in Annihilate Caste
Yet, alongside these achievements, Mayawati’s version of Bahujan politics has had deeply contradictory consequences for Ambedkarite political, social, and Buddhist movements. While it consolidated electoral power and symbolic representation, it simultaneously weakened ideological depth, dismantled autonomous social movements, and marginalized Ambedkar’s religious–ethical project. This essay examines these consequences across three domains: political, social, and Buddhist movements.
- Impact on Ambedkarite Political Movement
1.1 From Ideological Politics to Power-Centric Governance
Ambedkar viewed politics as a means for social and moral reconstruction, not an end in itself. Mayawati, inheriting Kanshi Ram’s framework, further shifted Dalit politics toward power-centric pragmatism. Electoral success, administrative control, and survival of the party apparatus became overriding priorities.
As a result: Ideological debates within Dalit politics declined, Ambedkarite principles such as constitutional morality, fraternity, and social justice were rarely articulated as governing philosophies and politics became managerial rather than transformative.
Dalit political power became visible but ideologically shallow.
1.2 Centralization and Decline of Democratic Culture
Under Mayawati, the BSP evolved into an extremely centralized organization: decision-making rested almost entirely with the leader, internal dissent was punished and Cadre-based leadership and second-line Ambedkarite thinkers were systematically eliminated.
This destroyed the institutional culture necessary for a long-term political movement. Unlike Ambedkar’s organizations—which encouraged debate, education, and intellectual autonomy—the BSP under Mayawati functioned as a command structure, producing obedience rather than consciousness.
1.3 Electoral Dependency and Post-BSP Vacuum
Because Ambedkarite politics became tightly bound to BSP’s electoral fortunes, its decline after 2012 produced: organizational collapse, leadership vacuum and fragmentation of Dalit political energies.
The absence of parallel ideological institutions meant that once electoral power weakened, Ambedkarite political mobilization lacked sustainability.
- Impact on Ambedkarite Social Movement
2.1 Symbolic Assertion Replacing Social Reform
Mayawati’s most visible contribution was symbolic politics—statues, memorials, parks, and iconography of Ambedkar, Kanshi Ram, and Dalit icons. These symbols restored dignity and countered centuries of erasure.
However, symbolism was not matched by: mass educational movements, land redistribution initiatives, sustained campaigns against caste violence and Grassroots legal empowerment.
Thus, Dalit assertion became representational rather than structural.
2.2 Depoliticization of Everyday Caste Oppression
Ambedkarite social movements historically addressed everyday caste practices—segregation, humiliation, violence, religious exclusion. Under Mayawati: social activism was subordinated to electoral discipline. Independent Dalit movements were discouraged or absorbed and criticism was treated as political betrayal.
This led to a weakening of grassroots resistance to caste oppression, particularly in rural areas where social domination remained intact despite Dalit political representation.
2.3 Emergence of Social Passivity
The message implicitly conveyed was: “The state will take care of Dalit interests.” This discouraged autonomous social mobilization. Dalits increasingly became spectators of politics rather than participants in social transformation, eroding the culture of protest, self-organization, and community reform central to Ambedkar’s vision.
- Impact on Ambedkarite Buddhist Movement
3.1 Marginalization of Navayana Buddhism
Ambedkar considered conversion to Buddhism the culmination of Dalit liberation, providing a new moral universe based on equality, rationality, and compassion. Mayawati, however, treated Buddhism as politically inconvenient: It risked alienating Hindu OBC allies. It did not translate directly into electoral arithmetic.
Consequently: no state-supported Buddhist education or cultural institutions were developed. Mass conversion movements were absent. Buddhist intellectual traditions stagnated.
The Ambedkarite Buddhist movement remained peripheral and under-resourced.
3.2 Reduction of Ambedkar to a Political Symbol
Under Mayawati, Ambedkar was increasingly presented as: A constitutional icon, a Dalit leader and a symbol of pride, but not as a radical critic of Hinduism and caste religion. His Buddhist philosophy—ethical, rational, anti-Brahmanical—was softened or ignored.
This de-radicalization made Ambedkar more acceptable to dominant caste sensibilities but weakened the spiritual foundation of Dalit emancipation.
3.3 Loss of Ethical–Moral Framework
Buddhism provided Ambedkarite politics with: ethical discipline, rational morality and Universalist humanism.
Its neglect created a moral vacuum in Dalit politics, which was increasingly filled by: electoral pragmatism, welfare populism and personality worship.
Politics without ethics became vulnerable to corruption, opportunism, and stagnation.
- Broader Consequences for Dalit Emancipation
4.1 Fragmentation of Ambedkarite Tradition
Ambedkarite thought—once a synthesis of politics, social reform, and religion—became fragmented: politics without ideology, social assertion without reform and Buddhism without institutional support.
This fragmentation weakened the coherence of Dalit emancipation as a civilizational project.
4.2 Rise of Post-BSP Ambedkarite Movements
The limitations of Mayawati’s Bahujan politics partly explain the emergence of: Dalit student movements, Bhim Army / Azad Samaj Party and Independent Ambedkarite intellectual circles.
These groups emphasize education, ideology, street mobilization, and constitutional rights—often explicitly distancing themselves from BSP-style politics.
Mayawati’s Bahujan politics produced historic political representation and symbolic empowerment for Dalits, achievements that cannot be dismissed. However, this success came at a significant cost to the Ambedkarite political, social, and Buddhist movements.
By prioritizing electoral power over ideological depth, symbolism over social reform, and pragmatism over ethical–religious transformation, her leadership: weakened autonomous Dalit social movements, marginalized Ambedkarite Buddhism and reduced Ambedkarism to electoral symbolism.
In Ambedkar’s vision, political power was only one pillar of emancipation, alongside social revolution and moral–religious reconstruction. Mayawati’s politics strengthened the first while neglecting—and sometimes undermining—the other two.
The challenge for contemporary Dalit movements is not merely to regain political power, but to reintegrate Ambedkar’s triadic vision of politics, society, and ethics, without which Dalit emancipation remains incomplete and reversible.
By SR Darapuri
SR Darapuri, National President, All India Peoples Front
Courtesy : Counter Currents
Jamia students back Dalit Professor suspended over exam question on atrocities against Muslims
Students of the Department of Social Work at Jamia Millia Islamia have issued a strong statement expressing solidarity with Prof. Virendra Balaji Shahare, who was suspended by the university administration over an end-of-semester examination question asking students to “discuss the atrocities against Muslim minorities in India,” calling the action an “erosion of academic freedom and intellectual autonomy, and an impermissible narrowing of scholarly discourse.”
In their statement, the students asserted that the professor had committed “no wrongdoing” and maintained that the question cited as the basis for complaints was fully aligned with the prescribed syllabus. They said the syllabus explicitly mandates critical engagement with issues such as marginalisation, discrimination, violence, and structural injustice, and added that a copy of the syllabus was attached to their statement to substantiate the claim.
“Penalising an academic for facilitating critical engagement undermines the very foundation of social science education,” the students said.
The students argued that Jamia formally offers courses in Dalit and Minority Studies, Social Inclusion, Human Rights, and Social Justice, disciplines that are premised on critical inquiry and structural analysis. In this context, they said, the action against Prof. Shahare represents an erosion of academic freedom and intellectual autonomy, and an impermissible narrowing of scholarly discourse.
The statement strongly criticised the university’s invocation of Statute 37(1) to suspend the professor, calling it “arbitrary, excessive, and legally untenable.”
According to the students, the statute allows suspension only in exceptional circumstances involving prima facie evidence of grave misconduct, and solely as a temporary measure pending inquiry.
They maintained that setting an examination question approved through institutional mechanisms does not amount to misconduct, negligence, or “unbecoming conduct” under the statute.
Highlighting that examination papers undergo multiple levels of moderation and approval, the students questioned why only Prof. Shahare had been singled out.
“No questions have been raised against moderation committees, departmental vetting processes, or the Controller of Examinations, who bears statutory responsibility for the conduct of examinations,” the statement said.
The students also raised concerns about caste-based discrimination, noting that Prof. Shahare is a Dalit academic, stating, “The suspension reflects a disturbing pattern where individuals from marginalised communities bear the brunt of punitive action, while systemic accountability is evaded,” they alleged.
The students described the reported mention of filing a police FIR against the professor as a “dangerous and unjust escalation,” warning that it could set a precedent for criminalising pedagogy.
“Academic disagreements or public discomfort cannot and must not be converted into criminal liability,” the statement said.
The students demanded immediate and permanent revocation of Prof. Shahare’s suspension, withdrawal of any legal action, a public apology from the university, assurances against scapegoating faculty from marginalised communities, and a reaffirmation of Jamia’s commitment to academic freedom and constitutional values.
“We stand with our professor.
We reject this injustice.
And we will continue to speak until it is corrected,” they asserted.
Similarly, students of the Department of Political Science at Jamia Millia Islamia condemned the suspension and demanded its immediate revocation, stating that “institutions of higher learning must address internal disagreements through transparent, proportionate, and procedurally fair mechanisms.”
The students warned that such action affects not only the faculty member concerned but also the academic environment and students’ right to a free and critical learning space, adding that dialogue, not punitive measures, must remain the guiding principle of university governance.
Virendra Balaji Shahare, was the paper setter for the BA (Hons) Social Work Semester-I examination titled Social Problems in India for the academic session 2025–26.
The suspension comes after Prof. Shahare included a question asking students to “discuss the atrocities against Muslim minorities in India” in the examination paper he set, sparking outrage among students, fellow teachers, and rights groups/
The university stated that it had received several complaints from various sources regarding the content of the question paper.
In its order dated December 23, 2025, the university stated that the competent authority had taken a “serious view” of what it described as the professor’s negligence and carelessness. Acting on the instructions of the competent authority, Jamia said Prof. Shahare had been placed under suspension pending further orders.
The Jamia Millia Islamia unit of the Fraternity Movement has demanded the revocation of the teacher’s suspension, calling it a move to defend academic freedom.
The order further stated that a police FIR would be filed “as per rules” in connection with the matter.
Invoking Statute 37(1) of the Statutes of the University, the Vice-Chancellor ordered disciplinary action, stating that the alleged negligence amounted to an act “unbecoming” of a faculty member.
Earlier, several student organisations, including AIDSO, AIMSU, AIRSO, AISA, DISSC, MSF, the Fraternity Movement, SFI, and SIO, in a joint statement condemned the suspension, stating that the examination question asking students to “discuss the atrocities against Muslim minorities in India” was clearly syllabus-based and academically legitimate.
They called the university’s decision to suspend him and file a police FIR an unprecedented, disproportionate, and dangerous attack on academic autonomy, democratic functioning, and Jamia’s historical legacy of critical inquiry. They also demanded the immediate revocation of the suspension and withdrawal of all punitive proceedings.
Courtesy : Maktoob Media
Memorandum to Governor on ST Certificate Irregularities
- Imphal, 26th December, 2025 : Thadou Inpi Manipur -
Thadou Inpi Manipur Submits Memorandum to Governor and Chief Secretary Seeking Supreme Court-Mandated ST Scrutiny Committee and SIT to Probe Scheduled Tribe Certificate Irregularities in Manipur Thadou Inpi Manipur (TIM), the apex body of the Thadou Scheduled Tribe in Manipur, today submitted a formal memorandum to His Excellency the Governor of Manipur and the Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur, urging immediate constitution of a permanent State-Level Scheduled Tribe Scrutiny Committee as mandated by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in Kumari Madhuri Patil & Anr. vs. Additional Commissioner, Tribal Development & Ors. (1994)
The memorandum highlights serious systemic irregularities in the issuance and verification of Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificates in Manipur, as exposed by recent RTI disclosures and an NDTV report dated December 24, 2025 (republished in local newspapers on December 25, 2025). The report revealed that several government employees were appointed using ST certificates bearing unnotified tribe names such as “Kuki”, “Thadou-Kuki”, “Haokip-Kuki”, and “Khongsai-Kuki,” names that do not appear in Manipur’s official list of 34 recognised Scheduled Tribes.
TIM has emphasised that Thadou is a distinct and separately notified Scheduled Tribe under Article 342 of the Constitution and is not a sub-tribe or synonym of “Kuki”. The use of hybrid or unlisted names has created a false narrative and led to misuse of reservation benefits, particularly under the “Any Kuki Tribes” category, making genuine Thadou community members victims of identity suppression and ethnic misrepresentation amid the ongoing crisis in Manipur.
Citing landmark Supreme Court judgments, Kumari Madhuri Patil v. Additional Commissioner (1994) and State of Maharashtra v. Milind (2000), the memorandum stresses that appointments secured through invalid certificates must be invalidated and that states are duty-bound to establish permanent Scrutiny Committees for rigorous verification of ST claims.
TIM has requested that the State-Level Scrutiny Committee, once constituted, be specially empowered to function as a one-time measure in a time-bound Special Investigation Team (SIT) with the following key mandates:
1. Identify government employees appointed since 2003 using invalid ST certificates.
2. Recommend appropriate action, including termination of services, against those found holding invalid certificates.
3. Investigate issuing authorities and recruiting departments for negligence.
4. Suggest strong procedural safeguards, including a uniform step-by-step process and safeguards against issuance of ST certificates to non-indigenous persons or foreign nationals.
The Thadou Inpi Manipur has further urged that the Committee serve as a permanent mechanism to ensure transparent and lawful verification of all future ST claims in the state, thereby protecting the constitutional rights of genuine indigenous Scheduled Tribes and promoting social harmony.
President of Thadou Inpi Manipur, Mr. M James Thadou, stated: “This is a critical step towards upholding constitutional sanctity, correcting historical irregularities, and safeguarding the distinct identity and rights of the Thadou community and other genuine Scheduled Tribes of Manipur.”
Issued in public interest by
Thadou Inpi Manipur
(Manggou Thadou)
Joint General Secretary
Thadou Inpi Manipur
Statement: “Thadou is a distinct ethnic group of people. Thadou is not Kuki, or underneath Kuki, or part of Kuki, but a separate, independent entity from Kuki. Any organization that incorporates “Thadou” but espouses Kuki and mis-portrays Thadou as Kuki or a part of Kuki is illegitimate and does not represent Thadou people and interest” – Thadou Convention 2024.
To
His Excellency,
The Hon’ble Governor of Manipur
Lok Bhavan, Imphal – 795001
And
The Chief Secretary
Government of Manipur
Secretariat, Imphal – 795001
Subject: Request for Constitution of a State-Level Scheduled Tribe Scrutiny Committee Mandated by the Supreme Court and to Act as Special Investigation Team for Probing Issuance and Use of Invalid Scheduled Tribe Certificates by State Government Employees Since 2003.
Respected Sirs,
Thadou Inpi Manipur, the apex body of the Thadou Scheduled Tribe in Manipur, respectfully submits this memorandum seeking urgent intervention to address systemic irregularities in ST certificate issuance and verification, as highlighted by recent RTI disclosures and an NDTV report dated December 24, 2025 (republished by various state newspapers on December 25, 2025 and is enclosed herewith).
1. Background: Thadou is a distinct notified ST under Article 342, separate from "Any Kuki tribes." Strict adherence to Parliament-approved lists is mandatory; invalid certificates undermine constitutional safeguards and perpetuate false narratives.
2. NDTV Report Reference: The report reveals appointments in government departments based on certificates listing unnotified tribes like "Kuki," "Thadou-Kuki," "Haokip-Kuki," and "Khongsai-Kuki" (instead of "Any Kuki tribes"). While Thadou is not Kuki, some claim it is, leading to misuse of "Any Kuki tribes" for obtaining such certificates during manual processes before digitization. This erroneous practice fosters a misleading narrative that Thadou is Kuki, making Thadou the worst victims of Kuki supremacy in the ongoing Manipur Violence, 2023. Manipur recognizes 34 STs, and Supreme Court rulings deem such certificates viz. “Kuki,” “Thadou-Kuki,” etc. invalid.
3. Inconsistencies in Government Departments: RTI report reveals that various departments in the Manipur government have provided differing replies, views, and opinions on the validity of unlisted/invalid tribe certificates issued/possessed at the time of recruitment/joining the service, indicating serious lapses. This submission addresses broader irregularities since 2003, including disclosure of data on total invalid certificates issued and used for jobs. Production of new or corrected tribe certificates after joining service is illegal, as validity must be based solely on documents submitted at the time of application or joining.
4. Ethnic Concerns: Thadou is not a sub-tribe or sub-group of "Kuki"; hybrids like "Thadou-Kuki" lack recognition and risk ethnic conflicts in multi-ethnic, ethnically sensitive Manipur amid the Kuki vs. Meitei violence. Urgent action is needed for long-lasting solutions to protect distinct identities and promote harmony. Moreover, legal separation and distinct Thadou identification is not upheld by many, exacerbating ethnic tensions in Manipur.
5. Legal Precedents and Prayer for Constitution of State-Level Scrutiny Committee: The Hon’ble Supreme Court in Kumari Madhuri Patil v. Additional Commissioner, Tribal Development (1994) and State of Maharashtra v. Milind (2000) has mandated: (i) invalidation of appointments obtained through bogus or invalid certificates;
(ii) rigorous verification of caste/tribe claims; and (iii) constitution of permanent State-Level Scrutiny Committees with powers to cancel false certificates, withdraw benefits, and ensure strict compliance with notified lists.
Therefore, in strict compliance with the binding directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, we urge immediate constitution of a permanent State-Level Scheduled Tribe Scrutiny Committee as mandated in the aforesaid judgments for the state of Manipur.
6. Prayer for Constitution of State-Level Scrutiny Committee to Act as SIT: It is further requested that, the aforesaid State-Level Scrutiny Committee, once constituted by the state government, should be specially empowered to function as a time-bound Special Investigation Team (SIT) to comprehensively probe the present irregularities and entrusted with the following functions as a one-time measure:
1. Identify employees appointed since 2003 (after enlisting “Any Kuki tribes”) using invalid ST certificates by verifying the ST certificates as per Supreme Court norms.
2. Recommend actions against violators (government employees possessing invalid ST certificates), including terminations and other legal measures as per settled Supreme Court judgments.
3. Probe issuing authorities (EMs/SDCs/SDOs/ADCs/DCs) for issuing invalid ST certificates to the government employees and recruiting departments for negligence, and recommend necessary action.
4. Recommend to the State Government procedural safeguards in matters relating to the identification and determination of Indian citizens who are indigenous persons of the State of Manipur, for the purpose of issuance of Scheduled Tribe certificates. Such recommendations may, inter alia, include:
a. A clear step-by-step procedure or process flow chart that all competent authorities(EMs/SDCs/SDOs/ADCs/DCs) must follow while issuing ST certificates;
b. A clear and uniform procedure for determining and recording the exact name of the notified Scheduled Tribe, as specified in the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 (as applicable to Manipur), to which an indigenous person in the state of Manipur of a recognised tribe belongs;
c. Strong safeguard mechanism to prevent misuse, ensuring no foreign national or illegal migrant (including from Myanmar or Bangladesh) gets an ST certificate in the name of any notified tribe, including “Any Kuki tribes.”
7. Permanent Mechanism: The State-Level Scrutiny Committee, once constituted, shall serve as the ongoing mechanism for uniform, transparent, and lawful verification of all ST claims in Manipur, preventing future misuse as mandated by the Supreme Court settled judgments.
This action will faithfully implement Supreme Court mandates, uphold Articles 14, 16, and 342 of the Constitution, protect genuine Scheduled Tribe rights, ensure constitutional sanctity, and foster social harmony in the State.
With highest respect,
(M James Thadou)
President
Thadou Inpi Manipur
* This info was provided to e-pao.net by Thadou Inpi Manipur who can be contacted at thadouinpimanipur(AT)gmail(DOT)com
This article was posted on 27 December 2025 .
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Caste-based abuses hurled over the telephone prima facie won’t attract SC/ST Act: Calcutta HC
New Delhi, Dec 26 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Calcutta High Court has ruled that alleged caste-based abuses hurled over the telephone, and not in any place within public view, would not prima facie attract the stringent provisions of the SC/ST Act.
While disposing of an application for anticipatory bail, a single judge Bench of Justice Jay Sengupta observed that since the allegations in the FIR pertained to abuses allegedly made over a phone call, the essential ingredients of Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 were not made out at the prima facie stage.
"Considering the fact that the alleged abuses were hurled over the telephone and not in public view, the provisions of the special Act would not be prima facie attracted, and consequently the application for anticipatory bail would not be maintainable," the high court said in its order.
Justice Sengupta was hearing an anticipatory bail application under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, wherein the petitioner contended that there was no prima facie case under the SC/ST Act, and that the remaining offences invoked in the FIR were bailable in nature.
Opposing the plea, the prosecution relied on the case diary and statements of witnesses.
However, the Calcutta High Court said that this was a “peculiar case” where, apart from the provisions of the special Act, the other allegations were bailable.
Taking note of the overall facts, Justice Sengupta disposed of the anticipatory bail application by granting the petitioner liberty to surrender before the jurisdictional court and seek regular bail within four weeks.
"If such an application for bail is made by the petitioner, the same shall be considered in accordance with law," the bench directed, clarifying that the petitioner will not be arrested during the said four-week period.
Earlier this year, the Supreme Court, in a separate case, ruled that abusing a person by caste name within the "four corners of the chambers" of a public official, where members of the public are not present, would not constitute an offence under the SC/ST Act, and accordingly quashed the criminal proceedings arising from such allegations.
Source: IANS
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When it comes to writing he likes to write about current world politics and Indian Movies. His future plans include developing SocialNews.XYZ into a News website that has no bias or judgment towards any.
He can be reached at gopi@socialnews.xyz
Dalit News.
### Dalit Atrocity News on December 28, 2025
No major new incidents of atrocities against Dalits were reported specifically on **December 28, 2025**. News coverage and discussions largely referenced recent or ongoing cases from late December or earlier in the month. Here's a summary of relevant updates circulating on this date:
#### Recent Incident Highlighted
- **Demolition of Dalit family's house in Telangana**: A Congress-backed sarpanch in Sangareddy district (Kohir mandal) allegedly demolished an under-construction house belonging to a Dalit family shortly after taking office, claiming it obstructed a park area. Political outrage ensued, with demands for an SC/ST Atrocity case. This incident occurred earlier in the week but was widely discussed and reported on December 28.
#### Other Ongoing or Referenced Cases
- Discussions on persistent caste violence, including honor killings, public humiliations, and systemic issues in states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
- References to a Dalit migrant worker's lynching in Kerala (December 17) and broader 2025 trends showing over 100 documented atrocities in the first half of the year.
- Political commentary on low conviction rates and calls for stronger implementation of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Tribal Adivasi news
### Key Tribal/Adivasi News on December 28, 2025
#### Telangana Government Announces Exposure Tour for Isolated Adivasi Community
The most prominent news today involves a welfare initiative in Telangana. Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Archaeology, Jupally Krishna Rao, announced an "Education and Exposure Tour" for residents of the remote Kummarikunta hamlet in Utnoor Mandal, Adilabad district.
- The Gond tribal families in this isolated forest village lack basic amenities and exposure to modern developments.
- The all-expenses-paid tour to Hyderabad will showcase historical sites, skyscrapers, metro rail, and sports facilities to inspire the community, especially youth.
- The minister emphasized preserving tribal heritage while ensuring access to progress, and directed immediate improvements in living standards, including education support.
- This comes amid concerns over persistent challenges in tribal areas despite 78 years of independence.
(Source: ANI and multiple reports dated December 28, 2025)
#### Other Recent Tribal-Related Updates
- In Kerala, the state-level arts festival 'Sargotsavam 2025' for students from model residential schools under the Scheduled Tribes Development department began today in Kannur, focusing on fostering artistic and cultural awareness to prevent issues like substance abuse. The event runs until December 30.
- Ongoing national focus on tribal welfare includes increased budget allocations for schemes like PM-JANMAN and DA-JGUA, expansion of Eklavya Model Residential Schools, and efforts for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
Here are the latest major Buddhist-related news items from 28 December 2025:
๐ Pilgrimage & Heritage
• Uttar Pradesh Buddhist Circuit sees record pilgrimage growth:
Over 61 lakh visitors visited major Buddhist sites in Uttar Pradesh (like Sarnath and Kushinagar) between January–September 2025, with totals projected to reach ~64 lakh by year’s end — a sign of rising international engagement with Buddhist heritage.
• Kashmir Buddhist ruins spotlighted:
India’s Mann Ki Baat highlighted how old photos from a French museum helped rediscover forgotten Buddhist ruins in a J&K village, drawing renewed attention to heritage preservation.
๐ Conferences & Community Events
• Dalai Lama honoured at Buddhist conference:
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju praised the Dalai Lama as a “beacon of peace” at a Buddhist gathering in Karnataka’s Tibetan settlement, underscoring interfaith and cultural dialogue.
• Lumbini News Festival promotes tourism & media:
The Third Lumbini News Festival began, aiming to boost global awareness of Lumbini (Buddha’s birthplace) through journalism and cultural exchange.
• Historic Buddha statue returned:
A cherished Buddha statue was ceremonially returned to Phayao (Thailand) after 65 years, an event significant to local Buddhist communities.
⚠️ Safety & Tensions
• Threatening poster in Bangladesh:
A poster surfaced in Chattogram threatening Hindus and Buddhists, raising concerns about communal tensions and calls for impartial investigation.
๐ Additional Relevant Context (Not specific to 28 Dec)
These developments reflect broader themes in Buddhist world news:
• Lumbini cultural ties: India and Nepal held a cultural festival celebrating their shared Buddhist heritage, enhancing regional cooperation.
• Tipitaka Chanting Ceremony: The 20th International Tipitaka Chanting Ceremony in Bodhgaya brought monastics and lay followers together in a major spiritual gathering through December.
• Buddhist teachings & peace: Nepalese Speaker Devraj Ghimire emphasized that Buddha’s teachings provide a foundation for lasting peace amid global tensions.
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