Communalism

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

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

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

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

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

 by Ajoy Ashirwad Mahaprashasta

24/02/2023

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

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

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

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

by Yaqut Ali

06/03/2023

According to a report by the United Christian Forum, there has been a sharp rise of 400%, from 147 in 2014 to 598 in 2022, in violence against the community. Uttar Pradesh leads with highest numbers of reported incidents. Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka and tamil Nadu are among top five states reporting maximum incidents.

https://thewire.in/communalism/christian-groups-protest-hike-in-reports-of-hate-crimes-discrimination-against-them 

The congregation, organised by the Delhi-NCR Christian community, was held to highlight concerns about the alarming hike in reports of hate crimes and discrimination against Christians across the country. Around 79 churches including Baptist Council of Churches, United Pentecostal Church – North East India, Manipur Evangelical Lutheran Church and others participated in the protest, calling it the first such agitation in over a decade. The last protest held by the community was regarding the issue of Dalit Christians, as per the press release circulated at the event.

- #[[inter-faith marriages]] https://thewire.in/women/the-dangerous-agenda-behind-probing-interfaith-marriages  
- https://thewire.in/government/maha-govt-sets-up-panel-to-collect-details-on-couples-in-inter-caste-interfaith-marriages  Flavia Agnes The panel, named ‘Interfaith marriage-family coordination committee (state level)’, will be headed by the women and child development minister, who is a vocal Bharatiya Janata Party leader from Mumbai’s rich constituency of Malabar Hill, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, who is well known for his anti-Muslim views. Initially the panel was to probe both inter-caste and interfaith marriages, but the government resolution (GR) was amended quickly due to opposition from various political parties as Maharashtra has a policy of encouraging inter-caste marriages. So the word ‘inter-caste’ was dropped and now the panel will probe only interfaith marriages
- the current issue of Interfaith relationship GR of maharashtra govt and Dy CM talking about legislation to be brought in this context. BD: What is the actual number of cheating cases in interfaith marriages?
- LJ: the SMA notice provision and online display of prospective marriages in Maharashtra needs to be urgently challenged.
- LJ: It is an attack on right to choice, autonomy, marriage and constitutional violation. the issue of right to choice in addition to the secular dimension.
- autonomy and gender equality perspective,
- SG: Would like to make the following general points.
I. The GR has to be opposed primarily on the ground that it tantamounts to invasion of privacy -- an acknowledged fundamental right.
II. the GR could be a smokescreen. As a far better way of serving that purpose would be to make a helpline number easily accessible and available -- ready to offer effective assistance. Even when help is sought anonymously. This may be further backed up with numerous -- easily accessible and friendly -- physical counselling centres. This alternative approach largely obviates the threat of invasion of privacy.
III. That the track record of the political forces spearheading the move of carrying out the Love Jehad campaign does grave doubts about the real intentions.
Demand that the GR may be immediately withdrawn. The Woman and Child Welfare department should hold widespread constructive consultations with the stakeholders including CSOs working in this field before making the next move.
- LJ: Those in inter faith marriages are at risk right now, younger couples who are not public will be exposed. Most hindu-muslim couples I know are keeping low profile out of fear of harassment. a couple has deferred their marriage due to the SMA notice period and online notice in Mumbai. CS Young muslim men are the ones being demonised. How they are experiencing it. Also this is being made into a women's issue which it is not
- Love azad Campaign was in response to love jihad following the tanishq ad controversy
- BD: Are interfaith marriages only about Hindus and Muslims? Don't we want to broaden the discourse and not fall into their trap. Finally this is the right to choose, privacy, etc. The macro context must be woven into the narrative
- But this is an attack on Muslim men, infantalisation of hindu women. Love jihad has a specific construct, entrenched in islamophobia. We should talk about difficulties in all interfaith marriages, but we should address this as well.
- A small bit to add, while it might not directly now relate Maharashtra commitee: Christian community leaders in Madhya Pradesh too expressed their concern of love-jihad, incidentally they are from Kerala and TN in a conversation. The love jihad bogey plays differently statewise and is as nuanced. In MP and other tribal states it's dovetails in allegations of land jihad, marrying tribal women to usurp tribal land.
- AA: Everything impacts men and women differently. Including religion and religious conversion. Behind all this is the rigidities of birth religion and patriarchy. An Anglo India who is an atheist. Maybe, but when it comes to marriage, he will be assigned to the religion he was born in. It impacts property issues. LJ: In addition to family and community which have been rigid and oppressive, we now have the state actively impeding inter faith marriages and criminalising minorities, thereby emboldening the non state actors, including the right wing vigilante. That they are doing this through policy is not just a violation but an attack on the constitution itself which gives us the right to choice, equality, protection from non discrimination and all other rights that come with it.
- The communal narrative and existing legal experiences that is coming alongside is indicative of who it is targetted towards.