To put the matter baldly: It is not the politics of class that gives the right-wing bad dreams. The politics of caste does. https://thewire.in/politics/caste-is-the-achilles-heel-of-hindutva-politics
Those that owe allegiance to the politics of “social justice”, unlike leftists, do not characterise religion as merely a “superstructural” construction that will inevitably disappear as class inequality ends. They remain ensconced within the majority community as devout Hindus themselves.
Their agenda is one that seeks an end to discrimination at the hands of those who proclaim themselves custodians of Hinduism.
It is often a defensive Brahminical claim that the Varna Vyavestha, or caste system, accords caste status not according to birth but attainments. Thus, if a Shudra acquires learning of a high standard, he becomes a Brahmin, and so on.
Alas, however, this sleight-of-hand is never in evidence as a discernible reality on the ground in Hindu society.
And, proponents of class analysis are right when they point out that this social-religious hegemony is kept in place largely through class domination; this is the reason why the bulk of all positions of authority – be it in the bureaucracy, in higher and high-skilled education, in controlling religious pulpits and practices – remain preponderantly with the ‘upper’ caste Hindu, and why Hindutva feels so threatened when Hindus designated ‘socially unequal’ seek parity in accordance with their ratio in Hindu population.
Caste Census
No wonder then that the RSS-BJP opposes tooth and nail the idea of a census that might tell the country how Hindu society is actually divided.
by Badri Raina
10/02/2023
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Why Maharashtra journalist’s murder reflects poorly on status of press freedom in India https://www.newslaundry.com/2023/02/09/why-maharashtra-journalists-murder-reflects-poorly-on-status-of-press-freedom-in-india
Shashikant Warishe was mowed down by a vehicle driven by a criminal allegedly linked to the BJP.
ByKalpana Sharma09 Feb, 2023
His last report, which appeared on the front page of Mahanagari Times, had images of posters showing Amberkar with Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and prime minister Narendra Modi. In the report, Warishe mentioned that Amberkar, who actively campaigned for the refinery, was accused of “serious offences”.
For his journalism, and for reporting on this local struggle against the refinery, Warishe fell afoul of those who would benefit from it being located in the region. One of those was Amberkar, a land dealer who is also a member of the local unit of the BJP.
At a time when political parties are getting into election mode, the fetters on journalists and independent media are unlikely to feature in any election campaign because no political party is vested in ensuring that the media is really free. More reason then that those of us, even if we are a minority, who believe that freedom of expression is a fundamental right, continue to write and speak out for that right.
https://www.rediff.com/news/interview/father-frazer-mascarenhas-they-were-dead-although-they-were-walking-out-free/20230209.htm
We had 110 Adivasis who were languishing in jail for nearly five years because it was claimed they were responsible for some blasts. When the time to give the proof came, they had no proof to show.
Then the people are let free, totally exonerated, but their lives are totally shattered.
Not only their lives, but the lives of their families. Their reputations are shattered.
So these 110 Adivasis who came out were not jubilant at all. They came out very cowed down, they didn't think anything good had happened to them by being released because they have lost their lives.
After the Bhima Koregaon case enabled governments to keep people behind bars indefinitely, only on accusations, the same has been applied to hundreds in Delhi, in UP and in other parts of the country. It has just proliferated.
I think political leaders cannot now be believed. This is the age of 'post truth'.