South Asia Citizens Web

On 21-22 February, 2020, the local newspapers reported that seven men were beaten up and beheaded. According to the news, the dead were all against Pathalgadi, and the murderers were all supporters of the movement. In order to understand the role of Pathalgadi in the killings, a factfinding team of various organizations, platforms, social activists, writers and journalists visited Burugulikera on 27th and 30th of January, 2020. The team mainly intended to understand the viewpoints of the villagers. The names of the dead are – James Budh, Nirmal Budh, Etwa Budh, Konche Topno, Boas Lunga, Lomb Budh, and Sanjiv Budh. As per the police report, the people were beaten and beheaded. Police has arrested 17 people by now, which includes Ransi Budh, Jiten Budh, Sukhram Budh and others. By newspapers’ accounts, Ransi Budh, Jiten Budh and other accused were Pathalgadi supporters, while James Budh and other victims were anti–Pathalgadi, and, because of this they got killed. In the initial days after the incident, police statements were also on these lines. However, after starting the investigation, the police suggested that there might be more factors behind the killings. [ . . . ] This issue has once again brought to light the prejudices of the mainstream media against Pathalgadi movement and Adivasi worldview. Without investigating the matter adequately, media reports held Pathalgadi responsible for these killings since day one. It also showed lack of unbiased ground reporting by the media. The team hopes that in coming days, journalists will do unbiased ground reporting and will make an attempt to understand the Adivasis’ issues and worldview.

Hindi and Bengali versions of the Chilean feminist anthem ’The Rapist is You’ have been sung and performed in Calcutta, Bombay and New Delhi since 2019.

While millions this week stared at Iowa and Washington with worried amazement, confusion or anger, Germany, too, had its own messy confusion – which turned into a frightening alarm signal!

Post 9/11, there is a conscious effort to privilege Muslims’ religious identities and merge neoliberalism with Islamic regimes. This has given rise to the ‘pious Muslim leader’ whose aim is not to restructure the economy or strengthen civilian rule but to impose governance as a moral duty rather than by democratic consensus. As in Turkey, this project is dependent on convincing the masses that it has been the moral corruption of past leaders, and not unequal distribution of wealth or lack of democratic economies, that caused inequalities. Instead, citizens are promised some imagined faith-based modernity/democracy as guided by piety.

2005 Lecture by Prof David Washbrook