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Showing posts with label Maharashtra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maharashtra. Show all posts
December 14, 2023
August 03, 2023
India - Maharashtra: Sakal Hindi Samaj Allows Hate Speech
Sabrang India
" Right wing meetings and calls for attack against minorities have been an unfortunate norm rather than an exception, especially after the infamous Dharma Sansad in December 2021. Such meetings thrive as they appear to enjoy impunity from state and law and order authorities. Organisations affiliated to the right-wing ecosystem, often new and different outfits, but often linked to the VHP-Bajrang-Dal and even the RSS are behind this. The legal impunity accorded to the speakers have emboldened the right-wing groups to continue with hate-mongering ceaselessly.
As per a report in the Wire,
such meetings often lead the frenzied mob to take the law into their
hands and set on vendetta and arson often culminating in grave communal
tensions. The inaction of the police to bring the culprits and the
failure to act preemptively compounds the problems, as the tacit
political support in the run-up to 2024 election makes the hate industry
more widespread." [ . . . ]
https://sabrangindia.in/maharashtra-sakal-hindi-samaj-allows-hate-speech-to-go-unchecked/
July 04, 2023
India: Lynchings are the 'new' in the new Maharashtra of Devendra Fadnavis-Eknath Shinde government
A new Maharashtra of gau rakshaks
While those transporting cattle has been attacked before, lynchings are new
X
X
Barely
two days after the second lynching, the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker
issued a directive to the police to ensure that ‘gau rakshaks’ were not
booked on ‘false charges’, and to file FIRs against those threatening or
attacking them.
Exactly a year after the Devendra Fadnavis-Eknath Shinde government took over, the state witnessed two lynchings by so-called gau-rakshaks. Even Mumbai was singed. Though the lynchings took place far from the country’s financial capital, two of the victims belonged to Mumbai.
Incidentally, the two victims and the survivor are Pasmandas, the very category the PM spoke so feelingly about in Bhopal as he launched his 2024 campaign. In April, another Pasmanda was forced to bow before a cow and beg forgiveness for his “sin’’ of transporting cattle. Yet, no BJP “outreach’’ is as yet visible towards the victims.
Even under the Congress-NCP governments, Hindutva groups have been accused of assaulting and extorting money from Muslims transporting cattle for Bakri Eid. But lynching is new. Interestingly, when lynchings were making news in other BJP-ruled states between 2016-18, Maharashtra remained untouched.
May 23, 2023
India: Communal polarisation in Trimbak city in Nashik District of Maharashtra | Irfan Engineer
Communal polarisation in Trimbak city over Shri Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga Temple is harmful to the social fabric
By Irfan Engineer
The city of Trimbak, which is also taluka or block headquarters, has recently courted media manufactured and politically patronised controversy where there was none. Media is gaining TRPs, a certain political party is gaining advantage from political polarization at the cost of Muslim community. The community is once again being demonized, and there is a threat of arrest of some Muslim youth for no plausible offence committed by them. They merely followed an age-old tradition on 13th May 2023 of fanning dhoop (fumes from an incense in a container) in the direction of the Shri Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga Temple from its northern gate temple and carrying chadar cloth sheets (a cloth sheet that is normally offered at sufi dargahs to the pir burried) on their heads on the day of annual urs (death anniversary of a sufi saint). The Shri Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga Temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples in the country. There is a notice on the gate that non-Hindus are not allowed inside the temple.
A section of Media proclaimed that Muslim youth residents of the town tried to enter the temple. The youth are seen in the videos, repeatedly played by the electronic media, near the northern gate of the temple with the chadar on their heads and later returning. That act was declared by the media as an attempt to forcibly enter the temple and desecrate it. Hyperactive section of the media also extracted a statement from one of the priest of the temple demanding that the motives of the Muslim youth on “attempting to enter” (not forcibly enter) the temple should be investigated.
Trimbak, is about 28 km from Nashik. Nashik city is the district headquarters, and it is itself a temple town and one of the 4 cities which holds Kumbha Mela once every 12 years. The origin of the sacred Godavari River is near Trimbak. Shrimant Sardar Raosaheb Parnerkar, Fadnavis of Indore State, built the Kusavarta kunda (sacred pond) in the temple premises, which is the source of the Godavari River, the second longest river in peninsular India. The current temple was built by Peshwa Nanasaheb. The temple is located between three hills namely Brahmagiri, Nilagiri and Kalagiri, and has three lingas (an iconic form of Shiva) representing Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. The entire black stone temple is known for its appealing architecture and sculpture. Trimbak city also has a dargah of Hazrat Pir Sayyad Gulab Shahwali Baba just behind the temple in the premises of Sayyad family – a couple of hundred metres from the northern gate of the Trimbakeshwar temple. The dargah and temple have co-existed for centuries – neither the Mughals nor the Peshwas disturbed these structures.
The total population of the city is 12,056 according to 2011 census, out of which there are 405 Muslims (3.36%). The STs constitute 2,158 and SCs are 713. The city survives on the pilgrims who come to worship from all over the country, including South India. There are shops selling worship accessories like the flowers and other offerings to the deity, and other local goods. Then there are guest houses and muths to cater to all classes of pilgrims. The secret of peaceful co-existence of the Hindus and the Muslims residents of the city for ages must be the syncretic religious traditions that they have evolved together and participation in each other’s religious rituals and festivals. Dinesh Patil, one of the flower vendors for the puja, near the northern gate of the temple confirmed to us that there was an age-old tradition of offering dhoop on the day of the annual urs from the first step of the temple. Another flower vendor, who has his shop just adjacent to the northern gate of the Temple, and did not want to be named, told us that he was present on 13th May, on the day of the urs, when the local Muslim processionists offered the dhoop towards the temple. According to him, they were neither attempting nor forcing themselves to enter inside the temple. The local residents are well aware that their entry is prohibited. We do not think that a Hindu flower vendor whose livelihood depends on the deity and the pilgrims had any reason to make false statements. Armaan Sayyad a young resident of Trimbak was one of the processionists of the urs and who resides in the bungalow on whose premises the Dargah is situated. He told us that they merely followed the traditions that they have been following for number of years and had no intention of entering the temple. His uncle, who was ill was among the persons who are likely to be arrested. It is not clear under what charge they would be arrested.
It is also not clear as to how offering of dhoop became controversial. There are many priests who help the pilgrims with their worship rituals at the temple for a fee. The website lists authorised priests to do various types of pujas. One of the priests questions the motives behind the Muslim youth “attempting to enter” the temple and that too, according to him, during evening as the pujas were being wrapped up for the day. The entire street near the northern gate of the temple is too crowded with the pilgrims busy buying their worship accessories and shopping other goods, smearing their foreheads with beautiful looking symbols for the puja. Our sedan was literally crawling towards the gate within the crowded street. Should the Muslims have taken out their urs procession in a crowded street? One of the trustees of the Temple is seen in videos played over the media denying that there was any tradition of offering dhoop towards the entrance of the temple during the annual urs of the pir. The police inspector of Trimbak told us that he could not say anything about the urs tradition as he was posted to the police station only two months ago. When asked what was the opinion of the locals, he told us that some said there was a tradition of offering dhoop during urs while others denied such a tradition existed.
Dinesh Patil opined that if the entire controversy is left to the locals, they would solve it in no time as there was no ill-feeling among them on the basis of religion. The entire controversy, according to him was created by outsiders and politicians. One of the locals, who did not want to be named, told us that one local leader by the name Shukla, who had access to the Dy. CM and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis had mis-briefed him. The media with access to the CCTV footage also started flashing the allegations of Muslims “forcing their entry into the temple with the chadar on their head.” It made a good TRP sense for the media as it was a hot controversial issue targeting the community which had been much weakened and whose voice has been marginalized int the media. The controversy suited the BJP’s politics, which is facing an adverse outcome of the Supreme Court judgment that illegitimated their government and the Governor’s decision to ask the then CM Uddhav Tackeray to prove his majority in the Assembly. This hot TRP winning controversy would marginalise the space to the Supreme Court judgment in the media. The demonization of Muslims and polarisation along communal lines also very well suits the BJP’s politics and the game plan to win next elections – be it of municipal corporations in the state or the impending Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
The Dy. CM promptly constituted a Special Investigation Team of high-ranking police officials, as if the offering of dhoop or, even if a few Muslim youth were trying to enter the temple, was such a grave and serious offence which warranted an entire team to work on investigation of “the offence”. Even if true, and in the unlikely event of the “offence” tried in a court and the charge of “attempt to enter” the temple is proved, the offence amounts to criminal trespass for which, a court normally awards a sentence of fine. SITs are constituted to investigate a grave and serious offence that requires unearthing of a crime and investigation and arrest of a large number of people involved in the crime that may of complex nature, and gathering of technical evidence that stands in a court of law. The nature of alleged offence in this case may not require more than CCTV footage and statements of witnesses, something that every police station routinely handles. The promptness with which the SIT was announced without the courts directing it, or police demanding it, or even the aggrieved complainant demanding it, points to the non-application of mind and political objectives behind such an appointment.
The image that this Govt. wants to build up is that they are very prompt in protecting the Hindus from the communally aggressive Muslims. Much graver offences have been committed in Maharashtra, including the ones when more than 50 processions taken out in all the districts of Maharashtra by the “Sakal Hindu Samaj”, importing speakers from neighbouring Telangana and other places known for making communally inflammatory hate speeches targeting the Muslim community for non-existing alleged “love-jihad” and “land jihad” and calling for the social and economic boycott of the community”. Calling for boycott of any person or class of persons is an offence according to the Maharashtra Prohibition of People from Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2016, a legislation passed by the BJP government when Fadnavis was the CM. The Govt. is dragging its feet on taking action against those committing the offences, even though the Supreme Court has ordered to register cases for hate speeches made and take appropriate legal action. There are many grave law and order challenges, including cybercrimes in which citizens, including Hindus are losing lakhs of rupees, hundreds of missing women, sexual offences against women, domestic violence, cases of atrocities against the Dalits and Adivasis, etc. These crimes are tearing the social fabric of the state.
A section of those calling themselves saints belonging to Akharas outside Trimbak city are also exploiting the issue to claim the land belonging to the dargah. Out of the blue and without giving an iota of evidence, they are claiming that the dargah was built on an existing temple, and therefore it should be handed over to the Hindus.
The BJP-Shiv Sena (led by Eknath Shinde) Govt. which has come to power after engineering a split in the Shiv Sena in its political desperation is harming the social fabric of the state and hurting the minorities – creating conflicts where there is none. The conflict should be best left to the local residents of the Trimbak city. The FIR must be withdrawn in the interest of peace. The local Muslims of Trimbak city must revisit the age-old tradition of offering dhoop while taking out urs of Hazrat pir Gulab Shahwali Baba towards the Shri Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga Temple if substantial number of Hindus do not appreciate the well-intentioned gesture. Social peace is the objective of the age-old tradition of offering dhoop, however, if that disturbs harmony of the city, it should be re-visited. A section of media and politically motivated leaders has been spreading ill-will against the Muslims of the city, which is an offence under S. 153-A of the Indian Penal Code. Police should file cases against all such persons suo-moto in the interest of maintenance of peace in the city and in the interest of rule of the law. The Muslims of the city have shown remarkable restraint and haven’t reacted to any provocative act.
April 07, 2023
Spike in anti-Muslim rallies since BJP retook India’s Maharashtra | MN Parth (aljazeera -
The recent Ram Navami festival was the latest concerted attempt to ignite religious tensions in India’s richest state.
Published On 7 Apr 2023
March 22, 2023
India: BJP cannot distance itself from hate speech at Jan Aakrosh Morcha rallies in Maharashtra | Edit, Indian Express
BJP cannot distance itself from hate speech at Hindu Jan Aakrosh Morcha rallies in Maharashtra on its watch
Ever since the realignment of political forces following the rebellion in Shiv Sena ranks in June last year, Hindutva agendas have become more strident in the state
March 20, 2023
India - Maharashtra: The opposition seems quient over Hindu Jan Aakrosh Morcha rallies going on over the past months
4 months, 50 rallies, one theme: ‘Love jihad’, ‘land jihad’ and economic boycott
Opposition parties in Maharashtra have largely chosen to keep quiet on the Hindu Jan Aakrosh Morcha rallies.
June 30, 2022
September 08, 2020
India - Bhima Koregaon Violence: Who Are Sambhaji Bhide & Milind Ekbote? | Maanvi, The Quint - 8 Jun 2018
Bhima Koregaon Violence: Who Are Sambhaji Bhide & Milind Ekbote?
Who are the men at the centre of the violence against Dalits in Maharashtra & the ensuing chaos? Here’s a quick look
Updated: 08 Jun 2018[ . . . ]
A physicist by training, Bhide completed his MSc in nuclear physics and was a professor of physics at Pune's Fergusson College. Later, he joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as a pracharak and founded an organisation called "Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan." Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan focuses on spreading the teachings and information on the life of Shivaji Maharaj and his son Sambhaji Maharaj. Despite his age, Bhide has a significant following among the young in areas like Sangli, Kolhapur and Satara and has an impressive social media following on Facebook.
[ . . . ] .
November 20, 2019
India: Congress & Sainiks - Editorial, The Indian Express, November 19, 2019
The Indian Express, November 19, 2019
Congress & Sainiks
By propping up Sena, Congress plays fast and loose with the mandate — and its projection of itself as secular and inclusive
Editorial
As the Congress moves towards sealing an alliance with the Shiv Sena, talks to it about a possible power-sharing arrangement in Maharashtra, along with Sharad Pawar’s NCP, it is a significant moment in its career which sends out consequential signals. Regardless of its own several compromises with the principle and practice of secularism, notwithstanding its many flirtations even with the Sena in different forms and levels in the past, an alliance with the Sena to rule Maharashtra now would be the Congress’s first major coalition with an openly saffron force. And the Sena is not just another party. Down the years, its politics has constructed the “Other” in belligerent ways, always picking on the vulnerable, the migrant now and then the minority. It has stood for a brand of politics that combines chauvinism, bigotry and intolerance with vigilantism and violence. By thinking of allying with the Sena, the Congress signals a willingness to be counted in the same frame with a political force it has, as a self-professedly inclusive party, defined itself in opposition to — after an electoral verdict, moreover, which relegated it to fourth place, and one, therefore, that scarcely gives it a mandate to rule.
Of course, the Congress might rationalise this moment by pointing to those same depleting numbers, and the realpolitik compulsion to keep the BJP out of power in a state that is home to the financial capital of the country. A government in Maharashtra in which the Congress participates with the Sena would not only twist the knife deeper between the Sena and BJP, but arguably also make an important dent in the BJP’s winning streak. At the same time, it would hold out the promise of spoils of power for its own demoralised workers. Yet, the Congress needs to weigh the costs of cosying with an outfit that has treaded a thin, grey edge in a polity governed by an inclusive constitution and the rule of law ever since it made attacks on South Indians and Communist cadres its calling card in the 1960s and ’70s. Since then, it has been cited and indicted for its instigation of, and involvement in, communal violence by impartial probes, most notably in the conflagration that consumed hundreds of lives in December 1992-January 1993, its role in which was recorded by the Srikrishna Commission report. The Shiv Sena owned up to its role in the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992. It has been known to dig up the cricket pitch to prevent the Pakistani team from playing in Mumbai. It has aggressively and brutishly targeted the media when it has been criticised, and shown no compunction in violently turning on its own, in case of disagreement or dissent.
It is no secret that the Congress is beset with a grave crisis in a BJP-dominated polity, in which it is called upon to redefine what it stands for. At a time like this, an alliance with the Shiv Sena, no matter what the common minimum programme may be, raises serious questions for political stability and governance in Maharashtra. It will also resonate beyond in other states where elections are due.
Congress & Sainiks
By propping up Sena, Congress plays fast and loose with the mandate — and its projection of itself as secular and inclusive
Editorial
As the Congress moves towards sealing an alliance with the Shiv Sena, talks to it about a possible power-sharing arrangement in Maharashtra, along with Sharad Pawar’s NCP, it is a significant moment in its career which sends out consequential signals. Regardless of its own several compromises with the principle and practice of secularism, notwithstanding its many flirtations even with the Sena in different forms and levels in the past, an alliance with the Sena to rule Maharashtra now would be the Congress’s first major coalition with an openly saffron force. And the Sena is not just another party. Down the years, its politics has constructed the “Other” in belligerent ways, always picking on the vulnerable, the migrant now and then the minority. It has stood for a brand of politics that combines chauvinism, bigotry and intolerance with vigilantism and violence. By thinking of allying with the Sena, the Congress signals a willingness to be counted in the same frame with a political force it has, as a self-professedly inclusive party, defined itself in opposition to — after an electoral verdict, moreover, which relegated it to fourth place, and one, therefore, that scarcely gives it a mandate to rule.
Of course, the Congress might rationalise this moment by pointing to those same depleting numbers, and the realpolitik compulsion to keep the BJP out of power in a state that is home to the financial capital of the country. A government in Maharashtra in which the Congress participates with the Sena would not only twist the knife deeper between the Sena and BJP, but arguably also make an important dent in the BJP’s winning streak. At the same time, it would hold out the promise of spoils of power for its own demoralised workers. Yet, the Congress needs to weigh the costs of cosying with an outfit that has treaded a thin, grey edge in a polity governed by an inclusive constitution and the rule of law ever since it made attacks on South Indians and Communist cadres its calling card in the 1960s and ’70s. Since then, it has been cited and indicted for its instigation of, and involvement in, communal violence by impartial probes, most notably in the conflagration that consumed hundreds of lives in December 1992-January 1993, its role in which was recorded by the Srikrishna Commission report. The Shiv Sena owned up to its role in the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992. It has been known to dig up the cricket pitch to prevent the Pakistani team from playing in Mumbai. It has aggressively and brutishly targeted the media when it has been criticised, and shown no compunction in violently turning on its own, in case of disagreement or dissent.
It is no secret that the Congress is beset with a grave crisis in a BJP-dominated polity, in which it is called upon to redefine what it stands for. At a time like this, an alliance with the Shiv Sena, no matter what the common minimum programme may be, raises serious questions for political stability and governance in Maharashtra. It will also resonate beyond in other states where elections are due.
November 16, 2019
India - Maharashtra: Sena-NCP-Congress gets vote of secularists | Jyoti Punwani (15th November 2019)
The New Indian Express
Sena-NCP-Congress gets vote of secularists
Even as Sonia worries about a dent in Cong’s secular image, politically active Muslims in Maharashtra hope her party allies with Sena
Published: 15th November 2019 04:00 AM | Last Updated: 15th November 2019 08:30 AM | A+A A-
By Jyoti Punwani
So ideology isn’t the BJP’s monopoly, it seems. The last few days have placed that impossible-to-define ideology, secularism, at the centre of the political crisis in Maharashtra. The ironies arising from this are many.
Secularism is the one idea the BJP has tried its best to demolish right from the late 80s. But L K Advani’s contribution notwithstanding, the current BJP-run Central government has been far more determined to render obsolete this defining feature of our country than the government headed by Advani-Vajpayee.
Also ironic is the arena where this battle of ideologies is being played out. Maharashtra holds special significance for the BJP, not just for the number of Lok Sabha and Assembly seats it has, but also because it’s known as the land of Shivaji Maharaj and “Phule-Shahu-Ambedkar”. (Shahu Maharaj, ruler of Kolhapur from 1894-1922, introduced 50% reservation in government jobs for backward class candidates.)
Maharashtra was also the home of 19th century reformers Ranade-Agarkar-Gokhale-Pandita Ramabai, and later of Gandhian socialists, ranging from Yusuf Meherally, S M Joshi and Madhu Limaye, to Mrinal Gore and George Fernandes (before he switched loyalties). The slain rationalist Narendra Dabholkar was part of this tradition. Then there were the legendary communists: founder of the CPI S A Dange, and the CPM’s Godavari Parulekar and Ahilya Rangnekar.
It is this tradition that never lets the RSS get power, though the organisation was founded in Nagpur, with its top leaders hailing from the state, from founder Hedgewar to Golwalkar to Savarkar to Mohan Bhagwat. I haven’t forgotten the elation of a senior RSS/BJP functionary as he spoke of a near-certain BJP sweep, for the first time in the 2014 Assembly polls. More than the prospect of power, what he relished was the defeat of Maharashtra’s much-vaunted progressive tradition.
The third irony is the party that has prevented government formation in the state. The BJP has had little problem with the Lohiaite Nitish Kumar, whose political career started in the JP movement. It is the Congress, the party that’s increasingly being defined as hollowed out id-eologically, that has made ideology the pivot of its hesitation to tie-up with the BJP’s oldest ally—and the only one to openly share its Hindutva ideology.
But here’s perhaps the biggest irony. Even as Sonia Gandhi worries about the dent in her party’s “secular” image if she supports a party founded by Bal Thackeray, in Maharashtra, especially in Mumbai that saw the worst riots after the demolition of the Babri Masjid, politically active Muslims and secularists are rooting for a Sena-NCP-Congress alliance.
And it’s not only to keep the BJP out. The Muslim-Shiv Sena relationship started changing after the party came to power in 1995. Many factors are responsible, all of them ironically linked with the Congress. Muslims found the Sena a change from the Congress in many unexpected ways. The party’s corporators and MLAs were both accessible and willing to work for them, even though they knew Muslims hadn’t voted for them. The community got long-pending demands, ignored by the Congress, resolved during the five years that Thackeray held the remote control of the state. This period saw only one minor communal riot, which was swiftly controlled. In power for the first time, and soon after the 92-93 riots, the Sena was keen to break its rioter image.
The current Sena president has been a major factor in this change. Muslims who know Uddhav Thackeray claim he is not anti-Muslim, and dismiss his sporadic inflammatory remarks as appeasement of the Sena’s old constituency.
But even Uddhav’s “mild” persona wouldn’t have been enough had the Congress-NCP not alienated Muslims in their 15-year reign. The euphoria among Muslims when the Sena-BJP government was defeated in 1999 vanished by 2014. The ruling Congress-NCP combine’s dogged refusal to punish the guilty of the 92-93 riots, specially policemen; its neglect of educational facilities for the community; and most important, the arrest of innocent Muslims across the state on terror charges, saw Asaduddin Owaisi’s party win two Assembly seats in its very first try in 2014.
Today, you remind Muslims about Bal Thackeray’s documented role in the 92-93 riots, and they turn around and ask which party was in power both at the Centre and the state then, who was the defence minister camping in the city while it burnt.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, many Muslims urged Uddhav not to ally with the BJP. It was only when he expressed his reluctance to go against his MLAs’ wishes that they went back to their original patron. But the Congress won just one Lok Sabha seat, and seemed to be in deep slumber right till the Assembly elections six months later. Like the party’s Central leadership, Muslim activists too wrote off the Congress.
In fact, the very visible presence of Muslims in the rallies of Shiv Sena candidates during the Assembly campaign led one Muslim worker to wonder wryly whether the BJP would emerge as the party for the Hindus and the Sena the party for the Muslims, given the near wipe-out of “secular” parties in the State!
But with Maharashtra’s silent voters having breathed life into the “secular” parties, and the Shiv Sena at last free of the BJP, is it surprising that many Muslims and some secular activists are rooting for this strange combine? With the BJP to reckon with, how to define who is “secular” here, and who is “communal”?
Jyoti Punwani
Freelance journalist based in Mumbai
Sena-NCP-Congress gets vote of secularists
Even as Sonia worries about a dent in Cong’s secular image, politically active Muslims in Maharashtra hope her party allies with Sena
Published: 15th November 2019 04:00 AM | Last Updated: 15th November 2019 08:30 AM | A+A A-
By Jyoti Punwani
So ideology isn’t the BJP’s monopoly, it seems. The last few days have placed that impossible-to-define ideology, secularism, at the centre of the political crisis in Maharashtra. The ironies arising from this are many.
Secularism is the one idea the BJP has tried its best to demolish right from the late 80s. But L K Advani’s contribution notwithstanding, the current BJP-run Central government has been far more determined to render obsolete this defining feature of our country than the government headed by Advani-Vajpayee.
Also ironic is the arena where this battle of ideologies is being played out. Maharashtra holds special significance for the BJP, not just for the number of Lok Sabha and Assembly seats it has, but also because it’s known as the land of Shivaji Maharaj and “Phule-Shahu-Ambedkar”. (Shahu Maharaj, ruler of Kolhapur from 1894-1922, introduced 50% reservation in government jobs for backward class candidates.)
Maharashtra was also the home of 19th century reformers Ranade-Agarkar-Gokhale-Pandita Ramabai, and later of Gandhian socialists, ranging from Yusuf Meherally, S M Joshi and Madhu Limaye, to Mrinal Gore and George Fernandes (before he switched loyalties). The slain rationalist Narendra Dabholkar was part of this tradition. Then there were the legendary communists: founder of the CPI S A Dange, and the CPM’s Godavari Parulekar and Ahilya Rangnekar.
It is this tradition that never lets the RSS get power, though the organisation was founded in Nagpur, with its top leaders hailing from the state, from founder Hedgewar to Golwalkar to Savarkar to Mohan Bhagwat. I haven’t forgotten the elation of a senior RSS/BJP functionary as he spoke of a near-certain BJP sweep, for the first time in the 2014 Assembly polls. More than the prospect of power, what he relished was the defeat of Maharashtra’s much-vaunted progressive tradition.
The third irony is the party that has prevented government formation in the state. The BJP has had little problem with the Lohiaite Nitish Kumar, whose political career started in the JP movement. It is the Congress, the party that’s increasingly being defined as hollowed out id-eologically, that has made ideology the pivot of its hesitation to tie-up with the BJP’s oldest ally—and the only one to openly share its Hindutva ideology.
But here’s perhaps the biggest irony. Even as Sonia Gandhi worries about the dent in her party’s “secular” image if she supports a party founded by Bal Thackeray, in Maharashtra, especially in Mumbai that saw the worst riots after the demolition of the Babri Masjid, politically active Muslims and secularists are rooting for a Sena-NCP-Congress alliance.
And it’s not only to keep the BJP out. The Muslim-Shiv Sena relationship started changing after the party came to power in 1995. Many factors are responsible, all of them ironically linked with the Congress. Muslims found the Sena a change from the Congress in many unexpected ways. The party’s corporators and MLAs were both accessible and willing to work for them, even though they knew Muslims hadn’t voted for them. The community got long-pending demands, ignored by the Congress, resolved during the five years that Thackeray held the remote control of the state. This period saw only one minor communal riot, which was swiftly controlled. In power for the first time, and soon after the 92-93 riots, the Sena was keen to break its rioter image.
The current Sena president has been a major factor in this change. Muslims who know Uddhav Thackeray claim he is not anti-Muslim, and dismiss his sporadic inflammatory remarks as appeasement of the Sena’s old constituency.
But even Uddhav’s “mild” persona wouldn’t have been enough had the Congress-NCP not alienated Muslims in their 15-year reign. The euphoria among Muslims when the Sena-BJP government was defeated in 1999 vanished by 2014. The ruling Congress-NCP combine’s dogged refusal to punish the guilty of the 92-93 riots, specially policemen; its neglect of educational facilities for the community; and most important, the arrest of innocent Muslims across the state on terror charges, saw Asaduddin Owaisi’s party win two Assembly seats in its very first try in 2014.
Today, you remind Muslims about Bal Thackeray’s documented role in the 92-93 riots, and they turn around and ask which party was in power both at the Centre and the state then, who was the defence minister camping in the city while it burnt.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, many Muslims urged Uddhav not to ally with the BJP. It was only when he expressed his reluctance to go against his MLAs’ wishes that they went back to their original patron. But the Congress won just one Lok Sabha seat, and seemed to be in deep slumber right till the Assembly elections six months later. Like the party’s Central leadership, Muslim activists too wrote off the Congress.
In fact, the very visible presence of Muslims in the rallies of Shiv Sena candidates during the Assembly campaign led one Muslim worker to wonder wryly whether the BJP would emerge as the party for the Hindus and the Sena the party for the Muslims, given the near wipe-out of “secular” parties in the State!
But with Maharashtra’s silent voters having breathed life into the “secular” parties, and the Shiv Sena at last free of the BJP, is it surprising that many Muslims and some secular activists are rooting for this strange combine? With the BJP to reckon with, how to define who is “secular” here, and who is “communal”?
Jyoti Punwani
Freelance journalist based in Mumbai
July 26, 2019
India: PUCL Maharashtra statement of 26 July 2019 condemning the rising communal hate & its condonation by the government
PEOPLE’S UNION FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES
Maharashtra State Unit
Ad Hoc Committee
Convenor: Mihir Desai; Members: Sandhya Gokhale, Rajni Bakshi, Sitaram Shelar, Dolphy D’souza, Alex D’mello, Lara Jesani
Email: pucl.maharashtra@gmail.com
PUCL Maharashtra Statement condemning the rising communal hate and its condonation by the government
PUCL Maharashtra strongly condemns the increasing instances of communal hate crimes across the country. These incidents are a direct result of the encouragement, tacit support and impunity granted to the perpetrators by the NDA government and its ministers.
Following the results of the general elections on 23rdMay 2019, which was mired by an election campaign driven by communal hate speech, several such incidents of hate crimes have taken place in the state of Maharashtra. The latest three such incidents being -
· On 19thJuly 2019, Imran Ismail Patel, a Muslim man working as a hotel employee, was accosted by ten goons in Begumpura area of Aurangabad city when he was returning from work on his motorcycle, and thrashed and forced to chant “Jai Shri Ram” thrice. It is only because of the intervention of a Hindu couple who heard his cries and rushed out to save him, that the goons handed over the keys of the motorcycle and left him[1].
· On the night of 21stJuly 2019, in Azad Chowk, Aurangabad, 2 Muslim men were intercepted by 4-5 goons in a car, who abused their religious identity and threatened to kill them if they refused to chant “Jai Shri Ram”[2].
· On 22ndJune 2019, a 25 year old Ola cab driver, Faisal Usman Khan, hailing from Mumbra, was beaten up and forced to chant “Jai Shri Ram” by a group of 3 men at Diva in Thane[3].
These incidents in Maharashtra follow a growing trend across the country of attacks by right wing goons on Muslims while forcing them to chant “Jai Shri Ram”, which has slowly become a symbol of religious dominance and Hindu supremacy used to perpetuate these crimes. On 17thJune 2019, a Muslim man named Tabrez Ansari died in Jharkhand’s Seraikela Kharsawan district, pursuant to being beaten up by a murderous mob that forced Ansari to chant “Jai Shri Ram” and “Jai Hanuman”. Meanwhile on the same day being the first day the 17thLok Sabha convened, members of the ruling BJP celebrated their victory by heckling members of the Opposition, especially Mulsims, with the slogan “Jai Shri Ram”[4]. The bigotry, hate and intolerance promoted by the right wing ruling party at the Centre and its ministers is corroding the secular fabric and ethos of tolerance and pluralism enshrined in the Constitution. It is the influence of this politics of hate that can be seen in the changing public sentiment.
The lack of action taken by the government against the perpetrators of these hate crimes has bolstered and encouraged right wing goons to take law in their own hands and become lynch mobs dispensing their own brand of justice to those they consider “other”, being Muslims, Dalits, Christians and even the poor. In response to the opposition’s charge that the incidents of mob lynching were targeted at Muslims and Dalits, in its statement on 24thJuly 2019, the government refused to acknowledge the clear pattern emerging from all these incidents[5]. Even while the Supreme Court of India passed its judgment with detailed directions to prevent, remedy and take punitive steps to curb mob lynchings a year back, including the formulation of law to prevent mob lynchings, the same has not been implemented by the states till date. Contempt petition has been filed in respect of the non implementation, however the Supreme Court declined the application for early hearing and the matter is still pending. Meanwhile daily instances of mob lynchings and ghastly hate crimes are being reported from across the country.
PUCL Maharashtra is greatly concerned by these communal attacks on the Constitution and rule of law and strongly condemns the increasing hate crimes.
PUCL Maharashtra demands that the Central Government issue strong statement of condemnation and directions to the law enforcement to take strict action against the perpetrators of these hate crimes. Strict and deterrent action needs to be taken against all those guilty of instigating, promoting and participating in hate crimes and mob violence in the country. It is further pertinent that there is strict implementation of hate speech laws and the police administration is strengthened to prevent hate crimes and to protect the rule of law.
PUCL Maharashtra demands that the police authorities and civil administration conduct speedy investigation into each of these grave crimes and prosecute the perpetrators under law, with strict diligence, to ensure justice to the victims and survivors. It is the duty of the state and police to ensure that rule of law is restored and justice is delivered without fear of reprisals and intimidation, and without political pressure and influence of the powerful perpetrators who serve as vigilantes in such crimes.
PUCL demands the immediate implementation of the judgment passed by the Supreme Court of India to curb mob lynchings, and concerted action by the government to restore the secular fabric of the nation and respect for the law.
Mihir Desai,
Convenor, Ad-Hoc Committee,
People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Maharashtra
People’s Union for Civil Liberties, National Office
270-A, Patpar Ganj, Opposite Anand Lok Apartments, Mayur Vihar I, Delhi 110 091
Phone 2275 0014
Founder: Jayaprakash Narayan; Founding President: V M Tarkunde
President: Mr. Ravikiran Jain;General Secretary: Dr. V. Suresh
April 25, 2019
India 2019 elections - Maharashtra: One of CPI’s 2 nominees in state, Pansare’s kin claims resistance to Hindutva
report by Anuradha Mascarenhas | Mumbai | Updated: April 26, 2019
https://indianexpress.com/elections/maharashtra-bansi-satpute-cpi-shirdi-lok-sabha-seat-general-elections-5695077/
https://indianexpress.com/elections/maharashtra-bansi-satpute-cpi-shirdi-lok-sabha-seat-general-elections-5695077/
April 16, 2019
India - Maharashtra: Ambedkar picks candidate for Sangli with right-wing leanings
Ambedkar picks candidate for Sangli with right-wing leanings
https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/other/ambedkar-picks-candidate-for-sangli-with-right-wing-leanings/articleshow/68679845.cms
By Alka Dhupkar, Mumbai Mirror | Apr 2, 2019, 06.00 AM IST
Read more at:
Read more at:
https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/other/ambedkar-picks-candidate-for-sangli-with-right-wing-leanings/articleshowprint/68679845.cms?prtpage=1?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/other/ambedkar-picks-candidate-for-sangli-with-right-wing-leanings/articleshowprint/68679845.cms?prtpage=1?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/other/ambedkar-picks-candidate-for-sangli-with-right-wing-leanings/articleshow/68679845.cms
Printed from Ambedkar picks candidate for Sangli with right-
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https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/other/ambedkar-picks-candidate-for-sangli-with-right-wing-leanings/articleshowprint/68679845.cms?prtpage=1?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
March 23, 2019
India: Does the Maharashtra Congress Candidate have links with Hinduyva outfit Sanatan Sanstha?
The Wire
Maharashtra Congress Nominates Candidate With 'Hindutva Links', Faces Backlash
While some have alleged Navinchandra Bandivadekar has links to the Sanatan Sanstha, the party has denied this.
January 07, 2019
India: Invitation to Nayantara Sahgal revoked, she was to inaugurate the 92nd all-India All Marathi literary; several Marathi authors, journalists announce they would boycot the meet
a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/67424836.cms">The Times of India
Won't attend literary meet now: Nayantara Sahgal; CMO distances from row
PTI | Jan 7, 2019, 09.16 PM IST
MUMBAI: Amid flak by opposition leaders and authors over rescinding the invitation to author Nayantara Sahgal to inaugurate the 92nd all-India All Marathi literary meet this week, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) on Monday distanced itself from the controversy.
Soon after the CMO clarification, Sahgal said she won't attend the meet now even if a fresh invite were to be sent to her.
"I am not reconsidering my visit to the literary meet in Maharashtra," Sahgal, 91, told PTI on Monday night.
In a statement, the CMO said the decision on whom to invite for the meet is taken by the organisers and the state government has no role in it.
The CMO statement came after the organisers invited Sahgal, 91, to attend the meet, scheduled this week at Yavatmal, and later cancelled it, citing law and order issues.
Opposition leaders like Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam alleged the invitation was cancelled at the behest of the ruling BJP.
The CMO statement said a section of media is dragging the state government's name in the controversy. The Akhil Bharatiya Sahitya Mahamandal (which organises the meet), is an autonomous body and neither the CM nor the state government interfere in its functioning, it said.
The Sharad Pawar-led NCP was not impressed by the government's statement and said the invitation was cancelled "out of fear that Prime Minister Narendra Modi" would not like if Sahgal, niece of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, attended the literary meet.
The NCP said Modi always speaks against Nehru and asked Fadnavis to re-invite Sahgal for the meeting.
The noted English-language author who was at the forefront of the 'award-wapsi' (returning of awards) campaign, was to inaugurate the meet on January 11 in the presence of Fadnavis.
In 2015, several writers returned their awards to protest against what they described as "rising intolerance and growing assault on free speech" under the Narendra Modi government.
NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said, "The way Sahagal's invitation was cancelled by the organisers of the meet, the government's hand is there somewhere (in this)."
"Modi always speaks against Nehru. Sahgal belongs to Nehru's family. There is a fear in the mind of the Maharashtra BJP and the chief minister of Maharashtra that if Nayantara Sahgal attends the meeting, Modi won't be happy," Malik said.
The invitation was cancelled after a member of the MNS threatened to disrupt the meeting opposing Sahgal's presence, the NCP leader said.
"If the invitation was cancelled in the name of law and order, it is the responsibility of the chief minister, who is also home minister of the state, to convince Sahgal to attend the function," Malik said.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray issued a statement on Monday, admitting that one of his local party workers had opposed Sahgal's presence at the literary meet. "As the party chief, I am not against inviting her," Thackeray said.
"If Sahgal's presence at the All India Literary Meet is transcending into a cultural exchange, I or my party will not oppose it," Thackeray said, adding that he "deeply regretted' the inconvenience caused to supporters of such literary events by the action of a few of his men.
Nirupam said the decision of the organisers to rescind the invite to Sahgal was taken at BJP's behest. The MNS is just a front, he added.
"Literature should not surrender before politics. If a government is scared of writers, it means that its days are over," he said.
The rescinding of the invitation to Sahgal has exposed the "intolerant" face of the BJP government led by Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra Congress president Ashok Chavan said.
The invitation was cancelled to ensure "political security" of the chief minister, he said and attacked Fadnavis for issuing a clarification on the issue but not condemning the meet organisers' decision to cancel the invitation to Sahgal.
Chavan asked Fadnavis to invite Sahgal afresh if the meet organisers did not cancel the invitation to her "under his pressure".
"This episode has exposed the intolerant face of the Fadnavis government. Fadnavis conveniently distanced himself by issuing a clarification but didn't condemn the organisers," a statement quoted Chavan as saying.
"Are these not double standards? This shows what the organisers did (cancel the invite) was at the behest of the chief minister," Chavan said.
Maharashtra's cultural affairs minister Vinod Tawde, however, said the state welcomed everyone.
"If someone had opposed Sahgal after her speech at the meet, then it could have been understood. It is not fair to oppose her completely. Maharashtra is a state that welcomes everyone to present their work," he said.
Noted Marathi author Aruna Dhere, who will preside over the event, also criticised the organisers for cancelling Sahgal's invitation.
"It is shocking that you respectfully invite someone and later back out. Sahgal should be invited (again) with respect," she said.
Laxmikant Deshmukh, the outgoing chairman of the literary meet, said the organisers should have thought before inviting Sahgal, as her line of thinking was well-known.
The literary meet's reception committee said the organisers had decided to revoke Sahgal's invitation, "as a controversy has cropped up against her name and to avoid any untoward incident from those who threatened to derail the literary meet".
Meanwhile, several Marathi authors and journalists Monday announced they would be boycotting the meet to mark their protests over the Sahgal's 'insult' by the meet's organisers.
Historian Ramachandra Guha tweeted, "The Maharashtra that fears the words of a ninety one year old woman writer is the Maharashtra of Godse and his mentors, not the Maharashtra of Ambedkar, Phule, Gokhale or Tilak."
Won't attend literary meet now: Nayantara Sahgal; CMO distances from row
PTI | Jan 7, 2019, 09.16 PM IST
MUMBAI: Amid flak by opposition leaders and authors over rescinding the invitation to author Nayantara Sahgal to inaugurate the 92nd all-India All Marathi literary meet this week, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) on Monday distanced itself from the controversy.
Soon after the CMO clarification, Sahgal said she won't attend the meet now even if a fresh invite were to be sent to her.
"I am not reconsidering my visit to the literary meet in Maharashtra," Sahgal, 91, told PTI on Monday night.
In a statement, the CMO said the decision on whom to invite for the meet is taken by the organisers and the state government has no role in it.
The CMO statement came after the organisers invited Sahgal, 91, to attend the meet, scheduled this week at Yavatmal, and later cancelled it, citing law and order issues.
Opposition leaders like Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam alleged the invitation was cancelled at the behest of the ruling BJP.
The CMO statement said a section of media is dragging the state government's name in the controversy. The Akhil Bharatiya Sahitya Mahamandal (which organises the meet), is an autonomous body and neither the CM nor the state government interfere in its functioning, it said.
The Sharad Pawar-led NCP was not impressed by the government's statement and said the invitation was cancelled "out of fear that Prime Minister Narendra Modi" would not like if Sahgal, niece of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, attended the literary meet.
The NCP said Modi always speaks against Nehru and asked Fadnavis to re-invite Sahgal for the meeting.
The noted English-language author who was at the forefront of the 'award-wapsi' (returning of awards) campaign, was to inaugurate the meet on January 11 in the presence of Fadnavis.
In 2015, several writers returned their awards to protest against what they described as "rising intolerance and growing assault on free speech" under the Narendra Modi government.
NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said, "The way Sahagal's invitation was cancelled by the organisers of the meet, the government's hand is there somewhere (in this)."
"Modi always speaks against Nehru. Sahgal belongs to Nehru's family. There is a fear in the mind of the Maharashtra BJP and the chief minister of Maharashtra that if Nayantara Sahgal attends the meeting, Modi won't be happy," Malik said.
The invitation was cancelled after a member of the MNS threatened to disrupt the meeting opposing Sahgal's presence, the NCP leader said.
"If the invitation was cancelled in the name of law and order, it is the responsibility of the chief minister, who is also home minister of the state, to convince Sahgal to attend the function," Malik said.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray issued a statement on Monday, admitting that one of his local party workers had opposed Sahgal's presence at the literary meet. "As the party chief, I am not against inviting her," Thackeray said.
"If Sahgal's presence at the All India Literary Meet is transcending into a cultural exchange, I or my party will not oppose it," Thackeray said, adding that he "deeply regretted' the inconvenience caused to supporters of such literary events by the action of a few of his men.
Nirupam said the decision of the organisers to rescind the invite to Sahgal was taken at BJP's behest. The MNS is just a front, he added.
"Literature should not surrender before politics. If a government is scared of writers, it means that its days are over," he said.
The rescinding of the invitation to Sahgal has exposed the "intolerant" face of the BJP government led by Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra Congress president Ashok Chavan said.
The invitation was cancelled to ensure "political security" of the chief minister, he said and attacked Fadnavis for issuing a clarification on the issue but not condemning the meet organisers' decision to cancel the invitation to Sahgal.
Chavan asked Fadnavis to invite Sahgal afresh if the meet organisers did not cancel the invitation to her "under his pressure".
"This episode has exposed the intolerant face of the Fadnavis government. Fadnavis conveniently distanced himself by issuing a clarification but didn't condemn the organisers," a statement quoted Chavan as saying.
"Are these not double standards? This shows what the organisers did (cancel the invite) was at the behest of the chief minister," Chavan said.
Maharashtra's cultural affairs minister Vinod Tawde, however, said the state welcomed everyone.
"If someone had opposed Sahgal after her speech at the meet, then it could have been understood. It is not fair to oppose her completely. Maharashtra is a state that welcomes everyone to present their work," he said.
Noted Marathi author Aruna Dhere, who will preside over the event, also criticised the organisers for cancelling Sahgal's invitation.
"It is shocking that you respectfully invite someone and later back out. Sahgal should be invited (again) with respect," she said.
Laxmikant Deshmukh, the outgoing chairman of the literary meet, said the organisers should have thought before inviting Sahgal, as her line of thinking was well-known.
The literary meet's reception committee said the organisers had decided to revoke Sahgal's invitation, "as a controversy has cropped up against her name and to avoid any untoward incident from those who threatened to derail the literary meet".
Meanwhile, several Marathi authors and journalists Monday announced they would be boycotting the meet to mark their protests over the Sahgal's 'insult' by the meet's organisers.
Historian Ramachandra Guha tweeted, "The Maharashtra that fears the words of a ninety one year old woman writer is the Maharashtra of Godse and his mentors, not the Maharashtra of Ambedkar, Phule, Gokhale or Tilak."
October 30, 2018
India - Malegaon Terrorism Case 2008: Lt Col Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya Among 7 Hindutva Activists Charged
Lt Col Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya Among 7 Charged In 2008 Malegaon Blast Case
Malegaon Blast Case 2008: The accused have been charged with being part of a terrorist act, and under IPC they have been charged with criminal conspiracy and murder.
Malegaon blast case: All the accused were present in the court during the framing of charges.
Mumbai: A
special court in Mumbai on Tuesday framed charges against Lt Col Prasad
Shrikant Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and five others under the
Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and several sections in the
September 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case.Judge Vinod Padalkar, presiding over the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court, framed charges against the accused persons.
Under the UAPA, the accused have been charged with being part of a terrorist act, and under IPC they have been charged with criminal conspiracy and murder.
Framing of charges is a process after which the trial in a criminal case starts.
Sadhvi Pragya has been charged in 2008 Malegaon blasts case
All the accused were present in the court when the judge read out the charges against them.
source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/2008-malegaon-blast-case-lt-col-prasad-purohit-sadhvi-pragya-others-charged-with-terror-conspiracy-m-1939899
October 08, 2018
India TV expose on the involvement of Sanatan Sanstha activists in terrorsm in Maharashtra
bit.ly/IT_LiveTV
o o o
see also:
Md Hizbullah
Divyesh Singh
o o o
see also:
Exclusive: Video tapes reveal how Sanatan Sanstha workers planted bombs
India Today TV's Special Investigation Team has secured evidence suggesting that the Sanatan Sanstha might have played a role in the 2008 bomb blasts in Maharashtra.
October 01, 2018
India: Rioting Cases Against Maharashtra Right-Wing Leader Sambhaji Bhide Dropped, Reveals RTI | NDTV report
Mumbai:
The Maharashtra government has withdrawn at least six riot cases against right-wing leader and the main suspect in Koregaon-Bhima violence Sambhaji Bhide, the response to an RTI has revealed. Hundreds of workers of the Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan, headed by Mr Bhide, have been cleared in rioting cases. Rioting charges have also been dropped in dozens of cases involving BJP and Shiv Sena leaders and supporters. [ . . . ]
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/rioting-cases-against-maharashtra-right-wing-leader-sambhaji-bhide-dropped-reveals-rti-1924911?pfrom=home-topstories
The Maharashtra government has withdrawn at least six riot cases against right-wing leader and the main suspect in Koregaon-Bhima violence Sambhaji Bhide, the response to an RTI has revealed. Hundreds of workers of the Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan, headed by Mr Bhide, have been cleared in rioting cases. Rioting charges have also been dropped in dozens of cases involving BJP and Shiv Sena leaders and supporters. [ . . . ]
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/rioting-cases-against-maharashtra-right-wing-leader-sambhaji-bhide-dropped-reveals-rti-1924911?pfrom=home-topstories
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