Madhya Pradesh lynching of Adivasis: Govt 'mute spectator', hate groups on prowl

Counterview Desk
Organising an Adivasi protest against the recent Seoni lynchings in Madhya Pradesh, the civil rights group Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan (JADS) has said what has happened is nothing but outage committed by certain extremist groups in the name of religion.
Demand that the government should take action against such hate groups, JADS said in a media communique, shockingly, youth are being handed weapons instead of books, regretting, the government has remained a mute spectator as "Constitutional rights of Adivasis, Dalits and minorities are being brazenly violated."

Text:

Adivasi organizations across Barwani, Burhanpur and Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh came together to oppose the midnight attack on an Adivasi home a brutal murder of two Adivasis in Seoni, Madhya Pradesh by activists of Bajrang Dal and Shree Ram Sena.
Protestors gave a memorandum to the Governor and the Chief Minister opposing the politics of “gundagardi” in the name of religion and demanding a ban on organizations that engage in violence in the name of religion and are blatantly anti-Constitutional.
The attack, which took place on the night of 2nd May, led to the deaths of Dhansa Inawati of Semariya village and Sampat Batti of nearby Sagar village. According to the family members of the deceased, around 2.30 at night, 15-20 members of Bajrang Dal and Shree Ram Sena barged into their homes and started beating up the two men.
Women in their households who tried to protect them were also beaten up and had their clothes torn. Brajesh Batti also suffered injuries in the attack. It was later confirmed by the Thana Official of Kurai Thana, Mr. Uikey, that 3 of the accused were members of Bajrang Dal and 6 people were associated with Shree Ram Sena.

Protesting Adivasis unequivocally stated that such brazen violation of law and brutal attacks on people in the name of religion and 'gauraksha' are completely unacceptable. They pointed out that for them their cattle are like members of their family, but they strongly oppose the way people are being killed in the name of “cow protection” -- mostly by those who have never actually looked after a cow in their entire life!
Why, they said, are youth being provided with weapons instead of books? The responsibility of such attacks rests solely upon the administration and the government, who are tacitly supporting such attacks.
Similar instances of attacks on Adivasis have been reported from Madhya Pradesh in the past year. In September 2021, Bisan Bhil of Khargone and Kishan Nihal in Khandwa were beaten to death in police custody. No action has been taken upon the perpetrators so far.

In May 2021, a family of five Korku Adivasis was killed in Nemawar by one Surendra Rajput, claimed to be a member of the ‘Hindu Kesariya Sangathan’. Later, in August 2021, Kanhaiyalal Bhil died after being brutally beaten and dragged by a vehicle on the road.
Protestors pointed out that Adivasis, along with other common people of the country are already suffering greatly due to skyrocketing prices; farmers and labourers are being forced to migrate in search of work and are being reduced to bonded labour. To make matters worse, opportunities for education and employment are rapidly becoming out of reach of Adivasis, and now Adivasis are not even safe in their own homes.
Protesting Adivasis, led by Harsing Jamre, Nasri bai Ningwal, Antaram Alawe, Shivram Kanase, Prakash Bandod and many others all demanded that the government take immediate steps to curb such incidents and to ban organizations that engage in such unconstitutional and extra-legal activities.
Organizations such as Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan (JADS), Jay Adivasi Yuva Shakti (JAYS), Bhim Army, Adivasi Chhatra Sangathan, SC-ST-OBC Ekta Manch, etc. participated in protests across Barwani, Burhanpur and Khargone.

Comments

Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan raises concerns over Jharkhand Adivasis' plight in Assam, BJP policies

By Our Representative The Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan (Save Democracy Campaign) has issued a pressing call to protect Adivasi rights in Jharkhand, highlighting serious concerns over the treatment of Jharkhandi Adivasis in Assam. During a press conference in Ranchi on November 9, representatives from Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh criticized the current approach of BJP-led governments in these states, arguing it has exacerbated Adivasi struggles for rights, land, and cultural preservation.

Promoting love or instilling hate and fear: Why is RSS seeking a meeting with Rahul Gandhi?

By Ram Puniyani* India's anti-colonial struggle was marked by a diverse range of social movements, one of the most significant being Hindu-Muslim unity and the emergence of a unified Indian identity among people of all religions. The nationalist, anti-colonial movement championed this unity, best embodied by Mahatma Gandhi, who ultimately gave his life for this cause. Gandhi once wrote, “The union that we want is not a patched-up thing but a union of hearts... Swaraj (self-rule) for India must be an impossible dream without an indissoluble union between the Hindus and Muslims of India. It must not be a mere truce... It must be a partnership between equals, each respecting the religion of the other.”

Right-arm fast bowler who helped West Indies shape arguably greatest Test team in cricket history

By Harsh Thakor* Malcolm Marshall redefined what it meant to be a right-arm fast bowler, challenging the traditional laws of biomechanics with his unique skill. As we remember his 25th death anniversary on November 4th, we reflect on the legacy he left behind after his untimely death from colon cancer. For a significant part of his career, Marshall was considered one of the fastest and most formidable bowlers in the world, helping to shape the West Indies into arguably the greatest Test team in cricket history.

Andhra team joins Gandhians to protest against 'bulldozer action' in Varanasi

By Rosamma Thomas* November 1 marked the 52nd day of the 100-day relay fast at the satyagraha site of Rajghat in Varanasi, seeking the restoration of the 12 acres of land to the Sarva Seva Sangh, the Gandhian organization that was evicted from the banks of the river. Twelve buildings were demolished as the site was abruptly taken over by the government after “bulldozer” action in August 2023, even as the matter was pending in court.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Will Left victory in Sri Lanka deliver economic sovereignty plan, go beyond 'tired' IMF agenda?

By Atul Chandra, Vijay Prashad* On September 22, 2024, the Sri Lankan election authority announced that Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) alliance won the presidential election. Dissanayake, who has been the leader of the left-wing JVP since 2014, defeated 37 other candidates, including the incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP) and his closest challenger Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya.

Will Bangladesh go Egypt way, where military ruler is in power for a decade?

By Vijay Prashad* The day after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka, I was on the phone with a friend who had spent some time on the streets that day. He told me about the atmosphere in Dhaka, how people with little previous political experience had joined in the large protests alongside the students—who seemed to be leading the agitation. I asked him about the political infrastructure of the students and about their political orientation. He said that the protests seemed well-organized and that the students had escalated their demands from an end to certain quotas for government jobs to an end to the government of Sheikh Hasina. Even hours before she left the country, it did not seem that this would be the outcome.

A Marxist intellectual who dwelt into complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape

By Harsh Thakor* Professor Manoranjan Mohanty has been a dedicated advocate for human rights over five decades. His work as a scholar and activist has supported revolutionary democratic movements, navigating complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape. His balanced, non-partisan approach to human rights and social justice has made his books essential resources for advocates of democracy.

Tributes paid to pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, who 'dodged' police for 60 yrs

By Harsh Thakor* Jagjit Singh Sohal, known as Comrade Sharma, a pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, passed away on October 20 at the age of 96. Committed to the Naxalite cause and a prominent Maoist leader, Sohal, who succeeded Charu Majumdar, played hide and seek with the police for almost six decades. He was cremated in Patiala.

Search This Blog