27.28-02-2024.The Indian Untouchables Atrocity news.collected by Sivaji.9444917060.ceo.chennai.26.
A clipped video of Mallikarjun Kharge shared alleging that he acknowledged that the Congress party divides country in the name of caste
Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is currently underway, with various leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, addressing the yatra. A video of Kharge addressing the public is circulating on social media, where he allegedly stated, “As always, Congress divides the country. It divides the country in the name of caste.” Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Mallikarjun Kharge said “As always, Congress divides the country. It divides the country in the name of caste” in a public gathering.
Fact: This video is from a public meeting held during the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ in Aurangabad, Bihar, on 15 February 2024. In the original video, Kharge stated that “the caste census will provide valuable information on the distribution and conditions of people from various castes and communities since independence. We have requested a caste census for this purpose. What’s wrong with it? Modi always claims that Congress divides the country based on caste, but when have we done so?” The video has been clipped between the timestamps 13:13 and 13:18 and shared. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On performing a relevant keyword search regarding the claim, we found from the official YouTube channel of the Indian National Congress that this video is from a public meeting held during the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ in Aurangabad, Bihar, on 15 February 2024.
On listening to the full video, we found that Kharge was talking about the purpose of Congress’ demand for a caste census and Prime Minister Modi’s remarks on caste census. He stated, “Brothers, Rahul Gandhi, and our party share the same demand: a caste census. If our party comes to power, we will conduct it. This census will provide valuable information on the distribution and conditions of people from various castes and communities since independence. It will help us understand the educational and economic progress of different groups, including backward communities, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, minorities, and those below the poverty line. We have requested a caste census for this purpose. What’s wrong with it? Modi always claims that Congress divides the country based on caste, but when have we done so? Our goal is to ensure justice for all.” Kharge’s speech on the Official website of the Indian National Congress also mentions this.
News reports also covered Mallikarjun Kharge’s speech in Aurangabad, Bihar (here and here). Our investigation reveals that the authentic video has been edited between the timestamps 13:13 and 13:18 and was shared to disseminate misinformation.
To sum up, a clipped video of Mallikarjun Kharge is being shared, alleging that he acknowledged that the Congress party divides country in the name of caste.
Delhi Police files ATR in Sameer Wankhede's complaint against IPS Gyaneshwer Singh
New Delhi [India], February 27 (ANI): The Delhi Police on Tuesday filed an Action Taken Report (ATR) in Patiala House Court in a complaint moved by Sameer Wankhede, an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer who filed a complaint seeking registration of an FIR against Gyaneshwar Singh, IPS, alleging harassment and atrocities punishable under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities ) Act, 1989, committed by Singh during the inquiry conducted by him.
In the matter on Tuesday, the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police appeared and filed the Action Taken Report (ATR).
On the last date of hearing, Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala issued notice to Deputy Commissioner of Police, South West District, Delhi, to file the action taken report in respect of the complaint dated July 18, 2023, made to Mumbai Police, Maharashtra, received in his office via letter dated December 6, 2023, and referred to in the emails dated December 22, 2023, and December 26, 2023 of the complainant, for the next date, which is February 27, 2024.
It was submitted by the complainant that he is a member of the Scheduled Caste community and therefore entitled to claim protection granted by the SCST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. It was submitted that the complainant had lodged a complaint for the commission of the above offences with Mumbai Police, Maharashtra vide complaint dated July 18, 2023. The police authorities in Mumbai, Maharashtra in a letter dated December 6, 2023, informed the applicant/complainant that his complaint has been transferred to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, South West District, Delhi Police for further necessary action.
It was alleged by Wankhede, that during an inquiry, Gyaneshwar Singh went beyond the scope of the inquiry and humiliated him for being a member of the Scheduled Caste. It is also alleged that Gyaneshwar Singh threatened him that he would ensure that Wankhede lost his job and the details of the inquiry were leaked before the media houses in furtherance of the same, which had led to a social boycott and humiliation of a Scheduled Caste family in the public and society.
Complainant Wankhede also alleged that the witnesses were tortured by G Singh to give statements against Wankhede. Also, G Singh was maliciously writing to other agencies regarding Sameer Wankhede's Schedule Caste complaints in order to publicly humiliate him.
+ Home NewsTamil Nadu TNCC chief seeks probe into Dalit youth's suspicious death Remarking that the Dalit youth's death has raised many doubts in
https://www.dtnext.in/news/tamilnadu/tncc-chief-seeks-probe-into-dalit-youths-suspicious-death-770661
UP: Uproar over installation of Bhimrao Ambedkar’s picture, Dalit youth shot dead, family members said – Police opened fire – Rampur Uproar over installation of Baba Saheb Ambedkar board Dalit youth shot dead two injured allegations lcla
There was a dispute between two parties regarding the installation of the picture of Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh. During this firing, a Dalit youth died after being shot, while two people were injured. The family members of the deceased started protesting by placing the body under the portrait of Bhimrao Ambedkar. Their allegation was that the youth died due to police firing. The people of the village protested and sat on dharna regarding this.
According to the information, this incident took place in Silai Bada village of Milk police station area of Rampur in western Uttar Pradesh. Here there was a dispute between two parties regarding the installation of a board with Bhimrao Ambedkar’s picture in a part of the land. People of Dalit community wanted to build a park in the name of Bhimrao Ambedkar and install his statue, while the other party opposing the matter said that it is a manure pit and the place belongs to the village society.
Due to this uproar, firing took place, in which a Dalit youth died after being shot. Two people were injured there. The family members of the deceased youth alleged that the youth died due to police firing. With this, they started protesting by placing the dead body under the portrait of Bhimrao Ambedkar.
As soon as the information about this matter was received, top officials of the police and administration reached Silai Bada village with their force and tried to convince the family members who were adamant on demanding action against the policemen.
Meanwhile, a video related to the incident went viral on social media, in which policemen are seen lathi-charging and pelting stones. To handle the uncontrolled situation, DIG Moradabad and Divisional Commissioner Silai reached Bada village and talked to the family members and assured them of all possible help and action against the culprits. Only then did the family members of the deceased calm down. The police took the body into custody and sent it for post-mortem. The injured were admitted to the district hospital for treatment.
Uproar over installation of Bhimrao Ambedkar board, Dalit youth shot dead, two injured
The brother of the deceased made these allegations
The deceased’s brother Brajkishore said that I was driving a rickshaw. On the way I came to know that my brother has expired. I can’t say anything. Here two policemen, one named Adesh Chauhan and one named Rishi Pal, live at our post, they climbed up and opened fire indiscriminately, in which my brother died. Sumesh Kumar and Amit were also shot. We don’t have any land. We used to earn our living by driving rickshaws.
What did the Divisional Commissioner say about the entire incident?
Divisional Commissioner Ananjane Kumar Singh said that there was a place for a manure pit, which was leveled by filling it in the middle. There was a demand of the people here that Ambedkar’s statue should be installed or a park should be built here. There was a complaint regarding that. On which the administration had sent for action. What happened here, all this will be investigated.
He said that as the family has also given a statement, a bullet was fired and one person died. I have come here myself. Investigation will be done. We have received the complaint and demands of the family. Action will be taken against all of them and whoever is found guilty in this, action will be taken against all of them.
Uproar over installation of Bhimrao Ambedkar board, Dalit youth shot dead, two injured
Also read: Delhi Encounter: Encounter in Rohini area of Delhi, criminal injured due to bullet injury, Zigana pistol recovered.
When asked whether the family members allege that the young man died due to police firing? On this, the Divisional Commissioner said that whoever is found guilty in the investigation will not be spared. Two people are injured in this case, they have been admitted to the hospital. It has been assured that whatever appropriate assistance will be provided to the family. The condition of the village is fine. Everything is normal.
There are many demands from the family members. We have told them that we will consider everything and action is being taken on what is most important. Post mortem is being conducted now. At least let us know what has happened and in what manner it has happened. The Divisional Commissioner said that an inquiry committee will be formed. A magisterial inquiry will also be conducted by the District Magistrate. All aspects will be considered in this.
Courtesy : Indian News Weekly
‘Harassed Because of My Caste,’ Says Dalit Govt Teacher Suspended Over ‘Saraswati Worship’ Row
The suspension of Hemlata Bairwa has led to state-wide protests by Dalit groups, who are demanding its revocation and the resignation of the state education minister.
Deep Mukherjee
Jaipur: Last month, a video of the Republic Day celebrations at a government upper primary school in Rajasthan’s Baran district went viral on social media, where a group of men could be seen arguing with Hemlata Bairwa, a 40-year-old teacher of the school.
Bairwa belongs to a Dalit community.
A month later, Bairwa has been suspended by the state education department on the instructions of minister Madan Dilawar, and asked to report to duty in Bikaner, more than 600 kms from her home. The suspension of Bairwa has led to state-wide protests by Dalit groups, who are demanding the revocation of Bairwa’s suspension and resignation of the minister.
In the video from January 26 this year, Bairwa can be seen standing in front of garlanded photos of Mahatma Gandhi, Savitribai Phule and B.R. Ambedkar while a group of men are confronting her.
“Bacchon ki devi to Saraswati hai (the goddess of children is Saraswati),” the men are heard saying, to which Bairwa replies, “Bacchon ki devi toh Savitribai Phule hai (the goddess of children is Savitribai Phule).”
When the men insist that Bairwa do a puja of the Hindu deity Saraswati, she is seen refusing. Thereafter, the men assembled in front of the school are seen challenging her to go ahead with the programme. One of the men asks why there was no lamp and whether Bairwa is ignorant of Hindu traditions.
“What is the meaning of Hindu? Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Isai sab barabar hai (Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian are all equal),” Bairwa is heard saying in the video.
Two FIRs lodged
Following the incident, two FIRs – one by Bairwa against the men who had confronted her and the other against her for hurting religious sentiments – were registered.
“On Republic Day, 26 January 2024, while discharging my duties as a government servant, I was working in the school to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the implementation of the sacred Constitution of India. Hansraj Nagar, Radheshyam Nagar, Bharat Nagar, Kishan Nagar and other members of a same family of the village and teachers Hansraj Sain and Bhupendra Sain of the school staff started harassing me for Saraswati Puja in a public place,” says the FIR registered on the basis of Bairwa’s complaint at the Nahargarh police station in Baran.
“I am a female public servant from the Scheduled Caste (SC) category. Hansraj Nagar, Bharat Nagar, Radheshyam Nagar used casteist slurs and said that we will see you outside…I have been feeling mentally scared since this incident disrupted the celebration of the national festival Republic Day,” says the FIR.”
The FIR lodged by Bairwa adds that there is no mention of Saraswati Puja in Article 28 of the Constitution of India.
“According to the Indian Constitution. 51(a) Imaginary things are prohibited from the scientific point of view….my fundamental right to freedom of expression has been publicly violated…The dignity of women has been violated. I demand strict action against anti-social elements, unconstitutional elements, anti-constitutional elements, elements against the father of the Constitution of India, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. The applicants are feeling unsafe after this incident,” reads the FIR lodged by Bairwa.
Those named in the FIR registered by Bairwa belong to various OBC caste groups.
The FIR lodged by Bairwa has been registered under sections 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the IPC along with relevant provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Deputy Superintendent of Police and Circle Officer (CO), Shahbad, Baran, Hemant Gautam told The Wire that an FIR was also registered against Bairwa by locals in which she has been accused of hurting religious sentiments by her opinion on goddess Saraswati.
“The FIR against government teacher Hemlata Bairwa has been lodged by locals under sections including sections 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence) and 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the IPC. They have accused her of hurting religious sentiments. Investigation is being conducted for the FIR registered by Bairwa and also the one registered against her. No arrests have been made so far in either of the FIRs,” said CO Gautam.
Suspension after education minister’s public declaration
After the January 26 incident, senior BJP MLA and Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawarhad had said that an inquiry will be conducted into the incident. Bairwa was suspended last week.
“People have got so pricey that even now they have not changed their ways, they say what role does Saraswati ma have in school. The person who has said this in this region, I suspend that person and make Bikaner that person’s office. I have given instructions to officials one hour back to suspend that person and make Bikaner the headquarters,” Dilawar had said in a public meeting in Baran last week as the people assembled at the event hailed the decision with chants of Bharat Mata ki Jai.
Sixty-four-year-old Dilawar, who has been given the important portfolio of school education in the Bhajan Lal Sharma-led BJP government in Rajasthan, himself belongs to the Dalit community and is one of the most firebrand Hindutva faces of the saffron party in the state. He is often in the news for his statements. Ever since he has taken charge as education minister, he has been grabbing headlines for reasons such as his insistence on Surya Namaskar during morning assembly, calling Mughal emperor Akbar a ‘rapist’ and with his statements against wearing Hijab in schools.
On February 23, the office of the District Education Officer (headquarters), Elementary, Baran issued an order, which said that it has been decided to initiate disciplinary action against Bairwa and she is being suspended with immediate effect, with her headquarters being changed to Bikaner.
‘I am being targeted because of my caste’
Speaking to The Wire, Bairwa said that she is being harassed only because of her caste and that she will not be going to Bikaner.
“It was Republic Day and I was doing my duty as per the constitution. At first two teachers of the school, Hansraj Sain and Bhupendra Sain pressurised me to worship Saraswati. Then they left and returned later with more villagers who started harassing me. They abused me with casteist slurs. Now, I have been suspended and have been asked to report at Bikaner, which is 600 kms away from my home. I have decided not to go there as I cannot accept this injustice. I am being harassed only because of a casteist mindset as I am from the scheduled caste,” Bairwa told The Wire.
Bairwa also slammed minister Dilawar for announcing her suspension at the public meeting.
“How is it fine to threaten me on a public stage? I filed an FIR and yet, no arrests have been made till now. Instead, I have been suspended. Some of the accused regularly display casteism at the school where Dalit children face harassment,” alleged Bairwa.
“Savitribhai Phule opened schools for women. How many women were literate before her?” she added.
Bairwa stood by her actions, and said that religious beliefs are personal and she only followed the Constitution.
“Religious beliefs are personal. Be it the Constitution or a place such as schools, religious beliefs have nothing to do here. How can the minister deliver a speech from a public stage saying that he is suspending me? This is a matter of a woman’s respect. Are we his servants that he can announce our suspension from any place? I have done my work within the ambit of the Constitution. I want justice and action against the accused.
Dalit groups protest, lock school, allege police action
Ever since Bairwa’s suspension, Dalit groups across the state have been agitating, demanding that the decision be revoked. Members of Dalit outfits also held a dharna in front of the government upper primary school, Lakdai in Baran district, where Bairwa was posted.
Dalit groups alleged that on Tuesday, February 27, that some protesters were injured after police allegedly used force on agitators sitting on dharna in front of the school. The Baran police denied the allegations.
“Schoolchildren and Bhim Army members had locked the school gates and sat on dharna. Police beat the protesters with lathis which resulted in injuries to some of the agitators. We stand with Hemlata ji. Till the time her suspension is not revoked, we will hold more protests. Ever since the BJP government has come to power, officials from the SC and minority communities are being targeted. Education minister Madan Dilawar, who himself belongs to a Dalit community, has been given the ministerial post to target his own people…We demand that Dilawar be removed from his ministerial post,” said Anil Dhenwal, Rajasthan in-charge of the Bhim Army.
The Baran police denied the allegations of lathi charge and said that the protesters were dispersed from the dharna site on Tuesday to avoid a law and order situation and the school was reopened.
“It’s not exactly lathi charge that has taken place. Certain people had locked the door of the school and they were agitating over why the teacher Hemlata Bairwa was suspended and her headquarter changed to Bikaner. But their procedure of protesting was against law. They also misguided some students who said that the school should not be opened. Later, another group, who were in favour of opening the school also reached the site. They said either police should open the school or they themselves would. It resulted in a tussle between the two groups and a law and order situation was about to arise as the two groups were about to fight,” Baran SP Raj Kumar Chaudhary told The Wire on Tuesday.
Chaudhary added that after trying to convince the two groups, the police had to intervene.
Dalit rights activists say that the suspension of Bairwa has been done with malice.
“The government’s decision to suspend Hemlata Bairwa and to change her headquarters to Bikaner is unjust. The education minister, instead of answering her question about what contribution Saraswati had in education, took this action. If they felt bad, or took it as a challenge, they should have countered it by answering and not by taking action. Hemlata didn’t say anything wrong as even the Prime Minister, who belongs to the same party as the education minister, too pays his tribute to Savitribai Phule,” said Bhanwar Meghwanshi, Rajasthan president of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL).
Courtesy : The Wire
Bihar DSP Remanded for 2001 Dalit Girl Rape: A Case Two Decades in the Making
A Deputy Superintendent of Police in Gaya, Bihar, faces judicial custody over a 2001 rape case, highlighting the legal system’s commitment to addressing crimes against vulnerable communities. Explore the historic crime, legal proceedings, and societal implications of this case.
In a significant development that underscores the enduring pursuit of justice, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Gaya, Bihar, faces judicial custody over a rape case dating back to 2001. The accused, identified as Kumar, has been remanded to 14 days of judicial custody by a POCSO court, following his surrender ahead of a bail application rejection. This case illuminates the legal system’s commitment to addressing crimes against vulnerable communities, regardless of the time that has elapsed.
Historic Crime, Modern Reckoning
At the heart of this case is an incident from 2001, when Kumar, then serving in Gaya, was implicated in the rape of a Dalit girl. The victim, engaged in household work at Kumar’s government residence, found herself prey to his advances. The case, buried under years of silence, resurfaced following Kumar’s transfer, leading to a comprehensive investigation by the police. Despite the passage of time, the charges against Kumar gained solidity, culminating in a chargesheet filed against him.
Legal Proceedings and Public Response
Kumar’s surrender to the court, preceding the rejection of his bail application by both the POCSO court and the high court, marks a pivotal moment in this long-standing case. The high court’s decision to reject the bail application underscores the gravity of the allegations and the legal system’s intolerance towards crimes against minors and marginalized communities. This case has sparked significant public interest, shedding light on the challenges faced by Dalit communities in seeking justice and the imperative for systemic reforms to ensure their protection.
Implications and the Path Forward
The judicial custody of Kumar does not merely signify a personal fall from grace but highlights broader societal and systemic issues. It raises pertinent questions about the safety of vulnerable communities, the accountability of public officials, and the efficacy of the legal system in addressing historical injustices. As the case progresses, it serves as a reminder of the long road ahead in the fight against caste-based violence and the importance of a justice system that upholds the rights and dignity of all its citizens, irrespective of their social standing.
This case, emblematic of both the failures and the potential for redemption within the Indian legal system, invites reflection on the mechanisms of justice and their role in societal transformation. It underscores the need for vigilance, advocacy, and reform in the pursuit of a society where such atrocities are relics of the past, not markers of the present. As the legal proceedings unfold, the nation watches, hopeful for justice and meaningful change.
Courtesy : BNN Breaking
TNCC chief seeks probe into Dalit youth’s suspicious death
Remarking that the Dalit youth’s death has raised many doubts in the minds of the people, the TNCC president urged the State government to ensure that the autopsy of the youth is done without anyone’s intervention.
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai on Tuesday urged the state police to conduct a thorough probe into the mysterious death of a Dalit agricultural labourer at Orathanadu in Thanjavur.
Prabhakaran (25), an unmarried Dalit agricultural labourer belonging to Needamangalam in Tiruvarur, was found dead in his place of work at Orathanadu in Thanjavur on Monday night, Selvaperunthagai claimed, in a statement issued Tuesday.
Remarking that the Dalit youth’s death has raised many doubts in the minds of the people, the TNCC president urged the State government to ensure that the autopsy of the youth is done without anyone’s intervention.
Urging the State DGP to thoroughly probe the death and bring the guilty persons, if any, responsible for his death to the books, Selvaperunthagai asks the State government to distribute due compensation to the family of Prabhakaran from the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund (CMPRF).
Courtesy : DT Next
Aadhaar scrutiny mostly affected Bangladeshi Dalits in Bengal, says BJP leader
BJP legislator Asim Sarkar said the Aadhaar deactivations have proved how crucial it is for people to support his party in the coming polls so that the Citizenship Amendment Act is enforced
This is the first time that leaders from the state’s rival parties have spoken on the identity of the Aadhaar card holders since mid-February when the deactivations started.
TMC chairperson and chief minister Mamata Banerjee has alleged that the BJP wants to enforce the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Bengal and the deactivations are a precursor to that goal.
Passed by Parliament in 2019, CAA offers citizenship to non-Muslims who entered India from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh before 2015 to escape religious persecution. TMC insists that CAA is unconstitutional as it links citizenship to faith in a secular country.
Asim Sarkar, an erstwhile refugee from Bangladesh who won Nadia district’s Haringhata assembly seat for BJP in 2021, said the deactivations have proved how crucial it is for people to support BJP in the coming polls so that CAA is enforced.
“Around a thousand of the affected people wrote to me. I studied their Aadhaar cards and other documents. Most of them entered India with Bangladeshi passports after 2014,” Sarkar said.
Seen by HT, one of the letters sent by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), said: “The undersigned is directed to inform that Aadhaar number xxxx xxxx 2019 issued to you has been deactivated under the provisions of Regulation 28A of Aadhaar (Enrolment and Update) Regulations 2016 for the reason that the requirements for your stay in India are not fulfilled.”
The timing of the UIDAI’s scrutiny is significant because Union home minister Amit Shah declared on February 10 that laws will be framed to implement CAA before the Lok Sabha elections. The Centre and BJP have however maintained silence on NRC.
Sarkar said the vast majority of the recipients of these letters are members of the Dalit and Namasudra communities.
Asha Biswas, a college student from Jamalpur in West Burdwan district said: “I am 19. My parents came from Bangladesh when I was a child. I can’t remember the year.”
The UIDAI authorities said in a statement on February 19 that intimations are being issued to Aadhaar number holders from time to time to keep the Aadhaar database updated but no number has been cancelled. Reactivation of the cards started around February 20.
“The reactivation is an act of mercy by the Centre. Nobody can stay here despite procuring Aadhaar, PAN and ration cards. I found that many of these people entered India with passports multiple times before 2014 as well. Some even admitted their children in local schools and colleges but they are not Indian citizens in the eyes of law,” said Sarkar.
“Our immigration department as well as the Bangladesh government have data on these people. It came to my notice that letters were sent even to some people who entered India illegally before 2014 but got Aadhaar cards only recently,” Sarkar added.
That Aadhaar cannot be treated as a citizenship document was told by the Bengal government during a hearing at the Calcutta high court in 2016 when the Act was passed. Upholding the state’s argument against a petitioner who claimed the right, justice Joymalya Bagchi held that in accordance with Section 9 of the Aadhaar Act, the card by itself shall not confer any right of proof of citizenship.
The ongoing tussle has shifted the focus on the Namasudra community which started migrating to India after the Partition in 1947 and the 1971 Bangladesh War. There are around 10 million people from the community in Bengal, according to the state’s records. During the 2011 census, Bengal’s population stood at 91.3 million.
A part of the Namasudra population comprises the Matua community which supported BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. BJP wrested 18 of Bengal’s 42 seats, creating a record, and has now targeted 35.
The Matuas follow their supreme body, the All India Matua Mahasangha based at Thakurnagar in the Bongaon Lok Sabha constituency of North 24 Parganas district.
The Mahasangha played host to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah at Thakurnagar in 2019. Contesting on a BJP ticket, the sect’s young face, Shantanu Thakur, defeated his aunt and the then sitting MP, TMC’s Mamata Bala Thakur, at the Bongaon seat.
Shantanu Thakur, the president of the Mahasangha and Union minster of state for shipping, has described the Aadhaar deactivations as technical error and promised to help his folks.
Mamata Bala Thakur recently won one of the five uncontested Rajya Seats from Bengal, a development many saw as TMC’s election strategy to counter BJP’s popularity among the Matuas.
Mamata Bala Thakur said: “It does not matter who supports or opposes TMC or BJP. The refugees from Bangladesh have become victims of the BJP’s conspiracy. Many of them arrived decades ago. They were targeted only after linking of Aadhaar cards to all essential services was made mandatory. Where will these people go now?”
“The Centre is reactivating the Aadhaar cards under pressure but after the elections Bengal will witness millions living without citizenship rights. We saw it in Assam after NRC was enforced,” Thakur added.
Among the seats with pockets of Dalit-Namasudra population that BJP won in 2019 are Bongaon, Hooghly, Cooch Behar, Malda North, Ranaghat, Burdwan-Durgapur, Jalpaiguri and Raiganj. Similar seats that TMC won are Basirhat, Joynagar, Barasat, Mathurapur, Serampore, Arambagh, Tamluk, Contai, Burdwan East and Krishnanagar where Mahua Moitra is likely to contest again after being expelled from the Lok Sabha in the aftermath of the bribe-for-questions controversy.
TMC Rajya Sabha member Santanu Sen said, “The deactivation of the cards, sudden media reports that the Centre may enforce CAA any time, and the BJP preparing for the Prime Minister’s visit to Bengal in the first week of March are all part of a well-planned drama. The BJP got the Citizenship Bill passed in Parliament in 2019 and sat on it for five years. It could not frame the rules even after the President gave his assent. Shah’s statements on CAA differed when he addressed people in Bengal, Assam and Gujarat. And now they are coming to Bengal to create trouble.”
“The BJP practices divisive politics. TMC’s stand is very clear. Those who cast their votes and elect a government are all citizens. They don’t need to prove their citizenship status all over again,” Sen added.
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tanmay Chatterjee has spent more than three decades covering regional and national politics, internal security, intelligence, defence and corruption. He also plans and edits special features on subjects ranging from elections to festivals.
Who is Sheikh Shahjahan, the controversial TMC leader of Sandeshkhali in West Bengal?
Local TMC leaders said the rise of 45-year-old Shahjahan has been meteoric, and according to many, he was more powerful than many MLAs and ministers
Sheikh Shahjahan, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) strongman of Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas, was arrested by the state police early on Thursday morning after almost two months of being on the run. But who is this controversial leader who has been absconding since January 5?
According to local sources, Shahjahan used to work as a driver and sometimes a helper of trekkers, collecting fares from passengers in Sandeshkhai and Sarberia in his early days. He grew under the shadow of his maternal uncle Moslem Sheikh, who was a panchayat-level CPI(M) leader.
“Shahjahan gradually entered the fish trade and started controlling the fish farms in the area. As his empire grew, he also started building his own army comprising village youths. He used to keep in touch with local party leaders and helped them during elections,” a villager said.
His popularity and power were spotted by former state minister and TMC leader Jyoti Priya Mallick after the TMC came to power in 2011. Mallick is now in jail for his alleged involvement in the multi-crore ration distribution scam.
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