Security forces' operations in adivasi areas compared with Russia-Ukraine war

By A Representative
Speakers at a media conference organized in Delhi by the advocacy group Forum against Corporatisation and Militarisation have strongly protested against “brutal state repression” of the tribal areas, pointing towards how they are being harassed by paramilitary forces in order to help the corporate interests seeking to expand their wings in adivasi areas.
Sainu Gota from Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, said that any dissent against iron ore mining in Gadchiroli is met with brutal repression from state forces. Forty thousand acres of land is being grabbed for the iron ore mining in Gadchiroli alone livelihood of adivasis is completely dependent on the forests. Paramilitary forces harass people when they go to collect the forest produce.
Rajashree Lekhami from Gadchiroli, working with the Gram Sabha, said that the laws which are made for the adivasis are not being followed. The Parlakota river is getting polluted as a result of the mining. There is increasing presence of police camps as mining increases, which adivasis do not need the police camps. There is also fear among the adivasis because of the police camps. People hesitate to go to the forests to bring things they need because of the police camps.
Lalsu Nogoti, Zilla Parishad member of Gadchiroli, said that the primitive tribes are always targeted. No constitutional provisions like PESA and other laws belonging to 5th and 6th Schedules are negated completely and land is being grabbed for big mining projects benefiting the corporates. Additionally, the entry of big corporates means entry of paramilitary forces who harass, torture, rape, kill adivasis in fake encounters. In 100 villages around 25 people have been charged with UAPA.
Raghu from Moolvasi Bachao Manch, Silger, said that there is immense repression by the state forces daily at the protest sit in against setting up of police camp in Silger. All the assurances given by the government are proving false. Tens of adivasis are being picked up by the police and are charged with false cases by branding them as Maoists. Even the people who were celebrating Constitution Day were arrested under flimsy charges.
Gajendra from Moolvasi Bachao Manch, Silger, said that the adivasis also need development but not at the cost of their land, natural resources and culture. The protestors are being threatened by the police and administration by lodging false cases and death threats. He himself along with Raghu another leader of the Silger movement were stripped and beaten up by the police for five days which resulted in severe injuries.

Anil Kisku from Jharkhand Jan Sangarsh Morcha spoke on the anti-camp and anti-mining resistance that is going in various parts of Jharkhand. He said, innocent adivasi youth are being picked up and killed in the name of ‘encounter’ by the paramilitary forces. In the Parasnath mountains of Jharkhand, tens of police camps are being built. The police do not even inform the families of those they detain or arrest.
He added, one individual was detained by the police and the falsely implicated in a case. In Dholpatta, in 2017 June, a person named Motilal Baske was killed by the security forces, and was described as a Maoist. When it was publicised in the media, people checked and it was found out that he was no Maoist.
Rupesh Kumar Singh, independent journalist from Jharkhand, spoke about Operation Samadhan-Prahar. He said that like Operation Green Hunt, the Indian government is waging a new war against adivasis of central and eastern India for looting the mineral rich land. Immense militarisation is underway in various parts of the country under this operation. There is unholy alliance of the Central government and the State government to silence the voices of adivasis protesting against setting up of police camps and looting the natural resources.
Himanshu Kumar, prominent Gandhian and human rights activist, spoke about the abuse of power by paramilitary forces in Chhattisgarh and various other states like Jharkhand and Maharashtra. He said, the adivasis face the attack of the government because they live in areas that area mineral rich. Most number of paramilitary forces are in adivasi locations in order to help corporates to exploit minerals. A perennial war is going on against the people in central Indian states, which can only be compared with the Ukraine-Russia war.

Comments

NYT: RSS 'infiltrates' institutions, 'drives' religious divide under Modi's leadership

By Jag Jivan A comprehensive New York Times investigation published on December 26, 2025, chronicles the rise of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) — characterized as a far-right Hindu nationalist organization — from a shadowy group founded in 1925 to the world's largest right-wing force, marking its centenary in 2025 with unprecedented influence and mainstream acceptance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi , who joined the RSS as a young boy and later became a full-time campaigner before being deputized to its political wing in the 1980s, delivered his strongest public tribute to the group in his August 2025 Independence Day address. Speaking from the Red Fort , he called the RSS a "giant river" with dozens of streams touching every aspect of Indian life, praising its "service, dedication, organization, and unmatched discipline." The report describes how the RSS has deeply infiltrated India's institutions — government, courts, police, media, and academia — ...

Why experts say replacing MGNREGA could undo two decades of rural empowerment

By A Representative A group of scientists, academics, civil society organisations and field practitioners from India and abroad has issued an open letter urging the Union government to reconsider the repeal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and to withdraw the newly enacted Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025. The letter, dated December 27, 2025, comes days after the VB–G RAM G Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 16 and subsequently approved by both Houses of Parliament, formally replacing the two-decade-old employment guarantee law.

ArcelorMittal faces global scrutiny for retreat from green steel, job cuts, and environmental violations

By Jag Jivan ArcelorMittal is facing mounting criticism after cancelling or delaying nearly all of its major green steel projects across Europe, citing an “unsupportive policy environment” from the European Union . The company has shelved projects in Germany , Belgium , and France , while leaving the future of its Spanish decarbonisation plan uncertain. The decision comes as global unions warn that more than 5,500 jobs are at risk across its operations, including 4,000 in South Africa , 1,400 in Europe, and 160 in Canada .

Domestic vote-bank politics 'behind official solidarity' with Bangladeshi Hindus

By Sandeep Pandey, Faisal Khan The Indian government has registered a protest with Bangladesh over the mob lynching of two Hindus—Deepu Chandra Das in Mymensingh and Amrit Mandal in Rajbari. In its communication, the government cited a report by the Association of Hindus, Buddhists and Christian Unity Council, which claims that more than 2,900 incidents of killings, arson, and land encroachments targeting minorities have taken place since the interim government assumed power in Bangladesh.

From colonial mercantilism to Hindutva: New book on the making of power in Gujarat

By Rajiv Shah Professor Ghanshyam Shah ’s latest book, “ Caste-Class Hegemony and State Power: A Study of Gujarat Politics ”, published by Routledge , is penned by one of Gujarat ’s most respected chroniclers, drawing on decades of fieldwork in the state. It seeks to dissect how caste and class factors overlap to perpetuate the hegemony of upper strata in an ostensibly democratic polity. The book probes the dominance of two main political parties in Gujarat—the Indian National Congress and the BJP—arguing that both have sustained capitalist growth while reinforcing Brahmanic hierarchies.

Investment in rule of law a corporate imperative, not charity: Business, civil society leaders

By A Representative In a compelling town hall discussion hosted at L.J School of Law , prominent voices from industry and civil society underscored that corporate investment in strengthening the rule of law is not an act of charity but a critical business strategy for building a safer, stronger, and developed India by 2047. The dialogue, part of the Unmute podcast series, examined the intrinsic link between ethical business conduct , robust legal frameworks, and sustainable national development, against the sobering backdrop of India ranking 79th out of 142 countries on the global Rule of Law Index .

2025 was not just a bad year—it was a moral failure, it normalised crisis

By Atanu Roy* The clock has struck midnight. 2025 has passed, and 2026 has arrived. Firecrackers were already bursting in celebration. If this is merely a ritual, like Deepavali, there is little to comment on. Otherwise, I find 2025 to have been a dismal year, weighed down by relentless odds—perhaps the worst year I have personally witnessed.

Gig workers’ strike halts platforms, union submits demands to Labour Ministry

By A Representative India’s gig economy witnessed an partial disruption on December 31, 2025, as a large number of delivery workers, app-based service providers, and freelancers across the country participated in a nationwide strike called by the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU). The strike, which followed days of coordinated protests, shut down major platforms including Zomato , Swiggy , Blinkit , Zepto , Flipkart , and BigBasket in several areas.

Can global labour demand absorb India’s growing workforce?

By N.S. Venkataraman* Over the past eleven years, India has claimed significant economic growth , emerging as the world’s fourth-largest economy. With the Government of India continuing to pursue economic and industrial development initiatives, this growth momentum is expected to continue in the medium term.

Search This Blog