Living farmer declared dead in official records
Areti Naresh, son of Rangaiah and Devamma, received 3.73 acres of agricultural land from his father in 2023. He applied for schemes like Rythu Bharosa and PM Kisan, but his applications were repeatedly rejected.
Assuming it was a routine error, he approached officials multiple times during the previous government's tenure, but no corrective action was taken. With renewed hope following the formation of the TDP-led coalition government, Naresh applied again for Annadata Sukhibhava and other schemes.
However, the rejections continued. In desperation, he contacted the government's toll-free helpline 155251, only to be told that according to official records he was already deceased.
Despite informing the agent that he was very much alive and speaking on the call, he was advised to approach local authorities, and the call was abruptly disconnected.
Distraught, Naresh approached local officials, but his repeated petitions went unanswered. Eventually, he attempted to access benefits through the WhatsApp Governance portal launched by Minister Nara Lokesh, selecting 'Annadata Sukhibhava' services. Yet again, the system rejected his request, stating that he was recorded as deceased on the CRS (Civil Registration System) portal. This bureaucratic error has prevented Naresh and his family from availing essential schemes and welfare benefits. Turning to the media out of helplessness, the farmer demanded immediate rectification of records and restoration of his eligibility for government support. When contacted, Mandal Parishad Development Officer Prabhakar Naik admitted that the situation was deeply unfortunate. 'It is an unpardonable mistake. We will conduct a thorough inquiry, recommend suspension of the responsible staff, and initiate legal action against those at fault,' he assured.
The incident has sparked outrage in the rural community, raising serious concerns about administrative oversight. Locals are now questioning the reliability of official systems, alleging that such errors reflect a dangerous level of negligence.
Naresh has appealed to senior district officials to urgently correct the records, restore his identity as a living citizen, and ensure he becomes eligible once again for all welfare schemes meant for farmers.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
A daylight murder in Old Dhaka highlights Bangladesh's lawlessness
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the Hasina-era main opposition which many see today as a front-runner for the coming elections, is facing a turbulent period amid nationwide protests over allegations that the party was involved in killings and rampant extortion. Public outrage reached a boiling point following the murder of a local trader, Chand Mia alias Sohag, on July 9 in broad daylight on the premises of Sir Salimullah Medical College Mitford Hospital in Dhaka's Chawkbazar area. The attack was carried out by local leaders and activists of the BNP's student and youth wing. According to eyewitnesses and CCTV footage that surfaced two days after the incident, the attackers dragged Sohag's bloodied body onto the adjacent road and continued the assault. The video shows several men stomping on his chest, punching his face, and squashing his lifeless body with large concrete blocks. Despite the presence of hospital staff, security guards and hundreds of people, no one intervened. The killing, reportedly linked to a turf dispute over control of the local scrap metal and copper wire trade, has sent shockwaves across the capital and beyond. A murder case was filed with Kotwali Police Station in the capital by the victim's sister. Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen. (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Saturday said that five people were arrested in connection with the incident. 'It's not just the Mitford case — police are taking immediate action in such incidents across the country. However, the Mitford incident is deeply regrettable. In a civilised nation, such brutality is unacceptable', the adviser said. Five activists from three affiliated wings of BNP have been expelled for life over their alleged involvement in the incident. Protests, rallies held In response to the incident, thousands of university and college students, members of various student organisations and political parties, and ordinary citizens took to the streets. Students from universities across the country held protest marches and rallies, expressing frustration over what they described as ongoing extortion and terrorism across Bangladesh. Protesters accuse BNP activists of filling the power vacuum left by the Awami League-led government, taking control of extortion rackets and asserting violent dominance over local businesses and territories. Chanting slogans such as 'Tarique will go like Sheikh Hasina,' 'Money extorted in Paltan, shares fly to London,' and 'The new killer follows the path of the old killer,' demonstrators placed direct blame on BNP's acting chairman Tarique Rahman, who is based in London. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir expressed deep concern over the killing. He warned that the failure to ensure strict punishment for those involved would only deepen the culture of impunity and push society further into darkness. 'This barbaric act is not just the loss of a life — it reflects a deep failure in ensuring state security, upholding citizens' rights, and maintaining law and order. Our party's principles, ideals, and politics have no connection whatsoever with terrorism or brutality. No matter who the perpetrator is, they must never be above the law and justice,' Mr. Alamgir said. However, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that certain political parties are attempting to exploit the incident by giving it a political colour for their own gain. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami condemned the killing. In a statement, the party's Secretary General and former MP Mia Golam Parwar said several national dailies reported that leaders of the Chawkbazar unit of Jubo Dal (BNP's youth wing) had demanded a large sum of extortion money from the victim. When he refused, Jubo Dal's terrorists carried out the killing, he alleged. 'The nation is now asking: how safe are people's lives and property in the hands of a party whose leaders shelter extortionists and criminals while preaching about politics?' Mr. Parwar asked. 'If such a party comes to power, the country, the people, and the state can never be safe. This incident once again echoes the footsteps of fallen fascism.' Upcoming elections Bangladesh is likely to hold general elections in the first half of 2026 and the BNP is seen as a frontrunner by many. The Islamist Jamaat is also preparing to contest the elections, while the Awami League has been banned by the interim government. The National Citizens Party, formed by the student leaders who led anti-Hasina protests, is a new entrant. As election fever is gradually gripping the country, the BNP is grappling with multiple issues, including internal infighting, political violence, and alleged extortion by party leaders. More than a thousand leaders and activists have already been expelled for their involvement in such activities. However, these disciplinary actions have largely proved ineffective, as party members continue to engage in similar misconduct. In 2024, following the fall of the Hasina-led government, violence within BNP circles intensified, leading to at least 1,697 injuries and 31 deaths. According to a report by the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), at least 79 people were killed and around 4,124 injured in 529 incidents of political violence across Bangladesh in the past six months. The HRSS attributes most of the violence to turf wars, political vendettas, internal disputes over party committee formations, extortion, and attempts to seize control of various establishments. Of the 529 incidents recorded, 445 were linked to internal conflicts within the BNP or clashes involving BNP and other political parties. Specifically, 302 incidents stemmed from the BNP's internal feuds, resulting in 46 deaths and at least 2,834 injuries. Meanwhile, stability is yet to be fully restored across the country, as mob violence continues to claim lives at an alarming rate. Human rights organisations document that from September 2024 to June 2025, at least 253 incidents of mob violence occurred, resulting in 163 deaths and 312 injuries. Despite repeated assurances from law enforcement agencies, in most cases the perpetrators have remained beyond the reach of justice. While talking on the countrywide protests against the BNP, Nazmul Islam, a political scientist, told The Hindu that while the unrest may not cause a major crisis for the party, it will undoubtedly have an immediate impact on public perception. 'We must recognise that the BNP remains a key political party in the current political context of Bangladesh. However, this status also brings significant challenges in managing and controlling its grassroots supporters,' said Mr. Islam. 'After a long hiatus, BNP activists have had the opportunity to reengage in open political activity, but this resurgence also presents new challenges for party leadership, particularly in terms of internal discipline. One of the underlying issues is the BNP's limited opportunity in recent years to practise internal democratic governance, which has weakened their control mechanisms,' he added.
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- The Hindu
TDP seeks procedural clarity, safeguards against wrongful deletions in electoral roll management
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has submitted a detailed representation to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday, proposing a series of reforms aimed at strengthening electoral roll management and enhancing transparency in the democratic process. Making a significant reference to the upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the party emphasised the need for procedural clarity, safeguards against wrongful deletions, and respect for prior voter inclusion. The TDP leaders also suggested that the SIR process should be conducted with sufficient lead time, ideally not within six months of any major election, to ensure confidence and administrative preparedness. Stressing that the exercise should not be conflated with citizenship verification, the party has sought early initiation of the SIR in Andhra Pradesh. In a meeting convened by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar with all parties, TDP Lok Sabha floor leader Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu highlighted Andhra Pradesh's exemplary voter turnout of 81.86% in the 2024 general elections, far exceeding the national average of 65.79%. He urged the ECI to ensure this democratic momentum continues through timely, inclusive, and tech-driven voter roll revisions. In the meeting, TDP leaders, including the party's Andhra Pradesh unit president Palla Srinivasa Rao and MPs participated. Key suggestions by TDP The TDP has suggested that the SIR should be conducted with sufficient lead time, ideally not within six months of any major election, to ensure administrative preparedness Annual third-party audits under the supervision of CAG to identify anomalies in electoral rolls Use AI-driven tools for de-duplication, migration and deceased entries real time A time-bound grievance redressal mechanism at BLOs or EROs Standardise door numbers nationwide to strengthen electoral roll verification The other key suggestions of the party include annual third-party audits under the supervision of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India to identify anomalies in electoral rolls, use Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven tools for de-duplication, migration and deceased entries in real time, ensure a time bound grievance redressal mechanism at the Block Level Officers (BLOs) or Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and standardise door numbers nationwide as a policy measure to strengthen electoral roll verification. The TDP also suggested that Aadhaar-based EPIC number verification would help in removing duplication and replace the ink-based verification process with a biometric verification process. Participation of Parties The TDP suggested that the ECI should mandatorily involve Booth Level Agents (BLAs) from all recognised parties throughout the revision process and make pre-publication sharing of draft rolls with BLAs compulsory to enable real-time verification. The district-wise data on voter additions and deletions should be published with explanations on the ECI portal and a real-time public dashboard for tracking voter grievances and their resolution should be set up, the TDP leaders said. Legal Reforms and Accountability The TDP has also called for stricter accountability of election officials. It suggested to enforce statutory timelines and penalties for inaction or misconduct by EROs or District Election Officers (DEOs), empower the State election watch committees to function with observer status during roll revision, mandatory rotation of Block Level Officers (BLOs)/Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) to prevent local influence or partisan misuse and appoint a State-level Ombudsman under ECI to handle unresolved political grievances related to the electoral rolls. It has also suggested the ECI to conduct targeted re-enrollment campaigns for migrant workers, tribal groups, elderly people, and homeless citizens, and permit temporary address declarations with basic documentation to prevent disenfranchisement of mobile populations.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Siddaramaiah pitches Ahinda model as national blueprint for social justice
Bengaluru: Chief minister Siddaramaiah Tuesday said Ahinda — a Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits — must no longer be seen as a vote bank but as the "conscience of the nation," as he pitched the Karnataka model of empowerment for national adoption at the inaugural meeting of Congress' national OBC advisory council. "Let us remind the country that Ahinda is not a vote bank. It is the voice of India's conscience," Siddaramaiah said, addressing the gathering at KPCC headquarters. He said the model Karnataka had developed for social justice was rooted in fraternity and backed by data and scientific surveys. "We are here to reorient politics and reclaim our voice. India cannot progress without empowering backward classes, Dalits and minorities who have long been denied power, opportunity and dignity," he said. "And it is now ready for a national level adoption." You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru Calling it an empowerment model, Siddaramaiah said the Karnataka framework was not merely "relevant" but "essential" for the country. The meeting is expected to give the CM a political edge as the prominent OBC face in Congress party, although his continuance as CM remains a matter of speculation. Siddaramaiah also accused BJP of consistently blocking attempts to bring OBCs, Dalits and minorities into the mainstream. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pernas e tornozelos inchados? Descubra o que pode ajudar a drenar agora aartedoherbalismo Undo "BJP has never been in favour of social justice," he said. Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, who is part of the advisory council, voiced concerns about the BJP-led Centre's seriousness in conducting a caste census. "There is a certain degree of scepticism among OBCs that the caste census may become only lip services after Bihar elections with BJP-sponsored petitions in the Supreme Court and high court scuttling it," Gehlot said. OBC advisory council convenor Dr Anil Jaihind said the inaugural session deliberated on Congress' stand regarding Centre's caste census plan. The two-day event is expected to conclude with the passage of three resolutions on Wednesday. The meeting also featured deliberations on Article 164(1) of the Constitution with reference to states like Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Senior Congress functionaries including former CMs Bhupesh Baghel, V Narayanasamy and M Veerappa Moily joined the discussions alongside dozens of other national OBC functionaries.
