Rahul Gandhi ridiculed globally too, says BJP on student quizzing him on 1984 riot
NEW DELHI: BJP on Sunday lauded the Sikh student who questioned Rahul Gandhi over the massacre of Sikhs in 1984 and said it was telling that the Congress leader was being “ridiculed not just in India, but around the world”. The student asked Rahul what attempts he was making to reconcile with the Sikh community and referred to the 1984 riots in his lengthy poser when the Congress MP was having an interaction session with students at Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University in the US on April 21. The video of the interaction was uploaded on Saturday on the Watson Institute’s YouTube channel. BJP’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya shared a snippet of the video and said the student had directly reminded Rahul of the “unfounded fear-mongering” he had done about Sikh identity under BJP rule. Questioning Rahul’s previous remarks on religious freedom under BJP rule, the Sikh student said, “You create fear among Sikhs about what BJP would look like. We want freedom of expression, which has not been allowed under the Congress in the past.” The student also referred to the Anandpur Sahib resolution, which he claimed the Congress mis-characterized as a separatist manifesto. He criticized the party’s failure to reconcile with the Sikh community and pointed to convicted former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar as evidence of lingering impunity, and said, “Many more Sajjan Kumars are sitting in Congress party.” In response, Rahul admitted that Congress had committed many “mistakes” when he was not there, but added that he was more than happy to take responsibility for everything the party had ever done wrong. He pointed out that he had publicly stated that what happened in the 1980s was “wrong”. BJP also attacked Rahul for calling Lord Ram “a mythological figure” at the same interaction. 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.
Caste census: Congress targets BJP with Supreme Court affidavit, Parliament reply
NEW DELHI: Even as Congress claims PM Narendra Modi buckled under its pressure to reverse his earlier decision on enumerating caste, the party Sunday added a twist by releasing a 2021 govt answer in Parliament in which it had stated that it will not conduct a caste census in 2021 as a policy decision, and also quoting a Centre’s affidavit beseeching Supreme Court not to order a caste census against the govt policy. The opposition party asked the PM if he will accept that he has taken a U-turn on the issue. To amplify its attacks on BJP, Congress has directed its state units to hold statewide rallies at the assembly level to showcase the role of Congress and Rahul Gandhi in making caste census a reality, with the directive that they should highlight that BJP has been against the idea. The party also asked its netas to intensify the demand for removal of 50% barrier on reservations and for implementation of quotas in private educational institutions. Home ministry told Lok Sabha on July 20, 2021, that govt had taken a policy decision not to enumerate caste in the census. Also, as per Congress, PM Modi government told SC on Sept 21, 2021: “The exclusion of information regarding any other caste [outside of SCs and STs] from the purview of census [2021] is a conscious policy decision taken by the central govt.” Congress spokesman Jairam Ramesh said, “Evidence abounds on Modi’s sudden, complete, and desperate U-turn on the caste census… Will he explain to the people and Parliament the reasons for the change in govt’s policy?” 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.
‘My brother took up cause’: Priyanka Gandhi says government ‘pressured’ for caste census
NEW DELHI: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday, while welcoming said that the central government agreed to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census due to pressure. While speaking to the media in Wayanad, Kerala, she said that her brother Rahul Gandhi had raised this issue in Parliament and was mocked for it. “The government has been pressured. My brother took up this cause last year. He has been saying it again and again; the entire BJP was against it. BJP ministers, the Prime Minister himself. When my brother spoke in Parliament, he was also ridiculed by them for speaking in favour of this,” Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said. — priyankagandhi (@priyankagandhi) “I feel that now they have come under pressure because everybody, the whole country, realises that this is a necessity. It is needed now, and I’m glad they have come under pressure. I am happy that they have announced something. I hope that whatever they do, they do it in a proper fashion, in the proper way, so that the correct facts come out,” she added. Earlier in the day, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling the government’s change in position on the caste census a “sudden and desperate U-turn”. In a post on social media, Ramesh pointed out that the Modi government had earlier opposed a caste-based census. He cited three examples to show how the government’s position has changed. In April 2024, during a television interview, Prime Minister Modi had called those demanding a caste census “urban naxals”. — Jairam_Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) The Cabinet committee on political affairs, led by Prime Minister Modi, decided last week to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census. After the cabinet meeting, information and broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told the media that this decision shows the government’s commitment to the nation’s overall interests. At the same time, the Congress party passed a resolution asking for the immediate implementation of clause 5 of Article 15 of the Constitution to allow reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Dalits, and Adivasis in private educational institutions. The resolution also said that updated caste data should be used to strengthen reservation policies. Clause 5 of Article 15 allows the government to make special provisions for the progress of socially and educationally backward classes or for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, including in private educational institutions. 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 seers seek funds for mutts; meets CM Siddaramaiah
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assured the seers that funds would be allocated to mutts in the coming days A delegation of seers from Dalit and OBC communities met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at his residence in Bengaluru on Saturday. A delegation of seers from Dalit and OBC communities met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at his residence in Bengaluru on Saturday. | Photo Credit: Seers belonging to the Dalit and OBC communities met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday and demanded allocation of funds to mutts belong to the Dalit and backward communities. The Chief Minister assured the seers that funds would be allocated to mutts in the coming days. The delegation submitted a petition to the Chief Minister seeking allotment of land for opening a gurukula in Chitradurga district for providing training for OBC and Dalit priests. Mr. Siddaramaiah directed the officials to identify the land for the purpose. 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.
4 held for assault on Dalit wedding procession over Ambedkar songs
Bareilly: Four men have been arrested and sent to jail after they attacked a Dalit wedding procession over songs related to Dr B R Ambedkar in Bareilly’s Kotwali area, police said on Saturday. Sonu Yadav, Pinku Yadav, Kanchan Yadav, and Pramod Yadav, all from the OBC community, were part of a group that stopped the wedding procession and hurled caste-related remarks, triggering violence that left three people injured on Wednesday night. The group allegedly blocked the wedding procession of Kajal, daughter of Arjun from Rustampur village. Her groom, Suraj, had arrived from Dhanora Gori, Sirouli, when the incident took place around 11.30pm. The attackers, said to be drunk, objected to the songs being played and made offensive remarks before summoning relatives and attacking members of the groom’s party. Three of the groom’s cousins were seriously injured. One of the attackers allegedly took Rs 20,000 and a mobile phone from the wedding guests during the assault. Initially, local police tried to resolve the matter through mediation. However, once senior officials were informed, an FIR was registered late on Thursday after Girish Prasad, a cousin of the groom, filed a complaint. Harshita Singh, circle officer, said, “The four accused of assaulting the wedding guests and attempting murder have been sent to jail. The ST/SC case will also be investigated.” Courtesy: Times of India Note: This news is originally published on https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Man gets life term for barging into house, raping Dalit woman.
Agra: A local court in Agra has sentenced a 30-year-old man from Firozabad to life imprisonment for raping a 32-year-old Dalit woman in front of her two minor children after forcibly entering her home in Etmadpur. Additional district govt counsel (ADGC) Hemant Dixit said the crime took place around noon on Sept 23, 2016. The woman was alone with her children as her husband was working in his farmland and her in-laws had gone to Etah to consult a doctor. The accused then barged into her room, raped her and threatened to kill her if she spoke about the assault. He locked her inside and fled the scene. After her husband returned, the woman informed him of the incident and a complaint was lodged at Barhan police station. A case was registered the next day under IPC sections 376 (rape) and 452 (house trespass), along with relevant provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The chargesheet was filed on Oct 10, 2016. “The accused was staying at his maternal uncle’s house and preparing for govt exams. He lived in the same neighbourhood as the survivor,” the ADGC said. He added, “On Thursday, special SC/ST court Judge Pushkar Upadhyay pronounced the judgement and imposed a fine of Rs 28,000 on the convict. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional six months of imprisonment.” Agra: A local court in Agra has sentenced a 30-year-old man from Firozabad to life imprisonment for raping a 32-year-old Dalit woman in front of her two minor children after forcibly entering her home in Etmadpur. Additional district govt counsel (ADGC) Hemant Dixit said the crime took place around noon on Sept 23, 2016. The woman was alone with her children as her husband was working in his farmland and her in-laws had gone to Etah to consult a doctor. The accused then barged into her room, raped her and threatened to kill her if she spoke about the assault. He locked her inside and fled the scene. After her husband returned, the woman informed him of the incident and a complaint was lodged at Barhan police station. A case was registered the next day under IPC sections 376 (rape) and 452 (house trespass), along with relevant provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The chargesheet was filed on Oct 10, 2016. “The accused was staying at his maternal uncle’s house and preparing for govt exams. He lived in the same neighbourhood as the survivor,” the ADGC said. He added, “On Thursday, special SC/ST court Judge Pushkar Upadhyay pronounced the judgement and imposed a fine of Rs 28,000 on the convict. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional six months of imprisonment.” Courtesy: Times of India Note: This news is originally published on https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Article 15(5) in focus: Congress demands immediate implementation of reservations for OBC, Dalit, Adivasi in private institutions
NEW DELHI: The Congress Working Committee (CWC) has ramped up its demand for the immediate implementation of the legislation, alongside Article 15(5) to extend reservation to OBCs, Dalits, and Adivasis in private educational institutions. In a directive issued on Friday, AICC General Secretary (Organisation) K.C Venugopal detailed the Congress party’s roadmap to ensure that the caste census is not delayed under any bureaucratic pretext. The instructions are part of the party’s campaign during the ongoing Samvidhan Bachao rallies, which will continue till May 30 across all states and districts. Venugopal noted that this legislative step is a result of “sustained and principled pressure” by the Congress, with party president Mallikarjun Kharge having formally written to the Prime Minister reiterating the demand. Rahul Gandhi, he said, had been the most consistent voice advocating the caste census as a prerequisite for ensuring true social justice. CWC’s key demands: Immediate implementation of Article 15(5) to extend reservation for OBCs, Dalits, and Adivasis in private educational institutions. Timely and transparent rollout of the caste census, without bureaucratic delays. Time-bound execution with immediate parliamentary debate and full budgetary backing. Inclusive design of the enumeration process, with transparency in questionnaire framing, classification, and data release. Use of the caste data to improve reservation policies, education access, employment schemes, and targeted welfare programs. At its May 2 meeting chaired by Kharge, the CWC also adopted a resolution demanding accountability and urgency in implementing the newly passed caste census legislation. The resolution underscored the need for mobilising people at the grassroots to support the move. Caste census In a significant reversal of its earlier stance, the Centre on April 30 announced that a nationwide caste-based count will be carried out alongside the upcoming population census. The move marks a major policy shift after years of rejecting opposition demands for such an enumeration. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, while announcing the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs’ decision, said the Centre had taken note of the caste-based surveys recently conducted by several opposition-ruled states. These state-level efforts, he claimed, were politically motivated and lacked transparency, leading to confusion and mistrust in society. “Census is a constitutional responsibility of the Union government. However, some states have attempted caste enumeration through surveys that were neither consistent nor transparent,” Vaishnaw said. To avoid further division and politicisation, the government has decided to formally include caste data collection in the national census to ensure accuracy and maintain social harmony, he added. Courtesy: Times of India Note: This news is originally published on https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Caste census is our priority, it’s RaGa’s victory: Cong
Bhopal: Presidents of Congress Scheduled Caste Cell and Scheduled Tribe Dept on Friday described the announcement of caste census a “historic step” towards social justice and inclusive development. In a joint press conference, Scheduled Caste Cell chief Pradeep Ahirwar and Scheduled Tribe Dept chief Ramu Tekam reiterated the party’s commitment to the caste census, and said without caste data, schemes will remain “incomplete and biased”. On Wednesday, the Centre announced to conduct the caste census. Ahirwar and Tekam said the caste census issue raised by Lok Sabha LOP Rahul Gandhi has received support at the national level. “Dalits, backward classes, and tribal society are now aware of their rights. The Modi govt is procrastinating on this issue, which is further increasing social inequality,” Ahirwar said. Addressing the media, Ahirwar said, “The caste census will prove to be a milestone in the direction of social justice and an egalitarian society.” Tekam said, “Caste census is Rahul Gandhi’s victory. We support it, but the central govt should give a clear timeline as to when it will be done. The Telangana govt has presented an excellent model for this. Now the time has come to break the limit of 50% reservation.” The party’s state OBC cell president Pawan Patel said: “This is the victory of Rahul Gandhi’s tireless efforts. Just as Mahatma Gandhi liberated the country, in the same way, Rahul Gandhi will liberate the country from the policies of BJP.” The state Congress’ minority cell member, Wasim Qureshi, said: “The caste census is the voice not only of OBC, SC, and ST, but of every marginalised community in the entire country. This is the foundation stone of social justice, and the Congress stands strongly for it.” 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. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Court issues notice to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul in National Herald case
NEW DELHI: A Delhi court issued a notice on Friday to Congress functionaries Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, and others in a money-laundering case related to the National Herald newspaper. The court observed that the right to be heard at any stage of proceedings breathes life into the right to a fair trial. The court of special judge Vishal Gogne was hearing arguments on whether a notice is required to be issued to the accused in view of the proviso to BNSS Section 223. “The right of the accused to be heard at the cognisance stage must be liberally applied to proceedings under PMLA before the special court as a continuation of the recent jurisprudence on PMLA, which has read the constitutional mandate and rights into PMLA,” the judge said. The case is at the stage of consideration regarding notice. On April 25, additional solicitor general SV Raju, appearing for ED, submitted that under the new legal provisions cognisance of the chargesheet cannot be taken without first hearing the accused. On April 9, ED filed a chargesheet before the court that mentions Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi as accused numbers 1 and 2 under Secs 3 and 4 (which deal with money-laundering and its punishment) and Sec 70 (offences by companies) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The charges, if proved, attract a maximum imprisonment of seven years. The chargesheet names seven accused – five individuals and two private companies – Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda, Sunil Bhandari, Young Indian, and Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd. On Friday, during the hearing, the ASG submitted before the court that in an ED case where notice was not issued, it was taken to the Supreme Court and SC had stayed the proceedings. The judge, taking note that the proviso to BNSS Sec 223 is a salutary provision in furtherance of the right to be heard as part of a fair trial, said, “It is designed to protect accused persons against improper implication by permitting them to make submissions prior to the court taking cognisance of the offences in question. The BNSS is therefore a progressive legislation in this regard and records among its objectives and reasons a ‘citizens-centric criminal procedure’ as the ‘need of the hour’.” This benevolent intent of BNSS should be read in favour of the accused rather than the investigation agencies when a right to be heard is to be accorded at any stage of the proceedings, the judge said. The court said it does not come to any “detriment” if the accused is permitted to make submissions on the question of cognisance. “In this adherence to the principles of fair hearing, the right to be heard is not inconsistent with any of the powers vested in the ED for investigation or the presumptions as well as the burden of proof stipulated under the PMLA,” said the court. The court also noted the submissions of the ASG that ED is not opposing such a notice precisely because it is a votary of a fair trial. The court listed various reasons for issuing notice, including that the proviso to BNSS Sec 223 creates a sui generis right of the accused to be heard at the cognisance stage and is not inconsistent with the complaint procedure or other provisions under PMLA. “Such a right does not defeat or diminish the operation of any provision of PMLA. The proviso to BNSS Sec 223… is required to be read in favour of the proposed accused persons,” the court 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.
Rahul Gandhi forced PM Modi’s hand on caste census, claims Congress
NEW DELHI: As Congress toasted Rahul Gandhi for championing the “caste census” which forced Modi govt to accept the demand after 11 years of “stubborn refusal”, the Gandhi scion Friday told Congress Working Committee the party should take up an issue and stick to it for sustained periods to bring about a change. It is learnt Congress will centre stage its role in making caste enumeration a reality during ongoing “samvidhan bachao rallies” at state, district and assembly-levels. The party is also likely to mount a strong campaign for caste quotas in private educational institutions under Article 15(5), and a constitutional amendment to remove the 50% cap on reservations. Calling for urgent action on the decennial census as the govt has not given a timeline or budget for conducting it, CWC sought an “immediate debate in Parliament”. It cautioned that caste enumeration should not become “a jumla like women’s quota”. CWC brainstormed over Centre’s decision to enumerate caste in the next decennial census and celebrated Rahul as “strongest and most consistent voice demanding a nationwide caste census.” The CWC resolution noted that Rahul raised the issue at 2022 Udaipur session and Raipur plenary in 2023. “In Parliament, in speeches across the country, and during the Bharat Jodo Yatras, Rahul has asserted that caste enumeration was essential for deepening social justice,” it said. With Congress exuding a sense of victory, Rahul is learnt to have told the gathering the party should adopt action-oriented programmes, so the campaigns yield results Briefing reporters, Sachin Pilot and MP Saptgiri Ulaka took potshots at PM Modi by saying, “A big leader said ‘bantenge to katenge’ and called Congress ‘urban naxal’. They called caste enumeration a poison for society. But under Congress and Rahul’s pressure, Modi govt understood that public sentiment was with Congress.” 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.