Communalism

“Tabooing word Muslim; Inherent Islamophobia in Indian left-liberalism”: A letter to liberals https://maktoobmedia.com/opinion/tabooing-word-muslim-inherent-islamophobia-in-indian-left-liberalism-a-letter-to-liberals/

to stand with the [non-refugee/non-migrant] Muslim became tricky for ideological reasons: for secularists and communists—Muslim was a religious identity and had to be kept out of the public and the political discourse; the leftists feared the rise of identity politics; and for the left-liberals, I do know what to say (or, clear as crystal). So, to take up the cause against CAA-NRC that clearly excluded Muslim refugees and Muslims only, the social activist had to cast the Muslims into the mold of social activism...While, for contemporary Hindutva, the perpetual other is the Muslim, for the social activist, the “you” is “us” minus the “Muslim.”

Reports on 12 incidents in Maharashtra

Indian Express: https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/devendra-fadnavis-aurangzeb-ki-aulad-kolhapur-communal-tension-8655090/

Aurangzeb, Tipu, ‘love jihad’, processions: 12 incidents since March, Maharashtra on edge https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/aurangzeb-tipu-love-jihad-processions-12-incidents-since-march-maharashtra-on-edge-8655084/  
Cases spread after Aurangabad renaming, Oppn accuses Shinde Sena-BJP govt of 'polarising' state ahead of next year's polls; BJP accuses NCP of 'creating instability' 

https://thewire.in/communalism/police-complicit-careless-response-by-mha-fact-finding-committee-on-delhi-riots 

This article, first published on October 10, 2022, is being republished on February 24, 2023, which is the day the violence began in northeast Delhi three years ago.

New Delhi: A fact-finding  committee on the February 2020 communal riots in north-east Delhi headed by former Supreme Court judge Madan B. Lokur concluded that the Union home ministry conspicuously delayed deploying additional forces in the violence-hit areas, even as the communal riots continued unabated between February 23 and 26, 2020.

The committee found that despite Delhi Police leadership receiving at least six internal alerts from the Special Branch and the Intelligence units on February 23 – the day when riots began – additional forces were deployed only on February 26. The alerts did warn that violence between the communities could escalate.  

The alleged lackadaisical attitude shown by the home ministry indirectly helped the rioters go unchecked, organise better, and unleash targeted violence for three continuous days, the committee held. 

 by Ajoy Ashirwad Mahaprashasta

24/02/2023

“A group of 50-60 men, armed with rods and sticks, came and disrupted our prayer on February 19. They hit me and my son with rods, accusing us of converting Hindus into Christians in the church,” pastor Satyen Bishwakarma told The Wire. https://thewire.in/communalism/up-bajrang-dal-activists-allege-forced-conversions-vandalise-church-assault-worshippers 

The pastor added that he and his family have been living in constant fear as the Siddharthnagar police have refused to register a first information report against the Bajrang Dal.

However, as on March 5, an FIR has still not been lodged by the police.

Another woman, an eyewitness to the incident and a devoted worshipper, told The Wire on March 3, “My husband, who is a cancer patient, was brutally beaten with a rod. When I intervened, they also attacked me. The goons were chanting ‘Jai Shree Ram’. One of the young girls had her hand fractured. The church has been locked ever since, and we live in constant fear of the Bajrang Dal goons.”

by Yaqut Ali

06/03/2023