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Attempted rape case in Barhalganj: On the orders of the SSP, a case has been registered against two named individuals based on the complaint of a Dalit woman.
Barhalganj. On the instructions of Senior Superintendent of Police Dr. Kaustubh, a case has been registered against two individuals late Saturday evening based on the complaint of a Dalit woman in Madaria village, under the Barhalganj police station area.
They have been charged with attempted rape, assault, intimidation, and various sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The victim stated in her complaint that on July 5, 2026, at around 8 p.m., she had gone to the toilet behind her house when two young men from the same village arrived.
The woman alleges that the two men, using casteist slurs, grabbed her, tore her clothes, and attempted to outrage her modesty. When the woman raised an alarm, her family members arrived at the scene, after which the two accused fled, threatening to kill her.
The victim stated that the incident was immediately reported to the local police station, but no action was taken. She subsequently complained to the Senior Superintendent of Police.
On the instructions of the SSP, the Barhalganj police have registered a case against the accused under sections 75, 76, 352, and 351(3) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 3(1)(d), 3(1)(g) and 3(2)(va) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and have begun an investigation. Station House Officer Atul Kumar Srivastava stated that further legal action will be taken based on the investigation.
Attempts were made to contact the accused, but their version could not be obtained. Once their version is obtained, it will be published prominently.
Rajiv Jaiswal | Barhalganj, Gorakhpur
Courtesy: Hindi News
Minorities, Dalits and deprived sections must unite to fight for their constitutional rights, say intellectuals
Meeting presided over by Justice Ranjit Singh (Retd.), former Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court
The representatives of the Sikh, Muslim and Dalit communities, along with intellectuals and social activists, on Saturday resolved to establish a common front to raise concerns over the constitutional rights and equal opportunities of deprived minorities and marginalised sections.
The resolution was adopted at a joint meeting of Sikh, Muslim and Dalit thinkers held at Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha, here, to mark the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur.
The meeting was presided over by Justice Ranjit Singh (Retd.), former Judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. GeographicReference
Former Rajya Sabha MP Mohammad Adeeb said that the Muslims who remained in India after Partition and Sikhs who supported the Indian Union on the assurances of Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel now feel those promises have not been fulfilled. He said that if the BJP seeks to establish a ‘Hindu Rashtra’, it should obtain the people’s mandate through a national referendum.
The gathering observed that although India adopted democracy, secularism and constitutional governance after Independence, the successive governments have increasingly pursued policies favouring the majority community and upper-caste interests.
Former Chief Justice Iqbal Ansari alleged that the ruling establishment promotes religious polarisation by setting one community against another for electoral gains.
Noted Sikh scholar Gurtej Singh, IAS (Retd.), endorsed the proposal for a united platform of minorities and deprived communities and recalled that Sant Harchand Singh Longowal had entrusted him with initiating dialogue with Muslim leaders as early as 1983.
The participants further stated that many minorities and deprived communities have been reduced to second-class citizens and are being used as scapegoats for advancing Hindutva politics.
They stressed the need for minorities, Dalits and other marginalised sections to unite on a common platform to safeguard their rights and dignity.
Among those who addressed the gathering included Prof Sham Singh (President), Dr Pyara Lal Garg, Gurpreet Singh (Global Sikh Council), Daya Singh Delhi, Anzarul Bari, Rajwinder Singh Rahi, Senior Journalist Jaspal Singh Sidhu, Surinder Singh Kishanpura and several other distinguished speakers.
Courtesy : The Tribune
Dalit rights forum announces protest over ‘rise’ in atrocities across Haryana
The Dalit Adhikar Manch has announced a statewide protest in Haryana against the alleged rise in crimes against Dalits, social discrimination and what it termed government neglect.
At a state-level meeting, the organisation decided to hold protests in all districts between July 20 and July 30. During the agitation, memorandums addressed to the CM will be submitted through the respective Deputy Commissioners.
Dalit Adhikar Manch convener Ramkumar Bahbalpuria on Saturday alleged that the Dalits were facing increasing social, economic, political and caste-based discrimination under the present government. He claimed that several incidents of atrocities against the Dalits had been reported across the state over the past three months.
Bahbalpuria also alleged an increase in cases of harassment and gang rape involving Dalit women and minor girls, claiming that victims were not receiving justice. He further alleged that attempts were being made in some areas to evict Dalit settlements to benefit land mafias. The body also expressed concern over the alleged reduction in and irregularities in scholarships for the Dalit students. It criticised the reported reduction in ration for pink ration card holders following changes to the Food Security Act and the discontinuation of mustard oil supply.
Bahbalpuria said after the July protests, the organisation would launch a signature campaign in the Dalit colonies across the state in September and October. A detailed memorandum highlighting its demands will then be sent to the President during the Winter Session of Parliament.
Anil Kakkar
Courtesy : The Tribune
Chandru panel’s reforms to curb casteism in TN schools yet to be fully implemented
The latest incident of assault on a differently-abled Dalit student has led to renewed calls for the comprehensive implementation of the Justice Chandru panel’s recommendations
More than two years after retired Madras High Court judge Justice K Chandru submitted a comprehensive roadmap to address caste discrimination in schools, Tamil Nadu has implemented only a part of the recommendations. While the state government cites progress, Justice Chandru says many of the report’s most significant reforms remain unfulfilled, leaving schools vulnerable to recurring tensions.
The latest incident of assault on a differently-abled Dalit student by his schoolmates inside a government higher secondary school at Mallal in Sivaganga district on June 14, once again brought the issue into sharp focus. Although the caste angle behind the attack is yet to be established, the fracas renewed calls for the comprehensive implementation of the Justice Chandru panel’s recommendations.
Why was the panel constituted?
The Chandru committee’s recommendations extend well beyond preventing caste-based clashes on school campuses. They outline a comprehensive framework to foster equality, social justice and a more harmonious atmosphere in educational institutions by addressing the structural and social factors that contribute to discrimination.
Constituted in August 2023 after two Dalit siblings were brutally assaulted by their relatively upper-caste classmates in Tirunelveli, the Chandru committee submitted a comprehensive 680-page report. Justice Chandru visited several districts, meeting teachers, educationists and students, including those who were attacked, before finalising his recommendations. The report proposed a multifaceted approach to address the deep-rooted problem.
What are the hits and misses?
Though the DMK government never announced which of Justice K Chandru’s recommendations had been accepted or rejected, it implemented some of the suggestions. For example, on June 25, 2024, a Government Order was issued directing the removal of caste prefixes and suffixes from school names, one of the suggestions of the panel.
The move was subsequently reinforced by the Madras High Court, which directed that no school or college in Tamil Nadu should carry a caste appellation from the 2025-26 academic year. The court specifically ordered the renaming of government-run Kallar Reclamation Schools and Adi Dravidar Welfare Schools. In a subsequent order, it fixed the 2026-27 academic year as the deadline for removing caste names from all educational institutions.
However, the recommendation to bring all government schools under the umbrella of the School Education Department, though announced as a policy decision in the assembly, has not been implemented.
What are the steps taken by the School Education Department?
The School Education Department also issued detailed guidelines to curb recurring incidents of caste-based violence in schools. These included constituting district-level monitoring committees comprising the Chief Educational Officer (CEO), District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) and Superintendent of Police (SP). However, in many districts, these committees have remained largely inactive.
The department also advised schools to prohibit students from wearing coloured wristbands or using bicycles with colours that may signify caste identity. Students displaying caste pride are to be counselled sensitively, while the use of mobile phones by students on school campuses has been ordered to be strictly prohibited. Orders have also been issued to transfer teachers found promoting caste or communal sentiments, install grievance boxes in schools, and conduct value education classes, all of which were recommended by the panel.
In another reform, all 2,739 government hostels run by the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department and the Backward Classes Welfare Department have been renamed Social Justice Hostels.
What was the political reaction?
However, the state BJP opposed the recommendations of the Chandru committee. The then state president of the BJP, K Annamalai, had argued that it would be counterproductive, adding the dominance of caste differences in schools would increase over the next five years. He suggested that the government factor in the views of all sections, and form a task force to implement the recommendations. On the contrary, the Dravidar Kazhagam, CPI, CPM, VCK, MDMK, and activists for human rights and anti-caste campaigners, welcomed the recommendations on the removal of caste names from schools, banning caste-identifying wristbands and symbols, periodic transfer of teachers, adopting a code of conduct for teachers, and creating institutional mechanisms to monitor caste discrimination.
Why did the DMK government not implement it?
Asked which of his recommendations needs to be implemented immediately, Justice Chandru said, “Implementation of my recommendations earlier was cosmetic, not substantive. After the submission of my report, the DMK government was in power for two years. Yet, they did not spell out their stand. They did not explain whether they would implement the report in full or issue an order stating which of the suggestions were acceptable. Except for a few like the removal of caste names from the schools, most of my recommendations remain pending.”
Justice Chandru said recommendations like orientation programmes for teachers, revising the syllabus for teacher training, and recruiting teachers, should be implemented at the district level and not at the state level. The recommendation on non-posting of headmasters, CEOs, DEOs, and BEOs belonging to the dominant caste of that area in high schools and higher secondary schools is still awaiting implementation. Since his report was recommendatory, it was not placed before the assembly. As a result, the previous regime chose not to take a position on it, he said.
What is the TVK’s take on it?
As for the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in the state, even before coming to power, its functionaries had questioned as to why the DMK government hadn’t implemented the report in full. After wresting power, School Education Minister A Rajmohan went on record saying his government will implement the panel’s report. “So, the present government should take steps to implement both short-term and long-term recommendations. The state government can make a strong statement on implementing them in stages and start discussions with the stakeholders, which can be a good starting point,” Justice Chandru suggested.The report had also recommended holding students’ union election, conducting orientation programmes for the students at the beginning of their academic year, conducting ethics classes, teaching social justice to the students and creating a social justice course at the village level. Apart from caste, there are many other factors that can lead to clashes among students, he said.
What all has been covered so far?
As for senior officials in the School Education Department, they said Chandru’s recommendations can be broken up into three categories — already implemented, feasible for implementation, and those considered not feasible, along with the reasons. Recommendations deemed feasible are being implemented in a phased manner wherever possible, officials said. Value education has been introduced in schools, and Chief Educational Officers have been directed to transfer teachers if complaints of caste bias are validated. They claimed that the committee’s recommendations were grouped under 20 broad themes and that the department has implemented measures under 15 of them.
Pending recommendations include constituting a Social Justice Monitoring Committee to review curriculum, appointing School Welfare Officers and trained counsellors to address grievances and monitor caste discrimination, making annual social justice orientation programmes mandatory for students and teachers, and assessing candidates’ commitment to social justice during teacher recruitment. “During the induction training for new teachers, we sensitise them on issues related to caste, community and gender. The appointment of School Welfare Officers and other such measures is under consideration,” a senior School Education Department official told this newspaper. Certain recommendations, such as bringing Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare schools under the School Education Department, require coordination with other departments.
Courtesy : TNIE
Odisha Issues Draft Reservation List for Chairperson Posts in 35 ULBs Ahead of Civic Elections
The Odisha Government has issued a draft notification proposing the reservation of Chairperson posts in 35 Municipalities and Notified Area Councils (NACs) across the state, marking a key step towards the upcoming Urban Local Body (ULB) elections.
The Housing and Urban Development Department has invited objections and suggestions from the public within 15 days of the notification’s publication in the Odisha Gazette before finalising the reservation list.
The draft notification has been issued under Section 47(3) and (4) of the Odisha Municipal Act, 1950, read with Rule 67(5) of the Odisha Municipal (Delimitation of Wards, Reservation of Seats and Conduct of Election) Rules, 1994.
Chairperson Posts Reserved for SC Women
The draft proposes reserving the offices of Chairpersons in the following 11 NACs for Scheduled Caste (SC) women:
- Patrapur
- Salepur
- Bissamcuttack
- Jagannathprasad
- Tihidi
- Sohela
- Birmaharajpur
- Narasinghpur
- Narla
- Simulia
- Badamba
Chairperson Posts Reserved for SC Category
The Chairperson posts in the following urban local bodies have been proposed to be reserved for the Scheduled Caste (SC) category:
- Loisingha
- Dhusuri
- Palalahada
- Jashipur
- Basta
- Tangi
- Chatrapur Municipality
Reservation for ST Women and ST Category
The Chairperson posts in the following local bodies have been proposed for Scheduled Tribe (ST) women:
- Chitrada
- Bangriposi
- Kaptipada
- Betanati
- Bamra
- Rengali
Meanwhile, the Chairperson posts in the following urban local bodies have been proposed for the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category:
- Borigumma
- Rasagobindapur
- Gondia
- Jayapatana
Posts Reserved for Women and Unreserved Category
The draft notification proposes reserving the Chairperson posts in the following urban local bodies for women, irrespective of caste:
- Chandikhol NAC
- Boudhagada Municipality
- Asika Municipality
- Bhanjanagar Municipality
Meanwhile, the Chairperson posts in Polasara Municipality and Odagaon NAC have been kept unreserved, allowing candidates from any eligible category to contest.
Public Invited to Submit Suggestions
The State Government has invited citizens and stakeholders to submit objections or suggestions to the Director, Municipal Administration, within 15 days from the publication of the notification in the Odisha Gazette.
Officials said all representations received within the stipulated period will be examined before the government issues the final notification.
The reservation of Chairperson posts is a mandatory statutory exercise conducted before every Urban Local Body election to ensure equitable representation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women in urban governance. The reservation is determined through a rotational system prescribed under the Odisha Municipal Act and the relevant election rules.
The final reservation list is expected to be notified after the government reviews public feedback, paving the way for the long-awaited ULB elections in Odisha.
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