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New Indian Express
2 days ago
- General
- New Indian Express
Dalit youth thrashed in Rajasthan for drinking water from pot, three held
JAIPUR: In a shocking case of caste-based discrimination, a Dalit youth was allegedly abused and beaten in Rajasthan's Nagaur district for drinking water from a pot kept outside a grocery shop. The incident took place on Sunday evening in Kantia village under Khinvsar subdivision. The victim, Omprakash Meghwal, a resident of Aau village, had stopped near the shop with a friend while on his way to a relative's function. He used a metal tumbler (lota) to drink water from a pot placed outside the store. Soon after, the shop owner Kaluram Jat and two others — Narsiram and another man also named Omprakash had asked him his name and caste. When they found out that he belonged to a Scheduled Caste, they allegedly shouted casteist abuses, beat him up, and threatened to kill him. Omprakash said he tried to clean the pot with sand to calm them down, but the men continued to assault and humiliate him. Scared, he ran and took shelter at a relative's house. Later that night, around 11:30 p.m., the accused allegedly returned in a camper vehicle, circled the locality several times, and dragged the vehicle's tyres in an apparent attempt to intimidate the residents. The act reportedly caused panic among the largely poor Dalit families in the area. Omprakash filed a police complaint the next day. A team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Rampratap Vishnoi visited the village, but the accused had already fled. After searches, police detained all three. Nagaur SP Narayan Togas said they have been booked under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and other charges. A detailed probe is on. The victim's family claimed that police initially tried to ignore the case. Police officials remained tight-lipped even as the incident began gaining traction on social media. Even on Tuesday, local police avoided giving clear answers when asked by reporters. Action was taken only after mounting public pressure and the video went viral. The incident has triggered widespread outrage. Azad Samaj Party chief and Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad strongly condemned the attack, calling it a grim reminder of entrenched caste discrimination in India. 'In Kantia village, Dalit youths were abused, humiliated, and forced to clean utensils just for drinking water. This isn't a mere dispute—it's a reflection of systemic, centuries-old hatred,' he said. 'Does a Dalit still not have the right to drink water?' This incident is similar to a 2022 case in Jalore, where a Dalit student was beaten to death by a schoolteacher for drinking water from a pot meant for upper castes.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Wedding procession pelted with stones in Amroha; 7 injured
Seven people were injured after a wedding procession taken out by members of the Dalit community was pelted with stones, in Amroha's Rahdra village in the wee hours of Tuesday. Police later registered an FIR against eight identified and 15-20 unidentified men at Gajraula police station of the district. The eight identified accused hail from the village where the incident was reported. It was the wedding of one Sonam Kumari, the elder daughter of one Ramgopal, and the wedding party had arrived from Shirkoi Bhur in Moradabad. The violence reportedly sparked by a dispute over a request to remove a vehicle. A video purportedly of the chaotic scene has surfaced on social media. Circle officer Shwetabh Bhaskar confirmed that the police had registered a case under relevant sections, including the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and were investigating the matter. Police had to resort to mild force to disperse the crowd and restore order. 'Considering the tension in the village, a police force has been deployed to maintain law and order,' Bhaskar stated, adding that teams had been tasked to arrest the accused. Meanwhile, Lok Sabha MP Chandra Shekhar Azad took to X to criticise the incident: 'The stone-pelting and attack on the wedding procession of a Dalit woman in Rahdara village, located in the Gajraula police station area of Amroha, by goons driven by a casteist mindset is extremely painful and highly condemnable. Reports have emerged that several people were injured in this incident'. Also, teams from the Bhim Army and the Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) reached the scene of the incident and stood in solidarity with the bride's family. The MP demanded the best possible treatment for the injured, prompt arrest of the culprits, provision of government protection and appropriate compensation to the bride's family.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Opportunists trying to weaken BSP, Bahujan unity: Mayawati after Azad jibe
Without naming Azad Samaj Party chief Chandra Shekhar Azad, BSP supremo Mayawati on Monday said 'opportunist' leaders are trying to weaken the BSP and 'Bahujan unity' by being in cahoots with Congress, BJP and SP. She defended her nephew, Akash Anand, whom she has removed and retained a few times as her successor in the party, saying Anand would now be fully committed to taking forward the legacy of Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar and BSP founder Kanshi Ram. Mayawati's statement comes a day after Chandra Shekhar Azad said that the flip-flops by her over Anand were because she had 'no choice'. On March 3, Mayawati had expelled Anand from the BSP and relieved him of all responsibilities, saying he 'lacked political maturity.' Before that, his father-in-law Ashok Sidharth, who once shared a close bond with Mayawati and was considered a power centre in the party even before his daughter's marriage to Anand, was expelled. Mayawati had then claimed that Anand was being 'tutored' by Sidharth. However, last month, Mayawati announced that she was inducting Anand back into the party, pointing out that he has apologised for his 'wrongdoings'. Mayawati wrote on X on Monday, '…ups and downs of Akash Anand and his appointment as chief national coordinator have left many people anxious, and this is very obvious. This is happening as the BSP is the only Ambedkarite party that works for 'Bahujan' welfare. Therefore, there is a tradition of initiating action against people in the party's interest and taking them back after they repent.' Azad is considered a strong political opponent of the BSP after he wrested the Nagina LS seat in the 2024 election from the BSP, which had won it in 2019. He is seen as an aggressive Dalit leader and is considered popular among youngsters in the community. Anand, who is much younger than Azad and found himself in the limelight during the 2024 poll campaign due to his firebrand speeches, was seen by some as an apt counter to Azad's clout. On Sunday at a meet of intellectuals, Azad Samaj Party chief took a jibe at the BSP over its decision to bring back Akash despite his expulsion from that party. While he praised Mayawati, he said he and his party would fulfill the BSP chief's 'incomplete tasks and dreams' 'as those dreams and tasks were of Kanshi Ram and Dr B R Ambedkar'. On Monday, Mayawati, in an apparent reference to Nagina MP's claims, said: 'Leaders who, for personal gain, may become MLAs, MPs or ministers by aligning with such parties will not bring any real benefit to the community.'
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
After Azad remark, Maya defends call to promote Akash
1 2 Lucknow: A day after Azad Samaj Party (Kanshiram) leader Chandrashekhar Azad said that people rejected Akash Anand and that he was expelled and then taken back into the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) under compulsion, BSP national president Mayawati, without taking Azad's name, criticised such politicians as opportunists in her posts on X on Monday. "BSP is the only Ambedkarwadi party in the country, which has a tradition of taking action against people in its interest and also taking them back when they apologise. Akash Anand's ups and downs in the party fall in the same line of action. The restlessness among a lot of people after he was made the chief national coordinator of the party is natural," Mayawati said. It was in his party programme held in Lucknow on Sunday that Azad said that though he respected Mayawati, it is his party that will fulfil the mission of Kanshiram and BR Ambedkar. He also criticised Mayawati's nephew and newly appointed chief national coordinator of BSP, Akash Anand. To this, Mayawati, without referring to Azad, responded on Monday in a series of posts on X, saying, "The party hopes that Akash Anand will take forward the caravan of self-respect of Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar and Manyavar Kanshiramji and also fulfil their dreams with dedication and devotion. The party does not need people who are selfish and opportunists." Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Soluções confiáveis para centros de dados IA Siemens Energy Read More Undo Her posts were a message to both her cadre and 'bahujans' in the state, whom the party is trying to reconnect with at the grassroots level to increase its base among voters. Mayawati's bid to keep her grip firm on her voters, and her criticism of Azad, should also be seen in the context of the results of the Lok Sabha 2024 elections, in which the Azad Samaj Party won the reserved seat of Nagina in Bijnor. The seat is represented by Azad himself. BSP not only lost the Nagina seat in 2024 but also nine other parliamentary seats which it had won in 2019. On Monday, she also warned her people to be wary of such leaders who act on the directions of Congress, BJP, Samajwadi Party and other parties to weaken the unity of 'bahujans' and the BSP. She called such parties and their leaders 'barsati maindhak', who become MLAs, MPs and ministers for their personal and selfish reasons but do nothing for the welfare of 'bahujans'. "The community will not benefit because of them," she said. Meanwhile, on supporting Anand's re-induction and promotion in BSP, it was not the first time on Monday that Mayawati defended her decision. She clarified earlier also that there is nothing personal in taking back people who worked in the party at one point but were then expelled, as such decisions depend on the interest of the party and the movement.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
BSP was compelled to bring back Akash Anand: Nagina MP
Azad Samaj Party (ASP) chief Chandra Shekhar Azad on Sunday attacked recently appointed Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief national coordinator Akash Anand, and stated that people had rejected him. 'Due to compulsions, the BSP opened its doors for him even after his expulsion. There is no option for the BSP,' said Azad, who's also the Lok Sabha member from Nagina. Azad was speaking at the 'Astitva Bachao - Bhai Chara Banao' (Save Existence – Build Brotherhood) - Parbudh Jan Sammelan at the KGMU Convention Center auditorium here. The BSP is projecting Akash as the young face of the party to take on the challenges posed by Azad, who is working to expand the base of his party among the Dalit community. Soon, Anand is expected to be made the political heir of BSP chief Mayawati. Lashing out at the BSP, Azad said the ASP would fulfil the dreams of Dalit icons Bhim Rao Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram. The ASP organised the Sammelan in the state capital to send a message to the Dalit community. Along with the dominant Jatav community members, members of Dalit, OBC and Muslim communities were also invited to the meeting. While the BSP is battling to save its national party status and resolve the infighting in the party, Azad is seeing an opportunity to expand the base of his party in the area that has been dominated by the BSP. The ASP chief called upon the party members to strengthen the organisation before the 2027 assembly election. 'Political power will empower the weaker section. Several people belonging to the Dalit community have died in police custody in Uttar Pradesh. The police have become a tool of the government to commit atrocities on the weak. The people should unite to grab power in the 2027 assembly election,' he said. The deliberate attempt not to conduct a caste-based census of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) by the central government was a well-planned conspiracy against the principles of social justice, he noted and added this was an attempt to suppress the actual number of Bahujan Samaj and their rights. 'The present government is engaged in making reservations ineffective and weakening the basic spirit of the Constitution. We have to remain constantly vigilant and organised to protect the constitutional rights given by Bhim Rao Ambedkar,' he said. 'It is necessary that scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward classes get reservation in the private sector too, so that inclusive development can be ensured,' he added. Raising questions over electronic voting machines (EVMs), the MP said they were against the transparency of democracy and public trust. 'This system seems to be a part of the conspiracy of the ruling class, whose aim is to control the election process,' he said.
