Free Voice is a platform that publishes prose and poetry within the broad theme of social justice. We cover the fields of literature, modern history of India, sociology, political science and cultural studies. Our purpose is to engage with audiences across age, gender, class, caste, ethnicity, religion and region.
Many times we engage with issues academically if the subject demands it. We encourage India’s four historically marginalised groups to theorise from their lived experiences- women, Dalits, Adivasis and religious minorities.
Over the last few years, we have observed an increase in communal violence targeting religious minorities, be it Muslims, Christians, Sikhs or Buddhists. To understand this serious and sensitive issue, we felt the need to use an academic format.
Book discussions are an effective way that is often used by academicians across the globe. On 11 October 2025, Free Voice organised a discussion on the book Weaponisation of Hindu Festivals (2024) by the renowned social activist, lawyer and public intellectual Irfan Engineer and Neha Dabhade.
Irfan Engineer shared how there was a time just a decade ago when Ram Navami festivals were organised by local Hindus where non-Hindus were also invited. Though principally a Hindu festival, Muslims, too, participated in them in various ways. There was not an iota of communalism involved in such religious processions and people participated in it due to devotion and piety.
Engineer observed that for last few years, there was something unusual happening across the country. Regular incidents of religious violence were getting reported. So, he and his team at The Centre for Study of Society and Secularism (CSSS) decided to visit those sites and find out for themselves. They found that anti-social elements were asked to take part in such rallies and were even instructed to commit violence. Directions were given to cross through Muslim populated areas, not Hindu populated ones. The intention was to disturb and provoke Muslims, not to promote amity among Hindus and non-Hindus which has been the usual case earlier.
The question-and-answer session went really well. Many young minds were enthusiastic about knowing more about the operation style of the ever rising many local, regional and national Hindutva forces. One participant shared that when he read the book, he got a sense that poor Hindus are pitted against religious minorities. Irfan Engineer agreed and shared his experience of Odisha. Violence is deeply casteist where high caste Hindus remain behind the curtains while middle castes and even Dalits are used as fodder against the religious minorities, especially, Muslims and Christians.
Overall the discussion went well. In coming years, Free Voice intends to organise more such book discussions including books by Dr. BR Ambedkar, Edward Said, Ornit Shani, Charu Gupta, Joya Chatterji, Sudhir Kakar, Nandini Sundar, Harsh Mandar, Paul Brass, and Mushirul Hasan, Aijaz Ahmad to name only a few.
If you want to discuss any of the books on the themes of communalism, casteism, capitalism, social and cultural exclusion, inequality and injustice, colonialism, or patriarchy please drop an email and pitch your key ideas in 100-200 words. We will get back to you within a week.
(This report is made with inputs from Zeeshan Husain)
Abu Siddik
Editor-in-Chief
Free Voice
