News for 'Caste Discrimination'

The 'Bad Girl' Returns To Films

The 'Bad Girl' Returns To Films

Rediff.com25 Sep 2025

'If I had the chance now, I would have continued acting.' 'The cultures of Maharashtra and Bengal are different and I felt I had to give my best to be a good daughter-in-law and an ideal wife.' 'I never thought I could balance both.'

2024's Best South Web Series

2024's Best South Web Series

Rediff.com30 Dec 2024

Arjun Menon looks at 2024's top Web series from South India.

Mere allegations in suicide note not enough, says court in Solanki suicide case

Mere allegations in suicide note not enough, says court in Solanki suicide case

Rediff.com10 May 2023

Mere allegations in a suicide note would not be sufficient to draw the conclusion that the accused has committed the offence of abetment, a Mumbai court has said while granting bail to IIT Bombay student Arman Khatri, arrested in connection with fellow student Darshan Solanki's suicide.

Beed cops to wear name plates without surnames

Beed cops to wear name plates without surnames

Rediff.com13 Mar 2025

Police personnel in Maharashtra's Beed district will now put up their name plates without surnames, in an attempt to eliminate caste-based discrimination. This follows an earlier directive by the Superintendent of Police (SP) Navneet Kanwat in January to address each other by their first name, and not surname. The move comes in the wake of the murder of a village sarpanch, allegedly by members of a dominant community, which had a caste angle. The new policy is being implemented across police stations and offices in the district, with nearly 100 name plates distributed so far.

VP poll: AIADMK urges TN MPs to back NDA nominee Radhakrishnan

VP poll: AIADMK urges TN MPs to back NDA nominee Radhakrishnan

Rediff.com18 Aug 2025

Senior DMK leader TKS Elangovan accused the BJP of nominating Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan for Vice President for electoral gains in Tamil Nadu. AIADMK's Edappadi K Palaniswami urged support for Radhakrishnan, while other leaders offered mixed reactions.

Is Arundhati Roy Scared Of The Really Powerful?

Is Arundhati Roy Scared Of The Really Powerful?

Rediff.com17 Sep 2025

'Arundhati Roy is like a ballerina performing on a high wire, cool, supremely at ease but conscious of all the adoring eyes on her,' notes P Vijaya Kumar.

Rahul Gandhi defies ban, addresses students in Darbhanga

Rahul Gandhi defies ban, addresses students in Darbhanga

Rediff.com15 May 2025

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to hold a caste census 'out of fear' of the country's deprived population, to which the opposition was lending its voice.

'Why Has Maharashtra Become So Cruel?'

'Why Has Maharashtra Become So Cruel?'

Rediff.com6 Mar 2025

'What attitude has spawned such gruesomeness in the state of Saint Tukaram, Saint Dnyaneshwar, and great leaders like Chhatrapati Shivaji, Chhatrapati Shahu, Phule and Ambedkar?'

When Caste surfaced in Bollywood movies

When Caste surfaced in Bollywood movies

Rediff.com27 Jun 2019

As we eagerly wait to see what 'farq' it makes when it hits the screens on June 28, Sukanya Verma looks at the few occasions caste came up in Hindi movies.

Third gender marked as 'caste' in Bihar's caste-based survey

Third gender marked as 'caste' in Bihar's caste-based survey

Rediff.com7 Apr 2023

Many has termed the state government's move of considering 'third gender' a separate caste in the ongoing exercise as a 'criminal act'

Mamata Banerjee faces angry protests during Oxford address

Mamata Banerjee faces angry protests during Oxford address

Rediff.com28 Mar 2025

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, speaking at the University of Oxford, stressed the importance of inclusive development and stated that division in society is counterproductive. She emphasized that her governance model prioritizes the welfare of all sections of society and does not allow discrimination, highlighting the state's diverse population and the need for a human-centric approach.

'Why My Great Grandfather Mohanlal...'

'Why My Great Grandfather Mohanlal...'

Rediff.com30 Aug 2025

'... had gone to South Africa from India over a hundred years ago.'

'Not counting caste is as political an act as counting it'

'Not counting caste is as political an act as counting it'

Rediff.com31 Oct 2023

'The upper caste elite's belief that they are casteless is a belief that is available only to the upper castes. Because all the lower castes are reminded by society every day what their caste is.'

Dalit rights body in US accuses Google of being casteist, a hostile workplace

Dalit rights body in US accuses Google of being casteist, a hostile workplace

Rediff.com2 Jun 2022

A US-based Dalit civil rights organisation on Thursday accused Google of having a casteist and hostile workplace practices.

Kerala mosque bars Muslims from lower strata, sparks row

Kerala mosque bars Muslims from lower strata, sparks row

Rediff.com13 Jul 2023

The jama'ath of a mosque in Kerala has allegedly opposed the participation of people belonging to the lower strata of the Muslim community in their general meeting, drawing sharp criticism from progressive organisations in the society.

'Why should our girls face discrimination?'

'Why should our girls face discrimination?'

Rediff.com20 Mar 2023

'In a secular society where women are treated equally by law, I want the same equal status for my daughters in society, on par with all the boys.'

'I'm The Only Acknowledged Dalit In All Of Hindi Cinema History'

'I'm The Only Acknowledged Dalit In All Of Hindi Cinema History'

Rediff.com11 Jun 2025

'If you look around the world at people of colour, religion, caste, sexuality or any of the marginalised communities, we are always talking in numbers.' 'We are always assigning them a statistic.' 'That is an easy way to assuage your urban guilt. Because you hide your apathy with hollow sympathy.' 'We are, in a way, making them invisible.'

'Rich Families From Deprived Castes Will Give Up Reservations In Future'

'Rich Families From Deprived Castes Will Give Up Reservations In Future'

Rediff.com1 Jul 2024

'If a Brahmin child by birth is poor then he must get reservation benefits rather than an OBC child who is rich and born in a rich family.'

'Never seen any discrimination in selection for the Indian team'

'Never seen any discrimination in selection for the Indian team'

Rediff.com28 Dec 2016

'The players who performed were selected.'

Bypolls: AAP wins in Gujarat, Punjab; Cong in Kerala; TMC in Bengal

Bypolls: AAP wins in Gujarat, Punjab; Cong in Kerala; TMC in Bengal

Rediff.com24 Jun 2025

Aam Aadmi Party's Gopal Italia on Monday won from Gujarat's Visavadar assembly constituency and his party also retained Punjab's Ludhiana West seat while the Congress-led United Democratic Front wrested Nilambur from the ruling Left Democratic Front in Kerala, according to results of assembly bypolls in four states.

IIT-Bombay rejects caste bias in student's suicide, says probe underway

IIT-Bombay rejects caste bias in student's suicide, says probe underway

Rediff.com14 Feb 2023

IIT-B's rebuttal comes a day after Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle, a student group, called Solanki's death an "institutional murder".

Owaisi, Congress MP move SC against Waqf Bill

Owaisi, Congress MP move SC against Waqf Bill

Rediff.com4 Apr 2025

Congress MP Mohammad Jawed and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi have challenged the validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in the Supreme Court, arguing that it violates constitutional provisions. The petitions claim the bill imposes arbitrary restrictions on Waqf properties and their management, undermining the religious autonomy of the Muslim community. They also allege that the bill discriminates against Muslims by imposing restrictions not present in the governance of other religious endowments. The bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, with the petitioners arguing that it introduces limitations on the creation of Waqfs based on the duration of one's religious practice, mandates inclusion of non-Muslim members in Waqf administrative bodies, and shifts key administrative functions to government officials, thereby diluting the autonomy of Waqf management.

History in Minutes: When Dr Ambedkar Was Denied Water

History in Minutes: When Dr Ambedkar Was Denied Water

Rediff.com14 Apr 2025

On the 134th birth anniversary of the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, Utkarsh Mishra revisits three incidents from Dr B R Ambedkar's life that lay bare the deeply entrenched nature of caste prejudice.

Stalin-led all-party meet 'rejects' 10% EWS quota

Stalin-led all-party meet 'rejects' 10% EWS quota

Rediff.com12 Nov 2022

The ruling DMK has already announced it will file a review petition against the November 8 five-judge Supreme Court bench upholding the 10 per cent reservation for the Economically Weaker Sections.

K'taka Guv forwards 4% Muslim quota bill to President's assent

K'taka Guv forwards 4% Muslim quota bill to President's assent

Rediff.com16 Apr 2025

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has reserved the Bill pertaining to four percent reservation for Muslims in government contracts for the President's assent, citing constitutional concerns. The Bill, which has been a subject of controversy in Karnataka, was passed by both houses of the state legislature amid protests from the opposition BJP. The Governor's decision to reserve the Bill highlights the ongoing debate over the constitutionality of religious-based reservations in India.

Bihar may be flooded, but caste bias stays afloat

Bihar may be flooded, but caste bias stays afloat

Rediff.com24 Aug 2016

Even in times of disaster and distress, caste tensions continue to stay afloat at relief camps for flood victims in Bihar with reports coming in about Dalits at the Bihar Vidhyapeet Bhawan and B N collegiate camps in Patna being abused, humiliated and deprived of relief by some upper caste men, a district official said on Wednesday.

'India's cities highly segregated on the basis of caste and religion'

'India's cities highly segregated on the basis of caste and religion'

Rediff.com31 Jul 2023

'Government supplied public services are less likely to be found in neighbourhoods with high numbers of Scheduled Castes and Muslims.'

Why So Much Hatred For English?

Why So Much Hatred For English?

Rediff.com21 Jul 2025

There is no guarantee that if we speak in only Indian languages, all our faults will be washed away and India will shine. Why then do they bully and belittle the English-speaking? asks Shyam G Menon.

A non-sanatani was made Kumbh in-charge: Yogi slams SP

A non-sanatani was made Kumbh in-charge: Yogi slams SP

Rediff.com24 Feb 2025

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath slammed the opposition Samajwadi Party over the 2013 Kumbh Mela arrangements, accusing the then chief minister Akhilesh Yadav of appointing a "non-Sanatani " as the in-charge of the religious congregation in Prayagraj. Adityanath highlighted the presence of dignitaries, including the President, Prime Minister, and heads of state from 74 countries, at the recent Maha Kumbh, contrasting it with the "chaos, corruption, and pollution " of the 2013 event. He also criticized the opposition's criticisms of the Maha Kumbh arrangements, arguing that everyone found something in accordance with their nature and character. Adityanath refuted allegations of discrimination against any community at the Maha Kumbh, emphasizing the unity and inclusivity of the event.

I wasn't there during many mistakes of Cong, but...: Rahul Gandhi

I wasn't there during many mistakes of Cong, but...: Rahul Gandhi

Rediff.com4 May 2025

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said he is "more than happy" to take responsibility for everything wrong the party did in its history, including the 1984 Sikh riots. He acknowledged that the party made "a lot of mistakes" when he was not there, but said he has publicly stated that what happened in the 80s was "wrong." The remarks were made during an interaction at Brown University in the US. The video of the interaction was uploaded on the YouTube channel of the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs on Saturday. The BJP has criticized Gandhi for his remarks, accusing him of "ridiculing" the beliefs of Hindus and Sikhs.

130 Dalit households in Bengal fight for their right to worship

130 Dalit households in Bengal fight for their right to worship

Rediff.com9 Mar 2025

A group of around 130 Dalit families in West Bengal's Purba Bardhaman district have been facing discrimination for centuries, being denied access to a local temple. The families, belonging to the traditional community of cobblers and weavers, have been ostracized and face economic hardship due to this caste-based practice. Despite recent attempts by the administration to resolve the issue, the situation remains tense and the families are left with few options.

Mevani seeks probe into Solanki's death; Dalits plan all-India march on Feb 19

Mevani seeks probe into Solanki's death; Dalits plan all-India march on Feb 19

Rediff.com16 Feb 2023

The Congress leader from Gujarat said the Dalit community has given a call for a nationwide candle march on February 19 in support of Solanki, who was a first-year student of B.Tech (chemical) course.

'If Darshan Solanki had got some support at IIT...'

'If Darshan Solanki had got some support at IIT...'

Rediff.com15 Feb 2023

'In IIT, most faculty members have a bias against SC/ST students.' 'SC/ST and OBC students have no idea whom to approach for support.'

Ambedkar's legacy sparks fierce political clash on his birth anniversary

Ambedkar's legacy sparks fierce political clash on his birth anniversary

Rediff.com15 Apr 2025

The birth anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, whose political influence has surged with the passage of time, on Monday was marked by bitter trading of charges between the ruling BJP and opposition parties as they fought for his legacy.

'Every Citizen Will Become A Doubtful Voter'

'Every Citizen Will Become A Doubtful Voter'

Rediff.com28 Jul 2025

'Today, the State looks at everyone with suspicion.'

Ajit Pawar ticks off Nitesh Rane: No communal rift, please!

Ajit Pawar ticks off Nitesh Rane: No communal rift, please!

Rediff.com12 Mar 2025

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has criticized his cabinet colleague, Nitesh Rane, for making "misleading" statements about Muslims not being part of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's army. Pawar, who heads the Nationalist Congress Party, called for restraint from political leaders and stressed the importance of maintaining communal harmony in the state. He emphasized that Shivaji Maharaj never discriminated based on caste or creed and highlighted the contributions of Muslims during his reign.

One in two Indian Americans face discrimination: Survey

One in two Indian Americans face discrimination: Survey

Rediff.com9 Jun 2021

"Somewhat surprisingly, Indian-Americans born in the United States are much more likely to report being victims of discrimination than their foreign-born counterparts," said the report.

Dead IIT-B student's family suspects murder, says he was discriminated against

Dead IIT-B student's family suspects murder, says he was discriminated against

Rediff.com15 Feb 2023

The family of an IIT-Bombay student who died allegedly by suicide has claimed that he faced discrimination at the premier institute for belonging to a Scheduled Caste (SC) community and that there is a strong possibility that he was "murdered".

Tension in Karnataka village after Dalits enter temple for first time

Tension in Karnataka village after Dalits enter temple for first time

Rediff.com10 Nov 2024

The upper caste people, mostly Vokkaligas, allegedly took away the 'Utsava Murthy', the metallic festival idol of the deity for performing rituals outside the temple in Hanakere village.

'Anthropologically' gods don't belong to upper caste: JNU VC

'Anthropologically' gods don't belong to upper caste: JNU VC

Rediff.com22 Aug 2022

The JNU VC said the "status of shudras given to women in Manusmriti" makes it extraordinarily regressive.