-The Times of India ROHTAK: Hayrana khap panchayats have demanded closure of Arya Samaj temples for "encouraging inter-caste and love marriages." The demand was raised during an all-caste meeting held in Jhajjar on Sunday. The meeting was held in an attempt to rope in people of different castes, including dalits and other Backward Classes (OBCs), to strengthen their case during arguments in the Supreme Court against honour killing and same-gotra marriages. Om Prakash...

-Kafila.org The village of Majure, in Chitradurga district, Karnataka, is once again in the news. It made the national headlines in 1998 when dalits in the village lodged a police complaint against members of the dominant Vokkaliga and Lingayat castes for an attack on their hamlet. As a consequence, several people were put behind bars. This time round, however, no formal complaint was lodged. Not that things have improved (rather, one could...

-The Indian Express Our reactions to the current protests triggered by the gangrape in the capital reveal a paradoxical state of mind. We welcome the spontaneous nature of these protests, underline the fact that most of the ordinary women and men who joined these protests were not mobilised by any organisation and caution against the entry of “political elements”. At the same time, we criticise the protesters for the lack of...

-The Hindu The 117th Constitution Amendment Bill has failed to define low representation of SCs/STs which is necessary to make reservation in promotions possible There is certainly a strong argument to be made in favour of reservation for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in promotions but the 117th Constitution Amendment Bill that was passed in the Rajya Sabha is a poor attempt at achieving that goal. Article 16(4A) of the Constitution...

-The Hindu Nationwide survey will be conducted to introduce a suitable shelter programme The government proposes to create an enabling environment for the social empowerment of the de-notified tribes so that they could utilise reservation benefits in education and employment. A nation-wide survey of de-notified tribes’ settlements is to be conducted to form the basis for introducing a suitable shelter programme for them. They could be entitled to free or subsidised housing under...