Dalit leader ‘Vidrohi’ launches a unique Satyagraha in Jodhpur: He will not wear slippers or shirts until non-Valmiki sanitation workers are employed in basic sanitation work!
Prakash Singh Vidrohi told, “Non-Valmiki workers are not performing the basic sanitation work; the entire burden falls on the Valmiki community. This has caused anger within the community.” Jodhpur – Sanitation workers in the Jodhpur Municipal Corporation have been angry for the past month. The movement, led by the All India Safai Mazdoor Congress, has now taken a unique form in the harsh winter. The organization’s district president, Sardar Prakash Singh Vidrohi, staged a semi-naked, barefoot protest in front of Baba Saheb’s statue at the Nagauri Gate intersection on Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar’s death anniversary. He declared, “I will not wear clothes or slippers until the Municipal Commissioner implements the 2018 written agreement to employ non-Valmiki workers in basic sanitation work.” This protest not only reinforces the sanitation workers’ three-point demands but also sends a powerful message against the increasing burden on the Valmiki community. Jodhpur has approximately 3,300 sanitation workers, of which 700 They belong to the non-Valmiki community. These non-Valmiki employees are being removed from the basic work of cleaning and assigned other responsibilities, the entire burden of which has fallen on the employees of the Valmiki community. The scope of the earlier 60 wards has now increased to 100, due to which the work pressure has doubled. On November 15, the corporation administration suddenly changed the wards of 2000 sanitation workers, against which the fire of protest erupted. Prakash Singh Vidrohi told ‘The Mooknayak’, “Non-Valmiki employees are not doing the basic work of cleaning, the entire burden falls on the Valmiki community. This has caused anger in the community. Corporation Commissioner Siddharth Palanichamy did not even listen to the public representatives. A few days ago, in the presence of MLAs Atul Bhansali and Devendra Joshi, a promise was made to reinstate all employees in their original positions and to assign women and disabled persons to the nearest wards, but this was not followed through. The agitation began with a high-voltage uproar at the corporation office on Thursday. Two rounds of talks between the organization and the commissioner failed, after which no agreement was reached despite several hours of negotiations. On Friday, a sit-in protest began outside the corporation commissioner’s office under the banner of the Valmiki Joint Struggle Committee. Police were deployed at the main gate to prevent protesters from entering. Throughout the day, leaders raised slogans and questioned the corporation’s working style. Anil Teji stated that the three-point demands are: (1) cancel the ward changes of 2,000 employees; (2) cancel the 2018 in-charge positions; (3) assign 700 non-Valmiki employees to their original sanitation work. Naresh Kandara warned, “Demands If they don’t agree, we’ll go on a broom-down strike.” On Saturday, Vidrohi’s half-naked Satyagraha in the cold marked a new turning point in the movement. This movement is not only a fight for the rights of sanitation workers, but also a question of dignity and equality for the Valmiki community. Geetha Sunil Pillai Courtesy: Hindi News
Brutal act in Jamui: Dalit student abducted, stripped naked and chased, beaten with rods; uproar after video goes viral
Inter student subjected to brutality due to old enmity; abducted from Atithi Palace, 2 taken into custody after video goes viral.. Jamui: A shocking incident that shames humanity has come to light from Jamui district of Bihar. Here, fearless miscreants, defying law and order, crossed all limits of cruelty against a Dalit student. The accused first abducted the student, then took him to a secluded place and brutally beat him with iron rods. Not content with that, they stripped him naked, chased him around while beating him, and made a video of the entire barbaric act, which has now gone viral on social media. What is the whole matter? The incident took place near Maniyadda (Mani Adda) village in the Town police station area. The victim has been identified as Abhishek Paswan, son of Rajaram Paswan of Bhatchak village, who is an intermediate student. The victim, Abhishek, told the police that about a month ago, his brother-in-law had a dispute with some people. Due to this enmity, a person named W Singh called him deceptively. As soon as he reached near ‘Atithi Palace’ in the city, his mobile phone was snatched, and he was forcibly taken on a motorcycle to Bhajaur Chhath Ghat. Beaten with rods and video made It is alleged that after taking him to the ghat, W Singh, Mounty Singh, Chhotu Yadav, Seetu Singh, Gaurav Singh, Ashutosh Singh, Salu Singh and Raghuveer Singh, along with others, attacked him. He was beaten with kicks, punches, and iron rods. Showing their dominance, the accused stripped the student of his clothes and humiliated him by making him run naked. During this time, they also made a video, which has now gone viral. Police Action and Arrests Upon receiving information about the incident, the ‘Dial 112’ police team reached the spot and rescued the injured student on Friday afternoon, admitting him to Sadar Hospital where he is currently undergoing treatment. Jamui SP Vishwajeet Dayal has confirmed the incident and issued a press release. He stated that the police have obtained the viral video, based on which the accused are being identified. The police have taken swift action and detained two people for questioning. Raids are underway to apprehend the other absconding accused. ‘Safe Seat’ Under Scrutiny This incident also appears to be taking on a political dimension. The Jamui Lok Sabha seat is considered a ‘safe seat’. LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan has been a Member of Parliament from here twice, and currently, his brother-in-law Arun Bharti, who himself belongs to the Dalit community, is the MP from this constituency. Such brutality against a Dalit youth in such a high-profile area raises serious questions about law and order and the claims of ‘Dalit safety’ in the region. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News
Rajasthan: “Not born from incest…” Dalit community outraged by Sarpanch’s casteist and abusive remarks in Dausa, FIR registered under SC/ST Act
During the meeting, Yogi publicly made extremely derogatory and casteist remarks against Scheduled Caste women, which were recorded on video. This incident is not only disruptive to social harmony at the local level but is also being seen as part of a series of increasing atrocities against the SC/ST community. Dausa – An abusive and casteist remark made by Sarpanch Shivcharan Yogi against Scheduled Caste (SC) women during a meeting of the Nath community in Dausa district of Rajasthan has angered the entire Dalit community. The incident took place on December 14 at the Nath community hostel on Singwara Road, where an important meeting was held regarding the state elections of the Nath community. After the video of Sarpanch Yogi’s indecent remark went viral, widespread anger spread among Dalit organizations and community members. The police immediately registered FIR No. 0461 under Sections 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s), 4 and 3(2)(va) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and Section 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023. Ambedkarite advocate Vikas Kumar Jatav, while sharing a copy of the FIR with The Mooknayak, said that this incident is not only disruptive to social harmony at the local level but is also being seen as part of a series of increasing atrocities against the SC/ST community. After this complaint was registered at Dausa Sadar police station on December 15 in the afternoon, the police have started an investigation. Complainant Satish Kumar said that the Sarpanch’s remarks have created tension between the two communities and immediate arrest is being demanded. What happened at the meeting? A large meeting related to the state elections of the Nath community was organized on Sunday, December 14, at the Nath community hostel, Singwara Road. In this meeting, Shivcharan Yogi, the district president of the Nath community and the current Sarpanch of Gurjar Seemla (Mehandipur Balaji), was present as the main speaker. During the meeting, Yogi publicly made extremely derogatory and casteist remarks against Scheduled Caste women, which were recorded on video. According to the complaint, Yogi said, “We are not the urine of any Bhangi and Chamar.” This remark was intended to insult women of the SC community based on their caste, where the use of such words reflects caste-based discrimination. This comment not only hurt the dignity of the women but was also an attempt to demean the entire SC/ST community. Those present at the meeting recorded a video of this, which quickly went viral on social media and sparked outrage among Dalit organizations. The complainant, Satish Kumar, went to the police station and filed a written complaint, clearly stating that such remarks destroy social harmony and create animosity between the two communities. The investigation has been handed over to Circle Officer Dharmendra Sharma of Dausa. Geetha Sunil Pillai Courtesy: Hindi News
Kerala: Panchayat ‘Purified’ After Dalit President’s Removal? Controversy Erupts Over Sprinkling of Cow Dung Water, SC/ST Commission Demands Report
Outrage over the alleged humiliation of a Dalit Panchayat president in Kozhikode! Cow dung water sprinkled in the name of ‘purification’? SC/ST Commission demands report from the police. Learn the full story. Kozhikode: A case of alleged humiliating “purification ritual” against a former Panchayat president in Kozhikode district of Kerala is escalating. The Kerala State Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Commission has taken a strong stance on the incident that took place in front of the Changaroth Panchayat office in Perambra. The commission has directed the Kozhikode District Police Chief to investigate the matter and submit a detailed report within 10 days. It is alleged that the act was carried out with the intention of humiliating the outgoing Panchayat president, Unni Venjeri, who belongs to the Dalit community. What is the whole matter? According to media reports, cow dung water was sprinkled and a special ritual was performed outside the Changaroth Panchayat office. This is being seen as an insult to the president, who belongs to the Dalit community. The commission chairperson has given clear instructions to the police to register a case immediately based on the complaint, conduct an impartial investigation, and take appropriate legal action against the culprits. Police and Opposition’s Argument Perambra police informed that on Monday, during the election victory celebrations, a group of United Democratic Front (UDF) workers sprinkled water and cleaned the area outside the Panchayat office with brooms. The police said, “No formal complaint has been registered regarding this incident so far, therefore, no case has been registered.” On the other hand, leaders of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) have rejected these allegations. They argue that the youth used water and brooms only symbolically. Their intention was to convey the message that they were cleaning the dirt of corruption from the Panchayat, and not to target any particular individual. Allegations of Caste-Based Humiliation Outgoing president Unni Venjeri expressed deep sorrow over the incident and alleged that IUML (Indian Union Muslim League) workers were behind it. He questioned why similar celebrations or rituals were not observed in the three other panchayats that the UDF (United Democratic Front) had also won from the LDF (Left Democratic Front). According to Venjeri, this incident occurred in Changaroth because he was a Dalit president. Becoming emotional, Venjeri said, “If someone perceives this as caste-based humiliation, can they be blamed?” He stated that the panchayat, under the LDF’s rule for the past five years, had worked inclusively, but the IUML had orchestrated this act with a specific agenda. Protests Erupt The incident has fueled political protests in the district. The CPM’s (Communist Party of India (Marxist)) youth wing, DYFI (Democratic Youth Federation of India), marched to the Changaroth panchayat office on Tuesday, strongly condemning the act. According to the police, the protest was peaceful, and the situation in the area is under control. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) has also announced that they will hold another protest march on this issue. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News
Cops trained on rights of transgenders
Lucknow: The Lucknow Police Commissionerate on Tuesday organised a one-day special awareness and capacity-building programme on transgender rights at the Reserve Police Lines. The focus was on rights-based and sensitive policing under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, and its Rules, 2020. The programme, facilitated by deputy commissioner of police (headquarters) Anil Kumar Yadav and assistant commissioner of police (women crime) Saumya Pandey, was attended by around 150 women police trainees. The training was organised in collaboration with the National Institute of Social Defence (NISD), under the Union ministry of social justice and empowerment, and implemented by Samanta Ka Samman Trust, Dholpur. Devika Devendra S Mangalamukhi, founder and president of the trust and an executive member-adviser of the Uttar Pradesh Transgender Welfare Board, served as the resource person. She spoke on legal rights, identity certification process, prohibition of discrimination, welfare provisions, and penal clauses under the Act, while underlining the need to build trust between the police and the transgender community. 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
‘Truth prevailed’: Relief for Rahul, Sonia Gandhi in National Herald case; court refuses to take cognisance of ED chargesheet
NEW DELHI: Delhi’s rouse avenue court on Tuesday refused to take cognisance in proceedings arising from a fresh FIR registered in the National Herald case, observing that the Enforcement Directorate’s probe is based on a private complaint and not on any FIR. The court also ruled that leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other accused are not entitled to a copy of the FIR at this stage. However, it allowed the ED to continue further investigation in the matter. The court noted that cognisance could not be taken as the ED’s case stems from a private complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and the magistrate’s summoning orders, and not from an FIR. Reacting to the court’s decision, the Congress said the proceedings initiated by the ED against its top leadership were politically motivated and legally untenable. The party said the court had found the ED’s action to be without jurisdiction, as there was no FIR, which it termed a prerequisite for such proceedings. “Truth has prevailed. The malafide and illegality of the Modi govt stands fully exposed. Proceedings of ED against the Congress leadership – Smt Sonia Gandhi Ji and Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji, in the Young Indian case have been found completely illegal and malafide by the Honourable Court,” the grand old party said in a post on X. “No case of money laundering, no proceeds of crime and no movement of property – all baseless charges that have been a part of political witch hunt, propaganda, reputation assassination and campaign which stands defeated today,” it added. The Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) registered an FIR against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others on a complaint by the ED as part of its money laundering probe into the high-profile National Herald case. Reacting to the FIR, the Congress accused the BJP of pursuing a “politics of harassment, intimidation and vendetta” against its top leadership. The party alleged that the “Modi-Shah duo” was misusing investigative agencies and maintained that the National Herald case was “completely bogus,” asserting that justice would ultimately prevail. Rejecting these allegations, senior BJP leader and former Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad termed the Congress’s claims “baseless.” He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not in office when the private complaint was filed, pointing out that the matter dates back to 2008. “Congress is levelling false and baseless allegations. We vehemently condemn it and request them to give an account of the loot they committee instead of giving speeches… Let the law take its course.” Prasad further added, “The country should know that in the FIR filed by Delhi Police, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have been charged under section 120 (B) for criminal conspiracy and Section 420. The case has been filed under the old penal code because the case is old.” 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
Judiciary has exposed BJP govt misusing central investigation agencies, says Stalin
Chennai: Stating that Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi stand vindicated in the National HErald Case after the Enforcement Directorate’s chargesheet against them was rejected, Chief Minister M K Stalin said the case has exposed the misuse of central agencies by BJP. Stalin said on X that the BJP misused the agencies as tools of political vendetta. “In the National Herald case, the judiciary once again exposed the Union BJP govt’s misuse of central agencies to target opposition leaders. Without any legal basis, such cases are pushed only to harass and malign political rivals.” Stalin stated that the BJP was targeting Sonia Gandhi and her family through the investigative agencies. “With truth on their side and no fear, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi stand vindicated, even as the BJP remains hell-bent on hounding the Gandhi family for standing firm on secularism and constitutional values which it cannot tolerate,” Stalin said. The chief minister said that due to such cases, the credibility of the investigative agencies is questioned. “Time and again, this vendetta-driven approach is tarnishing the credibility of premier investigative institutions and reducing them to just being instruments of political intimidation,” Stalin 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
National Herald case: Congress targets BJP after court relief for Rahul, Sonia Gandhi; calls for PM’s resignation
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday stepped up its attack on the BJP-led central government after a Delhi court declined to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate’s prosecution complaint in the National Herald money-laundering case. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Modi government of misusing central agencies to harass opposition leaders, particularly the Gandhi family. “They are doing this for political vendetta. This case is only to trouble the Gandhi family. There is no FIR in this case…Our slogan is ‘Satyamev Jayate’, and we welcome the judgment in the case…,” Kharge said. He added that the party would take the issue to the streets, alleging seven years of continuous harassment by the ED. Kharge went further, saying, “PM Modi and Shah should resign after this judgment; they shouldn’t trouble people like this.” Congress general scretary K C Venugopal said the ruling had agitated party workers nationwide, adding that the Congress would demonstrate across India to expose what it called the “systematic misuse” of the ED to target opposition leaders. Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi described the case as a textbook example of abuse of power. “The National Herald Case is proof of the misuse of central agencies. The allegations were made, but on baseless grounds… The accusations were floating in the air, but the law remained firmly on the ground,” he said. Singhvi noted that between 2021 and 2025, the ED conducted multiple questioning sessions of senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Kharge, which were widely publicised. Singhvi had earlier termed the matter a “National Harassment case”, rejecting allegations of money laundering against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others. He also accused the ED of being “colour blind”, saying, “If justice is blind, then ED is colour blind. It only sees one colour, the opposition colour.” The relief came after Special Judge Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Courts ruled that proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act were not maintainable in the absence of an FIR for a scheduled offence. The judge held that the ED’s complaint, based on a private complaint by Subramanian Swamy rather than an FIR, was “impermissible in law”. 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
Jharkhand: Tribal woman Nisha Bhagat shaves her head to protest against religious conversions; learn who this tribal leader is
Her main issue is the delisting of converted tribals from reservation benefits. She argues that those who convert to Christianity or other religions avail of reservation benefits but harm tribal identity. Ranchi – Nisha Bhagat, a tribal leader from Gumla district of Jharkhand, recently shaved her head. This step is part of her campaign against religious conversions. Nisha Bhagat says that tribals who have changed their religion should not get reservation benefits. She belongs to the Oraon community and is fighting to protect tribal identity, water, forests, and land. Her main issue is the delisting of converted tribals from reservation benefits. She argues that those who convert to Christianity or other religions avail of reservation benefits but harm tribal identity. Nisha Bhagat is a resident of Gumla. Her father, Handu Bhagat, was a Jharkhand movement activist who spent half his life in jail during the movement. Nisha started working on social issues at the age of 15. She was associated with the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) and contested the assembly elections from Gumla in 2024. However, she parted ways with the party after differences of opinion. JLKM criticized her, calling her “mentally ill,” to which Nisha responded, “There was a time when they called me ‘Didi’ (elder sister), and today they are making baseless statements.” The demand for delisting is essential for the protection of tribal identity, the Sarna religion, and constitutional rights. This is a fight for existence, identity, and self-respect. — Nisha Kumari Bhagat In an interview with a local media outlet, Nisha said that the idea of shaving her head came from the inspiration of her ancestors. She says, “I was born into a tribal family, so I have a responsibility to save society, our existence, water, forests, and land.” Her main demands are: • Implementation of the PESA Act. • A separate column for the Sarna Code. • Restoration of the tribal column removed after the 1961 census. • Delisting of converted tribals from reservation benefits. She accuses missionaries of spreading superstition in the name of healing and insulting the Sarna flag. She has undertaken a foot march to Ranchi against violations of the CNT-SPTP Act and land grabbing. She also protested at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. The CNT-SPTP Act (Chota Nagpur Tenancy Act 1908 and Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act 1949) are crucial laws enacted to protect the land and identity of tribal communities in Jharkhand, prohibiting the transfer of tribal land to non-tribals and safeguarding their rights. However, there have been controversies surrounding attempts to amend these laws from time to time, as was the case in 2016-17. Nisha has faced allegations of receiving funding from the BJP-RSS. Her response: “Get it investigated, I am fighting alone. They can’t digest how a tribal girl is surviving.” She has received death threats, against which she wrote letters to the DGP, DC, SP, and Home Minister. Her photo was even sent to the Vatican. She says, “Fear is not in our nature. We are inhabitants of the forest, we are fearless.” Nisha’s family gave her the opportunity to dedicate herself to society. Her mother was raised in a Christian family, but Nisha is a Sarna follower. She says, “I was born into the Sarna faith, and I will remain so.” She is also facing opposition from her family. What is the Sarna religious code? The Sarna religion is recognized by its followers as a distinct religious group, primarily composed of nature worshippers. The core tenets of the Sarna faith revolve around “Jal (water), Jungle (forest), Zameen (land),” with followers emphasizing the conservation of forest areas and worshipping trees and hills. Unlike traditional practices, Sarna believers do not engage in idol worship and do not believe in the caste system or the concepts of heaven and hell. Most of Sarna’s followers are concentrated in the tribal belt of states like Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam. In the 2011 census, nearly 5 million followers of the nature-oriented Sarna religion declared their faith, yet the Sarna religious code is still awaiting official recognition. The number of Jains is 4.4 million, who have already been recognized as a separate religious community. The Sengel campaign, along with several tribal organizations, held protests and rail and road blockades between 2022 and 2024 demanding the Sarna religious code. A series of demonstrations were also held in Kolkata and Ranchi advocating for the recognition of the Sarna religious code. Geetha Sunil Pillai Courtesy: Hindi News
The Modi government is directly attacking Dalit rights and the Constitution: Mallikarjun Kharge
Congress President targets the BJP, saying, “Dalits’ rights in education and employment are being taken away, and there’s a conspiracy to weaken the Constitution.” New Delhi: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday launched his sharpest attack yet on the Modi government at the center. He accused the government of weakening the Constitution and trampling on the fundamental principles of social justice, especially the rights of Scheduled Castes (SCs). Addressing the first meeting of the party’s newly formed “Scheduled Caste Advisory Committee,” Kharge said that the BJP’s policies have eroded all the achievements in the fields of education and employment, achieved through years of hard work by previous Congress governments. He expressed concern that the current regime is diluting the reservation system and attempting to justify discrimination. “We will not allow the Constitution to be weakened.” Kharge declared, “We will not allow Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s Constitution to be weakened at any cost.” He stressed that Congress will continue its fight to protect constitutional values. Turning the pages of history, he recalled that Congress began its fight against discrimination even before independence. This struggle resulted in the 1955 Civil Rights Protection Act, which criminalized untouchability. Subsequently, during Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure, the 1989 SC/ST Atrocities Prevention Act was enacted, which recognized atrocities against Dalits as an attack on social justice. Kharge explained that subsequent Congress governments further strengthened this law. They added stringent provisions such as a ban on anticipatory bail, speedy investigations, increased compensation for victims, and the establishment of special courts. Education: The Greatest Weapon of Empowerment Emphasizing the role of education in Dalit empowerment, Kharge detailed Congress initiatives. He credited the Congress with providing pre- and post-matric scholarships, hostels for Scheduled Caste students, the “Top Class Education Scheme,” and reservations in IITs, IIMs, and medical colleges. He also cited the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, and the Right to Education (RTE) Act, saying these initiatives increased school enrollment and provided the country with millions of Dalit doctors, engineers, officers, and entrepreneurs. Serious Allegations Against the Current Government Kharge accused the Modi government of suppressing the voices of Dalits. He cited the suicide of Rohith Vemula, the Bhima Koregaon incidents, and alleged discrimination against Dalit students in universities. He said that the promotion of privatization, reductions in government jobs, weakening of reservations, and the decline in the recruitment of SC/ST faculty in higher educational institutions are a direct attack on social justice. He accused the government of promoting a “Manuvadi mindset,” which justifies inequality rather than ensuring equality. Recalling Ambedkar’s words, Kharge said that a society’s progress is measured by how safe its weakest members are, but the current government has completely reversed this principle. Roared at the “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod” rally Later, addressing the “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod” rally held at Ramlila Maidan, Kharge further sharpened his tone. He called those involved in alleged vote theft “traitors” and accused them of betraying the country. He called on the public to oust such forces from power to protect voting rights and the Constitution. Kharge warned that the RSS ideology would destroy the country. He appealed to the people to unite under the Congress flag, claiming that only the Congress party is capable of protecting democracy and constitutional values. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News