Double murder of Dalit brothers, accused SP MLA ‘disappears’, yet why is Akhilesh silent?
Even after a case was registered against Hakim Lal Bind, SP MLA from Handia, Prayagraj, for the murder of two Dalit brothers, he has not been arrested. Police say the MLA has been out of contact for the past 15 days. Meanwhile, political questions have intensified regarding the silence of the Samajwadi Party and Akhilesh Yadav, who have been vocal on law and order and PDA politics. Opinion: Hakim Lal Bind, Samajwadi Party MLA from Handia, Prayagraj, has been charged with murder in the death of two brothers. However, since the FIR was filed, the MLA has been out of police reach for the past 15 days. He has not yet recorded his statement. Police say his mobile phone is switched off and he cannot be contacted. The most discussed topic in this entire incident is the silence of the Samajwadi Party’s top leadership. SP President Akhilesh Yadav, who has consistently criticized the BJP government on issues of crime, law and order, and the PDA (Backward, Dalit, and Minority) in the state, has yet to publicly comment on the matter. There has been no official statement from the party, nor has any organizational action been reported against the MLA. The MLA is accused of land grabbing. The two brothers whose deaths have come to light belonged to the Dalit community. The deceased’s family alleges that the younger brother, and then the elder brother, were murdered 22 days later over a dispute regarding ancestral land, and their bodies were hanged. A murder case has been filed against several individuals, including Hakim Lal Bind. The police are investigating the case, but they say the MLA is not cooperating. According to Handia police, the MLA’s mobile phone is switched off and he cannot be contacted. Police also visited his home, but he was not found there. Why are questions being raised about the SP’s top leadership? This issue is also in political discussion because the Samajwadi Party has been calling the PDA its biggest political campaign for the past several months. The party has consistently claimed that it raises the voice of the backward, Dalit, and underprivileged communities. It has also demanded answers from the government on every law and order issue. Consequently, the top leadership’s silence, despite its own party MLA facing serious charges like murder and being out of reach of the police, has become a subject of questioning within the opposition and political circles. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has consistently raised questions about the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh. But now, when a case has been filed against his own party MLA for the murder of a Dalit, he remains silent. Far from taking action against his MLA, he has not even made any public comment on the entire matter. Why does the SP remain silent when it comes to its leaders? However, this is not the first time questions have been raised about the Samajwadi Party’s silence regarding allegations against its leaders. Earlier, Akhilesh Yadav had not responded to the assault on a female SP worker in Chandauli. He also remained silent on the attack on MLA Maharaji Prajapati’s residence in Amethi. He also remained silent on several high-profile murders in Purvanchal. He also made no public statement on the Surya Chauhan murder case in Ghaziabad. Consequently, the opposition has consistently alleged that Akhilesh Yadav remains silent whenever Samajwadi Party leaders are named in criminal cases, or when allegations are leveled against individuals belonging to the Muslim and Yadav communities. (Author Bhavesh Pandey is an advocate in the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court and writes on political and social issues.) (Disclaimer: The views expressed here are the author’s personal opinions.) Courtesy: Hindi News
Dalit family forced to live in thatched roof for five years: Fear of snakes and scorpions during rains in Ayodhya, administration unaware, awaiting permanent housing
A poor Dalit family in Banshu Ka Purwa, Deva Suryabhanpur village, Maya Bazaar block, Ayodhya, has been waiting for permanent housing for the past five years. The family has not yet received benefits under the Chief Minister’s Housing Scheme, forcing them to live in a dilapidated thatched roof. During the rainy season, the family faces extremely difficult conditions. Water leaks from the roof and there is a constant threat of walls collapsing. At night, the family is terrified by mosquitoes, scorpions, and snakes. Last year, the family’s daughter had to be taken to the hospital after being bitten by a scorpion. During the rainy season, the entire house becomes filled with mud and water, leading to the spread of diseases. The children’s studies are also affected, as their books and notebooks get soaked and damaged. Families like Ramkaran, son of Ramkumar, and Samarjeet, son of Ramkumar, residents of Banshu Ka Purwa, are forced to live in thatched roofs due to lack of housing. Waterlogging makes it even more difficult for them to live with their families. Suffering from the situation, Ramkaran stated that he has complained to the Sarpanch, Secretary, and Block Office ten times. Each time, he receives assurances that his name will be included in the next list, but this wait has been unending for five years. He expressed concern about where they will go if their roof collapses during the rainy season. Ramkaran’s wife, while narrating her plight, said that they sit with a diya (lamp) burning all night because they are afraid of snakes and scorpions. Village head representative Ravi Upadhyay stated that the family’s housing application will soon be sent to the Block Office. Meanwhile, BDO Maya Bazaar Vikas Kumar Mishra stated that the matter will be investigated. If the family is found eligible, their housing will be approved under a special campaign. Santosh Kumar | Maya Bazaar, Ayodhya Courtesy: Hindi News
The Forgotten Stakeholders of the Ken-Betwa Project: Why Dalit Voices Must Matter in India’s Largest River-Linking Experiment
The Ken-Betwa River Link Project, when it is discussed, tends to be overshadowed by the discussions on irrigation potential, ecological impacts and the future of the Panna Tiger Reserve. These are clearly important issues, but one crucial aspect has been largely ignored. It is the impact on Dalit people whose lives and livelihoods are intrinsically linked to the land now destined for transformation. As India embarks on one of its most ambitious water infrastructure projects, the question is not whether rivers can be interconnected but whether it is possible to grow in a socially just and inclusive manner. Development has never been asocial Major infrastructure investments rarely impact all communities equally. People who own property, have money and political power are usually better placed to get compensation or to rebuild their lives. Marginalised communities, particularly Dalits, tend to come into such processes with fewer assets, less bargaining power and a greater dependence on shared resources. In Bundelkhand, many Dalit households depend on agricultural wage labour, grazing grounds, woods, riverbanks and village commons for their survival. Even if they do not own the land being acquired, they risk losing access to economic networks that support their everyday life. That creates a dangerous paradox: a project aimed at reducing regional inequality may actually exacerbate existing socioeconomic inequities if rehabilitation policies are exclusively targeted at landowners. Hidden costs of displacement Public debate around rehabilitation often centres on compensation for seized land. But many Dalit households rely on labour for their livelihood, rather than ownership. Relocation of villages changes agricultural patterns and may eliminate job opportunities. While landowners may be compensated or given alternative plots of land, agricultural workers tend to lose both their livelihoods and social support systems. Seasonal jobs, access to forests for fuelwood, collection of minor forest produce, cattle grazing and informal economic activity could be lost overnight. Without understanding these losses, rehabilitation risks being a bureaucratic exercise rather than an exercise in meaningful justice. The pay is as important as the representation The Constitution guarantees equality before the law, but in reality participation in development planning is uneven. Important questions need to be asked: Were Dalit settlements consulted separately in public hearings? Were their interests tracked separately from the big landholding interests? Do rehabilitation committees effectively represent the scheduled castes? Are compensation schemes intended to recognize dependence on a livelihood, not just legal ownership? These questions are meant to bolster, not to stymie, growth. The Indian environmental governance framework is more about involvement. But meaningful participation also requires an understanding that communities are not homogenous. Social hierarchies in communities often determine who gets to be heard and whose concerns are dismissed. Learning from Previous Development Projects The history of India’s big dams, mining projects, industrial corridors and urban expansion tells us a familiar story: exposed areas often pay higher prices with fewer long-term benefits. Research on displacement in infrastructure projects has often found that Scheduled Castes and other marginal groups recover livelihoods more slowly due to a lack of economic assets and institutional support. The Ken-Betwa project is a chance to break free from this trend. Anusreeta Dutta Courtesy : TOP Note: This news is originally published on https:/theobserverpost.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dhampur: Two accused arrested and charged after altercation with woman
Dhampur police have arrested and charged two young men in connection with the assault of a Dalit youth. The incident occurred after an alleged altercation with a woman. The incident occurred near Chak Sahajani village in Dhampur, where a Dalit youth was assaulted by three or four unidentified youths. Vivek Kumar, son of Pramod Kumar, a resident of Nangli Ladan village in the police station area, filed a police complaint. Vivek told police that he works as a mechanic at a local business. He had frequent disputes with a woman, Sonu, and her family at the same business. This dispute occurred on Wednesday. According to police, two young men living in the neighborhood, along with their friends, assaulted Vivek at the instigation of Sonu’s family. Inspector Ravindra Pratap Singh stated that the arrested accused have been identified as Adnan from Bamnoli and Ali from Delhi Bhatpura. They were accompanied by two other unidentified individuals. Police have arrested Adnan and Ali and issued a challan against them. Based on Vivek’s complaint, police have also named Sonu, wife of Manish. Shahbaz Anwar | Dhampur Alaihpur (Dhampur), Bijnor Courtesy: Hindi News
An unflinching portrait of Dalit life | Review of Chandu Maheria’s Homes without Windows
Translated by Hemang Ashwinkumar, Maheria’s book offers an intimate account of caste, poverty, and survival in urban Gujarat but is undermined by an embellished translation Monsoon arrived in Gujarat just as I finished reading Homes without Windows, a collection of 11 autobiographical essays by Dalit activist Chandu Maheria, translated by Hemang Ashwinkumar. Originally written in the Gujarati and published in non-literary magazines, these essays are now available in English. “Today, when I utter stuff like I don’t like monsoon or the prospect of getting wet in rain, my audience gasps, their eyebrows raised in mock surprise. How could someone, who has spent most of his life’s monsoons in just two pairs of mostly wet clothes, still like to get soaked is a question beyond them…,” writes Maheria in one of the essays. For him, the monsoon evokes memories of hellish public toilets, the scramble to cover the house with a sheet of cheap tarpaulin, rainwater flooding homes and streets, and his mother praying to Varun, the god of rain. In the chawls of Rajpur, where Maheria spent most of his life, there was little time to marvel at the beauty of a rainbow. A life of deprivation When you enter Ahmedabad, the commercial capital of Gujarat, from the eastern side, a dense web of chawls lines both sides of the main road, inhabited mostly by Muslims, Dalits, Christians, and poor communities. Maheria takes us into the heart of this labyrinth. He introduces us to its seasons and festivals, its sorrows and moments of happiness despite scarcity and untouchability, its schools, toilets, and hospitals, and the enduring presence of B.R. Ambedkar and M.K. Gandhi in the lives of its people. Maheria’s childhood was marked by extreme food deprivation. His father, a textile mill worker, was the sole breadwinner of a family of nine. During Maheria’s early school years, the children received a glass of milk every day before classes, but little else. Maheria writes about those dark days with disarming honesty. There were times when a relative who delivered tiffin boxes would stop by their home at the end of his rounds and let the family eat the leftovers from the boxes. At the end of the chapter, Maheria expresses his gratitude for the reservation policy, which enabled him and his siblings to pursue education and secure jobs and escape those years of hardship. In another chapter, he writes, “As if the question of filling the bottomless pits of hunger was not vexed enough, the daily dilemma of emptying our bowels had made our lives, both personal and social, embarrassing and miserable.” Their dingy dwelling, Abu Kasai’s chawl, did not have a single public toilet of its own, forcing its residents to use the filthy toilets in the neighbouring Hiralal’s chawl. Decades later, a large, modern, and well-maintained public toilet stands there, yet it remains beyond the reach of the daily-wage poor and the unemployed because it costs one rupee per visit. As a result, it is seldom used by the local residents, who have wryly come to call it ‘The Mayor’s Bungalow’. Maheria, a noted scholar of Dalit life in Gujarat, has important points to make in the ever-contentious debate on Gandhi and Ambedkar. Unlike many of his Dalit friends, he admires Gandhi. He writes, “Gandhi might have been anything — call him whatever names — but one thing he was certainly not was anti-Dalit.” Maheria loved wearing Khadi despite his mother’s opposition; his father too was anti-Gandhi. Yet Maheria affectionately refers to Gandhi as “That Fellow, Gandhido.” When Maheria was just two years away from retirement, he received a promotion along with a transfer to a town called Dhoraji in the Saurashtra region. There the author says he repeatedly encountered the question, “Tame keva? (What caste are you?)”, which he had never been asked in urban Gujarat. While much of his writing focuses on Dalit life in urban Gujarat, his two-year stay in this dusty town offers a glimpse into caste discrimination and the ways in which Dalits and Muslims are excluded from the broader development agenda. It also shows how these communities are pushed into segregated ghettos on the outskirts of so-called developing towns. Losing the writer’s voice Having read the original Gujarati essays alongside their English translations, I have a few observations about Ashwinkumar’s translation. A translator’s foremost responsibility is to preserve the original author’s voice and tonal quality. Maheria’s language is simple and he rarely uses ornamental expressions; his economy of words is almost Gandhian. In many places, however, the English translation departs from this restraint by adding flourishes. In the chapter on Diwali, for instance, the translation reads: “Ramanbhai worked tirelessly…treating the wall as a wide canvas, painting it in broad strokes. Thanks to his speed and finesse, the whole drawing room, the biggest room in the house, would be taken care of by the afternoon.” In the original Gujarati, this is a single sentence. The added phrases do not align with Maheria’s sparse style. Moreover, the sentence is factually inaccurate: in the original, there is no drawing room; it refers instead to a small, single thatched room in a chawl. The use of the words “drawing room” creates a misleading impression. A translator should remain faithful to the original text and avoid such liberties. Despite these concerns, Homes Without Windows remains an important and deeply affecting work. Maheria’s essays offer an intimate, lived account of caste, poverty, and survival in urban Gujarat. What stays with the reader is the dignity and wit with which he recounts them. Maheria’s voice continues to insist on being heard. Mehul Devkala The reviewer is a Gujarati poet, writer, and award-winning filmmaker. 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
Amethi: Case of kidnapping and conversion of a Dalit minor girl; police detain accused Jabir
A case of luring, kidnapping, conversion, and sexual assault of a Dalit girl has come to light in Sangrampur, Amethi. Amethi: A case of forced conversion and rape has come to light in Amethi district, Uttar Pradesh. A young man from a particular community kidnapped a Dalit girl from the same village and fled. He then forced her to convert and raped her. He also threatened to kill her family if they objected. Police arrest accused: Following a complaint from the victim’s family, police have recovered the accused youth and the girl and initiated legal proceedings. The mother of a Dalit girl from a village in the Sangrampur police station area of the district wrote in a complaint to the police that her fifteen-year-old daughter is unmarried. Jabir, son of Karamat Ali, had been sexually abusing her for approximately three to four years. He also pressured her to marry him. Allegation of death threats: The mother wrote in the complaint that they were poor and did not report the matter due to public shame. Jabir repeatedly insulted her and her family with casteist slurs and threatened to convert her daughter to Islam and marry her. If she or anyone in her family objected, he would kill them all. On July 20th, at 10 a.m., Jabir lured her daughter away from their home, promising to force her to convert. Terror grips the victim’s family: She informed her husband, who works in Haryana, over the phone. The family subsequently searched for her daughter in various locations, but could not find any trace of her or Jabir. Jabir had been pressuring her to convert and harassing her for a long time. Police filed an FIR: The teenager’s brother stated that Jabir had lured his sister into a love affair and fled with her on Monday. He assaulted their sister, forced her to convert, and sexually assaulted her. He was also continuously threatening to kill them. He threatened to kill them if they went to the police. Minor girl recovered, accused Jabir in custody: The victim complained to the police at Sangrampur police station, and the police immediately swung into action as the case involved religious conversion. Police recovered the accused youth and the teenager on Tuesday, registered a case, and initiated legal proceedings. However, the victim’s family remains terrified. Additional Superintendent of Police Gyanendra Kumar stated that a minor girl from a village in the Sangrampur police station area was forcibly converted and abducted by a man under the pretext of marriage. A case has been registered at the Sangrampur police station under relevant sections. Further legal action is being taken after the girl has been recovered and the youth has been detained. Courtesy: Hindi News
Dalit activist passes away
Mangaluru: M Devadas,74, one of the founding functionaries of the Dalit movement in undivided Dakshina Kannada, and a participant and guide in people’s movements in Dakshina Kannada, has passed away following cardiac arrest on Wednesday. According to CPM district secretary Muneer Katipalla, when the Dalit Sangharsh Samiti (DSS) was launched in the state, M Devadas worked hard to initiate the Dalit movement in the coastal district. He travelled across the district to build the organisation. He made significant efforts to create ideological awareness and self-respect among Dalits. In the Mangaluru region, he organised several protests in association with leftist and rationalist organisations. Devadas also contributed to building platforms of like-minded groups and organising joint struggles. He was an inspiration to a new generation of activists. Following health issues, he was admitted to a hospital on July 12. He is survived by his wife and two daughters. The CPM Dakshina Kannada District Committee and other organisations have condoled his death. 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
Attack on Dalit youth in Jaunpur: Case filed against 4 under various sections including SC/ST Act
An attack on Dalit youth has been reported in the Sarpataha police station area of Jaunpur. A case has been filed against four named accused under various sections including the SC/ST Act in this attack, which occurred near the Mirzapur-Rudhauli culvert due to an old rivalry. Police have begun investigating the matter. Saurabh, son of Ramesh, a resident of Sawayan village, stated in his complaint to the police that Kuldeep, Kishan, Aman, and Deepchand Yadav attacked him on the evening of July 18th. Saurabh’s head was fractured in the attack, which involved punches, kicks, and injuries. Rakesh suffered serious leg injuries and was also strangled. The victims also alleged that the attackers used casteist slurs and threatened to kill him. The incident was reported to police on 112. Police arrived at the scene as soon as they received the information, but by then all the accused had fled. Police recovered a motorcycle from the scene. Station Head Ramasray Rai stated that based on the victim’s complaint, a case has been registered against four accused under various sections of the SC/ST Act and other sections. Further legal action is being taken in the matter. Ashutosh Dubey | Suithakalan Courtesy: Hindi News
BJP’s Dalit outreach bid with Sant Ravidas ‘Kalash’
Varanasi: Intensifying it’s Dalit outreach bid ahead of 2027 UP election, BJP national president Nitin Nabin and state chief Pankaj Chaudhary will launch a countrywide Kalash Yatra from the birthplace of Sant Ravidas in Seer Govardhanpur in Kashi on Jul 29. Made of clay collected from the Sant’s birthplace 131 kalash (urns) will be taken to 98 districts of 27 states as a part of his 650th birth anniversary celebration, said BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh, adding that many other events based on the Sant will be organised between Guru Purnima and Maghi Purnima by the party. Chugh, along with state general secretary (organisation) Dharmapal Singh, UP ministers Aseem Arun, Ravindra Jaiswal, Hansraj Vishwakarma, Shivesh Kumar, Rampratap Singh Chauhan, Kashi region unit president Ashok Chaurasia, city chief Pradeep Agrahari, Mayor Ashok Tiwari and several other public representatives, visited Ravidas temple to inspect the site of the proposed event on Tuesday evening, He also held meeting with the authorities of Sant Ravidas birthplace temple. Later, Chugh informed reporters that arrival of Nitin Nabin, chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Pankaj Chaudhary and representatives of the sant community from across the country to attend the special event at the birthplace of Sant Ravidas on the auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima on Jul 29 has been confirmed. A public meeting will be organised after prayers and aarti of 131 Kalash to be filled with soil of the birthplace by 131 teams reaching on Jul 28. On Jul 30, the same teams will leave for BJP’s 98 organisational districts in UP, 27 states and six zones by keeping the Kalash on vehicles. The sacred soil from Sant Ravidas birthplace will be taken to villages and localities in all these districts across the country, said Chugh mentioning through Kalash worship, the message of social harmony, humanity and equality will be conveyed to the masses. He said the contribution of Sant Ravidas was not limited to Varanasi, he showed the path of harmony and equality to all humanity and will always be remembered as a great leader of social harmony. BJP will celebrate the 650th birth anniversary of Sant Ravidas at the nationwide level with enthusiasm and grandeur, he said. BJP SC wing national president Lal Singh Arya said this Guru Purnima event will give a new message to the country. He said Bhakti movement brought society out of darkness and gave it a new direction. Sant Ravidas opposed ostentation and gave the message of humanity, equality and brotherhood. A workshop regarding preparations for the event will be held in Lucknow on Thursday, while district-level workshops will be organised from Jul 25 to 27. 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
Upper-caste Hindu mob demolishes Dalit family’s home in India
Lower-caste Hindu family alleges assault, caste slurs and forced demolition of home in Uttar Pradesh as police arrest two suspects NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A Dalit family in northern India has accused an upper-caste mob of demolishing their home, assaulting family members and hurling caste-based slurs in an attack that has renewed attention to persistent violence against historically marginalized communities. The incident took place in Muraw village in Uttar Pradesh’s Fatehpur district, according to the local media. Members of the family later approached the district police chief seeking an impartial investigation and action against those responsible. Gayatri Devi, one of the victims, alleged that six upper-caste men arrived at the family’s home with around 20 to 25 others in several vehicles before attacking the household. She accused the group of verbally abusing the family with caste slurs, physically assaulting them and forcibly demolishing their house while her husband and father-in-law were away working as daily wage laborers. Another family member, Horilal, said they had been living on the residential plot for nearly three decades and alleged that the named accused had harassed them for years in an attempt to drive them from the property. Police have registered a criminal case against six named suspects under provisions relating to assault and offenses under India’s law protecting members of marginalized communities from caste-based atrocities. Two suspects have been arrested, while efforts are continuing to apprehend the remaining accused, police said. Rights groups say disputes over land, housing and access to resources frequently trigger violence against Dalit families, particularly in rural areas where entrenched caste hierarchies continue to shape social and economic life. Courtesy : Muslim Network TV Note: This news is originally published on https:/muslimnetworktv.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights