Soni Sori and Her Stand Towards 'Naxalism'

On 20 February, three unidentified men carried out an acid attack on tribal activist Soni Sori in which her face was burnt. In a candid interview with Krishnakant, Soni Sori speaks about the attack, her struggle against the system that framed her as a Naxal and her stand towards the issue of Naxalism.

- Krishnakant

Tell us in detail about the recent acid attack.

I had gone to meet Isha Khandelwal and Shalini in Jagdalpur when the attack took place. Both of them are activists and legal advisors for adivasis. The police had been harassing them for quite some time. They were threatened. Even their landlord was harassed who told them to vacate the house. No one took them in as tenants because announcements were made to inform the police if they were seen anywhere. They decided to leave Jagdalpur and wanted to see me before they left. When I reached there in the evening I received information about the arrest of one of their associates. They left for the bus-stand. I got another message from a village local asking about my well-being. When I asked why he was concerned he told me that he heard the police discuss how to stop me from visiting Jagdalpur. They were planning to send goons to attack me. Though I ignored what he said I did share it with Shalini how they were scheming against us. She wrote that I could be attacked. Since such threats are a norm here, I did not take it seriously. Then I called my friend, Rinki to drop me off on her bike. On our way back (from Jagdalpur to Geedam), we stopped at a dhaba for tea.