Posters in JNU claim Holi against dalit women

The Jawaharlal Nehru University campus on Tuesday saw new posters put up describing Holi as an “anti-women” festival.

The posters — which were pasted on the walls of eateries, markets and schools on the campus and titled “Why does Brahmanical Patriarchal India celebrate burning of Holika, an Asura Bahujan woman What is Holy about Holi ” — are being circulated on social media.

“Historically, the festival has also sexually abused dalit women in the name of celebrations. The act of ‘burning’ dalit Bahujan women is essentially a patriarchal and brahmanical practice, still a rampant practice in India. Let us not forget the case of Soni Sori who was attacked with an acid-like substance by brahmanical forces. Culturally, Holi is the coming together of the Right and the Left symbolically burning the dalit Bahujan woman, with the blessings of Manu, with joy and pomp in the public sphere. Holi will not only remain anti-bahujan, anti-dalit and anti-adivasi women in character, but is against womanhood itself. SAY NO TO HOLI!” the poster read.

The posters, which carry the name of a group called “Flames of Resistance (FOR)”, also said that it should not be removed till April 8. A JNUSU office-bearer said, “I have never heard the name of any such group before. It seems to be a new group which has done this on the campus”.

Lata Sarang, who belongs to the Hundred Flowers Group, JNU, said, “Holi is basically a celebration of harvest. India is and was an agriculture-dominated nation, and most of the festivals are related to the harvest and also with religious mythologies. But Holi is completely different and has little to do with any kind of religious ritual. And this is a festival of the masses where they need very little to enjoy, unlike Diwali which is a festival of riches.”

A few days ago a group of students had burnt the ancient text Manusmriti for having verses allegedly derogatory to women in some places.