Dalit Samudaya Munnani: Dalit leaders announce new outfit ahead of Kerala polls
KOTTAYAM: Members of the dalit community are planning to launch a new political outfit in response to the alleged denial of candidacy to prominent thinker and writer Sunny M Kapicadu and tribal leader C K Janu. The party is set to be called Dalit Samudaya Munnani (DSM). Addressing a news conference in Kottayam on Thursday, DSM leaders said that the two were denied candidacy because Congress failed to politically include the dalit and adivasi communities. “The inclusive politics proposed by Congress national leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi at the Raipur Plenary was abandoned by Congress in Kerala, which could lead to a change in the political climate that had turned favourable for UDF,” said DSM state committee members. DSM leaders said that initially RSS leaders like R V Babu and Sasikala opposed Kapicadu’s candidacy. “It is understood that some Congress leaders were afraid to counter the RSS stance. The influence and pressure from NSS in determining Congress candidates revealed the oligarchic governance within the party. This is extremely shameful and objectionable. If anyone suspects that RSS sleeper cells are operating within Congress, it would not be wrong. The lack of a stance by Congress in Kerala on the caste census proposed by the national leadership is a clear example,” they said. The DSM leaders added that Kapicadu received an assurance of a seat. “Even when it was a regular topic in the media, Congress leaders did not deny it. Only on the day the primary list was announced was his candidacy opposed. There is strong public sentiment against this in Kerala, which will undoubtedly be reflected in the elections,” they said. In the local body elections, the dalit and adivasi communities voted in favour of Congress, granting them a significant victory, which should not be forgotten, the DSM leaders said. Since Congress could not consider the dalitadivasi communities as a political entity, the unconditional support of these communities will be reconsidered, and they will support acceptable candidates, they added. “It is clear that neither the Left nor right fronts are interested in considering the dalit and adivasi communities, who hold a 20% vote share in Kerala. In this situation, it has been decided to form a broad Ambedkarite political party under the leadership of Kapicadu, bringing together marginalized communities, minorities, backward classes, fisherfolk, women, different gender groups, and democrats, and to actively participate in the electoral arena from the next general elections,” said according to DSM state general secretary P A Prasad and organization secretary Bijoy David. 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
99 Years After Mahad Satyagraha: The Invisible Walls of the Chardar Tank
On March 20, 1927, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar led thousands of Dalits to the Chardar Tank in Maharashtra to drink water, a revolutionary act of reclaiming human dignity. While the physical tank may be open, the ritual codes of purity have merely migrated into the boardrooms of industry, the fields of science, and the hidden data of our national surveys. While the world admires the craftsmanship of Agra’s shoes, the Dalit artisans who create them remain trapped in a state of precariousness. From the manual scavengers cleaning sewer lines at night in Maharashtra to the Dome community in Banaras tasked exclusively with cremation, specific occupations remain caste-locked. Today, India marks the 99th anniversary of the Mahad Satyagraha. On March 20, 1927, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar led thousands of Dalits to the Chardar Tank in Maharashtra to drink water, a revolutionary act of reclaiming human dignity. In the popular imagination, this struggle is often viewed as a historical victory, a battle won before the ink of the Constitution was even dry. However, as we stand on the threshold of the centenary, a deep dive into the modern landscape suggests that while the physical tank may be open, the ritual codes of purity and pollution have merely migrated into the boardrooms of industry, the fields of science, and the hidden data of our national surveys. Professor Atul Thorat of JNU highlights that the exclusion Dr. Ambedkar fought against has become sophisticated and, in many cases, invisible to the urban eye. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the leather industry of Agra. While the world admires the craftsmanship of Agra’s shoes, the Dalit artisans who create them remain trapped in a state of precariousness. Thorat points out a stark contrast with Europe: in Italy or England, a handmade leather shoe is a brand of prestige where the artisan captures the full value and credit. In India, the system is designed to keep the creator hand to mouth. Because the retail, branding, and management systems have been captured by specific business communities, the Dalit worker, despite being the primary skilled worker, is denied the path to becoming an entrepreneur. They are forced to buy raw materials on credit, ensuring they never gather enough capital to start their own enterprise. They provide the skill, but the market system ensures they remain labourers rather than proprietors. This obsession with ritual hierarchy even acts as a barrier to scientific and medical innovation. Thorat recounts the story of an American-educated PhD engineer who returned to India to revolutionise agriculture using organic manure derived from human waste, what is known as Okla manure in Delhi. “Despite the scientific fact that organically decomposed waste is simply fertilizer, the project collapsed under the weight of caste-based perception. Farmers rejected it, claiming human excreta is defiling and polluting, whereas cow dung is celebrated as pure.” Thorat said. This unscientific divide mirrors a historical tragedy in Indian medicine. Thorat notes that Ayurvedic medicine historically failed to evolve as rapidly as Unani or Chinese medicine because practitioners, bound by codes of purity, refused to perform autopsies or examine polluting bodily fluids like urine and stool. Even today, this manifests in the fields: when truckloads of manure are delivered, the driver may be middle-caste, but the off-loaders are exclusively Dalits, relegated to the task because it is their traditional assignment to handle what the body gives up. This is rooted in the Bühler (1867) definition of Hindu ritualism: anything the body sheds—blood, sweat, spit, or excreta, is considered spiritually polluting for the priest-class, leading to the relegation of these tasks to a designated untouchable group. The persistence of these practices is backed by hard data that challenges the narrative of a post-caste India. Thorat, who co-authored research with Diane Coffey of Princeton and UT Austin, explains that traditional face-to-face surveys often hit a wall of survey guilt. When an urban interviewer asks a person if they practice untouchability, only about 30% admit to it. However, when the same questions were asked in an anonymised telephonic survey, the mask of political correctness slipped. In Delhi, 40% admitted to practicing untouchability; in rural Uttar Pradesh, that figure surged to 64%. This data provides a sobering context to the hidden-camera research conducted by the Indian Institute of Dalit Studies (IIDS). Their work documented the covert reality of 21st-century India: Dalit girls in villages sitting in corners for hours, waiting for the sun to set and for every other community to finish before they are allowed to touch the Chhapakaal (handpump). Once they finish, the pump is ritually washed and purified. At village tea stalls, the two-cup system persists, where Dalit men must wash their own glasses kept outside and receive tea poured from a height to avoid physical contact. From the manual scavengers cleaning sewer lines at night in Maharashtra to the Dome community in Banaras tasked exclusively with cremation, specific occupations remain caste-locked. National Sample Survey data reveals that across hundreds of occupational codes, categories like leather workers and tanners remain almost exclusively the domain of Scheduled Castes. Whether it is the Vaidyas (physicians) of old who were sidelined for their indigenous herb knowledge or the basket weavers of today, the Hindu fold has historically expanded by relegating frontier communities to the status of untouchables based on their proximity to polluting materials like dead hide. As we enter the 99th year of the movement at Mahad, the message is clear: Article 17 of the Constitution may have abolished the word untouchability, but it has not yet abolished the mind that practices it. The struggle of 1927 was not just about water; it was about breaking the monopoly on merit and purity. Until the skilled artisan in Agra can brand his own shoe and the farmer in Karnataka can see science instead of pollution, the Chardar Tank remains a mirror reflecting a journey that is far from over. Pritha Vashisth Courtesy : Outlook India Note: This news is originally published on https:/outlookindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial
PUCL Calls 2026 Transgender Rights Amendment Bill Unconstitutional, Demands Immediate Withdrawal
The amendments proposed in the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026 constitute a gross dilution of valuable rights provided under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 and shall result in exclusion of a large number of Transgender Persons from its ambit, denial of their constitutional and statutory rights and targeting their support system. The proposed amendments are unconstitutional and infringe upon the fundamental rights of Transgender Persons, while being violative of established international human rights standards and conventions, and judicial precedents. The Bill constitutes a blatant betrayal by the Indian government of Transgender citizens, which will only put them to further risk, social and legal exclusion and denial of their basic human rights; The Bill should be withdrawn forthwith! The Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, Dr. Virendra Kumar introduced the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026 (“the Bill”) in Parliament on March 13th, 2026. The Bill was not released in the public domain for scrutiny and consultation. The Bill is regressive and nothing but a shocking attempt to take back the hard won rights of the transgender community. The aim of the proposed amendments is to destroy the framework set by the Supreme Court of India in its historic decision in NALSA v Union of India (2014) which recognised the right to self-identification of gender by transgender persons and set in place the legal recognition of the rights of the transgender community. Narrowing of the definition of transgender persons who are entitled to protection by the law The Bill fundamentally alters the scope of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 (“the Act”) by diluting the existing definition of a transgender person under Section 2 (k) of the Act and replacing it with a reductive definition of a transgender person. This tantamounts to changing the law altogether and excluding a large number of transgender citizens from the ambit of the law, which is a shocking development. The amendment at its heart seeks to take away the right of a transgender person to self-identification, which was recognised under the 2019 Act. This is made clear by the deletion of Section 4 (2) of the 2019 Act which read, ‘A person recognised as transgender under sub-section (1) shall have a right to self- perceived gender identity’. According to the new definition, only three groups are entitled to the protection of the law, namely 1) someone from the traditional socio-cultural trans groups like Kinnars, Jogtis, Hijras, etc. 2) intersex people 3) or a person who has been “by force, allurement, inducement, deceit, or undue influence” been subject to “mutilation, castration, amputation or emasculation” and forcibly made to present “a transgender identity” can be considered a transgender person under this new bill. A proviso has also been added to specifically exclude persons with different sexual orientations and self-perceived sexual identities. This amendment instead of expanding the rights of the transgender community dilutes it significantly. By way of this amendment, all the rights which transmen enjoyed will be taken away as transmen are no more considered transgender as far as the law is concerned. Moreover under the amendment, no person can exercise their right to identify as a transwoman either. The only option for a transgender person under the law is a traditional identity. Those who see their identity on a spectrum fall outside this conservative new definition proposed by the amendment. Thus the law expressly discriminates against trans men, trans women, genderqueer and non-binary persons, because of the narrow definition of transgender persons which the proposed law adopts. Discriminatory intent of the amendment The objects and reasonings of the Bill goes on to underline that the legislative policy has been formulated to only protect those who “face severe social exclusion due to biological reasons for no fault of their own and no choice of their own.” It then goes on to state that the purpose of the Act was not to “protect each and every class of persons with various gender identities, self-perceived sex/gender identities or gender fluidities.” This goes against the historic NALSA judgement which recognised the right of transgender persons to determine one’s own gender identity as integral to lead a life with dignity as recognised under Article 21 of the Constitution. It also emphasised that while discrimination on the ground of “sex” is prohibited under Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution, sex here does not only refer to biological attributes but also one’s self-perceived gender. The Bill is premised on an entirely false assertion that the intent of the 2019 Act was not to protect all categories of transgender persons, self perceived sex/gender identities and gender fluidities, in as much as the 2019 Act categorically included all transgender persons, including self-perceived gender identities and did not make any distinction or exclusion on the basis of self-perceived gender or sexuality. This is also clear from the Statement of Object and Reasons of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019, which clearly acknowledged that it was being introduced in compliance of the directions of the Supreme Court of India in the NALSA judgment and further stated under clause 4 (c) that the 2019 Bill sought to “confer right upon transgender persons to be recognised as such, and a right to self-perceived gender identity”. Accordingly, the `Statement of Objects and Reasons’ of the 2026 amendment Bill by itself reveals the falsely-premised regressive and unconstitutional intent of the proposed law. The Bill discriminates upon a large category of transgender persons by denying them the right to be legally recognised by their gender identity. Till date only around 37000 people have been registered on their portal in the six years since the Act came into operation. There has been little intent displayed by the government to implement the Act. Instead of ensuring that the transgender persons are legally recognised and benefit from the provisions of the Act, the law is being diluted on the excuse of this very non-implementation and claiming that the object of
Uttam Nagar: Rahul targets BJP, Sachdeva strikes back
New Delhi: Congress functioanry Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said Uttam Nagar does not want “bloodshed” and urged people not to fall into the trap of violence bei-ng stoked there, referring to a murder on Holi at the we-st Delhi locality. He alleged that BJP and its ecosystem seize upon every opportunity to “fan hatred”. “The people of Uttam Nagar have paid a heavy price for the violence — on one side, a young man, Tarun, lost his life, and on the other, an entire family is facing persecution. They don’t want any more bloodshed,” Rahul said on X. Targetting BJP, he said, “They want the country to remain entangled in Hindu-Muslim tension so that people cannot ask why the PM is being forced to hand over the country’s defence, energy security, food security and strategic sovereignty to America — and that’s why, in broad daylight, riot-like conditions are once again being created in the nation’s capital.” “An appeal to residents of Delhi: Do not fall for any provocation — the strength of the country lies in our unity, brotherhood and love. Jodo, jodo, Bharat Jodo…” he said. Hitting back, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said that it would have been better “if instead of issuing an irrelevant appeal to Delhiites, Rahul Gandhi had first condemned the killers of Tarun in Uttam Nagar during Holi days violence”. “It is sad that Gandhi kept silent for almost two weeks and has today put the blame on BJP, instead of condemning the killers of Tarun,” he added. 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
Alld HC: Implead centre in Rahul’s citizenship case
Lucknow: A Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court heard the case of Rahul Gandhi’s citizenship dispute on Thursday and asked the petitioner to implead the central govt as party in the case . As soon as the hearing began, senior advocate SB Pandey, representing the central govt, requested the court not to conduct the hearing in open court as the documents received from the home ministry were of a highly confidential nature. The single bench of Justice Rajiv Singh accepted his request and heard the case in his chamber. Following the hearing, the court passed an order requiring home ministry under secretary Vivek Mishra and assistant section officer Pranav Rai to appear with the relevant records. TNN 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
Chirag Paswan’s Party Outraged Over Murder of Elderly Dalit Man in Bhadohi; Calls SP’s ‘PDA’ Slogan a Farce
Bhadohi News: Politics has intensified in Bhadohi following the murder of an elderly Dalit man who was burned alive. On Wednesday, a delegation from the Lok Janshakti Party met with the victim’s family. **Murder of an Elderly Dalit Man in Bhadohi** The case involving the brutal murder of Jaislal Saroj—an elderly Dalit man from the Bhadohi district of Uttar Pradesh who was burned alive—continues to gain momentum. The incident has also sparked heated political debate. A delegation from the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) met with the victim’s family and provided financial assistance of ₹100,000. During the visit, they launched a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party’s ‘PDA’ (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak—Backward Classes, Dalits, and Minorities) slogan, labeling it as completely deceitful. Following the brutal murder of Jaislal Saroj—an elderly Dalit watchman—in Peepargaon, Gyanpur, a high-level delegation from the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) met with the victim’s family on Wednesday. Led by the party’s UP State President, Rajiv Paswan, the delegation offered condolences to the bereaved family and handed over the assistance amount of ₹100,000. This financial aid was provided under the directives of LJP President and Union Minister Chirag Paswan. **LJP Leaders Meet the Family** After meeting with the victim’s family, the LJP State President launched a strong attack on the Samajwadi Party, dismissing their ‘PDA’ slogan as a complete sham. He pointed out that the SP State President had visited Bhadohi and even traveled to a neighboring village, yet failed to reach the doorstep of the victimized Pasi family. He alleged that opposition parties merely engage in caste-based politics and maintain a deliberate silence regarding the injustices faced by Dalits, simply because the accused—the village *Pradhan* (head)—belongs to the Yadav caste. **SP’s ‘PDA’ Formula Dubbed a Farce** Rajiv Paswan stated that the extent of his party’s commitment to this issue was clearly demonstrated on Tuesday in the country’s highest legislative body—Parliament—when Jamui MP Arun Bharti forcefully raised the Jaislal Saroj murder case. Taking aim at the opposition parties, Arun Bharti remarked that while they were present in Bhadohi, the leaders of the PDA were indeed talking about caste-based protection; however, they could not spare the time to look after the victimized Dalit, Jayalal Saroj. The LJP has demanded that the Uttar Pradesh government take immediate and stringent action against the land mafia involved in this massacre, demolish the illegal properties of the culprits using bulldozers, and ensure that they are sentenced to death. Rajiv Paswan reiterated the party’s resolve to continue its struggle—from the streets to the Parliament—until justice is secured for the family of the deceased, Jayalal Saroj. By: Rohit Gupta Courtesy: Hindi News
After 2-Year Fight, Bengaluru Dalit Couple Enter Basaveshwara Temple Under Police Protection
Satish and Shwetha’s ordeal began two years ago when they travelled to the temple in Hulikere village of Maddur taluk in Mandya to perform a ritual for their son When the couple raised objections at being denied temple entry, they found little support locally, with village leaders failing to intervene or ensure access. (AI Generated) When the couple raised objections at being denied temple entry, they found little support locally, with village leaders failing to intervene or ensure access. (AI Generated) After a two-year battle that took them to multiple authorities, including the Human Rights Commission, a Bengaluru-based Dalit couple were finally able to enter the Basaveshwara Temple in Mandya district this week — a reminder that caste-based discrimination in places of worship continues to persist in parts of India despite constitutional guarantees. Satish and Shwetha’s ordeal began two years ago when they travelled to the temple in Hulikere village of Maddur taluk in Mandya to perform a ritual for their son. The priest, however, allegedly denied them entry on the basis of their caste. When the couple raised objections, they found little support locally, with village leaders failing to intervene or ensure access. With no immediate resolution in sight, the couple chose to pursue legal remedies — an often long and arduous process for victims of caste discrimination. They approached multiple authorities, including the Social Welfare Department, the Human Rights Commission, the Civil Rights Enforcement Directorate, and the Mandya district police, seeking enforcement of their basic rights. India’s Constitution guarantees equality before the law under Article 14 and explicitly abolishes ‘untouchability’ under Article 17, making its practise in any form a punishable offence. Additionally, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, criminalises the denial of access to public places, including temples, on caste grounds. Despite this legal framework, incidents of Dalits being denied entry into temples or facing segregation during religious practices continue to be reported from several states, pointing to a gap between law and on-ground implementation. In this case, the couple’s persistence eventually paid off. Officials facilitated their entry into the temple this week under police protection. Accompanied by Maddur Tahsildar Parushuram Sattigeri, Satish and Shwetha were able to offer prayers — an act that should have been routine, but instead became the culmination of a prolonged fight for dignity and equal access. Satish works as a driver, while Shwetha is an accountant in a private company. Their case underscores both the resilience required to challenge entrenched social practices and the continuing need for stricter enforcement of anti-discrimination laws in India. Courtesy : News18 Note: This news is originally published on https:/news18.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
“Give Us Justice or Let Us Die”: Injured Dalit Family Seeks Mass Suicide Permission After Alleged Assault
A Dalit family in Neemuch protests inside a hospital, alleging caste violence and police inaction, demanding justice and protection.Photo: Voice of MPSupport Us donations A Dalit family in Neemuch district, Madhya Pradesh, has staged a protest inside a government hospital, alleging caste-based violence and police inaction. The family, injured in an alleged attack, is demanding justice and has even sought permission for mass suicide if their pleas are ignored. Family Alleges Caste Abuse and Violent Attack The incident began on February 26 in Dasia village over a dispute related to a chickpea crop. Victim Premchand Mogiya accused local men, Mohan Singh and Babu Singh, of assaulting his daughter and abusing her with casteist slurs. The family claimed that when they approached the police, officials delayed registering an FIR. “We were forced to complain through the CM helpline because the police did not act,” the family said. They alleged that after filing the complaint, the accused attacked them again on March 15 with sticks, leaving Premchand, his wife, and daughter seriously injured. Protest Inside Hospital Currently undergoing treatment at the district hospital, the family is protesting with placards expressing fear and anger. Messages on the placards read: “Stop atrocities against Dalits,” “Stop hooliganism under police protection,” and “Give us justice or allow us to commit mass suicide.” The family also said they are being forced to leave their village due to fear. “Because of police protection to casteist goons, we may have to abandon our home and land,” one placard read. Allegations Against Police The victims have accused the police of protecting the accused and not applying relevant sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act initially. “They deliberately ignored serious charges and registered a weaker case,” the family alleged, adding that they were also pressured to withdraw their complaint. Police Deny Charges Police officials have rejected the allegations. Station House Officer Shabbi Mew said, “No protection is being given to the accused. At the time of the initial complaint, there was no assault reported, so we tried to resolve the matter.” Neemuch City police officer Pushpa Chauhan said an FIR was later registered after the assault. “The SC/ST Act was added once the caste certificate was provided,” she clarified. Appeal to Chief Minister The family has appealed to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav for a fair investigation, strict action against the accused, and immediate security. “We have lost faith in the system. Either give us justice or allow us to end our lives,” the family said, highlighting their desperation. Courtesy : TOP Note: This news is originally published on https:/theobserverpost.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Transgender persons bill ‘draconian’, expect no better from govt: Derek O’Brien
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien called the Transgender Persons Bill, 2026, “draconian,” criticizing the government’s legislative approach. Trans rights activists also oppose the bill, which defines “transgender” excluding self-perceived identity. They argue it harms their rights and dignity, urging the government to withdraw the legislation entirely. *AI-generated summary. Check context in original text. New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) Trinamool Congress leader in Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien on Thursday criticised the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, calling it “draconian.” In a post on X, the TMC leader expressed his disappointment, stating that he expected “no better” from a government with a “dubious record.” “The Transgender Persons Bill, 2026, was sneakily introduced in Parliament, draconian. Expect no better from a government which has a dubious record of mocking Parliament… 20 years ago, 6 out of 10 bills would be sent to committees for scrutiny. Now, only 2 out of 10 bills scrutinised,” O’Brien’s post read. The bill, seeking to provide a precise definition of the term “transgender” and provide graded punishments that reflect the gravity of the harm inflicted upon such persons, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Friday. It states that “such identification cannot be based on any acquirable characteristics, personal choice, or self-perceived identity of an individual.” Trans rights activists have said they do not want any provisions from the proposed Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, to remain, urging the government to withdraw the legislation entirely. They argue that the proposed amendments could harm the rights, dignity and identity of transgender communities. PTI AO MPL MPL This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. Courtesy : The Print Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Bus Body Code issue: Rahul flags cost burden; Gadkari stresses safety
NEW DELHI: On Wednesday, road transport minister Nitin Gadkari had surprise visitors at his chamber in the Lok Sabha. Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, accompanied by a delegation of small truck and bus body builders from Rajasthan reached his office seeking relaxations in the Bus Body Code as they flagged new standards and excessive fees could drive many small manufacturers out of business. Officials said Gadkari, in response, said that the decision to tighten safety norms was taken following a spate of bus fire incidents which have claimed lives. “The minister said relaxing any norms that would pose risk to passengers can’t be allowed and there is a need for professionalism in building bus and truck bodies in the country. However, he said that govt will take steps to make the process of getting approval easy,” one of them said. People who were present in the chamber during Gandhis meeting with Gadkari said that the minister highlighted the need to shift from using “hammers” (hathoda) in building bus bodies to improve the system so that there are no compromises made in safety parameters. “Rahul said that the people engaged in bus body building using hammers have skill and talent. All this happened on a lighter note,” said one of them. During the discussion, the minister pointed out that authorities had issued notices to manufacturers on seven occasions, but the lack of corrective action forced govt to take strict measures. Following the meeting with Gadkari, Priyanka Gandhi told reporters, “The truck and bus body builders faced the problem that they have to incur significant expenses to obtain licenses, and the process is also extremely time-consuming. Gadkari has assured us that he will resolve their issues expeditiously.” 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