After Rahul meeting, ex-BJP min Anil Joshi may join Cong today
Amritsar: Former Punjab minister Anil Joshi, once a senior BJP leader expelled over his opposition to the now-repealed farm laws, is expected to join the Congress on Wednesday. On Tuesday, he met with Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal. Talk was rife of his shifting as Joshi met Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal in Delhi on Tuesday. After being removed from the BJP in 2021, Joshi had joined the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) that year. He had, however, resigned from the SAD in Nov 2024. If he joins the Congress, Joshi, who is among the most notable Hindu politicians from Punjab’s Majha region, could be fielded by the party for the Tarn Taran bypoll. While all parties have announced candidates for the bypoll, Congress is yet to name anyone. Joshi is expected to join the Congress in Chandigarh on Wednesday in the presence of former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, who is the All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and in-charge of the party’s Punjab affairs. A native of Sangha village in Tarn Taran, Joshi joined BJP in 1998 and remained the party’s mandal president before being appointed district president. Known as an outspoken Hindu leader of the Majha region, Joshi was elected MLA for the first time in 2007 and then in 2012 from Amritsar North assembly constituency on a BJP ticket. He served as the minister for local government in the then SAD-BJP govt. He was expelled from BJP on July 10, 2021, for six years for alleged anti-party activities, especially his objections to the party’s decision on three farm bills. He later joined SAD. In Nov 2024, Joshi resigned from SAD, stating that the party lacked meaningful discussion on the core issues facing Punjab and had deviated from the spirit of communal harmony that had originally inspired him to join. Though Joshi has maintained a strong political presence in Amritsar, he has also demonstrated his influence in his native city of Tarn Taran by securing a victory for his younger brother, Rajesh Kumar Raja Joshi, in the municipal councillor elections. During the farmers’ protest in Delhi, Joshi openly rebelled against BJP over agrarian issues, ultimately leading to his expulsion from the party. In 2024, he unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha election on a SAD ticket from Amritsar constituency, which was won by Congress’s Gurjeet Singh Aujla. Despite a long list of contenders for the Tarn Taran assembly byelection, the Congress high command had been delaying the announcement of its official candidate. However, Joshi’s unexpected meeting with Rahul and Venugopal has stirred a significant political buzz in the Majha region, especially among Congress ticket hopefuls. “He has a strong presence in Amritsar North assembly constituency. if he joins Congress, only the senior leadership will decide from where to use his services,” said a Congress functionary, who did not wish to be named. Joshi couldn’t be contacted for comment, but his close associates maintained that he was not joining the Congress on the condition of contesting the Tarn Taran byelection or any other election. “Instead, he has been drawn by the Congress party’s secular ideology and Rahul Gandhi’s progressive vision,” said one of his associates. 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
26/11 attack: Chidambaram says foreign pressure blocked retaliation; BJP hits out
NEW DELHI: BJP on Tuesday launched a major onslaught on Congress over former Union minister P Chidambaram’s statement that foreign pressure restrained the Manmohan Singh govt from retaliating against Pakistan after the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai, saying the country has “paid a heavy price” for sins committed by Congress. BJP’s Ravi Shankar Prasad said Chidambaram’s comments have raised a big question as to “how weak the govt headed by Singh was”. “P Chidamabram, home minister in the Manmohan Singh govt, has now admitted that after the 26/11 attacks, he favoured retaliatory action against Pakistan, but the external affairs department… did not agree, and Singh remained silent,” he said, seeking answers from Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi as to what compulsions prevented them from acting on the home minister’s suggestions. “It took around 16–17 years for Chidambaram to acknowledge that they failed to give a decisive response to Pakistan for the 26/11 attacks. Why was this wisdom kept hidden for so long? It took years to arrive at this realisation; it’s shameful. The foreign ministry and other ministries overruled the matter, and Singh just watched as the country suffered. Hundreds were killed; the attacks were clearly linked to Pakistan-based terrorists.” Contrasting Congress’s response with the surgical strikes, air strikes and Operation Sindoor conducted by India under PM Modi, Prasad asked, “Who was running the country then? Where was Sonia Gandhi?” In a TV interview, Chidambaram said India had considered military retaliation after the 26/11 attacks but chose not to do so, apparently under pressure from other countries. “The whole world was descending upon Delhi to tell us don’t start a war… For example, Condoleezza Rice, who was then (US) secretary of state, flew in two or three days after I took over to meet me and the PM and to say, please don’t react. I said this is a decision which the govt will take.” “Without disclosing any official secret, it did cross my mind that we should do some act of retribution.” he added. Chidambaram said the PM had discussed this even when the attack was going on … and “the conclusion was largely influenced by the MEA and IFS (Indian Foreign Service) that the Indian govt should not physically react to the situation”. BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said that instead of taking action against Pakistan after 26/11 attack, UPA govt just seven months later agreed to address Pakistan’s unsubstantiated accusation about India stoking trouble in Balochistan. 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
SC/ST court sentences 16 men to 7 years in jail for attacking Dalit settlement
Jodhpur: Jodhpur: A special court for SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act cases in Jodhpur sentenced 16 men to seven years’ imprisonment for assault, arson, firing and damaging properties and valuables at a Dalit settlement in Padasla village near Osian town more than 13 years ago. Police presented strong evidence against a total of 19 accused in their chargesheet, three of whom died during the trial. The other 16 accused were convicted and sentenced on Friday. Pronouncing the sentence, special judge Garima Sauda said punishment must always be handed in proportion to gravity of the crime, and must not be determined by religion, caste or socio-economic status of the victim or accused. The convicts had attacked the Dalit settlement on the night of Jan 31, 2012, accusing members of the community of encroaching on their lands. The victims alleged in their complaint that about two dozen persons arrived in three vehicles, vandalised and set ablaze their huts, assaulted them and opened fire. The SC/ST court noted that a case pertaining to the land dispute between the victims and the accused was pending in a civil court, but abstained from interfering in that matter and limited itself to the case at hand. 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
Dragged by her hair, verbally abused… Dalit engineering student assaulted at Garba event in Gujarat
Mahisagar District Superintendent of Police Safin Hasan stated that the Deputy Superintendent of Police of the SC/ST Cell is investigating the matter. Statements of the victim and the accused are being recorded. Mahisagar: A case of assault on a Dalit student at a Garba event has been reported from Mahisagar district, Gujarat. The incident occurred in Bharaudi village, Virpur taluka. Police have registered a case of assault, derogatory behavior, and casteist slurs against the Dalit girl. Police have filed a case against four women involved in the incident. The accused women include Loma Patel, Roshni Patel, Vrishti Patel, and Meena Patel. The matter came to light when 25-year-old female engineer Rinku Vankar filed an FIR. Rinku is a fourth-year student at the Government Engineering College (GEC) in Gandhinagar. What’s in the complaint? In her police complaint, Rinku stated that on Friday night, she had gone with a friend to attend a Garba event in the village. However, the women present there tried to stop them and used abusive language. Loma, Roshni, and Vrishti Patel first scolded her and then used casteist slurs. They allegedly said that these people were not equal to them and could not participate in Garba. Rinku then had the event’s sound system turned off and complained to Praveen Narsingh Thakor, who was present there. Meena Patel then arrived, and the four women attacked Rinku. Dragged by the hair The complaint states that the accused dragged Rinku out by her hair and when she tried to film the incident, she was stopped. Furthermore, she was hurled casteist slurs and threatened with dire consequences if she returned to Garba. Police have registered a case against the accused under sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 54 (offence committed in presence of abettor), 351(1) (criminal intimidation), and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have also been invoked. Curated by: Rahul Mahajan About the Author Rahul Mahajan is the Principal Digital Content Producer at Navbharat Times Online. He has over 12 years of experience in journalism. He has worked with organizations such as ETV and News18 (Digital) during his journalistic career. Courtesy: Hindi News
Major Decision by Pilibhit POCSO Court: 20 Years for Rapist of Dalit Minor, 10 Years for Conspirator
The special POCSO court in Pilibhit has delivered its verdict in a highly controversial 2018 case. The female accomplice who lured the minor to the scene has also been sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. Pilibhit/Uttar Pradesh: A special POCSO court has sentenced a 25-year-old man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a minor Dalit girl in 2018. Additionally, a 35-year-old woman, a family friend of the victim, has also been sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment under criminal conspiracy (Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code) for luring the girl to the scene. This significant verdict was delivered by Special Judge (POCSO) Geeta Singh on Tuesday evening. The court also imposed a fine of ₹1 lakh on the convicted, Vipin, and ₹50,000 on his accomplice, Kaushalya Devi. What was the entire case? According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on May 18, 2018. At around 2 p.m., Kaushalya Devi took the 15-year-old victim out of her home in a village in Pilibhit district on the pretext of defecation and asked her to keep watch. Vipin, then 18, was already waiting in a sugarcane field. The court was told, “He dragged the girl inside the field and raped her.” The heinous crime came to light when the victim later narrated the entire ordeal to her mother. Subsequently, based on a written complaint from the victim’s father, the police initially registered an FIR under Section 354 (assault with intent to outrage the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code, as well as relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) and the SC/ST Act. The Truth Revealed in the Investigation Government Prosecutor Anil Kumar Sharma explained, “The girl did not disclose the rape when filing her written complaint to protect her dignity. However, when the medical examination confirmed the crime, the police added Section 376 (rape) to the FIR. The girl later emphasized this in her court statement under Section 164 of the CrPC.” After collecting all the evidence and witness statements, the police filed a charge sheet on April 3, 2021. Both Vipin and Kaushalya Devi were arrested the day after the incident but were later released on bail. Court’s Final Verdict The judge also ruled that if the accused fail to pay the fine, Vipin’s sentence will be extended by six months and Kaushalya Devi’s sentence will be extended by three months. The court ordered that the entire fine amount be given to the victim. In addition, the District Legal Services Authority has been directed to provide additional financial assistance to the girl under Rule 7 of the POCSO Act. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News
Tamil Nadu: Dalit children on their way to school stopped by elderly woman brandishing a stick, video sparks outrage
The video shows a shameful scene, Dalit children insulted by calling them “Eliya Sathi” (aliya sathi). Find out what the whole story is. Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu: A shocking and shameful case of caste discrimination, still deeply ingrained in society, has come to light in Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu. In Kollanagarai village, some Dalit children were allegedly stopped by an elderly woman brandishing a stick and walking on a dirt road. The video of the entire incident has gone viral on social media, sparking widespread anger. The viral video clearly shows a young man walking with some schoolchildren when an elderly woman, armed with a stick, blocks their path. Despite the young man’s efforts to move the stick aside, the woman repeatedly attempts to stop them from moving forward. Insulted by being called “Eliya Sathi” Reacting sharply to the incident, Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front state president Chellakannu strongly condemned the act. He explained that the elderly woman used the term “Eliya Sathi” to stop the children, which is a highly derogatory term used for Dalits. What is the entire road dispute? Chellakannu, explaining the incident, explained that the road over which the dispute arose is a normal dirt road. It is listed in government records as “Vandi Pathai,” meaning the road is authorized for vehicular traffic. He further said, “Recently, some locals encroached upon this road by planting banana trees. This blocked the children’s direct route to school, forcing them to take a detour of approximately one and a half kilometers around a reservoir. This continued for 18 days, before some young men from the area intervened.” It is reported that this encroachment was reported to the authorities three months ago, after which the Tehsildar intervened and the road was reopened. Police launched an investigation After the video of the incident surfaced, the police administration swung into action. Police have launched a preliminary investigation into the matter, although no FIR has been filed as of the time of writing this report. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News
Tamil Nadu: Case filed against woman and her family for obstructing Dalit students
An FIR has been filed against an elderly woman and her family for obstructing Dalit students from using a “public path” in Thanjavur; villagers were forced to walk 1.5 km. Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu: Local police have filed a case against an elderly woman and her family for obstructing Dalit students from using a “public path.” They are accused of allegedly preventing a group of students belonging to the Dalit community from using a nearby public path. The obstruction is visible in the video. The incident occurred on Friday morning in Kollangarai village in Thanjavur taluk. A video that surfaced on social media clearly shows some students wearing school uniforms and carrying school bags walking through a street. An elderly woman, holding a stick in her hand, steps in to stop them. She shouts, warning them not to use that path. Police launch investigation Given the seriousness of the matter, a senior Thanjavur taluk police official confirmed that an FIR has been registered. “An FIR has been registered against the woman and her family members. However, no arrests have been made so far. The investigation is ongoing,” the official told news agency PTI on Saturday. Dispute over ‘vehicle route’ Villagers complained that they were being prevented by family members from using the common path, locally known as ‘vandi pathai’ or ‘vehicle route’. Previously, villagers alleged that they were forced to take a longer route. They had to travel an additional distance of approximately 1.5 kilometers by circling a water body to reach their destination. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News
Demand for a 1% Separate Quota: Karnataka’s Nomadic, ‘Untouchable’ Communities to Take to the Streets of Delhi on October 2
The protest is being organized by the Confederation of Untouchable Nomadic Communities of Karnataka, which represents 59 communities whose traditional livelihoods often still depend on begging, street art, and nomadic labor. New Delhi—Thousands of members of Karnataka’s most disadvantaged communities will gather in the national capital on Gandhi Jayanti to demand the implementation of a separate 1% reservation quota originally recommended by a state-appointed committee. The protest is being organized by the Confederation of Untouchable Nomadic Communities of Karnataka, which represents 59 communities whose traditional livelihoods often still depend on begging, street art, and nomadic labor. This gathering in Delhi is the latest chapter in the fight for reservation within the Scheduled Caste (SC) category in Karnataka. The focus of the controversy is the Karnataka government’s recent internal reservation policy, implemented on August 19th. This policy divided the SC quota into: Category A (SC Left): 6% Category B (SC Right): 6% Category C (Touchable SC): 5% Nomadic communities have been placed in the 5% “Touchable SC” category (Category C). They argue that this contradicts the Justice Nagmohan Das Committee’s recommendation, which specifically recommended creating a separate 1% reservation for them within Category A, ensuring them first priority in government jobs and educational admissions. The communities allege that by placing them in Category C, the state government has effectively deprived them of their legitimate share and priority, forcing them to compete with larger, more influential groups. Frustrated by what they call the “helplessness” of the Karnataka government, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the communities are now taking their petition to the national opposition. The federation said, “The Delhi mission is a final appeal to the conscience of the nation. This gathering is not just a peaceful delegation; it is a final appeal.” On October 2, the delegation will march to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office to submit a memorandum to Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders. The memorandum will urge them to intervene to ensure the implementation of the separate 1% reservation originally recommended in Karnataka. Geetha Sunil Pillai Courtesy: Hindi News
Ignorant of how ignorant she is: JK Rowling slams Emma Watson amid trans rights row
JK Rowling publicly responded to Emma Watson’s comments on their relationship and transgender rights, calling her ignorant. The ‘Harry Potter’ author accused Watson of fuelling controversy during a period of personal threats and heightened security. JK Rowling issued a pointed response to recent remarks by Emma Watson regarding their differing views on transgender rights, reigniting a public dispute between the author and the actor. In a long post on X, Rowling said that the actor is “ignorant of how ignorant she is.” The author, whose statements on gender identity have previously sparked controversy, accused Watson of pouring “petrol in the flames” at a time when Rowling faced significant personal threats. Watson, who played Hermione Granger in the ‘Harry Potter’ film series, has publicly expressed support for transgender rights while also emphasising her ongoing respect for Rowling. Rowling addressed Watson’s approach to the controversy, stating, “Like other people who’ve never experienced adult life uncushioned by wealth and fame, Emma has so little experience of real life she’s ignorant of how ignorant she is.” She also added, “I’m not owed eternal agreement from any actor who once played a character I created. The idea is as ludicrous as me checking with the boss I had when I was twenty-one for what opinions I should hold these days.” She acknowledged it had been “hard to shake a certain protectiveness” after knowing Watson since she was ten. Rowling reflected on her longstanding relationship with Watson and described a “turning point” in her feelings after a moment during the 2022 BAFTA awards show, when Watson expressed solidarity with the trans community. She recalled, “Until quite recently, I hadn’t managed to throw off the memory of children who needed to be gently coaxed through their dialogue in a big scary film studio.” After the event, Rowling said she received “a postscript that hurt far more than the speech itself” from Watson, in the form of a note stating, “I’m so sorry for what you’re going through.” The author described a hard period when she received threats. “This was back when the death, rape and torture threats against me were at their peak, at a time when my personal security measures had had to be tightened considerably, and I was constantly worried for my family’s safety,” she stated. Rowling criticised Watson by saying, “Emma had just publicly poured more petrol on the flames, yet thought a one line expression of concern from her would reassure me of her fundamental sympathy and kindness.” The ‘Harry Potter’ author also commented on single-sex spaces, highlighting Emma Watson’s privileged upbringing. “Emma was ‘never likely to need’ to use the types of single-sex spaces she has campaigned against trans people having access to, such as changing rooms and public toilets,” she remarked. Explaining further, she wrote, “She’ll never need a homeless shelter. She’s never going to be placed on a mixed sex public hospital ward. I’d be astounded if she’s been in a high street changing room since childhood. Her ‘public bathroom’ is single occupancy and comes with a security man standing guard outside the door. Has she had to strip off in a newly mixed-sex changing room at a council-run swimming pool? Is she ever likely to need a state-run rape crisis centre that refuses to guarantee an all-female service? To find herself sharing a prison cell with a male rapist who’s identified into the women’s prison?” Reflecting on her own background, she said, “I wasn’t a multimillionaire at fourteen. I lived in poverty while writing the book that made Emma famous,” and asserted, “I therefore understand from my own life experience what the trashing of women’s rights in which Emma has so enthusiastically participated means to women and girls without her privileges.” Watson, in a podcast last week, discussed her outlook on differences with Rowling, saying, “It’s my deepest wish that I hope people who don’t agree with my opinion will love me, and I hope I can keep loving people who I don’t necessarily share the same opinion with.” Expressing her support to the community, she had previously stated, “Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are.” Addressing Watson’s recent comments, Rowling, reiterating her stance, said, “a change of tack I suspect she’s adopted because she’s noticed full-throated condemnation of me is no longer quite as fashionable as it was.” She continued, “Adults can’t expect to cosy up to an activist movement that regularly calls for a friend’s assassination, then assert their right to the former friend’s love, as though the friend was in fact their mother. Emma is rightly free to disagree with me and indeed to discuss her feelings about me in public – but I have the same right, and I’ve finally decided to exercise it.” Watson, on the podcast, spoke about her connection to Rowling, stating she will always “treasure Jo” and expressed gratitude for the “kindness and words of encouragement” Rowling gave her during her formative years. Watson explained, “There’s just no world in which I could ever cancel her out, or cancel that out, for anything,” and added, “It has to remain true. It is true.” She concluded, “I just don’t know what else to do other than hold these two seemingly incompatible things together at the same time and just hope maybe they will one day resolve or co-join themselves, and maybe accept that they never will, but that they can both still be true.” Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe were among the stars who publicly disagreed with Rowling following the author’s comments on gender identity and biological sex, which sparked widespread debate. The author was criticised for being transphobic, but she denied the tag and said that she was worried about the effect of women in single-sex spaces. Courtesy : India Today Note: This news is originally published on https:/indiatoday.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
After speaking to Stalin, Rahul calls Vijay
Chennai: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had a telephonic conversation with TVK chief and actor Vijay on Sunday evening to extend his condolences in the wake of Karur stampede, in which 41 people, including women and children, died. Vijay and Rahul last met in 2009, amidst speculation that Vijay had expressed keenness to join Congress. “Rahul spoke to Vijay on Sunday. During his brief conversation, the Congress leader conveyed his condolences following the tragic deaths of his supporters,” said a senior Congress leader. Rahul spoke to Vijay after he spoke to chief minister M K Stalin. Congress sources indicated Rahul informed CM Stalin of his intention to speak to Vijay, considering the gravity of the incident. Acknowledging the call from Rahul Gandhi, Stalin posted on X, “Thank you, my dear brother Thiru. @RahulGandhi, for reaching out to me over phone, conveying your heartfelt concern over the tragic incident in #Karur, and sincerely inquiring about measures taken to save precious lives of those under treatment.” AICC TN in-charge Girish Chodankar on Monday visited Karur at behest of Rahul. Chodankar said Rahul’s calls should not be interpreted as political. “He spoke to both (Stalin and Vijay). He wanted to speak to people of TN in the wake of the tragedy that claimed many lives. His intention was to inquire, and there was nothing beyond that,” Chodankar told TOI. He said Rahul’s actions were entirely based on humanitarian concerns. TNCC chief K Selvaperunthagai accompanied Chodankar on his visit. AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal will visit Karur on Tuesday to provide financial aid of 1 crore to bereaved families. Selvaperunthagai came down hard on opponents for politicizing the tragedy. “Govt has constituted a one-person inquiry commission headed by retired judge Justice Aruna Jagadeesan, who also headed the inquiry commission constituted by the previous AIADMK regime to probe Tuticorin police firing. Let us wait for interim report of the commission,” he told reporters in Karur. 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