India is witnessing an unprecedented right-wing authoritarian shift under the Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Hate speech and violence against minorities, including lynching, have become rampant while the perpetrators enjoy impunity and tacit state protection.
However, grassroot movements and cultural artists have also sharpened their tools to resist casteism, hate speech, and hatred based on religion across different regions of the country. There have been massive protests from grassroot movements and cultural groups.
One such group is Kabir Kala Manch (KKM), whose songs and theater performances took the struggle against casteism, religious fundamentalism, and state oppression to different parts of the state of Maharashtra. KKM’s artists and activists, belonging to the region’s oppressed communities, perform street plays, poetry, and musical activities to educate, organise and protest against oppression.
Video screening: Songs of Defiance (hindi/marthi with english subs. 24min) This documentary portrays some of KKM’s artists in context of the hostile system they are struggling against.
A discussion with activists working as part of south Asian diasporic groups (IJP among them) will follow the film (35 mins)
Sunday, 26th June, 11am – 12 noon
with the Berlin South Asian Coalition