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The Hindu
3 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Praveen Kumar alleges discrimination of students in gurukuls
HYDERABAD BRS leader and former IPS officer R.S. Praveen Kumar has accused the Congress Government of discriminating Dalit (Scheduled Caste) students of social welfare residential schools, and alleged that with the government support, IAS officer in-charge of those institutions Alugu Varshini had made disparaging remarks that there was nothing wrong if students cleaned their toilets. Speaking to newspersons, along with a few parents whose wards are studying in the gurukuls, on Saturday, he recollected Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy's comments that he was the 'pedda madiga and pedda mala' in the State (first Mala and Madiga, the sub-castes of SCs), Mr. Praveen Kumar, who functioned as the Secretary of residential educational institutions when in service, sought to know if Mr. Reddy was cleaning toilets in his home or his Cabinet colleagues were doing the same. The officer reportedly said there was nothing wrong if students cleaned their toilets. If that is the government's policy, a GO should be issued, he said. He criticised the government for posting an officer who was reluctant to talk to the parents as the in-charge of gurukuls. He alleged that the Inter second-year students of Gowlidoddi residential school were being told to pursue education outside, and the government had also closed the Sainik School for girls. He also sought to know why the Chief Minister had not announced a cash reward to Agasara Nandini for winning a medal in the Asian Athletic Championships.
Hans India
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Civil Rights Groups Condemn Religious Bias by Puttur IMA, Call for Action to Safeguard Communal Harmony in Coastal Karnataka
Mangaluru: In a strongly worded condemnation, civil society organisations and secular groups from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts have criticised the Puttur unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) for what they described as "religiously biased and politically motivated" actions, allegedly influenced by right-wing groups. The criticism was voiced during a joint meeting held at a private hotel in Mulki on Thursday, where participants resolved to initiate legal and public mobilisation efforts to counter growing communal polarisation in coastal Karnataka. The meeting was convened in the backdrop of a recent controversy involving a government doctor from Puttur, who reportedly engaged in a verbal dispute with a Muslim family. The IMA Puttur unit allegedly supported the doctor and joined a protest alongside members of right-wing organisations. Speakers at the meeting expressed concern that the IMA's involvement in such protests, including alleged hate speech targeting the Muslim community, reveals a disturbing communal orientation within a professional body expected to uphold neutrality. Participants also criticised the defamation case filed against journalist AbduSalaam Putthige and activist Muneer Katipalla for raising concerns over the incident. 'This amounts to an attempt to suppress democratic voices and is a blemish on the medical profession itself,' the groups stated in a joint resolution. A protest meeting is now planned for the second week of June in Mangaluru, where a formal demand will be submitted to the government seeking an impartial probe into the conduct of the IMA Puttur unit and those involved. The meeting further addressed the broader rise in communal tensions in the region, pointing to a series of recent hate speeches and politically motivated murders allegedly linked to Hindutva groups and supported by some BJP legislators. Speakers argued that the state government's 'soft approach' towards communal violence has deepened mistrust between communities, undermined law and order, and harmed Karnataka's tradition of religious coexistence. In response, the gathering called for unity among progressive, secular, and people-centric organisations, regardless of ideological differences. A series of mass awareness campaigns and outreach programmes will be launched in the coming months, once the situation stabilises, to rebuild trust and promote harmony. The meeting was chaired by Amrith Shenoy, coordinator of Sahabalve Udupi. Among the key participants were CPI(M) state secretariat member K. Yadava Shetty, CPI district secretary B. Shekhar, Congress spokesperson M.G. Hegde, senior advocate Dinesh Hegde Ulepady, Dalit and tribal rights leaders M. Devadas and Dr. Krishnappa Konchady, DYFI representatives, former Mangaluru Mayor K. Ashraf, and various office bearers from the Muslim Federation of Udupi and Mangaluru. Activist Manjula Nayak of Samarasya Mangaluru and several leaders from labour and student movements also attended. The meeting concluded with a renewed pledge to protect the coastal region's pluralistic ethos and confront communal politics through lawful and democratic means.
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Two get death sentence in Madhubani gang-rape case
Madhubani: A special court on Saturday sentenced two men— Sushil Rai and Om Prakash Jha— to death for the gangrape and murder of an eight-year-old Dalit girl. Special judge for SC/ST cases and additional district and sessions judge, Syed Mohammad Fazlul Bari, delivered the verdict after hearing arguments of both sides. The court also imposed a fine of ₹1.55 lakh on each convict under various sections. The horrific crime took place on June 22, 2023 at a village under Jaynagar police station of Madhubani district. Special public prosecutor Sapan Kumar Singh described the case as 'rarest of the rare', urging the court to award the death penalty. Defense counsel Amit Kumar argued in favour of the accused, but the court upheld the prosecution's demand for capital punishment. According to the prosecution, the minor's family members were away at work when the accused lured the girl to Jaynagar market under the pretext of buying food. They took her to a room in Koshi Colony, where they sexually assaulted her. When the child screamed, the perpetrators strangled her with a gamchha (towel) and inflicted multiple injuries on her head and body. The next day, police arrested the accused, who led them to the victim's body, which had been concealed under asbestos sheets in an abandoned structure.
Hans India
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
BJP core committee decides to fight against ‘goonda' Cong govt
Bengaluru: BJP president B Y Vijayendra on Thursday said that the party's state core committee has decided to fight against the 'goonda' Congress government and its policies vociferously on the streets, as he accused it of targeting party leaders and right wing activists. He said the party also discussed strengthening the organisation and the state-wide tour of leaders to prepare the ground for taluk and zilla panchayat polls. The state chief was briefing about the Karnataka BJP core committee meeting today that was attended by former Chief Ministers B S Yediyurappa, Sadananada Gowda, Basavaraj Bommai, party's state in-charge and Rajya Sabha MP Radhamohan Das Agrawal, co-in-charge Sudhakar Reddy, among others. 'The Congress government in Karnataka is intoxicated by power. BJP karyakartas are being targeted. Suhas Shetty (Hindutva activist) was murdered in Mangaluru. Also there was arrest of Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader as part of a conspiracy. The Congress goondas have shown their goonda behaviour against the Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council and the Dalit Leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy in Kalaburagi,' Vijayendra said. Speaking to reporters here, he said despite BJP MLC and opposition chief whip N Ravikumar expressing regret over his certain remarks, a FIR has been registered against him, based on a complaint by a third party, aimed at defaming him at the behest of the Congress government. 'The BJP has decided that it will not budge to such things and to fight vociferously on the streets against the goonda Congress government, which is anti-poor, anti-farmer and corrupt, by instilling confidence among party workers and leaders,' he said, adding that the fight will happen on a continuous basis and announcements will be made accordingly in the days ahead. Responding to a question, the state president further said there is no confusion among leaders in the BJP and all are united in fighting against the corrupt Congress government. 'The goal ahead of us is to fight on the streets against this anti-people, corrupt, goonda Congress government,' he said. The core committee discussed organisational matters, how to strengthen it, and travel across the state in the wake of upcoming zilla and taluk panchayat polls and others, Vijayendra said. Noting that disciplinary action taken against MLAs Basangaouda Patil Yatnal, S T Somashekar and Shivaram Hebbar by expelling them from the party for six years based on the recommendation of the state core committee, he said, 'We thank the party's national leadership for it.' The core committee also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the armed forces for the action against terrorists and Pakistan, following the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 tourists were killed, he added. Vijayendra said on the advice of the core committee, a team composed of a few of its members, legislators, former legislators, will be sent to all divisions in view of organisation and upcoming local polls. Regarding constituting a coordination committee for proper coordination with alliance partner JD(S), Vijayendra said there is coordination already, and regarding formation of any committee for it, both party leaders will discuss and decide.
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Time of India
‘Slapped, beaten with baton': CCSU warden removed for thrashing hostellers in Meerut
MEERUT: The warden of Chaudhary Charan Singh University's (CCSU) Kailash Prakash Hostel has been removed on Friday following protest by students for allegedly thrashing 20-25 hostellers after finding water splashed on the floor and four students in a room for two. A purported video of the accused warden, DK Chauhan, mercilessly beating the students on Thursday night was widely circulated on social media on Friday. In the video, Chauhan is seen purportedly raining blows with a baton and slapping the students as he charged at them like a raging bull. His terror continued for nearly 30 minutes, with shocked students writhing in pain. The video shows that the students were standing still while the warden madly attacked them. On Friday, students staged a sit-in protest outside the vice chancellor's office, demanding immediate action against the warden. Calling the incident a "blatant misuse of power", they demanded stricter regulations for hostel authorities. After hours of protest and intervention by university officials, the warden was removed from his duties. A BTech student, requesting anonymity, told TOI, "The warden arrived at the hostel on Thursday night, and without asking anything, began assaulting some students. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo He also used casteist slurs against some Dalit students. When we were recording the video, he tried to snatch our phones. We raised the matter with senior university authorities, but they sided with the warden." Prof Dinesh Kumar, chief warden of CCSU, told TOI, "We have removed DK Chauhan from his post. The VC, Sangeeta Shukla, is not here. Once she returns, we will place this matter on her table and constitute a high-level committee, in which we will try to include a student member to probe the incident. Further action will be taken after committee's report." "This kind of behaviour is unacceptable. We are committed to ensuring the safety and dignity of each and every student," said a university spokesperson, on condition of anonymity. DK Chauhan told TOI, "They were attacking me. I politely asked them to come out, but some students hurled abuses at me. I have submitted multiple pieces of evidence to the university administration, but they have only presented one side of the story. My car was vandalized, and my home guards were unable to protect me - which compelled me to retaliate." This is not the first time DK Chauhan has courted controversy. A few days ago, he allegedly ordered the on-duty home guards to keep a delivery boy hostage for around 30 minutes for delivering food at the hostel after 9 pm, said another student from Maharana Pratap Hostel.
