SUNOLI KHATUN - a story of a poor Bengali Muslim in India

 

**SUNOLI KHATUN - the story of poor verses the system and human vs politics** 

The story of Sunoli Khatun is more than a legal case; it is a mirror reflecting the harsh realities of displacement, the fragility of identity for the poor, and the slow, grinding machinery of justice in South Asia.

The Red Earth of Birbhum. Sunoli’s story begins in Paikar, a village in the Birbhum district of West Bengal. Birbhum is a land of vibrant contrasts—known globally for Rabindranath Tagore’s Shantiniketan and the soulful songs of Baul singers, but also marked by deep rural poverty.

In villages like Paikar, life for a poor Bengali Muslim family follows a rhythmic, difficult cycle. The men often work as landless agricultural laborers, while the women spend their afternoons rolling beedis (leaf-wrapped cigarettes) for a few rupees. Despite the local culture being rich with festivals like Poush Mela, the "red soil" (Rarh) often fails to yield enough to sustain large families.

Facing a "poverty trap" where education is a luxury and land is scarce, Sunoli’s father, Bhodu Sekh, made a choice thousands make every year: he boarded a train to the capital.

The "Invisible" Citizens of Delhi. Sunoli grew up in the narrow, winding lanes of Rohini, a vast residential sub-city in North West Delhi. Here, the "migrant experience" is one of essential but invisible service.

 * The Labor: For nearly 20 years, Sunoli and her family were the gears that kept the city running—working as domestic helpers, waste pickers, and casual laborers.

 * The Culture of the Slum: In the "Bangali Bastis," the air is thick with the smell of mustard oil and the sound of Bengali dialects. These migrants recreate a slice of Bengal in the heart of Delhi, yet they live under a constant cloud of suspicion.

 * The Politics of Identity: In recent years, the linguistic and religious identity of Bengali-speaking Muslims in Delhi has become a political flashpoint. Despite possessing Aadhaar cards, Voter IDs, and PAN cards, they are often colloquially branded as "Bangladeshi" by neighbors and law enforcement alike.

In June 2025, this suspicion turned into a nightmare. During a police sweep, Sunoli—seven months pregnant—was detained. Her documents, the "paper proof" of her life, were dismissed. Without a formal trial, she, her 8-year-old son Sabir, and her husband were flown to the border and "pushed" into a land they had never known.

The Exile: A Foreign Prison

Suddenly, Sunoli found herself in Bangladesh—a country that viewed her as an Indian infiltrator just as India had viewed her as a Bangladeshi one. For a week, she roamed the streets of Dhaka, a pregnant woman begging for food, until she was arrested for "illegal entry."

She spent months in a Bangladeshi jail. In her own words, it was "hell." While the law argued over maps and borders, a child was growing inside her, and her son Sabir was losing his childhood behind bars.

 "Law Must Bend to Humanity"

The turning point came not from a politician, but from a father’s persistence and a judge’s empathy. Her father, Bhodu Sekh, produced land records from 1952 to prove their roots in Birbhum.

On December 3, 2025, the Supreme Court of India intervened. The Court’s observation was historic: "Law has to bend to humanity." They recognized that a pregnant woman’s right to life and her child’s right to a birthplace superseded administrative technicalities.

On December 5, Sunoli crossed the Mahadipur border back into West Bengal. She returned to the "red earth" of Birbhum, exhausted and traumatized, but finally home.

Reflection: The Cost of a Label

Sunoli is now home, but her husband and others remain in a legal limbo in Bangladesh. Her journey exposes a system where the poor must constantly prove they belong to the land that raised them.

AK Bhatia 

THE DUAL FACE OF JUSTICE

Is This RAM RAJYA?

In a complete betrayal of justice, the Delhi High Court suspended the life sentence of  Kuldeep Singh Sengar —convicted for the brutal 2017 rape of a minor in Unnao, her father’s custodial murder, and a deadly “accident” that killed her relatives —and granted him bail after just over five years.

This powerful thug’s reign of terror involved intimidation, threats, and elimination of witnesses. How is this outrageous favour possible without blatant political pressure from the top?

Not to forget:  BJP dragged its feet shamelessly. Rape allegations surfaced in 2017, but the party shielded him—keeping him as MLA until forced expulsion in August 2019 after massive outrage and CBI takeover. Yogi Adityanath govt in UP stonewalled investigations, enabling systematic attacks on the victim’s family. Real action came only after her desperate 2018 self-immolation attempt and Supreme Court intervention. This wasn’t negligence; it was outright complicity.

Meanwhile, student activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam—charged under draconian UAPA for anti-CAA protest speeches —languish in jail for almost 6 years, no trial started, bail pleas routinely denied.

Convicted rapists linked to BJP get swift relief; peaceful dissenters are buried in endless detention.

Can we trust a judiciary riddled with such glaring double standards? This mocks survivors and protects the powerful. We demand JUSTICE, Not mockery of Justice!!

AK BHATIA 

(A request: If you think this case represents the rot that has set in our judicial system and we must raise voice this please share this post to the extent possible)

#UnnaoRapeCase 

#PutSengerin Jail

#RamRajya

#BJPComplicity #JudicialBias #FreePoliticalPrisoners

 

Sanchar Saathi: A Security Tool or the Beginning of a Surveillance State?

The Government of India has now made it mandatory for all mobile phone manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on every device sold in the country — and in a form that cannot be deleted or disabled by the user.

On paper, the app promises noble objectives: blocking stolen phones, tracing lost devices, preventing fraud, and curbing the black market for IMEI-cloned handsets. These are legitimate concerns in a country with millions of mobile thefts and widespread cyber-fraud.

But beneath these stated intentions lies a troubling question: What else could an undeletable, government-controlled app on every smartphone enable?

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A Familiar Warning From Our Recent Past

India has already witnessed how surveillance technology can quietly enter personal devices.
The Pegasus scandal revealed that advanced spyware was found on the phones of opposition leaders, journalists, and activists. When asked whether Pegasus was purchased or used, the government refused to answer, citing “national security.” We still do not know the full truth.

Sanchar Saathi, by contrast, doesn’t need covert installation. It now comes preloaded on every new phone — with no opt-out.

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Legal Environment Favors State Over Citizen

The new Digital Personal Data Protection Act gives the government broad exemptions from data-protection rules “in the interest of sovereignty and public order.”
It also prohibits journalists from publishing “personal information,” effectively shielding the State from public scrutiny while exposing citizens to unprecedented monitoring.

In such an environment, trust must be earned, not demanded.

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The Danger of Silent Updates

Most users accept app permissions and updates without reading them.
A mandatory system app can evolve quietly through updates — expanding its access to location, metadata, communication patterns, or device activity. By the time the public realizes the scope of surveillance, hundreds of millions of phones will already be running it.

There will be no uninstall button.

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The Real Issue

Sanchar Saathi may be presented as a safety tool. But without transparency, independent audits, or the ability to opt out, it risks turning every smartphone into a potential monitoring device — and every citizen into a data point under watch.

A democracy must protect the freedom and privacy of its people. Mandatory surveillance infrastructure, however well-packaged, takes us in the opposite direction.

02-12-2025

BJP has used Riots, Rapes and Murders as political tools - an article by AK Bhatia

 BJP has used Riots, Rapes and  Murders as political tools - an article by AK Bhatia 

॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰

I have worked on information available in the public domain and have found patterns of BJP tolerance, involvement, and incentives in communal crimes for political polarization. This is supported by additional verified details from diverse sources, including criticisms, defenses, and examples of rewards for accused/convicts, highlighting claims of electoral benefits through division alongside assertions of impartial action against violence. Each section includes timelines, key facts, outcomes, and visuals for context.

1. The Lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq (Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, 2015)

In September 2015, Mohammad Akhlaq, a 52-year-old Muslim man, was lynched by a mob in Dadri over rumors of storing beef in his home. His son was also severely injured. The incident sparked national outrage and debates on mob violence and communal tensions. 

Key Developments: Initially, 19 individuals were accused. A decade later, in November 2025, the Uttar Pradesh government (under BJP leadership) filed an application to withdraw all charges against the accused, citing various procedural grounds. This move has been criticized by Akhlaq’s family, who vow to continue fighting for justice, emphasizing the ongoing trauma and lack of closure. 

Broader Impact: The case is often cited in discussions on lynching laws, with the Supreme Court previously recommending separate offenses for such acts. Experts and media debates in 2025 have questioned the government’s intent, viewing it as a potential erosion of accountability in communal cases. 

2. The 2008 Malegaon Bomb Blast Case

On September 29, 2008, a bomb exploded in Malegaon, Maharashtra, killing six people (mostly Muslims) and injuring over 100 during Ramadan prayers. The case involved allegations of Hindu extremist involvement, with initial investigations pointing to groups like Abhinav Bharat.  “Court proceedings and accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, which resulted in acquittals after 17 years.”

Key Developments: All seven accused, including BJP leader Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt. Col. Prasad Purohit, were acquitted in July 2025 by a special NIA court in Mumbai due to insufficient credible evidence. The court noted a lack of proof linking the accused to the explosives or conspiracy, despite the real impact of the blast.

Broader Impact: This verdict has reignited debates on investigation quality and conviction rates in terror cases, especially when compared to other blasts where over 190 people (mostly Muslims) lost lives in similar incidents. 

Critics, including political figures, have called for appeals, highlighting the 17-year trial’s failure to deliver justice for victims. 

3. Garlanding of Lynching Convicts by Union Minister Jayant Sinha (Ramgarh, Jharkhand, 2017-2018)

In June 2017, Alimuddin Ansari, a Muslim meat trader, was lynched by a mob in Ramgarh over suspicions of carrying beef. Eleven individuals were initially convicted by a fast-track court, with eight receiving life sentences (later reduced or bailed).  “Union Minister Jayant Sinha publicly garlanding convicts in the Ramgarh lynching case upon their release on bail.” 

Key Developments: In July 2018, upon their release on bail by the Jharkhand High Court, Union Minister Jayant Sinha (son of senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha and a minister in the Modi government) publicly garlanded and felicitated eight of the convicts at his residence.  Sinha later expressed regret amid backlash but maintained the accused were “innocent” and that he had provided legal aid. 

Broader Impact: The act drew widespread condemnation from opposition parties and international media, with calls for Sinha’s resignation, viewing it as encouragement for mob violence and a disregard for the rule of law. 

4. Release and Felicitations of Convicts in the Bilkis Bano Case (Gujarat Riots, 2002)

During the 2002 Gujarat riots, Bilkis Bano, then pregnant, was gang-raped, and 14 of her family members (including her 3-year-old daughter) were murdered by a mob. Eleven men were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2008. “Convicts in the Bilkis Bano case being welcomed with garlands and sweets upon their release under remission.” 

Key Developments: In August 2022, the Gujarat government (BJP-led) granted remission to all 11 convicts, leading to their early release. Upon release, they were welcomed with garlands, sweets, and hugs by members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Hindu Mahasabha, organizations associated with the RSS-BJP ecosystem. A BJP MLA controversially described the convicts as “Brahmins with good sanskaar” (values). One convict later shared a stage with BJP lawmakers, provoking further outrage. 

Broader Impact: The decision, backed by a panel including BJP legislators, sparked outrage and legal challenges, symbolizing a shift in public discourse from demanding harsh punishments for rapists to leniency in certain cases. The Supreme Court quashed the remission in 2024, slamming the Gujarat government for acting “in tandem with convicts.” Opposition parties accused the BJP of “helping convicts” and demanded apologies. Internal BJP fault lines emerged over the decision. 

5. Patterns of Political Polarization, Tolerance, and Incentives in Communal Incidents

There is a clear pattern where the BJP as a party is not only tolerant of such heinous crimes but is happily involved in them, as they help polarize Hindus in favor of the BJP. Methods include ensuring culprits are not convicted by destroying evidence or presenting weak cases, making incarceration less painful through repeated paroles and remissions, and rewarding convicts with plum posts post-release as incentives. “Illustrations of communal riots and polarization trends in India under the BJP government, as documented in human rights reports.” 

Supporting Examples and Criticisms:

Rewards for Accused/Convicts: Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, accused in the Malegaon blasts, was fielded as a BJP MP candidate in 2019 and won, despite ongoing charges (acquitted in 2025).  Maya Kodnani, convicted in the 2002 Gujarat riots (later acquitted on appeal), was a former BJP minister.  In the Bilkis Bano case, convicts received remissions and public welcomes by VHP members, with one sharing stages with BJP lawmakers. Critics highlight 134 BJP MLAs/MPs facing criminal charges, including violence.  Recent cases include inducting Palghar lynching accused into BJP, later suspended amid backlash. 

Evidence Handling and Bias: Biased probes in 2020 Delhi riots, where BJP leaders incited violence but investigations targeted opponents. In Gujarat riots, critics point to Modi’s handling and evidence issues. Patterns of pre-election riots or laws targeting Muslims for votes noted in states like Karnataka, UP, and West Bengal.

Polarization for Electoral Gain: Reports indicate communal clashes rose under BJP, with 113 registered cases and 962 conflicts in the first half of 2025, affecting 459,000 people. 64 Critics claim BJP exploits divisions for 3-8% extra votes, using riots, laws, or films before elections. 

Counterpoints and BJP Defenses: BJP denies bias, claiming no evidence against leaders like Modi in riots. It accuses opposition (e.g., Congress) of using anti-communal forces to suppress Hindus and highlights actions against violence, limiting Naxal issues to tribal areas. Party leaders argue communal violence is not a law-and-order issue alone and criticize opposition for politicizing it. 

Broader Impact: These patterns fuel debates on democratic decline, with calls for impartial probes and anti-lynching laws. Human rights groups note increased targeting of minorities and critics under anti-terror laws. However, BJP emphasizes development and action against violence. “Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, acquitted in the Malegaon case, during her tenure as a BJP MP.”

These cases collectively illustrate concerns over selective justice, political interference, and communal biases in India’s legal and political landscape.

It is pertinent that right minded, educated people who have given wholehearted support to Modi on his development agenda consider the direction in which the country is moving and see the duality of claims and deeds of bjp, and whether we want a liberal, modern, democratic India or a fascist, criminal, theocratic and regressive India. 

BJP has used Riots, Rapes and Murders as political tools - an article by AK Bhatia

BJP has used Riots, Rapes and  Murders as political tools - an article by AK Bhatia 

॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰॰

I have worked on information available in the public domain and have found patterns of BJP tolerance, involvement, and incentives in communal crimes for political polarization. This is supported by additional verified details from diverse sources, including criticisms, defenses, and examples of rewards for accused/convicts, highlighting claims of electoral benefits through division alongside assertions of impartial action against violence. Each section includes timelines, key facts, outcomes, and visuals for context.

1. The Lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq (Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, 2015)

In September 2015, Mohammad Akhlaq, a 52-year-old Muslim man, was lynched by a mob in Dadri over rumors of storing beef in his home. His son was also severely injured. The incident sparked national outrage and debates on mob violence and communal tensions. 

• Key Developments: Initially, 19 individuals were accused. A decade later, in November 2025, the Uttar Pradesh government (under BJP leadership) filed an application to withdraw all charges against the accused, citing various procedural grounds. This move has been criticized by Akhlaq’s family, who vow to continue fighting for justice, emphasizing the ongoing trauma and lack of closure. 
• Broader Impact: The case is often cited in discussions on lynching laws, with the Supreme Court previously recommending separate offenses for such acts. Experts and media debates in 2025 have questioned the government’s intent, viewing it as a potential erosion of accountability in communal cases. 

2. The 2008 Malegaon Bomb Blast Case

On September 29, 2008, a bomb exploded in Malegaon, Maharashtra, killing six people (mostly Muslims) and injuring over 100 during Ramadan prayers. The case involved allegations of Hindu extremist involvement, with initial investigations pointing to groups like Abhinav Bharat.  “Court proceedings and accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, which resulted in acquittals after 17 years.”

• Key Developments: All seven accused, including BJP leader Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt. Col. Prasad Purohit, were acquitted in July 2025 by a special NIA court in Mumbai due to insufficient credible evidence. The court noted a lack of proof linking the accused to the explosives or conspiracy, despite the real impact of the blast.

• Broader Impact: This verdict has reignited debates on investigation quality and conviction rates in terror cases, especially when compared to other blasts where over 190 people (mostly Muslims) lost lives in similar incidents. 
• Critics, including political figures, have called for appeals, highlighting the 17-year trial’s failure to deliver justice for victims. 

3. Garlanding of Lynching Convicts by Union Minister Jayant Sinha (Ramgarh, Jharkhand, 2017-2018)

In June 2017, Alimuddin Ansari, a Muslim meat trader, was lynched by a mob in Ramgarh over suspicions of carrying beef. Eleven individuals were initially convicted by a fast-track court, with eight receiving life sentences (later reduced or bailed).  “Union Minister Jayant Sinha publicly garlanding convicts in the Ramgarh lynching case upon their release on bail.” 

• Key Developments: In July 2018, upon their release on bail by the Jharkhand High Court, Union Minister Jayant Sinha (son of senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha and a minister in the Modi government) publicly garlanded and felicitated eight of the convicts at his residence.  Sinha later expressed regret amid backlash but maintained the accused were “innocent” and that he had provided legal aid. 
• Broader Impact: The act drew widespread condemnation from opposition parties and international media, with calls for Sinha’s resignation, viewing it as encouragement for mob violence and a disregard for the rule of law. 

4. Release and Felicitations of Convicts in the Bilkis Bano Case (Gujarat Riots, 2002)

During the 2002 Gujarat riots, Bilkis Bano, then pregnant, was gang-raped, and 14 of her family members (including her 3-year-old daughter) were murdered by a mob. Eleven men were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2008. “Convicts in the Bilkis Bano case being welcomed with garlands and sweets upon their release under remission.” 

• Key Developments: In August 2022, the Gujarat government (BJP-led) granted remission to all 11 convicts, leading to their early release. Upon release, they were welcomed with garlands, sweets, and hugs by members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Hindu Mahasabha, organizations associated with the RSS-BJP ecosystem. A BJP MLA controversially described the convicts as “Brahmins with good sanskaar” (values). One convict later shared a stage with BJP lawmakers, provoking further outrage. 

• Broader Impact: The decision, backed by a panel including BJP legislators, sparked outrage and legal challenges, symbolizing a shift in public discourse from demanding harsh punishments for rapists to leniency in certain cases. The Supreme Court quashed the remission in 2024, slamming the Gujarat government for acting “in tandem with convicts.” Opposition parties accused the BJP of “helping convicts” and demanded apologies. Internal BJP fault lines emerged over the decision. 

5. Patterns of Political Polarization, Tolerance, and Incentives in Communal Incidents

There is a clear pattern where the BJP as a party is not only tolerant of such heinous crimes but is happily involved in them, as they help polarize Hindus in favor of the BJP. Methods include ensuring culprits are not convicted by destroying evidence or presenting weak cases, making incarceration less painful through repeated paroles and remissions, and rewarding convicts with plum posts post-release as incentives. “Illustrations of communal riots and polarization trends in India under the BJP government, as documented in human rights reports.” 

• Supporting Examples and Criticisms:
• Rewards for Accused/Convicts: Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, accused in the Malegaon blasts, was fielded as a BJP MP candidate in 2019 and won, despite ongoing charges (acquitted in 2025).  Maya Kodnani, convicted in the 2002 Gujarat riots (later acquitted on appeal), was a former BJP minister.  In the Bilkis Bano case, convicts received remissions and public welcomes by VHP members, with one sharing stages with BJP lawmakers. Critics highlight 134 BJP MLAs/MPs facing criminal charges, including violence.  Recent cases include inducting Palghar lynching accused into BJP, later suspended amid backlash. 
• Evidence Handling and Bias: Biased probes in 2020 Delhi riots, where BJP leaders incited violence but investigations targeted opponents. In Gujarat riots, critics point to Modi’s handling and evidence issues. Patterns of pre-election riots or laws targeting Muslims for votes noted in states like Karnataka, UP, and West Bengal.

• Polarization for Electoral Gain: Reports indicate communal clashes rose under BJP, with 113 registered cases and 962 conflicts in the first half of 2025, affecting 459,000 people. 64 Critics claim BJP exploits divisions for 3-8% extra votes, using riots, laws, or films before elections. 
• Counterpoints and BJP Defenses: BJP denies bias, claiming no evidence against leaders like Modi in riots. It accuses opposition (e.g., Congress) of using anti-communal forces to suppress Hindus and highlights actions against violence, limiting Naxal issues to tribal areas. Party leaders argue communal violence is not a law-and-order issue alone and criticize opposition for politicizing it. 
• Broader Impact: These patterns fuel debates on democratic decline, with calls for impartial probes and anti-lynching laws. Human rights groups note increased targeting of minorities and critics under anti-terror laws. However, BJP emphasizes development and action against violence. “Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, acquitted in the Malegaon case, during her tenure as a BJP MP.”

These cases collectively illustrate concerns over selective justice, political interference, and communal biases in India’s legal and political landscape.

It is pertinent that right minded, educated people who have given wholehearted support to Modi on his development agenda consider the direction in which the country is moving and see the duality of claims and deeds of bjp, and whether we want a liberal, modern, democratic India or a fascist, criminal, theocratic and regressive India.