Racial murder in Palakkad exposes grim legacy of hate and frenzied nationalism: Naeem Gafoor
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Thiruvananthapuram: The casteist murder at Attappallam in Walayar is a grim reminder of the racial hatred and frenzied nationalism harboured by the so-called “enlightened” Malayali society, said Naeem Gafoor, State President of the Fraternity Movement.
He said the question, “Are you a Bangladeshi?” itself reveals the social and political mindset behind the racially motivated killing of Ram Narayan Baghel, a native of Chhattisgarh. This, he noted, is the same slogan repeatedly hurled at people across India who are stripped of citizenship, subjected to mob lynchings and bulldozer justice.
He added that the administration and police, by allowing racist elements who spew such hatred through social media and on the streets to operate fearlessly, have contributed to this brutal killing.
Gafoor said that the way Ram Narayan Baghel’s homeland, name and very existence as a migrant worker were erased and reduced to the single label of “Bangladeshi” exposes the violent force of Hindutva racism and Islamophobia.
Even within electoral politics, the Left too bears collective responsibility for normalising racial politics in India and for once again criminalising voices that are othered through labels like “Bangladeshi,” he said.
He pointed out that those arrested so far come from an RSS–BJP background, and warned that the administrative apathy seen in the case of Madhu’s killing must not be repeated in the case of Ram Narayan Baghel.
The incident, he said, also serves as a strong warning that Kerala should no longer tolerate the upper-caste racist and ultra-nationalist consciousness promoted by the Sangh Parivar and right-wing forces.
He urged the administration to take the initiative in ensuring strict legal action and punishment against the accused. If the government fails to enact strong laws against purveyors of racial hatred and mob lynching, such incidents will continue to recur, he warned.
The government must be willing to ensure exemplary punishment for all those responsible for leading the racially motivated mob violence in Walayar, he said, adding that the Fraternity Movement would stand firmly with the struggle for justice for Ram Narayan Baghel’s family.