With the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza and renewed India-Pakistan tensions following the Pahalgam attack, there is a growing temptation to apply the framework of colonial violence (so viscerally visible in Palestine) to diverse geopolitical contexts across the Global South. This impulse, while rooted in a genuine desire for global solidarity, has often led to … Continue reading Not All Violence Is Colonial: The Dangerous Drift of Post-Modern Solidarity – Yanis Iqbal
Category: Identity
MANIK BANDYOPADHYAY’S ‘A SPECIMEN’—TRANSLATED BY PRITHA BANERJEE
Manik Bandopadhyay (1908-1956) This short story by Manik Bandyopadhyay is set during the time of the 1943 famine in Bengal. It was a time of abject poverty, destitution, and breakdown of the moral economy of the society. The lack of rice and other staples compelled a father to sell off his daughter to an unknown … Continue reading MANIK BANDYOPADHYAY’S ‘A SPECIMEN’—TRANSLATED BY PRITHA BANERJEE
Syed Mustafa Siraj’s ‘Bharat Varsha’—Translated by Saukarya Samad
Syed Mustafa Siraj (1930-2012) One of the last sentinels from the golden era of Bengali literature, Syed Mustafa Siraj wrote effortlessly for both children and adults. His sheer versatility enabled him to craft riveting novels like ‘Neel Ghorer Nati’ and conjure the evergreen ornithologist-cum-investigator Colonel Niladri Sarkar. Renowned for his nuanced social commentary and vivid … Continue reading Syed Mustafa Siraj’s ‘Bharat Varsha’—Translated by Saukarya Samad
The Politics of Demolition and the Displaced People of the Tughlaqabad Village—Monjima Kar
Ruins of the Tughlaqabad Fort. The Tughlaqabad Fort, built around the 14th century, stands in ruins now, seven centuries later. What remains are the various settlements outside the fort enclosure. These settlements are equally old, built around the fort and inhabited by the working-class people ever since. While Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq might have found it difficult to … Continue reading The Politics of Demolition and the Displaced People of the Tughlaqabad Village—Monjima Kar
Can Periyar’s Politics Be Accepted In Today’s Anti-Caste Discourse?—Diya Maria Abraham
Periyar E.V. Ramasamy Naicker (Image Courtesy: Vikatan) “The Jews are only interested in themselves and nobody else. They somehow contrive to have the rulers in their pocket, participate in governance and conspire to torture and suck the lives out of other citizens in order that they live (in comfort).” “Are they not comparable to the … Continue reading Can Periyar’s Politics Be Accepted In Today’s Anti-Caste Discourse?—Diya Maria Abraham
How Muslim is Muslim Enough?—Nabila Ansari
The Women of Seelampur (Picture Courtesy - Author) On 29th December 2019, Shashi Tharoor, in a tweet, identified the chanting of ‘la ilaha illallah’ at an anti-CAA protest at Jamia Milia Islamia with “Islamist extremism”. The statement is also known as the Shahada and is a basic tenet of Islam – its literal translation being … Continue reading How Muslim is Muslim Enough?—Nabila Ansari
Lokayata 