Features

Caste, Landownership, and Its Historicity: The Redistribution Question

Santosh Rasve Land ownership in India is entwined with caste hierarchies, reflecting thousands of years of structural inequality and exclusion. Dalits, Adivasis, Lower OBCs, and other marginalised communities are landless or marginal landholders. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar emphasised that land is not merely an economic asset but a marker of social status and dignity. Historical and …

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Phule: A Cinematic Ode to Social Reform in a Polarized India

neeraj bunkar

Neeraj Bunkar Phule—a film directed by Ananth Mahadevan faced significant opposition from Brahmanical ideologues. The film chronicles the revolutionary lives of Jyotiba and Savitribai Phule, whose fight against caste oppression and gender inequality remains strikingly relevant. A Historical Canvas with Contemporary Resonance The film opens in 1897, Poona, during the bubonic plague, with an elderly …

Assertion

The Weight of Many Selves

Disha Abstract: This article examines the complexities of navigating multiple marginalised identities in India, focusing on Dalit, Queer, and Muslim identities. It explores how these identities intersect, clash, and coalesce within the socio-political landscape, questioning whether a hierarchy of identities exists or should exist. Through a personal and academic lens, the article explores the challenges …

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Adivasi Economy and Chenchu Women: A Study of Nannari Cultivation in Nallamala Forest

Chevuri Sathish Kumar “Adivasi economics” advocates for a lifestyle based on non-monetized labor exchange and sustainable use of natural resources. Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) are essential for the livelihoods of people living near forests. They include valuable resources such as medicinal plants, dyes, mushrooms, fruits, and honey etc. Often referred to as “minor forest products,” …

Features

CBFC: Censoring Caste, Condoning Hate

Ganesh Ashok Pandit When Chhaava hit screens in 2025, it ignited riots in Maharashtra, leaving a trail of communal hate. Yet, the Censor Board (CBFC) allowed it without hesitation. At the same time, Phule, a film that celebrated the life and struggles of Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule against caste discrimination, was cut to pieces. The …

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Inter-Caste Marriage and Honour Killings in India

Vaibhav Babarao Abhyankar Recently, in Maharashtra’s Pune district, a tragic event occurred where a Dalit boy who married a girl from the Maratha community (so-called upper caste) was brutally murdered by his spouse’s family members. This highlights the ongoing issue of honour killings related to inter-caste marriages in India. Earlier, such incidents happened in Maharashtra …

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Brahminism ain’t Polite—Why the F Should we be?

Lokesh Bag A pattern appears almost every time someone from a marginalized community raises their voice. It doesn’t matter how deep the pain is or how much evidence they carry; if the tone is not soft enough, it gets rejected. It becomes more pronounced when the person is a Dalit. This is tone policing—silencing disguised …

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Hijacking Patriotism: The Truth India’s Attack on ‘Learn Ahom’

Kangsa Manlong After an Assam grass-roots language revival effort known as ‘Learn Ahom’ gained attention, digital commentator Aboyob Bhuyan and his platform The Truth India launched a furious counter-attack. In his usual third-person bombastic style, Bhuyan has repeatedly named Learn Ahom as “anti-Assamese” or even “pro-Pakistan,” accusing the project of fomenting communal division. In reality, …

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The Capitalist Capture of the Anti Caste Internet

Anshul Kumar Ever since the Arab Spring erupted in Egypt and its neighbouring countries, the victory of democracy was touted as possible only because of the internet revolution. At that time, Twitter had a role as an alternative form of media, over which dictatorial regimes in the Middle East had little or no control. The …