‘Great son of India’: PM Modi, Congress leaders pay tribute to former PM Rajiv Gandhi on 34th death anniversary
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tribute to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 34th death anniversary. In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, “On his death anniversary today, I pay my tributes to our former Prime Minister Shri Rajiv Gandhi Ji.” — narendramodi (@narendramodi) Congress leaders also paid homage at Veer Bhoomi, Rajiv Gandhi’s memorial. Among them were his son Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and party leader Sachin Pilot. Rajiv Gandhi served as country’s Prime Minister from 1984 to 1989, leading the last Congress government with a full majority. He took charge of the party after the assassination of his mother, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, in 1984, becoming the country’s youngest Prime Minister at 40. He was assassinated by the LTTE, a Sri Lanka-based terrorist group, on May 21, 1991, while campaigning in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. His son Rahul Gandhi now serves as the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https://timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Dragged by Hair, Clothes Torn: Dalit Woman Brutalized in Bhagalpur Police Raid – No Female Officers Present
Dalit residents allege caste-based abuse, assault on women and minors, and illegal detention by male police officers during a late-night liquor raid in Nathnagar. Bhagalpur, Bihar— A police raid conducted by Lalmatiya police station in the Nathnagar Pasi Tola area of Bhagalpur district has triggered massive outrage among the local residents. Villagers allege that during the raid, which took place around 8 PM on Sunday night, police officers assaulted women, children, and men without any justification. Rajni Bharti, a resident of the locality who now lives in Delhi, told The Mooknayak, “My mother has a fractured leg, and my sister Jyoti Bharti (52) had gone to look after her. That night, the police raided our neighborhood and began beating up women and children. When my sister stepped outside and protested, the police dragged her away and assaulted her.” “All the officers—from the inspector to the sub-inspector—are from the Bhumihar caste. They hurled vulgar abuses at the women. When my sister asked them to stop, they became furious and said, ‘How dare people from a lower caste question us?’ About an hour later, they returned, grabbed her by the hair, dragged her to the police station, and kept her in custody all night. Her clothes were torn, and she was left almost naked,” Rajni further alleged. Rajni also mentioned that her house is in the same area where the police carried out the raid, although she currently resides in Delhi. “My brother informed me about the incident. The police have now filed an attempt-to-murder case against my sister. Is this how you treat an elderly woman—by humiliating her and dragging her to the police station simply because she questioned them for beating women and children? She is still in police custody. Around 15–20 people were arrested, all of them from the Dalit community,” she added. Gunjan Kumari, a minor who was present during the raid, tearfully recounted to a journalist that she saw a police officer kick her mother multiple times. Her emotional breakdown while narrating the incident reflects the trauma inflicted on the community. Notably, no female police officers were present during the raid. All actions were carried out by male officers, which has fueled further anger, particularly due to the allegations of manhandling and verbal abuse of women. Prema Devi, who was injured during the police action, stated, “They forcibly broke into our home and beat everyone. I was hit with batons two or three times. My brother-in-law was beaten so severely that his leg is broken.” Even bystanders weren’t spared. Ashok Chaudhary, who was standing at his grocery shop, said he suffered injuries to his hand due to police beating, despite having no connection to the incident. Bhagalpur City DSP-2, Rakesh Kumar, addressed the media and stated, “The raid was conducted at the residence of Ravi Chaudhary in Pasi Tola following a tip-off about liquor storage. When the police arrived, the family members allegedly pelted stones at the officers, resulting in minor injuries to three of our personnel.” When journalists asked the DSP whether public anger erupted after a girl was slapped by the police during the raid, he avoided a direct response and said, “I do not have information about that.” Courtesy : Rajan Chaudhary, The Mooknayak Note: This news is originally published on https://themooknayak.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
‘Insult to the valour of Indian Army’: BJP slams Kharge’s ‘small war’ remark on Operation Sindoor
NEW DELHI: BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over his recent remarks on Operation Sindoor, calling his description of it as a “small war” not only condemnable but “an insult to the valour of Indian Army.” Taking a dig at the opposition alliance, Trivedi said, “…INDIA gathbandhan naam rakh lene se koi dil se Indian nahi ho jata.” He added, “Calling Operation Sindoor a small incident is not only condemnable but also an insult to the valour of the Indian Army and the sentiments of 140 crore Indians. Even before this, Rahul Gandhi has said many baseless things about Indian planes and other things…” Trivedi alleged that Kharge’s and Rahul Gandhi’s remarks were part of a larger trend. “After the statements of first Rahul Gandhi and now Mallikarjun Kharge, one thing has become very clear: the statements coming from the leaders of their (INDIA) alliance for the last few days are not spontaneous statements but a series of well-thought-out, anti-India and ideologically nourished statements.” “Therefore, we definitely consider this statement condemnable. We also believe this is part of a well-planned conspiracy by the Congress party and the INDI alliance,” he said. On Tuesday, Kharge had triggered row by referring to India’s military response under Operation Sindoor as a “small war.” He also criticised the Modi government for failing to clarify US President Donald Trump’s earlier remarks suggesting American mediation between India and Pakistan. Kharge said, “It has not provided clarity to the people of the country regarding US President Trump’s statements.” He also blamed the central government for failing to ensure adequate security in Kashmir. “26 people were killed in Pahalgam because the Modi government did not provide security there. The Centre did not provide police security or forces to tourists. Modi did not say anything about this. There were people going to Kashmir on the 17th, but Modi did not go to Kashmir, because his intelligence security told him not to go, as there would be chaos in Kashmir.” “The Prime Minister was supposed to go to Kashmir on the 17th, but his intelligence agency had told him not to go and had cancelled his visit to Kashmir… If the same had been said to the tourists through the police, 26 lives would have been saved. What is happening now… This small war would not have happened,” Kharge said. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https://timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
The country got its first Buddhist CJI: From an Ambedkarite family to the highest chair of the Supreme Court – know the struggle of BR Gavai!
Justice BR Gavai, who comes from the Buddhist and Dalit community, became the 52nd Chief Justice of India, know the full story of his life, struggle and historical decisions. New Delhi: Justice Bhushan Ramakrishna Gavai took oath as the 52nd Chief Justice of India (CJI) at 10 am today. He replaced Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who retired on May 13. Justice Gavai is the second Dalit and the first Buddhist to become the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the country. Before him, Justice KG Balakrishnan became the first Dalit Chief Justice in 2007. Justice Gavai’s tenure will be of six months and he will retire in November 2025. Since the establishment of the Supreme Court in 1950, only seven judges have come from the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe community. Wanted to be an architect, became a judge Justice Gavai was born on 24 November 1960 in Amravati, Maharashtra. After taking a B.Com degree, he studied law from Amravati University. Not many know that Justice Gavai once wanted to become an architect, but chose the path of advocacy due to his father’s wish. His father Ramakrishna Suryabhan Gavai was a famous Ambedkarite leader and founder of the Republican Party of India. Ramakrishna Gavai was a Lok Sabha MP from Amravati and served as the Governor of Bihar, Sikkim and Kerala between 2006 and 2011. He passed away in 2015, four years before his son B.R. Gavai was made a Supreme Court judge. From advocacy to the Supreme Court Justice Gavai registered with the Bar Council on March 16, 1985 and practiced independently in the Bombay High Court from 1987 to 1990. Later, he started practising in the Nagpur Bench. On 12 November 2005, he was appointed as a permanent judge of the Bombay High Court. On 24 May 2019, he became a judge of the Supreme Court. He was part of nearly 700 benches in the Supreme Court and wrote nearly 300 important judgments. Key judgments: From Article 370 to electoral bonds Justice Gavai played a key role in several sensitive and landmark cases: In November 2024, he delivered a judgment that said demolition of properties without due process was against the rule of law. He was part of the Constitution Bench that upheld the removal of Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. In February 2024, he was part of the bench that struck down the electoral bond scheme, terming it unconstitutional. He established procedural safeguards against arbitrary arrests under stringent laws like the UAPA and the PMLA. He established procedural safeguards against arbitrary arrests under stringent laws like the UAPA and the PMLA. • In a significant judgment, he upheld sub-categorisation in SC reservation and compared opposition to it to “historic discrimination faced by upper castes”. He was also part of the bench hearing the contempt case against senior advocate Prashant Bhushan. Apart from this, he also wrote the majority opinion validating the 2016 demonetisation. Transparency in Rahul Gandhi case While hearing the ongoing criminal defamation case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in July 2023, Justice Gavai showed transparency by referring to his family political connections and offered to recuse himself from the case. He said, “Though my father was not a member of the Congress, he was associated with the party for nearly 40 years. My brother is still associated with the Congress.” The government did not accept his offer to recuse and the bench stayed Rahul Gandhi’s sentence, allowing his Lok Sabha membership to be restored. The next six months: Challenges and priorities As Chief Justice, Justice Gavai will face several key challenges. Currently, two high court judges — Justice Shekhar Yadav (Allahabad High Court) and former Justice Yashwant Verma (Delhi High Court) — are facing impeachment proceedings. At the very beginning of Justice Gavai’s tenure, a crucial hearing is scheduled on May 15, challenging the amendments made in the Wakf Act. Justice Gavai’s elevation to the Chief Justice is a turning point in the history of the Indian judiciary, not only in terms of representation but also for strengthening justice, equality and constitutional values. Courtesy : Rajan Chaudhary, Hindu News
Not ‘protocol’, it is a matter of honour— Justice Gavai, who arrived on his first visit to Maharashtra as CJI, expressed displeasure over the absence of top officers, then…
After these comments of the CJI, Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sujata Savnik, DGP Rashmi Shukla and Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti were seen with him at Dr. BR Ambedkar’s Samadhi Sthal Chaityabhoomi. Mumbai. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice BR Gavai on Sunday expressed displeasure over the absence of Maharashtra Chief Secretary, Director General of Police (DGP) and Mumbai Police Commissioner. CJI Gavai has recently become the 52nd Chief Justice of the country and this was his first official visit to Maharashtra. His felicitation ceremony was organized by the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa. He said in Marathi, “I am not talking about protocol, but all three pillars of democracy (executive, legislature and judiciary) should respect each other. When the head of a major part of the Constitution (CJI) comes to his own state for the first time and does not get this respect, then it is a matter of their thinking.” However, after these comments of the CJI, Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sujata Savnik, DGP Rashmi Shukla and Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti were seen with him at Dr. BR Ambedkar’s Samadhi Sthal Chaityabhoomi. Earlier, at the felicitation ceremony organized by the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa, CJI Gavai said, “I do not want to get into small things, but this is a matter of respect. People should know.” Speaking about his post-retirement plans, CJI Gavai said: “I am glad that this event is being held in the presence of Justice Abhay Oka. Both I and my brother Justice Oka have already announced that we will not take up any post-retirement assignment. So Justice Oka will be fully available to you (legal fraternity) after May 24 and I will be six months after that.” The CJI also said that he has decided that he will not accept felicitations anywhere else except Mumbai, Nagpur, Aurangabad and Goa as his association with the association has been either working together or as a member in all the four above mentioned places. The event was attended by several dignitaries including Bombay High Court Chief Justice Alok Aradhe, Supreme Court Justices Surya Kant, Justice Abhay S Oka, Justice Dipankar Dutta and Justice Prasanna B Varale. Courtesy : Geetha Sunil Pillai, Hindi News
Telangana CM Revanth Reddy slams Modi govt over US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire remark
HYDERABAD: Amid a rising controversy over US President Donald Trump’s claim of having negotiated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after Operation Sindoor, Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Wednesday claimed that the Narendra Modi government succumbed to pressure from Trump and backed down from the opportunity to crush terrorism and defeat Pakistan following the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had turned down the US President’s offer to mediate and stop the war with Pakistan in 1971. It is unfortunate, Revanth said, that the present US President claimed he initiated a ceasefire post-Pahalgam anti-terrorist operations launched by India against Pakistan. “Post-Pahalgam, the people of the country are remembering the iron lady, Indira Gandhi, for teaching Pakistan a lesson by breaking it into two parts, Bangladesh and Pakistan,” Revanth said after paying tributes to the statue of Rajiv Gandhi on the occasion of his death anniversary, also observed as National Anti-Terrorism Day. After the Pahalgam terrorist attack, the entire country, including Congress top leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and party cadres, stood in total support of PM Modi to teach Pakistan a permanent lesson. But the Centre did not utilise this opportunity, Revanth claimed, and added, “The announcement by Trump about ceasefire made people believe that India succumbed to the US President’s threat of trade implications.” “Had the Modi government gone ahead and crushed terrorism, defeated Pakistan and given India a victory, the world would have welcomed and praised him. Morally, the BJP has the responsibility to explain to the people on this issue. They (BJP) have started criticising Rahul Gandhi only to hide their inefficiency. Even the rallies being conducted by the BJP on the streets for Operation Sindoor is to hide their inefficiency. The people of the country have seen what has happened so far and they will decide. An inspiration should be taken from Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi who gave their lives for the integrity of the country,” CM Revanth said. However, the CM made it clear that the Congress will not indulge in politics when it comes to the country’s security, integrity, and protecting the lives of citizens, and has clarity that it will extend total support to the Centre on this issue. “The Congress achieved independence for the country and it is the responsibility of the party to protect the country and extend support for the cause.” Revanth also criticised Union Minister G Kishan Reddy for making allegations against Rahul Gandhi. “As the CM, I led a candle light and Tiranga rally with thousands of people in support of PM Modi and our armed forces. But Kishan Reddy was in the comforts of his house (was sleeping in his home Revanth said) instead of standing with us in support of the Modi government and our armed forces,” the CM alleged. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https://timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Dalit student held hostage for 4 days, made to drink urine, brutally beaten – horrifying incident from Tirupati!
A case of kidnapping and inhuman torture of a Dalit engineering student in Tirupati, caste-related abuses, forced to drink urine and death threats has come to light. Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh – The alleged kidnapping and physical and mental harassment of a Dalit engineering student for several days in Tirupati district has sparked outrage across the state. Tiruchanur police have registered a case under serious sections like kidnapping, causing grievous hurt, caste-related attack, illegal confinement for more than three days and death threats under the Indian Justice Code. Victim student alleges caste harassment The case was registered on May 16, in which the victim has been identified as A. James (22 years). He is a final year B.Tech student of Sri Vidya Niketan College and a resident of Reddypalem village in Nellore district. James and his friend Guru Sai Reddy were abducted from outside the hostel. The accused were led by prime accused Yashwant. The other named accused include Kiran, Jagga, Lalit, Sai Gowda, Vanshi, Roopessh and some unidentified persons. “I was going to meet my cousin when a group of people like KT Road Katti, Nani, Jagga stopped me and locked me in a room. They brutally beat me for three-four days,” James said in a video statement. The victim alleged that he was abused with casteist slurs and forced to drink urine. “They said – ‘How can you, being from SC caste, dare to do this?’ I was beaten badly. I want justice,” he said. Held hostage in hotel room, threatened with death According to the police, the accused locked James and his friend in room number 209 of Elite Park Hotel, Srinivasapuram, threatening to kill them on a bike. The victims were beaten with hands, kicks, belts and iron rods. James suffered serious injuries near his eye, while his friend also sustained injuries at multiple places. The two somehow managed to escape while returning to Tirupati. Police said investigations are on and strict action will be taken against the culprits. Efforts are being made to identify the other accused. YS Jagan Mohan Reddy condemns the incident Former chief minister and YSR Congress Party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy strongly condemned the incident, calling it an example of increasing atrocities on Dalits and deteriorating law and order in the state. He wrote on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), “There is no security left for Dalits in the state. This incident shows how law and order is failing to provide security to the weaker sections.” He also alleged that the police did not take appropriate action in time due to political interference in the case. “Now it has become a common thing that when a victim goes to the police station, a case is registered against him. This incident in Tirupati is a proof of the inaction of the police and the pressure of the ruling party.” YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, former Chief Minister He demanded that a case be registered immediately against the culprits and the Dalit student should get justice. Courtesy : Rajan Chaudhary, Hindi News
1-year jail not a prerequisite for bail to accused in laundering case: SC to ED
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday said there was no “rule” that an accused in a money laundering case had to spend at least a year in jail before being granted bail, and gave relief to one of the accused in the Chhattisgarh liquor scam who had spent over nine months in custody. As the counsel appearing for the Enforcement Directorate took the stand that bail could not be granted to the accused as he was arrested in Aug last year and had not completed a year behind bars, a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said it was not a “rule” to be in custody for a year to get bail. The ED counsel said SC had been following the one-year custody “benchmark” to grant bail in various cases, including that of former Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji, and argued that the yardstick be followed in the case of liquor scam accused Anwar Dhebar’s bail plea too. The bench then asked the ED counsel whether he wanted the accused to spend seven years in jail which is the maximum sentence. Release accused within a week, SC directs ED The court said trial in the case was not going to wind up in the near future as there were more than 450 witnesses in the predicate offence. The counsel, however, insisted that the accused was a politically connected and influential person and his bail would hamper the trial. The court did not accept his submission and granted Anwar Dhebar bail. It asked the trial court to release the accused within a week on terms and conditions fixed by the special court. SC had said on Jan 17 that in cases where an accused has spent one year in jail and the charges against them in a money laundering case have not yet been framed, they could be considered for bail. The apex court has been granting bail to various accused in money laundering cases after reading down the stringent bail provisions of PMLA by ruling that delay in trial and long incarceration could be grounds to release accused on bail. However, on Jan 17, it had for the first time said that if an accused has spent one year in custody and charges have not been framed, bail can be granted. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https://timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Dalit woman stripped and searched in police station, asked for water and got toilet water! — Serious allegations against Kerala police
A 39-year-old Dalit woman from Kerala has made serious allegations of inhumane treatment, stripping and searching and mental harassment in police custody. The FIR in the case turned out to be false, but the action is still incomplete. Thiruvananthapuram — A 39-year-old Dalit woman Bindu was not only arrested on false charges of theft in Kerala’s capital Thiruvananthapuram, but also had to face inhumane mental torture in police custody. After this case came to light, there has been a stir in the state politics and the opposition has launched a scathing attack on the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) and the police department. False allegation of theft and harassment in custody Bindu, who is a domestic worker and hails from Chullimanoor, was accused by her employer of stealing a gold chain on April 23. Based on this complaint, the Perurkada police called her and called her to the police station. On reaching the police station, the victim repeatedly said that she was innocent, but the police did not listen to her. According to Bindu, a woman police officer took her to a room, made her remove her clothes and searched her. Then the police took her to her house and searched there too. During this time she was not allowed to talk to the family, nor was she given food and water. Bindu told the media, “When I asked for water, a policeman said – ‘Go to the toilet and drink from there’.” Detained overnight, threatened to implicate daughters Bindu said that she was kept in the police station all night and the interrogation continued till the next morning. An FIR was registered and the police threatened her that if she did not confess to the theft, her minor daughters would also be implicated in the case. Later when the mistress of the house and her daughter reached the police station again, they said that they had been ‘forgiven’. After some time it was found that the stolen gold chain was found in the house itself, and the complainant herself admitted that the allegation was false. Complaint ignored in CMO When Bindu gave a written complaint to Chief Minister’s political secretary P. Sasi with the help of a lawyer, she claims that Sasi neither read the complaint nor gave any assurance. “He said that this is a common thing and advised me to go to court,” Bindu said. However, the CMO later clarified that the police were directed to take action after receiving the complaint. But according to Bindu, she had also requested the CMO to register a case against the woman who falsely accused her, which was rejected. Opposition and social organizations’ outrage Opposition leader V.D. Satheesan condemned the incident, saying, “This is not just an isolated incident but an example of injustice meted out to Dalits by the ruling system. Strict action should be taken against the guilty police officials.” Former Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan called it “inhuman” and said that such incidents should have no place in a progressive society. Congress state president Sunny Joseph and AIDWA (All India Democratic Women’s Association) national president P.K. Srimathi also condemned the incident. “No woman should be treated like this. This is an example of police brutality,” Srimathi said. Policeman suspended, BNSS law violated An inquiry conducted by Police Commissioner Thomson Jose revealed that several procedural lapses were committed in Bindu’s arrest. The inquiry found that the police violated the provisions of the Indian Civil Security Code (BNSS) – which prohibits arresting women after sunset and before sunrise, unless with the permission of a magistrate. The police neither informed her family about the arrest nor gave any explanation in court as to why the arrest was necessary in an emergency situation. Based on these serious lapses, sub-inspector SG Prasad of Perurkada police station has been suspended and an inquiry is underway against other responsible officers. Demand for justice Bindu has filed complaints with the chief minister, the state police chief and the Scheduled Caste Commission and is now preparing to move court. She said the police not only discriminated against her on the basis of caste but also physically and mentally tortured her. Bindu said, “I have identified some policemen. I will go to court. I want justice.” Courtesy : Rajan Chaudhary, Hindi News
Asked to drink water from bucket: Kerala cop suspended for harassing Dalit woman
A Dalit domestic worker in Kerala, reportedly, was wrongfully accused of stealing, detained overnight and allegedly harassed by police. The gold was later found at her employer’s house. The sub-inspector has been suspended pending enquiry. A sub-inspector (SI) from a police station in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram was suspended after a Dalit woman was falsely accused of theft and allegedly harassed in custody. The action against SI Prasad comes after R Bindhu, a domestic worker, recently filed complaints with the Chief Minister, the State Police Chief and the State SC/ST Commission, regarding the harassment. Bindhu was reportedly summoned to the Peroorkada police station on April 23 after her employer alleged that 2.5 sovereigns of gold (around 20 g valued at about Rs 1.6 lakh) were missing. Despite a body and bag check that yielded nothing, an FIR was registered against her. She says she was detained at the station for nearly 20 hours and pressured to confess. “Police officers behaved very badly with me. One of them threatened me saying they will implicate my daughters and husband in the case. He said the society will treat me as a thief and when I asked for water, he asked me to drink from the bucket kept in the bathroom,” she recounted. She added that police treated her poorly even after the gold was recovered from her employer’s residence. Opposition leader VD Satheesan slammed the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government over the incident. “Even after the complaint was withdrawn, an FIR was filed and the woman was threatened. When Pinarayi Vijayan is the Home Minister, is water from the toilet given to those who come to a police station?” he asked. Satheesan also criticised the Chief Minister’s office for allegedly dismissing Bindhu when she approached them. “She was insulted again. They told her she could go to court. Is this the justice a Dalit woman gets?” he said. Courtesy : India Today Note: This news is originally published on https://indiatoday.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.