Identity crisis leaves Telangana Dalit migrant languishing in UAE jail
A Telangana man from a Dalit community has been jailed in the UAE for illegal stay and is struggling to prove his Indian nationality due to lack of documents. His family has approached authorities seeking help to bring him home. Dubai : A poor man hailing from the Dalit community in Telangana has been languishing in jail in the Gulf, struggling to prove that he is an Indian national in order to return home and reunite with his family after nearly two decades. Mandula Rajanna (59), a native of Madhapur village in Soan mandal of Nirmal district, came to the UAE in 2007 to work for a construction company. A year later, he ran away from the company and became an illegal resident in the country. Illiterate and belonging to a Scheduled Caste, Rajanna, who hails from a remote village in the erstwhile Adilabad district, is facing a difficult task in establishing his nationality to make his way back home. Neither Rajanna nor his family possesses a copy of his passport. His name does not figure in the voter list. When he left India 18 years ago, Aadhaar was not mandatory and many vulnerable people in rural areas were not registered. Having never attended school, he has no educational records, and the absence of voter identity documents has further complicated efforts to prove his Indian citizenship. According to Rajanna, there was no biometric registration when he landed in Sharjah in 2007. His passport was taken into possession by the company that employed him, a common practice at the time. After he fled the firm and it later shut down, there was no trace of either the original passport or a copy. Debt-ridden and a father of two, Rajanna had borrowed money under the Gulf gold loan system, which was popular in Telangana, where youth pledged gold in tolas and were required to return a higher weight as interest. Rajanna borrowed four tolas of gold and was required to repay six tolas. Owing to employment difficulties, he failed to clear the loan on time and continued to stay in the UAE illegally. Although the UAE authorities announced several amnesty schemes allowing foreigners to leave the country voluntarily without punitive action, Rajanna did not avail himself of them. After years of toiling in deserts and doing odd jobs, he eventually cleared his debt. In the meantime, his children, Nitish and Nikhita, grew up. Rajanna was later arrested for illegal stay. Officials from the Indian Embassy visited him at the detention centre but asked him to submit a passport copy or other relevant documents, which he was unable to provide. His wife, Laxmi, has approached the Chief Minister’s grievances cell in Hyderabad and the District Collector in Nirmal, seeking assistance in proving her husband’s Indian nationality. The only document the family possesses is a photo passbook of a bank account in Rajanna’s name. Courtesy : Telangana Today Note: This news is originally published on https:/telanganatoday.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Congress Tamil Nadu election alliance: Power sharing demands & DMK relations
Amidst speculation over Congress considering other options for the upcoming assembly election in Tamil Nadu, Girish Chodankar, AICC member in charge of party affairs in the state, rules out Congress moving close to TVK, but pushes for sharing of power. “DMK has been our most trusted ally for a long time. We should be treated as equals,” he tells TOI. Excerpts: When will DMK and Congress poll committees begin discussions? You should ask DMK. On Dec 3, our five-member team met DMK president M K Stalin, suggesting that alliance matters be settled by Dec 15 so that we can campaign aggressively on the ground. BJP is our challenge. We are running after DMK. The ball is in their court. Did AICC member Praveen Chakravarty’s meetings with TVK president Vijay have the approval of Rahul Gandhi and the Congress leadership? I don’t know why Rahul Gandhi’s or Mallikarjun Kharge’s names should be dragged into state-level issues. Maybe (Chakravarty) went there to sign a film with Vijay or to promote a movie or an advertisement because he is in that business too. God knows whether it was some business they discussed or if they were going to have idli or dosa. Why can’t two people meet and not discuss politics? I don’t think DMK has any issues with it. Are some sections in Congress pushing for an alliance with TVK? We have a democratic process and listen to every voice that comes from the ground as well as leaders. I hear a lot of voices from the grassroots wanting an alliance with TVK. Some sections say we should go with DMK. They are our oldest allies. I cannot hear only what I like; I should listen to all. Are you posturing to pressure DMK to agree to your demand for power-sharing? We don’t need to do that. Every political party has its policies and programmes, a manifesto and a vision. We have served this state. Everyone remembers Kamaraj’s rule. Naturally every political party strives for power. The cadres too expect it. Congress cadres have been working for 58 years without power. Now at least we are giving them some hope. Is there a tentative proposal for 38 seats and three cabinet berths? Some have proposed that we must have one seat in every district. That’s how the 38 was arrived at. Some say 41 seats, because that’s the number we got last time. We will soon let you know the exact number. Will Congress leave the alliance if DMK does not agree to sharing power? The DMK has been our most trusted ally for a long time. This alliance cannot be broken like that. We will discuss it with mutual respect. What we are asking is respect and dignity. We should be treated as equals. And it will happen. All should open their minds and accept changes. Will Rahul speak to Stalin ‘Anna’? Why are you involving my leaders in one state’s talks? When the committee is constituted, it is empowered to talk, negotiate and resolve issues. Did Rahul speak to Vijay in the wake of Karur stampede? Rahul called Vijay after the stampede. Rahul is a kind-hearted person. He spoke to the CM too then. Who are your main rivals in the election? Our main rival, our national rival, is the RSS-sponsored BJP. It is also the enemy of Tamil Nadu and the country. AIADMK is not our national enemy. But when an election comes, we have to fight everyone. What about TVK? We will have to fight TVK too. It’s a political battle. We will have to see first whether TVK is going to contest as TVK. Why do you say that? Nobody is sure whether TVK will contest as TVK. The Karur stampede is going to be a key election issue. Who would you blame for it? The investigation is on. We will not make this a political issue. Congress MP Jyothimani said infighting in Congress was distressing. Jyothimani is a bit emotional about the party, she is a dedicated worker. There are some issues in her district, not at the state-level. A former district president allegedly used some foul language against her. PCC has sent him a show-cause notice. TNCC member Surya Prakashan resigned from his post accusing TNCC chief of turning the party into a “slave camp of DMK”. That is a wrong accusation. He (Selvaperunthagai) was instrumental in forming village committees of the party. He has a good equation with the chief minister. It is not that he listens only to DMK. He listens to the AICC leadership. How do you see infighting in Congress? There is Infighting in your journalism groups. Infighting is in every group, every political party … see AIADMK, see BJP – their state president was removed. Infighting is part of a democratic process, and our party has strong democratic rules. Sometimes it is constructive, sometimes it isn’t. Issues must be discussed within the party. 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
‘Fark samjho sirji’: Rahul Gandhi takes dig at PM Modi over Trump tariffs; invokes Indira Gandhi
NEW DELHI: Leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of “surrendering” under “pressure” and contrasted his leadership with that of former prime minister Indira Gandhi. Gandhi’s remarks came a day after US President Donald Trump, speaking at the House GOP Member Retreat, claimed that PM Modi had sought an audience with him. “Prime Minister Modi came to see me, ‘Sir, may I see you please’. Yes,” Trump said. Trump also referred to India facing steep tariffs, saying New Delhi was “paying a lot of tariffs now” and had “reduced” the purchase of Russian oil “substantially”. Gandhi shared a video message on X with the caption “Fark samjho sirji”. “I know these BJP–RSS people very well now. Put a little pressure on them, give them a little push and they run away in fear,” Gandhi said. “As soon as Trump signalled from there, they picked up the phone and said, ‘What are you doing Modi ji?’ Narendra surrendered and with ‘yes sir’, Narendra Modi ji followed Trump’s signal.” Drawing a comparison with the 1971 war, Gandhi said India had once stood firm despite US pressure. “You might remember a time when the phone call didn’t come — the Seventh Fleet had come. In the 1971 war, the Seventh Fleet came, weapons came, an aircraft carrier came. Indira Gandhi ji said, ‘I will do what I have to do.’ This is the difference,” he said, referring to the United States Seventh Fleet. — RahulGandhi (@RahulGandhi) Trump has imposed tariffs totalling 50% on Indian exports, including a 25% levy linked to India’s procurement of Russian oil. “I have a very good relationship with him. He’s not that happy with me because they’re paying a lot of tariffs now because they’re not doing the oil — but they are, they’ve now reduced it very substantially,” Trump said. The tariffs, imposed in August, have triggered multiple rounds of trade talks and at least four conversations between the two leaders, but have yet to yield a bilateral trade deal. Separately, Trump also said in his remarks that India had flagged delays in the delivery of Apache helicopters, claiming New Delhi has been waiting for the aircraft for five years. 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 groups hold silent protest rally condemning honour killing
Hubballi: Members and functionaries of Dalit organisations, and seers of various mutts held a silent protest in Hubballi on Monday, condemning the honour killing of Manya Patil in Inam Veerapur village of the taluk. They marched from Siddharoodha Math to Dr BR Ambedkar Circle with black bands on their hands and displayed placards condemning Manya’s murder. Hundreds of organisation leaders and members participated. They held a meeting at Ambedkar Circle, demanded that the guilty be punished, and submitted a petition to the tahsildar’s office staff. “All communities must condemn the murder unanimously. Such acts will stop only when people are educated and cultured,” opined Basavananda Swamiji of Rudrakshi Math. Shadakshari Swamiji of Adijambava Math in Hiriyur, former MLA Veerabhadrappa Halaharavi, Siddheshwar Swamiji of Koppal, leader Vijaya Guntral, and others addressed the gathering. Community leaders from Vijayapura, Yadgir, and Gadag districts also participated in the protest march. 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
Dalits’ body stages dharna at DAC over MGNREGA workers’ pending demands
The district unit of the Dalit Dastan Virodhi Andolan (DDVA) staged a dharna in front of the District Administrative Complex (DAC) here on Monday. They were highlighting the pending demands of MGNREGA workers. The union also submitted a memorandum of demands to the Deputy Commissioner. Workers, including women, from various villages across the district participated in the dharna. Addressing the gathering, Ranjit Singh Shakri, district president of the DDVA, said the state government had failed to provide compensation to people whose houses collapsed during the floods. He said the DDVA had submitted applications of 336 flood-affected families from different villages, but officials flatly refused to accept them. He further stated that while the Union Government claims to provide 150 days of employment annually under NREGA, workers are not being provided even 100 days of work. He demanded that unemployment allowance be paid to workers who are denied employment. Union leaders Aroor Singh, Joga Singh, Hira Singh, Amandeep Kaur, Kuldeep Singh Kirian, Gurnam Singh Chamba and Nirmal Singh Narli, among others, addressed the gathering. The leaders condemned the replacement of MGNREGA with VB-G RAM G. They alleged that ruling party leaders in villages were using the NREGA scheme as a political weapon, depriving people with opposing views of employment under the MGNREGA scheme. Courtesy : The Tribune Note: This news is originally published on https:/thetribune.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Three booked for hurling caste abuses, assaulting Dalit hotel owner in TN’s Dharmapuri
After Sampathkumar stated he was from Annal Nagar in Harur, Velmurugan allegedly hurled caste abuses and attacked Sampathkumar with a broomstick handle. DHARMAPURI: Two persons were arrested by the Morappur police under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for attacking a 62-year-old SC man on Saturday. Police are on the lookout for one other suspect involved. On Saturday, the victim — A Sampathkumar (62), a retired TNSTC bus driver who currently works in a spinning mill near Tiruppur — had gone to a hotel on the Dharmapuri-Morappur Road for dinner. Sampathkumar asked the hotel proprietor, B Velmurugan (47), if idlis were available. When Velmurugan said only one idli was available, Sampathkumar asked how so, as it was only 7:30 pm. Velmurugan then questioned Sampathkumar about his nativity. After Sampathkumar stated he was from Annal Nagar in Harur, Velmurugan allegedly hurled caste abuses and attacked Sampathkumar with a broomstick handle. K Ramalingam (48) and M Settu (45) also pushed Sampathkumar and attacked him. Sampathkumar then sought treatment at Morappur primary health centre (PHC) and later admitted to the Harur government hospital for treatment. He then reported the incident to Morappur police, who register a case against the three caste Hindus under sections of the BNS and SC/ST (POA) Act. Meanwhile, Velmurugan’s wife, V Lakshmi (37), also registered a complaint against Sampathkumar. She stated in her petition that Sampathkumar arrived inebriated and refused to pay for the food he ate and verbally abused her. Further, she also claimed that she was attacked and Velmurugan had defended her and urged the police to take action against Sampathkumar. Morappur police also registered a case against Sampathkumar. On Sunday, police arrested Velmurugan and Ramalingam, and the duo was remanded. Police are searching for Settu, who is absconding. 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
Dalit Teen Kidnapped, Stripped, and Assaulted in UP Over Social Media Argument
A 16-year-old Dalit boy was allegedly kidnapped at gunpoint, stripped, and brutally beaten in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, following an argument on social media. The incident occurred on December 31, but a video of the assault surfaced on Saturday, prompting police action. According to the victim’s mother, her son was abducted by bike-borne assailants while on a walk, taken to an isolated pond area, and assaulted. The attackers, who recorded the entire act, allegedly targeted him over remarks he made online about one of the accused’s sister. “The boy was stripped, beaten with weapons, and humiliated. He later escaped and returned home,” said Circle Officer Ashutosh Shivam. Three accused, including two minors, have been arrested, while two others remain at large. An FIR has been filed under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, SC/ST Act, and IT Act. The victim, son of a daily wage laborer, received medical treatment and has been discharged. 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
Caste becomes a barrier in Telangana: Senior doctor reneges on marriage promise, Dalit intern commits suicide
A 23-year-old Dalit woman house surgeon in Siddipet, Telangana, committed suicide after a senior doctor reneged on his promise of marriage, citing caste differences. Police have arrested the accused under the SC/ST Act. A 23-year-old Dalit house surgeon (intern doctor) at a government medical college in Siddipet district of Telangana allegedly committed suicide after being cheated by a senior resident doctor who had promised to marry her, police said. Distraught by the accused’s refusal to marry her due to caste differences, the student injected herself with a herbicide at the college hostel on January 3, rendering her unconscious, police said. Her roommates admitted her to a hospital, officials said on Monday. She was first admitted to a hospital in Siddipet and later shifted to a government hospital in Hyderabad, where she died during treatment in the early hours of January 4. According to the police, based on a complaint lodged by the victim’s sister, a case was registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and he was arrested. They said the student, who hailed from a poor family in Jogulamba-Gadwal district, had studied at a Social Welfare School and later enrolled in MBBS at the Government Medical College in Siddipet in 2020. Police said she excelled in academics and sports. Her parents are laborers, while her elder sister is a software engineer. According to the police, the 23-year-old student was doing her internship at the Government Medical College in Siddipet, where she met the accused senior resident last July. Police said the accused, who belongs to a backward class, had promised to marry her but later refused, citing caste, following which the student took the extreme step. Courtesy: Hindi News
Telangana: 23-Year-Old Dalit House Surgeon Dies By Suicide After Colleague Refuses To Marry Her Over Caste Difference
A 23-year-old Dalit house surgeon at Siddipet’s Government Medical College died by suicide after a senior resident doctor, who promised to marry her, refused due to caste differences. She ingested a herbicide and later died in hospital. Police have registered a case under the SC/ST Act and arrested the accused, highlighting caste-based discrimination and its tragic consequences. Hyderabad: A 23-year-old Dalit house surgeon at the Government Medical College in Siddipet district allegedly died by suicide after she was “cheated” by a senior resident doctor after he promised to marry her, police have said. Upset over his refusal to marry due to caste differences, she self-injected a herbicide in the college hostel on January 3 and fell unconscious, they added. Her roommates admitted her to a hospital in Siddipet and later to a state-run hospital in Hyderabad, where she died in the early hours of January 4 while undergoing treatment, officials said on Monday. Based on a complaint lodged by the victim’s sister, the police registered a case under relevant sections of the BNS and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and arrested the accused, they said. The deceased, who belonged to a poor family from Jogulamba-Gadwal district, studied in a social welfare school and later joined MBBS at the Government Medical College in Siddipet in 2020 She is known to have excelled in academics and sports, and games, police said. Her parents work as labourers, while her elder sister is a software engineer. The deceased was doing her internship at the Government Medical College in Siddipet, where she got acquainted with the accused, a senior resident, in July last year, police said. The accused, who belongs to a backward class, promised to marry her but later refused, citing caste difference, which led her to take the extreme step, police said. Courtesy : TFPJ Note: This news is originally published on https:/thefreepressjournal.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Indian Tourist Beaten By Transgender Group In Pattaya After Payment Row, Video Viral
After Raj was injured, a formal complaint was filed, prompting legal action. However, Jasuja has not yet made any public statement regarding the matter. An Indian tourist was assaulted by a group of transgender women in Thailand’s Pattaya following an alleged dispute over payment for sexual services, according to local reports. The incident took place in the early hours of December 27 and was captured on camera. Pulled Out of Car, Beaten in Public The victim, identified as 52-year-old Raj Jasuja, was reportedly dragged out of his car and beaten after he refused to pay the agreed amount. The assault occurred on a public road, with footage of the incident later circulating online. Victim Hospitalised With Injuries Jasuja sustained injuries to his face and head during the attack and was subsequently admitted to hospital for treatment. Details regarding the extent of his injuries were not immediately available. Attacks On Indians On The Rise Lately, attacks on Indian tourists have been on the rise in Pattaya. Pongpol Boonchid, a 19 year-old told police that the quarrel escalated when the two began chasing each other and a physical attack ensued. After Raj was injured, a formal complaint was filed, prompting legal action. However, Jasuja has not yet made any public statement regarding the matter. Several such disputes have been occurring between Indian tourists and transwomen sex workers in Pattaya in recent months. Previously, in September an Indian man was attacked, and in October three transwomen were also accused of assaulting two Indians and fleeing with nearly 24,000 baht in cash. By Sagarika Chakraborty About the author Sagarika Chakraborty Sagarika Chakraborty is a Senior Copy Editor at ABP Live English, where she handles business coverage and key developments in general news, while also actively chasing breaking stories. With a foundation in advertising, she transitioned into journalism to craft in-depth stories and explainers on the economy, real estate, and personal finance. She also engages in interviews and podcasts, bringing out expert insights. Courtesy : abp live Note: This news is originally published on https:/abplive.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights