Sep 7, 2013

JOINT STATEMENT ON ATROCITIES ON CULTURAL ACTIVISTS AND DALITS

We the undersigned are extremely appalled and outraged by the arrest of Kanwal Bharti eminent Dalit writer for his comments on Face book. If one looks seriously at the banner headlines of the Corporate media, the Indian ruling classes have been boasting India as the new economic power house of the world and being the largest democracy. Various clauses of the Indian constitution guarantees the fundamental rights of its citizens ie right to expression, right to choose ones cultural and political views.

The pretensions of the Indian state about it being a liberal democracy has proved to be a total mockery of the very meaning of the words like liberalism, democracy and rule of law. Since the past six decades under draconian laws like AFPSA, UAPA, National security act etc. Tens of thousands of people have died in face encounters, thousands of youth have vanished from Kashmir and Punjab. There are genocides happening on the struggling people of oppressed Nationalities, thousands are tortured, there are thousand of unknown mass graves in Kashmir. Thousand of woman are raped, tortured and killed in police custody. When it comes to writers and cultural activists the Indian state has always bared its fascist and castist fangs again and again. There glaring examples are the false prosecution of the members of Kabir Kala Manch, (Eminent Revolutionary Balladeer Ghadar who is a living legend in the revolutionary peasant resistance struggle was fired upon by Andhra Police and was seriously injured had to be hospitalized for quite a long time and had to be hospitalized for months. Jiten Marandi an eminent radical cultural activist from Jharkhand was jailed for years on trumped up false criminal charges. Progressive poet and writer Savyasachi Goswami is still languishing in Jail on false criminal charges, and the ruthless murder of comrade Gantiprasadam of RDF who was a famous revolutionary writer. The above facts prove that dalit writers and cultural activists are ruthlessly oppresses and persecuted by the Indian state. In this context one has to look seriously at the dialectics of the rise of identity politics in Indian via the Mandal and Kamandal debate. The rise if identity politics in late 80’s and early 90’s which has created an opportunity for the rise of a thin strata of OBC kulaks, who join hands with upper caste landlords to commit atrocities on Dalits. The Vanniyar Sangham hooliganism clearly proves this. However one has to look at the identity question in a dialectical prism.

There are identities and identities some are oppressed some are oppressors. We  should discern the democratic content of the identity struggles we should firmly stand with the oppressed identities. History has shown it is only the oppresses can break their own chains.  We appeal to the left and democratic organizations, and the progressive intelligentia to join hands and fight together against the right to expression and atrocities on Dalits.

The very logic of Predatory Neoliberalism accentuates the class differentiation within the endogamous caste group further creating class polarization and exploitation. On one hand it pauperizes vast masses of Dalits, OBC’s pasmanda muslims on the other hand a handful of minorities rich peasantry and the kulaks elements of the OBC’s join hand with upper caste land lords to perpetuate atrocities. With the rise of identify politics in late eighties and early nineties especially in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar these elements have become the subsidiary part of the Indian Ruling Classes. We draw attention of another danger in contemporary Identity discourse, the rise of Slogans like Dalit Capitalism and formation of neoliberal clubs like DICCI, its ideologues conveniently forget the fact that 90% of the super exploited agricultural labourers are predominantly dalits and the dalit female agricultural laboures are also sexually exploited.

These stooges of wall street simply over look the fact that under the Neoliberal regime it’s the Dalits, Adivasis, Poor OBC’s and Muslims form that vast mass of Super exploited mobile insecure “foot loose labour” which forms a bulk of the contractual, informal workers in the post fordist production relations and labour process. Therefore this dubious notion of Dalit capitalism is an albatross in the neck of every exploited Dalit. Because it is the very logic of capital which produces wealth and prosperity at one pole and poverty, destitution and despair at the other pole.

1.      We demand the withdrawal of all criminal cases on Jiten Marandi, Aparna Marandi, Savyasachi Goswami, Members of Kabir Kala Manch and Kanwal Bharti, Jayeeta Das, Hem Mishra, Prashant Rahi, Seema Azad and two Adivasi Youths arrested from Aheri, Gadchiroli, Maharashtra.

2.      Immediately and unconditionally release Savyasaachi Goswami, Jayeeta Das, Hem Mishra, Prashant Rahi, Two Adivasi Youths arrested from Aheri, Gadchiroli, Maharashtra and Kabir Kala Manch Members.

3.      We demand a high level judicial enquiry on the murder of Com Ganti Prasadam and the resignation of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister for this tragedy.

4.      We demand Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav apologise to the Dalits of this country
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1.       Arjun Prasad Singh          PDFI

2.       Anand Teltumbde           CPDR, Mumbai

3.       Prof. Uma Chakrabarty  Women Against Sexual Violence

4.       Subhash Gatade               New Socialist and state repression (WSS)

5.       Javed Akhtar      Eminent Initiate Urdu Poet and Film Lyricist, Mumbai

6.       Shirisha Naidu   SANHATI, Chennai

7.       Kaveri Rajaram  SANHATI, Bangalore

8.       Swati Birla           SANJATI, Mumbai

9.       Shiv Sethi            SANHATI, Bangalore

10.   Shamsul Islam   Nishant Natya Manch, Delhi

11.   Neelima Sharma               Nishant Natya Manch, Delhi

12.   Srirupa  Revolutionary Cultural Front (RCF), JNU

13.   Sudhir Suman    Jan Sanskrit Manch (JASAM), Delhi

14.   Brahma Prakash               Janrang Radical left cultural group, JNU

15.   Hadi       BAHROOP Progressive theatre group, JNU

16.   Katyayani            Eminent Marxist Feminist Poetess

17.   Martand              JASAM, JNU

18.   Anil Chamadia   Journalist, Delhi

19.   Kamayani Bali Mahabal                  Lawyer, Social Activist, Mumbai

20.   Vivek Sundara   Human Rights Activist, Mumbai

21.   Anirban Kar        SANHATI, Delhi Chapter

22.   Prof. Subodh Malakar Professor SIS JNU and ex-president JNU teachers Association (JNUTA)

23.   Anirban                                Democratic Student Union (DSU), JNU

24.   Sucheta dey       Research Scholar and Ex-president , JNU Student

25.   Ravi Prakash       Research Scholar and Ex-Secretary JNU Students Union (JNUSU)

26.   Piyush Raj           Joint Secretary Union (JNUSU)

27.   Prof. Nivedita Menon    Professor School of Intervention studies, JNU

28.   Nayanjyoti          Krantikari Naujawan Sabha (KNS)

29.   Wilfred D’costa

30.   Rakesh Ranjan                                  Nowroj, Delhi

31.   Vir Bharat Talwar              Professor, Center for Indian languages, JNU

32.   Vivek Kumar      Professor, Centre for study of Social Systems, JNU

33.   Yagati Chinna Rao            Centre for Study of Discrimination and Exclusion, JNU

34.   Abhijit Pathak    Professor, Centre for Study of Social Systems, JNU

35.   Arun Kumar        Professor, Centre for Economic and Social Planning, JNU

36.   Anand Kumar    Professor, Centre for Study of Social Systems, JNU

37.   Papori Bora,       Asst. Professor, Centre for Women’s Studies, JNU

38.   Bimol Akoijam   Professor, Centre for Study of Social Systems, JNU

39.   Ajay Gudavarty Asst. Professor, Centre for Political Studies, JNU

40.   Mahindranath Thakur    Asst. Professor, Centre for Political Studies, JNU

41.   Amir Ali                                Asst. Professor, Centre for Political Studies, JNU

42.   Rinku Lamba      Asst. Professor, Centre for Political Studies, JNU

43.   Shefali Jha           Asst. Professor, Centre for Political Studies, JNU

44.   A. k. Ramakrishnan         Professor, School of International Studies, JNU

45.   Suraj Beri             The New Materialists, JNU

46.   Mahatab Alam                  Civil Rights Activist, JNU

47.   Students for Resistance (SFR), Delhi University and JNU

48.   Vira Sathidar      Republican Assistant Professor, Centre for study of Social Science, Kolkata

49.   Rita Jyoti Bandpadhyay                 Assistant Professor, Centre for Study of Social Science, Kolkata

50.   Susovan Dhar    Radical Socialist, Kolkata

51.   Achin Vanaik      CNDP, Delhi

52.   Praful Bidwai      Eminent Eco-Marxist Thinker, Delhi

53.   Sumit Chakrabarty           People together, Kolkata

54.   Nisha Biswas      WSS

55.   Kiran Shaheen   WSS, Delhi

56.   Sudha Reddy     social activist, Bangalore

57.   Seema Mustafa                Centre for Policy Analysis, Delhi

58.   Malem Ningthouza         Campaign for peace and democracy, Manipur

59.   Tripta Wahi         Professor, Delhi University

60.   Jyotsna                 Critical Quest, Delhi

61.   Reyazul Haque  Student, JNU

62.   Trisha Agarwal   Focus on Global South

63.   Mansi Sharma   Social Activist, Delhi

64.   Benny Kuruvila  Social Activist, Delhi

65.   Susana Baria       Social Activist, Delhi

66.   Kamla Bhasin     Eminent Feminist Activist, Delhi

67.   Ajit Singh Yadav                                All India People Front

68.   C. Laxmanan      Dalit Intellectual Collective,  Chennai

69.   Rajni Tilak            Rashtriya Dalit Mahila Andolan, Delhi

70.   Chinmay              United Dalit Students Front (UDSF)

71.   Aryama                                Teacher, Delhi University, JNU

72.   Pravin   NSI, Delhi

73.   Ankur Rai             JASAM, Mumbai

74.   Rohit Ranjan      Progressive Student Activist TISS, Mumbai

75.   P.K. Sundram     Research Scholar, JNU

76.   Bhuvi Gupta       Research Scholar, JNU

77.   Mayur Chetia     Research Scholar, JNU

78.   Asit Das                                Contributing Editor, India Resists.com

79.   Usman  Research Scholar, JNU

80.   Imran    Radical left Activist, Delhi

81.   Ambedkar           Research Scholar and United Dalit Student Front (UDSF), JNU

82.   Laxman Singh    Research Scholar and Dalit Activist, Delhi

83.   Bhupen Singh    Faculty, Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi

84.   Ashish Bharadwaj            Faculty, Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi

85.   Bhasha Singh     Deputy Editor, Outlook, Hindi, Delhi

86.   Vaishali Patil       Eminent Antinuclear Activist Konkan, Maharashtra

87.   Vidya Dinkar       Citizens Forum, Mangalore, Karnataka

88.   Ashish Kumar    Research Scholar, Centre for Russian Studies, JNU

89.   Mujibur Rehman              Research Scholar, JNU

90.   Kushal Singh       Research Scholar, JNU

91.   Neha Thakur      Research Scholar, JNU

92.   Akash Bhattacharya        Krantikari Naujawan Sabha (KNS), JNU

93.   Koyal Verma      Research Scholar, JNU

94.   Anubhuti             Research Scholar, JNU

95.   Shweta                 Research Scholar, JNU

96.   Archana               Research Scholar, JNU

97.   Shasank               Research Scholar, JNU

98.   Suvaid                   Research Scholar, JNU

99.   Fauzan                  Research Scholar, JNU

100.                        Vismay Basu       Research Scholar, JNU

101.                        Saptarshi Chaudhury      Research Scholar, JNU

102.                        Arvind Yadav      Research Scholar, JNU

103.                        Tara Shankar      Research Scholar, JNU

104.                        Chandra Sen      Research Scholar, JNU

105.                        Brijesh  Research Scholar, JNU

106.                        Badre Alam         Research Scholar, Delhi University

107.                        Dhirendra Bahadur Singh              Asst. Professor, Delhi University

108.                        Dinkar Singh       Asst. Professor, Delhi University

109.                        Snehi     Student and Activist DSU, JNU

110.                        Rajarshi Dasgupta            Asst. Professor, Centre for Political Studies, JNU

111.                        Prangya Joshi     PUCL, Rajasthan

112.                        Jitendra Kumar Journalist, Delhi

113.                        Deb        Research Scholar, JNU

114.                        Shruti Jain           Research Scholar, JNU

115.                        Preeti    Research Scholar, JNU

116.                        Krithi     Research Scholar, JNU

117.                        Shastri Ramchandra        Journalist, Delhi

118.                        Dawa Singh         Research Scholar, JNU

119.                        Nitin Kumar        Student, Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi

120.                        Afiya Khalid        Student, JNU

121.                        Azizur Rehman  Asst. Professor, Osmania, University, Hyderabad

122.                        Dr. Neeraj Hatekar          Dept of Economics, Bombay University

123.                        Prabhu Guptara                                University of St Gallen, Switzerland

124.                        Aradhana Sharma            Proferssor, Wesleyan University, USA

125.                        Sirohi Nandan                    Forum for Democratic Right (FDR) Jammu

126.                        Ahmed Sohaib                  Jamia Teachers Solidarity Association (JTSA), Delhi

127.                        Mary Mathai    

128.                        Laltu      Eminent Hindi Poet International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad

129.                        Divya Trivedi      Journalist, Delhi

130.                        Dwajendra Dhawal

131.                        M.C. Raj               Writer, Karnataka

132.                        Dr. Anil Sadgopal              Eminent Educationist

133.                        Rajan Kurci Krishnan       Academic, Delhi

134.                        Satyam R Verma               Professor, Emeritus McGill University, Canada

135.                        Nalini Nayak       Associate Professor, Delhi University

136.                        C.K. Purandare                  Artist, art.deco.com

137.                        Himanshu Kumar             Vanvasi Chetna Ashram

138.                        Goldy George    Dalit Mukti Morcha, Chhatisgarh

139.                        Sourav Shome   Mumbai

140.                        Rossi D’souza     Research Scholar, TIFR, Mumbai

141.                        Amalendu Upadhyay     Editor, Hasthkhep.com

142.                        Pravin Patel        Activist, Gajapati

143.                        Raju Nayak         Social Activist, Gajapati, Odisha

144.                        N. K. Jeet             Lok Morcha, Punjab

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