Seeking permission to protest, cops 'abduct, arrest' Adivasi activists

By A Representative

The civil rights network, Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), has blamed the police force for alleged the abduction of three activists associated with the Moolwasi Bachao Manch, Sodhi Bhima of Jabbagatta village in Bijapur, Madkam Joshan of Gudrajguda village in Sukma, and Madkam Joga of Gomaguda village of Bijapur from Polampalli in the Dantewada district on June 8.

In a statement, CASR said, following this, "On 13th of June, Krishnakumar Kadati was arrested from the Dornapal police station", asserting, "All of these individuals are Adivasis. These activists were trying to meet the relevant authorities to get the permission necessary to hold an event in remembrance of the Silger firing that happened in Bastar. In the Silger firing, Adivasis were shot at for protesting against the establishment of a camp in the area."

According to CASR, Madkam Joshan, Sodhi Bhima and Madkam Joga had approached the collector to get the required permission for the event. They were refused an appointment with the collector, and therefore they approached the magistrate for the required permission." It added, "The magistrate had proclaimed that no such permission can be granted by him, without consent from the SP."

Claimed CASR, "The activists had already approached the collector to seek permission; they were not given the required permission then. This forced them to postpone the event further to the 10th of June. After the refusal from the authorities, the activists were returning back home when they were abducted by the police forces near the Polampalli police station."

It noted, "On 13th June, Krishnakumar Kadati,:also associated with the Moolwasi Bachao Manch, was arrested by the police. He had also gone to get permission from the authorities to hold the event. The police attempted to force a confession from the said activist by torturing him. They wanted him to declare that he was associated with the CPI(Maoist)."

Commented CASR, "This is part of the state's attempt to completely dissolve the Moolwasi Bachao Manch, and to clamp down on the democratic right to dissent of the Adivasis. One can see that activists like Surju Tekam, Sunita Pottam and multiple other Adivasi activists associated with the Moolwasi Bachao Manch had to face similar treatment."

It added, "The state has also been tagging all of these activists as Maoists, in an attempt to criminalize voices that speak truth to power. The state's intimidatory tactics and attempt to clamp down on dissent are against the constitutional rights that each citizen has in this country."

CASR continued, "The state is attacking those activists who utilize the rights that exist to ensure the protection of Adivasis. These are the individuals who talk about the encounter killing of Adivasis and the state violence on Adivasis and by attacking the voices by talking about the repression, they plan on ensuring the silence of the Adivasis."

It demanded the release of all the activists associated with Moolwasi Bachao Manch who have been arrested along with all political prisoners.

Comments

Dalit woman student’s death sparks allegations of institutional neglect in Himachal college

By A Representative A Dalit rights organisation has alleged severe caste- and gender-based institutional violence leading to the death of a 19-year-old Dalit woman student at Government Degree College, Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, and has demanded arrests, resignations, and an independent inquiry into the case.

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.

From protest to proof: Why civil society must rethink environmental resistance

By Shankar Sharma* As concerned environmentalists and informed citizens, many of us share deep unease about the way environmental governance in our country is being managed—or mismanaged. Our complaints range across sectors and regions, and most of them are legitimate. Yet a hard question confronts us: are complaints, by themselves, effective? Experience suggests they are not.

Kolkata event marks 100 years since first Communist conference in India

By Harsh Thakor* A public assembly was held in Kolkata on December 24, 2025, to mark the centenary of the First Communist Conference in India , originally convened in Kanpur from December 26 to 28, 1925. The programme was organised by CPI (ML) New Democracy at Subodh Mallik Square on Lenin Sarani. According to the organisers, around 2,000 people attended the assembly.

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...

Urgent need to study cause of large number of natural deaths in Gulf countries

By Venkatesh Nayak* According to data tabled in Parliament in April 2018, there are 87.76 lakh (8.77 million) Indians in six Gulf countries, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While replying to an Unstarred Question (#6091) raised in the Lok Sabha, the Union Minister of State for External Affairs said, during the first half of this financial year alone (between April-September 2018), blue-collared Indian workers in these countries had remitted USD 33.47 Billion back home. Not much is known about the human cost of such earnings which swell up the country’s forex reserves quietly. My recent RTI intervention and research of proceedings in Parliament has revealed that between 2012 and mid-2018 more than 24,570 Indian Workers died in these Gulf countries. This works out to an average of more than 10 deaths per day. For every US$ 1 Billion they remitted to India during the same period there were at least 117 deaths of Indian Workers in Gulf ...

The architect of Congolese liberation: The life and legacy of Patrice Lumumba

By Harsh Thakor* Patrice Émery Lumumba remains a central figure in the history of African decolonization, serving as the first Prime Minister of the independent Republic of the Congo. Born on July 2, 1925, Lumumba emerged as a radical anti-colonial leader who sought to unify a nation fractured by decades of Belgian rule. His tenure, however, lasted less than seven months before his dismissal and subsequent assassination on January 17, 1961.

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

Towards long-term destabilization in South America's northern half: Attack on Venezuela

By Taroa Zúñiga, Vijay Prashad A little after 2am, Venezuela time, on 3 January 2026, in violation of Article 2 of the United Nations Charter, the United States began an attack on several sites in the country, including Caracas, the capital. Residents awoke to loud noises and flashes, as well as large helicopters in the sky. Videos began to appear on social media, but without much context. Confusion and rumor flooded social media.

Search This Blog