A l’Índia, les excavadores s’han convertit en una eina de demolició de llars musulmanes i en un símbol de poder polític, en un context d’augment de les tensions entre la majoria hindú i la minoria musulmana.
A l’Índia, l’ascens al poder del Partit Popular Indi (BJP) ha aprofundit les tensions entre la majoria hindú i la minoria musulmana. Activistes i acadèmics han assenyalat l’augment de la retòrica hostil contra les persones musulmanes i les comunitats migrants procedents de Bangladesh, en un context de creixent polarització política i religiosa.
En diversos estats governats pel BJP, les excavadores s’han convertit en una eina de demolició de llars atribuïdes a persones musulmanes. Les autoritats les presenten com a construccions il·legals o habitatges vinculats a suposats responsables de disturbis, però aquestes actuacions han generat preocupació per la manca de garanties judicials i pel seu possible ús com a càstig col·lectiu.
Earthmovers raze the structures claimed as encroachment during a demolition drive by the civic authorities at the clash affected spot in Jahangir Puri in New Delhi on April 20, 2022. (Photographer – Anindito Mukherjee for The New York Times)
La pràctica ha estat especialment visible a Uttar Pradesh, l’estat més poblat de l’Índia, i a Madhya Pradesh, on també governa el BJP. A Khargone, les excavadores van arrasar habitatges de barris considerats irregulars, afectant majoritàriament famílies musulmanes. Les demolicions, sovint executades després d’episodis de violència comunal, han esdevingut una imatge del poder de l’Estat sobre les comunitats més vulnerables.
Més enllà de la destrucció material, aquestes operacions deixen famílies sense llar i aprofundeixen la desconfiança envers les institucions. La demolició es transforma així en un missatge polític que va més enllà de l’enderroc d’un edifici: expressa qui té el poder i qui queda exposat a les seves conseqüències.
En un país de gran diversitat religiosa, el debat sobre aquestes actuacions planteja qüestions fonamentals sobre la igualtat davant la llei, el dret a l’habitatge i la protecció de les minories.
An Indian Muslim man walks past demolished shops next to a mosque from where the communal violence broke out after a religious Hindu procession took a longer time than expected, at Talaab Chowk in Khargone in India’s Madhya Pradesh state on April 15, 2022. (Photographer – Anindito Mukherjee for The New York Times)A shopkeeper peeps out of his shop as he waits for the curfew relaxation time to operate his shop after the authorities imposed a curfew and announced a few hours of relaxation for people to buy essential items in Khargone in India’s Madhya Pradesh state on April 15, 2022. (Photographer – Anindito Mukherjee for The New York Times)Arif Khan, a Muslim man whose house was demolished by the authorities looks on from inside a makeshift tent in which he with his family members stay at Khas Khas Wadi in Talaab Chowk in Khargone in India’s Madhya Pradesh state on April 15, 2022. (Photographer – Anindito Mukherjee for The New York Times)A displaced Muslim family members use a plastic sheet as a wall partition while staying at a makeshift place which was once used as a stable after their home was demolished by the authorities following communal violence in the city. Picture taken at Khas-Khas wadi in Khargone in India’s Madhya Pradesh state on April 15, 2022. (Photographer – Anindito Mukherjee for The New York Times)Asha Pawar, walks out of a room inside her house that was set alight by a mob following a communal violence broke out after a religious Hindu procession took a longer time than expected, in Khargone in India’s Madhya Pradesh state on April 16, 2022. (Photographer – Anindito Mukherjee for The New York Times)A house belonging of the Hindu community pictured afterit was set alight by a mob following a communal violence that broke out post a religious Hindu procession took a longer time than expected in Khargone in India’s Madhya Pradesh state on April 15, 2022. (Photographer – Anindito Mukherjee for The New York Times)A general view of the mosque shot from atop a cinema hall said to be the epicentre of the clash between two communities during a demolition drive by the civic authorities at the clash affected spot in Jahangir Puri in New Delhi on April 20, 2022. (Photographer – Anindito Mukherjee for The New York Times)People from the Muslim community pictured at a residential locality near a mosque from where a communal violence broke out post a religious Hindu procession took a longer time than expected, at Talaab Chowk in Khargone in India’s Madhya Pradesh state on April 15, 2022. (Photographer – Anindito Mukherjee for The New York Times)Burqa clad Indian Muslim women walk past a house burned during a communal violence at Bhatt Wadi in Khargone in India’s Madhya Pradesh state on April 15, 2022. (Photographer – Anindito Mukherjee for The New York Times)
Fotoperiodista independent i fotògraf documental indi, establert a Nova Delhi. Va iniciar la seva carrera el 2006 al diari India Today i posteriorment va treballar per a agències com EPA, Reuters i Bloomberg. La seva obra, centrada especialment en l’actualitat política i econòmica, ha estat publicada en mitjans internacionals com The New York Times, Time, The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal i The Economist. També ha col·laborat en projectes per a l’OMS i UNICEF.
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