MP High Court’s first Dalit Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait retires, gets emotional at farewellceremony
Heared 3810 cases and left a deep mark in the judiciary, took sensitive decisions for the poor and the disabled Bhopal. Madhya Pradesh High Court’s first Dalit Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait is retiring on 24 May. On Tuesday, when a farewell ceremony was organized in his honor in the High Court premises, Justice Kait became emotional remembering his life’s struggles. He said that being the son of a laborer father, he himself completed his studies till matriculation by working as a laborer. “I never thought that I would become a judge,” — saying this in the ceremony, he said in an emotional voice that the conditions in which he studied did not even have rooms for the school. “Classes were held under the trees,” he said. Tribute paid to the architect of the Constitution Justice Kait recalled the important moments of his career when he first became a judge of the Delhi High Court in 2008, on the same day Badar Durrez Ahmed, son of former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, was also sworn in. On that historic day, everyone paid tribute to Dr Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar — who drafted the Constitution to provide equal opportunities to the working class and underprivileged community of India. Sharing his experience as Chief Justice, he said that the Madhya Pradesh High Court has a sanctioned strength of 53 judges, but at present only 33 judges are working. This not only slows down the process of justice, but also puts a lot of work pressure on the judges. “I have heard 3810 cases since September 27,” Helping poor students become civil judges During his tenure, Kait abolished the requirement of 70% marks in the recruitment of civil judges. He said, “Most of the poor students studying in government universities are not able to score 70% marks, while students of private universities do. Due to this rule, poor students were out of the civil judge examination.” Initiative to destroy the waste of Bhopal gas tragedy Chief Justice Kait also monitored the process of destroying the dangerous chemical waste of Bhopal gas tragedy. He took the initiative to destroy the waste of Union Carbide, although many petitions were filed against it, but Kait took forward the process of burning the waste with scientific process and government permission. He was sensitive towards the disabled and the victims Kait set an example of sensitivity in the judiciary. In a case, when he saw a disabled person wandering in the court with applications again and again, he ordered his transfer without hearing. The matter of permission for air travel for disabled children also came before him, which he resolved immediately. Ban on construction of temples in police stations During the hearing of a PIL, he questioned the government as to why temples are being built inside police stations and with whose permission. Giving a clear order, he said that permission should not be given to build temples in new police stations. His decision strengthens the constitutional spirit of secularism. Journey of Chief Justice Kait Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait was born in a laborer family in Haryana. After his early education, he obtained an LLB degree from the Central University of Delhi. In the field of advocacy, he practiced in Delhi and during this time he was also a junior to former President Ram Nath Kovind. His judicial service started in the year 2008, when he was appointed a judge of the Delhi High Court. After this, in the year 2023, he was made the Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court. After his contribution to the judiciary, he will retire on 24 May 2025. Courtesy: Ankit Pachauri, Hindi News
MP: Dalit youths in Rajgarh were subjected to inhuman treatment and assault, their faces were blackened and they were paraded in the village
Police registered a case under SC/ST Act after the video of the incident of May 13 surfaced Bhopal. The brutality against two youths of Dalit community in a village in Kurawar police station area of Rajgarh district of Madhya Pradesh has shaken the state. These youths were first beaten up in the field, then their faces were blackened and they were paraded in the entire village wearing a garland of shoes and slippers. This incident is of May 13, but the matter gained momentum after its video surfaced on Thursday. The victim youths lodged a complaint at Kurawar police station, after which the police have registered a case against the accused under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act (SC/ST Act) and other sections. What is the matter? The victim youth told that his father had borrowed about Rs 6 lakh from some people of the village, which they were preparing to return. But before paying the amount, the goons took over 10 bighas of their ancestral land. The victim said, “We had said that take one bigha of land and adjust the rest of the money, but they got angry and did this atrocity in the name of teaching us a lesson.” Caught in the field, clothes removed, face blackened The victim said that on May 13, the accused reached the field and caught him and his companion there. He said, “Our clothes were removed, face blackened and hands were tied and garlanded with shoes and slippers. After this, we were publicly insulted in the entire village,” After the incident, the victim’s father tried to reach a compromise in the village. At that time, Yagya-Havan was going on in the village, so he did not register a complaint in the police station. But as soon as this video went viral on social media, the police came into action. First the police kept talking about intoxication, then FIR registered Initially, Kurawar police kept saying that the youth had reached the village in a state of intoxication and a dispute had occurred there. But when the video surfaced and the matter heated up, police station in-charge Sangeeta Sharma informed on Thursday night that action has been taken on the complaint of the victim. The police have registered a case in the matter on charges of assault, insulting behavior and cruelty to persons of Scheduled Castes and Tribes. Anger among Dalit organizations, demand for arrest After the incident, Dalit organizations have demanded that the accused be arrested immediately and the victim’s family be given security. The organizations say that this matter is not just about caste insult, but a direct attack on the values of the Constitution, which cannot be tolerated under any circumstances. Speaking to The Mooknayak, Bhim Army leader Vinod Yadav Ambedkar said that atrocities are being continuously committed against Dalits in Madhya Pradesh and the government has completely failed to stop them. He demanded that strict action be taken against the accused and the victims be given security so that they can live without fear. Congress attacks the government Speaking to The Mooknayak, SC Congress President and former member of the State Scheduled Caste Commission Pradeep Ahirwar targeted Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. He said that the government’s silence on the atrocities being committed against Dalits is extremely shameful. Pradeep Ahirwar said that the Chief Minister is only making announcements, but no concrete action is visible at the ground level. He demanded that the government should give strict punishment to the culprits and provide immediate help to the victim’s family. Courtesy: Ankit Pachauri, Hindi News
‘Congress ki Ram Ram kar ke hi chhodenge’: BJP hits back at Jairam Ramesh’s ‘unfit body’ remark on Niti Aayog meet
NEW DELHI: BJP on Saturday slammed Jairam Ramesh for calling the NITI Aayog an “Ayogya” (unfit) body, saying such remarks will only create controversy and harm the Congress party itself. Speaking to news agency PTI, BJP spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said that, “This is a meeting of Team India to take decisions for the country’s development. Jairam Ramesh is finding fault in this too.” “Jairam Ramesh Congress ki Ram Ram kar ke hi chhodenge (Jairam Ramesh will finish off the Congress),” he added. These remarks came after the Congress leader called the NITI Aayog an “Ayogya” (unfit) body and criticised the Centre, claiming the meeting was “yet another exercise in hypocrisy and diversion.” In a post on X, Ramesh raised 6 questions about the Centre’s development goals under the ‘Viksit Bharat’ mission, expressing doubts over the purpose of the NITI Aayog meeting. He questioned the Centre’s development claims, asking “What kind of ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India) it would be if: Those in power themselves break social harmony with harmful words and actions. Institutions like Parliament, judiciary, universities, media, and constitutional bodies are undermined for political gain. India’s core values are attacked openly. Economic inequality grows while wealth stays with a few. The country’s rich diversity is deliberately disrespected and erased. Not only freedom of speech is under threat but freedom after speech is also endangered.” — Jairam_Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) The Congress leader made his remarks as Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the 10th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog on Saturday. The meeting focused on the theme ‘Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat@2047’. Hussain called the NITI Aayog meeting a “Team India meeting” and criticised the Congress for opposing it. “NITI Aayog is a big institution of the country. It makes policies for the country. In its meeting, eminent people, including chief ministers, are sitting together to make the country develop. The Congress has started objecting to it also,” he added. — PTI_News (@PTI_News) The BJP representative also took a swipe at leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s Kashmir visit, saying, “Bahut der kar di huzoor aate aate’ (It took you a long time to visit),” he said. “Recently, he went to Bihar to do politics at Ambedkar Hostel. Now, he is missing the people of Poonch and Uri,” Hussain alleged. Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi visited Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir to meet victims of cross-border shelling by Pakistani troops. He spent over an hour with the affected residents, including families who lost loved ones in the shelling that took place between May 7 and May 10. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https://timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Dalit Man Killed! His ‘Crime’? Calling A Minor ‘Beta’
Six days after a brutal assault left him clinging to life, Nilesh Rathod, a Dalit man from Jarakhiya village in Gujarat’s Amreli district, succumbed to his injuries at Bhavnagar Civil Hospital on Thursday. His only “crime” — addressing a minor boy from a different caste as “beta” while buying snacks at a local shop. The assault, steeped in caste-based animosity, unfolded on May 16. According to an FIR filed by Lalji Mansukh Chauhan, who was also attacked, the incident began innocuously enough when Rathod asked the boy at the shop if he needed help reaching some snack packets, casually using the term “beta” (son). Rathod returned moments later to the nearby bhajiya stall on Amreli-Savarkundla road, visibly shaken. He told Chauhan that the shopkeeper had tried to strike him with an iron ladle over the remark. Chauhan then approached the shop to defuse the situation but was instead assaulted by the shopkeeper, Chotha Khoda Bharwad, who struck him with a stick. Another man, Vijay Anand Tota, joined in and beat both Chauhan and Rathod. The situation escalated further as Jaga Dudhat, the owner of the bhajiya stall, intervened and managed to pull them away from the attackers. But it did not end there. Rathod’s uncle, Suresh Vala, later confronted the shopkeeper. By then, a group of more men—summoned by the accused—arrived and attacked Vala and others with sticks and sickles, hurling casteist slurs while unleashing their violence. The FIR clearly stated that the assailants mocked the victims for “overreaching” despite their so-called “lower caste” status. The attack only ceased when an elderly man arrived and urged the mob to stop. The report added that the police booked only four of the accused—Bharwad, Tota, Bhavesh Mundhwa, and Jatin Mundhwa—under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, alongside section 135 of the Gujarat Police Act. The charges included grievous hurt, unlawful assembly, rioting, and intentional insult. After Rathod was hospitalised, the police added charges of attempt to murder, which were later upgraded to murder following his death. Amreli Superintendent of Police, Sanjay Kharat, informed the national newspaper that investigations revealed a total of 11 individuals were involved in the attack. He confirmed that nine have been arrested so far, including not just the originally named four but also Kathad Arjan Mundhwa, Deva Sanga Mundhwa, Duda Bogha Mundhwa, and Ravi Duda Mundhwa. A minor has also been apprehended, and two more accused are still being pursued. The incident has triggered outrage. On Friday, Congress MLA Jignesh Mevani staged a protest alongside Rathod’s grieving family. Mevani, in a strongly-worded Facebook statement, accused “casteist elements” of killing Rathod over a trivial exchange and demanded swift, uncompromising justice. He called for either five acres of farmland or government jobs for all four victims — including Rathod’s family and acquaintances who were also attacked. Mevani insisted the investigation be handed to a competent officer and fast-tracked to set a precedent. Rathod’s family, inconsolable in their grief, have declared they will not accept his body until their demands are fulfilled — a stark symbol of the justice denied to the oppressed. Rathod’s family, inconsolable in their grief, have declared they will not accept his body until their demands are fulfilled — a stark symbol of the justice denied to the oppressed. Courtesy : Vibes Of India Note: This news is originally published on https://vibesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Andhra Pradesh Horror: 3-Year-Old Dalit Girl Raped, Murdered in Kadapa District by 25-Year
Old Man A three-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly raped and murdered here in Kadapa district by a 25-year-old man, said a police official on Saturday. Kambaladinne, May 24: A three-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly raped and murdered here in Kadapa district by a 25-year-old man, said a police official on Saturday. Additional Superintendent of Police, Prakash Babu, said the girl was allegedly raped and murdered by a person called Rahmatullah of Kambaladinne village in Mylavaram mandal around Friday noon. Andhra Pradesh Horror: Man Lures 3-Year-Old Girl Into Bushes With Sweets, Rapes and Kills Her in YSR Kadapa District; Arrested. “He is in our custody,” Babu told PTI. According to police, Rahmatullah came to attend a wedding and allegedly took the girl behind the function hall and raped and smothered her to death. Police booked him under the SC, ST (prevention of atrocities) Act and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the official added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Women and Child Helpline Numbers: Childline India – 1098; Missing Child and Women – 1094; Women’s Helpline – 181; National Commission for Women Helpline – 112; National Commission for Women Helpline Against Violence – 7827170170; Police Women and Senior Citizen Helpline – 1091/1291. Courtesy : LatestLY Note: This news is originally published on https://latestly.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Police Register FIR Against Dalit Scholar For Questioning Operation Sindoor and Rafale Deal in Facebook Post
A Dalit PhD scholar in student leader from Allahabad University was booked by Azamgarh police after his Facebook post in which he questioned International security issues, the controversial Rafale fighter jet deal and the silence of Modi government on alleged corruption and losses during the recent Indo Pak conflict. In this post Manish Kumar questioned, “why has the Modi government not yet denied the reports that claim India lost multiple Rafale jets during the conflict? Why has there been no transparency and clarification? He further questioned the financial side of the Rafale deal hinting at the involvement of Ambani for corporate interests. Manish is the state president of the All India Students Association which is the student wing of the communist Party of India. Following his post, an FIR was registered on May 14 at Katharipur police station under sections of Bharatiya nyay Sanhita pertaining to inciting public disorder and misleading online content. Several student groups and civil society activists came forward in support of Manish calling the FIR an attack on free speech and an attempt to silence dissent. Condemning the actions of police the AISA stated, “The FIR against comrade Manish is not an exception. It is a part of a countrywide assault on descent launched after the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor. In Jammu and Kashmir, over 3000 arrests have taken place. In Assam, 42 people were jailed for ‘Pro Pakistan post.’ In Uttar Pradesh alone, 30 people have been arrested and 40 FIRs have been lodged. Across India, students, artists, and citizens are being targeted. This is not democracy. This is rule by fear.” Manish has not been arrested yet but police say that legal action is underway. Meanwhile the rights group plans to challenge the FIR in court. Courtesy : Muslim Mirror Note: This news is originally published on https://muslimmirror.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Telangana BC survey can’t be role model: Panel ex-chief
Hyderabad: Telangana Backward Classes (BC) Commission former chairman Vakulabharanam Krishna Mohan Rao has expressed serious objections over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s portrayal of Telangana’s caste enumeration and 42% BC reservation initiative as a “national role model.” He stated that the Telangana caste survey was conducted without authority as per the Constitution and legal framework. In an open letter to Rahul Gandhi on Saturday, Krishna Mohan Rao mentioned that while the Article 342A(3) permits states to maintain their own BC lists, any enumeration or survey, related to the identification of BCs must be conducted by a commission constituted under the Article 340 with the assent of the President, or under statutory provisions such as the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952, or the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008. He noted that the SEEEPC (Socio-Economic Educational Employment Political Caste) survey in Telangana was executed by the planning department through IAS officers, without the authority of any such legally mandated body, rendering it unconstitutional. “The caste survey lacks public consultation, transparency, and scientific rigour, with no caste-wise data made public to date. Despite this, the Telangana govt proceeded to act upon it,” the ex-chairman said. He stated that the BC reservation in education and employment falls squarely under the purview of the BC Commission. He added that the govt could have entrusted the BC Commission with this task, backed by clear terms of reference (TOR), and ensured a scientifically sound process. “Unfortunately, that was not done,” he said. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https://timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Muslim Welfare Association Demands 10% Reservation At MIDCs & Muslim Chamber Of Commerce Like Dalit Community
A Muslim organisation has demanded the Maharashtra government to provide reserved plots to Muslim entrepreneurs at Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) projects. The organisation has also demanded the government to set up an industrial chamber of commerce for the Muslim community. The Muslim Welfare Association has put forward a demand for a reservation of 10% of land for Muslim entrepreneurs at MIDC premises across the state, on the lines of the reservation provided to the Dalit community. On May 20, the NGO’s Aurangabad city president, Ahmed Jalees, wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as well as Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, expressing the demand. The NGO claimed that the reservation for Muslim entrepreneurs at MIDCs is necessary for the community’s economic upliftment and connecting them to the mainstream of employment. It has also demanded the establishment of a Muslim Industrial Chambers of Commerce of India (MICCI) on the lines of the Dalit Industrial Chambers of Commerce of India (DICCI). In its representation, the Muslim Welfare Committee has claimed that the Muslim community is falling behind in everyday life and also cited the Sachar Committee report that the Muslim community’s condition, in many respects, was worse than that of the Dalit community. “The Muslim community is falling behind day by day socially, educationally, and economically. It is essential for the government to empower the Muslim community socially, educationally, and economically to improve their condition,” read the letter. The NGO has threatened to hold protests if their reservation demands are not met. Courtesy : The Free Press Journal Note: This news is originally published on https://thefreepressjournal.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Court issues NBW against Rahul Gandhi
Jamshedpur: A special MP-MLA court in Chaibasa has issued a non-bailable warrant against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in connection with a 2018 defamation case and asked him to appear in person on June 26. The court rejected Gandhi’s plea seeking exemption from personal appearance before issuing the warrant. Pratap Katiyar, a local BJP leader, had filed the case for Gandhi’s remarks against then BJP president Amit Shah at the Congress party’s plenary session in 2018. The case was transferred to the special MP-MLA court in 2020 which then issued summons to Gandhi, but he did not appear, following which a bailable warrant was issued. Gandhi then approached the HC seeking a stay on the warrant. The HC disposed of the plea on March 20, 2024. Jamshedpur: A special MP-MLA court in Chaibasa has issued a non-bailable warrant against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in connection with a 2018 defamation case and asked him to appear in person on June 26. The court rejected Gandhi’s plea seeking exemption from personal appearance before issuing the warrant. Pratap Katiyar, a local BJP leader, had filed the case for Gandhi’s remarks against then BJP president Amit Shah at the Congress party’s plenary session in 2018. The case was transferred to the special MP-MLA court in 2020 which then issued summons to Gandhi, but he did not appear, following which a bailable warrant was issued. Gandhi then approached the HC seeking a stay on the warrant. The HC disposed of the plea on March 20, 2024. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https://timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Called Pakistani firing a big tragedy, assured help to the victims, what did Rahul Gandhi do in Poonch?
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reached Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday to meet the people affected by Pakistani firing after ‘Operation Sindoor’. Gandhi assured the victim families that he is with them in this difficult time. Rahul also met school children and encouraged them by saying that he loves them very much. Rahul met the victims of Pakistani firing in Poonch Jammu: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reached Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday to meet the people affected by Pakistani firing after ‘Operation Sindoor’. Gandhi assured the victim families that he is with them in this difficult time. Rahul also met school children and encouraged them by saying that he loves them very much. He said that this is a very big tragedy. Many people died in this. Resources have also been damaged on a large scale. We met people. Learned about their pain and suffering. We tried to understand the problems of the people. He said that during the meeting, people told me some of their problems and urged me to raise it at the national level. I will definitely raise it at the national level and I will try to solve the problems of these people. Whom did Rahul Gandhi meet? Congress’ Jammu and Kashmir unit president Tariq Hameed Karra had earlier said on Saturday that Gandhi visited structures affected by the shelling, including a gurdwara, a temple, a madrasa and a Christian missionary school. He also met bereaved families and members of civil society. He said Gandhi is the first national leader to reach out to the affected population to express solidarity and share their pain. Gandhi had said in his visit to Jammu and Kashmir last month that the concept behind the terrorist attack was to divide the people of the country and it is necessary that India unites and defeats terrorism forever. Rahul Gandhi’s Poonch visit In fact, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi visited Poonch and interacted with the affected people for more than an hour. These included families who lost their members in the shelling between May 7 and May 10. Rahul Gandhi told reporters that this is a big tragedy. Many people have lost their lives. They (Pakistani army) have attacked places of common citizens. I talked to people and tried to understand their problems. They have asked me to raise their issue at the national level, which I will do. Standing strongly with the victim families – Rahul He later wrote on the social media platform ‘X’ that I met the families of those who lost their lives in Pakistan’s shelling in Poonch today. Broken houses, scattered belongings, moist eyes and painful stories of losing loved ones in every corner – these patriotic families bear the biggest burden of war every time with courage and dignity. Salute to their courage. Gandhi said that I stand strongly with the victim families – I will definitely raise their demands and issues at the national level. He was accompanied by the party’s Jammu and Kashmir unit president Tariq Hameed Karra and All India Congress Committee general secretary G A Mir. What did Rahul Gandhi say to school children in Poonch? Rahul Gandhi also met school children in Poonch. He told them that you guys should not panic. I am standing with you in this difficult time. I love you guys very much. You guys do not need to take tension at all. The Congress leader told the school children that to get out of this difficult time, you guys should study diligently and make a lot of friends. I assure all of you that one day everything will be fine. Rahul Gandhi shared the video Rahul had also gone after the Pahalgam attack This is the second visit of the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha to the Union Territory since the brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22. 26 people lost their lives in that terrorist attack, most of whom were tourists. Gandhi had visited Srinagar on April 25 to meet the people injured in the terrorist attack. He had met the Lieutenant Governor, Chief Minister and many others of Jammu and Kashmir during that time. Rahul reached Jammu on Saturday morning A Congress leader said on Saturday morning that Gandhi arrived at Jammu airport on Saturday morning and left for Poonch by helicopter to visit the areas affected by the cross-border shelling and meet the bereaved families. In response to the Pahalgam terror attack, India carried out precision strikes on nine terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and its occupied Kashmir late on May 6 under ‘Operation Sindoor’. Since then, shelling had increased in the Poonch sector. 13 people killed in Pakistani shelling in Poonch district alone 28 people were killed in artillery fire and missile and drone attacks by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir between May 7 and 10, of which 13 were killed in Poonch district alone and more than 70 were injured. Thousands of people living in areas near the Line of Control and International Border areas left their homes and took shelter in government relief camps. India and Pakistan agreed to end the military confrontation on May 10 after four days of continued drone and missile attacks across the border. Curated by: Sujeet Upadhyay Courtesy : Hindi News