Dalit says he was assaulted during village fair in Belagavi
Ramdurg Police have registered case against unidentified people based on a complaint by a Dalit youth that he was assaulted during a village fair in Kunnal in Belagavi district. In his complaint, Laxman Madar has said that he was beaten up by a group of five-six people when he questioned why they were trying to forcibly throw coloured water on women from his family. “The victim received some injuries and was admitted to hospital. He is recovering. Investigation is on to identify and apprehend the accused,” Additional Superintendent of Police Ramagonda Basaragi said. Courtesy : The Hindu Bureau, The Hindu Note: This news is originally published on https://thehindu.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Gorakhpur: Dalit family was invited to a wedding, they were beaten up for touching food, they entered their house and attacked… case registered against 11
In Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, a case of beating up six Dalits for touching food at a wedding ceremony has come to light. People of Rajbhar community beat up Dalits badly for touching food. The victims have lodged a complaint with the police and a case has been registered against 11 accused. In Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, a case of beating up half a dozen Dalits for touching food has come to light. Dalit youths who had gone to eat food at a wedding ceremony were beaten up by people of Rajbhar community. Police have registered a case against 11 accused on the complaint of the victims. The incident is being investigated. This case of beating is of 9th May. The accused beat up the people of Dalit community because they had touched the food prepared at the wedding ceremony. Whereas, the victims had received an invitation for the feast. Even in today’s times, cases of untouchability and caste-religion discrimination are not decreasing. Many people are seen arguing over these things even in today’s digital age. Sometimes not allowing a Dalit groom to ride a horse, sometimes there is a conspiracy of beating and boycott for touching water. The latest case is of village Dudhai of Chaurachauri police station area of Gorakhpur. Police has registered a case against the accused. Uproar over touching food According to the incident, there was a wedding ceremony at Lalji’s house in village Dudhai on May 9. Everyone was present in the program and the feast was going on. People were eating food. On receiving the invitation to the feast, Dinanath, a Dalit youth of the village, reached the program with his family to eat food. In the complaint letter given to the police, Dinanath told that when he picked up the plate of food, Sonu, Ramchandra and Bhim of Rajbhar community stopped him and said how did you touch the food? Dalit family members were beaten up after going home It is alleged that they abused Dinanath and his family members and drove them away from there. All of them went back home. Meanwhile, the three accused along with their other companions came to their house at night. The accused armed with sticks and knives attacked them. They were beaten up badly, due to which 6 people including women of the family got injured. Police have registered a case. Courtesy: Hindi News
Bihar Politics: Rahul Gandhi blew the Congress trumpet in Bihar, how important are Dalit voters in the state, know in 5 points
Bihar Politics: Assembly elections are to be held in Bihar in October-November. Before this, Rahul Gandhi has started the exercise of giving a new lease of life to the Congress by playing the Dalit card in Bihar politics. This has alerted all the parties. Know how important the Dalit card is in Bihar. Bihar Politics: Whether as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha or as a Congress MP on the road, a new form of Rahul Gandhi is visible. Rahul will be seen talking about the Constitution, the rights of Dalits given in it and Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar everywhere. This is part of Rahul Gandhi’s exercise, in which he is trying to connect Dalit voters with the Congress again. Due to this, he has also been talking about caste census everywhere. Along with this, there have been claims of pressure from Congress behind the caste survey conducted by Nitish Kumar’s government in Bihar, which was a partner in the government with Nitish Kumar’s JDU at the time of the survey. The first test of this exercise of Rahul Gandhi is Bihar, where assembly elections (Bihar Assembly Election 2025) are going to be held in October-November. Dalit voters have special importance in Bihar politics. This is the reason why Rahul Gandhi reached Darbhanga on Thursday (May 15) to meet Dalit students despite all the obstacles and after reaching Patna, he watched the film ‘Phule’ based on Dalit social reformers Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule. The importance of this tour for Rahul can be gauged in such a way that he met Dalit students in Ambedkar hostel despite all the opposition from the administration in Darbhanga. Two FIRs have also been registered against him for this. Let us tell you in 5 points how important Dalit voters are in Bihar and why the elections here are going to prove to be a test for Rahul Gandhi- Dalit voters constitute 19 percent of Bihar’s population Bihar’s politics has always revolved around Dalit and Mahadalit vote banks. There are about 19 percent Dalit voters in Bihar. The state’s Dalit vote bank has so far been influenced by LJP (Ram Vilas Paswan), Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM, CPI (ML). Apart from this, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JDU and Lalu Prasad Yadav’s RJD have also been a part of it. Nitish Kumar has also found new equations by playing the Mahadalit card among this Dalit vote bank. Before the rise of Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar, Dalit voters used to be in the Congress’s share. Rahul Gandhi’s exercise is to return this love of Dalit voters to the Congress, the hope of which has increased after the results of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 2. 40 assembly seats are reserved in the state Out of 243 seats in Bihar assembly, 40 seats are reserved. Out of these, Dalit Scheduled Caste candidates contest on 38 seats and Scheduled Tribe candidates contest on 2 seats. Congress has been getting the support of Muslim voters in Bihar, which it is expecting this time too. If Congress gets the support of Dalit voters due to Rahul Gandhi’s efforts, then due to Dalit-Muslim equation, Congress can do the miracle which has been keeping away from it for the last several decades. How is Rahul Gandhi trying in Bihar? Rahul Gandhi has visited Bihar 4 times in the last 5 months. On these visits, he has been continuously accusing BJP of trying to snatch the rights of Dalits and calling Nitish Kumar a partner of BJP in this. Along with this, he has also been talking about giving rights to Dalits through caste census. Earlier in ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ also, Rahul Gandhi has been continuously raising the issue of Dalits. To woo Dalits in the state, on Rahul Gandhi’s behest, Congress has removed a strong leader like Akhilesh Prasad Singh and made Dalit leader Rajesh Kumar the state president, while Sushil Pasi has been appointed as the co-in-charge of Bihar. Dalit focus Rahul Gandhi is raising three demands Rahul Gandhi has been raising three demands to woo Dalit voters to his camp, the first of which is to conduct caste census in the country. After the Modi government announced caste census, Rahul has tried to take credit for it by loudly calling it the result of Congress’ pressure. The second demand is to ensure funding under the government’s SC/ST sub-plan scheme and the third demand is to implement reservation in private institutions as well. Let us tell you that SC/ST sub-plan fund is a fixed part of the budget for the socio-economic development of Dalits in every state’s plan. Rahul Gandhi says that Dalits are not getting this fund. If Congress rises, Nitish will suffer a direct loss The separation between Congress and Dalit voters in Bihar started after the rise of Nitish Kumar’s JDU. In such a situation, it is believed that if Dalit voters join Congress again, Nitish Kumar will suffer a direct loss. In the NDA alliance, JDU’s status in Bihar is higher than BJP. This means that if Nitish Kumar’s party goes down, then it will be BJP’s loss. This math can be understood from the following figures- In Bihar elections 1990, Congress got 24.78% votes. In Bihar elections 1995, Congress got 16.30% votes. In Bihar elections 2000, Congress got only 11.06% votes. In Bihar elections 2005, Congress’s fort collapsed with 6.09% votes. In Bihar elections 2010, Congress tried to rise with 8.37% votes. In Bihar elections 2015, Congress got only 6.7% votes. In Bihar elections 2020, Congress again got 9.48% by joining RJD. Courtesy : Kuldeep Panwar, Hindi News
Congress claims Rahul Gandhi stopped by police from entering Ambedkar hostel in Bihar’s Darbhanga
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was stopped by police on Thursday while trying to enter the Ambedkar hostel in Darbhanga, where he was scheduled to interact with students under the party’s ‘Shiksha Nyay Samvad’ initiative. Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, was denied entry into the hostel premises by local authorities, sparking protests from senior Bihar Congress leaders who demanded that the gates be opened. — PTI_News (@PTI_News) The Congress had planned the event at the Ambedkar hostel, but the district administration reportedly shifted the venue to Town Hall late Wednesday night, after initially denying permission. Congress leaders, however, insisted that Gandhi would speak to students at the original venue. “The administration in Darbhanga is acting at the behest of the JD(U)-BJP combine,” senior Congress leader Abhay Dubey said at a press conference in Patna. “Hundreds of students from nearby districts like Madhubani and Samastipur are being stopped from entering Darbhanga. But the administration should realise that Rahul Gandhi enjoys the support of the deprived sections of this country.” While police restricted entry, Bihar Congress leaders accused the administration of obstructing their outreach programme and questioned claims that prior permission to hold the event at the hostel was never requested. Dubey dismissed the administration’s claim and called it an excuse to suppress the voice of students. “It’s unfortunate that such tactics are being used to silence a dialogue meant to address education inequality,” he said. The ‘Shiksha Nyay Samvad’ is a Congress-led public outreach campaign focused on educational justice, and Darbhanga was one of the key stops in Bihar. 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.
SC expresses concern over branding entire community of transgenders as ‘risky’ blood donors
The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed concern on branding an entire community of transgenders as “risky” as blood donors, and asked the Centre address their concerns of discrimination. “Are we going to brand all transgenders as risky and stigmatise them. You cannot say that all transgenders are indulging in sexual activity,” said a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh. The apex court was hearing petition challenging the constitutional validity of Section 12 and 51 of Blood Donor guidelines, 2017, which has imposed a blanket ban on transgender persons from donating blood. The petition also challenged guidelines issued by the National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC), which prevented transgender persons, men having sex with men (MSM) and female sex workers from donating blood for being at “high risk” for HIV, Hepatitis B or C infections. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for Centre, said that the guidelines are not intended to stigmatise anyone but have been prepared by NBTC, which comprises doctors and experts, with scientific temper and keeping public health and welfare in mind. To this, the bench remarked that it was worried about the element of discrimination against transgenders and that they have been isolated and excluded. “Just think of something that such feeling does not come, and health standards are not compromised,” said the bench as it gave time to the Centre to address transgenders concerns of discrimination without compromising on medical precautions. The apex court said that with changing times, new technologies have emerged and there could be a way out to ensure any possibility of infections is checked and contained. Already transgenders suffer from severe biases and prejudices, does this guidelines not further it, said the bench. ASG Bhati assured the bench that she will raise the court’s suggestion to the experts. Bhati also apprised the bench that once blood is donated it goes directly to blood banks and there are vulnerable persons, such as thalassemic patients, who entirely depend on blood banks. “As a group, transgenders are considered a high-risk group the world over, with certain exceptions. There is a period within which infection has to be identified, and the risk window has to be carefully considered. Nobody can claim to have a fundamental right to donate blood. These guidelines must be seen from the perspective of public health as the idea is not to stigmatise anyone,” Bhati added. The petition filed by Manipur-based transgender and social activist Thangjam Santa Singh, termed the guidelines unconstitutional for discriminating persons based on gender identity. 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.
Koovagam festival celebrates transgender identity and the legend of aravan
In the Mahabharata, when the five Pandavas decided to sacrifice Aravan to ensure victory over the Kauravas in battle, Aravan expressed his wish to marry. No one stepped forward, knowing Aravan would be sacrificed the next day. According to legend, Lord Krishna transformed into a woman and married him. Every year, Koovagam village in Kallakurichi district comes alive with the Koothandavar temple festival, which, over 18 days, commemorates the epic battle between the Pandavas and Kauravas. Thousands of transgender people come together at the temple dedicated to Koothandavar (Aravan), the son of Arjuna. On Tuesday, the penultimate day, devotees donned elaborate costumes, wore their favourite jewellery, and queued up at the temple to have their thalis tied, marking their symbolic marriage. On Wednesday, the final day of the festival, devotees broke their thalis and bangles, wiped off their sindoor, and mourned the sacrifice of their husband, Koothandavar, before taking a holy dip in the lake. A beauty contest was also held as part of the festival. “I’m fortunate to have been accepted by my parents, and it’s something I hope for others as well,” says S Renuga, crowned Miss Koovagam 2025. The 24-year-old model from Chennai, originally from Tirunelveli, says though she missed out on the title the previous year, she was determined to win this time. Email your feedback with name and address to southpole.toi@timesofindia.com 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.
NMC Builds First Transgender-Friendly Units
Nagpur: In a pioneering initiative, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is constructing seven public toilets with dedicated facilities for transgenders, a first of its kind in the city. Simultaneously, 36 high-tech smart toilets are being developed in six phases. Currently, Nagpur has only 58 public and 36 community toilets, falling short of the required 150 public toilets based on population density. To bridge this gap, the civic body has identified spaces in markets, gardens, and grounds, including Dhanwantari Nagar, Sugat Nagar, Futala, and Motibagh. Three of the seven public toilets with transgender facilities are nearing completion at locations such as Gorakshan, Mangalwari Bazaar, and near Futala Lake. The remaining ones will be constructed in Satranjipura, Pardi, Mankapur, and Gandhibagh. These toilets, estimated to cost Rs 5 crore, will also serve men and women and include commode facilities tailored for transgenders. This initiative, driven by municipal commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari, has been welcomed by the transgender community, which has long demanded such facilities. Meanwhile, the NMC is spending Rs 17 crore to construct 36 smart public toilets with modern amenities like mobile-based location tracking, baby changing stations, and feeding rooms. Some smart toilets are already operational, and the NMC plans to incorporate transgender-specific facilities wherever possible in ongoing phases like Walkers Street and Mor Bhavan bus stand. Officials believe these upgrades are essential for improving sanitation and upholding the dignity of all citizens. The NMC aims to fast-track completion and make public sanitation in Nagpur more accessible, inclusive, and future-ready. 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.
‘Crossed lakshman rekha’: Shashi Tharoor given ‘clear message’ by leadership over India-Pakistan remarks, say Congress sources
NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has “crossed the lakshman rekha” with his repeated remarks on the India-Pakistan conflict, party sources told news agency PTI on Wednesday. The remarks followed a high-level meeting at the Congress headquarters, attended by Tharoor, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, KC Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh, Sachin Pilot and other senior leaders. “We are a democratic party and people keep expressing their opinion, but this time, Tharoor has crossed the lakshman rekha,” a party source said after the meeting. Sources said the leadership conveyed a “clear message” during the discussion – that this is a time to present a united front and reflect the party’s official position, not personal viewpoints. Without naming anyone directly, the message appeared to have been aimed at Tharoor, who has made several public comments on the ongoing India-Pakistan tensions that differ from the party’s approach. The Congress has sharply questioned the Modi government, particularly over US president Donald Trump’s repeated claims of mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. When asked about Tharoor’s remarks, Congress communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh said at a press briefing, “That is his opinion. When Mr. Tharoor speaks, it does not reflect the views of the party.” Tharoor’s recent statements have drawn attention for appearing more conciliatory or divergent from the party’s critical stance on the government’s handling of India-Pakistan relations post-Operation Sindoor. While the Congress has lauded the armed forces for the success of Operation Sindoor, it has raised questions over the Modi government’s abrupt decision to agree to a ceasefire, a move first announced by Trump. In contrast, Shashi Tharoor came out in strong defence of the government, dismissing Trump as “a politician wanting to take credit for something” and backing India’s decision to agree to the truce. 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.
‘What role did US play?’: Congress questions PM Modi, EAM Jaishankar’s silence over Donald Trump’s India-Pakistan ceasefire claim
NEW DELHI: Congress on Wednesday announced “Jai Hind” rallies across country in an effort to demand answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and foreign minister S Jaishankar over the interference of America in India-Pakistan ceasefire deal. It has also demanded a special Parliament session to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people on April 22. “For the last few days, the Congress party is asking why US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire between India and Pakistan. This is happening for the first time. PM Modi does not say anything on this. US secretary of state Marco Rubio says that America’s role was so important that it was because of them that this war stopped. EAM Dr Jaishankar does not even answer this. We are continuously asking why PM Modi and EAM are not answering what the role of America is?” the grand old party’s national spokesperson Jairam Ramesh asked. — ANI (@ANI) “We have decided that we are going to hold ‘Jai Hind Sabha’ rallies in 10-15 states. Our senior party leaders will participate in them, and we will raise several questions to the Prime Minister. Several questions have already been asked by our party. Rahul Gandhi will also ask some questions on 16th May. In these rallies, we will ask the Prime Minister why he is silent. Members of our ex-servicemen department will also be present in the rallies,” he added. — ANI (@ANI) Additionally, Congress expressed support for the armed forces and government in all its efforts against terrorism. Indian military launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 targeting nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The Centre has “We are standing with our armed forces like a rock. We are standing against terrorism, and we give full support to the actions taken against Pakistan. We also demanded that an all-party meeting be called…Two all-party meetings were held, but PM Modi was not present in any of those meetings. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi have written a letter to PM Modi for a special session of the Parliament to discuss the Pahalgam terrorist attack,” Ramesh said. — ANI (@ANI) US President Donald Trump has claimed several times that the States brokered the peace deal between India and Pakistan after the two nations launched military actions against each other, which could have escalated into a war. Trump also claimed that he threatened to stop doing trade with the two nations if they did not stop the escalation. Meanwhile, the claim has been rejected by government sources as they noted that no talks regarding trade was done with any of the US officials since the launch of Operation Sindoor. However, PM Modi has remained reticent regarding the issue even though he has addressed the nation twice since the truce. 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.
Ceasefire at the border rekindles conflict within Karnataka Congress
Bengaluru: With tensions between India and Pakistan easing with the declaration of a ceasefire, conflicts and internal bickering has resumed in the two major national parties — governing Congress and principal opposition BJP — in Karnataka. Some members in both parties are pressing for a change at the helm. Senior Congress functionaries say the decision to go ahead with the Sadhana Samavesha event — scheduled for May 20 in Hospet, Vijayanagara district to mark two years of the party in office — has kicked off rivalries between camps led by chief minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar. Besides talk over the unofficial “pact” that Shivakumar would replace Siddaramaiah as CM at the halfway mark of this govt’s five-year tenure, there is also bickering on the appointment of a new KPCC president and an impending reshuffle of the cabinet. Functionaries claim the party high command had promised to induct a new batch of MLAs into the cabinet after the govt crossed the halfway mark. They say this is why Siddaramaiah filled all 34 ministerial berths when he formed the govt in May 2023. Seniors including Lok Sabha opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and Shivakumar, also KPCC president, had previously suggested as much when they said in public forums that the current set of ministers must make way for those who did not get an opportunity earlier. A large section of MLAs intends to remind Rahul and the party’s high command of this promise when he visits for the Sadhana Samavesha. “As elected representatives, we obviously aspire for ministerial posts so that we serve our constituents better,” said PM Narendra Swamy, Malavalli MLA and chairman of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board. “We will raise the issue at the proper forum. However, we will abide by the decision of the high command.” While a huge contingent of fresh faces is hoping for a ministerial berth, many seniors, including UT Khader, currently serving as speaker of the assembly, former minister RV Deshpande, former deputy chief minister Lakshman Savadi and legislators like Shivalinge Gowda, Vinay Kulkarni, and Appaji Nagagouda are also hoping to make the transition. However, the hitch is that incumbent ministers are unwilling to vacate their posts. While Shivakumar’s supporters like Channagiri MLA Shivagganga Basavaraj insist Siddaramaiah will have to make way for “their leader”, the CM’s loyalists, including urban development minister Byrathi Suresha, have said Siddaramaiah will continue in his present position for the full term. “As ministers, we cannot comment on a cabinet reshuffle or appointment of CM since it is the high command’s decision,” said food and civil supplies minister KH Muniyappa. “However, I think all of us, except a few first-time ministers who need more time to prove their mettle, may consider making way for others.” In BJP, the friction over the state president is intensifying as the detractors of incumbent BY Vijayendra are still pressing for his replacement, while his supporters maintain that the high command has promised to reaffirm his position. 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.