Kanshi Ram Becomes Indispensable to All Parties; Fierce Race to Woo the Dalit Vote Bank Intensifies
These days, a visible competition is unfolding among all political parties to commemorate BSP founder Kanshi Ram. These days, a visible competition is unfolding among all political parties to commemorate BSP founder Kanshi Ram. This is not merely a gesture of symbolic respect; rather, it is driven by the underlying power of the Dalit vote bank. This is precisely why, alongside the BSP, the Samajwadi Party and the Congress are also actively involved in celebrating Kanshi Ram’s birth anniversary, whereas the BJP appears relatively subdued in this regard. **The SP’s Strategy** BSP founder Kanshi Ram’s birth anniversary falls on March 15. Ahead of this date, all major parties have already announced various commemorative programs. The BSP is organizing a public rally in Lucknow, while special events are also being held in other states. The Samajwadi Party has announced that it will celebrate Kanshi Ram’s birth anniversary across all districts. The Congress, for its part, organized a birth anniversary ceremony and a ‘Dalit Dialogue’ session on Friday. Speaking at the event, Rahul Gandhi—the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha—drew a lifelike sketch of Kanshi Ram using his pen and asserted that Kanshi Ram should be conferred with the Bharat Ratna. Rahul Gandhi further remarked that had Jawaharlal Nehru been alive, Kanshi Ram would have become a Chief Minister. **Electoral Calculus and the Significance of the Dalit Vote** According to analysts, the sudden surge of affection for Kanshi Ram among various parties is merely a component of their political strategy. In Uttar Pradesh, the Dalit population stands at approximately 21%, and 85 of the state’s Assembly seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes (Dalits). Furthermore, even in the remaining constituencies, the Dalit vote bank possesses the potential to significantly influence electoral outcomes. Ramakant Shukla Courtesy: Hindi News
Brutal Attack on Dalit Family by Local Bullies in Chhatarpur; Mother and Daughter Injured
Chhatarpur: In the Chhatarpur district of the Bundelkhand region, the reign of terror unleashed by local bullies against Dalits shows no signs of abating, even today. A recent incident has come to light in which a young Dalit man was beaten with shoes simply for using his mobile phone while standing at a shop; when the women of his family rushed to his rescue, they too were attacked with axes and sticks. The injured victims have been admitted to a hospital by the police, where they are currently undergoing treatment. Dalit Family Beaten with Shoes Over a Trivial Dispute The dominance of local bullies in Maharajganj village—located within the jurisdiction of the Civil Lines Police Station in Chhatarpur district—was starkly demonstrated when a Dalit family was publicly beaten with shoes over a trivial matter. The young Dalit man’s only transgression was that he was standing at a village shop and using his mobile phone. The victim, Virendra Ahirwar, stated, “The bullies first beat me with their shoes and hurled caste-based slurs at me; subsequently, they attacked us with sticks and axes, injuring four members of my family.” Specifically, the victim, Virendra Ahirwar—a resident of Maharajganj village under the Civil Lines Police Station area—recounted, “On Friday night, I went to the village shop to purchase some supplies. During this time, Bharat Lal Patel, G. Lal Patel, and another local bully from the same village began verbally abusing me and physically assaulting me.” When Virendra’s father, Bhagirath Ahirwar; his mother, Habbu Bai Ahirwar; and his sister, Naina Ahirwar, arrived to intervene, the accused attacked them as well—using shoes, sticks, and an axe—while continuously hurling caste-based slurs. **Four Members of Dalit Family Injured** Four members of the family sustained severe injuries during the incident. Upon receiving information about the matter, the Civil Lines police reached the scene and transported all the injured individuals to the District Hospital, where they are currently undergoing treatment. Meanwhile, the police have registered a case against the accused in connection with the incident and have initiated an investigation. **The Victim’s Allegations** Speaking on the matter, the victim, Virendra Ahirwar, stated, “I had gone to the village shop to purchase some supplies. I started using my mobile phone while at the shop; this led to me being beaten with shoes initially, and subsequently, my family members—who had come to my rescue—were also assaulted. However, we are not satisfied with the police’s actions; the specific legal sections that should have been invoked in this case have not been applied.” **The Police’s Response** Regarding the incident, Civil Lines TI (Town Inspector) Satish Singh stated, “An FIR has been registered against the accused in this matter. The injured individuals have been admitted to the hospital, and a search for the accused is currently underway.” Courtesy: Hindi News
Dalit and Adivasi food on the menu, stigma on the plate. ‘I was told it is fed to cattle’
At a Heritage Dialogues talk, author Shahu Patole and food entrepreneur Aruna Tirkey discussed Dalit and Adivasi food traditions and why many still hide or disown what they eat. Dalit and Adivasi food traditions, long stigmatized, are now appearing in mainstream menus and books. Writer Shahu Patole and entrepreneur Aruna Tirkey are documenting and reviving these cuisines, promoting cultural pride and sustainable livelihoods. Tirkey’s restaurant, Ajam Emba, champions Adivasi ingredients like millet, combating historical prejudice and internalized stigma surrounding these vital foods. New Delhi: A millet that farmers grow for their cattle. Sausages made with animal blood. A kheer sweetened with mahua flowers foraged from the forest floor. Foods that Dalit and Adivasi families have eaten for generations, out of necessity, and usually behind closed doors, are now appearing in restaurant menus and books. At Humayun’s Tomb Museum, Dalit writer Shahu Patole and Adivasi food entrepreneur Aruna Tirkey spoke about how culinary traditions and recipes from their communities are disappearing, and their initiatives to document them— even as the internalised stigma around these foods lingers. The talk, held on 27 February as part of the public lecture series The Heritage Dialogues, was titled ‘Pride and Prejudice on the Indian Plate: What We Can Learn from Dalit and Adivasi Cultures Today’. For Patole, author of The Dalit Kitchens of Marathwada, culinary practices such as meat drying or eating the carcasses of certain animals have long been obscured by caste taboos and politics. “Adivasis and Dalits are never vegetarian,” said Patole. “Dalit food is about survival. Whatever my grandparents ate to survive is why I am still alive. My simple objective was to find what my community ate, not to criticise other communities or castes.” Tirkey’s efforts to revive the food traditions of her Oraon community are hands-on. In Ranchi, she runs Ajam Emba, a restaurant and training centre specialising in Adivasi ingredients and cooking traditions. It’s part of a movement to champion slowly disappearing Adivasi food practices. For anyone living in an Indian city, the menu would seem exotic, with ingredients such as mahua flowers, jirhul flowers, roselle, and dozens of local leafy greens. Seasonal offerings include dishes like madua (finger millet) momos, rice tea, and desi chicken bhaat. Over the course of two hours, the discussion ranged from identity and discrimination to sustainability and food supply chains. A new life for gondli One of the accomplishments Tirkey is most proud of is reviving gondli, a type of millet, through her restaurant. The grain, which was once seen as unfit for human consumption, now appears in dishes such as gondli kheer and millet momos at her restaurant. “When I went to buy gondli in the local market years ago, I was told it is fed to cattle,” said Tirkey. That encounter gave Tirkey the idea for Ajam Emba. She realised she wanted to bring back heirloom grains rooted in local food traditions while also creating livelihoods. The restaurant was launched in 2017, well before fancy millet preparations became a staple of state banquets for foreign dignitaries. “Now with the millet revival, its prices have soared, and it’s become a delicacy,” she added. “These ingredients have a low carbon footprint, require little or no inputs, and include a wide variety of uncultivated foods.” At the restaurant, food is served in reusable earthen pots and plates, as well as biodegradable leaf plates. Takeaways are packed in raw green sal leaves. Everything is sourced from local growers, and the kitchen is managed entirely by tribal women and girls. “Our approach is to link indigenous food revival with female entrepreneurship and employment, making it a sustainable business model,” said Tirkey. Her endeavour is also to instil pride in local food traditions, and create awareness about hyperlocal ingredients and cooking practices — something Patole’s book also attempts. A glossary of Dalit food In 2015, Patole’s book was published as Anna He Apoorna Brahma (‘food is an incomplete creation’). The title plays on the popular Marathi proverb Anna he poornabrahma, which means food encompasses all of creation. The book was later translated into English by Bhushan Koragaonkar as The Dalit Kitchens of Marathwada in 2024. “I wrote my book in Marathi, and no one cared. But when it came out in English translation, everyone called it a great literary work,” said Patole. The recipes in the book are foods everyone in his community would recognise, according to him. Many even asked why he needed to write about them. But for Patole, it was about creating a glossary that no one else had bothered to compile. “I looked at Hindu mythological texts where the four varnas have been mentioned, along with what each should eat. We come under tamasic, perhaps even below that,” Patole said. “A common proverb in these texts says you become what you eat. But most people do not have a choice in what they eat, and yet certain qualities are attached to each food group. I have tried to bring together these different ideas in my book.” One chapter describes hunting rabbits and ghorpads (monitor lizards) for their meat at the start of the monsoon, as well as eating the eggs of pigeons, quails, ducks, and peahens when they could be found. Preparation methods and cultural meanings are described in sensory detail. Through Savarna eyes Dalits often look at themselves through the eyes of the upper castes, according to Patole. Many disavow the community’s traditional practices. “Everyone wants to hide, and say things like ‘We don’t eat all that’. There is an aspiration to be like the upper castes. Eating their food will not make us them. As long as there is a caste system, no matter what you eat, you cannot change your caste,” said Patole. Tirkey agreed. “Since gondli has been associated with poverty, local people will grow and sell it, but they will still not eat it,” she said. At the same time, some of these foods are getting new traction. Many even romanticise the ‘forbidden’ foods of Dalits, Patole
Dalit Family Beaten, Woman Dragged by Hair and Threatened With Gun at Wedding in Lakhimpur Kheri; FIR Not Filed for Two Days
Victim’s family releases video threatening suicide if case not registered; Bhim Army warns of protest at SP office; accused allegedly linked to Bajrang Dal.Middle East news A Dalit family in Lakhimpur Kheri threatened to end their lives on social media after police refused to register an FIR two days after a brutal caste attack. A deeply disturbing incident of caste-based violence that took place on March 10 in the Tikunia police station area of Lakhimpur Kheri district, Uttar Pradesh, has come to light after the victim’s family released a video on social media threatening to end their lives if an FIR was not registered within 24 hours. Two days after lodging a complaint, no case had been registered, and the accused remained free. According to the victim’s family, during a marriage ceremony, a group of around 40 people from the Awasthi family forcibly pulled family members off the road, locked them inside a room and subjected them to brutal physical assault. The attackers allegedly hurled casteist abuses throughout the attack. A woman in the family had her hair pulled, was crushed underfoot and was threatened with being shot. The victim also alleged in her complaint that her son’s clothes were smelling of urine, suggesting he too was subjected to humiliation during the assault. Police arrived at the scene and managed to extract the victims from the locked room, but no arrests were made, and no FIR was registered despite the seriousness of the incident. Station In-Charge Accused of Pressuring Family to Compromise What has drawn equal outrage is the alleged conduct of the Tikunia police station in-charge after the incident. The victim’s family and Bhim Army State Coordinator Dr Kuldeep Bhargava alleged that instead of registering a case, the station in-charge was pressuring the family to reach a compromise with the accused and was actively working to protect them. The accused are said to be officials associated with the Bajrang Dal, which the family and activists say explains the alleged police reluctance to act. The victim’s family released a video on social media detailing the attack and warning that if the FIR was not registered within one day, they would take their own lives. The video quickly went viral, with large numbers of users tagging UP Police and the Director General of Police demanding immediate action. Bhim Army Warns of Protest, Demands SC/ST Act Case Bhim Army District General Secretary Advocate Deepak Jatav warned that if the victim’s family continued to face pressure and was denied justice, the Bhim Army would march to the SP office in Lakhimpur and stage a protest. The organisation demanded the immediate registration of an FIR under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act and other applicable sections, an impartial investigation and security for the affected family. Dr Bhargava said the incident was a clear case of upper-caste aggression against a Dalit family. “In Tikunia police station area of Lakhimpur Kheri district, some upper caste bullies forcibly pulled two members of the family from the road, locked them in a room and brutally beat them,” he said, adding that the failure to register an FIR amounted to a grave injustice. Amid the mounting social media pressure, Kheri Police responded on the platform, saying that the Tikunia in-charge inspector had been directed to take necessary action in the case. Whether a formal FIR has since been registered and arrests made remains to be confirmed. 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
Why has Transgender Persons Amendment Bill drawn widespread flak?
Activists, legal experts, and political parties argue the bill undermines self-identification, privacy, and the rights recognised under the 2019 Act and SC’s NALSA verdict The Union government’s move to introduce the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026 in Parliament has come under fire from transgender rights groups, activists, and opposition parties. The bill, tabled in the Lok Sabha by Union Social Justice Minister Virendra Kumar, proposes significant changes to the existing law governing the rights and recognition of transgender persons in India. The controversy is primarily about the proposal to remove the provision recognising “self-perceived gender identity”, a principle that had been incorporated in the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019. Under the current law, transgender persons could identify their gender based on self-declaration while applying for a certificate from the district administration. The amendment bill seeks to omit that clause and introduce a more structured process for determining transgender status. Trans rights under threat According to reports, the amendment aims to introduce a narrower legal framework for identifying transgender persons and determining eligibility for official recognition. The bill proposes that certification would involve a medical board headed by a Chief Medical Officer, with the final decision subject to scrutiny by the district magistrate before identity documents are issued. The proposed changes have triggered strong reactions from sections of the transgender community and civil society organisations. Activists argue that removing the principle of self-identification marks a major shift away from the framework established by the Supreme Court more than a decade ago. In a joint statement issued by a group of transgender activists and community supporters, the amendment was described as a “We jointly demand the withdrawal of the amendment to the Transgender Act, 2019. The bill violates the Supreme Court’s judgement recognising the rights of transgender persons, undermines their fundamental rights and runs contrary to international human rights principles,” the activists said. Medical boards over self-identification The statement points to the landmark verdict delivered by the Supreme Court in the National Legal Services Authority vs Union of India case. The ruling recognised the right of individuals to identify their gender as male, female or third gender based on their self-perception. Activists say the new amendment departs from that principle by introducing a system of verification by medical boards and district authorities. “The amendment removes the right to self-determination and replaces it with compulsory state verification through medical boards and administrative scrutiny. This intrudes upon the privacy and dignity of transgender persons and places their identity under continuous state surveillance,” the statement said. Another area of concern raised by community organisations is the redefinition of the term “transgender person”. According to activists, the proposed changes narrow the definition and could exclude several identities that were previously recognized under the 2019 law. Privacy concerns spark outrage The earlier legislation explicitly acknowledged trans men, trans women, gender queer persons and other diverse gender identities within the scope of protection. Critics argue that the amended definition risks leaving many individuals outside the legal framework meant to safeguard their rights. The amendment has also drawn criticism for provisions related to gender affirming medical procedures. Activists say the bill includes clauses that require hospitals to inform district authorities about such procedures, raising concerns about medical confidentiality and privacy. Health decisions, activists argue, should remain confidential between patients and medical professionals rather than becoming part of administrative reporting systems. Political backlash over amendment The controversy has also drawn political responses. The CPI (M) has strongly opposed the amendment, describing it as a violation of constitutional guarantees and a rollback of rights already recognised by the judiciary. In a statement, the party’s Polit Bureau said the amendment fundamentally negates the principle of gender self-determination affirmed by the Supreme Court. “These amendments fundamentally negate the principle of self-determination of gender identity affirmed by the Supreme Court in the NALSA judgement. The bill substitutes self-perceived identity with certification by a medical board and scrutiny by district authorities, subjecting transgender persons to invasive bureaucratic and medical oversight,” the statement said. The party also criticised the narrowing of the definition of transgender persons under the proposed amendment. According to the CPI(M), the earlier law recognised a range of gender identities including trans men, trans women and gender queer persons. CPI(M) flags regressive approach “The amended definition drastically restricts recognition and effectively erases trans men, non-binary persons and gender fluid individuals from the ambit of legal protection,” the Polit Bureau said. The party further argued that the amendment represents a broader ideological attempt to impose rigid social categories. According to the statement, the bill reflects what the party described as a regressive approach to gender and social order. It also referred to the Union government’s position before the Supreme Court regarding restrictions on blood donation by transgender persons. The CPI(M) said that legislation affecting the rights of a marginalised community should not be introduced without consultations with the stakeholders concerned. Legal challenges likely ahead Legal experts say the controversy surrounding the amendment is likely to reopen debates about the constitutional principles governing gender identity. Many lawyers working on LGBTQ rights issues point out that the right to identity and dignity is closely linked to the right to privacy recognised by the Supreme Court. They argue that subjecting gender identity to medical and bureaucratic verification could raise constitutional questions if challenged in court For transgender activists, the debate is not merely about administrative procedures but about recognition and autonomy. Many in the community recall that the 2019 law itself had faced criticism for introducing bureaucratic processes in identity certification. The current amendment, critics say, risks strengthening those mechanisms instead of addressing long-standing concerns. As the bill moves through Parliament, the debate around it is expected to intensify. Civil society organisations, political parties and legal groups are already preparing responses ranging from public campaigns to possible court challenges. Rajeev Ramachandran Courtesy : The Federal Note: This news is originally published on https:/thefederal.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially
“Honestly, there was a lot of silence”: Dwyane Wade reflects on the moment daughter Zaya Wade came out as transgender
NBA Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade was present at The Dads premiere at South by Southwest. During a recent interview with media outlet The Hollywood Reporter over Zoom, the Miami Heat’s alum opened up on one of the most vulnerable days in his life. Wade reflected on the time when his daughter Zaya, with ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches, came out as transgender in 2020, placing the NBA star’s in the center of parenting and identity acceptance. Reportedly, Wade is the executive producer of the Netflix-based documentary The Dads. The subject of the documentary is deeply personal to the NBA star, as it deals with the struggles that come along with a trans child in the current times. Dwyane Wade is currently married to Hollywood star Gabrielle Union. After being together for over a decade, the couple share a daughter named Kaavia James. Dwyane Wade revisits the emotional moment daughter Zaya Wade came out as transgender During a recent Zoom interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Dwyane Wade revisited one of the toughest times in his life. The Miami Heat star revealed it wasn’t easy for the entire family when his daughter Zaya came forward as transgender back in 2020. He revealed that his job was to support his daughter and stand by her when she needed him the most. The NBA star said, “When it first became public, honestly, there was a lot of silence. A lot of guys didn’t know what to say. And I understand that. Sports culture hasn’t always had these conversations, so sometimes people just stay quiet because they’re afraid of saying the wrong thing. But for me it was never about getting approval. My job is to support my child.” He further elaborated, “She’s doing great. What’s been really beautiful about her starting college is that she gets to walk into a space where she doesn’t have to introduce herself through her story. For a long time our family’s journey has been very public. Now she can just meet people, make friends, and be herself.” According to Dwyane Wade, his biggest responsibility as a father was to stand by his daughter Zaya. Even his current wife, Gabrielle Union-Wade, is an advocate for trans people and their rights. 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
Govt failed to keep promises made to farmers, says Rahul
NEW DELHI: Congress’s Rahul Gandhi alleged Saturday that the BJP-led govt has not honoured promises it made to farmers and is prepared to sacrifice India’s agriculture for its own interests. In a Facebook post, the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha shared the written response to a question he had asked the minister of agriculture in the lower House. Citing the written response, Gandhi said, “In the Lok Sabha, I asked a direct question to the govt: Why has the promise of a statutory Minimum Support Price – calculated at C2+50% – made to farmers in 2021, not yet been implemented? “Evading a direct response, the govt merely reiterated its existing MSP policy,” he said. “The govt also admitted to pressuring states to discontinue MSP bonuses – a move it sought to justify, without any logical basis, in the name of ‘national priorities’,” Gandhi said in his post in Hindi. He went on to add that there is another critical question: “The trade agreement with the US speaks of reducing “non-trade barriers”. Does this imply an intent to undermine the MSP mechanism and govt procurement? “The govt is evading this question as well,” the former Congress chief claimed. “We will continue to raise our voices – both inside and outside Parliament – to defend farmers’ rights and protect the MSP,” the Congress politician asserted. 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
DU dismisses Rahul’s allegation that it uses interviews to eliminate students
NEW DELHI: The Delhi University (DU) has dismissed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s allegation that it uses interviews to eliminate students. In a post on X late on Friday, it said: “The University of Delhi admits students primarily based on the CUET scores, and the standard admission process does not mandate interviews for most undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.” “If the Leader of Opposition was referring to recruitments (such as faculty positions), the University in the recent past has recruited thousands of teachers across all categories. We strongly object to such comments, as they create a non-conducive environment in the University. The Leader of Opposition should have verified the facts before making such a statement. @EduMinOfIndia,” it added. This was in response to the remarks of Gandhi, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, alleging that the DU eliminates students on the basis of caste. “I had gone to the Delhi University. Interview is just a way to eliminate students. They ask what your caste is and then you fail in the interview,” Gandhi said on Friday while addressing an event in Lucknow to mark the birth anniversary of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) founder Kanshi Ram. Targeting the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Congress leader further said, “Take out the list of the RSS. Those who are their pracharaks and seniors in the organisation, you will not find one OBC, one Dalit, one Adivasi among them. This is completely against the Constitution.” This has triggered a further controversy, with the Indian National Teachers’ Congress (INTEC), along with some DU professors, including academic and executive council members, pointing out that public record shows that in several departments of the university, despite a large number of teaching posts being advertised under the Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) categories, qualified candidates were declared “not found suitable (NFS)” after the interview stage. PTI 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
US deal harming India’s energy & economic interests, claims Rahul
Lucknow: Congress MP and leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “compromising India’s economic, digital and energy security in trade deal with the United States”. Gandhi also raised concerns over India’s energy policy, alleging that the govt had ceded decision-making authority to Washington. “India had agreed to follow US instructions on whether to buy oil and gas from countries like Russia, Iran or Iraq. The recent closure of the Strait of Hormuz threatened India’s energy stability, because of these policy changes,” he added. The LoP made the remarks while addressing Congress workers at the Samvidhan Sammelan in Lucknow, where he continued his criticism of what he called “unfair terms” in India-US trade and data arrangements. Gandhi alleged that India had surrendered strategic leverage by allowing the US access to Indian data. “The PM handed over all the data of the people of India to the American govt and companies, permitting them to store it anywhere and granting a 20-year tax holiday. This change left India unable to monitor or regulate how the data of its citizens is used,” claimed Gandhi. “The govt has agreed to purchase goods worth Rs 9 lakh crore annually from the US, a move that will severely harm Indian businesses,” Gandhi said. Listing agricultural products such as cotton, soybeans, pulses, fruits and nuts, he said imports from large, mechanized American farms would undercut small Indian farmers operating on two to five acres of land. According to Gandhi, India received nothing in return from these decisions, asserting that taxes had increased and domestic producers were left vulnerable. He alleged that the prime minister was “compromised and has surrendered”, referencing financial and international controversies by name while claiming they weakened India’s negotiating position. 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
‘Deadly Game’ at Private Hospital Ahead of CM’s Visit; Dalit Woman Loses Life
In Sheikhpura, a pregnant Dalit woman died due to medical malpractice at an illegally operating private hospital, just prior to the Chief Minister’s scheduled visit. Trapped in the clutches of touts, the woman’s family was extorted of ₹51,000; yet, her life could not be saved. Sheikhpura – A shocking incident that puts humanity to shame has come to light at ‘Ananya Hospital,’ located on Bhojdih Road in Sheikhpura district. Soni Devi, a resident of Kashichak in the neighboring Nawada district, was admitted to this facility through an ASHA worker after she went into labor. Her family alleges that the hospital administration extorted a hefty sum of ₹51,000 under the pretext of performing a surgical operation. Contrary to official government claims, touts active at the grassroots level deceived this impoverished family, effectively pushing them into a “well of death”—the very place masquerading as a hospital. **A Farce of Treatment and the ‘Referral Game’** As soon as the surgical procedure began, the hospital management—in a desperate attempt to conceal their incompetence—sent the family scrambling to procure two units of blood. By the time the family returned with the blood, the patient’s condition had already deteriorated critically. To save their own skins, the hospital authorities hastily referred the patient to Bihar Sharif. Tragically, the woman succumbed to excessive bleeding while being transported in the ambulance. This was, unequivocally, a fatal outcome resulting from gross medical negligence and a severe lack of necessary medical resources. **Old Peddlers of Death, New Address** Alarmingly, the hospital where this tragedy occurred is reportedly linked to the ‘Maa Savitri Hospital,’ a facility that had previously been sealed by the authorities. Locals allege that whenever the administration shuts down a hospital, the very same individuals simply put up a new signboard and resume their deadly trade under a different name. The names of the establishments change, but the operators—and their horrific modus operandi—remain exactly the same. From Patel Chowk to Bhojdih Road, numerous such clinics continue to flourish without any valid medical licenses. Doctors and Staff Flee Amidst Uproar As news of the woman’s death spread, the fury of her family members erupted. A massive commotion ensued outside Ananya Hospital, accompanied by loud demands for justice. Perceiving that the situation was spiraling out of control, the doctors and the entire hospital staff locked up the premises and fled the scene. This hasty escape, in itself, speaks volumes about their complicity and fear. The crowd gathered at the site raised vociferous slogans against the administration, creating an atmosphere of palpable tension in the area. Questions Raised Over the Administration and Health Department Occurring just prior to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s arrival in the district, this incident has placed the functioning of the Health Department squarely in the dock. The pertinent question remains: if the administration is aware that illegal clinics are operating in the region, why is no concrete action taken against them? Are authorities waiting for yet another poor person to lose their life? It now remains to be seen what action the district administration will take against these “white-collar criminals”—or whether the matter will once again end up buried within bureaucratic files. Report – Umesh | Edited By: Anubh Suman | Courtesy: Hindi News