In what could be perceived as a disturbing trend, vaccination in rural Bihar has been adversely affected due to casteism. According to the recent survey report, which was prepared after an on-the-spot study in 14 villages of Bihar’s nine districts, several instances of “caste discrimination” have came to fore. For instance, such was the social divide in a Rohtas village that vaccinations could not take place either in Brahmin’s tola (colony) or...

-The Financial Express   After months of public debate, Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda today announced that 'Made-Snana', a controversial ritual practised in some temples of the State for centuries, would be banned in two months. "The practice of Made-Snana will be stopped within two months," Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said in a suo motu statement in the Legislative Council, where Tontadarya (BJP) raised a question on various temple...

-The Times of India Buying a tribal bride may no longer be easy for boys from upper caste communities that have low sex ratios. Tribals across Gujarat are increasingly resentful of their daughters marrying into communities with few girls because of female foeticide. The Garasiya tribals of north Gujarat have even issued a diktat to the members not to marry girls outside the community. The leaders met in Shamlaji earlier this month...

-The Hindu PMK to hold conference for exposing ‘myth' Pattali Makkal Katchi leader S. Ramadoss on Thursday rejected the perception that the Dravidian movement has several achievements to its credit, arguing that it only created “neo-Brahmins” while alienating Dalits, minorities and other socially and economically backward sections of society. “The leaders of the Dravidian movement used fascinating language aimed at attracting people. However, the 45-year rule of the Dravidian parties has not achieved...

-The Hindustan Times ‘The lives of female Hindoo subjects should be henceforth more efficiently protected; that the heinous sin of cruelty to females may no longer be committed, and that the most ancient and purest system of Hin-doo religion should not any longer be set at nought by the Hindoos themselves.’ Replace ‘female Hindu subjects’ with ‘homosexuals’ and the exhortation for a return to an uncorrupted religious past with that of a...