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'Emboldened by the BJP victory, the upper castes feel they must assert themselves and regain dominance over the rural power structure.' IMAGE: Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, left, and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati Realpolitik can make political parties do the unthinkable, and that is what the BJP has forced upon the two arch rivals of UP politics. The coming together of Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav for the March 11 by-election in Uttar Pradesh marks a big shift in the politics of the Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party, two bitter enemies in UP politics. Twenty-three years after the BSP-SP alliance ended bitterly, the two parties have come together to counter the BJP in the Lok Sabha by-election in Gorakhpur and Phulpur. The Gorakhpur seat was represented by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath from 1998 to 2017. Phulpur, represented once by Jawaharlal Nehru, was won by Keshav Prasad Maurya, now UP's deputy CM by a record margin in 2014. "Akhilesh and ... » Learn More about Explained: Why Akhilesh, Mayawati joined hands

IMAGE: Dalits enforce the closure of markets during a protest in Ahmedabad July 20 against the assault by cow protectors in Rajkot. Photograph: PTI 'Only the smoke is coming out now. Let us prevent the lava from coming out by taking proper measures.' T hough P S Krishnan , 84, retired after three decades of service as an IAS officer in 1990, as the secretary to the Government of India, he continues his work for the socially deprived classes in India. Krishnan, below, left , has been on numerous government committees after retirement, and is currently the advisor to the government of Telangana on backward classes, and the government of Andhra Pradesh on identification of and reservation for socially and educationally backward classes among Muslims. He is also a member of the National Monitoring Committee for Education of SCs, STs and Persons with Disabilities, and a member of the Central Monitoring Committee of the National Mission for Empowering Women. One of the ... » Learn More about ‘You are sitting on a volcano of Dalit anger’

Bigg Boss Tamil 4 winner Actor Aari Arjuna met fans for the first time on February 21 (Sunday). The fan meet was held at a mall in Chennai where fans thronged to catch a glimpse of their favourite BB contestant. Aari Arjuna, who was overwhelmed by their love and discipline, took to his social networking handle to share a few pictures with them and thank and apologize to them. Mentioning that February 21 was memorable in his life, Aari added that as a fan he wishes to salute and apologize to all those who waited in line to take pictures with him. மக்களுக்கு முதல் வணக்கம்21.2.21 என் வாழ்க்கையில் மறக்க முடியாத நாள்வந்திருந்த அனைவருடனும் புகைப்படம் எடுத்துக்கொ… https://t.co/AOYO95Nlxn — Aari Arjunan (@Aariarujunan) 1613933973000 Aari wrote, “மக்களுக்கு முதல் வணக்கம் 21.2.21 என் வாழ்க்கையில் மறக்க முடியாத நாள் வந்திருந்த அனைவருடனும் புகைப்படம் எடுத்துக்கொள்ள,காலமும் சூழலும்,மெரினா மாலில் ஒத்துழைக்காததிற்கு வருந்துகிறேன் புகைப்படம் எடுக்க வரிசையில் நின்ற ... » Learn More about Bigg Boss Tamil 4 winner actor Aari Arjuna apologizes to fans; here’s why

'The Dalits have always asserted themselves, but there has never been any gain for Dalits.' bandh successful.' bandh has become a success.' IMAGE: A scene from the January 3 bandh in Mumbai. Photograph: Sahil Salvi Prakash Yashwant Ambedkar , founder of the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh -- and, more importantly, Dr B R Ambedkar 's grandson -- minces no words as he takes on the Maharashtra government. Ambedkar tells Rediff.com 's Prasanna D Zore about the RSS concerns about the January 1 attack on Dalits in Bhima Koregaon and how he hopes to create a coalition of forces to offer an alternative to the BJP and Congress. What has the Dalit movement achieved from the Maharashtra bandh you called on January 3? This bandh was supported not just by the Dalits who were attacked during the January 1 celebrations at Bhima Koregaon. A large number of smaller OBCs ( other backward classes ) too joined in the bandh and that is the reason why it was so ... » Learn More about Why Maharashtra

'The Constitution, which talks about democracy and equality, is something that will be applied in this country, and not Manusmriti in which the RSS believes.' IMAGE: Dalits protest during the Maharashtra bandh on Wednesday, January 3, in Dharavi, Mumbai. Photograph: Sahil Salvi As violence in Pune spread to other parts of Maharashtra on Tuesday, January 2, the Pune police said it had received a complaint against Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani and student leader Umar Khalid for 'provocative' speeches at an event in Pune on December 31. Mevani and Khalid had attended the Elgar Parishad, an event organised to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the battle of Bhima Koregaon, at Shaniwar Wada in Pune. Khalid, who left Pune a day before violence broke out, spoke to Rediff.com 's Syed Firdaus Ashraf about Dalit politics in India. Tell us about the meeting you attended in Pune on December 31. The meeting was about the celebration of the battle of Bhima Koregaon in ... » Learn More about ‘BJP hasn’t given up its Brahminical vision for India’

'Why did they attack us? What was our fault?' bandobast .' IMAGE: It wasn't only Mumbai that witnessed violent clashes on Tuesday, January 2, 2018. Aurangabad too saw violent protests in which public property was set on fire. Photograph: PTI Photo Parts of Mumbai came to a near standstill on Tuesday, January 2 after Dalits blocked roads in several areas, forced shops to shut down and attacked a journalist from a television news channel. The violence came after a woman died at an event on Monday, January 1, to mark the 200th anniversary of the battle of Bhima Koregaon in Pune district. Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh leader Prakash Ambedkar has called a Maharashtra bandh on Wednesday, January 3, to protest the state government's failure to stop Monday's violence. Ambedkar, Dr B R Ambedkar's grandson, tells Rediff.com 's Syed Firdaus Ashraf that stones were pelted on the Dalits over a 45 kilometre stretch in Pune district as the police stood mute ... » Learn More about Why Prakash Ambedkar has called a Maharashtra

'Such a serious threat -- to assassinate the prime minister of India, no less -- was not handed over to the Maharashtra Anti Terrorist Squad for investigation, but to the Pune crime branch.' Photograph: @narendramodi/Twitter So in the first of its kind political humour we have encountered in a long time, an e-mail is produced that is addressed to media organisations stating how they -- all 'Naxals' -- want to threaten Prime Minister Narendra D Modi with assassination 'Rajiv Gandhi style', an e-mail which was also copied to the police! The authorities in Maharashtra quickly pounced on five people -- including a lawyer, professor and editor -- who are directly connected with the Dalit cause. This is, after all, a Bharatiya Janata Party government. Apart from these five individuals, the e-mail named activists who had been arrested by the Maharashtra police during the previous Congress-Nationalist Congress Party government. It's no surprise that we are being served ... » Learn More about Dalits, Urban Maoists and a plot to kill the PM

'RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was on the Hindu extremists' hit-list. In June 2008, this information was made public. Prior to that, you should hear Bhagwat's speeches and listen to his 'liberal' statements.' 'After he was informed that he was on their hit-list, he became a hardliner. He was not like that before.' Maharashtra MLA Kapil Patil tells Neeta Kolhatkar about his fight against Hindu extremist groups whom he accuses of being behind the murders of activists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare. L ok Bharti Party legislator Kapil Patil made waves in the 1990s when he launched a Marathi tabloid Aaj Dinank in which he tackled issues boldly. Since entering politics, Patil, below, left , has focused on lending a voice to the 'Bahujan' community and the minorities and the issues that affect them. Through his network as a social activist, he keeps his ear to the ground. Patil recently accused extremist Hindu groups -- who he says subscribe to the 'Nathurami' (after ... » Learn More about When Mohan Bhagwat became a hardliner