Congress’s youth push in Gujarat, Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Mr. Trustworthy’ given major responsibility, could see BJP’s stronghold crumble
Gujarat Politics News: Gujarat Assembly elections will be held in 2027, but these elections will be a direct test of Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, as Rahul Gandhi had declared the BJP’s defeat in Gujarat after the Lok Sabha elections. Now, the Congress leadership has deployed Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Mr. Trustworthy’, B.V. Srinivas, to PM Modi’s home state of Gujarat. Ahmedabad/New Delhi: Ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, the Congress has announced the deployment of Srinivas B.V. in the politically crucial state of Gujarat. As the Youth Congress President, Srinivas B.V. earned the title of ‘Oxygen Man’ by helping people extensively during the COVID-19 pandemic. Srinivas B.V. has been appointed the new co-in-charge by the Congress. Mukul Wasnik is the state in-charge. Srinivas B.V.’s appointment in Gujarat has sparked debate about whether Rahul Gandhi will intensify his Mission Gujarat campaign after the Bihar election results, as the AAP has been the focus of more attention in Gujarat than the Congress in recent months. Kejriwal, during his Gujarat visit, launched a scathing attack, saying that the Congress and BJP are husband and wife. It’s unclear who is the husband and who is the wife in this relationship, but there’s certainly collusion. Kejriwal asked why AAP MLAs go to jail, not Congress MLAs. AAP is in the news more than Congress. In Gujarat, Congress appointed Amit Chavda as the state chief in place of Shakti Singh Gohil. In his second term, Amit Chavda isn’t garnering the attention he expected. AAP leaders are in the news more than Congress. Leaders like Gopal Italia, Chatur Vasava, Isudan Gadhvi, Raju Karpada, and Praveen Ram have built their own fan followings, while Congress appears to be fragmented. Now, it remains to be seen what Srinivas BV, former head of the Congress Youth Wing, can do as co-in-charge, as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s reputation is at stake in Gujarat. It’s believed in political circles that the party is concerned about the attention AAP is receiving. Punjab is also due to have elections in 2027 before Gujarat. Therefore, the party has carefully deployed Srinivas BV to the Gujarat front. Rahul has challenged the BJP. After assuming the position of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, he challenged the BJP to defeat the BJP in Gujarat. Therefore, even though the Gujarat elections are still far away, they are considered very important. Last month, the BJP conducted a major cabinet reshuffle in Gujarat, but the Congress was unable to claim any anti-incumbency against the government. Therefore, Usha Naidu, who was posted in Gujarat, has been sent to Madhya Pradesh. In the last Gujarat elections, the Congress was reduced to 17 seats. The party’s MLA strength has now dwindled to 12. Five more MLAs have joined the BJP. The AAP, which had five MLAs, has been expelled from the party. Consequently, it has four MLAs, while the BJP has 161 MLAs in the 182-member assembly. BV Srinivas is a former cricketer. He hails from Karnataka. Written by: Achalendra Katiyar About the Author Achalendra Kumar Katiyar works for Navbharat Times Online. He began his career with DLA in 2008. During his 17-year career, he has worked for iNext, Aaj Samaj, and Dainik Hindustan. He closely monitors developments in western states, including Gujarat and Maharashtra. He has a keen understanding of politics. Courtesy: Hindi News
BJP alleges vote theft worth eight crore in the Youth Congress elections
MP Youth Congress Election: The BJP has alleged vote theft in the Madhya Pradesh Youth Congress elections. Minister Vishwas Sarang has stated that eight crore votes were stolen in the election, and that Rahul Gandhi is solely responsible for this. Bhopal: The election for the Youth Congress President has been held in Madhya Pradesh. Yash Ghanghoria, son of a senior Congress leader, has become the Youth Congress President. The BJP has made a serious allegation regarding this. Minister Vishwas Sarang has alleged that Abhishek Parmar, son of a farmer, was defeated by vote theft. He said that 1.5 million youth were registered in MP. A fee of 50 rupees was charged for this. Eight crore rupees collected Vishwas Sarang said that adding up this total, it comes to seven and a half crore rupees. The hard-earned money of the parents of the youth was collected. There was also a fee for contesting the elections, which amounted to one crore rupees. He further stated that eight and a half lakh votes were held or rejected in the Youth Congress elections. Vishwas Sarang alleged that Rahul Gandhi stole these votes. Congress votes were stolen. Vote Theft Within Congress Citing some examples, the minister said that youth between the ages of 18 and 35 could participate in the Youth Congress elections. Santosh Singh, a 44-year-old resident of Vidisha district, has committed this act of vote theft. Similarly, Anjum Khan, whose membership is listed as 36 years old according to her voter card, questioned whether this vote theft occurred within Congress. Will Rahul Gandhi answer for this? Rahul Gandhi Making False Allegations Rahul Gandhi is leading a campaign to create news by making false allegations against the democratic system in the country. He said that ever since Rahul Gandhi became the face of the party, Congress has been losing elections. Rahul Gandhi is making baseless allegations to save face. He is making false allegations of vote theft, which he has been unable to prove anywhere. Curated by: Muneshwar Kumar About the Author Muneshwar Kumar is Principal Correspondent at Navbharat Times Online. He has 14 years of experience in journalism. He has a special interest in politics, crime, current affairs, and off-beat news in Madhya Pradesh. He also has experience reporting on the ground for several elections. He has been with Navbharat Times Online since 2020. Courtesy: Hindi News
‘Live murder of democracy’: Rahul Gandhi reiterates ‘vote chori’ charge; cites CCTV footage destruction, multiple voting by BJP workers
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday claimed that democracy in India is being “murdered live,” reiterating his allegations of electoral manipulation against the Election Commission (EC) and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “Millions of BJP workers are roaming freely across states, casting votes multiple times. To cover up this theft, all evidence is being erased. The BJP and the Election Commission are openly stealing votes — the murder of democracy is unfolding live,”Rahul Gandhi wrote on X. Rahul Gandhi X post He shared the post along with a news report quoting the poll panel’s submission before the Delhi high court that CCTV footage from the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in the capital stands destroyed and is no longer with the district election officers. The Raebareli MP and leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha also quote-tweeted a Congress post that highlighted an alleged instance of voting across three states — most recently in Bihar — by an X user. The grand old party argued that these actions violate the “one person, one vote” principle and are a clear examples of “vote chori” (vote theft), a phrase Gandhi has popularised in his ongoing attacks on the BJP and the EC. Since August, Gandhi has held three press conferences alleging that votes are being “stolen” in collusion between the BJP and the EC. His most recent interaction with the media on this came on November 5, a day before the first phase of polling in Bihar, which covered 121 assembly constituencies. The second and final round, for the remaining 122 seats, took place on Tuesday, with the counting for all 243 constituencies scheduled for Friday. 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
CPI to hold nation-wide protest on Nov 18 on crimes against women minorities Dalits
New Delhi, Nov 11 (PTI) The Communist Party of India will hold a nation-wide protest on November 18 on issues of equality and justice, party General Secretary D Raja said, claiming that atrocities against women, Dalits and minorities are increasing. The Left party would hold demonstrations across the country to highlight issues related to incidents of crimes against women, Dalits and minorities. “Atrocities against these sections which are already vulnerable are increasing. Even a Supreme Court justice observed that women are the largest minority in the country,” Raja told PTI. He was referring to an observation by Justice B V Nagarathna of the top court, who observed that women who form 48.44 per cent of the country’s population are the largest minority in India, while hearing a petition on ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam’ — a law for providing reservation to women in Parliament and state assemblies. “India is a secular, democratic republic… But the way minorities are attacked, it is challenging the idea of India,” Raja said. “To uphold Constitutional principles and ideas of social justice and equality, our party has given this call for a protest across the country on November 18,” he said. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI) Courtesy : The Week Note: This news is originally published on https:/theweek.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Crime Without Punishment
The system protects those who commit caste violence while blaming victims for asserting dignity Two back-to-back incidents, a shoe attack on Dalit CJI B.R. Gavai and the suicide of Dalit ADGP Y. Puran Kumar, expose how caste violence and humiliation persist even at the highest levels of India’s institutions. Both cases highlight growing impunity under the Hindutva regime, where perpetrators invoking “Sanatan Dharma” face little accountability, while Dalits remain vulnerable despite rank, merit, or office. The events illustrate how token representation fails to protect Dalits, revealing a systemic, Brahmanical power structure that normalizes caste supremacy and shields upper-caste offenders. Within the span of days, two incidents have laid bare the entrenched caste realities of contemporary India and the impunity that the Hindutva regime has institutionalised. On October 6, 2025 a 71-year-old lawyer hurled a shoe at Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai, a Dalit, inside the Supreme Court, defiantly shouting “Sanatan ka apmaan nahi sahega Hindustan” (India will not tolerate insult to Sanatan Dharma). He was released without charges, his shoe returned, facing no consequences for attacking the country’s highest judicial authority. The very next day, October 7, Additional Director General of Police Y. Puran Kumar, also a Dalit, died by suicide at his Chandigarh residence, leaving an eight-page note describing years of caste humiliation and harassment by senior officers. Despite huge public outrage, nothing has been done to the perpetrators. These two events, occurring within 24 hours, are not aberrations but revelations of a deeper malaise—the normalisation of caste violence and Brahminical supremacy under a majoritarian Hindutva order that has erased accountability for crimes committed in the name of Sanatan Dharma or Hindu honour. One incident reflects physical assault on a Dalit constitutional authority without reprisal; the other, psychological persecution that drove a senior officer to death. Together, they expose an ecosystem where Dalits—irrespective of office, achievement, or rank—remain vulnerable to humiliation and violence sanctioned by ideological impunity. These are not isolated tragedies but logical outcomes of the Hindutva project that the ruling regime has consolidated over the past decade—an order that weaponises religion to defend caste and punishes dignity itself. The Shoe That Revealed Everything The attack on Chief Justice B.R. Gavai was unprecedented in audacity and deeply revealing in consequence. In a packed Supreme Court room, a lawyer hurled his shoe at the bench headed by CJI Gavai, defiantly shouting a slogan sourced from the Hindutva playbook. He later claimed he was enraged by the CJI’s quip—“ask the deity itself to do something”—while dismissing a frivolous plea to restore a Vishnu idol at Khajuraho. Such verbal retorts by judges, right or wrong, are not uncommon. However, the Hindutva networks seized on the remark as an “insult to Sanatan Dharma”, manufacturing the outrage that fuelled the assault. What followed laid bare the regime’s moral collapse. The assailant was released within hours. He boasted to the press, “I have no regrets…I was hurt.” The Prime Minister’s bland condemnation avoided any commitment to legal action. The Bar remained silent; the media soon moved on. By contrast, when a Mumbai lawyer threw a shoe at CJI A.S. Anand in 1999, aggrieved by the verdict in his property matter, he was convicted of contempt and sentenced to four months imprisonment and a fine. Kishore’s act was graver because it was ideological. His slogan invoked Sanatan Dharma—a euphemism for Brahminism that sanctifies caste hierarchy—asserting that religious sentiment trumps constitutional authority. It claimed the right to assault a Dalit Chief Justice in defence of “Hindu honour,” confident that society would understand, perhaps even celebrate, the act. This confidence of impunity is no accident. It is the product of a decade-long Hindutva campaign that has normalised upper-caste violence under the banner of faith. When cow vigilantes lynch Muslims, interfaith couples are attacked, or homes are bulldozed without due process, the same message resounds: violence in the name of Sanatan Dharma enjoys state protection. The online abuse of CJI Gavai was overtly casteist, mocking his intelligence and legitimacy. The hate spewed against him as a Dalit on social media is criminal, but the entire state machinery has been silent. The outrage over “insult to Sanatan” was merely a polite mask for fury at a Dalit occupying the highest judicial office and dismissing an upper-caste petitioner. In the Brahminical logic encoded in Sanatan Dharma, a Dalit exercising authority represents an inversion of the natural order that must be violently corrected. Kishore’s attack—and the regime’s indulgence—thus revealed everything about Hindutva’s compact with caste: that in the new India, religious offence is punishable, but caste violence is not. The Suicide Note That Indicts a System On October 7, 2025, Additional Director General of Police Y. Puran Kumar, a 2001-batch Dalit IPS officer from Andhra Pradesh serving in Haryana, shot himself at his Chandigarh residence. In his suicide note, he named several IPS and IAS officers, accusing them of sustained mental harassment, humiliation, and caste-based discrimination. Kumar detailed how he was sidelined despite seniority, denied postings he deserved, and targeted through fabricated charges. His note spoke of a systematic campaign of humiliation, including attempts to implicate him in a fake bribery case. His wife, Amneet Kumar, an IAS officer, filed a complaint holding the named officials responsible for his death and demanding their suspension and arrest. What has emerged from Kumar’s note reveals the pervasive caste bias that Dalit officers continue to face in “meritocratic” institutions. Kumar wrote of years of “mental harassment and humiliation”, of being denied recognition and opportunities his upper-caste peers enjoyed. His decision to end his life after naming his tormentors was both an act of despair and an indictment—a demand that the system confront its casteist rot. Kumar’s death demolishes the myth that rank or merit protects Dalits from caste oppression. Here was an officer one step below the state’s top cop, yet, even his uniform and authority could not shield him from institutionalised caste prejudice. If an ADGP could be hounded to suicide, what hope remains for Dalit constables or sub-inspectors, not to
Dalit, Tribal Women Lose Strongholds as NMC’s 2025 Reservation Draw Reshapes Nagpur’s Civic Map
Nagpur’s civic map has been redrawn once again, with the 2025 Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) reservation draw overturning long-standing caste and gender alignments. While 76 of 151 total seats remain reserved for women, the latest reshuffle has dealt a major blow to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) women leaders who had emerged as powerful local voices since 2017. In the last civic election, 15 seats were reserved for SC (women), giving dalit women a stronghold across north and east Nagpur. But in the new 2025 chart, half of those wards have been rotated to SC (open) or General (women), forcing several sitting corporators out of their constituencies. Among the worst hit are Sneha Nikose (Prabhag 9A, Congress), whose ward is now open, and Shakuntala Parve (Prabhag 20A, BJP), who also loses her SC (women) seat. Veteran corporators like Kanta Rarokar (23A, BJP), Usha Palat (31A), Minakshi Telgote (36A), and Ujwala Bankar (38A) face similar displacements, as their wards shift out of the women’s quota. The change has fractured traditional dalit clusters in Prabhags 5, 7, and 20, once known as SC-ST belts, now replaced by OBC and General category seats. For the first time in two terms, no single SC (women) cluster remains intact in the city’s northern zone — a major setback for grassroots dalit women leadership. In contrast, ST (women) seats remain relatively stable, retaining six of the total 12 ST positions. Congress corporator Asha Uikey (8A) and Jyoti Bhisikar (21A) are expected to retain influence, while the conversion of Prabhag 34B to ST (women) has opened new opportunities for emerging tribal leaders from east Nagpur. Overall, SC representation remains at 30 seats and ST at 12, but the internal balance has shifted sharply. Political observers see this as the end of an era where dalit women leaders enjoyed secure, cluster-based representation. The 2025 elections, they say, will test whether the social and political capital these women built through years of grassroots work can endure beyond the protective boundaries of reservation. Written by TLN Team Courtesy : The Live Nagpur Note: This news is originally published on https:/thelivenagpur.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dhanapur: A broken electricity pole in a Dalit settlement has been lying broken for two years; villagers are worried; the department has given assurances.
An electricity pole has been lying broken for the past two years in the Ahikoura Dalit settlement in the Dhanapur area of Chandauli district. The pole could collapse at any time, raising the possibility of a major accident. Villagers are angry with the electricity department. The broken pole is located in a street in the settlement, frequented by young children, women, and the elderly. Villagers say this road is dangerous 24 hours a day. A serious accident could occur at any time if the pole collapses, for which the electricity department will be held responsible. Villagers stated that they have contacted electricity department officials and employees several times to resolve this issue. Villager Sushil reported that each time they were only given assurances, but even after two years, no solution has been found to the broken pole. While the BJP government makes lofty claims of development, no leader or official has taken any initiative to replace the broken electricity pole in the Dalit settlement for two years. The villagers even informed a local BJP leader about the issue, but he ignored it, leaving them disappointed. Villagers Sushil Kumar, Ravi Kumar, Chandu Bauddh, Dhananjay, Raju, Writer, Suraj, Shankar, Dukhau, Ramharkh BDC, Shivpujan, Rambhavan Ram, Santosh, Chhotelal, Deepak Ram, Basanti, and Nirmala, among others, have drawn the attention of the District Magistrate, Chandauli, demanding an immediate solution. SDO of the Electricity Department, Sudhir Kumar, stated that the problem will be resolved soon and the pole replaced. Mukesh Kumar Maurya Courtesy: Hindi News
No road to Dalit settlement in Koraon: Villagers of Babhanpatti have to take a 2-kilometer detour to reach the main road
In Babhanpatti village in the Koraon area of Prayagraj (Allahabad), residents of the Dalit settlement have to take an additional 2-kilometer detour to reach the main road. This problem persists due to the lack of a culvert, preventing the unpaved road from connecting to the main black road. According to villagers, a dirt road was constructed in 2010. This road is primarily used by residents of the Harijan settlement. Due to the lack of a culvert, they have to travel a longer route to reach the Ghade Ghadwa settlement. If a culvert is constructed on this road, the two roads will be connected. This will reduce the distance to the main road to approximately 800 meters, saving villagers time and labor. Several villagers, including Raghav Prasad Harijan, Sheshmani Dubey, Vikas Sunil Adivasi, and Chandrama Harijan, have drawn the attention of the government and concerned authorities to this problem. Shamim Ghani Shaikh Courtesy: Hindi News
Police invoke SC/ST Act in Dalit youth’s murder; main suspect shot, arrested in TN’s Tiruchy
Palakkarai police shot the prime suspect R Sathishkumar in the knee and arrested him at Melur in Srirangam after he allegedly pushed down two police personnel and tried to escape. TIRUCHY: A day after 26-year-old youth from a SC community, Thamaraiselvan, was hacked to death by a gang inside the police residential quarters in Marsingpet, police invoked SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the suspects, following protests from his family members. Subsequently, Tiruchy West tahsildar S Prakash handed over cheque for Rs 6 lakh to the victim’s mother, B Parvathi, as compensation under the Act. The family then received Thamaraiselvan body from the hospital after autopsy and conducted the funeral. On Monday night, Palakkarai police shot the prime suspect R Sathishkumar in the knee and arrested him at Melur in Srirangam after he allegedly pushed down two police personnel and tried to escape. Sathishkumar and two injured policemen Mathavaraj (32) and George William (37) have been admitted in the Srirangam Government Hospital. Acting on information shared by Sathishkumar, a police team tracked his accomplices who were hiding near the Yatri Nivas in Srirangam. Upon seeing police, the group tried to flee and allegedly fell into a pit. Nandhakumar suffered fracture in his arm, while Prabhakaran and Ganesan sustained leg fractures. All three were taken to MGMGH. On Tuesday all of them were arrested under the SC/ST Act. One more suspect Ilamaran was detained by locals inside the police quarters on Monday and handed over to police. 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
Bihar exit polls: Looking back at past predictions across states; how close were they to actual results?
NEW DELHI: With the final phase of the Bihar assembly elections wrapping up on Tuesday evening, all eyes now turn to the exit polls — the political prelude to the much-anticipated counting day. The high-stakes battle, primarily between the ruling NDA alliance and the opposition Mahagathbandhan, also marks the debut of Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj, which has campaigned vigorously on promises of change. As Bihar waits for the first projections to roll in, here’s a look at how exit polls fared in five major elections held in the recent past — Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana, Jharkhand, and the Lok Sabha — and whether the predictions matched the final results. Maharashtra: Predictions underplayed a landslide Exit polls: Pollsters had predicted an edge for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance (BJP, Ajit Pawar’s NCP, and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena), projecting between 150 and 170 seats in the 288-member assembly. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was expected to secure 110 to 130 seats, while smaller parties were forecast to win 8 to 10. Results: The Mahayuti performed far beyond expectations, sweeping 235 of the 288 seats, handing a decisive victory to the BJP-led alliance. The scale of the win exceeded most projections, showing a clear miss for the exit polls. Delhi: Exit polls broadly accurate, with minor deviations Exit polls: Surveys predicted a strong lead for the BJP, while some overestimated AAP’s performance. Results: The final tally stood at BJP 48, AAP 22, and Congress 0. Pollster P-Marq proved most accurate, predicting AAP at 26 and BJP at 44, a deviation of just four seats per party. Poll Diary also closely matched the outcome, forecasting AAP’s 22 seats precisely and coming within two seats for BJP. Haryana: Exit polls misread the tide completely Exit polls: Predictions gave Congress a clear upper hand with 44 to 64 seats, while the BJP was expected to manage 15 to 32 seats. Results: The BJP stunned pollsters and opponents alike, winning 48 seats, an all-time best for the party in Haryana. The Congress managed 37, nine short of the majority mark. The outcome sharply contrasted with exit poll estimates, making Haryana one of the biggest misses for psephologists in recent elections. Jharkhand: Exit polls drowned in a political downpour Exit polls: Most surveys predicted a neck-and-neck contest between the NDA and the INDIA bloc, giving around 38 seats to the JMM-led coalition and 40 to the BJP-led alliance. Results: When the results were declared on November 23, the INDIA bloc led by Hemant Soren’s JMM swept 50 of 81 seats, a resounding mandate. The exit polls, almost unanimously, failed to anticipate the scale of the INDIA bloc’s win. Lok Sabha 2024: ‘400 paar’ predictions fall flat Exit polls: Predictions for the 2024 general elections had painted a landslide for the BJP-led NDA, with some pollsters going as far as forecasting “400-paar”. Results: The NDA won 293 seats, well below the forecast, while the BJP managed 240 seats, 63 fewer than in 2019 — losing its solo majority for the first time since 2014. The INDIA bloc, led by Congress, surprised observers with 235 seats, underlining the extent of the exit poll miscalculations. What to expect in Bihar As Bihar’s 2025 verdict inches closer, the spotlight is now on the exit polls — whether they will capture the pulse of the voter or once again misfire, as in several recent elections. With Nitish Kumar seeking to defend his legacy and Tejashwi Yadav attempting to unseat him, the political stage is set for another fascinating test. 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