Prashant Kishor on abuse row: BJP, Congress in ‘fixed match’; questions silence on Biharis insulted outside
NEW DELHI: Politics in Bihar has once again turned stormy after allegations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s late mother Heeraben was abused at an RJD rally. But Jan Suraaj leader Prashant Kishor on Sunday called the row nothing more than a “fixed match”, accusing both sides of distracting people from issues that matter. The row erupted after a video from Tejashwi Yadav’s ‘Bihar Adhikar Yatra’ went viral on social media. BJP leaders, including Bihar deputy chief minister Samrat Choudhary, claimed that RJD workers shouted abuses targeting Modi’s late mother. Sharing the clip on X, Choudhary said, “Tejashwi Yadav has once again insulted Modi ji’s late mother. He has once again torn apart the culture of Bihar. In the rally, the RJD workers were hurling as many abuses as they could, and Tejashwi was encouraging them. The mothers and sisters of Bihar will surely hold him accountable for this thuggish mentality and abusive behaviour.” This row comes just weeks after a similar incident in Darbhanga, where abuses were allegedly hurled during Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’. While the BJP has sharpened its attack on the opposition, Prashant Kishor took a swipe at both parties. “This is a fixed match. Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav will abuse PM Modi, and PM Modi, along with the BJP, will abuse them, so that people remain distracted from the real issues,” Kishor said. He further questioned the selective outrage of national and state leaders, pointing out that both the ruling and opposition leaders do not bat an eye when Bihari people are abused in other states. According to him, the ongoing war of words is only meant to keep common people busy with political theatre. PTI reported that the authenticity of the viral video could not be independently verified. 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
After 7 years, ABVP sweeps Hyderabad Central University elections
NEW DELHI: Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad sweeping the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) Students’ Union elections, after a gap of seven years, underlines the growing traction of the RSS-affiliated student organisation, which has steadily consolidated its position across campuses this year – from Delhi University and Guwahati University to Patna University and Punjab University. Amid Rahul Gandhi’s repeated claims that India’s ‘Gen Z’ generation was leaning towards Congress, the steady rise of ABVP is seen as part of a larger right-wing assertion, rooted in students’ aspirations for stability, opportunity and cultural pride. ABVP won all six posts – president, vice-president, general secretary, joint secretary, cultural secretary and sports secretary – in the university elections held on Sept 19. The HCU results are being seen as proof of ABVP’s growing clout in student politics, following its recent wins in several central and state universities, including Delhi University and Punjab University. Reacting to the victory, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya said, “ABVP clean sweeps… Someone please send a box of tissues to Rahul Gandhi who keeps hallucinating about a ‘Gen Z revolution’ even as NSUI is getting wiped out across central universities… Sorry Rahul, flaunting a six-pack and hopping around on stage doesn’t impress Gen Z. Vision, clarity, and leadership do.” 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
Is French President Emmanuel Macron’s wife Brigitte male? Know transgender controversy in detail
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, have agreed to present the evidence of the first lady’s gender. Details here. French President Emmanuel Macron is facing a bizarre predicament. Should he prove or should he not that his wife Brigitte is a woman? The controversy erupted in 2017 when blogger Natacha Rey, or Nathalie Rey, in a YouTube video, claimed that Brigitte Macron was in fact her brother, Jean-Michel Trogneux, who had changed his gender and name. She provided his evidence as a childhood picture of Brigitte’s brother that looked similar to the First Lady. Emmanuel Macron sues Natacha Rey Emmanuel Macron and his wife sued the blogger for defamation, who was found guilty in September 2024. However, the Paris Court of Appeal overturned the verdict in July 2025 because the allegations were made in “good faith” and did not constitute defamation. Right-wing influencer Candace Owens repeated the allegation in 2024 and claimed that she would stake her “entire professional reputation” on the allegation. Why is Brigitte Macron upset? Participating in the BBC’s Fame Under Fire podcast, the Macrons’ lawyer, Tom Clare, said the first lady had found the claims “incredibly upsetting” and they were a “distraction” to the French president. He said, “I don’t want to suggest that it somehow has thrown him off his game. But just like anybody who is juggling a career and a family life as well, when your family is under attack, it wears on you. And he’s not immune from that because he’s the president of a country.” The lawyer said there would be “expert testimony that will come out that will be scientific in nature.” Though he did not specify the exact nature, he said the couple was prepared to demonstrate fully “both generically and specifically” that the allegations are false. A former school teacher, Brigitte Mare Claude Macron, first married Andre-Louis Auziere in 1974. She fell in love with her student Emmanuel Macron and married him in 2007 after divorcing her husband in 2006. She has three children: Tiphaine Auziere, Sebastien Auziere, and Laurence Auziere-Jourdan. Courtesy : DNA Note: This news is originally published on https:/dna.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Is Telangana turning into a land of caste killings?
Telangana may not have the khap panchayats of North India, which settle caste clashes within villages, but we have seen how even a major atrocity like Nerella was hushed up and minimised. Synopsis: The act of a person from one caste falling in love with or marrying someone from another caste has nothing to do with the honour of a family, a caste, or a community. It is simply the voluntary, loving decision of two adults. And neither chose the caste they were born into. In reality, these so-called “honour killings” are murders driven by caste prejudice, arrogance, chauvinism and discrimination. It would be false to say Telangana was free of caste inequality, but such tensions rarely escalated to massacres. The recent murders are a sign of gradual change in this direction. In recent times, Telangana has been witnessing a disturbing rise in caste-related murders. Most of these are the result of inter-caste marriages, where young men and women—deemed to belong to a “lower caste” by others—are brutally killed by those who consider themselves “upper caste,” often the victims’ own parents or family members. In some cases, contract killers are hired for the murders. This chain of killings, and the atmosphere of terror it creates, has driven inter-caste lovers to commit suicide, fearing that marriage would bring death upon them. Sometimes family members themselves push or threaten the youth toward suicide. Fourteen incidents in the past eight years show how grave the situation has become: The murders of Madhukar of Manthani (2017), Amboji Naresh of Bhongir (2017), Tummala Swati of Lingarajupalli (2017), Perumalla Pranay of Miryalguda (2018), Vijayalakshmi (2018), Sushruta–Devarsh of Ghatkesar (2019), Chinta Hemanth Kumar of Sangareddy (2020), Narayana of Sangareddy (2022), Billipuram Nagaraju of Saroor Nagar (2022), Erukala Ramakrishna Goud of Kukunurupalli (2022), Neeraj Panwar of Begum Bazar (2022), Kongara Nagamani of Ibrahimpatnam (2024), Vadlakonda Krishna (Mala Banti) of Pillalamarri (2025), and Salluri Mallesh of Jagtial (2025). Each of them carries a tragic story. Some gained more public attention than others. Many more incidents that were never recorded or reported remain unknown. But each of these young men and women, most still in their late teens or early twenties, simply listened to their hearts. They dared to defy social restrictions. They longed for a human bond beyond caste barriers. That made them lovable. Innocent as they were, they did not know that social injustice could be so cruel as to snatch away their lives. They had many more years ahead but were cut short by murder. The myth of ‘honour’ The media often describes these killings under the upside-down label of “honour killings.” The phrase emerged to create an impression that victims had tarnished their families’ “honour,” and therefore their punishment was, in a way, justified. But the act of a person from one caste falling in love with or marrying someone from another caste has nothing to do with the honour of a family, a caste, or a community. It is simply the voluntary, loving decision of two adults. And neither chose the caste they were born into. Because caste inequality exists, because the “upper castes” in the hierarchy look down upon the “lower castes,” because caste rules forbid inter-dining and inter-marriage between castes and even sub-castes, families from “upper castes” see their “honour” destroyed if their child loves or marries someone from a “lower caste.” But natural male-female relationships are not determined by caste, and they do not diminish anyone’s honour. They only form a human bond. Yet, owing to the false ideologies entrenched in society, to caste prejudices, and to the belief that superiority and inferiority are determined by birth, the phrase “honour killing” has become common. In reality, these so-called “honour killings” are murders driven by caste prejudice, arrogance, chauvinism and discrimination. In fact, these fourteen recorded and reported killings are only a tiny fraction compared to the far greater number of threats, coercion, restrictions, pressures, and sufferings that do not end in murder or suicide. The overwhelming majority of victims belong to Dalit communities or to the poorer sections of backward castes. The killers are usually from dominant castes, though sometimes also from backward castes that have recently gained money power. While economic status plays a part, the primary factors are caste inequality, caste elitism, and caste arrogance. This is the outcome of religious scriptures, priests, and caste elders preaching against “caste mixing.” Caste pride and politics of intolerance Historically, Telangana society did not see this scale of caste-based discrimination and violence. Massacres such as Padirikuppam, Karamchedu, Chundur, Vempenta, and Lakshmipet took place in coastal Andhra, not on this scale in Telangana. It would be false to say Telangana was free of caste inequality, but such tensions rarely escalated to massacres. The recent murders are a sign of gradual change in this direction. Since statehood, there have been at least half a dozen incidents of collective attacks, and every year or two, one or two “honour killings” make it into the news. Countless unreported incidents remain. Telangana may not have the khap panchayats of North India, which settle caste clashes within villages, but we have seen how even a major atrocity like Nerella was hushed up and minimised. Dominant castes and feudal powers in villages have not moved beyond their mindset of resentment at Dalits or the lower castes gaining education, small jobs, and self-respect enough to walk with their heads held high. After Telangana state was formed, these dominant forces have only grown stronger. One natural outcome of Dalit and backward caste youth asserting dignity and pride has been their friendships with young women of dominant castes. These friendships, in some cases, turn into love and aspirations for marriage or cohabitation. This is intolerable to the dominant castes, whose psyche still resists accepting the education, jobs, self-respect, and improved economic standing of the oppressed communities. As a result, these friendships and loves invariably face opposition. Common dining appears to have lost meaning with public feasts, and hotels and restaurants mushrooming everywhere.
ETV Bharat Impact | TN Govt Disburses Compensation To Virudhunagar Fireworks Factory Accident Victims
The Dalit Liberation Movement, which has been fighting for the victims, said the government didn’t pay the 12% interest as per a 2021 NGT order. Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government on Friday released compensation payments to victims of a firework factory accident in Virudhunagar district after an ETV Bharat special report highlighted their plight. Titled ‘Sad And Unsafe World Of Firecracker Workers Who Light Up Celebrations’, the exclusive feature portrayed the struggles of the families of the victims of the 2021 Achankulam Mariammal Fireworks Factory accident in Virudhunagar. It had a significant impact, as solatiums to the tune of Rs 5.67 crore were directly credited to their bank accounts as per the 2021 National Green Tribunal (NGT) ruling. Karuppaiah, state president of the Dalit Liberation Movement, which has been fighting for the victims, expressed gratitude to ETV Bharat for its role in amplifying their voices. “In 2021, the NGT had ordered the Tamil Nadu government to pay compensation to the victims of the Achankulam Sri Mariamman Fireworks Factory accident near Sattur in Virudhunagar. However, the government delayed payments for years, despite even being condemned by the High Court,” he said. “The Dalit Liberation Movement has been fighting relentlessly for the past four years. Finally, a compensation of ₹5.67 crore was released to the affected workers on Friday. But a major concern remains. The NGT had ordered that if the compensation was not paid within a month, it should be given with 12% annual interest. The government has released the principal amount but not the interest. We will meet the Virudhunagar district collector on Monday and submit a petition demanding the interest payments as per the order of the tribunal,” he added. Social activist and RTI campaigner Bhimarao said, “ETV Bharat’s special report on fireworks factory accidents created huge pressure on the government. Though compensation has now been disbursed, the interest amount is still pending. We will continue our struggle until that is also paid.” The special report had featured testimonies of victims. The recently disbursed compensation has brought some relief, and many of them have thanked ETV Bharat for bringing their suffering to light, which reached the right corner. Courtesy : ETV Bharat Note: This news is originally published on https:/etvbharat.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dalit elderly man hit by car in Kushinagar: Driver first promised treatment, now threatening
A Dalit elderly man was seriously injured in a car collision in the Nebua Naurangiya police station area of Kushinagar. On September 12th, at 5 p.m., Ram Avadh was driving at Shriram Square when the driver of a Maruti Suzuki Brezza car (UP57BC9434), Ram Pratap Singh, carelessly backed into him. Ram Avadh’s leg was broken in the accident. Locals rushed him to the hospital. People present at the scene recorded a video of the driver, in which he promised to cover the entire cost of his treatment. However, he has now reneged on his promise. The victim’s wife, Kalavati, has filed a complaint at the police station. She alleges that when the family members asked the driver for medical expenses, he used casteist slurs, abused them, and threatened to kill them. SHO Deepak Singh stated that the complaint has been received and the matter is being investigated. A case will be filed and action will be taken soon. Anoop Kumar Yadav Courtesy: Hindi News
Dalit women assaulted in Mainpuri: They were beaten by goons while watering their fields; disappointed at the police station, they went to the Chief Minister’s court.
A case of assault on Dalit women has come to light in the Kishani police station area of Mainpuri. Pooja Jatav of Kudra village went to water her fields at 11 a.m. on August 12th. Ramakant and his father, Ashok Shakya, of Samadpur village, stopped her from doing so. When she protested, the accused hurled casteist slurs at her and assaulted her. Pooja’s mother, Nirmala Devi, was also not spared. The accused threatened to kill her. They said they would shoot her if she crossed the road behind their house. The victim said the accused had an illegal pistol. The incident was reported to 112, but no action was taken. On August 13th, when Nirmala Devi went to water her fields again, the accused attacked her with a shovel. She narrowly escaped. Police Station Accused of Not Hearing When she filed a complaint at Kishani Police Station, the police officers stated that it was not a crime. They stated that FIRs are only filed for molestation, rape, and murder. The victim stated that if they are not heard here, they will go to the Captain. Regarding this, the female police officer took the victim to SHO Lalit Mati and said, “These people are saying that if they are not heard at the police station, they will go to the Captain.” Upon hearing this, the SHO declared that only the Captain will hear their case; nothing will happen at the police station. He took the complaint with him and let the victim out of the station. This can be confirmed by CCTV camera footage installed at the police station. The victim filed an online IGRs complaint against the police and the accused. She was summoned to the CO’s office in Bhogaon to record her statement. The statement was recorded, but no action was taken. When no action was taken, she went to the Chief Minister’s Janta Darbar, where officials investigated and assured action. Ashish Kumar Courtesy: Hindi News
Samiti urge Dalits to register their religion as Buddhist in the upcoming Socio-Educational survey
Devendra Hegde, member of Akhil Karnataka Buddha Dakhalaathi Andolan Samiti, addressing presspersons in Kalaburagi city on Saturday. Devendra Hegde, member of Akhil Karnataka Buddha Dakhalaathi Andolan Samiti, addressing presspersons in Kalaburagi city on Saturday. | Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI Akhil Karnataka Buddha Dakhalaathi Andolana Samiti of district unit-a consortium of Dalit Organisations, has urged the followers of B.R. Ambedkar to mark “Buddhism” as their religion while mentioning their respective castes in the caste column in the Socio-Economic survey by Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission to begin on September 22. Samiti members Devendra Hegde, Mariyappa Halli, and Arjun Bhadre addressing presspersons in Kalaburagi city on Saturday claimed that one does not face difficulties in enjoying reservation benefits by mentioning Buddhism as their religion. According to the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Act, 1990, the members of Scheduled Castes who converted to Buddhism would continue to be recognised as Scheduled Castes and remain eligible for reservation benefits. Mr. Hedge said that Buddhism was not only a religion but a powerful force that could eliminate inequality inherent in the caste system. Members of the Karnataka State Scheduled Castes Right Communities Forum during a meeting held on September 18 at Bengaluru have resolved that people belonging to the ‘Right Communities’ to mention Buddhism as their religion followed by their respective castes in the caste column during the survey, Mr. Bhadre added. The Hindu Bureau Courtesy : The Hindu Note: This news is originally published on https:/thehindu.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
SHO removed over assault on Dalit teen, protesters seek FIR for ‘brutality’
Bareilly: The station house officer (SHO) of Mohammadi police station in Lakhimpur Kheri district, Indrajit Singh, was removed from his post on Friday, 10 days after videos showed him thrashing a 14-year-old Dalit boy during a protest. Singh has been accused of kicking the boy with his boots after pushing him to the ground. The protest on Sept 9 in JB Ganj was held over the alleged murder of 32-year-old Sanjay Gautam from Budaun. Gautam was found hanging in his room, and his family alleged that his wife, Seeta Urf Geeta, 29, and her lover, Prabhakar, 30, killed him and staged it as a suicide. Carrying Gautam’s body on the highway, his family demanded that an FIR be registered against Geeta and Prabhakar. Singh, who reached the protest site, allegedly dragged Gautam’s body on the road and assaulted women and children, sparking a confrontation. “My mother’s arm was broken in the attack,” said one family member. “The police’s actions worsened the situation and turned the protest into a clash between them and the family members,” he added. Arun Kumar Singh, circle officer (CO) Mohammadi, told TOI, “Soon after taking the body into custody, a postmortem was conducted and the autopsy confirmed hanging as the cause of death. Despite that, to address the family’s grievance, an FIR was filed the same day under BNS section 103 (murder) against Geeta, her 14-year-old daughter who allegedly assisted her, and Prabhakar. The adults have since been arrested and sent to jail.” The family has now shifted their focus, submitting a written complaint demanding a case be filed against Singh for “police brutality.” They said merely transferring him to another station is not enough and have called for stricter action. Kheri SSP Sankalp Sharma said “an inquiry will be conducted and action taken accordingly.” 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
‘Hydrogen bomb’ incoming? Rahul Gandhi to hold special presser on Sept 18; ‘vote chori’ row set to intensify
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will hold a “special press briefing” on Thursday, days after he hinted of dropping a “hydrogen bomb” on the alleged voter theft charges. In a social media post on X, Congress leader Pawan Khera sent out invitation saying, “Tomorrow, 18 September, Special Press Briefing by the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Shri Rahul Gandhi at 10 am Indira Bhawan Auditorium. Media is requested to be seated by 9.30 am.” This comes after Rahul had warned Bharatiya Janata Party of a new expose on alleged “vote chori” claims, claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not be able to “show his face to people after we bring hydrogen bomb of ‘vote chori’.””I want to tell the BJP people. Have you heard of anything bigger than an atom bomb, it is a hydrogen bomb. BJP people, be ready, a hydrogen bomb is coming. People are soon going to find out the reality of vote chori,” he said. “In the coming time, I am guaranteeing you that after the hydrogen bomb (comes), Narendra Modi ji will not be able to show his face to the country,” he added. Earlier, Rahul had unveiled what he had described as an “atom bomb” of evidence against the Election Commission. On August 7, citing data from the Mahadevapura assembly segment, which falls under the Bengaluru Central parliamentary constituency in Congress-ruled Karnataka, he accused the poll body of “colluding” with the BJP. Rahul said the Congress had analysed the Mahadevapura electoral rolls over six months and found that out of 1,00,250 alleged bogus voters, 40,009 had “fake and invalid addresses” and 10,452 were “bulk voters” registered at common addresses. Examples included entries with “0” in the address field, non-existent locations, and addresses that could not be verified. Rahul also accused the EC of colluding with the BJP to “destroy Indian democracy and steal elections,” and argued that if the EC does not provide electronic voter data of 10–15 years and CCTV footage, then it is “partaking in crime,” since these are now “evidence of crime.” He urged the judiciary to intervene to save Indian democracy. Citing the study, Rahul claimed the BJP won Bangalore Central by 32,707 votes while 1,00,250 fake votes were polled in its favor. He said the fake votes fell into five categories: duplicate voters (11,965), fake/invalid addresses (40,009), bulk voters at a single address (10,452), invalid photos of voters (4,132), and “misuse of Form 6” for first-time voters (33,692). Showing files, he cited examples to argue that people had voted multiple times in different booths of the seat, while voter list addresses included “Street 0” and “House no. 0.” He said there were cases where as many as 80 voters were shown at one address, or 50 in a single one-bedroom house, and that attempts to cross-check resulted in either researchers being beaten up or confirmation that the voters did not live there. 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