Madhya Pradesh lynching of Adivasis: Govt 'mute spectator', hate groups on prowl

Counterview Desk
Organising an Adivasi protest against the recent Seoni lynchings in Madhya Pradesh, the civil rights group Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan (JADS) has said what has happened is nothing but outage committed by certain extremist groups in the name of religion.
Demand that the government should take action against such hate groups, JADS said in a media communique, shockingly, youth are being handed weapons instead of books, regretting, the government has remained a mute spectator as "Constitutional rights of Adivasis, Dalits and minorities are being brazenly violated."

Text:

Adivasi organizations across Barwani, Burhanpur and Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh came together to oppose the midnight attack on an Adivasi home a brutal murder of two Adivasis in Seoni, Madhya Pradesh by activists of Bajrang Dal and Shree Ram Sena.
Protestors gave a memorandum to the Governor and the Chief Minister opposing the politics of “gundagardi” in the name of religion and demanding a ban on organizations that engage in violence in the name of religion and are blatantly anti-Constitutional.
The attack, which took place on the night of 2nd May, led to the deaths of Dhansa Inawati of Semariya village and Sampat Batti of nearby Sagar village. According to the family members of the deceased, around 2.30 at night, 15-20 members of Bajrang Dal and Shree Ram Sena barged into their homes and started beating up the two men.
Women in their households who tried to protect them were also beaten up and had their clothes torn. Brajesh Batti also suffered injuries in the attack. It was later confirmed by the Thana Official of Kurai Thana, Mr. Uikey, that 3 of the accused were members of Bajrang Dal and 6 people were associated with Shree Ram Sena.

Protesting Adivasis unequivocally stated that such brazen violation of law and brutal attacks on people in the name of religion and 'gauraksha' are completely unacceptable. They pointed out that for them their cattle are like members of their family, but they strongly oppose the way people are being killed in the name of “cow protection” -- mostly by those who have never actually looked after a cow in their entire life!
Why, they said, are youth being provided with weapons instead of books? The responsibility of such attacks rests solely upon the administration and the government, who are tacitly supporting such attacks.
Similar instances of attacks on Adivasis have been reported from Madhya Pradesh in the past year. In September 2021, Bisan Bhil of Khargone and Kishan Nihal in Khandwa were beaten to death in police custody. No action has been taken upon the perpetrators so far.

In May 2021, a family of five Korku Adivasis was killed in Nemawar by one Surendra Rajput, claimed to be a member of the ‘Hindu Kesariya Sangathan’. Later, in August 2021, Kanhaiyalal Bhil died after being brutally beaten and dragged by a vehicle on the road.
Protestors pointed out that Adivasis, along with other common people of the country are already suffering greatly due to skyrocketing prices; farmers and labourers are being forced to migrate in search of work and are being reduced to bonded labour. To make matters worse, opportunities for education and employment are rapidly becoming out of reach of Adivasis, and now Adivasis are not even safe in their own homes.
Protesting Adivasis, led by Harsing Jamre, Nasri bai Ningwal, Antaram Alawe, Shivram Kanase, Prakash Bandod and many others all demanded that the government take immediate steps to curb such incidents and to ban organizations that engage in such unconstitutional and extra-legal activities.
Organizations such as Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan (JADS), Jay Adivasi Yuva Shakti (JAYS), Bhim Army, Adivasi Chhatra Sangathan, SC-ST-OBC Ekta Manch, etc. participated in protests across Barwani, Burhanpur and Khargone.

Comments

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

What Epstein Files reveal about power, privilege and a system that protects abuse

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak* The Jeffrey Epstein scandal is not merely the story of an individual offender or an isolated circle of accomplices. The material emerging from the Epstein files points to structural conditions that allow abuse to flourish when combined with power, privilege and wealth. Rather than a personal aberration, the case illustrates how systems can create environments in which exploitation becomes easier to conceal and harder to challenge.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Green capitalism? One-billion people in the Global South face climate hazards

By Cade Dunbar On Friday, 17 October 2025, the UN Development Programme released the 2025 edition of its Multidimensional Poverty Index Report . For the first time, the report directly evaluates their multidimensional poverty data against climate hazards, exposing the extent to which the world’s poor are threatened by the environmental crisis. According to the UNDP, approximately 887 million out of the 1.1 billion people living in multidimensional poverty are exposed to climate hazards such as extreme heat, flooding, drought, and air pollution.

History, culture and literature of Fatehpur, UP, from where Maulana Hasrat Mohani hailed

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Maulana Hasrat Mohani was a member of the Constituent Assembly and an extremely important leader of our freedom movement. Born in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh, Hasrat Mohani's relationship with nearby district of Fatehpur is interesting and not explored much by biographers and historians. Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri has written a book on Maulana Hasrat Mohani and Fatehpur. The book is in Urdu. He has just come out with another important book, 'Hindi kee Pratham Rachna: Chandayan' authored by Mulla Daud Dalmai.' During my recent visit to Fatehpur town, I had an opportunity to meet Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri and recorded a conversation with him on issues of history, culture and literature of Fatehpur. Sharing this conversation here with you. Kindly click this link. --- *Human rights defender. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/vbrawat , X @freetohumanity, Skype @vbrawat

New RTI draft rules inspired by citizen-unfriendly, overtly bureaucratic approach

By Venkatesh Nayak* The Department of Personnel and Training , Government of India has invited comments on a new set of Draft Rules (available in English only) to implement The Right to Information Act, 2005 . The RTI Rules were last amended in 2012 after a long period of consultation with various stakeholders. The Government’s move to put the draft RTI Rules out for people’s comments and suggestions for change is a welcome continuation of the tradition of public consultation. Positive aspects of the Draft RTI Rules While 60-65% of the Draft RTI Rules repeat the content of the 2012 RTI Rules, some new aspects deserve appreciation as they clarify the manner of implementation of key provisions of the RTI Act. These are: Provisions for dealing with non-compliance of the orders and directives of the Central Information Commission (CIC) by public authorities- this was missing in the 2012 RTI Rules. Non-compliance is increasingly becoming a major problem- two of my non-compliance cases are...

N-power plant at Mithi Virdi: CRZ nod is arbitrary, without jurisdiction

By Krishnakant* A case-appeal has been filed against the order of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and others granting CRZ clearance for establishment of intake and outfall facility for proposed 6000 MWe Nuclear Power Plant at Mithi Virdi, District Bhavnagar, Gujarat by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) vide order in F 11-23 /2014-IA- III dated March 3, 2015. The case-appeal in the National Green Tribunal at Western Bench at Pune is filed by Shaktisinh Gohil, Sarpanch of Jasapara; Hajabhai Dihora of Mithi Virdi; Jagrutiben Gohil of Jasapara; Krishnakant and Rohit Prajapati activist of the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the MoEF&CC, Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and case is kept for hearing on August 20, 2015. Appeal No. 23 of 2015 (WZ) is filed, a...

Celebrating 125 yr old legacy of healthcare work of missionaries

Vilas Shende, director, Mure Memorial Hospital By Moin Qazi* Central India has been one of the most fertile belts for several unique experiments undertaken by missionaries in the field of education and healthcare. The result is a network of several well-known schools, colleges and hospitals that have woven themselves into the social landscape of the region. They have also become a byword for quality and affordable services delivered to all sections of the society. These institutions are characterised by committed and compassionate staff driven by the selfless pursuit of improving the well-being of society. This is the reason why the region has nursed and nurtured so many eminent people who occupy high positions in varied fields across the country as well as beyond. One of the fruits of this legacy is a more than century old iconic hospital that nestles in the heart of Nagpur city. Named as Mure Memorial Hospital after a British warrior who lost his life in a war while defending his cou...

Electoral Integrity Forum seeks immediate halt to SIR 2.0, calls for mandatory social audit

By A Representative The Forum for Electoral Integrity has urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to immediately pause the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2.0 of electoral rolls, warning that the exercise is generating widespread distress and may result in unlawful exclusion of valid voters. In a memorandum dated November 20, 2025, addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners, M.G. Devasahayam, Convener of the Forum for Electoral Integrity and Coordinator of the Citizens’ Commission on Elections, called the process legally unsound, administratively disruptive, and constitutionally problematic.

Search This Blog