Wir, die Regionalgruppe Lüneburg, wollen auf folgende Veranstaltungsreihe aufmerksam machen, die wir als Regionalgruppe unterstützen, aber nicht selbst organisiert haben. Seit einigen Monaten finden Bauernproteste in Indien statt, die in Deutschland relativ wenig Aufmerksamkeit bekommen. In der Vorlesungsreihe sprechen indische Aktivist*innen und Wissenschaftler*innen über die Proteste gegen die Agrarreform und zunehmenden Neoliberalismus und Nationalismus in Indien.
Digital Lecture Series
Neo-liberalization and Right-Wing Nationalism: Critical Perspectives from India
For the last several months, India has seen huge farmers‘ uprisings that not only challenge the right-wing Hindu nationalist government, but also the on-going process of neo-liberalization that has especially picked up pace under the present ruling government. This rise of nationalism and neo-liberalization has led to the persecution and repression of minorities, political and environmental activists, and workers’ unions. Further, these socio-economic developments have also increased economic precarity among the general masses and has increased exploitation of natural resources. Moreover, the severe state repression of the political and human rights movements has had so far made it extremely difficult to put up a unified front to the government.
It is in the background of such socio-economic developments that the farmers protests have risen up to challenge the government. But these farmers protests are only the latest culmination in a sequence of protests that have taken place since 2014 involving students, environmental groups, workers, religious minorities, etc., against the divisive and exploitive policies of the ruling BJP government. The immense scale of these protests today presents itself as a potential unified and organized front to the Hindu authoritarian government and the Indian corporate sector and this has brought the country to a critical point in its history.
However, despite being called one of the biggest and most organized struggles in post-independence history of the country and despite India being an important geopolitical player, the issue does not find appropriate attention in the German public. Neither do other issues such as attack on workers’ rights, persecution of minorities, erosion of democracy and economic crisis find any mention. With this lecture series, we want to provide a space to Indian activists and scholars to speak on various issues relating to authoritarianism and neo-liberalization in India. The lecture series covers the following 5 topics:
Saturday, 03.04. – “India’s Farmers Protest” – with Inderjit Singh
Saturday, 10.04. – “Human and Civil rights violations and the dismantling of democratic institutions” – with Anjali Bhardwaj
Saturday, 17.04. – “Dilution of the Labour laws and Worker’s rights” – with R. Karumalaiyan
Saturday, 24.04. – “Persecution of socio-cultural and political minorities” – with Kavita Krishnan
SUNDAY, 02.05. – “Slowing economy, rising unemployment and the rising precarity” – with Pratyush Nilotpal
Time: 5-7 pm (Germany time)!
The lectures will take place in English. The speaker will talk for 45-60 minutes, then there will be room for discussion and your questions. Attention: The last lecture takes place on Sunday, instead of Saturday due to 01.05 being the Worker’s Day.
Wanna join? Send us an email to: india_pastpresentandtomorrow@riseup.net, write us a Facebook message or contact us via the contact form on this website! Then you will receive the Zoom link for the lectures.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
About the Speakers: Mr. Inderjit Singh is a political activist and has been active with the worker’s and Farmers’ movements in India. Ms. Anjali Bhardwaj is a social activist working for the people’s right to transparency and accountability. Mr. R. Karumalaiyan is the National Secretary of Centre of Indian Trade Unions. Ms. Kavita Krishnan is a women’s rights activist and is the Secretary of the All-India Progressive women’s Association. Mr. Pratyush Nilotpal is long time worker activist and is currently working on re-imagining worker’s politics.
