Amitabh at the Community Radio Madison interviewed me on the situation in Bastar
https://www.wortfm.org/the-naked-government-power-play-in-chhattisgarh-state/
Sunday, August 10, 2025
WORT 89.9 Community Radio, Madison
Friday, July 4, 2025
Conversation with Anuradha SenGupta in "The Big Picture'
Conversation with Anuradha SenGupta in "The Big Picture' on what Amit Shah's 'deadline' to finish Maoism means for villagers.
There may be relief at an end to the operations, but they are worried about mining, displacement, and also the little things that the Maoists managed which were important in their lives - settling village disputes, helping women escape patriarchy, land levelling and village communal farming..
The Maoists may go, but if the camps remain, thats a new battle to fight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GVKB05pWzo
Sunday, June 8, 2025
Post-mortem of a PIL
I am writing this blog for my own satisfaction, after the Supreme Court disposed of our public interest litigation without proper hearing, on May 15 2025. We had filed the cases in 2007. This post must be read in conjunction with my chapters on litigating against counterinsurgency in my book, The Burning Forest, which deal in more detail with the 2011 judgement.
Our Written Submissions
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) NO. 250/2007
IN THE MATTER OF:
NANDINI SUNDAR
VERSUS
STATE OF CHHATTISGARH & ANR.
WRIT PETITION (CRIMINAL) NO. 119/2007
AND IN THE MATTER OF:
KARTAM JOGA
VERSUS
STATE OF CHHATTISGARH
CONTEMPT PETITION (CIVIL) NO. 140/2012
AND IN THE MATTER OF:
NANDINI SUNDAR
VERSUS
SHRI SUNIL KUMAR
COMPREHENSIVE NOTE ON THE ISSUES INVOLVED AND A RESPONSE WHICH THE STATE’S AFFIDAVIT 30.08.2024 SIMPLY DOES NOT ADDRESS
The writ petitions were filed against the state policy of arming civilians and militarizing the districts of Bastar, Sukma, Bijapur and Dantewada in the state of Chhattisgarh, which resulted in an exponentially rising spiral of devastation. This case may broadly be divided into five sections:
I. This Court’s indictment of a counter insurgency policy of using state sponsored vigilantes and SPOs, in its judgment reported as Nandini Sundar v. State of Chhattisgarh (2011) 7 SCC 547, and the brazen violation of the same by the State of Chhattisgarh thereafter.
This is reiterated in the State’s Affidavit dated 30.08.2024 filed following this Hon’ble Court’s directions of 16.7.2024 for a status update, purportedly showing compliance of order dated 05.07.2011
II. The extent of human rights violations in Chhattisgarh and the State’s failure/inability to redress the same.
III. This Court’s directions to the CBI to investigate the incidents of violence (arson, rape and murder) in three villages of Chhattisgarh, namely Timmapuram, Morpalli and Tadmetla by the SPOs as well as the violent attack on Swami Agnivesh, and subsequent developments.
IV. Role of the National Human Rights Commission.
V. Proposed Rehabilitative measures - Survey and Independent Monitoring.
Friday, May 30, 2025
Will Modi Sarkar listen to the adivasis of Bastar now that the Maoist insurgency is nearing its end?
Shalini Gera, advocate, and I had a conversation with Ajoy Ashirwad of The Wire 30 May 2025
Saturday, May 10, 2025
Peace talks between Government and Maoists must include Affected Citizens
My article in The Wire Hindi on need for peace talks
And a slightly updated version in the English Wire.in
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Interview by CG Khabar, 20 April 2025
Raghavendra Singh of CG Khabar interviewed me on the sidelines of a meeting in Dalli Rajhara on the need for peace talks. He asked about how I came to Bastar, the murder charges against me, and about the situation in Bastar. I argued that whatever the outcome of the peace talks between govt and Maoists - and its extremely important that there be peace talks - we need justice. All those killed, raped and displaced during this conflict should get some justice. There is a third party to the talks - which is the most important - and that is the people of Bastar
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