BMC to develop housing colony for transgender people
Bhubaneswar: To empower the transgender community, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to develop a colony for such landless individuals living in slums. Earlier, the BMC distributed 44 land record certificates (LRC)s among the transgender people. The civic body will now provide financial assistance to construct houses under PM Awas Yojana for the identified transgender people, who were demanding patches of land with land rights for each to construct houses. “We will provide financial assistance of Rs 2.5 lakh as per the PMAY norms. Selected transgender beneficiaries will take up construction on the same land using their own resources. Since all the eligible individuals have been given LRCs at a particular place, it will be an exclusive colony,” said BMC deputy commissioner Ajay Mohanty. Land rights were distributed to the slum residents as per the Odisha Land Rights to Slum Dwellers Act, 2017, and the Odisha Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Act, 2022, officials said. A sub-committee scrutinised the survey reports, conducted by a private agency, thoroughly before finalising beneficiaries. “Once the work orders are issued and the transgender people start basic construction work, money will be disbursed in a phased manner,” Mohanty 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.
For the first time in a village in Gujarat, a Dalit youth got his hair cut at a barber shop – a centuries-old tradition broken
In Alwada village of Banaskantha, a Dalit youth got his hair cut at a barber shop for the first time, a historic step towards social equality. Banaskantha – A historic event took place on 7 August in Alwada village of Banaskantha district of Gujarat. Kiran (Kirti) Chauhan, a 24-year-old farm labourer of the village, got his hair cut at the village barber shop for the first time. This occasion became a symbol of freedom from the social shackles that had been going on for generations for the Dalit community, not just a haircut. Broken wall of generations About 250 Dalit families live in Alwada village with a population of about 6,500. But this discrimination was going on here for generations that the barbers of the village did not cut the hair of Dalits. Dalits were forced to go to other villages to visit barber shops and many times had to hide their caste. 58-year-old Chhogaji Chauhan says, “Our ancestors used to face this discrimination even before independence. And my children have also been facing the same for the last eight decades.” This experience was very emotional for Kirti Chauhan. He said, “For the first time in 24 years, I sat on the chair of the barber in my village. Earlier we always had to go out. That day I felt that I have been accepted in my own village and am free.” Initiative of social workers and administration In the continuous efforts of the Dalit community, they got the support of social worker Chetan Dabhi. He explained to the upper castes and barbers of the village that this practice is unconstitutional. When the matter did not work out with the explanation, the police and the district administration had to intervene. Mamlatdar Janak Mehta held a meeting with the village leaders and resolved the issue. At the same time, Gram Sarpanch Suresh Chaudhary expressed regret over the past discrimination and said that it is a matter of happiness for him to see this change happening during his tenure. Now all the five barber shops of the village welcome Dalit customers. Barbers and upper castes have also accepted the change Pintu, a 21-year-old barber who cut Kirti’s hair, said, “We used to do this due to tradition. But now that the elders have given permission, there is no restriction. Our business has also increased due to this.” People from the upper castes are also satisfied with this change. Prakash Patel from the Patidar community said, “If everyone can come to my grocery shop, then why not to the barber shop? It is good that this wrong practice has ended now.” A long journey still remains Although this change is commendable, the Dalit community believes that discrimination has not ended completely. Dalit farmer Ishwar Chauhan says, “Today we have got a place in the barber shop, but we are still made to sit separately in the community feast. Hopefully, one day this will also end.” For Alwada village, this haircut is not just an ordinary event, but a big step towards respect, acceptance and equality. As the villagers say, “This is not just a haircut, but a new beginning.” Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News
Such brutality with a Dalit youth in Muzaffarnagar: The mob beat him to death on suspicion of theft
Villagers in Budhana town brutally beat a 30-year-old Dalit youth on suspicion of theft, he died at home due to lack of treatment; police started investigation. Muzaffarnagar (Uttar Pradesh): A 30-year-old Dalit youth was beaten to death by villagers in Budhana town of the district on Sunday night on suspicion of theft. Police confirmed this on Monday. The deceased has been identified as Monu. The complaint filed by the family states that the villagers beat Monu badly on suspicion of theft. He somehow reached home but died late night. Quoted by the media, Superintendent of Police (Rural) Aditya Bansal said, “No one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands. Strict action will be taken against the culprits.” Police said that a video of the incident is going viral on social media, with the help of which the accused are being identified. Some people have also been detained and questioned. Monu’s body has been sent for postmortem and investigation into the case is underway. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy : Hindi News
Sensation in JNU: Casteist abuses on Ambedkar Library table, anger erupts in campus, who is behind this?
The protesters stressed that spreading such hatred in a library named after Dr. Ambedkar is reprehensible. The rally also demanded that awareness campaigns be run in the university and anti-discrimination policies be strictly implemented. New Delhi – Casteist and misogynistic abuses written on a table in the General Reading Hall of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Central Library of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) have shocked the student community. Unknown persons wrote casteist and misogynistic abuses, including hateful words like “Chamar $#d ” and “Chamar ki maa ki &%$” on a study table in the General Reading Hall of the library. Students said that the incident is not only derogatory against the Dalit community, but it is also an attack on the progressive image of this university, which is known for social justice. Student activists have termed it as an open display of Brahminical mindset. Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association (BAPSA), an organisation fighting for the rights of Bahujan students, took prompt action on the incident. On August 18, BAPSA filed a formal complaint at the Vasant Kunj North police station. In its letter, the organisation demanded that an FIR be lodged against the culprits under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. BAPSA also requested that the CCTV footage of the library be secured and made available for investigation so that the culprits could be identified. BAPSA president Avichal Varkey said such incidents are intolerable. Varkey termed the incident not only as disgraceful but also as an act that made the campus unsafe for students from SC, ST and other marginalised communities. He said, “This is not an isolated incident but a major attack on Dalits, Adivasis, OBCs and religious minorities by the BJP-RSS regime. Such incidents expose the Brahminical mindset that led to the writing of slogans like ‘Dalit India Quit’ and ‘Chamar India Quit’ on the walls of Cauvery Hostel. BAPSA will continue to fight against these casteist goons and raise the voice of marginalised students inside and outside the campus.” Along with the police complaint, BAPSA mobilised the anger of the students and held a massive protest outside the Central Library in the evening. The rally was attended by a large number of Bahujan and progressive minded students who showed solidarity by raising slogans against casteism and hatred. BAPSA leaders including Karyakarta Kranti and Rupesh Kumar called the incident part of a larger scale attack on Dalits, Adivasis, OBCs and minorities. The protesters stressed that spreading such hatred in a library named after Dr Ambedkar is reprehensible. The rally also demanded awareness campaigns and strict enforcement of anti-discrimination policies in the university. The protest was also supported by other student organisations. The Students Federation of India (SFI) JNU unit took part in the rally and strongly condemned the “open casteism” in the library. The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) also submitted a complaint to the chief librarian and demanded immediate administrative action. JNUSU joint secretary Vaibhav Meena said in a statement that such narrow-mindedness has no place in the temple of knowledge and all students must unite and reject it. Many users reacted sharply to the incident on social media, especially on Twitter. Users shared pictures of abusive words written on the table and criticised the silence on Dalit issues in society. Many posts expressed anger over how such an act could happen in a library named after Ambedkar. BAPSA shared videos and pictures of the rally from its official handle, with their message clear: “We will not remain silent.” Geetha Sunil Pillai Courtesy: Hindi News
INDIA bloc continues SIR protest: Telangana Congress demands urea for farmers; ruckus adjourns parliament
INDIA bloc on Tuesday continued their protests against Bihar SIR, outside Parliament, accusing the election commission of “vote theft”. Among those present were Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Samajwadi party leader Akhilesh Yadav. The protests have continued since the start of the monsoon session on 21 July, with ruling party MPs accusing the opposition of disrupting proceedings. Tuesday’s protests saw banners that read “Stop vote chori,” and described the ongoing revision of electoral rolls as “Silent invisible rigging.” — ANI (@ANI) Telangana Congress MPs also protested, demanding the release of urea for farmers in the state, urging the central government to act swiftly. The ruckus inside the parliament also led to the adjournment of both houses until after afternoon. Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pressed ahead with his 16-day ‘Voter adhikar rally’ in Bihar, highlighting “irregularities” in the voter list. On Tuesday, he travelled to Aurangabad to mark the second day of the campaign, which will cover more than 20 districts and 1,300 km. Responding to the allegations, the election commission held a press conference on Sunday. It dismissed claims of rigging and asked Rahul Gandhi to submit a signed affidavit with supporting evidence. NDA parliamentary party meeting NDA leaders gathered at the parliament library building on Tuesday for a parliamentary meeting. Prime minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah, and senior ministers attended the session, which also felicitated vice presidential candidate CP Radhakrishnan. After the meeting, union minister Kiren Rijiju said Modi had appealed to all MPs, including those in the opposition, to support Radhakrishnan in the upcoming election. 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.
Dalit youth brutally attacked, robbed in Gujarat, third caste-based atrocity in 21 days
A Dalit youth on Saturday was brutally thrashed, robbed, and threatened with death in Junagadh, Gujarat, marking the third caste-based atrocity in the state in just 21 days. The incident occurred when the victim, who had gone to meet a friend, was lured into a trap by a boy claiming his brother was being taken away. At the Swami Vivekanand School ground, three upper-caste youths, led by Hitesh and two others, confronted him. The video of the attack, which went viral, shows that upon learning his background from Kadiawad, the assailants verbally abused him with casteist slurs and beat him with belts and sticks, leaving visible injuries. They also stole his mobile phone and threatened to kill him if he reported the matter to the police. A case has been registered at Junagadh A Division Police Station under multiple IPC sections. Separate police teams have been formed to apprehend the accused. DySP Hitesh Dhandhaliya assured that “strict legal action will be taken at the earliest.” Earlier, on August 11, 2025, in Khambhaliya (Ozat) village, Junagadh district, a Dalit youth, Sagar Makwana, and his father-in-law, Jivanbhai Wala, were brutally assaulted after the attackers objected to Sagar keeping a beard and mustache, claiming it was reserved for “upper castes.” Courtesy : Maktoob Media Note: This news is originally published on https:/maktoobmedia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Angry at Rahul, Modi blocking BC quota bills: CM
Hyderabad: Chief minister A Revanth Reddy Monday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was blocking approval of the two BC reservation bills and an ordinance to remove the 50% cap on reservations because of his anger at Rahul Gandhi’s fight for education, employment, and political empowerment of Backward Classes. “If PM Modi and Union minister G Kishan Reddy have anything against Rahul Gandhi’s stand for justice to the BCs, let them book more cases against him individually. Already, there are several cases pending. But they should stop blocking the BC quota bills. Modi and Kishan Reddy should take up the issue with the President and ensure assent for the two bills passed by the Telangana assembly and the ordinance. The BJP has the power to do it,” Revanth said. He was speaking at the 375th birth anniversary celebrations of Sardar Sarvai Papanna Goud Maharaj at Ravindra Bharati here. Revanth hit out at both the BJP and BRS for ‘undermining’ BC rights. While the BJP, he said, was using Muslim reservations as a pretext to block higher BC quota, the previous BRS govt led by K Chandrasekhar Rao restricted reservations to 50% in the Panchayat Raj Act of 2018. Revanth said his govt had conducted a caste survey and passed two bills providing 42% BC reservations, along with an ordinance to remove the 50% ceiling. These were forwarded by the governor to the President. “When we realised assent was being delayed, we held a massive dharna at Jantar Mantar. Leaders and MPs from Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and other states joined us. But neither BJP nor BRS leaders participated. That dharna was not for Congress’ political gain but for the empowerment of bahujans. Their absence exposed both parties as ‘anti-BC’,” he said. Rejecting BJP’s argument on Muslim quota, Revanth said: “The Constitution does not allow religion-based reservations. If there were any, the Supreme Court would strike them down within minutes. Show us where religion-based reservations exist in our 42% BC quota bills. This is a BJP conspiracy to deny BCs their rights under the guise of opposing Muslim quota.” He pointed out that Muslim reservations under the BC category have existed for over 56 years. “If the BJP really opposes them, let them remove them in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh first,” he said, urging BC communities to see through “these conspiracies.” He said BC empowerment can happen only through education, employment, and political representation and guaranteed reservations. The CM laid the foundation for the installation of a statue of Sardar Sarvai Papanna near the secretariat. CM Revanth Reddy and deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka will join Rahul Gandhi’s Bihar padayatra. The CM alleged that BJP was deleting names of lakhs of voters across states. “Vote chori is being done to win elections. In Bihar, 65 lakh names were deleted. It happened in Maharashtra, and it will happen in Telangana. People who are alive are shown as dead, while outsiders are enrolled as voters. Rahul Gandhi exposed this conspiracy, but instead of answers, the ECI asked him for affidavits. Is this justice?” he asked. 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.
Breaking Barriers: Karnataka’s First Transgender Heavy Vehicle Driver
She is already a well-known transgender rights activist and the founder of the Anita Humanitarian Foundation, an organization dedicated to social upliftment. But that’s not all. In a city where heavy vehicles are almost always associated with men behind the wheel, a transgender woman has made history. Anita Prasad, from Mysuru, has become the first transgender person in Karnataka to receive a heavy vehicle driving license. Her achievement isn’t just about driving a lorry or bus; it’s a powerful statement about equality and inclusion in a sector where gender stereotypes have long reigned. Anita’s journey goes far beyond transportation. She is already a well-known transgender rights activist and the founder of the Anita Humanitarian Foundation, an organization dedicated to social upliftment. But that’s not all. She also heads Vistaric Robotics Company, proving her versatility and determination to push boundaries in innovation as well as social change. For someone who could have stopped at one breakthrough, Anita has instead chosen to straddle industries, from robotics labs to transport depots. A Transport Dream With a Purpose Her next mission is to create opportunities where few exist. Anita is preparing to launch a transport and logistics company that will run services on the Bengaluru–Belagavi route. What makes this unique is her commitment to employing transgender individuals and women as drivers and support staff. By doing this, she aims to carve out respectable and stable jobs for communities that often face prejudice and exclusion. The transport industry in India is largely male-dominated, and women drivers are still treated as exceptions. For transgender people, the barriers are even higher. Anita’s initiative is designed not just to run buses and trucks, but to rewrite the rules of who belongs on the road. Three Months to Take Off The company is expected to be operational within three months, Anita says. She is already working on partnerships with organizations that can help support the venture and create training pipelines. Safety and reliability will be at the heart of the service, she promises, but equally important is the mission to build careers for those who have been systematically left out. Her plan includes identifying marginalized transgender people, helping them secure the proper documents, and providing skill development so they can qualify for employment. By doing so, she hopes to dismantle one of the biggest barriers: lack of access to formal identification and training. Anita’s new license may look like a small piece of laminated plastic, but it represents a much larger struggle and victory. In a country where many still react with surprise when they see women at the wheel of an autorickshaw or a bus, this milestone has the potential to inspire others. It sends a message that opportunities in transport and in life are not limited by gender identity. For Mysuru, Karnataka, and India as a whole, Anita’s story is not just about one woman driving heavy vehicles. It is about steering society toward broader horizons of acceptance, dignity, and equality. Curated By : News Desk Courtesy : News18
Private hostel owner booked for harassing Dalit girl, roommate
Varanasi: A Dalit girl NEET aspirant from Jaunpur district, staying at a private hostel in Durgakund area under Bhelupur police station, was sexually harassed allegedly by the hostel owner. According to reports, he also attempted to target her roommate on Saturday. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Bhelupur Gaurav Kaumar said that on receiving complaint from the girl’s father, Bhelupur police lodged FIR against the accused hostel owner under sections of BNS, Pocso and SC/ST Act. An investigation into the matter had begun and proper action would be taken based on its outcomes, he added. In his complaint, the girl’s father alleged that the hostel owner not only harassed his daughter but also threatened her with dire consequences if she told anyone, using caste-based slurs against her. On Friday, he alleged, the hostel owner harassed her classmate too, who somehow pushed him away and ran to her room, locking herself inside. Failing to target her, the hostel owner started harassing his daughter. The girl’s father mentioned that the hostel owner’s wife also hurled abuses at the daughter and her classmate and threatened to kill them. Bhelupur police said as the case registered in this connection also comprises sections of SC/ST Act, further action would be taken after detailed investigation by the ACP. 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.
Basti, a minor girl was gang-raped after being locked in a room, beaten and thrown out, boys from another community accused
Basti news: Three youths from another community gang-raped a minor Dalit girl in Basti. The accused beat her up and threw her out of the house threatening to kill her. A very disgusting incident has come to light from Basti in Uttar Pradesh, which has created a stir in the entire area. Here, a minor Dalit girl was gang-raped by three boys from another community after being locked in a room. Here, the accused beat up the victim and threw her out threatening to kill her. The pain of the victim did not end here, when she reached the police station with a complaint, the policemen made her run for half an hour saying that she will be there for ten minutes. When the leaders of Vishwa Hindu Mahasangh started a protest against this incident, then a case could be registered against the accused. Police teams have been formed to arrest the accused. Minor kidnapped and gangraped The incident is from a village in Sonha police station area where three boys from the Muslim community of the village gangraped a minor girl. The victim’s mother told in the complaint that on August 16 at 9:00 am, her daughter was going to the grocery store when the accused kidnapped her by closing her mouth and raped her in turns for 3 hours. During this time, the accused kept guarding the room by locking it so that no one could find out. When the family members searched for the daughter, they came to know about the entire incident. The accused beat up the victim badly and threw her out of the house threatening to kill her. Hindu organizations protested After the case came to light, Vishwa Hindu Mahasangh reached the police station and registered a complaint of the victim’s family. District President of the Mahasangh, Akhilesh Kumar Singh said that this is the situation when the government claims about the safety of daughters in Uttar Pradesh. But the reality is that daughters are being brutalized openly. After taking action, the police is trying to suppress the case. The police has registered a complaint in this case. Additional Superintendent of Police Om Prakash Singh said that on the basis of the application, a case has been registered against the accused and action is being taken to arrest them. The victim will be given a medical checkup. The police has gone to the village for investigation. The accused will not be spared. By: Satish Shrivastava Courtesy: Hindi News