‘OBCs, EBCs, Dalits To Get Tickets In Proportion To Their Population’: Bihar Congress Chief
Rajesh Kumar (Ram) said that Congress would ensure that OBCs, EBCs, Dalits get tickets for the upcoming assembly election and also get representation in the party organisation in proportion to their population. Patna: Rajesh Kumar (Ram)`s appointment as Bihar Congress president in an election year only demonstrates how the party`s top brass has immense faith in his leadership at a time when the grand old party has started asserting itself without ruffling its old ally, RJD. A Dalit leader and two time MLA from Kutumba, Ram said that Congress would ensure that OBCs, EBCs, Dalits get tickets for the upcoming assembly election and also get representation in the party organisation in proportion to their population. All castes and communities will get justice in ticket distribution as well as also in the organisation in proportion to their population –Jiski Jitni Hissedari, Uski utni bhagidari. At least four people from EBCs would be given tickets in the assembly election, he added. In an interview with FPJ, he, however, admitted that as of now, representation of OBCs and EBCs in the organisation was not in the right proportion, but this anomaly would be rectified as the state party committee was presently being reconstituted. Q- How much Congress is confident this time? A- Congress flags have started fluttering even in the non-traditional pockets as people say they have never left the party but instead the party had left them. Our leader Rahul Gandhi`s emphasis on social justice, caste census, increasing reservation quota and appointing a Dalit as Bihar Congress president has started attracting people towards Congress in Bihar. I am confident of my party putting up a better show in the assembly election, and also hopeful of INDIA bloc forming the next government in the state. Our alliance is tested, trusted, firm and also faithful to the people. We have made an assessment of our party`s prospects at 70 seats for the polls. Q – How caste politics in Bihar will impact the polls? A -Caste factors continued to play a major role in elections in states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh as even BJP by somewhat deviating from its Hindutva plank has also started talking about caste equations in elections. Prominent party leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi do not hesitate in revealing their castes at public places. Q- Reservation quota on Telangana model A- Credit for Narendra Modi government`s announcement for conducting caste census should definitely go to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who had been demanding for it since long. Caste census should be conducted on Telangana model under which people get reservation in government jobs as well as in schemes. It is deplorable that the Nitish government failed to frame policies for various sections of the society on the basis of caste and economic survey conducted in Bihar. Q- Focus points in election manifesto A- The party manifesto will include Mai Bahin Samman Yojana, free electricity up to 200 units, filling up of 4 lakh vacant posts in various government departments. These are not mere announcements as experts in Delhi have also worked on the financial viability of these programmes. Recently, Congress also organised a mega ‘Rozgar Mela’ in Patna as a large number of youths also got jobs there. Q- Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s performance A- Nitish had failed on all three commitments he had made- crime, corruption and communalism- as everybody could see how crime graph had risen, how rampant corruption is all pervasive in government offices, and also how he has allied with BJP off and on. I pray for a long and healthy life for Nitish but his falling health is a matter of concern. Truly speaking, BJP people are exposing him as they do not want him to continue in the office for a long period. It is the reason he is losing control over the government machinery. “Sakar Ka iqbal khatm ho gaya hai”, (Government has lost its command). Q- On Prashant Kishor A- Everybody knows what is the role of Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor in the assembly elections? Who has planted him in the election to derive political mileage? Jan Suraaj Party is actually a party of Pandeys (upper castes). Q- How do you assess SIR? A- Election Commission at the behest of BJP is conducting such an exercise. Its main objective is to divert people’s attention from real issues. Dheeraj Kumar Courtesy : TFPJ Note: This news is originally published on https://thefreepressjournal.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
“Caste is acquired by birth, does not change by marriage”: Himachal High Court denies relief under SC/ST Act to woman accused who married a Dalit man, know the full case
The court specifically emphasized that a non-Dalit person cannot enter the Dalit community through marriage. If this is believed, it will promote caste discrimination in society. The trial court had acquitted her on the ground that she had married a Dalit man and thus she is now a member of the Dalit community herself. The High Court completely rejected this argument. Shimla- The Himachal Pradesh High Court has clarified in an important order that caste is determined by birth and cannot change after marriage. This order has come in a case where a non-Dalit woman had described herself as a member of the Dalit community after marrying a Dalit man. Rejecting this argument, the court has ordered to restart the case going on against her under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The case began when the accused Sarojini was booked under Sections 451, 323, 504, 506 of the IPC and Section 3(1)(s) of the SC/ST Act for having an affair with a Dalit man. The trial court had acquitted her on the ground that she had married a Dalit man and was thus now a member of the Dalit community herself. The High Court completely rejected this argument. The bench of Justice Rakesh Kainthala made it clear in its judgment that “caste is an innate identity which does not change throughout life”. The court said that if caste change is allowed after marriage, it would undermine the basic purpose of the SC/ST Act. The court cited the Supreme Court’s Valsamma Paul case (1996) in this matter. Justice Kainthala quoted the Bombay High Court’s observation: “The misery of a person born in a Scheduled Caste does not end by marrying a person from an upper caste. The label attached at birth persists irrespective of the marital relationship.” Similarly, the Karnataka High Court’s judgment in Bhimappa Jantakal vs State of Karnataka (2022) was cited, which held that “a Scheduled Caste woman does not lose her Scheduled Caste status on marrying a forward caste man, and the caste identity of her children continues to be retained.” All these judgments had made it clear that caste is acquired by birth and cannot be changed either by marriage or in any other manner. The court particularly emphasised that a non-Dalit person cannot enter the Dalit community through marriage. If this is held, it will promote caste discrimination in society. The High Court has set aside the trial court’s decision and remanded the case for reconsideration. The court has directed that the trial court should frame charges afresh after hearing both the parties. Along with this, both the parties have been directed to appear in court on August 1. This decision is being considered a big step towards social justice. This decision is not only important from the legal point of view but it will also have far-reaching consequences socially. This has made it clear that caste identity is not something that a person can change as per his convenience. The court clarified that its decision is only to clarify the legal position and it is not a comment on the merit of the case. Now the hearing of this case will start again in the trial court. Geetha Sunil Pillai Courtesy : Hindi News
Barodia Nonagir Dalit murder case: Serious allegations against former Home Minister, Supreme Court Justice J.K. Maheshwari recuses himself from the case!
After Justice J.K. Maheshwari’s removal, the case will now be handed over to a new bench. The petitioner side demands that the entire matter be investigated independently by the CBI or SIT. Bhopal. In the much-discussed Barodia Nonagir Dalit murder case related to Khurai assembly constituency of Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh, senior Supreme Court judge Justice J.K. Maheshwari has recused himself from hearing. As soon as the hearing started last Friday, Justice Maheshwari clearly said, “I do not want to hear this case. It should be handed over to some other bench.” This decision has come at a time when the bench of Justice Maheshwari and Justice Vijay Bishnoi was continuously hearing this sensitive case since January 2024. Senior advocate Meenesh Dubey, on behalf of the petitioner, said, “This decision is shocking. They were hearing this case from the beginning. If they have recused themselves, there must be some serious reason behind it!” Know what is the Barodia-Nonagir Dalit murder case? This case starts in January 2019 from Barodia-Nonagir village of Khurai Dehat police station area of Sagar district, when Anjana Ahirwar, daughter of a Dalit family of the village, was allegedly beaten up and molested by some goons. The family alleges that the police did not add the section of molestation in the FIR, which weakened the process of justice. Since then, one by one, two members of this Dalit family were murdered and one suspicious death occurred. – 23 January 2019 Raghuveer Ahirwar’s son Vishnu was beaten up in the market. – 26 January 2019: Incident of beating and molestation of Anjana. Case registered under SC-ST Act. – 31 March 2021: Nitin alias Lalu arrested by police in a false case, family claims. – 24 August 2023: Nitin beaten to death by mob. Mother and elder daughter-in-law attacked, house vandalized. – 25 May 2024: Main witness Rajendra Ahirwar murdered with axe and sticks. – 26 May 2024: Anjana, who was returning with Rajendra’s body, died under suspicious circumstances after falling from a moving ambulance. What are the allegations in the petition? Anjana’s mother and sister-in-law have filed a petition in the Supreme Court in which they have directly accused Khurai BJP MLA and former Home Minister Bhupendra Singh of being involved in the murder conspiracy. The petition states that after Nitin’s murder, Anjana was called to the former minister’s house. She was threatened not to testify. A settlement of Rs 2 crore was offered which Anjana rejected. Anjana had given a written complaint to the police officers on 26 February 2024. The former minister pressured the family to give specified statements to the media. PUCL report also attached with the petition The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) report released in July 2024 said that the entire incident is a well-planned caste violence, in which the Dalit family was repeatedly targeted and the justice process was affected by killing eyewitnesses. After Justice J.K. Maheshwari’s removal, the case will now be assigned to a new bench. The petitioner side demands that the entire case be investigated independently by the CBI or SIT. The influence of high profile political personalities should be stopped and witnesses and the victim’s family should be given protection. Ankit Pachauri Courtesy : Hindi News
Dalit shopkeeper stabbed for not giving loan- disgusting incident of casteism in Rajasthan
The Meghwal community has termed this incident as a disgusting example of casteism and violence and has demanded from the police administration that the accused should be arrested as soon as possible and given strict punishment. People of the community say that such incidents are not only a crime against the Dalit community, but also harm social harmony. Bari Sadri/Chittorgarh- A heartbreaking incident in Delwas village of Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan has created a wave of anger in the Meghwal community. Shivlal Meghwal, a Dalit shopkeeper running a grocery shop on Kalkipura Road, was attacked by three people with knives and sticks for not giving a loan. Shivlal was seriously injured in this attack, and an attempt was also made to molest his wife. This incident has shocked the local community and the Meghwal community has demanded strict action against the accused. According to information received by The Mooknayak from a community member, on July 28, Delwas resident Shivlal Meghwal was sitting at his grocery shop when Ganpat Lal Mogia came to the shop and asked for bidis, matchboxes, and tansen (gutkha) on credit. Shivlal refused to lend, following which Ganpat threatened Shivlal using caste-derogatory words like “chamarta” and “dhedya” and saying, “Your aukaat is that you won’t lend, I will see you tomorrow.” The next day, Tuesday, around 6 p.m., Ganpat Lal Mogia, Ramlal, and Ramlal’s wife attacked Shivlal’s shop. Shivlal’s wife Kusum and his mother-in-law were also present at the shop. Ganpat had a knife in his hand, while Ramlal and his wife were armed with sticks. The attackers insulted Shivlal with caste-related derogatory words like “Chamarta” and “Metar” and Ganpat stabbed Shivlal in the chest with a knife, leaving him bleeding and unconscious. Ramlal and his wife then hit Shivlal on the back with sticks. During the attack, Ramlal held Kusum in his arms and abused her. When Kusum screamed, people from the neighbourhood, Pritam Meghwal, Harish, Mukesh Meghwal, Dharmesh Meghwal, and Durgashankar, rushed to the spot. Seeing the crowd, the three attackers fled. Locals say that if they had not arrived on time, the attackers would have killed Shivlal on the spot. The injured Shivlal was immediately rushed to the hospital, where his condition remains critical. Shivlal’s wife Kusum attended the Dungla police station and filed a complaint against Ganpat Lal Mogia, Ramlal, and Ramlal’s wife. The police have registered case number 86/2025, and investigation and action in the case is going on under the direction of DYSP Badisadri. Injured Shivlal Meghwal This incident has caused great anger in the Meghwal community. The people of the society have demanded strict action against the three accused. Social worker Shankarlal Meghwal Bildi expressed deep grief over the incident and said, “Such incidents are a stigma on civilized society. The police administration should take quick and strict action to curb such incidents, so that such incidents can be prevented in future.” The Meghwal community has described this incident as a disgusting example of casteism and violence and has demanded from the police administration that the accused should be arrested as soon as possible and given strict punishment. People of the society say that such incidents are not only a crime against the Dalit community, but also harm social harmony. Geetha Sunil Pillai Courtesy : Hindi News
Pune Crime News: Dalit Girls Allege Casteist Abuse by Pune Police, Rohit Pawar Demands Action
Three Dalit girls in Pune have accused police of casteist slurs and mistreatment during questioning. Despite repeated efforts, no FIR has been filed, triggering political outrage and protests by activists. Pune, Three Dalit girls in Pune have alleged that they were subjected to casteist slurs and humiliating treatment by a female police officer during questioning. The incident has sparked outrage, with political leaders and activists accusing Pune police of insensitivity and deliberate inaction. Join our WhatsApp Channel to Stay Updated! The girl at the centre of the issue had reportedly fled from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar after facing injustice there and sought temporary shelter in Pune. She stayed with three other girls for some time. However, police soon summoned all of them for questioning. Ankur Nikam Courtesy : The Bridge Chronicle Note: This news is originally published on https:/thebridgechronicle.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Great leader of Dalits, adivasis: Lalu Yadav pays tribute to Shibu Soren
RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav expressed deep sorrow and paid tribute to former Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) founder Shibu Soren, who passed away on Monday morning in a Delhi hospital after a prolonged illness. New Delhi: RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav expressed deep sorrow and paid tribute to former Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) founder Shibu Soren, who passed away on Monday morning in a Delhi hospital after a prolonged illness. “Today, Shibu Soren passed away. He was a great leader of Dalits and Adivasis. It is a matter of deep sorrow, and we pay our heartfelt tribute to him,” said Lalu Yadav. Shibu Soren, the towering tribal leader and father of current Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, breathed his last at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi at 8.56 a.m., according to a statement issued by the hospital. “He died after a prolonged illness. He was suffering from a kidney ailment and had also suffered a stroke a month and a half ago. He had been on life support for the past month,” the hospital said. Soren was under the care of Dr. A.K. Bhalla, Chairman of Nephrology, and a team from the neurology and ICU departments. Born on January 11, 1944, in Nemra village, then in Bihar (now in Jharkhand), Shibu Soren belonged to the Santhal tribal community. A lifelong advocate for tribal rights, he began his activism at the age of 18 by founding the Santhal Navyuvak Sangh, which focused on land and tribal issues. In 1972, he co-founded the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) along with A.K. Roy and Binod Bihari Mahato, leading the charge for a separate Jharkhand state and the empowerment of tribal communities. He served as the General Secretary of the JMM and played a pivotal role in the movement that eventually led to the formation of Jharkhand in 2000. Soren served as Chief Minister of Jharkhand three times. Though his tenures were short due to coalition complexities, his impact on state politics and tribal advocacy was long-lasting. Known affectionately as “Dishom Guru”, Shibu Soren was revered in tribal regions for his commitment to justice and upliftment of marginalised communities. His passing marks the end of an era in Jharkhand’s politics. Courtesy : Munsif News 24×7 Note: This news is originally published on https:/munsifnews24x7.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
‘He portrays all members of the SC/ST section as criminals, thieves’: Dalit activist files complaint against Adoor Gopalakrishnan for ‘casteist’ remarks
Dinu Veyil labelled Gopalakrishnan a “casteist”, and filed a complaint with the Thiruvananthapuram Museum Police Station, accusing the filmmaker of encouraging ill-will Dalit activist Dinu Veyil has filed a complaint against filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan for portraying members of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes as “criminals, thieves or prone to corruption”. Veyil, founder of the non-governmental organisation Dhisha Kerala, took to Facebook to inform that an official complaint was filed at the Thiruvananthapuram Museum Police Station and SC/ST Commission. As per the post, Veyil accused Gopalakrishnan of encouraging ill will. “Portraying the SC/ST group as “Take the money and run” as taking away the money provided by the government schemes by SC/ST community links to dishonesty/IMMORALITY/corruption, thereby creating ill-will (dislike) against SC/ST community is likely to grow in the minds of others [sic],” he penned. Veyil further labelled Gopalakrishnan’s comments as “intentional humiliation”. “Although not personally targeted, Adoor’s statement insults the individuals who belong to the SC/ST category who were present in the platform, the people who belong to the ST category who applied for the present fund so far, and the people who belonged to the SC/ ST category who are watching this through social media and TV channels.” The human rights advocate had earlier bashed Gopalakrishnan and questioned the filmmaker on the genuineness of his claims. “Under what data is it said that the money given to SC/ST will create a way for corruption?” He further called the filmmaker a “casteist”. During the Kerala Policy Film Conclave held on Sunday, Gopalakrishnan took centre stage to comment that the ₹1.5 crore grant provided to SC/ST could pave the way for corruption. Though he appreciated the initiative, the filmmaker suggested that those receiving it must undergo three months of intensive training before making films. Courtesy : The Week Note: This news is originally published on https:/theweek.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
How will Congress manage to win over Dalits in Bihar, how big a blow is Ashok Ram’s departure for Rahul’s campaign
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is trying to win over Dalit vote bank in Bihar. But in the meantime, Ashok Ram, a big Dalit face in the state, has shocked the party and joined JDU. Rahul will try to recover from this blow. On one hand, Rahul Gandhi is trying to win over Dalit voters for Congress’ victory in Bihar elections, while on the other hand, a prominent Dalit leader of the state has left the party. Rahul Gandhi has been trying to bring Dalit voters with him for a long time. During his nearly half a dozen visits to Bihar this year, his focus has been on Dalit voters, but the way former minister and 6-time MLA Dr Ashok Kumar Ram left the party and joined Janata Dal United is a big blow to Congress and Rahul’s preparations. Before leaving Congress, Ashok Ram alleged that Dalits are being ignored in the party, whereas his association with the party has been for nearly four decades. Ashok Ram, who has served as the working president of Congress, was said to be angry with his neglect in the party. It is also being said that he was not getting along well with Krishna Alavaru, the new in-charge of Congress in Bihar. Relation with a big political family of Bihar Doctor Ram belongs to a big political family. His father Baleshwar Ram was also a veteran Congress leader. He was an MLA and MP 7 times from 1952 to 1977. Not only this, he was made a state minister in Indira Gandhi’s government. Like his father, Dr. Ashok himself was an MLA 6 times and was made a minister in Rabri Devi’s government in the year 2000. He has been winning elections from the reserved Rosda assembly seat located in Samastipur district. His departure from the party just before the elections is being considered a big blow for the Congress because he was the Dalit face of the Congress for decades. He strengthened the concept of social justice for the party in the state. But in order to woo Dalit voters, Congress handed over the command of Bihar state to Rajesh Ram instead of Akhilesh Prasad Singh. He himself wanted to become the Congress President! It is being told that Dr. Ashok Ram was said to be angry with this decision. He himself wanted to come to this post, but his dream could not be fulfilled. Before Dr. Ram, Bihar minister Ashok Chaudhary was also in Congress, but a few years ago he went to JDU. Rahul Gandhi has been busy creating an environment for Congress among Dalit voters in Bihar for the last several months. In February, Congress celebrated the 130th birth anniversary of famous Pasi leader Jaglal Chaudhary with great pomp. Rahul Gandhi himself also participated in this program. He made Dalit leader Rajesh Ram the President of Bihar state and another Dalit leader Sushil Pasi the co-in-charge of the party in Bihar, trying to portray the party as a well-wisher of this community. Rahul engaged in the campaign of Dalit voters Apart from this, during his Bihar tour in June, Rahul Gandhi went to the village of Mountain Man Dashrath Manjhi to meet his family members. There he also paid his tribute at the Dashrath Manjhi memorial, and also met his son Bhagirath. He also drank coconut water with him. Bhagirath then demanded a permanent house for himself from the Congress leader, and Rahul fulfilled this demand by building a 4 room permanent house for his family. Bhagirath was earlier in Janata Dal United, but now he has joined Congress and he has also demanded a ticket from Rahul to contest elections. About 19 percent of the population in Bihar is Dalit and once it used to be the traditional vote bank of Congress. But with the passage of time these voters started drifting away. Congress had to bear the brunt and the party could not capture power on its own for more than 3 decades. Now Rahul Gandhi is engaged in an exercise to remove the resentment of Dalit voters and keep them with him. How important are Dalit voters in Bihar Dalit voters are important in Bihar because out of the 243 seats in the assembly, 38 seats have been reserved for Scheduled Castes and 2 seats for Scheduled Tribes. In 1990, the vote percentage of Congress here used to be 24.78 percent, which fell to single digit. Even after contesting the last two assembly elections together with the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Congress could not touch the double digit figure. In 2015, the vote percentage of Congress was 6.7, while in 2020 it improved marginally and became 9.48 percent. The round of allegations and counter-allegations also continues After former working president of Bihar Congress Dr. Ashok Kumar Ram left the party and joined Janata Dal United, JDU is claiming that ‘there is a stampede in the Congress. Many leaders of the party are still in touch with us. At the same time, Congress is also attacking Ashok Ram’s allegations. Congress termed him as a ‘high opportunist’ for joining JDU. While Dr. Ram claims that many more leaders from Congress are going to leave the party. While Congress is accusing Dr Ram of being an opportunist, he is accusing the party of neglecting Dalits. Such allegations have been made during the election season, but while trying to gain a foothold among Dalits, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will have to ensure that there is not much division in the party. If he fails to stop the division, it will send a wrong message to Dalit voters and he will have to work hard to make his political ground in Bihar. Surendra Kumar Verma Courtesy: Hindi News
Man gets life term for raping Dalit woman, sharing obscene photos
Agra: A 38-year-old man was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a Dalit woman and circulating her obscene photos to her relatives. The SC/ST court in Agra, presided over by Judge Pushkar Upadhyay, also imposed a fine of ₹90,000 on the convict. Additional district govt counsel (ADGC) Hemant Dixit said on Saturday that the 30-year-old woman’s mother, a farmer, had filed a police complaint against the accused in March 2022. “My daughter and the man were friends and used to speak regularly. After her engagement, we asked her to stop talking to him. But around Jan 2021, he convinced her to meet him one last time. During that meeting, he took obscene photos of her and forcefully did wrong things. My daughter returned home and told me everything. Out of shame, we didn’t report it and got her married,” the mother told the court during the trial. She added, “After the wedding, the man began sending my daughter’s obscene photos to our relatives, including to the mobile phone of my brother-in-law’s son-in-law. The pictures were sent to many relatives.” Based on the FIR, police booked the accused under IPC sections 376 (rape), 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation), 509 (insulting the modesty of a woman), along with section 67 of the IT Act and relevant provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The man was arrested shortly after and remained in jail throughout the trial. A chargesheet was filed weeks later. “After examining all witnesses and material evidence, the SC/ST court convicted the accused on Thursday and sentenced him to life imprisonment,” ADGC Dixit said. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https://timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights.
Dalit activist faces judicial custody with two associates
Hisar: Dalit rights activist and advocate Rajat Kalsan and his two companions, Deepak Saini and Pravesh, have been remanded in 14-day judicial custody. The three of them appeared in court on Saturday after being arrested for allegedly assaulting a police team in Hisar’s auto market. They were allegedly under the influence of alcohol at the time. City police apprehended his associates during his one-day police remand. A bail application for all the three accused was submitted during court proceedings. The court sought a response from the police and scheduled the bail hearing for Monday. On Thursday, Narnaund police arrested advocate Kalsan in a separate case registered about six months ago, involving a social media post allegedly supporting the accused in the murder of a woman at Budana village. Kalsan was granted bail by a Hansi court in the case. However, soon after his release, Hisar Police arrested him in the latest case related to the alleged assault. The FIR against advocate Kalsan was registered at the City Police Station on the complaint of Hansi special staff sub-inspector Ravikant under various non-bailable charges. According to the complaint, Kalsan was named in an FIR lodged at Narnaund Police Station on July 29. On the night of July 30, at around 10PM, police found three individuals allegedly consuming alcohol inside a parked car in the old auto market, with Kalsan in the driver’s seat. When police served him a notice to join the investigation, an altercation ensued. Kalsan and his companions allegedly exited the vehicle and attacked the officers, injuring a sub-inspector. Advocate Kalsan has been a prominent figure in Dalit activism, recently joining protests after the death of a youth named Ganesh in a DJ-related dispute in Hisar. He has also advocated for justice in the Bhatla case in Hansi and was a key legal representative in the high-profile 2010 Mirchpur Dalit atrocity case in the Narnaund region. Complaint submitted to NHRC Hisar-based advocate and social worker Bajrang Indal has submitted a joint complaint to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the National Commission for Scheduled Castes regarding the manner of Rajat Kalsan’s arrest. In his memorandum, Indal alleged that Kalsan—known for his advocacy in landmark Dalit rights cases like the Mirchpur massacre—was arrested on July 29 by police in plain clothes. He described it as a “kidnapping-style” operation. He also claimed that Kalsan was held in police custody without access to legal counsel or family visits and was not provided a copy of the FIR. The complaint went on to accuse the police of deliberately taking and circulating humiliating photos of Kalsan in a “criminal posture,” which Indal said, was a violation of human dignity and an affront to both the Dalit community and the legal profession. He has called for a judicial inquiry into the episode. 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.