‘Are we not Hindus?’: Dalit priest in Rajasthan allegedly attacked twice in a year, sought help from Mohan Bhagwat
Balai told The Wire, “I donated 5,100 rupees for the Ram Temple, I used to attend RSS shakhas as a child, and during the RSS centenary celebrations, my family showered volunteers with flowers.” In May of this year, Vishnu Balai, a 40-year-old Dalit from Rajasthan’s Bhilwara district, wrote a letter to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, seeking his help, alleging that anti-Dalit elements and some associated with the RSS had tried to prevent him from working as a priest at a temple in his village. According to The Wire, Balai wrote to Bhagwat in a letter, “You talk about the entire Hindu society and mutual brotherhood. You are against caste discrimination, and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is running a campaign for ‘one well, one crematorium, one temple.’ Yet, RSS volunteers have snatched my temple from me—a Dalit priest.” He further said, “And now they want to implicate me and my family in false cases, send us to jail, and even kill us. Your volunteers are doing exactly the opposite of what you say.” ‘You are a low-caste man, we will make you drink dirty urine’ On July 16, Balai was allegedly attacked a second time near the Khakhul Dev temple while he was preparing for a puja. The FIR, lodged at the Asind police station on July 16 based on the complaint of Balai’s wife, Sita Devi, states, “…they came with weapons, iron rods, iron pipes, and sticks and illegally entered the Khakhul Dev temple. They told my husband, ‘You are a low caste man, we will make you drink dirty urine and throw you out of the temple.’” Balai says he was first taken to the Asind health center and then referred to the Bhilwara district hospital, where he was admitted for a day and discharged on July 17. Speaking to The Wire, Balai alleged, “I was assaulted and suffered injuries to my body and ear. This was the second time I was attacked. I was attacked on August 14th last year, and I filed an FIR. My family has been serving as priests at the Khakhul Dev Temple for the past 400 years. But some people in our village, patronized by Asind MLA Jabbar Singh Sankhla and affiliated with the RSS, want to remove me from the position of temple priest.” The FIR filed at the Asind police station on July 16th names six accused: Ramprasad Vaishnav, Govind Vaishnav, Bhagwan Lal Vaishnav, Ratan Lal Vaishnav, Sammu Jat, and Norat Vaishnav. A case has been registered against them under sections 189(2) (unlawful assembly), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 126(2) (wrongful restraint), and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. ‘They don’t want a Dalit as a priest’ Balai further stated that this is his second FIR in this matter. He added that the Rajasthan High Court had previously stayed the arrest of the accused in the FIR filed by Balai in August last year. Balai told The Wire, “They don’t want a Dalit to become a priest. The temple receives significant donations from devotees. The accused tried to create a trust and remove me from the priest’s position to seize the temple’s funds. I had previously sought help from Mohan Bhagwat. I donated 5,100 rupees for the Ram temple. I used to attend RSS shakhas as a child, and during the RSS centenary celebrations, my family showered flowers on volunteers. Am I not a Hindu? Am I being targeted just because I am a Dalit? Is this the Hindu unity the RSS talks about?” Officials said the case is still in court, so the government has appointed a receiver for the Khakhul Dev Temple. After Balai’s wife filed an FIR on July 16 regarding the alleged assault, the accused also filed a counter-FIR against Balai, alleging that he had attacked her. Bhilwara Superintendent of Police Sagar told The Wire, “Both parties have filed FIRs against each other, and the investigation is ongoing. We are also examining CCTV footage. Any decision on arrests will be taken only after further investigation.” Activists have criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Rajasthan over the incident. Activist Bhanwar Meghvanshi said, “If the case is in court and the government has appointed a receiver for the temple, how can a mob interfere and attack a Dalit man? What right do the villagers have to attack a Dalit priest? We demand strict action against the accused named in the FIR filed by Balai’s wife. Furthermore, the counter-FIR filed by the accused should also be quashed. This is an attempt to prevent a Dalit man from becoming a priest in the temple.” BJP MLA denies allegations When contacted, Jabbar Singh Sankhla, BJP MLA from Asind, denied the allegations made by Balai. Sankhla said, “About 90% of the people in Barana village are RSS supporters. Balai’s family has traditionally been the priest of the Khakhul Dev Ji temple. Some educated villagers felt that this is such a popular temple, where thousands of quintals of grain are offered and lakhs of rupees are received from donations, yet there has been no development there. Even toilets for women are not built. They asked Balai to build toilets to stop open defecation and ensure cleanliness, which led to this controversy.” Sankhla further said that the villagers formed a committee and decided that the money and grain received as offerings during religious rituals would belong to the priest, but a separate donation box (Daana Patra) was kept, the money from which would be used for the development of the temple. He said, “The controversy escalated when Balai refused to install a new donation box or hand over its keys to the villagers. The allegations against me are false, and it is completely wrong to say that Balai was targeted because he is a priest. There is no truth in this. Priests do not
Administration Removes Illegal Encroachment in Sahajanwa Chandbari: Dalit Leaseholders Regain Rights to Their Allotted Land After 30 Years
On Tuesday, the administration took major action in Chandbari Gram Panchayat, located in the Pali Block of Sahajanwa Tehsil in Gorakhpur district. A team from the Revenue Department removed years-old illegal encroachments from government land in Naveen Pariti. This action restored rights to Dalit leaseholders who had been waiting for their land for 30 years. The matter began with a complaint from Village Head Pradeep Srivastava. He submitted a written complaint to officials at the Sampoorna Samadhan Diwas. The complaint stated that in the 1990s, under a government scheme, Naveen Pariti land was allotted to poor Dalit families in the village for housing construction. However, it is alleged that in 1995, a villager illegally occupied this land. As a result, eligible families were deprived of their legitimate land and right to build homes for nearly three decades. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) took the complaint seriously and ordered an immediate investigation and strict action. Following these instructions, a joint team of the Revenue Department and police, led by Tehsildar RK Kannaujiya, arrived in Chandbari village on Tuesday. The team thoroughly verified revenue records on the spot. Upon confirming illegal occupation, the illegal construction and encroachment were demolished with the help of a JCB. Several officers and employees, including Revenue Inspector Buddhiram Chaudhary, Law Officer Satish Tiwari, Accountant Sujit Dwivedi, Satendra Pratap, and Ashish Singh, were present during the operation. Vishnu Dutt Shukla | Sahajanwan Courtesy: Hindi News
Casteist attacks on CJP protesters flood social media, ‘General Category’ told to stay away
While several Right-wing accounts on X targeted the Jantar Mantar protesters with casteist slurs like ‘Bhimta’, many other users cried hoarse against the reservation system itself. New Delhi: A day after a protest march organised by the Cockroach Janta Party turned violent in Delhi, several accounts on X launched casteist attacks, claiming the demonstration was “rooted in Ambedkarism” and warning “general category people” to stay away from the party. On Monday, thousands of students took to the streets of Delhi against the NEET paper leak, and demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. In the afternoon, the protests turned violent, when the police lathi charged and shot tear gas shells at the protesting students. An account on X, with the username ‘Nyaksha’, wrote that the government and CJP is not on the “GC (general category)” side. “As for CJP, its core ideology is rooted in Ambedkarism, so it will always work against GC interests,” it wrote. Commenting on the tweets, Subhajit Naskar, a Dalit professor at Jadavpur University, said, “Two things are very difficult for the casteist campaigners against reservation and affirmative policies to digest. One, that the Cockroach Janata Party has been conceptualised by a Dalit young man. And second, that this movement is spreading across the youth, cutting across caste, privilege and age”. On the casteist remarks on X, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad refused to comment, saying, “I don’t want to give importance to them”. ‘CJP protesters are Ambedkarites’ An X account, ‘Wokeflix’, with more than a lakh followers, called the protesters “Bhimtas”. The account posted a video on X claiming that there were “zero“ NEET aspirants in the protest. The post has about 1.6 lakh views and nearly 10 thousand likes. Another X account claimed, “It is a Universal Truth that where there are Ambedkarites, there is violence, unrest, and anti-national activities.“ Some accounts started claiming that most protesters were Dalit, just after the demonstration turned violent. An X account, ‘Alpakanya’, with nearly 30,000 followers, wrote, “‘Reservation was Ambedkar’s biggest mistake’ – she is stating pure facts, fully agree,” the account wrote alongside a video of an old lady talking about reservation. A protest spearheaded by a Dalit The Cockroach Janta Party led a street protest on 6 June in Delhi after Abhijeet Dipke came back from the US. A week later, since 13 June, they have been protesting at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. “Abhijeet Dipke has been very clear that he is a Dalit and that he has high regard for Dr Ambedkar. They have consistently carried Dr Ambedkar’s image to assert that this is a constitutional and democratic protest–perhaps a more democratic response than what the government is giving,” said Naskar. Calling it an “organic movement”, Naskar said the movement has received support from influencers, actors, and politicians. “The response from these casteist accounts, under the garb of being anti-Modi or anti-government, is absolute hogwash. These are actually right-wing Brahminical accounts, but they are camouflaging themselves as people who simply want an equal society by removing reservation,” he said. Vaibhav Wankhede, a Dalit writer, told ThePrint that this is an attempt to reduce every public protest to “only Ambedkarites”. “[Asking] general category citizens to stay away is nothing but casteism dressed up as a political strategy. it only serves one purpose: to divide people who should be asking harder questions about unemployment, paper leaks, student suicides, shrinking opportunities, and the steady erosion of public institutions as an Ambedkarite,” Wankhede said. Dipke had also faced casteism on X after revealing his Dalit identity. Nikhil Sanjay-Rekha Adsule, a senior research scholar at IIT-Delhi and John Dewey Emerging Scholar, US, told ThePrint that such comments are made to “delegitimize the protest”. “It shifts the public debate away from state accountability and forces people back into their traditional social silos. It allows critics to dismiss an urgent, material crisis as a ‘fringe, motivated agenda’ rather than addressing the structural rot in our educational system,” he said. Manisha Mondal (Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan) Courtesy : The Print Note: This news is originally published on https:/theprint.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Man gets life term for raping Dalit woman on false marriage promise in Vizag
Visakhapatnam: A court in Visakhapatnam has sentenced Ch Jagadeeswara Rao (32) to rigorous life imprisonment for raping a Dalit woman under the false pretext of marriage. The court also fined him Rs 2.5 lakh on the convict. The court also sentenced Ch Prabhavati to six months sentence and slapped a fine for insulting the victim woman on caste basis and the court also slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on P Triveni, a relative of Jagadeeswara Rao, for threatening the victim woman over phone. The police said Jagadeeswara Rao repeatedly sexually assaulted the 22-year-old woman with false pretext of marriage. Based on the complaint, the MR Peta police registered a case in 2019 and arrested Rao. After regular trials, the court sentenced Rao and the government to pay Rs two lakh as compensation to the victim woman. TNN 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
Welfare Minister consoles slain Dalit woman’s family, hands over ex gratia
Social Welfare Minister Adluri Laxman Kumar on Tuesday handed over a cheque for ₹4.12 lakh as ex gratia to the bereaved family of slain Dalit woman Karre Sunitha at Chintalapet village in Jagtial district. Sources said that Sunitha was allegedly murdered by an assailant in Metpalli a week ago. The Minister consoled the bereaved family and handed over the cheque to the victim’s grandmother. Her said the second instalment of the compensation would be released as per government norms. He assured the bereaved family of justice and stringent action against those responsible for the gruesome murder. The Minister said the government would take full responsibility for the education of Sunitha’s two sons. The Hindu Bureau Courtesy : The Hindu Note: This news is originally published on https:/thehindu.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Meerut Dalit protest: Non-bailable charges against protesters dropped
Meerut: Days after UP CM Yogi Adityanath met the family of murdered Dalit student Lalita Gautam, 20, in Ghaziabad on Saturday, police have now dropped serious, non-bailable charges against protesters arrested during the July 8 demonstrations in Meerut.The action came after several meetings between UP govt representatives and the family, which has been demanding justice for the dead student. Last week, the state govt sprang into action to contain the fallout of growing Dalit protests in the district by deputing Asim Arun, minister in charge of Meerut and former IPS officer and prominent Dalit face himself in the BJP, to “personally intervene” in the case. Advocate Anil Pradhan, representing the eight accused, said that it was the court that intervened directly. “The court of additional chief judicial magistrate found the charges frivolous and ordered their withdrawal from the FIR,” Pradhan said. Pradhan said legal steps are underway to hold the law enforcement officers accountable, stating his team is preparing a formal application to press charges against SSP Avinash Pandey “for thrashing protesters and physically assaulting a defense lawyer inside a police van”. A video of the SSP’s action drew condemnation across the political spectrum. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati criticised the administration’s high-handedness. The authorities had then also barred prominent Dalit leaders, including Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad, from entering the city. Gautam, a final-year BA student, was allegedly abducted and murdered on May 15, and her body was recovered from a sugarcane field two days later. Police subsequently arrested her acquaintance, Ankush Kumar, alleging he murdered her after she refused a marriage proposal to protect her family’s honor. His brother, Ankit, and an associate, Adesh, were also named in that case. Outrage over the murder boiled over on July 8 when demonstrators blocked the Meerut Collectorate gate for nearly three hours, demanding Ankit’s immediate arrest. Clashes erupted after police launched a baton charge. Authorities claimed 11 police personnel were injured in the melee. Police then booked 63 protesters—13 named and 50 unidentified—under various BNS sections, including 109 (attempt to murder), which provides over seven years of imprisonment. Under Supreme Court guidelines, automatic arrests are generally prohibited for offenses carrying sentences of seven years or less—making the addition of severe non-bailable charges pivotal to keeping the protesters detained. Yogi had earlier directed that strict legal action be taken against every person involved in the crime and ordered action against any officer or personnel found negligent. Adityanath announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh from the CM’s discretionary fund, and directed officials to provide a house for the victim’s father and another eligible family member under the Mukhayamantri Awas Yojana. The CM also instructed officials to extend benefits under all eligible govt welfare schemes to the family. 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
Karnataka to fill SC/ST backlog vacancies, says Dy CM Parameshwara
On some DSS leaders’ statements that the Dalit community is not benefiting from the five guarantee schemes, Dr Parameshwara said people from the community who are not receiving the benefits of the guarantees will be identified soon. BENGALURU: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, who also holds the revenue portfolio, on Tuesday promised a delegation of Dalits that steps will be taken to fill backlog vacancies reserved for the SCs and STs in universities and other government departments soon. “Our government will fill 72,000 vacant posts in various departments. The SCs and STs will be recruited as per reservation. In addition, several posts reserved for various categories remain vacant. These backlog vacancies, including those in universities and some major departments, will be filled. The matter will be discussed with the chief minister,” he told reporters after meeting the delegation. Stating that the PTCL Act has been amended, Dr Parameshwara said provision D has been removed to facilitate transfer of land granted to Dalits to others. However, there are concerns that its implementation has been delayed. “I assured the delegation that the government will take an appropriate decision in this regard soon,” he added. On some DSS leaders’ statement that the Dalit community is not benefiting from the five guarantee schemes, Dr Parameshwara said people from the community, who are not receiving the benefits of the guarantees, will be identified soon. Steps will be taken to reach the benefits to them. On the demand to increase the post-matric scholarship of Rs 1,800 per student, he said it should be hiked to Rs 3,000. He promised that it will be revised after talks with the CM. This will be included in the next budget. Dr Parameshwara said the fees of SC/ST students studying abroad will be paid by the government. Neelavva Ningavva Harijan, member of the Indian squad that won the World Cup cricket for persons with disabilities last year, was living in a shed. The government provided her Rs 5 lakh last year. She will soon be allotted a residential site, he added. Dalit leaders Mavalli Shankar, Prof Indira Krishnappa, M Venkataswamy, Sridhar Kaliveera and Subbu Holeyar, Revenue Additional Chief Secretary Rajendra Kumar Kataria, Revenue Commissioner Meena Nagaraj, and Social Welfare Principal Secretary Mohan Raj were present. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Parliament passes Transgender Persons Amendment Bill, 2026 with Rajya Sabha approving it today
Parliament has passed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, with the Rajya Sabha approving it today. The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha yesterday by a voice vote amid an Opposition-led walkout. The bill seeks to redefine the category of transgender, removes the provision of self-perceived gender identity and excludes several socio-cultural identities as well as transmasculine individuals from its ambit. It also further defines transgender persons within a biological framework, based on intersex variations and differences in sexual development. Replying to the discussion on the Bill in the Rajya Sabha, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr Virendra Kumar said the government is compassionate towards the well-being of the transgender community. He said the Bill has provisions to empower the transgenders and give them dignity. The Minister said that the NDA government has taken several initiatives to bring transgender people to the mainstream and stop discrimination against them. Starting the discussion in the Upper House, Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury said this bill dilutes the privacy of an individual provided under the Constitution. Opposing the Bill, Ms Chowdhury said self-identification cannot be taken away through bureaucratic certification. Criticizing the government, she said that the proposed bill undermines the fundamental rights and dignity of transgender persons. Calling such a move wrong and illegal, she argued that forcing transgender persons to provide their identity through official certificates is against the spirit of equality and dignity guaranteed by the constitution. She also questioned the government’s approach for not properly consulting with the transgender community before bringing the Bill. She also referred to the Supreme Court’s landmark NALSA judgement of 2014, which recognized the right of transgender persons to self-identify their gender. Ms Chowdhury said the proposed Bill violates the principles laid down in that judgement and fails to respect an already established legal framework. DMK MP Tiruchi Shiva also opposed the Bill, saying that even if the Bill is passed in Parliament with a majority, it will be struck down by the Supreme Court. He further added that the Bill violates Articles 14, 15, 19 and 21 of the Constitution and it deprives the community of the right to freedom, dignity and self-determination. Supporting the Bill, BJP MP Medha Vishram Kulkarni said, ” This Bill ensures justice, dignity, protection from criminalisation and legal safeguards for transgender persons. She also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing this bill with certain amendments in order to ensure that the benefits reach the deserving people in a proper manner. She said there is a need for a law that brings justice to real transgender individuals and punishes fake ones. Mrs Kulkarni said the benefits should be extended to those who are transgender by birth. She said that the amendment to extend punishment will bring down the rate of crime and forced identities. TMC’s Saket Gokhale said that 31% of Transgender people in India have attempted suicide because of the discrimination that they are facing. He alleged that now the government is going to start discriminating against them as though social discrimination were not enough. He called it unacceptable. Mr Gokhale expressed concern that gender is going to be decided by the Chief Medical Officer and a District Magistrate, and the bill does not prescribe any qualifications for the Chief Medical Officer. Sanjay Singh of AAP said the Bill is a big let-down for the transgender community. He accused the government of not doing anything for the community. RJD’s Manoj Kr Jha said that prejudices against transgender people should stop, and they should be able to live with dignity. He added that self-determination of gender should not be taken away. CPI(M)’s John Brittas said it is a black-letter day and the Bill is taking India a century back. He pleaded with the government to either withdraw the Bill or refer it to a Select Committee. Jaya Bachchan of the Samajwadi Party also questioned the government over the legislation. She sought to know what the urgency was in bringing the Bill, without examining it with the depth and care that it deserved. Courtesy : NOA Note: This news is originally published on https:/newsonair.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
NEET protest: TVK slams govt; Rahul, Priyanka released from detention — top developments
NEW DELHI: Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were released after being detained by Delhi Police during a protest near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence. The party had marched to Lok Kalyan Marg demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged paper leak and the police action against student protesters. The protests also drew support from several opposition leaders, while Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) strongly criticised the Centre over Rahul Gandhi’s detention and renewed its demand for the abolition of NEET. Meanwhile, the BJP accused the Congress of politicising the issue and defended the police action, saying the protest near the Prime Minister’s residence was held without permission. The developments came as thousands of protesters returned to Jantar Mantar to continue the agitation. FIR filed as video shows RAF jawan assaulted Delhi Police registered an FIR after a Rapid Action Force (RAF) jawan was allegedly chased and assaulted by a group of protesters during the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) “Sansad Chalo” march in New Delhi. A video of the incident, widely shared on social media, appears to show the jawan being surrounded, pursued and beaten during Monday’s protest. Police said an investigation is under way to identify those responsible. TVK condemns Rahul’s detention, seeks NEET abolition Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) condemned the detention of Rahul Gandhi and criticised the police action against opposition leaders. “The crushing of democracy in the capital is strongly condemnable! The arrest of Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Mr. Rahul Gandhi, who joined the field in support of the youth’s non-violent protest held in Delhi, by being dragged by the Delhi Police and carried away in handcuffs, is a blatant attack on democratic rights. This is strongly condemnable,” the party said. TVK also renewed its opposition to the NEET examination. “From the moment the NEET exam was implemented, not only has its credibility been lacking, but students continue to face mental stress, with their future dreams turning into a massive question mark. The harm caused to students every year due to the NEET exam shows no sign of stopping. Therefore, we strongly demand that the Union government completely abolish the NEET exam,” it said. Rahul, Priyanka released after detention Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several opposition leaders were detained after Congress workers marched towards the Prime Minister’s residence at Lok Kalyan Marg. Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and other leaders were taken to Chhatrasal Stadium before being released later in the day. Priyanka Gandhi was taken to Mandir Marg Police Station, where Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi later arrived. Congress leaders said they protested because they were not allowed to raise the NEET issue in Parliament. Rahul Gandhi said they marched to the Prime Minister’s residence “to demand answers from him for the brutalities against young students yesterday” and demanded the resignation of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. The protest was joined by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal, Pawan Khera, Karnataka chief minister DK Shivakumar, Kerala Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan, Supriya Sule and several other opposition leaders. Pradhan hits out at Congress Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan accused the Congress of using students for political purposes. “LoP Shri @RahulGandhi and @INCIndia continue to shamelessly exploit students as political tools to manufacture disruption during the Monsoon Session of Parliament,” he wrote on X. He said the government was ready for a discussion on NEET in Parliament but alleged that the Congress preferred “political spectacle over democratic debate”. “We owe our students more than outrage. We owe them answers, reforms and accountability. That is exactly what our government remains committed to delivering,” Pradhan said. BJP MP Sambit Patra also criticised the protest, saying demonstrations should be held only at designated locations. He said the Prime Minister’s residence is a high-security zone and staging a protest there without permission was “inappropriate”. Police detail injuries, register six FIRs Delhi Police said six FIRs have been registered in connection with the violence during Monday’s Parliament march. Two FIRs were registered at Parliament Street police station, while one each was registered at Connaught Place, Tilak Marg, Barakhamba Road and Kartavya Path police stations. DCP Northeast Delhi Rahul Alawal said six police personnel were injured during the violence. He said Constable Mohit suffered serious injuries to his head, below his eyes and on his legs and remains on medical rest. Additional DCP Sandeep Lamba, Inspector Rampal Goswami and some other officers have resumed duty despite being advised to rest. Station House Officer of Connaught Place police station Sukhbir Singh Malik said he was assaulted when a section of protesters allegedly turned violent near Regal Cinema. Malik said his helmet prevented a head injury, but he suffered injuries to his elbows, calf muscle and waist after being dragged to the ground. The police said several other personnel, including an ACP, an Inspector, a Head Constable and a driver, were also injured. Sonam Wangchuk continues fast Activist Sonam Wangchuk continued his indefinite hunger strike after being shifted from Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram following directions from the Delhi High Court. Sources told news agency ANI said Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh visited Medanta Hospital to enquire about Wangchuk’s health. The Delhi High Court directed Medanta Hospital to form a specialised medical team to supervise Wangchuk’s treatment while allowing him to continue his fast under constant medical supervision. His wife, Gitanjali Angmo, said he would continue the hunger strike in solidarity with students allegedly injured during the police action. 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
‘Have some shame, spare us bhashans’: Mahua Moitra hits back at Dharmendra Pradhan over students remark
NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Wednesday took a swipe at Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan after he accused the Congress of exploiting students for politics, saying the only thing the government should be “committed to delivering” is his resignation. Pradhan, through a post on X, defended the Centre’s handling of the examination controversy and criticised the Congress for staging a protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence. To this, Moitra responded, “With all due respect have some shame & spare us the bhashans. The only thing your government should be committed to delivering right now is your resignation on a plate. Thank you.” Earlier, Pradhan had accused LoP Rahul Gandhi and the Congress of “shamelessly exploit(ing) students as political tools to manufacture disruption during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.” He alleged that despite the government’s willingness to hold a discussion on the issue, the Congress had chosen “political spectacle over democratic debate”. “We owe our students more than outrage. We owe them answers, reforms and accountability. That is exactly what our government remains committed to delivering,” Pradhan said. His remarks came after the Congress staged a protest over the alleged examination irregularities, while the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) agitation over examination reforms continued. Activist Sonam Wangchuk continued his indefinite hunger strike, and Delhi Police registered an FIR in connection with Monday’s clashes during the CJP’s ‘Sansad Chalo’ march. 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