South Asia Citizens Web

Beena Sarwar is a Pakistani journalist and documentary filmmaker. As an Indian and Pakistani together win 2014’s Nobel peace prize, Sarwar spoke with Anahita Mukherji about the joint award, tension at the LoC

The elections of 2014 were different in more ways than one. More than in any previous election the campaign launched by Modi was preceded by heavy propaganda at every stage of his elevation, his being nominated the chief of campaign Committee, his being named the Prime Ministerial candidate and finally the electoral campaign itself. He had prepared ground for his campaign through social media, where dedicated team of hundreds kept working for him. He had hired the US based agency APCO for building his image.

It is well known also that the BJP fought this general election with the vast sums of money provided by capitalists. For one thing, the funds were enough to buy up nearly all the media. For another, the resources of companies were made available for the campaign — a good example is the aircraft of Adani used by Modi himself. Modi wasted no time in starting to pay his debts. Wherever you look — the dislodging of people from their homes, the rape of the environment in the interests of industry, the unfettered plundering of natural resources, the severe dilution of laws meant to protect the interests of workers — everywhere there are clear signs that the country is now run by a stooge of capital.

Random picks from Mukul Dube’s Protest photos collection from 2010 to 2014. There are as yet some 99 separate albums in the archive. These photos are part of a SACW Archive Photos Project.

Amid the celebrations over Malala’s Nobel prize, the threat from the Taliban is still too great for her to return