Communalism

Bilkis Bano has fought a hard, challenging battle. As one of the 1,958 women Muslim survivors of the targeted violence in Gujarat in 2002, she can now breathe some sighs of relief, if the convicts are “found” by the Gujarat police and report to prison by January 22 (the deadline set by the Supreme Court). There is also a possibility that these convicts now approach the Maharashtra government for remission under section 432 of the CrPC

Ahead of the Lord Ram temple inauguration in Ayodhya on 22 January, the supreme spiritual leaders of Sanatan Hindu Dharma have made a public statement that they would not participate in the inauguration ceremony in Ayodhya, causing a big embarrassment for the ruling Hindutva forces. 

On January 10, 2024, the ‘grand old party’, the Congress, finally declined to attend the inauguration of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya on January 22, stating the blatant politicisation of religion and state behind the event as its reason, in its rather belated and vacillating response. Now, with the BJP attacking this move, the Congress has gone all out to counter the BJP’s ‘anti-Hindu’ slur

In two well-coordinated programmes, prime minister Narendra Modi and union minister for minorities (also Women and Child Welfare) continents apart, on January 8 and January 9, led two programmes with all the optics in place, to show case their empathy with Muslims, at least, internationally

There has been a spate of hate speeches, each evoking reportedly shared anti-minority sentiments by stoking tropes of large Muslim neighbourhoods, cow slaughter, “love-jihad”

Persistent assaults on Christian institutions and gatherings spark concern as right-wing Hindutva groups allege forced conversions which has led to arrests and tensions in multiple districts of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Twenty-two years ago, almost to the day, Bilkis Bano gave an oral statement recounting the horrors of what she had been through, to Communalism Combat magazine. Given the rather glaring trajectory of the case, where despite Bilkis’ Complaint, FIR with detailed facts, recounting the incident and naming accused, the Godhra police filed a ‘closure’ report (A Summary) which was even accepted by the local court, it is crucial that we re-visit, and read, in Bilkis’ words, her tale. Following the failures of the local administration, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) provided her the legal aid to ensure she finally does find justice, and peace.

From Madhya Pradesh to Karnataka, vigilante groups reportedly consisting of members from Hindutva organisations are reportedly accosting and beating Muslim youth across the country.

From Manipur to Delhi, Christians look back, with CJP, at the year that was 2023, reflecting with pain and regret, living amidst discrimination and violence

A war of conscience and powerful words has broken out among the Indian Catholic clergy after Prime Minister Modi’s Christmas invite (December 25, 2023) to select church heads, who then circulated videos bowing in abject praise to the leader; a public campaign “Not in Our Name” was sought to be curtailed by some priests, leading to a powerful Open Letter from Father Anand in Varanasi