4th Dalit literature festival to address critical issues affecting Dalits, women, tribals

By A Representative

The 4th Dalit Literature Festival (DLF) has been announced, with the theme "World Peace is Possible Through Dalit Literature." The festival will take place on February 28th and March 1st, 2025, at Aryabhatta College, University of Delhi (South Campus). Organized by the Ambedkarvadi Lekhak Sangh (ALS) in collaboration with Aryabhatta College, Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch (DASAM), and other organizations, the DLF aims to highlight the power of Dalit literature in fostering global peace and addressing social injustices.

At a press conference held at Aryabhatta College, organizers Prof. Suraj Badtiya and Sanjeev Kumar Danda emphasized the festival's focus on peacebuilding through literary discourse. "As the world faces various conflicts," they stated, "the theme of this year's DLF stands as 'World Peace is Possible Through Dalit Literature.' We feel that literary discourse can resolve conflicts and bring peace, and our goal is to promote peace through literature and foster global peace."

The DLF seeks to amplify the voices of marginalized communities, including Dalits, Adivasis, women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and other minorities. This year's event will address a wide range of socio-cultural issues, including environmental challenges, climate, cinema, history, poetry, and education, all viewed through the lens of Dalit literature.

Speakers at the press conference underscored the festival's importance in contemporary times.

Prof. Balraj, Convener of the festival, Aryabhatta College, remarked, "Dalit literature gives voice to the oppressed, calling for peace rooted in justice, equity, and equality, and is a powerful tool for societal transformation." Prof. Seema Mathur from Kalindi College added, "This is the space for sharing their life experiences of agony and struggles, which are actually converted into resistance and power."

Prof. Ashok Kumar, Motilal College and Co-Convener of the festival, emphasized the festival's role in addressing the struggles faced by marginalized communities, stating, "Through this platform, we are aiming to give voice to the voiceless and raise awareness about the challenges faced by those who are often disregarded and neglected."

Mohsina Akhter, a DLF team member, highlighted the festival's inclusive nature and its aim to break stereotypes surrounding Dalit literature. "It is crucial to break the stereotype that Dalit literature is solely confined to caste-based issues, expanding the scope of these important conversations," she said.

The festival will feature writers, scholars, cultural leaders, singers, playwrights, and artists from diverse backgrounds.

The program includes thematic sessions, research paper presentations, panel discussions, cultural performances, book exhibitions, and art displays. These activities will create a platform for intellectual and artistic exchange, focusing on critical issues affecting Dalits, women, tribal communities, and LGBTQIA+ individuals across India.

The festival will explore themes such as the intersection of Dalit literature with environmental issues, the relationship between art and literature's role in social change, and will contribute to the global dialogue surrounding Dalit literature.

Comments

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Kolkata dialogue flags policy and finance deficit in wetland sustainability

By A Representative Wetlands were the focus of India–Germany climate talks in Kolkata, where experts from government, business, and civil society stressed both their ecological importance and the urgent need for stronger conservation frameworks.

'Fraudulent': Ex-civil servants urge President to halt Odisha tribal land dispossession

By A Representative A collective of 81 retired civil servants from the Constitutional Conduct Group has written to the President of India expressing alarm over what they describe as the wrongful dispossession of tribal lands in Odisha’s Rayagada district. The letter, dated April 19, 2026, highlights violent clashes in Kantamal village where police personnel reportedly injured over 70 tribal residents attempting to protect their community rights.

Dhandhuka violence: Gujarat minority group seeks judicial action, cites targeted arson

By A Representative The Minority Coordination Committee (MCC) Gujarat has written to the Director General of Police seeking judicial action in connection with recent violence in Dhandhuka town of Ahmedabad district, alleging targeted attacks on properties belonging to members of the Muslim community following a fatal altercation between two bike riders on April 18.

Maoist activity in India: Weakening structures, 'shifts' in leadership, strategy and ideology

By Harsh Thakor* Recent statements by government representatives have suggested that Maoism in India has been effectively eliminated, citing the weakening of central leadership and intensified security operations. These claims follow sustained counterinsurgency efforts across key regions, including central and eastern India. However, available information from security agencies and independent observers indicates that while the organizational structure of the CPI (Maoist) has been significantly disrupted, elements of the movement remain active. Reports acknowledge the continued presence of cadres in certain forested regions such as Bastar and parts of Dandakaranya, alongside smaller, decentralized units adapting their operational strategies.

Why link women’s reservation to delimitation? The unspoken political calculus

By Vikas Meshram* April 16, 2026, is likely to be recorded as a special day in the history of Indian democracy. In a three-day special session of Parliament, the central government is set to introduce a comprehensive package of three historic bills: the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026; the Delimitation Bill, 2026; and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The stated purpose of all three is the same: to implement the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (106th Constitutional Amendment) passed in 2023. However, the political intent concealed behind these measures — and their impact on the federal balance — is far more profound. It is absolutely essential to understand this.

From Manesar to Noida: Workers take to streets for bread, media looks away

By Sunil Kumar* Across several states in India, a workers’ movement is gathering momentum. This is not a movement born of luxury or ambition, nor a demand for power-sharing within the state. At its core lies a stark and basic plea: the right to survive with dignity—adequate food, and wages sufficient to afford it.

Catholic union opposes FCRA amendments, warns of threat to Church institutions

By A Representative The All India Catholic Union (AICU) has raised serious concerns over what it describes as growing threats to religious freedom, minority rights, and constitutional safeguards in India, warning that recent policy and legislative trends could undermine the country’s secular and federal framework.

Midnight weeping: The sociology of tragic vision in Badri Narayan’s poetry

By Ravi Ranjan* Badri Narayan, a distinguished Hindi poet and social scientist, occupies a unique position in contemporary Indian intellectual life by bridging the worlds of creative literature and critical social inquiry. His poetic journey began significantly with the 1993 collection 'Saca Sune Hue Kaï Dina Hue' (Truth Heard Many Days Ago). As a social historian and cultural anthropologist, Narayan pioneered a methodological shift away from elite archives toward the oral traditions and folk myths of marginalized communities. He eventually legitimized "folk-ethnography" as a rigorous academic discipline during his tenure as Director of the G.B. Pant Social Science Institute.

Counterview

Search This Blog