ground reporting, clarity of analysis, and strong access to reliable sources are the hallmarks of his journalism. Courtesy: Hindi News
Rahul invites TN Congress leaders to Delhi on Jan 18
Chennai: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has asked senior leaders of the party’s state unit, TNCC, to visit New Delhi for a two-day visit. “Rahul called us for a meeting on Jan 18 and 19,” a Congress MP from TN told ToI. Senior leaders, MPs and MLAs have been asked to make the visit. A senior Congress leader said Rahul was likely to discuss the demand from a section of Congress men for an alliance with TVK as well as the demand for power sharing if the alliance continued with DMK. “We will explain the concerns of our functionaries and put forth our suggestions. He will take a call on both the issues and give a clear road map for us to proceed,” said a Congress leader. While AICC functionary Praveen Chakravarty and some TNCC leaders, including Manickam Tagore, have batted for a share in power, Rahul and other national leaders have not expressed their views on this aspect. Chief minister M K Stalin too has been maintaining a stoic silence on the issue of power sharing, though other DMK leaders such as organisational secretary R S Bharathi said the demand cannot be accepted. “Rahul is expected to visit Tamil Nadu around Jan 25. We have planned a tentative programme schedule for him, which will be conveyed to him during our visit,” said the Congress leader. Once Rahul confirms the schedule, preparations for his visit will begin. The meeting has been organised to sort out issues before the visit, so that Congress can proceed with seat sharing talks as well as campaigning, he 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
Mentally ill Dalit woman sexually harassed
Bagalkot: It has come to light that a Dalit divorcee woman was sexually harassed by a group of men at Sangam Cross in Bagalkot district on Jan 5. The woman’s brother told reporters that the 40-year-old woman is mentally ill and was wandering around. “She was found thrown near the national highway at Sangam Cross. Some passers-by alerted police, and later we were informed by police. Police should arrest the miscreants immediately,” he demanded. Hunagund police, who registered a case, said that the woman was sexually harassed. “We are investigating whether she was raped. She was admitted to the taluk hospital in Hunagund, and was later sent to the district hospital in Bagalkot,” they added. Bagalkot SP Siddarth Goyal said that based on CCTV footage, a list of 72 suspects was prepared. “We will nab the accused soon,” he added. 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
Karnataka leadership tussle: Dalits plan rally for CM Siddaramaiah; wait for Home Minister’s approval
Being a member of the Siddaramaiah camp, Parameshwara feels the former would continue as CM and that is the reason he is hesitating to back the Dalit rally, sources said. BENGALURU: With the leadership tussle between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and DCM DK Shivakumar unlikely to die down till the intervention of LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, a section of Dalits is planning a rally to push for a CM from their community. Several Dalit leaders are exerting pressure on Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara, the prominent Dalit face in Karnataka, to give the go ahead for the rally in Old Mysuru Region. A group, led by Venkataramanaswamy, also known as Papu, from Chamarajanagar, met him in Tumakuru on Sunday and sought his dates for the event. However, Parameshwara advised them to wait for some more time. Being a member of the Siddaramaiah camp, Parameshwara feels the former would continue as CM and that is the reason he is hesitating to back the Dalit rally, sources said. Parameshwara, a loyalist of the Nehru-Gandhi family and an aide of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, is not ready to go against them, they added. He met Kharge, but what transpired between them was not known even as he termed their meeting a courtesy call. “Since Parameshwara is a staunch Congress loyalist, he should be made CM if Siddaramaiah has to step down,” said DSS leader Mavalli Shankar, adding that a Dalit rally will be organised soon to give this demand a push. “The top post has been elusive for Dalits since Independence as many senior leaders missed the bus. It should not be the case this time,” he said. Meanwhile, AHINDA organisations have started preparations to hold rallies across the state, including in Mysuru and Hubballi, to back Siddaramaiah to continue in the top post. A rally has also been planned in central Karnataka, either in Haveri or Davanagere, sources said. Have faith my party will decide my future: DKS Amid the change in leadership tussle in the Congress government, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said he has faith in the party and it will decide his future as well. Shivakumar said more than outsiders, some people from his own community are criticising him out of jealousy. “They are stabbing me in the back. All this is natural in politics. One should not lose peace . We must remain honest,’’ he said. Shivakumar also said when Union minister and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy was chief minister, he had worked honestly. “Yet, Kumaraswamy accused me of stabbing him in the back. I do not need anyone’s certificate. It is enough if I satisfy my conscience,’’ he said. Devaraj B Hirehalli 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
Hatred being spread on basis of caste, religion under BJP rule’: Congress after Dalit woman’s killing in UP
Congress claimed that five BJP-ruled states –Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Bihar– accounted for 76 per cent of Dalit-atrocity incidents in the country. NEW DELHI: The Congress slammed the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh on Monday over the alleged killing of a Dalit woman in Meerut and said hatred is being fuelled on the basis of caste and religion under the patronage of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dispensations. A 22-year-old man allegedly killed the Dalit woman and abducted her daughter in a village in Meerut on Thursday morning, police said. The incident triggered tension in the locality, prompting authorities to deploy additional police forces. The deceased was identified as the mother of a 20-year-old woman. The 20-year-old Dalit woman, who was abducted from Kapsad village in the Sardhana area, was found from Saharanpur district on Saturday and the accused arrested, police said. Addressing a press conference, Congress’s SC (Scheduled Caste) department head Rajendra Pal Gautam alleged that “hatred is being fuelled in the country on the basis of caste and religion, and this is happening under the patronage of the BJP government.” “Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogiji is openly using resources to crush Dalits, tribals and backward classes. Chief Minister Yogi’s bulldozer often operates only after considering caste and religion. When a Dalit is oppressed in the state, their bulldozer does not move,” he said. “In Meerut, a girl was going towards the forest with her mother. The daughter was abducted and when the mother came to save her, she was brutally killed… When we went to meet the victim’s family, we were stopped,” Gautam said. “If the Uttar Pradesh Police showed the same diligence in preventing crime and ensuring punishment for the guilty, crimes would stop happening altogether,” he added. Gautam claimed that if the perpetrator was a Dalit, tribal or from the backward classes, the “chief minister’s bulldozer” would run down his place within 24 hours. “We believe that the law should not do its work by looking at caste and religion. If this is done, the country will weaken. The situation is such that the government itself has not made public the data on Dalit oppression after 2022. This is a complete failure of the government,” the Congress leader said. In the last five years, the highest number of cases of atrocities against Dalits in the country has surfaced in Uttar Pradesh, he claimed. “Five BJP-ruled states in the country — Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Bihar — account for 76 per cent of Dalit-atrocity incidents. The shocking fact is that 26 per cent of Dalit-atrocity incidents have come to light in Uttar Pradesh alone,” Gautam claimed. “The government did not allow our protest earlier by saying that in any case, one must inform 10 days in advance to hold a protest. Our question to the government is — if a rape or killing happens anywhere in the country, will we have to wait for 10 days to demand justice?” he asked. 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
Navi Mumbai civic polls: Transgender community urges people to vote
Thane, Members of the transgender community have joined the campaign to appeal to the people in Navi Mumbai to vote in the municipal corporation elections scheduled on January 15, officials said on Sunday. On Saturday, some members of transgender community distributed voter awareness brochures of the Navi Mumbai civic body’s election department, interacted with people at different places in the Vashi area, and appealed to the public to actively participate in the electoral process, they said. “We are going to vote, you should vote too,” they said in their message to the people, the officials The initiative is part of the extensive SWEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation) campaign aimed at ensuring 100 per cent voter turnout in the upcoming Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections, the civic body said in a release. While voter awareness campaigns are already being conducted in schools and colleges, through women’s groups, NGOs and senior citizens’ organisations, the participation of the transgender community reflects an inclusive culture of Navi Mumbai, where every voice matters and every citizen has a role to play, it said. PTI COR GK 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
Congress’s ‘Hindu vs. Hindutva’: What Rahul Gandhi said before Mani Shankar Aiyar
Before Mani Shankar Aiyar’s statement on Hinduism and Hindutva, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had also made several controversial remarks on the issue. Some of their political allies have also joined the Congress leaders’ efforts to differentiate between Hinduism and Hindutva. New Delhi: Congress or its like-minded party leaders have not just recently started trying to prove that Hinduism and Hindutva are different. In the last few years, numerous controversial statements have been made on this issue by even the top leadership of the Congress party, which has also faced strong political opposition. Before Mani Shankar Aiyar, who has often landed the Congress party in political trouble due to his controversial statements, Rahul Gandhi had also said many things about Hinduism and Hindutva that have caused a political uproar. ‘I am a Hindu, not a Hindutva follower’ While serving as the national president of the Congress in August 2018, Rahul Gandhi said during a conversation with editors in Hyderabad, “I don’t believe in any kind of Hindutva, neither soft nor hard core.” In December of the same year, at a Congress rally against inflation in Jaipur, Rajasthan, he made another statement that sparked considerable controversy. He said, “I am a Hindu, but I am not a Hindutva follower.” ‘Hindutva followers are power-hungry’ Rahul Gandhi didn’t stop there. He further said, “All of you are Hindus. Mahatma Gandhi was a Hindu, but Nathuram Godse was a Hindutva follower.” He further added, “The Bhagavad Gita tells Hindus to seek the truth. On the other hand, Hindutva followers have no concern for the truth; they are power-hungry. They are filled with hatred because of their fear… Since 2014, Hindutva followers have been in power, while Hindus are out of power. These (Hindutva followers) are fake Hindus.” In 2019, the Congress contested the Lok Sabha elections under Rahul’s leadership, and the BJP broke all its previous records of victory. ‘What do Hindus need Hindutva for?’ Even after this crushing defeat, Rahul’s views on Hindus did not change. Speaking at a Congress training camp in Wardha, Maharashtra, in November 2021, he said, “When Hindus follow Hinduism, what need do they have for Hindutva?… Is Hinduism meant for beating up a Sikh or a Muslim person? No, but Hindutva is.” “Hindutva means Hinduism living in fear” In fact, during a debate organized by the Calcutta Debating Circle in Kolkata on the topic “Hinduism needs protection from Hindutva,” Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar said, “Hindutva means Hinduism living in fear. It tells 80 percent of Hindus to be afraid of 14 percent of Muslims.” According to him, “Hindutva is a political ploy.” Mahua Moitra on Hinduism and Love Jihad At the same event, TMC MP Mahua Moitra said, “A Hindu who follows Hinduism can imagine love between a Hindu and a Muslim, but someone who follows Hindutva will say, no, this is love jihad. A Bengali Hindu who eats meat will offer meat to Goddess Kali, but a Hindutva follower will say, this is not right…” (With agency inputs) Written by: Anjan Kumar About the Author Anjan Kumar is an Assistant Editor at Navbharat Times Online. He has over 23 years of experience in electronic and digital media. He is interested in writing on topics related to politics, current affairs, judiciary, defense, foreign affairs, and business. Courtesy: Hindi News
Body of Dalit youth found hanging from a tree in Muzaffarnagar; suicide suspected
Police said the body has been sent for post-mortem and an investigation is underway. Chandra said the police are awaiting the post-mortem report to ascertain the cause of death. The body of a Scheduled Caste (Dalit) youth was found hanging from a tree in Antwada village under the Khatauli police station area of Muzaffarnagar district on Saturday, police said. Khatauli police station in-charge (SHO) Dinesh Chandra said that the body of 20-year-old Dalit youth Nishant was found hanging from a tree today. He said that suicide is suspected. Police said the body has been sent for post-mortem and an investigation is underway. Chandra said the police are awaiting the post-mortem report to ascertain the cause of death. Courtesy: Hindi News