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]]>As per National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, Kerala recorded the lowest number of murders in the country between 2018 and 2020, with a rate of 0.08%. In stark contrast, Uttar Pradesh, governed by hard-line Hindutva forces, had the highest murder rate at 15.1%. Kerala’s achievement underscores its status as a “Garden of Peace” amidst the turmoil propagated by states leaning towards communal politics. The success of Kerala’s governance and the peaceful coexistence of its people challenge the divisive ideologies of Hindutva proponents, who seemingly wish to transform Kerala into a jungle of trouble.
A recent controversy further illustrates this antagonism. Maharashtra’s Fisheries and Ports Development Minister, Nitesh Rane, made inflammatory remarks while speaking on the occasion of Shiv Pratap Din, which marks Chhatrapati Shivaji’s historical victory over Afzal Khan. Rane accused those who supported Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Kerala’s Wayanad constituency of being anti-national. He claimed that the Indian Union Muslim League, an ally of the Congress, worked against national interests and stated, “Kerala is a part of our country, and if anyone works for Pakistan or commits atrocities against Hindus in Kerala, we will have to speak about it. Kerala is ours, and it will remain ours. In the future, Kerala will become ‘Bhagwadhari,’ I am confident about it.” Rane, facing a backlash thereafter was quick to clarify that ‘Kerala was very much part of India,’ though his slurs against the party in power, CPI-M and people of Kerala continued.
Kerala’s Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, condemned Rane’s statement, calling it deeply provocative and deplorable. He highlighted how such remarks reflect the Sangh Parivar’s divisive approach towards Kerala. Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe Patil also criticised Rane and demanded his removal from the Maharashtra cabinet, while Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition, V. D. Satheesan, called the statement a new low in Indian politics and demanded Rane’s resignation. Former Finance Minister of Kerala, Thomas Isaac was succinct in his response too. “We are no mini-Pakistan, you hate monger BJP minister. Kerala is proudly secular, lowest in untouchability practices, educated and healthy. Our per capita income 60 % above the national. It is you Sanghi who wants to make India into Hindutva mirror image of Pakistan.”
#WATCH | Pune: Maharashtra Minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane, says, “Those who supported and worked for Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the elections are anti-national. We have this information…All India Muslim League who worked against the nation had worked… pic.twitter.com/MWM7XSaO9m
— ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2024
We are no Mini Pakistan, you hate monger BJP minister.Kerala is proudly secular, lowest in untouchability practices,educated and healthy.Our per capita income 60% above the https://t.co/N0aDy1FXny is you Sanghi who wants to make India into Hindutva mirror image of Pakistan.
— Thomas Isaac (@drthomasisaac) January 1, 2025
Maharashtra Minister #niteshrane‘s comments referring to Kerala as a’mini-Pakistan’ &its people as terrorists is strongly condemned.This really startling statement signals a low point in politics. He has no right to remain in his ministerial position.@RahulGandhi@priyankagandhi
— V D Satheesan (@vdsatheesan) December 30, 2024
This is not the first instance of Sangh Parivar members targeting Kerala and Rane’s diatribe is not happening in isolation. The controversial film, ‘Kerala Story’, (film maker Vipul Shah, and brazenly promoted by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) selectively portrayed Islam and Muslims in a malevolent manner. On September 30, 2017, leader of their pack and a career criminal, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat accused the governments of Kerala and West Bengal of siding with “jihadi elements.” Chief Minister Vijayan responded sharply, stating that Bhagwat’s comments were baseless and stemmed from the RSS’s inability to gain political traction in Kerala. Earlier this year, on April 7, former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis alleged that Kerala had become a “hotbed of anti-national forces” due to misgovernance and “minority appeasement.”
The repeated targeting of Kerala by Hindutva leaders reveals their discomfort with its inclusive development model, which starkly contrasts their exclusionary ideology. The Sangh Parivar’s rhetoric often hinges on creating divisions and fostering communal disharmony. Kerala, with its progressive policies and rejection of such divisive narratives, serves as a thorn in their side.
It is evident that organisations like the RSS thrive on minority hatred, sustained by the venom of Hindutva. Their modus operandi resembles the mythical demon Ravana, whose heads multiplied upon being cut off. Each attempt to disrupt Kerala’s harmony only strengthens the resolve of its people to resist communal forces. As Kerala continues to uphold the values of pluralism and progress, it stands as a beacon of hope against the tide of divisive politics sweeping parts of the nation.
Sadly, the Supreme Court’s guidelines on hate speech issued in October 2022, directing the police forces in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Uttarakhand to take suo moto action against individuals making hate speeches, irrespective of the religious community they belong to, remain a dead letter. This lack of enforcement perpetuates a climate of impunity and encourages those who seek to sow seeds of division through their hate speech.
Related:
Legal Pledges Fall Short: Hate speech prosecutions stalled in Maharashtra
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]]>Notably, on December 29th 2023, the Crime Online, which describes itself as ‘India’s first crime investigation magazine’ had published a video report that labels Maruvaakku as Maoist magazine. The video accused Ambika as a key player in the Popular Front of India- Maoist axis. The video also made the baseless accusation that the printing cost of ‘Maruvaakku’ is funded by Popular Front of India and Maoist party, two banned political outfits. This video and the case followed, is evidence of an organized targeting of the magazine. This action against Maruvaakku should be considered as an attack on independent publications that critiques anti-people policies of the government, raises voice for justice and amplifies the causes for human rights.
It is important to note that Maoist activist Kavitha was killed after GROW Vasu’s protest in refusing to pay the fine and securing bail in a case where he protested these killings. Vasu demanded an investigation into the Maoist killings. Ambika observes that only a very few media reported on the killing of Kavita. In this interview, P Ambika responds to the allegations that are raised against ‘Maruvaakku’.
Is it a first case against the monthly?
Yes. This is the first FIR that is registered against ‘Maruvaakku’. The magazine was mentioned in the Alan Thaha case FIR. But this is the first case that directly targets the magazine. The case is registered under the complaint by one Martin Monacheri. We could find out that he is the Kerala chapter representative of a Sangh Parivar affiliated journalists union. A member from Kerala Union of Working Journalists told me he has filed several complaints against KUWJ as well.
How did the police react to you?
The police said that the complaint was filed due to the pressure from the complainant. The police didn’t give us a notice until the court handed over our anticipatory bail plea to the police. They came only after the court intimated.
How did the publication of Maruvaakku begin? Can you explain to us about Maruvaakku’s history?
I was interested in independent journalism. ‘Maruvaakku’ is the name of a publication by MN Vijayan, only a few issues of it were published, it was stopped after that. So, we took this title because we didn’t want to lose it. We were publishing a newspaper named ‘Gaddika’ back then. We felt the need for a magazine to engage in the issues in a serious manner. It was KS Hariharan who suggested that we must take this title up. I worked on it following. Hari also supported. We published the first issue in December 2014. Cover the issues faced by oppressed communities- this includes tribals, Dalits, minority communities, women, environment, sexual minorities, intense unchecked exploitation of the environment- these were the subjects we covered in the past ten years. The first issue addressed the tribal land issue. It carried the interview with tribal leader CK Janu. The first issue was released at the Adivasi Parliament that was held in the Aralam farm.
In the recent issues we covered the Brahmapuram waste dump yard fire. In the case of K Rail, we reported on the anti- K Rail protest, published the K- Rail issue including the articles written by Dr. KG Thara, M Suchithra, Sahadevan and others who have thoroughly studied the subject. We had covered the Vizhinjam port issue, Vypeen gas project etc. When the protests against Malabar jewellery’s gold processing unit was going on in Malappuram’s Kakkanchery, most of the media that carried the advertisements of Malabar jewelry didn’t cover the protest. But when we reported this, many other media organizations had to take this up. Olavanna land struggle was another important subject we covered. A large area of Olavanna was declared as an industrial area. With this, the residents of Olavanna, who owned three to four cents of land, lost their right to fix a broken wall in their house. We took up this issue. We went there with GROW Vasu and KV Shaji, did reporting, and published a cover story on this issue. This issue was raised in the Kerala legislative assembly following the reporting and the problems were solved. We intervene in such ways. We have published articles during the anti- CAA protests. Our 2023 October issue is on the case against R Sunil, a senior journalist who investigates tribal land alienation in Palakkad’s Attappadi. Sunil is a senior journalist who constantly reports on Kerala’s land issues. We published a cover story. We worked a lot in other ways as well to include a lot of people against this case and enquired the opinion of multiple people. The case against him is withdrawn.
What are the subjects and issues carried in the special issues of Maruvaakku?
We’ve published three issues focused on education. One of it is based on Devika, the high school student’s death by suicide, caused by the digital divide during pandemic hit education. We went to Devika’s house to meet her relatives and neighbors. Spoke to the associated lawyers. We raised that issue. We collected the documents prepared by the organization named ‘Right to Education’.
The latest issue is about caste census. The campaign for caste census in Kerala is led by Dr G Mohan Gopal. We include opinions written by Sudesh M Raghu, OP Raveendran and so on who are closely associated with the movement. We either interview them or publish their exclusive writings. That’s how we report political movements. We had done a cover story on Vadayambadi caste wall issue, that was a ground report.
The people’s protest against K-Rail began in Kozhikode’s Vengalam, by women. We published their interviews as well.
In Kerala, news publications with a woman as its editor are very few. Being a woman editor how do you feel about this case?
Being a woman, there will be problems. I’m someone who does both activism and journalism together. I get immense support from people. Getting calls from Teesta and R Rajagopal was relieving. But I see this case as something very natural about our times. I think this is a problem that is faced by journalists today.
What do you think about the video published by Crime Online? This video explicitly gives a history to this case charged on you. Why do you think you are being targeted?
I could find only a few reports when Kavitha was killed, like exclusive news channels in very few media, like the 24 News or The Fourth. Incidents like this are going unreported. Nowadays, journalists are reluctant to report such news. I wrote on facebook because we need to talk about it when there is no news. In Kerala, nine revolutionaries and a photographer were killed during extra judicial killings or staged encounters. Maruvaakku has covered such issues in detail. I think that is a reason for being targeted. I know very well about this, this has begun a long time back. It happened during the Alan Thaha case. You can buy this magazine from any news stand openly. This is not a secret publication.
They even confiscated the magazine in the Alan Thaha case. That too is a way of targeting. Cases are being filed against, when we protest in Kashmir issue. I’ve very strongly opposed all extra judicial killings. When CP Jaleel was killed, we published an interview with his mother. This interview had stirred emotions in people. Currently there is a land struggle going on in Nilambur, it is led by a tribal woman, Bindu Vylasseri. She was a very healthy woman (when the struggle in front of the ITDP office began in May 2023), now she is in a deteriorated condition. We must do reports about this land struggle.
It was ‘Maruvaakku’ that started a column on Islamophobia for the first time. Now some other Malayalam publications do have a column on Islamophobia. But we realized Islamophobia is a threat in Kerala society and we had decided to begin a distinct column for this issue. We began it a year ago. This column is by Dr. K. Ashraf, who is a professor in Johannesburg University. Another thing, be it Baburaj who is part of the editorial board, be it myself, we speak about Muslim minority issues in the Muslim political platforms constantly and that too can be a reason for a Sangh affiliate to file a complaint like this.
What are the existential problems you face while continuing in print amidst a lot of digital publications? How do you carry on the publication in print? What are the challenges?
The major challenge is financial crunch. The physical hard work of DTP and Layout is done by two persons. I get the magazine copies from the press mostly. The editorial team includes KS Hariharan, BS Baburaj, TR Ramesh, and Martin KD.
We do all the work by ourselves except the printing and sending the copies out. We publish only because all the work is done by ourselves. I used the salary from my job for publication but now I do not have a job. When each issue is printed, we fear this would be the last issue to be printed, but the next issue too comes out. The printing never stopped. There was no break till date. I consider it as a big thing that an alternate print publication could stand in print for continuous ten years. Especially when there is no organizational support, no collective support for us, doing this almost single handedly. The support by friends in the editorial board is immense, and the support of our readers is great wealth.
Mrudula Bhavani is an independent journalist
P.Ambika is editor of Maruvakku
The interview was originally published in Keraleeyam
Courtesy: Counter Currents
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]]>The post From Ayodhya to Trivandrum, are Dalits still unsafe in India? appeared first on SabrangIndia.
]]>Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh
In Ayodhya, where the BJP government is building the Ram Mandir, a horrifying incident of violence against Dalits has emerged where Dalit women were subjected to a vicious attack by men from the Thakur community. The video of the injured women emerged on social media on September 14.
In response to this incident, the police has stated on Twitter that they have initiated legal proceedings and is actively pursuing appropriate actions.
Despite the severity of the attack, coverage of this story has mostly remained limited to social media and alternate media so far.
This is horrifying,
Dalit women were brutally beaten by casteist Thakurs and left drenched in blood in Ayodhya of Ramrajya, UP.
Please take strict action up police. pic.twitter.com/5GUdZTiHuK
— Susheel shinde (@susheelshinde98) September 14, 2023
उक्त प्रकरण मे प्रभारी निरीक्षक तारुन द्वारा अभियोग पंजीकृत कर आवश्यक कार्यवाही की जा रही है।
— AYODHYA POLICE (@ayodhya_police) September 14, 2023
Kaushambi, Uttar Pradesh
In the early hours of Friday morning, the village of Mohideenpur in Uttar Pradesh (UP) was witness to a horrifying act of violence against some members of the most downtrodden group in India. Three members of a Dalit family were killed in cold blood as they lay asleep their hut. Hori Lal, a 62-year-old farmer, his 22-year-old daughter, Brijkali, and her 26-year-old husband, Shiv Sagar, all fell victim to this brutal murder that has shaken the village and turned it upside down, according to the Mooknayak.
The incident is said to have been motivated by an alleged property dispute between Hori Lal and his neighbors, who belong to the Other Backward Classes category.
In the aftermath of the murder grief-stricken and angry public protested the murder by setting things on fire and breaking property. The houses of the alleged perpetrators, who had fled the scene, were also set ablaze after the horrifying murder was discovered.
Law enforcement officials responded to the scene upon receiving reports of the triple murder and the developing situation as Kaushambi’s Superintendent of Police, Brijesh Srivastava, confirmed that the situation is now under control, but four suspects remain at large, their whereabouts unknown, “The names of four people have come out as the accused. They are absconding. We are in search of them. We are collecting all the information. ”
To prevent further worsening of the aggravated situation, police presence has been deployed in the village.
Dalit Man slapped, abused for winning Sabrimala tender to prepare Unni Appam in Kerala pic.twitter.com/z2UtnweMgn
— Bahujan Lives Matter (@BahujanLives) September 10, 2023
Trivandrum, Kerala
In Kerala, a Dalit man was slapped and abused for having secured the tender to provide sweets offered at the acclaimed Sabarimala Temple. It is noted that Dalits face violence and hurdles especially in professions where they are required to handle food. Indian society’s pre-occupation with caste has made it difficult for Dalits to work and live with dignity.
The two accused are now facing serious charges for their alleged assault and casteist verbal assault on a Dalit man and are currently on the run. Travancore Devaswom Board had given the tender to the victim, Subi, to prepare unniyappam, a traditional sweet fritter offered at the Sabarimala temple. However, the professional success that should have been celebrated instead resulted in garnering humiliation and violence. Subi is from the Pulaya community which classified as a Scheduled Caste in Kerala.
The incident occurred on September 2 when Subi was targeted by the accused individuals, identified as Ramesh alias Krishnankutty and Jagadeesh. These two men were enraged at the fact that a Dalit man had gotten the tender to prepare the sweet according to The Newsminute. Ramesh and Jagadeesh allegedly threatened him against entering the temple, spat on him, and slapped him across the face, all in the presence of witnesses.
According to The Newsminute, the victim was standing in the parking lot of the Devaswom Board office in Nanthancode when the accused men confronted him and launched a series of casteist slurs and insults. According to reports by the Times of India, they also questioned how Subi could have gotten tender, and said that the temple belonged to “Hindus and not Pulayas.”
The Thiruvananthapuram police has booked Ramesh and Jagadeesh under Sections 294(b) (dealing with obscene acts and songs) and 34 (pertaining to acts committed by several persons with a common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. Additionally, they were charged under Section 3(1) (s) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. As of now, the police are actively pursuing the absconding accused, ensuring that justice is served in this disturbing case of caste-based discrimination and violence.
Dalit Man slapped, abused for winning Sabrimala tender to prepare Unni Appam in Kerala pic.twitter.com/z2UtnweMgn
— Bahujan Lives Matter (@BahujanLives) September 10, 2023
Kashmir
A Dalit IAS officer Ashok Parmar from Jammu & Kashmir has asserted that he has been harrassed due to his caste location of a Dalit. The officer claims to have been transferred half a dozen times in the past year, according to The Mooknayak.
Several parties have spoken in his favour. For instance, the Congress’ spokesperson Pawan Khera has raised questions about the treatment of the officer and said that the move is to apparently hide a multi-crore Jal Jeevan Mission scam in the region. They have also questioned why the National Commission for Scheduled Castes has not taken action on his complaint.
The JJM scheme was instituted to deliver clean drinking water to all rural households via tap connections by 2024.
Khera has also further asked, “Why, in the wake of his exposé, was a Dalit IAS officer subjected to harassment and targeting? Why did those officers involved in embezzlement and financial misconduct, who burdened the public treasury and harmed our citizens, receive promotions?”
He further questioned why, despite complaints lodged with the Home Ministry and calls for a CBI investigation, the Jammu and Kashmir administration and the Narendra Modi government have not initiated a thorough inquiry into the multiple irregularities and alleged corrupt practices in the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission.
जम्मू-कश्मीर में ‘जल जीवन योजना’ के तहत 13,000 करोड़ रुपये के भ्रष्टाचार का मामला सामने आया है।
यहां G-20 की आड़ में LG-420 को छिपाया जा रहा है।
जब अशोक परमार नाम के IAS अफसर इस गबन को सामने लाते हैं, तो उनका साल में 4-5 बार ट्रांसफर और LG द्वारा अपमान किया जाता है।
वहीं अशोक… pic.twitter.com/xdFnvVQRyU
— Congress (@INCIndia) September 11, 2023
The Congress spokesperson also questioned the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, asking why they haven’t issued a show cause notice to the Lieutenant Governor’s office despite the serious allegations of harassment, intimidation, and mistreatment made by the Dalit IAS officer. He suggested that, following a proper investigation, charges under the SC-ST (Prevention of) Atrocities Act should be applicable.
A case of corruption worth Rs 13,000 crore has come to light under ‘Jal Jeevan Yojana’ in Jammu and Kashmir.
Here LG-420 is being hidden under the guise of G-20.
When an IAS officer named Ashok Parmar exposed this embezzlement, he was transferred 4-5 times a year and insulted… pic.twitter.com/Xfx8wjvMle
— Spirit of Congress
(@SpiritOfCongres) September 11, 2023
The National Conference leader, Omar Abdullah has also asked for an impartial enquiry to be taken in the allegations by Parmar, according to Mooknayak.
The IAS officer has approached the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and has sought redressal for the harassment at the hands of the Jammu and Kashmir administration. While the J&K administration has denied the allegations by Parmar in a press conference they have held earlier. Parmar has claimed there were irregularities in the pipe supply tendering process, but Jal Shakti Department Additional Chief Secretary Shaleen Kabra has maintained that all work allocations and pipe material procurement have been conducted transparently through the tendering process since 2019. He has asserted further that every transaction is accessible on the department’s website.
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
News emerged on 14 September of an elderly Dalit man being kidnapped and beaten by a local BJP leader led gang in Chopda Kalan Village. The village falls under Sukhi Sevaniya police station limits in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The BJP leader is also said, too, have allegedly urinated on the man when he asked for water. The men took him in an SUV and beat up the Dalit man when he told encroachers to get off government land. They beat him up again and locked him in a room after that, according to Times of India.
The Superintendent of Bhopal (rural) has said that seven people have been arrested so far.
A 39-year-old Dalit man was abducted and beaten up by a gang led by a local BJP leader, who also urinated on the victim. The incident occurred at Chopda Kalan village under Sukhi Sevaniya police station limits in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. pic.twitter.com/zAFL1bciwP
— The Dalit Voice (@ambedkariteIND) September 14, 2023
Bharatpur, Rajasthan
A government school teacher in Bharatpur district was apprehended by the police on Saturday for reportedly assaulting a Dalit student who was studying in 7th grade merely because the child used water from the staff’s water cooler. The boy was also assaulted with casteist slurs, reportedly. This incident occurred after the student drank water from a container reserved for the staff on Friday, according to Outlook India.
The 12-year-old victim claimed that three students took water from the container intended for the staff, however only he was the only one to be subjected to physical violence. He recounted, that after the morning prayer, students came out of the classroom. Due to some accident while filling water, students ended up spilling some water due to which there was a shortage and students had to take water from the staff’s cooler. He continued, narrating, that two of his classmates and he filed water from the staff’s cooler in their bottles. However, he was only one who was beaten.
The victim’s brother from Bhimnagar Pahariya Ambedkar Colony, spoke to Times of India stating that, “When my brother attended school on Friday, he was brutally assaulted by the teacher for drinking water from a container meant for the staff. Gangaram also used casteist slurs and attacked the child with sticks and blows, leaving marks on his back.”
He mentioned that the victim’s father had succumbed to silicosis in 2012, and his mother had passed away from typhoid in 2013. Singh’s complaint also reportedly said that the school officials had come to his house the following day and asked to resolve the issue by providing monetary incentive of 2 lakhs.
On Saturday morning, enraged family members and villagers gathered at the government school protesting against the incident and the accused teacher, Gangaram Gurjar. The police soon arrived at the school, rescued him from the crowd, and took him to the police station.
Superintendent of Bharatpur Mridul Kachawa l has confirmed the teacher’s detention, “The teacher has been detained, and a case has been registered based on the complaint.”
The crowd also attempted to block the state highway but was dispersed by the police. A police officer mentioned that a committee led by an official has been appointed to investigate the matter. “A committee has been established to probe the incident. Based on the committee’s findings, appropriate action will be taken.”
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Anti-BJP, ‘inconvenient’ voters in Bengaluru could be dis-enfranchised: Karnataka polls
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]]>The post Kerala High Court bans RSS arms training in temple premises appeared first on SabrangIndia.
]]>The court also directed the police to provide necessary assistance following its earlier order. The board had banned the RSS from setting up branches and conducting training in its religious places. The petitioner said that the RSS members were doing illegal activities in the temple without the permission of the concerned authorities.
In a recent order, a bench comprising Justice Anil K Narendran and Justice PG Ajith Kumar said that no mass practice or weapons practice would be allowed on the premises of the temple managed by the Travancore Devaswam Board.
“No mass drill or weaponry practices (sic) shall be permitted on the premises of the said temple, which is under the management of the Travancore Devaswom Board. The Station House Officer of Chirayinkeezhu Police Station shall render necessary assistance to the Administrative Officer to ensure strict compliance of the prohibition…,” Justices Anil K Narendran and PG Ajithkumar said in a recent order.
The Kerala Temple Management Board then issued a new circular on May 18 asking its officials to strictly follow the earlier order. In the earlier order, it had prohibited any branch or group of RSS from practicing in religious areas under the Board.
The TDB issued a circular in 2016 banning all types of weapons training in temple complexes by the RSS. Later, on March 30, 2021, the board re-issued a circular asking the authorities to take action.
A writ petition filed in the Kerala High Court earlier, had alleged men claiming to be RSS members have been illegally encroaching on premises of Sarkara Devi temple in Kerala’s Chirayinkeezhu, leading to ‘loss of calm atmosphere’. Several devotees of Kerala’s Sarkara Devi temple have gone to the Kerala High Court with a simple demand — evict the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) from the temple’s premises.
To ensure this, devotees have approached the high court: a writ petition filed in the high court alleges that some men who claim to be members of the RSS have been illegally encroaching on temple premises, conducting mass drills and training members on how to fight with weapons on temple grounds every evening between 5 pm and 12 am.
The petition actually goes on to say that their activities disturb the peace of the temple and scare off devotees and visitors. It also said that the “unpleasant smell” and repeated use of “tobacco products like ‘Hans’ and ‘pan masala’ within the temple premises” affects the “cleanliness, purity, and divinity” of the place of worship.
According to the petition filed, RSS men — saying they are RSS members — have been causing “mental stress, agony and loss of calm atmosphere required to be maintained during meditation and offering prayers” at the temple.
“We haven’t received any official notice on this, and so we haven’t filed an affidavit either,” said RSS state secretary P.N. Easwar. Adding, “We’ve looked into the matter, but can’t comment further at this stage.”
“We have no problem with them using the temple grounds,” said 68-year-old G. Vyasan, one of the two petitioners, referring to the alleged RSS members.
“But the way they use it is disrespectful.”
Vyasan visits the temple every day and recounted that he first used to see the drills daily. Those conducting the mass drills use sticks and have, what he describes as, ‘mock fights’ on some days. But besides that, he said, they loiter on the temple premises and generally cause a disturbance after drinking alcohol and consuming tobacco. These “drills” conducted on land right behind the temple, which has been cordoned off with chains and a makeshift barrier of rocks, have stopped since the writ petition was filed on June 20.
A former secretary of the temple, Ajay Kumar, told ThePrint that the men conducting the drills had built the barrier themselves. They wouldn’t allow any other devotees or visitors to use the space and would gather around 5 pm and spend the rest of the evening there, drinking into the night, he alleged.
The correspondent for ThePrint saw empty bottles of liquor, torn packets of tobacco, and what looked like firecracker shells on the temple premises.
“Those men come and shout ‘Jai Shri Ram’ all the time. I don’t understand why, this is a Devi temple!” said one devotee, underlining that the Sarkara Devi temple’s deity is Bhadrakali.
The TDB had in 2016 issued a circular banning all types of arms training in the temple complexes by the RSS. Later, on March 30, 2021, the board reissued the circular asking officials to take action.
In 2016, the then Devaswom Minister, Kadakampally Surendran, had claimed, as reported by NDTV, that the RSS was trying to turn temples into storehouses of arms in Kerala and that the government had been receiving a large number of complaints in this regard.
Related:
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]]>The post IMSD condemns caste-based discrimination by a Kerala mosque appeared first on SabrangIndia.
]]>There is no concept of caste in the religion of Islam but evidently caste and caste-based discrimination remain part of the shameful reality of lived Islam in South Asia and elsewhere too.
We stand in solidarity with the Dalit Pasmanda Collective Justice Project (DPCJP) who have condemned such blatant discrimination by the ‘Puthoorpally Muslim Jamaath’ mosque in Changanassery, Kerala.
The DPJC has demanded that the Kerala government and police take “strong action against these hate-mongers who hold casteist/racist beliefs.” Else, “we will take action against them in our own manner.” We support the democratic right to peaceful protest.
In principle, IMSD is opposed to all forms of caste-based discrimination. In the context of Muslims it is also bad politics considering that the ruling-BJP is working overtime in their attempt to woo Pasmanda Muslims and Muslim women to the saffron camp.
We call upon all Muslim organisations and individuals to demand that the concerned mosque committee in Changanassery apologise to Dalit Muslims and end the discriminatory practice.
Signatories:
1. A. J. Jawad, IMSD Co-convener, Advocate, Channai
2. Akbar Shaikh, Farmer, Activist, Solapur
3. Anjum Rajabali, Film Writer, Mumbai
4. Arif Kapadia, IMSD, Business, Activist, Mumbra, Thane
5. Arshad Alam, IMSD, Columnist, New Age Islam, Delhi
6. Askari Zaidi, IMSD, Senior journalist, Delhi
7. Aziz Lokhandwala, Businessman, Mumbai
8. Feroze Mithiborwala, IMSD Co-convener, Mumbai
9. Gauhar Raza, ANHAD, Scientist, Poet
10. Jasbeer Mustafa, Scholar, Australia
11. Javed Anand, IMSD, Convener, Mumbai
12. Kasim Sait, IMSD, Businessman-philanthropist, Chennai
13. Khadija Farooqui, IMSD, Gender Activist, Delhi
14. Madhu Prasad, IMSD, Educationist, Delhi
15. Mansoor Sardar, IMSD, Bhiwandi
16. Masooma Ranalvi, IMSD, We Speak Out, Delhi
17. Mohammed Imran, PIO, USA
18. Muniza Khan, IMSD, Varanasi
19. Nasreen Contractor, IMSD Co-convener, Mumbai
20. Nasreen Fazelbhoy, IMSD, Mumbai
21. Nuruddin Naik, Businessman, Activist, Mumbra, Tnane
22. Qutuib Jahan, NEEDA, Mumbai
23. (Dr) Ram Puniyani , IMSD, Author, Activist, Mumbai
24. Rashida Tapadar, Academic, Activist, Nagaland
25. Riyaz Shaikh, Mumbai
26. Sabah Khan, IMSD, Parcham, Mumbai
27. Saleem Saboowala, Activist, Mumbai
28. Shabana Mashraki, IMSD, Consultant, Mumbai
29. Shabnam Hashmi, ANHAD
30. Shama Zaidi, Documentary Film Maker, Mumbai
31. Sheeba Aslam, Fehmi, IMSD, TV Commntator, Delhi
32. Sultan Shahin, Editor-in chief and publisher, New Age Islam, Delhi
33. Teesta Setalvad, IMSD, CJP, Mumbai
34. Zakia Soman, BMMA, Delhi
35. (Dr) Zeenat Shaukatali, IMSD, Wisdom Foundation, Mumbai
36. Zulekha Jabeen, IMSD, Activist, Delhi
The post IMSD condemns caste-based discrimination by a Kerala mosque appeared first on SabrangIndia.
]]>The post Casteism in the Kerala Muslim Community, DPJC strongly objects appeared first on SabrangIndia.
]]>The DPCJP has condemned this act of caste discrimination.
> A letter was sent by the secretary of masjid committee to restrict a Dalit Muslim to attend public meeting held by “Puthoorpally Muslim Jamaath” mosque in Changanassery, Kerala.
DPCJP condemn this act of caste discrimination.@CMOKerala @SPCKerala @AIPMMReg @KhalidAAnsari4 pic.twitter.com/wC99AsP2Ti
— Dalit Pasmanda Collective Justice Project (DPCJP) (@dpcjp_) July 8, 2023
The letter, original in Malayalam is translated to state, “Traditionally, your ancestors were prohibited from attending this general meeting. Therefore, your participation in the meeting is canceled, and you should not attend this meeting in the future.”
The DPJC has demanded that the “Kerala government and police should take strong action against these hate-mongers who hold casteist/racist beliefs. Otherwise, we will take action against them in our own manner.” The tweet has tagged @CMOKerala @SPC_Kerala @TheKeralaPolice @VinayRatanSingh @BhimArmyChief
Casteism in the Kerala Muslim Community
This is a letter sent by the secretary of a Masjid committee expressing opposition to the participation of a Dalit Muslim in their public meeting held by the “Puthoorpally Muslim Jama-ath” mosque in Changanassery, Kerala.
The letter… pic.twitter.com/QYHSO2Fixj
— Mansoor Kochukadavu (@MansoorBhimArmy) July 6, 2023
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]]>The post Devotees of Sarkara Devi temple want ‘RSS men’ to leave temple alone, they’re ‘causing agony, fighting with sticks’: Kerala appeared first on SabrangIndia.
]]>To ensure this, devotees have approached the high court: a writ petition filed in the high court alleges that some men who claim to be members of the RSS have been illegally encroaching on temple premises, conducting mass drills and training members on how to fight with weapons on temple grounds every evening between 5 pm and 12 am.
The petition actually goes on to say that their activities disturb the peace of the temple and scare off devotees and visitors. It also said that the “unpleasant smell” and repeated use of “tobacco products like ‘Hans’ and ‘pan masala’ within the temple premises” affects the “cleanliness, purity, and divinity” of the place of worship.
According to the petition filed, RSS men — saying they are RSS members — have been causing “mental stress, agony and loss of calm atmosphere required to be maintained during meditation and offering prayers” at the temple.
“We haven’t received any official notice on this, and so we haven’t filed an affidavit either,” said RSS state secretary P.N. Easwar. Adding, “We’ve looked into the matter, but can’t comment further at this stage.”
“We have no problem with them using the temple grounds,” said 68-year-old G. Vyasan, one of the two petitioners, referring to the alleged RSS members.
“But the way they use it is disrespectful.”
Vyasan visits the temple every day and recounted that he first used to see the drills daily. Those conducting the mass drills use sticks and have, what he describes as, ‘mock fights’ on some days. But besides that, he said, they loiter on the temple premises and generally cause a disturbance after drinking alcohol and consuming tobacco. These “drills” conducted on land right behind the temple, which has been cordoned off with chains and a makeshift barrier of rocks, have stopped since the writ petition was filed on June 20.
A former secretary of the temple, Ajay Kumar, told ThePrint that the men conducting the drills had built the barrier themselves. They wouldn’t allow any other devotees or visitors to use the space and would gather around 5 pm and spend the rest of the evening there, drinking into the night, he alleged.
The correspondent for ThePrint saw empty bottles of liquor, torn packets of tobacco, and what looked like firecracker shells on the temple premises.
“Those men come and shout ‘Jai Shri Ram’ all the time. I don’t understand why, this is a Devi temple!” said one devotee, underlining that the Sarkara Devi temple’s deity is Bhadrakali.
Related:
Plea in Kerala HC alleging illegal encroachment in temple by RSS
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]]>The post Videos of hundreds of women donning an orange dupatta and marching with sticks, swords in a military-style parade surface appeared first on SabrangIndia.
]]>As has been alleged, this women-led procession was led by the far-right Hindutva group Durga Vahini, the women’s wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), who had organised a military-style parade where women participants marched with batons and swords on the streets. No reports of any action taken by the police have been made available yet.
The video can be viewed here:
It is crucial to note, that in May of 2022, exactly last year, a similar incident had took place in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram where around 200 persons had been booked by the police in connection with a rally organised by the Durga Vahini during which swords were allegedly brandished by girls. The procession had undertaken on 22 May in Thiruvananthapuram’s Neyyattinkara. Similar to the present procession, in the procession last year too, girls in the front could be seen carrying swords, which were then followed by several girls carrying long sticks. The complaint in the said case had been registered by the Popular Front of India (PFI), who had stated that the brandishing of swords sent a wrong message and invoked enmity between different communities.
Related:
RSS seeks to disown Suresh Chavhanke, T Raja, says hate speeches don’t reflect RSS ideology
Defiant of the SC, Suresh Chavhanke, Raja Singh & Hindutva outfits escalate hate to dangerous levels
Now ‘Hindu Rashtra’ enters temples in Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka
Hindu “monks” give calls for Hindu Rashtra at an Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha event: New Delhi
Saffron Bigotry threatens Muslim existence in India
The post Videos of hundreds of women donning an orange dupatta and marching with sticks, swords in a military-style parade surface appeared first on SabrangIndia.
]]>The post The Kerala Story: a movie with preposterous claims peppered with Islamophobia appeared first on SabrangIndia.
]]>This claim had baffled many. People started demanding that the makers of the movie give proof of such claims. The fact checking website, AltNews delved deep into these claims and found that the Director, Sen, had based it on an absurd mathematical calculation. According to the AltNews report, Sen, in an interview on YouTube channel ‘The Festival of Bharat’ had said, “In 2010, former Kerala CM Oommen Chandy made a statement before the Kerala assembly. Before my camera, he denied that anything had happened. But in 2010, I documented a case where he (Chandy) said that every year approximately 2,800 to 3,200 girls were taking up Islam. Just calculate it for the following 10 years, and the number is around 32,000.”
Even in this statement that Sen has recently made, where he states that so many girls “were converted to Islam,” there is no record or proof of the corollary: that they were converted and then recruited for the ISIS! Clearly, such a brazen discrepancy in his claims, through his film and then on camera makes it evident that his statements have no basis.
The AltNews report had also found that India Today had reported in 2012 that Oomen Chandy informed the state legislature that 2,667 young women converted to Islam in the state since 2006” (that is, from 2006 to 2012). Again, these are numbers included those women who had converted and did not reflect any data pf those “who joined ISIS after conversion.”
The teaser that was released in November 2022 appeared as if it was a real woman (actual real-life woman) speaking of her experience on camera. Many shared it on social media portraying it as an account of a real person and some news houses like the India Today, had to issue a fact check saying that it is only a movie preview and not a true story.
However, this week after the trailer has been released, again the teaser starts with the claim that the movie “is inspired by many true stories”. People opposing the propaganda of the film have repeatedly sought the evidence behind such claims.
John Brittas, CPI-M member of Rajya Sabha, had written to Union home minister Amit Shah in November 2022 seeking stringent action against the makers of the film and had said that while the film claims that 32,000 women were converted and sent to ISIS, the Union home ministry puts the number at 155 all over the country.
It is believed that the film is based on lives of four couples who had left for Afghanistan in 2016 to live under Islamic law (by the claims of the film). The Print, in a visual representation showed, who they were and where they came from in Kerala.
Source: The Print
It appears the lead protagonist is inspired from the real life of Nimisha from Trivandrum, since she allegedly converted to Islam and her husband, a Christian had converted to Islam. The Print report also states that between 2016 and 2018 only 21 people had thus “fled” to Afghanistan.
A StratNews Global report stated that 60 Indians including 26 males, 13 women and 21 children “fled to Afghanistan between May 2016 and November 2018.” The news portal had conducted an interview with the women who had been widowed and one of the women, Sonia Sebastian, is seen in the video saying that they moved to live under Islamic law (Sharia), the Caliphate and not to join ISIS. She also said she wished to return to India and stay with her husband’s family.
There is also an interview with Nimisha (alias Fatima) where she said she was happy in Khosaran under Islamic law.
A former security official involved in capturing and investigating foreign fighters under Afghanistan’s previous government told The Daily Beast that “a total of 26 Indians were captured and held in Kabul prisons at the time of the fall of the Afghan government [last year].” Of these, only five were women, he said under the condition of anonymity.
As per a United States Country Report on Terrorism (2020) “there were 66 known Indian-origin fighters affiliated with ISIS.” It further states, “Through the end of September (2020), the NIA had investigated 34 terrorism cases it indicated were related to ISIS and arrested 160 persons”.
All these reports, serve as evidence that the claims being made in the yet to be released movie are indeed false and fall flat. While there is enough evidence to disprove these claims, the makers of the film haven’t come up with even one credible source for the preposterous claims being made in the film.
The director Sudipto Sen is known for his closeness to the regime. He was in news recently as the only Indian on the IFFI 2022 jury and the only jury-member to dispute jury president Nadav Lapid’s public censure of ‘The Kashmir Files’. At the closing ceremony of the film festival held in Goa, Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid had described director Vivek Agnihotri’s, The Kashmir Files as a “a propaganda, vulgar movie”. Mr Sen’s denial seen as suspect in December, makes sense now that his own film seems destined to go the Kashmir Files way.
Related:
Christians of varied denominations demand rights, dignity, protest at Azad Maidan: Maharashtra
BJP govt in Karnataka drops 182 cases of hate crimes in 4 years: Report
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]]>The post Islamic Groups in Kerala Accused of Homophobia appeared first on SabrangIndia.
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Several Muslim religious and political outfits in Kerala have been making hateful comments against the LGBTQIA+ community. Members of the community therefore face the double jeopardy of both homophobia and Islamophobia within their own communities. Ironically, in India today, Muslim outfits are not the only groups making transphobic or homophobic comments. In December 2022, BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi told the Rajya Sabha that same-sex marriages are “against our culture and ethos”. “Same-sex marriages will cause complete havoc with the delicate balance of personal laws in the country,” he said and added that marriage is sacred in India and restricted to a “relationship between a biological man and woman.”
But coming to Kerala, otherwise hailed as India’s progressive state, here are some of the most distasteful comments: “Those who believe that a trans man delivered a baby live in a fool’s paradise;” “Presence of uterus makes a person a woman;” “LGBTQIA+ community is a shame and are the worst kind of people;” “Transgender is a fake mental state!”
The NewsMinute had recently reported that these are among just a few of the several such transphobic and queerphobic comments made by Muslim outfits in Kerala, including the political party Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). The most recent comments were made by IUML leaders about a trans man in Kerala who gave birth to a child.
On February 13, IUML leader MK Muneer said that those who believe that a trans man gave birth to a child were “living in a fool’s paradise” and that the gender identity of the trans man was “hollow”. “The person who gave birth to a baby was actually a woman, although she had removed her breasts to look like a man. The presence of a womb in the person who gave birth to the baby proves that it was actually a woman,” was his exact statement.
Barely a week had passed after Muneer’s transphobic comment, that the IUML state secretary PMA Salam said that being transgender is a “fake mentality”. He was speaking at an IUML district conference in Kozhikode. Here, he commented, “A woman recently claimed that she is a man and gave birth to a child.” Though Salam did not mention the couple’s names, he said that the incident happened in Kerala. He also said that this was just a ‘mentality’ and misgendered the trans man and his trans woman partner throughout.
“The woman removed some of her body parts through surgery, which is unnecessary. She claimed that she was a man and married a man who is pretending to be a woman. The woman also said that she was a man and gave birth to a child. We should remember that even if the body is altered surgically, what is inside will not change,” he claimed and added that Islam does not recognise the existence of any gender other than male and female. He also claimed that Islam does not accept marriages that do not happen between “natural man and natural woman” and added that there is no mention of ‘third gender’ in the Quran.
Significantly, the past months have seen a spiral in such hate speech by members of Islamic groups. This has made Muslim queer persons in the state especially insecure. In January 2023, IUML leader KM Shaji called the LGBTQIA+ community a “shame” and the “worst kind of people”. A Mathrubhumi report quoted him as saying that while the word LGBTQ sounds like “something important, those are bad activities (thallippoli pani). They are the worst humans. They are projecting it as colourful, but the term itself is dangerous, it creates anarchy in society. Deciding one’s gender after growing up is just silly.”
This was preceded by an objectionable statement made in December 2022, by senior Muslim League leader Abdurahiman Randathani. His disparaging comment on gender-neutral classrooms and sex education in schools have drawn flak. He made the outrageous claim that male and female students were made to sit together in school and were being taught about masturbation and homosexuality.
Go further back to July 2022, when a class was held for the students of Thrissur Medical College Hospital by a Muslim group about gender politics and the LGBTQIA+ community. Sounding like a progressive orientation, the session was actually conducted by those organizations and outfits well known for their homophobic, transphobic and queerphobic stances. While the session was on, the organisers actually used the archaic segregation model—a sheet to separate men and women who attended the class.
That this is part of a dangerous trend is evident from the fact that a month before that, in June 2022, the Jamaat-e-Islami conducted an online seminar at which a neuro physiotherapist compared homosexuality to paedophilia, and also declared that transgender persons are mentally ill!
Kerala’s campaign against LGBTQIA+ rights
The NewsMinute investigation suggests that in Kerala Youtube channels, Facebook pages, and other social media handles seem to be running what looks like an organised campaign against queer communities and individuals. The popular Youtube page ‘Unmasking Atheism’ is one of the Islamic platforms that speak about Muslim morality on LGBTQIA+ identities, and argues against LGBTQIA+ activism.
“We are not against people who are going through these difficulties. This is a reality. We have no objections that their troubles should be solved. But we are against generalising this in a society, by breaking heteronormativity and bringing queer normativity. We are against queer activism. This will only trouble those who belong to this group. These issues should be considered subjectively, that is each individual has to be considered separately rather than generalising. Some might need support from society while some others might be getting ‘fake thoughts’. If we normalise these things, this will have big implications. The number of such dysphoric people will increase,” says Abdulla Basil, one of the main persons behind the Unmasking Atheism, who is also a dentist and an educationalist.
“Everyone has the right to subscribe to their own morality. I subscribe to Islamic morality, so then homosexuality is haram (forbidden by Islamic law). I cannot support homosexual acts. We should have that freedom to take that moral stand, and should not term it as phobia. Our stand is that nobody is wrong due to their orientation or their thoughts, it is only the acts that make them wrong,” Basil says.
Yet one more popular Islamic channel is run by MM Akbar, an Islamic preacher, in his own name. “We understand that homosexuality gets approved in the world as well as by the legal system. But it’s a baseless argument. That is not natural. The basis of sex is reproduction. It’s not hereditary. This LGBTQIA+ activism is politics. Politics is played by calling them a gender minority. We, who believe in morality, cannot accept it. Some who go through these situations need individual treatment,” MM Akbar says in one of his speeches.
December 2022: BJP’s Homophobia
Pertinently, the rightwing Hindu-tva outfits are similarly disparaging, making transphobic or homophobic comments. In December 2022, elected official of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sushil Kumar Modi told the upper house of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) that same-sex marriages were “against our culture and ethos”. “Same-sex marriages will cause complete havoc with the delicate balance of personal laws in the country,” he said and added that marriage was considered sacred in India and is only meant as a “relationship between a biological man and woman.”
“Two judges cannot sit and take a decision on such social issues. There should rather be a debate in Parliament and society,” the former Bihar deputy chief minister said, adding that attempts were being made by ‘left-liberal democratic people and activists’ to legalise same-sex marriages in the country. He also said that this was “against our culture and ethos,” encouraging the Union government to strongly present its case in court. “Same-sex marriages will cause complete havoc with the delicate balance of personal laws in the country,” he said. Sushil also said that issues such as family, children, and their upbringing were related to the institution of marriage, as were those of adoption, domestic violence, divorce, and a wife’s right to stay in the marital home. Sushil added, “Some left-liberal, democratic people and activists want India to follow the West” on this issue, referring to the US Senate’s decision last week to grant legal status to same-sex marriages.
Student battles on
In the midst of this conservative backlash from India’s largest religious minority in Kerala, there are students battling ahead. Adarsh E, a queer student from Kerala’s Kozhikode is one such rebel who has taken on alleged institutional harassment on his college campus.
Aadhi, as he is popularly called, is raising his voice against the homophobic, moralising and casteist remarks made by his teachers. The student, pursuing his Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) studies at Government College of Teacher Education, Kozhikode, is also a budding poet and writer.
Related:
Madras HC commends TN gov’t for new Police rules, glossary for referring to LGBTQIA+ persons
Delhi HC Approached for Separate Public Job Vacancies for Transgender Persons
Madras HC issues guidelines for sensitisation of stakeholders in LGBTQIA+ matters
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