14.07.24.UT NEWS.Untouchables News.Chennai.26
From Editor,
Ground report: Basic needs of MP’s Baiga tribe are deprived, forced to drink contaminated water by digging pits on the mountain
In Anuppur’s Baigantola, pits of about 7-8 feet deep are dug. Natural water from the mountains collects in these pits at night. People are falling sick by drinking this water. Meanwhile, electricity has not yet reached Gadidadar.
Ankit Pachauri
Bhopal. Roads, water and electricity have not yet reached many tribal villages of Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh. Talking to The Mooknayak, 24-year-old Shamli Bai, a resident of Baigantola village, said, “We live in darkness. We have little hope of light. Electricity reaching the village is like a dream. As soon as evening falls, we light up by burning wood. We like moonlit nights, the village is illuminated on those nights.” The villages dominated by the Baiga tribe in Anuppur district, located about 600 km from the capital Bhopal, are still far from basic facilities. To know about their problems, the team of The Mooknayak reached those areas of Pushparajgarh where the basic facilities provided by the government are still missing.
People of the Baiga community, a special backward caste (PVTGs) of the tribal community, live in Anuppur. There is no road to reach some areas and villages in these areas, one can only reach there on foot. First of all, we reached Gadidadar village under Gram Panchayat Bodha of Pushparajgarh area, the population of this tribal dominated village would be around 900. But no one has seen electricity in this village since the independence of the country.
Talking to The Mooknayak, Indravati, a resident of Gadi Dadar village, says, “Eight years ago I was married to Surendra Singh of this village. And when I reached my in-laws’ house in Gadi Dadar, there was no electricity here. At that time I was told that electricity will come after a few days but now even after 8 years, electricity has not reached the village.”
Other people of the village said that, every time they are told that electricity will come soon but till now there is no news. The villagers allege that whenever elections come, they are promised electricity in their village, but nothing is done. Meanwhile, Panchayat Secretary Nandkishore Sariwan told that poles were installed in this village years ago but electricity has not reached.
After Gadi Dadar, we reached a village in Pushparajgarh area where there is no way for two-wheelers or four-wheelers to go. This village is completely cut off from the urban area. Baigantola village under Guttipara Gram Panchayat is located at a distance of about 5 kilometers from the road. In the two hamlets (villages) situated on the mountain, the basic needs like electricity, water, roads, health and education are far away from the Baiga tribals.
All the houses here are kutcha and hut-like. The population of the village is about 200 people. They are living in two separate hamlets. The people of the village do farming in the ancient method. Apart from this, some people go out of the village to work as laborers. These people met the officials including the public representatives many times to get basic facilities but it was of no use. There is a water problem in the village. Drinking water is being taken here by digging Jhiriya (small pits).
Let us tell you that Jhiriya are natural water sources. Small pits are dug by the villagers below the mountain. They are tied from all sides with the help of big and small stones. Pits about 7-8 feet deep are dug. Natural water from the mountains collects in these pits at night. That is why the people of the village call them Jhiriya.
The villagers use this water. A small ditch is made next to the crevice. In which the excess water is collected. This water is used for drinking by the domestic animals and for farming.
But the water that the villagers are using as drinking water is not completely safe. Due to this, the villagers are falling ill. The village head Daduram Panadia told The Mooknayak that, “The villagers are drinking contaminated water. Due to this, they also fall ill. The head said that many people die only because we are not able to take the patient to the hospital. Baigantola, located between the forest and the mountains, has no road, no electricity and no proper water supply. The people here are completely deprived of these essential basic facilities.”
24-year-old Shamli Bai, a resident of the village, said that she lives in darkness. She has little hope of light. She feels that electricity reaching the village is like a dream. Shamli says that she lights the house every evening by burning wood. But she has to finish her household chores early. It is difficult to do household chores in the dark.
She told that there is a rule in the village that no family can spend unlimited wood. Even if they are getting it for free from the forest. That is why the nights are mostly spent in the dark. Shamli further said, we like moonlit nights. Because during these days the village is lit. “There is no path from the village to the road. No official from the government has ever reached us. Only the Sarpanch and Panchayat Secretary come from the lower village once a month,” Shamli said.
The people of the village have prepared the path themselves
There are two different tolas in Bagantola. To come here, one has to walk about 800 meters from one mountain to another. To make it easy to reach from one place to another, the people of the village have made a path themselves. Gradually, a rough road was made by cutting some parts of the mountain so that the villagers can easily reach from one place to another.
The people of Baigantola are also far from education. However, the Sarpanch Daduram here is educated. Daduram said that he lives in the village on the roadside. Due to which it was easy for him to go to school. But the people of Baigantola are not able to connect with education. The reason for which is the bad road from the village to the road. There is a primary school in the village in which the teachers do not come for many days, the school remains almost closed. After this, for the secondary school, they have to go to village Guttipara. It is difficult for the children to reach there daily.
MP Barodia Nonagir Dalit murder case: Fact finding report says Anjana’s death suspicious!
The report makes serious allegations against the police administration and BJP leader and former minister Bhupendra Singh. Heavy pressure is also mentioned on the victim’s Dalit family.
Ankit Pachauri
Bhopal. A fact finding report has been prepared by a citizen investigation team on the famous Khurai Barodia Nonagir Dalit murder case of Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. This report has been released on Friday in a press conference in the capital Bhopal by advocate Mohan Dixit, advocate Aditya, Rawat,
Madhuri from People’s Union for Civil Liberties, Anjali from All India Feminist Forum, Neelu Dahiya, Nitin from Jagrut Adivasi Dalit Sangathan, Rohit and Sadaf Khan in the fact finding report.
The fact finding report makes serious allegations against the police administration and BJP leader and former minister Bhupendra Singh. It is noteworthy to note that in August 2023, a case of brutal murder of 18-year-old Dalit youth Nitin Ahirwar and attack on his mother and sister by goons came to light in Baraudia Naunagir village of Sagar district. Just 9 months later, Nitin’s uncle, and a key witness in the case, Rajendra Ahirwar, was violently attacked and killed. While taking Rajendra Ahirwar’s body home, Nitin’s sister, 20-year-old Anjana Ahirwar, who was constantly demanding justice, also died under mysterious circumstances. “We found that although most of the accused in the Nitin murder case were arrested due to media activism, there were many loopholes in the proceedings and due to bias and partiality of local politicians and administration, pressure continued on the victim’s family and Rajendra and Anjana also died. No action was taken on written complaints of pressure from the accused to the victims to sign a ‘compromise’, not adding the name of a local politician and laxity in proceedings. Earlier also, the case was weakened in a case of sexual violence against some of these influential people,” the fact-finding report read.
“Sagar is an important centre of political power in Madhya Pradesh and in this case, opposition leaders and then Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav himself visited the victims. But even after one and a half months, most of the accused in Rajendra’s murder have not been arrested. Anjana’s death is being described as ‘falling or jumping’ from a hearse which is unbelievable and when asked for details, even after one and a half months, the police is silent saying ‘investigation is going on’.” “The circumstances of Anjana’s death point to a conspiracy. Anjana was educated, and she played the most important role in seeking justice in all these cases of atrocities. She was the one who communicated with the administration and politicians on behalf of the family. At the age of 15, she was able to get an FIR registered against influential people for the violence against her and she kept refusing to compromise in this matter.”
“Anjana was the complainant and a main witness in the case of her brother Nitin’s murder. She was also the main witness in the case of her uncle’s murder, as she was the one who informed her over the phone about the attack on him. Anjana was constantly being pressured to compromise and change her testimony and she had also made several written complaints in this regard. Anjana also objected to the bail plea of ??the accused in Nitin’s murder in the High Court, due to which their bail was rejected. Anjana was also preparing to object in the Supreme Court.” “There is a dire need for a detailed and impartial investigation in all these cases, for which the local police do not appear competent and reliable. Therefore, we believe that the investigation should be done by the CBI, as is being continuously demanded by the victim’s family and the area.” “The statements given by Bhupendra Singh, a prominent leader of this area, MLA and former minister, in these cases show bias against the victims and an attempt to downplay the seriousness of the cases. After the murder of Nitin, he called it a ‘mutual dispute’. After the death of Anjana and Rajendra, he called Rajendra a criminal and Anjana misled by the criminals. Whereas the matter is of atrocities on Dalits by the goons, which included violence on a minor girl, death of three young men, beating and stripping of a woman and demolition of Dalit houses.”
“It is noteworthy that three of the accused ‘lambardars’, Komal Thakur and his two sons, have been BJP workers and office bearers. The police have cited criminal cases against Nitin and Rajendra, along with Nitin’s brother Vishnu, and said that they were used by the rival faction of the domineering “lambardars”. While the police’s clearly visible bias calls for an impartial investigation of these pending cases, even if these Dalit labourers have received support from the rival faction in raising the issue, the allegations of violence and harassment cannot be denied.” “It is obvious that a Dalit labourer family filing FIRs and complaints against the domineering “lambardars” of the village, giving statements against them and not being ready for compromise has been seen as a challenge to the dominance of the domineering and this has increased tension and violence. The victim families of Nitin-Anjana and Rajendra told us many times that they are feeling unsafe.” “Many prominent politicians from the ruling and opposition parties have been involved in this case and the Chief Minister himself has visited. Even after this, due to lack of concrete action, the threat to the victim families has increased. It is clear that even now if there is any kind of deficiency in action and any kind of violence or harassment takes place, then the state government will be completely responsible for it,” the factfinding report said.
Note: This news has been written on the basis of the fact finding report of the Citizen Investigation Team. The Mooknayak has no connection with this analysis and conclusion. This news has been published from the press release issued by the said organizations.
The end of independent Ambedkarite Dalit politics?
The 2024 general elections were fought primarily around the discourse of social justice. The Congress-led opposition alliance (INDIA Alliance) campaigned on the narrative that if the BJP came to power with an absolute majority, it would change the Constitution and end reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC). In contrast, the BJP-led ruling alliance (NDA) sought to corner opposition parties by raising the fear that the INDIA Alliance would give SC, ST, and OBC reservations to Muslims. Prime Minister Modi, while speaking at a rally in Haryana’s Bhiwani-Mahendragarh Lok Sabha constituency, referred to a recent West Bengal High Court verdict that cancelled five lakh OBC certificates.
Dr. Rahul Sonpimple,
He claimed that reservations for OBCs were being given to infiltrators, i.e. Muslims. Issues such as under-representation of SCs, STs, OBCs in government jobs, education, private sector employment, mainstream media, need for caste census, implementation of reservation and protection of Baba Saheb’s Constitution have been central to Ambedkarite Dalit Bahujan discourse and the Scheduled Caste-led political parties and their supporters.
In these elections, these social justice issues became a key part of the opposition’s campaign and were able to successfully challenge the comprehensive campaign of Prime Minister Modi. However, it is even more surprising that parties such as the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) led by Behen Mayawati in Uttar Pradesh and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) led by advocate Prakash Ambedkar in Maharashtra, whose politics have traditionally revolved around social justice discourse and issues, were a complete flop in these elections.
They failed to win a single seat and their vote share also fell sharply. The re-emergence of the Congress-led opposition and their better performance than in the previous elections has inspired the so-called progressive or liberal upper caste intellectuals to once again envision a strong anti-BJP-RSS political mobilisation.
However, they are ignoring the threat of the collapse of the independent politics of the most marginalised people in India. In this case, one can argue that the election results are a fair outcome of democratic electoral competition, but the moral question that arises for parliamentary democracy with the collapse of the independent politics of the parties of Dalits and other marginalised sections should not be neglected. The question is, can we celebrate a strong opposition without the presence of independent Dalit politics? And we want to ask, what is moral in our democracy?
However, this does not exempt us from questioning the political vision and leadership decisions of independent Dalit-led parties, which have resulted in the complete collapse of independent Dalit politics in the electoral arena. Particularly, as mentioned above, when we know that the discourse of social justice in electoral politics in India is the result of long-running political activism from the Scheduled Castes Federation (SCF) to the Republican Party of India (RPI), from the Dalit Panther to BAMCEF, and from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA).
Why then were Dalit-led parties like the BSP and VBA hesitant to make the discourse of social justice their main agenda during the election campaign? By their hesitation to raise social justice issues, they appear to have created distrust among their core vote bank and supporters.
This resulted in their core vote bank, mainly the large number of Dalits in UP and Maharashtra (who proved to be the biggest game changer in influencing the overall win numbers of the BJP), moving to other opposition parties that successfully placed the discourse of social justice at the centre of their political campaign.
Besides taking the Dalit vote bank for granted, both the VBA and the BSP have no association with grassroots Ambedkarite social movement organisations that work for the welfare of the community with little or no resources and support and most importantly build an ideological base.
We also know that unlike other upper caste political parties that fight elections with the help of media, mafia and money, Dalit-led parties lack resources and rely mainly on community support and voluntary activism by local workers. However, we have also observed that there is poor coordination between community-based organisations and Dalit-led parties.
It is important to note that for the ruling BJP, there exist several socio-cultural Hindutva ideological organisations, including the RSS as the most important social organisation.
The Congress before entering the election created a large chain of progressive social movement organisations under the banner of Bharat Jodo Abhiyan, who actively campaigned for the Congress and its alliance on the ground.
Moreover, this election also sent a strong message that not only charismatic leaders but also issues related to everyday life matter. Unfortunately, even after such a long journey, Dalit politics still revolves around excessive celebration of the charisma of the leader.
There is little space for the need for organisational leadership in contemporary Dalit politics and discourse. The lack of strong local (second tier) leadership also seems to worsen the position of Dalit-led political parties.
As we know, after Babasaheb Ambedkar, Dalit politics has experienced both the rise and fall of leadership in national politics. Kanshiram sahab gave importance to building a cadre-based movement. However, the current Dalit-led parties not only lack internal democratic structure, but also do not give any importance to building cadres at the grassroots level. We (AIISCA), as a social movement organisation, believe that while independent Dalit politics and leadership have weakened in national politics, the Dalit movement at the grassroots level has strengthened and continues through various non-party and non-electoral local organisations and groups, which envision new Dalit politics and leadership.
We believe that the 2024 elections have once again given importance to the discourse of social justice, and proved that elections can be fought and won by keeping social justice issues at the forefront. In this context, there is hope for a new beginning by Dalit political parties.
AIISCA believes that Ambedkarite Dalit parties must prioritise some key critical tasks to regain their natural vote bank:
- Dalit-led parties must stop taking the Dalit vote for granted.
- They must build second-line leadership and grassroots leadership.
- They should make well-coordinated efforts with Dalit social movement organisations.
- They should give importance to internal democratic party structure.
- They should create a cadre-based political movement.
In this context, the All India Independent Scheduled Castes Association (AIISCA) is going to organize a one-day conference in Nagpur on July 21, 2024 to discuss the direction and future of Dalit politics.
Jai Bhim!
Author- Dr. Rahul Sonpimple is the Founder President of All India Independent Scheduled Castes Associ
MADHYA PRADESH NEWS STATE
Justice eludes murdered Dalit youths’ families despite political arbitration
In August 2023, 18 year old Dalit youth, Nitin Ahirwar, was lynched by the dominant “lambardars” (upper caste, landed elites – in this case, Thakurs) of Barodiya Naunagir in Sagar, MP. When his mother tried to save him, she too was beaten, her hand was broken and her sari was stripped off. Their home was smashed as was that of Nitin’s uncle Rajendra Ahirwar. Just 9 months after Nitin’s murder, his uncle, 26 year old Rajendra Ahirwar, a key witness in his murder was also murdered on 25 May, 2024.
By Adv Mohan Dixit, others*
The next day, Nitin’s sister, 20 year old Anjana Ahirwar who was leading the family’s relentless pursuit for justice died in highly suspicious circumstances while she was accompanying Rajendra’s body back to Barodiya Naunagir, reportedly after “falling out” of the hearse. This terrible chain of events prompted concerned citizens of Madhya Pradesh to constitute a fact-finding team to understand the matter.
After meeting the affected families, police and administrative personnel as well as several others and studying the relevant documents, the team is now releasing a Report of their findings.
Perhaps due to widespread media scrutiny, Nitin’s murder was followed by several arrests, but there are many lacunae in the investigation . Anjana Ahirwar’s several complaints to senior officials that the family was being pressured to “compromise,” and that the police were protecting a local politician and were delaying the investigation, were ignored.
Some of the main accused are active in the ruling party and have close ties with local political bigwigs. Sagar is an important political centre of Madhya Pradesh — as is evidenced by the urgency with which both opposition leaders and the leaders of the ruling party, including Chief Minister, Dr. Mohan Yadav himself visited the area and met the affected family.
However, the affected families continue to live in fear, there are several gaps in the investigation of Nitin’s murder, 11 persons named by the family as involved in Rajendra’s murder have not been arrested. Police personnel were accompanying Anjana when she died. But more than one and a half months after her death, the police remain tight lipped about it, claiming that the investigation is still ongoing. The only official version so far of her falling or jumping out of the hearse is completely unbelievable.
All circumstances of Anjana’s death point towards a conspiracy. Anjana, a second year undergraduate student, was at the forefront of her family’s struggle for justice. Be it with dealing with the administration or meeting political leaders. Anjana was forced into this role at the age of 15, when she first fought to file an FIR against local “lambardars” for harassing and beating her — since then she was subject to constant pressure to drop the matter but refused to do so.
Anjana was the complainant and the chief witness in her brother Nitin’s murder as well as the murder of Rajendra Ahirwar, who named his attackers to Anjana on a phone call just before his death.
She documented the pressure against her family made by the influential lambardars and the prejudiced nature of investigation by the police in the numerous complaints she made to district authorities. Anjana opposed the bail plea of those accused in Nitin’s murder in High Court, and was planning to oppose their bail pleas in Supreme Court before her “accidental death”.
This matter requires a thorough and objective investigation – one that the local police is neither equipped for, nor can be trusted to undertake with any objectivity. In our interaction with concerned police officials we found that they are highly biased against the affected families. We recommend that this investigation be undertaken by the CBI, as has been the demand from the affected family since the very beginning.
Ex-Home Minister and Ex-Minister of Urban Development and Housing, the current MLA of Khurai constituency, has in his statements to the media, undermined the seriousness of the matter and betrayed his prejudice against the victims in doing so. After Nitin’s death he termed the entire incident as a simple village dispute. After the death of Rajendra and Anjana, he claimed that Rajendra and others were criminals and Anjana had been ‘misled’ by other criminals.
In doing so, he deliberately ignored the undeniable facts of the case one of atrocities against Dalits by influential “lambardars”, the harassment of a minor girl, the deaths of three Dalit youths, the disrobing and assault on a Dalit woman, and attacks on the home of the affected Dalit family. It is to be noted here that three of the main accused – Komal Thakur and his two sons are BJP leaders and functionaries.
The police are quick to cite the criminal records of Rajendra, Nitin and his brother, Vishnu claiming that the family is being ‘used’ by another faction opposed to the local ‘lambardars’. The fact that the victims may or may not have received assistance from such a faction does not detract from the fact of brutal murders and the continuous harassment faced by the affected family. This points to clear prejudice and bias against the victims, and is deeply worrying.
The root cause of this violence has been the fact that a family of Dalit labourers dared to file FIRs against local ‘lambardars’, and did not succumb to pressure and threats to drop cases against them – actions which directly threatened the dominance and supremacy of the lambardars. Families of Nitin, Anjana and Rajendra repeatedly expressed their feelings of insecurity, of being vulnerable to further attacks by the village lambardars.
Senior leaders of both the opposition parties and the ruling party are fully aware of the matter. Even after the Chief Minister, Dr Mohan Yadav personally visited the family, as did former Chief Minister Shri Digvijay Singh and several senior Congress leaders, lacunae in the investigations remain and the affected families continue to be vulnerable and afraid .
We wish to emphasise that the Government of Madhya Pradesh government will be solely responsible for any further violence in the matter or any failures in action taken against the perpetrators.
Courtesy : Counterview
Dalit Students Stage Protest Against Diversion Of Funds
Mysore/Mysuru: Strongly opposing the diversion of funds meant for SC/ST development to guarantee schemes of the Government, the University of Mysore Dalit Vidyarthigala Okkoota staged a demonstration in front of Manasagangothri clock tower here yesterday.
Raising slogans against the Government, they alleged that the Congress Government had diverted Rs. 25,000 crore of SCP/TSP funds for meeting the financial requirement for guarantee schemes.
They urged the Government to withhold the transfer of money and use it for the purpose that it is actually meant for.
Stating that the Social Welfare Department had raised the minimum marks required for scholarship for SC/ST students to 75 percent from the current 60 percent, they wanted to know how many colleges in the State were following the Government order on non-collection of admission fee from SC/ST students.
Cautioning the Government against pursuing anti-dalit student policies, they warned of intensifying their agitation if their demands were not met in the coming days.
Courtesy : Star Of Mysore
Sawai madhopur Crime News: Police became helpless in front of the bullies, Dalit family attacked even after the presence of police
Sawai madhopur Crime News: A case of brutal assault on a Dalit family by the bullies who had gone to sow crops in the fields in Kishanpura Chhahra village of Rajasthan has been seen.
Written By Arvind Singh Sawai Madhopur
Sawai madhopur Crime News: A case of brutal assault on a Dalit family by the bullies who had gone to sow crops in the fields in Kishanpura Chhahra village under Baharwanda Kalan police station of Sawai district of Rajasthan has been seen.
It is worth noting that a few months ago, a youth of another community who had taken a tractor trolley to a social function of the Dalit community was murdered. At the same time, within 24 hours, the police arrested the killer youth and revealed the case, but since then the people of the Dalit community who have nothing to do with this case.
The bullies beat them up every day. The bullies are forcefully occupying their lands and ruining the crops in the fields. On the other hand, a family somehow mustered up the courage and requested the police to allow them to sow crops in the vacant fields. When the Baharwanda Kalan police station officer along with the police force went to the victim’s fields for sowing crops, the women of the bully family attacked them.
During this, the elderly victim and her husband were brutally beaten up and on the other hand, there was a scuffle with the police present on the spot as well. The police appeared helpless in front of the bullies and the bullies continued to brutally beat up the victim Dalit family. Somehow the injured were brought to CHC Baharwanda Kalan.
From where, after first aid, the injured were referred to Sawai Madhopur District Hospital. On the other hand, efforts are being made to control the situation by calling additional force from the district headquarters including Baharwanda Kalan police station, Khandar police station, CO Rural. At the same time, the Dalit families are leaving their homes and migrating to safer places due to the fear of the bullies.
Dalits | Voices from the margins
Some are political veterans, others relative newcomers. Together, they will represent the new face of their community in Parliament
Manoj Kumar
A casual labourer’s son come to reside in Babu Jagjivan Ram’s long-time abode—that was a virtuous turn for the Grand Old Party. The seat had been with the BJP for a decade—under Chhedi Paswan, who’d first succeeded Jagjivan in 1989. And two defeats, in 2014 and 2019, had pushed his legatee Meira Kumar into retirement. Having opted to field her Cambridge PhD son Anshul Avijit from Patna Sahib, the Congress needed a new face for hilly, backward Sasaram. In came Manoj, with only a failed 2019 bid on his resume, but the times on his side. He recalls how his father would string him along while seeking an Indira Awas grant. “He thought the officials would take pity on me. They didn’t.” He has an awas now, the lower house of Parliament.
Govind Karjol
The BJP in Karnataka has cultivated a catchment area extending well beyond the caste elite. A refugee from the old Janata Dal, Karjol exemplifies that social range. His 2004 shift to saffron renewed what finally became a five-term run as MLA from his native northern Karnataka seat of Mudhol. Deputy CM from 2019-2021, his shift to this reserved seat brought redemptive salve after a 2023 rebuff from Dalits.
Chandrashekhar Azad
Politics, like everything else, lends itself to categories. Here, the man who dared to suffix ‘Ravan’ to his name rose from the badlands of western UP like a shining knight of emancipatory Dalit politics. His moustachioed, muscular bearing spoke power to the disempowered; a riposte in their own language for the old patricians. Ever since his newborn party made a singlehanded conquest of Nagina—against a quartet of big parties (BJP, SP-Congress,BSP)—he has rightly refused to be boxed into an exclusive ‘Dalit’ slot, though. Yes, Mayawati’s eclipse left a void for him, but he wouldn’t have a 51 per cent vote share if the elite castes hadn’t preferred him too, he says. Also, that the constitutional rights and values embodied by Ambedkar are meant for all. He exhibited his devotion to those by putting his neck on the line during the anti-CAA days. Shunned by the BSP once, and by the SP now, he bids fair to expand—and not just in UP. His Bhim Army counts 10 million members across India.
Awadhesh Prasad Pasi
This is where the script encountered its most heartless twist for the BJP. The new temple in Ayodhya stood, resplendent in its revanchism, right in the heart of this constituency—Hindutva’s chief votive offering to its devouts. But for those watching more closely, it wasn’t surprising that an old socialist won the kingdom, one who as a young man had thrown himself into the anti-Emergency tumult of the 1970s and been a solid piece of political earth ever since: MLA nine times, state minister six times. Known as the SP’s Dalit face, he prefers a more universalist tag. That spirit took him to INDIA’s front benches.
R.K. Chaudhary
A founding member of the BSP who ended up in the SP before the 2022 assembly polls—after a three-year trial period in the Congress—R.K. Chaudhary’s win against the BJP’s Kaushal Kishore was part of a larger statement Dalits made in UP.
Yogendra Chandolia
A BJP general secretary for Delhi, Chandolia is the party’s local Dalit face. A municipal councillor from Dev Nagar in Karol Bagh, he has also served as the mayor of North Delhi Municipal Corporation.
Courtesy : India Today
Dalit girl accused a young man of sexual exploitation, police started investigation after registering a case – Dalit girl sexual exploitation case
In Jhalawar’s Panwad police station area, a Dalit girl has accused a young man of blackmailing and sexually exploiting her for a long time. The police have registered a case and started investigating the matter.
Jhalawar. In the district’s Panwad police station area, a Dalit girl has accused a young man from the same village of blackmailing and sexually exploiting her for a long time. The victim has filed a complaint at the police station and demanded strict action against the accused.
The victim told in the complaint that the accused made obscene photos and videos of her, which the accused kept raping her continuously for the past few years by threatening to put on social media. Now the victim, hurt by the incident, has also released her own video pleading for justice. Here, after receiving the complaint, Panwad police took immediate action and registered a case and detained the young man.
Jhalawar Superintendent of Police Richa Tomar said that a complaint has been received from a Dalit girl in Panwad police station area against a youth of the village for blackmailing her and making her nude content viral on social media. On which the police took action and registered a case and detained the youth and started investigating the matter. The SP has denied the involvement of any other victim in the case. Here, after getting information about the incident, there is a lot of anger among Hindu organizations. Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders have sent a complaint to Kota IG Ravi Dutt Gaur through mail and demanded strict action against the accused.
‘Tight Slap On BJP’s Face’: Congress Reacts As INDIA Wins 10 Of 13 Seats In By-Election 2024
The states that went to polls included West Bengal (4 seats), Himachal Pradesh (3), Uttarakhand (2), and one seat each in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Tamil Nadu.
The Congress on Saturday hailed the assembly bypoll results in which the INDIA bloc parties won 10 out of 13 seats. The BJP won two seats, while an Independent candidate took one seat.
The by-elections, held across seven states on Wednesday, saw voting in 13 constituencies. The states that went to polls included West Bengal (4 seats), Himachal Pradesh (3), Uttarakhand (2), and one seat each in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Tamil Nadu.
The Congress, TMC, AAP and DMK are among the INDIA bloc parties that fielded candidates in the bypolls. Here’s how Congress reacted:
Mallikarjun Kharge On By Election Results 2024
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge lauded the party workers and said the victory shows that the people have completely rejected the “arrogance, misgovernance and negative politics of the BJP”.
Reacting to the results, Kharge said the party bows before the people for the positive result of the assembly by-elections.
“We thank and express our gratitude to them from the bottom of our hearts for voting for the Congress party candidates. We salute all the Congress workers for their hard work and efforts in adverse circumstances,” he said.
“This victory shows that the people have completely rejected the arrogance, misgovernance and negative politics of the BJP,” Kharge said.
“This is also a strong proof of the falling political credibility of Modi-Shah ji,” he added.
Rahul Gandhi On By Election Results 2024
In a post in Hindi on X, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said: “The results of the by-elections held in 7 states have made it clear that the web of ‘fear and illusion’ woven by the BJP has been broken. Every class, including farmers, youth, labourers, businessmen and employees wants to completely destroy the dictatorship and establish the rule of justice.”
The public is now completely standing with the INDIA bloc for the betterment of their lives and to protect the Constitution, he said.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra On By Election Results 2024
Reacting to the results, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that in the by-elections held on 13 seats in seven states, the people of the country have given their support to the INDIA bloc.
“The people of Devbhumi Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have expressed their trust in Congress. Many congratulations to all the winning candidates of Congress and INDIA,” she said.
“The people of the country have understood that the politics of misleading people 100 years back and 100 years ahead will not benefit the country. The people want positive politics that improves their present and prepares a clear blueprint for a bright future,” Priyanka Gandhi said.
“We are committed to the needs and aspirations of young India,” she said.
K C Venugopal On By Election Results 2024
In a statement, Congress MP K C Venugopal said today’s by-poll results stand as a resounding victory for democracy and a strong rebuke to the BJP’s “divisive politics”.
“In Himachal Pradesh, the Congress Party has won two out of the three seats in Dehra and Nalagarh, reclaiming our position with a total of 40 seats. This triumph is a testament to the unwavering faith of the people of Himachal who have rejected the BJP’s politics of horse trading and defections,” he said.
“Today’s results are a tight slap on the BJP’s face, showcasing the public’s strong disapproval of their pro-rich, dictatorial politics. The defeat of those who abandoned our cause for the BJP in Himachal and Uttarakhand underscores the rejection of opportunism over principled governance,” Venugopal said.
“Not only that, they used all their dirty tricks departments, be it ED or CBI, to intimidate our leaders. The people, however, rejected this dangerous politics, resoundingly,” he added.
Courtesy : Outlook India
Is Dalit politics at an inflexion point?
The results of the 2024 general election appear to mark a significant shift in Dalit politics. There seems to be a sweeping departure from the traditional focus of Dalit politics on challenging India’s entrenched caste-based hierarchy.
The question of whether independent Dalit politics has a future in India is frequently debated. As India’s democracy evolves, Dalits may increasingly assert themselves within the mainstream political landscape. Dalits constitute 16.6% of India’s population, making their vote pivotal in shaping electoral outcomes. As a result, they are being aggressively courted by national parties such as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress.
Dalits account for 21.1% of the UP’s population, and thus their voting patterns are a critical area of study. In the recent elections, Uttar Pradesh witnessed a departure from long-standing trends. Jatavs, a loyal group within the Dalit known for their support for Mayawati’s BSP, showed signs of shifting allegiance.
The successful strategy of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress alliance in weaning Dalit votes away from the BSP in the recent elections exemplifies this shift. The alliance strategically fielded local candidates, further fragmenting the BSP’s vote base. The SP’s vote share rose from 17.96% in 2019 to 34% in 2024, directly correlating with the BSP’s decline from 19% to 9% during the same period, leading to existential challenges for Mayawati’s party. The entry of the Azad Samaj Party into politics further fractures the Dalit movement, widening existing divides.
The outcome of the 2024 election surprised many. However, a closer examination reveals that this stemmed from swing states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Haryana, and Rajasthan, where the Lok Sabha election became more local than national, affecting the BJP in around 70 seats. The Dalit vote also demonstrated a local focus in what was a national election.
Is Dalit politics at an inflexion point? In 2024, Dalit votes were impacted by a number of factors. Political parties are swiftly moving to integrate Dalit politics into their platforms, recognising the emerging trend. They anticipate that Dalit votes will wield significant influence in the 2029 elections, particularly in rural areas, prompting a race among parties to establish early footholds. For instance, the Uttar Pradesh Congress unit plans to set up Dalit chaupals and sammelans to engage community members at the grassroots level and consolidate its electoral gains, with a major outreach campaign slated for the 2027 Assembly elections.
The BJP is actively recalibrating its strategy. Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections and the period leading up to 2029, it is crucial for the party to regain the complete confidence of Dalit voters. The direction forward hinges on the type of politics embraced – whether it is focused on empowerment or entitlement. Under Modi, the BJP has emphasised empowerment through initiatives like Nal se Jal and providing LPG connections and stoves to elevate living standards. Conversely, in Karnataka, the Congress has placed emphasis on entitlement through direct cash transfers to individual accounts.
The future trajectory will depend on how the BJP refines or expands its welfare policies, and, crucially, who emerges as the voice of the Dalits. Historically, Dalit women have been pivotal. But signs suggest that youth will increasingly shape the narrative leading up to 2029.
Pradeep Bhandari
(Psephologist)
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